ARC Review: The Widow File by S. G. Redling

The Widow File
Author: S. G. Redling
Publication: Thomas & Mercer (January 1, 2014)

Description: Dani, a data analyst with an elite security firm, possesses the unnerving ability to read people by the trash they leave behind. Receipts, parking tickets, the detritus of daily life—if you leave it behind, she will figure you out.

Her latest case involves high-tech industrial espionage at a corporation with ties to the military. But when a team of assassins sweeps through the firm, stealing all files and killing her coworkers, Dani narrowly escapes. Whoever ordered the strike thinks Dani has vital information and they put a hit man named Booker on her trail.

Armed with only her wits and a bag of random investigation materials, Dani must figure out who the enemy really is while playing a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with the cunning hit man who has an agenda of his own.

My Thoughts: THE WIDOW FILE was a gritty, realistic thriller with a very complicated plot. Dani works for an exclusive and secretive investigative firm outside Washington, D.C. She is what they call a Paint. Her specialty is learning about a person by the garbage they leave behind. She is a quiet, private person whose only friends are her colleagues at work but the friendships are surface, "work" friendships. 

When the boss tells them to drop their current case and pack up all materials gathered, Dani has to take a quick trip home to get evidence she had left there. When she returns, she finds most of her colleagues dead and a team of killers searching the house for evidence and any stragglers. Dani does manage to hide and then escape to the roof where she finds another colleague - Choo Choo. Together the two of them manage to elude the kill team and go on the run. 

Besides telling the story from Dani's viewpoint, we get the viewpoint of the hired assassin who orchestrated the invasion of Dani's workplace and who is still determined to find and kill Dani. He doesn't have any respect for the people who hired him but he is interested in Dani. The two of them begin a phone relationship though neither can trust the other.

The story was filled with gritty realism. We see Dani's terror and confusion as she is on the run from an unknown enemy. We watch her get so tired that the idea of giving up seems reasonable. We see her stubbornness as she tries to outwit her unknown enemy. She will need to be careful, clever and lucky to get out of this situation alive.

My main problem with this thriller was that I never did figure out who the bad guys really were and who they were working for. But, since this was Dani's story, I could overlook that as I watched the way Dani survived. Fans of thrillers will enjoy this action-packed story.

Favorite Quote:

Her father used to tell her that everyone handled fear in their own way. "When it comes to danger," he'd say, "Everybody's chicken. But there are two kinds of chickens—chicken hawks and chicken shits. And it doesn't matter how high up you throw chicken shit, it ain't never going to fly."

I got this ARC through the Amazon Vine program. You can buy your copy here.

Teaser Tuesday: The Widow File by S. G. Redling

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 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!

This week my teaser comes from The Widow File by S. G. Redling. This is a thriller I got through the Amazon Vine program. Here is the description of this Jan. 1 release:

Dani, a data analyst with an elite security firm, possesses the unnerving ability to read people by the trash they leave behind. Receipts, parking tickets, the detritus of daily life—if you leave it behind, she will figure you out.

Her latest case involves high-tech industrial espionage at a corporation with ties to the military. But when a team of assassins sweeps through the firm, stealing all files and killing her coworkers, Dani narrowly escapes. Whoever ordered the strike thinks Dani has vital information and they put a hit man named Booker on her trail.

Armed with only her wits and a bag of random investigation materials, Dani must figure out who the enemy really is while playing a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with the cunning hit man who has an agenda of his own.

Teaser:

She had to move. She had to hide. She had keys. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Dec. 23, 2013)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

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 am settled at my brother's after the last hectic week with students. I shouldn't have been, but was, surprised at the amount of snow here. So far, Duluth has received at least 30 inches of snow in December. I pulled into the driveway and looked left and right out my car windows and only saw snowbanks. That was a big change from the couple of inches on the ground at home.

Luckily, I don't have to go anywhere and can enjoy a relaxing time at home.

Last Week:

I finished four books last week. The first ones I read finished up my early January review books.

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill was a cute contemporary reminiscent of the movie The Parent Trap. I loved the dialog. Both main characters were quirky and funny. My review will be posted on Jan. 2.

Alone by Kendra Elliot was a fast-paced thriller with very creepy villains. I enjoyed the characters, the romance and the suspense. My review will be posted on Jan. 4.

With a gap in my reviewing schedule, I decided to browse my own TBR shelves for my vacation reading. 

Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill was another cute contemporary about a girl who is spending Spring Break in London but is buddied up with her nemesis who delights in teasing and embarrassing her. Again, the author has quirky characters with unique points of view. My review will be posted on Jan. 9.

Death at Bishop's Keep by Robin Paige was a Victorian mystery that paired an young American women who secretly writes sensational novels with a rich British man who loves science and photography. Together they need to solve a number of mysteries. It is also the first book in a series and was written in 1994. My review will be posted on Jan. 11.

Currently:

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is next on my TBR stack. I have heard so many good things about it. 

Grave Dance by Kalayna Price was the audiobook I started in the car on the way here. I decided to finish it on my Kindle because I can't wait a week to hear more in this urban fantasy series.

Next Week:

I expect to have lots of reading time this week and so brought these print books along with me.

To Dance with the Devil by Cat Adams is the most recent addition to a series I am enjoying.

One Sweet Ride by Jaci Burton is another in a series I am already reading.

Killing Floor by Lee Child is the first Jack Reacher book. I have been meaning to start this series for a while.

Redshirts by John Scalzi has gotten good reviews. I like the author and I like the concept of the story.

Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy has been off and on my stack all Fall. I hope to finally get to it during this vacation.

Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown is a romantic suspense title that has been on my TBR mountain forever.

I picked these two YAs by favorite author to add to my Christmas stack. Bastion by Mercedes Lackey is the most recent in her Valdemar series. Shadows by Robin McKinley is her latest book.

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau is a YA dystopia. I had a chance to meet the author at ALA which made me curious about her books.

The Girl Is Murder by Kathyrn Miller Haines has been on my TBR stack for quite a while. It is a YA mystery that was nominated for an Edgar Award.

Reviews Last Week:

• Blood Bound by Keshia Swaim
• Iris by Scott Stabile
• A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway
• Grave Witch by Kalayna Price

I hope everyone has a healthy and happy holiday. What are your plans?

Stacking the Shelves (Dec. 22, 2013)

Tynga of Team Tynga's Reviews has a meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Visit her site to check out the linky and see what everyone gets. I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow.

Here is what I got in my mailbox or email-box this week before Christmas.

Shifters, Inc. His Purrfect Mate by Georgette St. Clair was a Kindle find for me today. It sounded really cute.

Wild Justice by Kelley Armstrong was the print copy for my keeper shelf. I read the ARC but wanted the whole set in print on my shelf. 

Jaran by Kate Elliott was a Kindle Daily Deal this week.

Review Books:

It looks like 2014 might be the Year of the Mystery for me.

A Taste Fur Murder by Dixie Lyle (Feb. 25)

Eyes Closed Tight by Peter Leonard (March 4)

Retribution by Anderson Harp (March 4)

The Revenant of Thraxton Hall by Vaughn Entwistle (March 25)

What did you add to your stack this week?

ARC Review: A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway

A Study in Ashes
Author: Emma Jane Holloway
Publication: Del Rey (December 31, 2013)

Description: As part of her devil’s bargain with the industrial steam barons, Evelina Cooper is finally enrolled in the Ladies’ College of London. However, she’s attending as the Gold King’s pet magician, handcuffed and forbidden contact with even her closest relation, the detective Sherlock Holmes.

But Evelina’s problems are only part of a larger war. The Baskerville affair is finally coming to light, and the rebels are making their move to wrest power from the barons and restore it to Queen Victoria. Missing heirs and nightmare hounds are the order of the day—or at least that’s what Dr. Watson is telling the press.

But their plans are doomed unless Evelina escapes to unite her magic with the rebels’ machines—and even then her powers aren’t what they used to be. A sorcerer has awakened a dark hunger in Evelina’s soul, and only he can keep her from endangering them all. The only problem is . . . he’s dead.

My Thoughts: It is hard to know what to say about this satisfying conclusion to the Baskerville Affair trilogy because so many things happened. The story was richly complex and had great world building. What it also had was a large number of characters and we managed to follow all of them as the war with the Steam Barons finally began.

I enjoyed following Evelina's journey as she learns to deal with the magic that Magnus is forcing on her. And I loved her romance with Nick. Nick's story was also one that moved him from tragedy to triumph. I struggled along with Imogen as she battled her twin Anna and discovered her own strengths. I even liked Tobias better in this story as he seemed to grow up so much and become so much less self-centered. 

The villains - especially Keating and Lord Bancroft - were massively villainous. It was nice to see why Lord Bancroft was the way he was but it didn't make his actions more acceptable. His overwhelming ambition made him almost more villainous than any of the Steam Barons.

I liked getting to know more about the Black Kingdom and the Black King. I liked the open ending of the trilogy which tied up a number of loose ends but left possibilities for more stories. I recommend this series to fans of steampunk, Sherlock Holmes, and great world building. 

Favorite Quote:

"Everyone is quick to take what the Steam Council provides, but no one wants to pay the price for what we offer."

That was a bit like saying nobody appreciated the excitement of being raided by Vikings, but Tobias kept his mouth shut.

I got this eARC from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway

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.

This week I am spotlighting A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway which is the third book in the Baskerville Affair. These are steampunk mysteries whose heroine is the niece of Sherlock Holmes. Here is the description of this Dec. 31 release:

As part of her devil’s bargain with the industrial steam barons, Evelina Cooper is finally enrolled in the Ladies’ College of London. However, she’s attending as the Gold King’s pet magician, handcuffed and forbidden contact with even her closest relation, the detective Sherlock Holmes. 

But Evelina’s problems are only part of a larger war. The Baskerville affair is finally coming to light, and the rebels are making their move to wrest power from the barons and restore it to Queen Victoria. Missing heirs and nightmare hounds are the order of the day—or at least that’s what Dr. Watson is telling the press. 

But their plans are doomed unless Evelina escapes to unite her magic with the rebels’ machines—and even then her powers aren’t what they used to be. A sorcerer has awakened a dark hunger in Evelina’s soul, and only he can keep her from endangering them all. The only problem is . . . he’s dead.

Beginning:

"You are not welcome here," said the man in the quietly understated brown suit. "Forgive my blunt speech, but I cannot make it any more plain. Those of us on the faculty have established policies."

Friday 56: 

"Nick has a special navigation tool. Magnus wants it for himself, and what Keating wants, he gets. The Helios is his ship to order."

Book Review: Grave Witch by Kalayna Price

Grave Witch
Author: Kalayna Price
Narrator: Emily Durante
Publication: Tantor Media; Unabridged,MP3 - Unabridged CD edition (April 19, 2011) & Roc (October 5, 2010)

Description: Not even death can save her now. 

As a grave witch, Alex Craft can speak to the dead-she's even on good terms with Death himself. As a consultant for the police, she's seen a lot of dark magic, but nothing has prepared her for her latest case. When she's raising a "shade" involved in a high profile murder, it attacks her, and then someone makes an attempt on her life. Someone really doesn't want her to know what the dead have to say, and she'll have to work with mysterious homicide detective Falin Andrews to figure out why...

My Thoughts: This was sort of an unusual experience for me. I started listening to this one on audio as I was traveling. I loved the narrator's voice and was quickly caught up in the story. The miles and hours of the trip flew by. But the trip wasn't long enough to finish the book and my daily commute is only about three minutes long. 

Alex Craft is a grave witch. She can call up shades who can tell their story and who can't lie. She is currently involved in a court case which will have Alex call up the victim of a murder. This will be a first. However, she is short of cash. So when her estranged sister hires her to check into the suspicious death of the former governor, Alex takes the job. She quickly learns that things are not at all straight-forward. 

A friend of hers on the police force gets her into the morgue in exchange for her help raising the shade of a victim in a case he is working. Alex learns all sorts of interesting and confusing things before she is kicked out by Detective Falin Andrews. But not before she is scratched by the shade she raises and infected with some sort of black magic spell that no one can see. 

When the road trip was over, I switched to the Kindle version of the book and finished it there. I really enjoyed both listening to and reading this story. Price has created an interesting world with witches, soul collectors, and fae. Even more, she has redrawn the landscape of the United States to include land where magic happens and the anti-magic party is strong. Alex herself is an interesting character who had to deal with the downsides of her magical abilities as well as the upside. Yes, she can see into the grave but she pays for it my being almost completely night blind and by losing her vision for a while when she lets go of her grave sight. 

I liked Falin and I liked her other love interest - Death - too. I also liked that Alex really didn't know what to do with either of them as love interests. She is used to having one night stands but not relationships. I am eager to keep reading this series to find out how she deals with the men in her life. 

Favorite Quote:

"If I'm not different, then I'm just another man you've picked to chase off your grave-chill with my body heat. And you are just a woman whose body will help me ignore the spelled drink surging through my system."

My stomach twisted at the words. Just a woman? Just a body? But he was right. We were exactly what each other needed at the moment. Nothing more.

I bought this audiobook from Tantor Media and had previously purchased the print book for my Kindle. You can buy your copy at Tantor Media or Amazon.