Book Review: "Disturbing the Dead" by Kelley Armstrong

 

Disturbing the Dead is the latest in a unique series with one foot in the 1860s and the other in the present day. The Rip Through Time crime novels are a genre-blending, atmospheric romp from New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

Victorian Scotland is becoming less strange to modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson. Though inhabiting someone else’s body will always be unsettling, even if her employers know that she’s not actually housemaid Catriona Mitchell, ever since the night both of them were attacked in the same dark alley 150 years apart. Mallory likes her job as assistant to undertaker/medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray, and is developing true friends—and feelings—in this century.

So, understanding the Victorian fascination with death, Mallory isn't that surprised when she and her friends are invited to a mummy unwrapping at the home of Sir Alastair Christie. When their host is missing when it comes time to unwrap the mummy, Gray and Mallory are asked to step in. And upon closer inspection, it’s not a mummy they’ve unwrapped, but a much more modern body. - from Netgalley.com 

This eARC was provided by Netgalley.com and I giving an unbiased review.

This is the third book (not counting novellas) int his series, and follows the story of Mallory, a modern day detective, that gets transported back in time to another body in Victorian Scotland. There, luckily she is the housemaid of a 'surgeon' and basically creates herself an assistant position with him as he assists the police in studying dead bodies. It's somewhat convoluted and far-reaching in how a female in that era could do such.

Anyways, though I do, and have, enjoy(ed) many books from this author, and was anxiously awaiting this one to be available, I just could not get into it. I tried setting it aside, and picking it up days later, but still no luck in getting interested. I would love to try to read it again at a later date, as the twist in the plot synopsis intrigues me.

Book Review: "Buzz Kill" by Alison Gaylin

 Boston PI Sunny Randall is back to investigate the disappearance of a hard-partying energy drink mogul, in the latest thriller in Robert B. Parker’s bestselling series.

After a near-death experience, Sunny Randall is ready to lighten her load as a PI, that is until she is called upon by billionaire media magnate Bill Welch to investigate the disappearance of his son, Dylan, the cofounder of the Gonzo Energy Drink company. Lazy, unscrupulous and a notorious partier, Dylan isn’t exactly reliable. But Dylan’s mother, Lydia, insists this time is different. She knows him. He’s her son. And she believes he’s in serious danger.

Unable to turn down the Welches’ life-changing offer, Sunny takes on the case, starting off by befriending Dylan's smart young business partner, Sky, who seems like his polar opposite. Sky is bright, innovative, ambitious and empathetic -- yet surprisingly, she adores Dylan, and desperately wants Sunny to find him.

As Sunny traces the marks left behind by Dylan’s past, she must unearth all the skeletons in his closet. She discovers not only his bad behavior with women, but also his reckless moves within the business world, producing an energy drink that, despite its marketing, has proven dangerous and even deadly. Still, Sky insists he’s a good man. Who is Dylan, really? And why has he vanished? When bodies start to pile up, Sunny must find answers quick, before she—and those she cares about—get caught in the crossfire. - from Netgalley.com

This eARC was received from NEtgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.

This is the 12th book in the established Sunny Randall series started by Robert Parker. From the book description it is the typical PI story written in Parker's previous style by Gaylin, and reads fairly fast and factual. Having read the inter-related 'Spenser for Hire' and 'Jesse Stone' series, I also have come to really like this series, as I am a fan of Parker's writing and story-telling.

Overall this is a story about the regular length as the rest int he series, and has the MC solving a case whilst mentally struggling with the issues of loving her ex-husband, spending time with said ex, and past love interests, plus life choices in general. This is a good extension of the series, and could be read-alone, but as I always prefer to read from the start of a series just so some of the backstory will be more aware for the reader.

Book Review: "The Gathering" by C. J. Tudor

 

A detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town in this riveting novel from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man.

In a small Alaska town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who’s responsible: a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods.

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing—and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a town like Deadhart, but Barbara isn’t so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than almost anyone.

As the pair delve into the town’s history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle each other for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the truth: Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster . . . or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous? - from Netgalley.com

This ARC was received through Netgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.

Imagine a world where Vampires existed alongside humans, but were in colonies, and seemingly hated by the human race. Through in a murder every 25 years or so, and you get this tale of mystery. I found the story to be mildly entertaining, and the plot twists kept my attention that I was able to read the book in a  couple days. Tudor has a way of making a mystery feel real, even in a fictional setting.

Book Review: "Robert B. Parker's Bad Influence" by Alison Gaylin

 

Boston PI Sunny Randall investigates the dark side of social media in this exciting new thriller in the bestselling series.

Sunny Randall’s newest client, Blake, seems to have it all: he is an Instagram influencer, with all the perks the lifestyle entails—a beautiful girlfriend, wealth, and adoring fans. But one of those fans has turned ugly, and Sunny is brought on board by Blake’s manager, Bethany, to protect him and to uncover who is out to kill him. In doing so, she investigates a glamorous world rife with lies and schemes…and ties to a dangerous criminal scene.

When Bethany goes missing and the threats against Blake escalate, Sunny realizes that in order to solve this case, she has to find out exactly who Blake and Bethany are, behind the Instagram filters. While digging into their pasts, she is also forced to confront her own, as old friends—and ex-husbands—reappear. With a combination of old-school crime-solving skills and modern internet savvy, Sunny will stop at nothing to catch a killer. - from Netgalley.com

I received this eARC from Netgalley.com and am providing an unbiased review.

Having been a fan of Robert B. Parker's writings for many years, I requested this 11th book in the Sunny Randall series. For those of you not familiar, Parker wrote the original series of 'Spenser', that lead into a television show called 'Spenser For Hire' featuring Robert Urich and Avery Brooks. I became a fan of the show, which led me to reading the books. Parker has created the Jesse Stone (made into several movies starring Tom Selleck) and Sunny Randall series. He has several stand-alone novels and another series based in the old west.

So being a big fan, when Parker passed away around 2010, I was very happy several authors took up the reins on these series of books. This is the first one I have seen from Alison Gaylin, and she has copied Parker's writing and story style very well. In fact, I believe she has improved it, as she seems to write with more detail than Parker did, which helps add more color to the world we are reading about.

Overall, finding a storyline in a detective series that is fresh and new can be daunting, but Graylin has done a very good job with this novel. I was kept guessing throughout most of the story to determine the 'whodunit', and once discovered, she wrapped it up well. I definitely would look forward to more from this author, even if it not following a series by Parker.

Book Review: "Pearl Sky" by Elizabeth Hunter

 

It was a friendly visit until a priceless artifact was stolen. Now Ben and Tenzin are up to their necks in secrets that can kill.

It’s not just any holiday season in the immortal world. Elder Zhang’s oldest servant is reaching the century mark and Ben and Tenzin are ready to celebrate, but no sooner do they land on Penglai Island than a mystery falls in their path. A valuable seal has gone missing, and the artifact was a gift from an ancient vampire who just happens to be heading to Penglai for a long-overdue formal visit.

The Elders of Penglai may have asked Ben and Tenzin’s assistance to find the lost treasure, but that doesn’t mean that eight ancient vampires, their immortal children, and all the humans who serve them will suddenly become open books. Penglai Island is secret for a reason, and the heart of that reason may just reveal the motive behind the theft.

PEARL SKY is a brand new Elemental Legacy story by Elizabeth Hunter, ten-time USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental Mysteries, the Irin Chronicles, and other works of fiction. - from Netgalley.com 

This ARC was provided to me by Netgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.

This is the eighth book in the Elemental Legacy series by this author, who also has other series that are related to the same world as set in this novel. In this particular part of the series, it find Ben and Tenzin returning to their 'creator' 's island for a celebration, only to be asked to help solve the theft of a valuable (and possibly political) seal. As recoverers of lost/stolen artifacts, this is, of course, right in the skill set of these two characters.

Seeing the relationship between Ben and Tenzin grow in the stories has been satisfying. It isn't like instant and true love at first sight. With Ben being a new creature of the night, and matched to Tenzin's hundreds (thousands?) of years as one, makes this relationship very interesting. Add in the mental quirks and old habits, it helps provide a good side distraction to the actual story line - though I guess this would be part of that as well. I have enjoyed this series from book one, and have been trying to get up to date on the side stories of the other series, many of which have interesting information on the side characters of this series line.

Hunter is a wonderful writer, and the ease of reading her novels are one of the many things I enjoy. The 'sexual' sections of stories are not written in the style of a letter to a porn magazine, and I feel the story is realistic (as far as vampires anyways). I would recommend to any adult reader.

Book Review: "Devastation Road" by Joanna Baker

 

The clues were in front of them the whole time. Matt and Chess should have been able to see who killed Debbie.

A road near Yackandandah, Victoria. It used to be called Station Road, but eight years ago things started catching fire. Then a girl was killed, and someone got smart with the name.

Now it’s happening again. There’s a fire, and Matt Tingle and Chess Febey find another girl, drowned in a pond. Chess isn’t Matt’s friend. She’s one of those people you get stuck with – well meaning, total virus. But she knows how to answer questions, and there are plenty of those: Why are Tara and Wando afraid? What is the meaning of that lump of amber? How can a car be blue and white at the same time?To find out who killed their friend, Matt and Chess have to put themselves in danger, they have to look deep into themselves, and they have to reveal things about the past… other people’s secrets…

And the truth about what happened on Devastation Road. - from Booksirens.com

I was provided an ARC through Booksirens.com and am providing an unbiased review.

When I came across this book whilst browsing, the cover caught my eye enough that I had to read the blurb. Interesting ... mystery .... hmmmm. And so I requested (and received) a copy. Once I started reading it though, my interest waned fairly rapidly. The story itself is well-thought out, and written in a style that was easy to understand, even not having lived in the country where it takes place. 

I started to lose interest from close to the start. The main character just seemed too dopey for me to feel involved. His 'partner' is the smart one, and I felt like the MC was only around to ask the dumb questions so the partner could ask the smart ones. It just didn't sit well with me. I admit I did skip some pages here and there around the middle of the book so may have missed some details of the story, but either way I did make it to the finsh, and the ending turned out decent.

Book Review: "A Deadly Influence" by Mike Omer

 From bestselling author Mike Omer comes the first in a new series full of the psychological twists and police procedural turns that his fans have come to know and love.

Lieutenant Abby Mullen is no stranger to crisis. As the hostage negotiation instructor for the NYPD, she deals with worst-case scenarios every day. Nothing fazes her anymore.

That all changes when she gets a call from Eden Fletcher, a fellow survivor of the infamous Wilcox cult. The two haven’t spoken since the night of a tragic, fiery massacre, when their paths diverged. But now Eden needs Abby’s help: someone has kidnapped her son and is demanding a $5 million ransom. As Abby throws herself into the case, she can’t help but wonder why the kidnapper has targeted Eden. But Eden refuses to talk. She’s silent about the relics of their shared past hanging on her walls. About the kidnapper’s possible motives. About what’s happened in the years since she and Abby parted ways.

As the truth closes in, Abby realizes that her past may not be as far behind as she thought…and it’s come home to collect. - from NetGalley.com

I have never read one of Omer's books before, and picked this at random due to the description, and that it was the first book of a new series he is working on. As far as mystery/thrillers go, this was a very enjoyable read. From my perspective, even realistic and plausible. I was somewhat impressed that the main character had real-life issues going on as the same time the crisis is happening. Like most of us in real life! Overall, I truly did enjoy the story, and would be interested in reading further books in this series, and possibly check out some of the author's other works.

Thanks to NetGalley.com and the author/publishers for this copy for free in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley #ADeadlyInfluence