ARC Review: The Golden Gate by Robert Buettner

The Golden Gate
Author: Robert Buettner
Publication: Baen (January 3, 2017)

Description: An exciting future thriller from nationally best-selling author of the Orphan's Legacy science fiction saga. A face-off with killers in order to guard a secret that could change humanity forever.

LIVE FOREVER—OR DIE TRYING

When the world’s richest man is the victim of a car bomb and literally blown off the Golden Gate Bridge the attack is attributed to terrorists and the world moves on. But some still wonder. Was Manuel Colibri targeted because, as Silicon Valley rumor has it, he was about to make the dream that people alive today can live to be one thousand come true?

Two people are pursuing the truth. Tech journalist Kate Boyle and recovering Iraq war veteran Ben Shepard race through the Bay Area chasing the only clues the reclusive Colibri left behind. They discover not only each other but a cosmic secret that can change human history—and may cost them their lives.

My Thoughts: This near future mystery tries to find out who killed the world's richest man and who wants to keep his discoveries from changing the world. Manuel Colibri is the man whose fancy car was blown off the Golden Gate bridge.

David Powell, another tycoon, recruits his former attorney Jack Boyle to find out who wanted to kill Colibri. Jack had resigned his position after his wife's death from cancer. Jack is having a hard time getting over losing his soulmate. Jack's daughter Kate is a journalist who gave up a prestigious position on the East Coast to come take care of her father. Jack recruits her to help in the investigation.

Ben Shepard is also recruited by his boss, Arthur Petrie, who is the Director of Homeland Security and has much larger political aspirations. Ben is an Iraq war veteran who is attending law school. His war experiences, which included losing part of his right hand, were traumatic enough that he has spend time trying to get his life back together.

Together Kate and Ben track down the clues to find out who wanted Colibri dead. Colibri was sitting on the secret to a much extended life span for those who could afford to pay for it. They aren't sure if the murderer wanted to exploit this knowledge or suppress it.

This book had all sorts of scientific detail about DNA and life-extending technologies. It also had characters who were involved in the SETI program which is trying to prove that there are other intelligent species in the universe.

The story was entertaining. I liked the way the various parts of the plot were woven together. I especially liked the relationship between Kate and Ben. I liked that they mystery was solved and I liked that it left what to do with the scientific breakthroughs unresolved.

Favorite Quote:

So far today, Ben had vomited over a boat rail, discovered a pirate's treasure chest as big as a GI's Containerized Housing Unit, but less valuable than a losing lottery ticket, and had been sneezed on my a whale. All things considered, in terms of seeing the world's wonders, today beat the best day he ever had in Iraq.

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

Friday Memes: The Golden Gate by Robert Buettner

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:

On New Year's Eve, 2019. a bearded jogger, shivering visibly in orange Lycra tights, chased after a plaid fedora that a frigid night wind swirling in off the Pacific had snatched from his head.

Friday 56:

Kate pointed at the screen over the male pilot's shoulder. "You're making that claw move with this thingy under your hand?"

"Yes, ma'am. Actually we call that claw a manipulator, and this thingy's called a joystick."

This week I am reading The Golden Gate by Robert Buettner. I got this eARC from NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

An exciting future thriller from nationally best-selling author of the Orphan's Legacy science fiction saga. A face-off with killers in order to guard a secret that could change humanity forever.

LIVE FOREVER—OR DIE TRYING

When the world’s richest man is the victim of a car bomb and literally blown off the Golden Gate Bridge the attack is attributed to terrorists and the world moves on. But some still wonder. Was Manuel Colibri targeted because, as Silicon Valley rumor has it, he was about to make the dream that people alive today can live to be one thousand come true?

Two people are pursuing the truth. Tech journalist Kate Boyle and recovering Iraq war veteran Ben Shepard race through the Bay Area chasing the only clues the reclusive Colibri left behind. They discover not only each other but a cosmic secret that can change human history—and may cost them their lives.

ARC Review: Midnight Obsession by Melinda Leigh

Midnight Obsession
Author: Melinda Leigh
Series: The Midnight Series (Book 4)
Publication: Montlake Romance (January 3, 2017)

Description: In Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s edgy new thriller, Louisa Hancock thought she was safe…but there’s a new killer in town.

When a mysterious package lands on Louisa Hancock’s doorstep, the Philadelphia museum curator can hardly anticipate the nightmare that’s about to envelop her. The package is addressed to her father—an expert in Viking culture—and inside is a ninth-century sword, a chilling thank-you note, and photos of two dead bodies in a tableau evoking a Nordic funeral. The gruesome images match a recent crime scene. But before the police can investigate the killer’s connection to Louisa’s father, Ward Hancock vanishes.

Sports bar owner Conor Sullivan wants nothing more than to spend his life with Louisa. Devoted and protective, he refuses to leave her side after her father’s disappearance. When a troubled young boxer he’s been coaching is suspected of the murders, Conor is pulled in even deeper. Desperate, Louisa and Conor take it upon themselves to find her father, but soon another ritualistic slaying makes it clear there’s a Viking-obsessed serial killer on the loose. And he has a new target: Louisa.

My Thoughts: Louisa Hancock should be sitting pretty. She has a wonderful boyfriend in Conor; her father has returned to her clean and sober and ready to build a relationship. She is overcoming the trauma of her kidnapping and near death. But when her father receives a ninth-century Viking sword, a thank-you note, and a photo of two dead bodies mimicking a Viking funeral, Louisa knows that trouble isn't ready to leave her and the people she loves alone.

In addition, Conor is mentoring a young man who is trying to stay away from the gangs in his Philly neighborhood but they don't want to let him alone. Between gang violence and a murderer who seems fixated on her, Louisa and Conor are in danger.

When Louisa's father is kidnapped, solving the crime and finding the murderer becomes even more crucial.

This was an exciting and action-packed romantic suspense title. The romance sort of took the back seat here. Conor and Louisa are in love and Conor is ready to take the next step. He's just waiting for the right time to present Louisa with a ring. Louisa is also just getting used to being loved and being part of the big Sullivan family. The criminals are making it hard for him to find the right time to propose.

I enjoyed this story. I liked seeing where characters from earlier books were in their lives now in this book. Fans of romantic suspense and especially fans of the earlier books in this series won't want to miss this title. 

Favorite Quote:

After spending most of her years alone, she now had Conor, his family, and a few friends. She even had her very first dog. Her father had returned, clean and sober and wanting to have a relationship with her. She was grateful for everyone who was part of her new life, but the adjustment to caring and being cared about was more difficult than she'd expected. She'd learned young to lock her heart away to protect it. Until Conor had come along, she hadn't known what she was missing.

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

Book Review: Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

Her Royal Spyness
Author: Rhys Bowen
Series: Her Royal Spyness (Book 1)
Publication: Berkley; Reprint edition (July 1, 2008)

Description: INTRODUCING “A FEISTY NEW HEROINE” (JACQUELINE WINSPEAR) who’s thirty-fourth in line for the throne—and flat broke.

From the Agatha Award-winning author of the Molly Murphy and Constable Evan Evans mysteries!

Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, 34th in line for the throne, is flat broke. She’s bolted Scotland, her greedy brother, and her fish-faced betrothed for London. The place where she’ll experience freedom, learn life lessons aplenty, do a bit of spying for HRH—oh, and find a dead Frenchman in her tub. Now her new job is to clear her long family name.

My Thoughts: It is nice to be part of the British royal family but not if you are twenty-one, thirty-fourth in line for the throne, and completely broke. Georgie is the sister of the current Duke of Glen Garry and Rannoch. Her grandmother was the youngest of Queen Victoria's daughters. But it is 1932 and the duke has fallen on hard times.

Georgie decides to go to London to try to make her own way but she doesn't really know what she can do. She is camping out in the family home with no servants, no heat and no prospects. She reconnects with some school friends but they aren't much better off. She knows that she doesn't want to marry a man she doesn't love or work as a companion for one of her elderly relatives. She decides to start a housecleaning business but has to keep her role secret. Royalty doesn't dust!

She comes home one day to find a body in her bathtub. The man who said he was collecting on her father's gambling debts is the victim. Her brother the current duke, who is knows as Binky to his family, had come to London to meet with the man but has fled back to Scotland leaving Georgie to pick up the pieces. When the police target Binky, Georgie has to find a way to investigate and find the real killer.

Meanwhile, the queen has summoned Georgie to the palace and asked her to attend a house party so that she can see if the Prince of Wales is really infatuated with Mrs. Simpson. Her Majesty wants Georgie to act as her spy. Georgie is busy with both investigations and is also suffering an unusual number of accidents. Georgie has always been sort of clumsy but falling off a boat, being pushed onto Subway tracks, and falling down a flight of stairs are well beyond her usual clumsiness. She has become someone's target but she has no idea why anyone would want her dead. Somehow, Georgie manages to persevere and solve all the different cases.

I liked the writing style and I liked all the period details in this first in a series of mysteries starring Georgie. I'm eager to read more.

Favorite Quote:

"I think I have something you're going to love," Belinda said at her most condescendingly British. "I have to tell you that royalty have worn my creations."

"Oh, my dear, I won't hold that against you, but please never use that as a selling point again. I immediately picture the dowdy duchess, looking like a Christmas pudding with a tiara on top, or that awful straight-backed queen of yours, looking as if her corset were made of reinforced steel and two sizes too tight."

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

Teaser Tuesday: Midnight Obsession by Melinda Leigh

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• 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 and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

"The girl was killed here." Jackson's gaze traveled the length of the marks. "Maybe the man was already dead."

This week I am reading Midnight Obsession by Melinda Leigh. I got this eARC from NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

In Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s edgy new thriller, Louisa Hancock thought she was safe…but there’s a new killer in town.

When a mysterious package lands on Louisa Hancock’s doorstep, the Philadelphia museum curator can hardly anticipate the nightmare that’s about to envelop her. The package is addressed to her father—an expert in Viking culture—and inside is a ninth-century sword, a chilling thank-you note, and photos of two dead bodies in a tableau evoking a Nordic funeral. The gruesome images match a recent crime scene. But before the police can investigate the killer’s connection to Louisa’s father, Ward Hancock vanishes.

Sports bar owner Conor Sullivan wants nothing more than to spend his life with Louisa. Devoted and protective, he refuses to leave her side after her father’s disappearance. When a troubled young boxer he’s been coaching is suspected of the murders, Conor is pulled in even deeper. Desperate, Louisa and Conor take it upon themselves to find her father, but soon another ritualistic slaying makes it clear there’s a Viking-obsessed serial killer on the loose. And he has a new target: Louisa.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Dec. 26, 2016)

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.

Other Than Reading... 

I'm sitting writing this in the living room of my new house. My drive up on Thursday was blessedly uneventful. It was warm (for Minnesota) and sunny the whole way. I got home to an empty house since my brother was working but this time he hadn't locked me out. I got all unpacked and relaxed until he got home from work at 11 PM and then we talked until 1 AM. It was a long day for someone who got up at 6 AM.

I brought a cold home with me. My cough has been joined by a runny nose. I brought all kinds of cold remedies with me and hope I'll be finished with it before I need to drive back. Sneezing, coughing and blowing my nose while driving requires more coordination than I possess.

I'm writing this on Friday afternoon and watching the wind blow and large snow flakes get blown around by it. We're supposed to get less than an inch of snow in this event. The big one is apparently waiting for Christmas Day into Monday afternoon. Good thing I don't have to be anywhere else for those two days.

I brought home two print books and Kindle full of books. I can easily fill my time reading and trying to find things my brother has put away. I need to learn my way around a new arrangement in the kitchen. I opened every drawer before I found a spatula to flip my egg at breakfast.

I was hoping to bring some empty boxes back with me so that I can begin my packing. However, since Oct. 22, he has only emptied about ten - the kitchen stuff. All his many boxed of LPs and CDs are still waiting for him to find time to empty them.

We're going to do one more walk-through of our other house in Duluth to make sure we've taken everything we want while I'm home this time. Next stop, hire someone to do an estate sale to get rid of the rest of the things in that house!

Read Last Week

Southern Gothic by Dale Wiley was a spooky story within a story. Fans of contemporary Gothic fiction will enjoy it. My review will be posted on January 19.

Archangel's Heart by Nalini Singh was a recent arrival on my Kindle. I always enjoy her writing and chose this one after abandoning a review book that was just to florid and wordy for my tastes.

Currently

I'm currently reading Dawn Study by Maria V. Snyder which is the third and final book in the Study series but includes characters from her other series too. This is the ninth book I've read that's set in this fantasy world.

Next Week

I'll be starting with these two from my review stack but hope to read a couple more too.

• Killing Jane by Stacy Green (Jan. 31)
• The Black Wolves of Boston by Wen Spencer (Feb. 7)

Reviews Posted

• Coffin Road by Peter May
• Betrayals by Kelley Armstrong
• Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

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

One Fell Sweep by Ilona Andrews is the newest book in their Innkeeper series. I had to have a copy since I enjoyed the others.

Kale to the Queen by Nell Hampton is a cozy mystery with ties to British royalty something of keen interest to this American.

To see what Young Adult books I have been reading and plan to read, check out Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Book Review: Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

Gameboard of the Gods
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Age of X (Book 1)
Publication: Dutton; 1St Edition edition (June 4, 2013)

Description: The first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series has all the elements that have made her bestselling Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

My Thoughts: GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS begins a new adult series for Mead. It takes place in a dystopian future. Mae Koskinen is a praetorian soldier - the best of the best. She is also a member of a high class social group though she has cast them aside to be a soldier.

Justin March is an exiled serivitor currently living in Panama. He was exiled because he wrote something in a report that indicated that he believes in the gods that his society has outlawed. Religion and the worship of any god is partially blamed for a devastating plague that wiped out huge numbers of people. Justin is from a lower class who clawed and struggled using his wit, charm, and ability to discern patterns to reach his high position.

He is called back from exile and assigned Mae to guard him when a series of murders takes place that seem to have religious overtones.

Unbeknownst to his superiors, Justin has made part of a bargain with a mysterious god though he is clinging to a loophole to keep from swearing to the god. Unbeknownst to her, Mae is under siege by another god who wants to take her over. Even though Justin is attracted to her, making love to her will complete his bargain with his mysterious god which leads him to be cruel to rebuff her. That really doesn't help their working relationship!

As they investigate, they learn more and more secrets about hidden cults, mysterious gods, and what it means for their government. I enjoyed this story which had wonderful characters and strong relationships between them.

Fans of fantasy will enjoy this one too.

Favorite Quote:

"My job's to protect him," Mae told Callista in a voice that chilled the warm night. "Admittedly, I didn't really realize what kind of danger he was in."

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

Friday Memes: Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

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:

Mae dealt out death regularly. It really wasn't a problem.

Friday 56:

"Stabbed through the heart with a silver dagger. During a full moon. Quite brutal." Cornelia almost, almost sounded like she actually had some emotion behind the words.

This week I am spotlighting Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead. This has been on TBR mountain since May 23, 2013. Here is the description from Amazon:

The first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series has all the elements that have made her bestselling Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

ARC Review: Coffin Road by Peter May

Coffin Road
Author: Peter May
Publication: Quercus (October 4, 2016)

Description: In his latest mystery set in Scotland and the Outer Hebrides, award-winning author Peter May spins a tale about three disparate cases that may or may not be linked...

On the remote Isle of Harris in Scotland's Outer Hebrides, a man washes up on a deserted beach, hypothermic and completely disoriented. He has no idea who he is or how he got there. The only clue to his condition is a map of the island showing a desolate, ancient path called the Coffin Road. With a sense of dread and no clear idea what lies at the other end, he knows he must follow the trail if he has any hope of discovering his identity.

Meanwhile, homicide detective George Gunn makes the rough ocean crossing to a remote, sea-battered lighthouse on a rock in the northern Atlantic, twenty miles west of the Outer Hebrides, to investigate a brutal murder. Despite its isolation, the tiny island has seen its share of tragedy: more than a century earlier, three lighthouse keepers disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. And now there is a new tragedy, and Gunn must figure out what happened.

At the same time, a teenage girl lies in her Edinburgh bedroom, desperate to discover the truth about her father's death. Two years after the discovery of the pioneering scientist's suicide note, Karen Fleming still cannot accept that her father would willingly abandon her. And the more she discovers about the nature of his research, the more she suspects that suicide had nothing to do with it.

My Thoughts: COFFIN ROAD was an interesting mystery that gradually unfolded its story. It begins with a man coming back to his house after some sort of trauma that has caused him to lose his memory of self. He remembers daily things but doesn't remember anything about who he is and what his past contains.

The second focus character is Karen Fleming who is a rebellious teenage girl still reeling from the suicide of her father two years previous. She decides to track down some of his colleagues and learns much about him that she had never known. She also learns that he may not actually have committed suicide. He may have chosen to disappear instead.

The third focus character is Detective Sergeant George Gunn who is in charge of a murder investigation. A man's body has been discovered on an otherwise uninhabited island. Gunn needs to find out who the man is and who killed him. He uncovers are nameless man as a suspect but isn't helped much by him since he has no memory and feels that he might have actually murdered the man.

As the three stories come together we find a ruthless agribusiness willing to do anything to protect its profits even to the point of murder and a dedicated scientist determined to get his research published in order to protect the environment and human life.

There was a lot of description of the landscape and the weather which seemed almost another character. I found myself wondering what was going on for a good part of this story. The mystery was slow-building and slow-paced for most of the book.

This is the first book I have read by this author. I feel sure that his fans will welcome this newest mystery.

Favorite Quote:

Nothing, absolutely nothing since I found myself washed up semiconscious, on the Traigh Losgaintir, has made sense. My memory loss. My failure to find a single clue to my identity, beyond my name, even in my own home. My affair with Sally. The book on the Flannan Isles mystery that I am not writing. Beehives on the coffin road. My missing boat. Now someone trying to kill me. And someone else stepping in to save me. The weight of it all is very nearly crushing.

I got this one in exchange for an honest review from the publisher. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Betrayals by Kelley Armstrong

Betrayals
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Cainsville
Publication: Random House Canada (August 9, 2016)

Description: The exciting fourth novel in bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's "impossible-to-put-down" Cainsville series.

When Olivia's life exploded--after she found out she was not the adopted child of a privileged Chicago family but of a notorious pair of convicted serial killers--she found a refuge in the secluded but oddly welcoming town of Cainsville, Illinois. Working with Gabriel Walsh, a fiendishly successful criminal lawyer with links to the town, she discovered the truth about her parents' crimes in an investigation that also revealed the darker forces at work in the place that had offered her a haven. As if that wasn't enough, she also found out that she, Gabriel and her biker boyfriend Ricky were not caught in an ordinary sort of love triangle, but were hereditary actors in an ancient drama in which the elders of Cainsville and the mysterious Huntsmen who opposed them had a huge stake.

     Now someone is killing street kids in the city, and the police have tied Ricky to the crimes. Setting out with Gabriel's help to clear Ricky's name, Olivia once again finds her own life at risk. Soon the three are tangled in a web of betrayals that threatens their uneasy equilibrium and is pushing them toward a hard choice: either they fulfill their destinies by trusting each other and staying true to their real bonds, or they succumb to the extraordinary forces trying to win an eternal war by tearing them apart.

My Thoughts: In this fourth book in the Cainsville series, Olivia find herself investigating the case of the deaths of some lamiae who look like teenagers and who need to gather energy from humans usually through sex. There is apparently a rogue huntsman who is tracking them and killing them.

Olivia is also trying to get her father Todd released from prison although she knows that it will probably be necessary to get her mother Pamela released. The problem is that Pamela is guilty of the crimes for which she was convicted by Todd is not. Pamela made a deal with the Cwn Annwn to kill evil people they could not and in return they would make a deal to cure Olivia's spina bifida.

Olivia, Gabriel, and Ricky are also still dealing with a love triangle that began centuries earlier. They are the current incarnations of those ancient lovers. All of them are determined not to reenact the original story. But they are still trying to figure out what their relationships should be in this lifetime which is complicated by the fact the Gabriel was so damaged by his abusive childhood.

The theme of this one is the question of what a person will do for love. Is it justified to do horrible things to achieve a good end? Olivia wrestles with this question both in her case and in her relationship with her mother and doesn't really come to a conclusion.

I enjoyed that many complex relationships in this episode of the Cainsville series and look forward to reading more.

Favorite Quote:

That kiss was a blazing fire in an ice storm. It was a clear running stream in a desert. And yet it wasn't quite that. It was finding something you didn't know you wanted, didn't know you needed, and then suddenly it was there, and you couldn't believe you hadn't been looking for it all along.

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

Teaser Tuesday: Coffin Road by Peter May

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• 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 and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

She looks more closely. "Oh, yeah. Bealach Eorabhat."And somehow I know she gets the pronunciation of the Gaelic all wrong. "The coffin road. Jon and I walked the whole circuit last spring."

This week I am reading Coffin Road by Peter May. This mystery/thriller was released in October. Here is the description from Amazon:

In his latest mystery set in Scotland and the Outer Hebrides, award-winning author Peter May spins a tale about three disparate cases that may or may not be linked...

On the remote Isle of Harris in Scotland's Outer Hebrides, a man washes up on a deserted beach, hypothermic and completely disoriented. He has no idea who he is or how he got there. The only clue to his condition is a map of the island showing a desolate, ancient path called the Coffin Road. With a sense of dread and no clear idea what lies at the other end, he knows he must follow the trail if he has any hope of discovering his identity.

Meanwhile, homicide detective George Gunn makes the rough ocean crossing to a remote, sea-battered lighthouse on a rock in the northern Atlantic, twenty miles west of the Outer Hebrides, to investigate a brutal murder. Despite its isolation, the tiny island has seen its share of tragedy: more than a century earlier, three lighthouse keepers disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. And now there is a new tragedy, and Gunn must figure out what happened.

At the same time, a teenage girl lies in her Edinburgh bedroom, desperate to discover the truth about her father's death. Two years after the discovery of the pioneering scientist's suicide note, Karen Fleming still cannot accept that her father would willingly abandon her. And the more she discovers about the nature of his research, the more she suspects that suicide had nothing to do with it.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Dec. 19, 2016)

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.

Other Than Reading... 

After a week of bone-chilling cold, it warmed up enough to snow. Forecast was dire enough that our Superintendent decided to close school at noon on Friday. This is Saturday morning and I don't think we got what we were expecting. It looks to me like we got about 5 inches of snow. The winds are still supposed to pick up later today and blow the snow around. Right now it looks nice at my house with everything covered with a white fluffy layer.

We have four days of school next week before we begin our short winter vacation. The weather forecast looks like it will be good for my travel plans. Thursday is supposed to be 23 degrees and partly cloudy at both ends of my trip. I am looking forward to seeing my brother and spending some time in my new home in Duluth.

Read Last Week

A Merciful Death by Kendra Elliot introduces a new character in a mystery set in the Pacific Northwest. It was exciting and the characters were well-rounded. My review will be posted on Jan. 13.

Currently

Southern Gothic by Dale Wiley will be released on Jan. 24.

Next Week

• Legacy by Hannah Fielding was released the end of July. I told the author I'd fit it in when I could.
• Dawn Study by Maria V. Snyder (Jan. 31 release)
• Killing Jane by Stacy Green (Jan. 1 release)

Reviews Posted

• Illusion Town by Jayne Castle (I read this one in July and kept moving it because review books needed its spot.)
• Forgotten City by Carrie Smith (Dec. 13 release)
• Ill Met by Murder by Elizabeth J. Duncan (Dec. 13 release)

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

I added Gauntlet by Holly Jennings to my review stack this week. It is the sequel to Arena which I recently read and reviewed. It will be released on April 4.

To see what Young Adult books I have been reading and plan to read, check out Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

ARC Review: Ill Met by Murder by Elizabeth J. Duncan

Ill Met by Murder
Author: Elizabeth J. Duncan
Series: A Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery (Book 2)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (December 13, 2016)

Description: It’s the most important night of the year for costume designer Charlotte Fairfax and the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company--the annual fund raising performance at the country estate of the wealthy widow Paula Van Dusen. This year, the company will give a moonlight performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as part of the wedding celebrations for Paula's daughter, Belinda, and her fiance Adrian. But then Hugh Hedley, family friend of the Van Dusens and Adrian's rival in the cutthroat world of high-end Manhattan real estate, is found murdered with a stolen prop from the play.

Paula, desperate to keep her daughter’s name of out of the paper, enlists Charlotte's help, despite the fact that Charlotte's already got her hands full amidst her costume design responsibilities and finding a home for the company's new theater school. But Charlotte nevertheless throws herself into an investigation of shady business deals, a missing dog, and long buried family secrets because "though she be but little, she is fierce!" Ill Met by Murder, the second in Elizabeth J. Duncan's compelling mystery series, will satisfy every Shakespeare and mystery lover alike.

My Thoughts: It is time for Paula Van Dusen's annual fundraiser for the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company and this year it is being combined with her daughter's wedding. Charlotte Fairfax and her assistant Aaron and helping with the bridesmaids' dresses. Charlotte is also busy working with another member of the company to set up their own theater school.

All sorts of plans are disrupted when a body is found wearing the donkey head that Bottom couldn't find when doing the play. Charlotte's boyfriend Roy is involved in the case because he is the police chief. Suspects quickly line up as it is determined that the victim was a high-end realtor from New York with local ties. In fact, Mrs. Van Dusen would have preferred him as a fiance for her daughter over the man her daughter Belinda did pick.

While Charlotte is scouting property for her new theater school and looking for potential investors, she uncovers some clues and questions about the case. She becomes even more involved when the local realtor's dog is dognapped. Charlotte can't imagine how she would feel if her own corgi Rupert was taken and so ramps up her determination to solve the case.

This was a nice cozy mystery for fans of Shakespeare, dogs, and romance.

Favorite Quote:

He tilted his head toward her and asked, "You okay? What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. It's just...you know when you overhear a snippet of conversation and wish you'd heard more or knew what they were talking about? How tantalizing that is?" He nodded. "Well, it's like that."

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

Friday Memes: Ill Met by Murder by Elizabeth J. Duncan

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:

It's not every day a gleaming, burgundy Rolls-Royce proceeds down the long driveway of the Jacobs Grand Hotel.

Friday 56:

She smiled at him, and after shaking his hand--slightly damp, perhaps from the condensation on the glass--she turned her attention to his wife, who appeared younger than her husband by at least two decades.

This week I am reading Ill Met by Murder by Elizabeth J. Duncan. I got this eARC from NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

It’s the most important night of the year for costume designer Charlotte Fairfax and the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company--the annual fund raising performance at the country estate of the wealthy widow Paula Van Dusen. This year, the company will give a moonlight performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as part of the wedding celebrations for Paula's daughter, Belinda, and her fiance Adrian. But then Hugh Hedley, family friend of the Van Dusens and Adrian's rival in the cutthroat world of high-end Manhattan real estate, is found murdered with a stolen prop from the play.

Paula, desperate to keep her daughter’s name of out of the paper, enlists Charlotte's help, despite the fact that Charlotte's already got her hands full amidst her costume design responsibilities and finding a home for the company's new theater school. But Charlotte nevertheless throws herself into an investigation of shady business deals, a missing dog, and long buried family secrets because "though she be but little, she is fierce!" Ill Met by Murder, the second in Elizabeth J. Duncan's compelling mystery series, will satisfy every Shakespeare and mystery lover alike.

ARC Review: Forgotten City by Carrie Smith

Forgotten City
Author: Carrie Smith
Series: A Claire Codella Mystery (Book 2)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (December 13, 2016)

Description: NYPD Detective Claire Codella is chomping at the bit for a new case. Lieutenant McGowan is determined to keep her out of the news, but she’s about to be back in the public eye in a big way.

Broadway legend Lucy Merchant has tragically succumbed to early onset Alzheimer’s. At age fifty-six, she’s tucked away in the dementia care unit of the ultra-exclusive Manhattan care facility Park Manor. When she falls asleep and doesn’t wake up, her billionaire husband is ready for the funeral, but her daughter demands an investigation.

Only three months back on the job after cancer treatment, Codella finds herself at the center of a high profile case nearly everyone--especially her lieutenant--wants to shut down. But the forensic evidence raises alarming questions and Codella needs answers. To find them, she will have to crack the defenses of slippery administrators, frightened caregivers, and unobliging family members, all while unlocking some of her own dark memories.

Forgotten City, Carrie Smith’s gripping follow-up to Silent City, pits the unrelenting detective against a cast of diverse New Yorkers driven by their desires and ambitions and haunted by their pasts. But can she piece together the truth before the murderer kills again?

My Thoughts: FORGOTTEN CITY is the second Claire Codella mystery. This time the case begins when a young woman comes to her with suspicions about her mother's death. Julia Merchant isn't convinced that her mother, famous Broadway star Lucy Merchant, died of complications from her dementia.

Claire decides to look into it and begins her investigation at the exclusive Park Manor nursing facility where she meets all sorts of characters with their own agendas and secrets. Constance Hodges is the director of the facility and enjoys the opportunity to meet with New York's movers and shakers and hides a secret drinking problem. Brandon Johnson is Lucy's primary caregiver. He is transgender and dealing with all those issues while trying to get his degree and a job as a respiratory therapist. Baiba Lielkaja is in charge of the memory care unit and is conducting a secret affair with Lucy's husband financier Thomas Merchant.

This book is told in alternate viewpoints from a number of characters and follows Codella's investigation which is mostly hindered by her Lieutenant who seems to resent her success and is constantly bringing up her battle with cancer. Her life is also complicated by her developing relationship with Brian Haggerty who is a fellow police officer with an interesting past of his own.

The mystery was intriguing as were the well-developed characters. I can't wait to read more Claire Codella adventures.

Favorite Quote:

Were any diseases purely accidental, she wondered as she took a bite, or were they all blueprinted in the primordial language of DNA the moment your life began? She had experienced the awfulness of the body's betrayal. But how could that begin to compare with the mind's?

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

Book Review: Illusion Town by Jayne Castle

Illusion Town
Author: Jayne Castle
Series: Illusion Town Novel, An
Publication: Jove (July 26, 2016)

Description: A new adventure begins on Harmony… 

With its opulent casinos and hotels, the desert city of Illusion Town is totally unique—and will take you on a thrill ride you’ll never forget.

Hannah West isn’t the first woman to wake up in Illusion Town married to a man she barely knows, but she has no memory of the ceremony at all. For that matter, neither does Elias Coppersmith, her new husband. All either can remember is that they were on the run…

With Hannah’s dubious background and shaky para-psych profile, she could have done much worse. The cooly competent mining heir arouses her curiosity—as well as other parts of her mind and body. And even her dust bunny likes him.

But a honeymoon spent retracing their footsteps leads Hannah and Elias into the twisting underground catacombs, where secrets from both their pasts will come to light—and where the energy of their clashing auras will grow hot enough to burn…

My Thoughts: Hannah West is a Finder and, for Harmony, an usual thing: she is an orphan. She has been trying to track down her ancestors with little luck. Her unusual paranormal talent and a necklace which was her only inheritance from her mother have landed her in hot water. Someone very badly wants Hannah to use her talents to lead the way to a fabulous discovery in the underground world created by the aliens.

Elias Coppersmith had hired Hannah for her finding skills and now wants to get to know her better. On his way to their first date, he receives news that makes it necessary to hire her again. He has some people locked behind a trap in the underground. Hannah should be able to open the gate with her talents.

Before they can rescue Elias's men, they are attacked, suffer a psychic burnout, marry in a Marriage of Convenience, and wake up in a seedy motel. That isn't at all the way Elias wanted their first date to go.

Together, they rescue the trapped, figure out who is after them, and fall in love. Along the way they are assisted by Hannah's dustbunny Virgil and the family that she has made for herself in the Dark Zone.

This was another fun paranormal romance from Jayne Castle.

Favorite Quote:

In the Dark Zone, you only had two social circles. One consisted of the people you trusted. The other was composed of the people you did not trust. 

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

Teaser Tuesday: Forgotten City by Carrie Smith

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• 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 and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

"It's called chemo fog, and no, I don't." Codella did not keep the coldness out of her voice. Cancer, he knew very well, was her psychological Achilles' heal, and he liked to find snide little ways to bring it it up, to remind her of her vulnerability.

This week I'm reading Forgotten City by Carrie Smith. This is the second Claire Codella mystery. I got the eARC from NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

NYPD Detective Claire Codella is chomping at the bit for a new case. Lieutenant McGowan is determined to keep her out of the news, but she’s about to be back in the public eye in a big way.

Broadway legend Lucy Merchant has tragically succumbed to early onset Alzheimer’s. At age fifty-six, she’s tucked away in the dementia care unit of the ultra-exclusive Manhattan care facility Park Manor. When she falls asleep and doesn’t wake up, her billionaire husband is ready for the funeral, but her daughter demands an investigation.

Only three months back on the job after cancer treatment, Codella finds herself at the center of a high profile case nearly everyone--especially her lieutenant--wants to shut down. But the forensic evidence raises alarming questions and Codella needs answers. To find them, she will have to crack the defenses of slippery administrators, frightened caregivers, and unobliging family members, all while unlocking some of her own dark memories.

Forgotten City, Carrie Smith’s gripping follow-up to Silent City, pits the unrelenting detective against a cast of diverse New Yorkers driven by their desires and ambitions and haunted by their pasts. But can she piece together the truth before the murderer kills again?