The Murderer’s Daughter
By Jonathan Kellerman
Ballantine. $28
He is one of the masters of the psychological thriller and every time Jonathan Kellerman releases a new novel, it quickly finds its way onto the national bestseller lists.
It has been five years since the popular author has written a stand-alone novel, but Kellerman’s many fans will find the wait was worth it as they read this deeply troubling story about a psychologist, Grace Blades, whose own emotional scars help her assist those with tormented psyches.
When she was just five years old Grace was present when her parents were killed and although she was then raised by a loving couple, the terrible trauma of this event never was completely was vanquished.
The mind-altering episode of her childhood resurfaces when Grace discovers that she actually knows her latest patient, which creates some insurmountable complications.
When he is murdered, the psychologist comes to regret refusing to assist the young man. Trying to cope with the guilt and some of the secrets she harbors, Grace launches her own investigation into the young man’s death and, in doing so, open’s Pandora’s Box with deadly consequences.
If you are a Kellerman fan or enjoy psychological thrillers, you’ll find this novel set in the San Francisco Bay Area a very entertaining read.
The Hostage Taker
By Stefanie Pintoff
Bantam. $26
With an Edgar award on her shelf, Stefanie Pintoff has already received the recognition she deserves for being an up and coming mystery writer.
In “The Hostage Taker” the resident of Manhattan’s Upper West Side doesn’t stray too far from home as she uses Saint Patrick’s Cathedral as the setting for her latest thriller.
FBI agent Eve Rossi finds herself on a tight timeline as she is called in to help neutralize a hostage taker who has turned the New York City landmark into a crime scene. In exchange for sparing innocent lives he holds in the cathedral, the hostage taker demands five specific individuals who seem to have some hidden connection.
Along with her extraordinary team of misfits (a group of criminals inspired by France’s 18th century Vidocq Unit), Eve must keep an eye on the clock as this drama winds down towards a shattering conclusion.
Try as you might, you won’t be able to second guess the author and figure out where this heart-pounding tale is going. There are way too many twists and turns here, so just sit back and enjoy the wild ride and Pintoff’s ability to spin a tantalizing story.
Wicked Charms
A Lizzy and Diesel Novel
By Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton
Bantam. $28
Granted this is a bit of a mindless romp with humor used to spice the storyline, but if you are looking for a quick read that features likeable, if not slightly eccentric, characters, you’ll find “Wicked Charm” much to your liking.
Collier “Peg Leg” Dazzle has been dead for quite a while, but before the notorious bootlegger went to his reward, he discovered and then re-hid the treasure trove of a famous pirate somewhere along New England’s coastline.
Besides the usual gold and silver coins and an array of precious gems, the booty reputedly also includes the Stone of Avarice, a very special prize that many individuals covet.
Lizzy Tucker and her sometimes partner Diesel are enlisted to find this special pirate’s treasure but, naturally, they have competition and the other folks involved will stop at nothing to possess the much sought after Stone of Avarice. In fact, Diesel’s cousin may even be engaged in the hunt, which means the couple has a formidable adversary who is familiar with their methods.
If you are in the mood for a modern swashbuckling adventure that will elicit a few chuckles along the way, give this quick read a try. The third book in the “Wicked” series, this is a hoot!
Speaking in Bones
By Kathy Reichs
Bantam. $28
A forensic anthropologist certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, Kathy Reichs is not only a professor in the department of anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, but she’s also the author of the successful series of Temperance Brennan novels.
Like her creator, Temperance or “Tempe” also is a brilliant forensic anthropologist who is often called in to solve some very puzzling cases. None, perhaps, is as bizarre as the one facing Tempe in this instance when an amateur sleuth claims that, unknowingly, Tempe has the remains of a teenage girl who’s been missing for a while sitting in her lab.
Although she doubts this can possible be true, Tempe agrees to look into the situation that ultimately has the forensic investigator delving into a mysterious religious cult and a group of unsavory individuals.
With over 30 million copies of her books in print in thirty languages, Kathy Reichs has established a worldwide fan base that can’t get enough of her stories.
As Night Falls
By Jenny Milchman
Ballantine. $26
It has already been one of those days Sandy Tremont would like to forget. A major snowstorm is approaching her isolated family home in the Adirondacks and she has just had a dust up with her fifteen-year-old daughter, Ivy, who is sulking upstairs.
When Ben, Sandy’s husband and a wilderness guide, walks in the door, he can sense the tension. Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of what will be a terrifying and nightmarish evening, for outside the house two escaped convicts are about to come crashing through the front door. Was there a reason this isolated house was targeted by the two men or was it just a coincidence?
Home invasion is not a subject most people think about nor want to, but Jenny Milchman takes this scenario and turns it into one filled with secrets and surprises that will keep the reader up late into the night.
A complex and intriguing tale, “As Night Falls” is a memorable read that will only add to the author’s growing fan base and bring her additional literary prize nominations. Milchman’s debut, “Cover of Snow,” won the Mary Higgins Clark award.