Category: Fiction Page 334 of 349

I think it’s safe to say that Marcia Clark got out-lawyered in that one instance we all know about, and it’s safe to say that there are better legal-thriller writers out there. But, all in all, it was clear she was a pretty good prosecutor, and it’s pretty clear she’s a pretty good legal-thriller writer.

There were a couple of clunky sentences — one early on that would’ve been enough to throw the book away, but I muscled on 🙂 Other than that, and some obnoxious early chapters focusing on the piece’s villains (mostly paid off in the end), it was a strong book with just enough twists and turns to keep things moving.

I do think her first novel was a bit stronger–but that might just be because I was surprised it wasn’t horrible, and this time out I had higher expectations. Regardless, a compelling, well-paced mystery that leaves you wanting another one, and soon.

Dusted Off: Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark

By HCNewton

On June 22, 2013

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I picked this one up out of curiosity, and ended up enjoying it a lot more than I expected to. Sure, Rachel Knight is a thinly-disguised Marcia Clark (and she shows an incredible lack of taste when she knocks Coconut M&Ms), but at least she’s a fun thinly-disguised version of herself.

Solid legal thriller, like Mickey Haller’s kid-sister. If Knight & co. are back for a second round, I’ll be there.

The Broken Places by Ace Atkins

By HCNewton

On June 21, 2013

In Ace Atkins, Authors, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Quinn Colson, Spenser

The Broken Places by Ace Atkins
Series: Quinn Colson, #3
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My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I remember reading a review of one of the new Jesse Stone author’s books, where the reviewer wished that Atkins had taken over Stone as well as Spenser, wondering what that would’ve been like. Well, I don’t think we need to wonder–Quinn Colson is Atkins’ Jesse Stone.

The catch is, Colson’s Jericho, MS isn’t Stone’s Paradise, MA.* It’s poorer, everyone knows everyone’s business, everyone’s — criminal and not alike — a bit more open about everything (to an extent); and everything seems bleaker — more hopeless — more real?

I’d say something like how the stakes haven’t been higher for Colson and his county, but that’s pretty much a given — Atkins keeps upping the stakes, the tension and the action each time out. The violence — at least the scale of it — is toned down here. It’s a sign of skill and confidence that, Atkins doesn’t feel compelled to have major armed confrontations in each novel. In addition to three escaped convicts coming to Colson’s county, there’s a recently pardoned murderer trying to show that he’s worth the pardon (despite a lot of warranted cynicism from Jericho’s citizenry). Naturally, the escapees have unfinished business with him — and are going to do whatever they can to make him hold up his end of the bargain.

Oh, did I mention that Colson’s troubled sister is romantically involved with the newly pardoned man? Yeah, there’s plot complications a’plenty there. Throw in other personal and political storylines that have been building and developing since the first book, and there’s a good deal for Colson and his associates to deal with.

What’s best about this — both daring and inventive — is throwing a natural disaster in the middle of the action. It keeps the story from playing out as the reader expects, creates hurdles for all the characters, and gives a couple of people the chance to show their true colors.

I have no idea how Atkins is going to pull off the next book — at least I hope he limits it to one book, some writers might stretch it out — the fallout from this one is going to be messy. But I can’t wait to read it.

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* And Colson’s a better soldier than a cop, and…it’s not a perfect analogy. Roll with it.

Dusted Off: The Lost Ones by Ace Atkins

By HCNewton

On June 20, 2013

In Ace Atkins, Authors, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Quinn Colson, Spenser

Well, while I enjoy my time in Tibbehah County, Mississippi with The Broken Places, figured I’d dig this one out of the archives

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The Lost Ones by Ace Atkins
Series: Quinn Colson, #2
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My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Atkins’ has left me cold with his Nick Travers series and I’m still trying to figure out how positively I feel about his take on Spenser (pretty sure it’s very), but there’s no doubt that this series about Quinn Colson just plain rocks.

This time, Colson’s been elected to sheriff, but he’s still learning the ropes, still more soldier than cop. He and his childhood friends (now mostly employed by Colson) have a lot to deal with: a recent Afghan war vet running drugs, a Mexican drug cartel, a child-abusing/selling family, not to mention a few more federal agents than Colson’s comfortable with. Plus a bunch of personal stuff (current and past), and the corrupt local government that Colson started wrangling with last time out.

Tense, fast-paced, morally murky…Atkins has really nailed this. Can’t wait for the next one.

P is for Peril by Sue Grafton

By HCNewton

On June 19, 2013

In Fiction, Kinsey Millhone, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Sue Grafton

P is for Peril by Sue Grafton
Series: Kinsey Millhone, #16

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Well, this is totally not surprising at all…a solid mystery novel, with plenty of satisfying twists and turns from Sue Grafton.

A name from the past (and one of my favorite Grafton books) refers Kinsey for another missing persons case — against her better judgement, she takes it and before too long finds herself in the middle of broken family politics, pouty teenagers, a potential stalker, and cases of grand theft, fraud, murder, and a handful of other brushes with human frailty and depravity.

I did rather enjoy all these voices from the 80s complaining about the labyrinth that is Medicare/Medicaid/other federal health regulations — if they only knew!

I do wish, and I don’t think I’ve complained about this before, but Kinsey blabs way too much — to friends (especially new ones), to suspects/interviewees/sources, and even to clients. Maybe it fits with the research that Grafton’s done about proper P.I.-ing, but man. Every time she starts to divulge information I want to reach into the book and slap my hand over her mouth. Seriously, lady, keep it to yourself.

The conclusion to this one is atypical — we don’t get resolution to any of they mysteries she’s involved with; well, we sort of get resolution to one of them, but it has nothing to do with any sleuthing on Kinsey’s part. The rest of the mysteries are solved by Kinsey, but we don’t see the resolution of the story line — we don’t even get the (often) heavy-handed wrap up where she reflects on the events of the novel. Nope. Not saying that’s good or bad (honestly, I’m not sure). It’s just not par for the course. Not sure why Grafton did it that way, but it worked this time (could get to be tiring if she keeps it up)

Blood Trade by Faith Hunter

By HCNewton

On June 18, 2013

In Authors, F-J, Faith Hunter, Fiction, Jane Yellowrock/Soulwood, Urban Fantasy

Blood Trade by Faith Hunter
Series: Jane Yellowrock, #6
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jane Yellowrock is slowly, but surely, becoming a real favorite of mine. In the beginning, she struck me as a fairly generic vampire hunter, with an obnoxious streak and a complicated ethnic/childhood background that was passed off as interesting. Nothing special, but good enough to keep reading.

But lately, I’ve found myself anticipating the next installment. Blood Trade resolved a few dangling plotlines from previous books, developed a couple more, and set the stage for at least 2-3 more books in the series. And while doing so, provided a story with good action, some nice twists, and some genuine heart.

I really, really liked the new characters introduced here — two former classmates of Jane’s back from her Christian school days and the child of one of those classmates. It was good to see Jane through the eyes of people that didn’t primarily know her as a vampire killer.

Jane’s relationship with Eli and the Kid grew in a positive way, and I really like the shape of their relationships, and hope they continue to develop in this fashion.

One thing I hope Hunter improves on — although I don’t see it happening — is the romance front. I couldn’t care less about Jane’s vacillating between various romantic (using the term as broadly as possible here) interests here. It’s tedious, Jane’s usually shown as little more than base desires, and constantly self-sabotaging. If there was some growth there, some change at least, I might feel differently. But Hunter shows no sign of moving off this point, and I bet I’m one of the few who don’t like it. So I need to continue to deal with it.

Indexing, Episode 2: Musical Patchwork by Seanan McGuire

By HCNewton

On June 15, 2013

In Fiction, Indexing, Seanan McGuire, Urban Fantasy

Indexing by Seanan McGuire
Series: Indexing, #1.2

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Episode 2: Musical Patchwork

Now this is settling in to be something I want to read. Here in Episode 2, things are settling in — we’re getting to know these people as characters, not just as types or names, but as people.

First and foremost in this regard is Demi Santos, who we met last time, the Piper that came to the rescue — at the cost of her own lifestyle. Watching the others deal with her apparently great and uncommon power should prove compelling. Henry/Henrietta, our Snow White protagonist also seems a bit more like a person now, and more like someone I want to read the continuing adventures of (nicely — and not surprising — she’s not a Toby Daye or Verity Price clone). I could use a little more rounding of Andy, the actual, normal human (the guy who most authors would use as the protagonist, the reader’s entry way to this world), but I like what we have so far.

I think it’s entirely possible that Jeff, the cobbler elf, could be my favorite of this bunch — just for the fun to watch him and his particular traits be exploited by Henry while making him more content than anyone else we’ve met.

Sloane, the gothy Wicket Stepsister with a shoe-shopping fixation is still mostly a small collection of quirks and ticks. But it’s early days yet. I do get the impression that McGuire wants us to like her more than I do, but that’ll come.

The biggest development is what the dispatchers, in particular, Birdie (a character who starts off rounder than most in this book), seems to give us the central conflict of the book. That the stories the Agents are sent out to contain/manage seem to be one type on the initial analysis, but end up being another once agents are on the ground. Henry seems perplexed (to say the least) and I can’t say I blame her. I suspect the answer to this will be quite interesting.

The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

By HCNewton

On June 14, 2013

In Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk, YA/MG/Children's Books

Whoops. Missed posting Thursday. I’ll try (no promises) to get two up today.

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The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another fun installment in Cross’ Steampunk Chronicles. As silly as I feel reading a book with the Harlequin Teen logo on it, I really enjoy this series (‘tho maybe I should switch to the ebook edition to protect my rep). Once again, Cross balances a steampunk-y adventure story with strong emotional plotlines, with some fun banter between her characters, making for an addictive read.

This time out the primary focus is on Emily — the technomancer, and on both her personal and professional crisis. Just as it seems she’s making some progress on getting Sam to say how he feels about her, as well as to accept what she did to save his life, she’s kidnapped by a bunch of automatons so she can perform a brain transplant from a very injured scoundrel into a semi-organic android. No really, that makes sense in context.

Everyone else, in one way or another, is dealing with the fallout from their trip to the U.S. (and from the events in the first book), while also trying to find Emily and bring her home safely. Obviously, it’s worst for Jasper, more withdrawn from both his friends and the events in the book as a whole.

Griffin and Finley are also dealing with their relationship’s progress — with all the complications, ups adn downs that such entails. Griffin started dealing with something relating to his power in the States and it’s having a devastating impact on him back home (and in turn, that’s impacting everyone around him), causing Finlay to fret over him. My biggest beef with this book comes from the Finlay/Griffin interactions, which are far too similar to the Emily/Sam interactions, covering nearly the same grounds with both couples.

There’s a new character introduced that should provide a good deal of fodder for storylines in the future, and I eagerly await more of her. Really can’t say more without entering Spoiler City, so, I’ll just limit myself to saying that Cross’ creativity and inventiveness is on full display with her creation, and she’s already one of my favorites in the series.

One other note, one of the automatons we spend the most time with was described as a spider with a doll’s head. I certainly hope Cross was trying to get her readers to envision that creepy doll from Toy Story — because every one I know whose read this is seeing that.* Griffin and his team find her just as unnerving as Woody and Buzz did (don’t blame them), either.

Things are getting harder, and stakes are getting higher for our intrepid adventurers — whatever’s next will likely push them further yet.

This was a fun, quick read and I’m already impatiently waiting for the next installment.

*That’d be my wife and I.

Dusted Off: Boy Proof by Cecil Castellucci

By HCNewton

On June 10, 2013

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, YA/MG/Children's Books

Boy Proof by Cecil Castellucci
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Victoria Jurgen is an honor student, a budding photographer with a heck of an eye, a social misfit, a movie geek (there’s a correlation of the two), who’s nicknamed herself after a SciFi movie character. All this makes her (a goal for her, a criticism for her mother) “boy proof.”

She has no real friends at school–only rivals, acquaintances, and those that she ignores. Until a transfer student rattles her cage, awakening ideas, feelings, and goals she’s not ready for.

Victoria is what Bella Swan could’ve become if she were a bit geekier, and didn’t fall in with the supernatural set. Speaking of ol’ Bella, early on in Boy Proof, there’s a scene involving a transfer student, the only empty seat in class, and the newcomer’s odor that is very reminiscent of a scene from Twilight. IMNSHO, Castellucci pulls if off better than Meyer did.

There’s nothing ground-breaking here plot-wise, but Victoria’s character and voice are so strong, you don’t care. This book is about watching her change and grow. Could the book have been more than that? Sure. Did it need to be? Nope. I wish I could remember what blogpost/tweet/whatever it was that tipped me off to this book, but whatever it was, I’m glad I read it.

Dusted Off: The Highly Effective Detective Plays the Fool by Rick Yancey

By HCNewton

On June 10, 2013

In Authors, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Rick Yancey

The Highly Effective Detective Plays the Fool by Rick Yancey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

really enjoyed the first two installments in this series, but Yancey kicked it up a few notches here. The last two pages sealed the deal, I’m with this series for the long haul.

Yancey took care of a couple of dangling plotlines that were starting to get tired in a very effective way, along with his best mystery yet. I’d totally sell out for him if he’d get rid of Teddy’s secretary once and for all–can’t stand this woman.