Calder Promise

Calder Promise by Janet Dailey
Romance

This is Laura's story. Laura is the daughter of Jessie and not a thing like her mother. She is touring Europe with her spoiled 'Aunt' Tara when she encounters two men: Boone Rutledge, son of a wealthy Texas cattle baron and Sebastian Dunshill, Earl of Crawford. Laura flits around Europe and eventually home with these two men dangling after her like puppies in need of a drink. There is even a scene where Laura dives naked into the Trevi fountain in Rome. Improbable!!

This is not a bad series but not great either. The stories are starting to seem the same each time. Romantic love triangle, a tad of mystery followed by the death of a character the reader loves. Enough already with the deaths

First Line: "The flattering glow of candlelight welcomed the arriving guests to the home of Count and Countess Valerie, a sixteenth-century palazzo on Rome's Capitoline Hill."

Rating:
(3.5/5)

Secret Prey

Secret Prey by John Sandford
Mystery

Bank President,Daniel Kresge is murdered while on a hunting trip with several other executives in the bank. Kresge was involved in a merger that would have netted him a lot of money and seen several people lose their jobs. He was also undergoing a costly divorce and he was a despicable human. The suspects are endless. Deputy Police Chief Lucas Davenport is leading the investigation.

Before a new president can be chosen, Wilson MacDonald is named as the interim president. Jim Bone and Susan O'Dell are also in the running for the job. Just as Davenport feels an arrest might be made O'Dell is murdered. Back to the chalkboard the police go. An interesting set of coincidences showing several executives having been killed or having disappeared comes to light.

In the meantime, Davenport's friends are being attacked. Is this another coincidence or connected to the killings?

Another great Prey book with a demented serial killer.

First Line: "The chairman of the board pulled the door shut behind him, stacked his rifle against the log-sided cabin, and walked down to the end of the porch."

Rating:
(4.0/5)

Sudden Prey

Sudden Prey by John Sandford
Mystery

When two female bank robbers get killed during a bank heist by Minnesota cop Lucas Davenport's team, revenge is on. The brother and husband of the dead robbers escapes jail and is determined to kill all those involved. With a little help from a corrupt cop, he starts racking up the dead. Will Davenport stop him?

Weather is not too sure about her relationship and all is not right in Davenport's personal life.

This is a thriller that never stops. The action is non-stop right to the end.

First Line: "Through the speakers above his head, little children sang in sweet unison, O holy night, the stars are brightly shining, it is the night of the dear Savior's birth..."

Rating:
(4.0/5)

Mind Prey

Mind Prey by John Sandford
Mystery

When psychiatrist Andi Manette and her two young daughters are kidnapped, Minneapolis PD Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport must discover what is going on. The reader knows that the kidnapper is John Mail, a scary ex-patient who's entertained nasty dreams of Andi for years. He enacts his violent sex fantasies with the imprisoned Andi. He has supposedly let go the youngest girl at a Wal-Mart but Andi feels it is only time before her other daughter is molested.

Lucas must find them fast before they are killed. Mail loves to taunt Davenport with phone calls. It takes Davenport in his role as a computer gamer inventor to flush Mail out.

On a personal note, Davenport is carrying around a ring, is he ready to settle down?

I love this series but this is the best yet

First Line: "The storm blew up late in the afternoon, tight, gray clouds hustling over the lake like dirty, balled-up sweat socks spilling from a basket."

Rating:
(4.0/5)

Night Prey

Night Prey by John Sandford
Mystery

Lucas Davenport is back with Minneapolis Police Department. This time Koop, a cat burglar turned serial killer is the protagonist. The reader knows from the start who the killer is. The mystery is how he will be caught. Koop is brilliant and stark raving mad.

Meagan Connell, a state investigator wants to arrest Koop before she dies of cancer. She teams up with Davenport and the story is shown from both sides of good vs evil.

Davenport's love interest is the lovely doctor Weather but he is tempted by Connell.

A decent read. I have found lately that all the detectives I am reading about really seem unable to forge a lasting relationship. Is it the job or the author?

First Line: "The night was warm, the twilight inviting: middle-aged couples in pastel shirts, holding hands, strolled the old cracked sidewalks along the Mississippi."

Rating:
(3.5/5)

Silent Prey

Silent Prey by John Sandford
Mystery

This is a continuation of Eyes of Prey. Lucas Davenport had put serial killer Michael Bekker in jail but he has escaped. Lucas goes to New York to assist Lily, a former lover who is now engaged. Can they catch Bekker before he slices some more.

There is also a sub-plot whereby the bad guys who have gotten off or can't be caught are turning up dead. Are some frustrated cops taking care of them?

The two plots intertwine and the twists make this a involving read!

First Line: "A thought sparked in the chaos of Bekker's mind."

Rating:
(4.0/5)

Before I go to Sleep

Before I go to Sleep by S. J. Watson
Mystery

Christine wakes up every single morning not knowing who she is, where she is and even who the man she is sleeping with is. She walks into the Bathroom and is shocked to see a middle-aged woman staring at her. She believes she is in her 20s.

Ben, her husband must re-acquaint her to him and her environment every single day. Once Ben has left for work Christine receives a call from Dr. Nash to tell her where her hidden diary is. The first words in the diary are Do not trust Ben. Dr. Nash unbeknownst to Ben has been seeing Christine and encouraging her to keep a diary of everything she learns about herself. As the diary grows so do Christine's questions.

This is a fabulous thriller which will severely impact your life because you simply won't get anything else done until the book is finished. I did not see the twist coming and it is a great one. Will look forward to more books from S. J. Watson

First Line: "The bedroom is strange."

Rating:
(4.5/5)

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
Mystery

Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist are back in the second novel of the Millennium Trilogy. Lisbeth is starting to make a small dent in the billions she stole in the last book by going on a year long vacation. When she heads back to Sweden, she buys herself a new place and doesn't let anyone except a few close friends that she is back in town. Blomkvist has been trying to get in touch with her for a while but to no luck.

Blomkvist and the Millennium magazine are working with an author to put out a book and entire issue on the Swedish sex trade. Many names are about to be uncovered and people exposed, when the author and his girlfriend are shot and killed. Blomkvist discovers the bodies and finds the murder weapon, which has Salander's fingerprints on it. They later also find Salandar's guardian shot with the same weapon. The manhunt starts for Salander but Blomkvist isn't convinced that she murdered them and sets off on his own investigation.

The first novel in this series was such a page turner, giving me high expectations for this book. I don't think my expectations were entirely met but the novel was still very good. The start of the novel was just a little bit slow but about a third the way through the book things started to pick up. There were good twists and turns in the book and I still enjoyed the chemistry between Blomkvist and Salander even though they were rarely together during the book.

First Line: "She lay on her back fastened by leather straps to a narrow bed with a steel frame."

Rating:
(4/5)

Echo Park

Echo Park by Michael Connelly
Mystery

Harry Bosch, an L.A. police detective, in the Open/Unsolved Unit has a case on his desk from 1993. It involves the killing of Marie Gesto, who disappeared from a supermarket. Bosch gets a call from the D.A. requesting Bosch to interview the killer, Raynard Waits who has just confessed. According to Waits, he is responsible for the death of Marie Gesto. Bosch had investigated this case, and it is still unsolved. No body was ever found.

Waits has made a deal with the DA: he’ll confess in exchange for life in prison rather than death. Waites is willing to lead the police to the body. Waites leads them to the body but escapes.

Bosch follows the leads even after he is sent home. Rachel Walling is back with help for Bosch and as a love interest.

A great story with Bosch questioning his own investigation and what he could have missed back in 1993. Bosch is so vulnerable when it comes to his women. He never seems to have them last for long as either a colleague or a romantic interest. I think I like Bosch so much because of his foibles, just like us ordinary folk.

First Line: "It was the car they had been looking for."

Rating:
(4.0/5)

The Closers

The Closers by Michael Connelly
Mystery

Harry Bosch is back again with the LAPD after a very short retirement. He is assigned to the elite Open/Unsolved Unit(cold cases) and back with a former partner, Kiz Rider. He has a boss he can actually respect and all is right in the world for awhile.

Harry works on a 17 year old case of a teenager pulled from her house and shot. There was tissue found on the murder weapon in which the DNA can now be used. Harry does all the leg work and interviews while Kiz does the technological work, digging through the internet and finding people.

When the murder book is not all there Harry's nemesis, former Chief Irving is back on his case or are the tables turned this time?

A great mystery with all the twists a reader would want. Harry is in the best place of all and the reader is right there along for the ride

First Line: "Within the practice and protocol of the Los Angeles Police Department a two-six call is the one that draws the most immediate response while striking the most fear behind the bulletproof vest."

Rating: