Chin Up, Honey-Curtiss Ann Matlock

Chin Up, Honey

Curtiss Ann Matlock

Mira, May 2009, $13.95

ISBN: 9780778325581

John Cole comes home ostensibly only to attend the wedding of his son Jonny. However, he also has returned hoping to persuade his wife Emma Berry to give them a second chance. Emma has doubts, but agrees to try again with the stipulation that together they see a marriage counselor. Reluctantly John, who hates discussing issues with loved ones let alone strangers, agrees.

As the day of the marriage ceremony comes closer, Emma realizes her in-law disapprove of her son. She wants to help Johnny with his future relations so she makes an effort to change the mind of her son’s mother-in-law and show she, her husband and Johnny are good people who will be there for her daughter.

The quirky secondary cast makes for a fun lighthearted frolic. The story line lacks action and the one of the two prime premises not significant as Johnny will have to prove his worth to his in-laws with deeds not his mom’s interference. The second chance romance aspects are also somewhat muted as the differences between John and Emma are minor. Still fans will enjoy watching the antics of the groom’s mother, making two fronts worse.

Harriet Klausner

Kissing The Man Next Door-Devon Vaughn Archer

Kissing The Man Next Door

Devon Vaughn Archer

Harlequin Kimani, May 2009, $5.99

ISBN: 037386115X

In Cheri Village, Vermont, Mackenzie Reese actually feels pretty good about the empty nest when her fifteen years old son Ryan moves to Los Angeles to live with his father Brent and stepmother. She looks forward to enjoying life with no relationship entanglements especially fostering her career as a jazz singer while feeling Brent will be good for Ryan who needs a male role model.

Leaving Westport, Connecticut, Ian Kelly accompanied by Otis the Labrador move next door to Mackenzie. The DJ at KRDQ, the jazz all the time radio station, Ian is attracted to Mackenzie and likes the idea her son moved out as he never dates any female with children. As their lives are jazzed up by their attraction, Ryan returns home with am angry chip on his shoulder; he hassles his stressed out mother. His ugliness forces Mackenzie to choose between her love for Ian who reconsiders his wisdom of no child left behind with him and her son who she still cherishes but has been difficult since returning to New England.

The “triangle makes for an interesting contemporary romance as the teen nukes the relationship between his mother and his enemy next door. Ryan makes the tale as he comes home filled with anger and resentment as he takes his ire out on his mom and indirectly her lover. His actions force the lead couple to decide whether love is enough. Although Ian is never fully developed, fans will enjoy Mackenzie’s heart breaking dilemma between KISSING THE MAN NEXT DOOR and dumping the man next door.

Harriet Klausner

Silver Falls-Anne Stuart

Silver Falls

Anne Stuart

Mira, May 2009, $7.99

ISBN 9780778325970

Professor David Middleton persuades photographer Rachel Chapman to come to Silver Falls as his wife. He swears he will make a safe home for her and teenage daughter Sophie. After years of traveling, Rachel agrees.

However, she finds the idyllic Pacific Northwest college town depressing as it seems to rain everyday and when it is not pouring, it looks like it is about to storm. Worse, she finds David’s loving personality has turned to smothering her and her daughter. Starting to be concerned with his obsessive behavior, Rachel reconsiders whether she did the right thing in marrying the previously charming professor. When his brother, Caleb arrives in town, Rachel is stunned by her attraction him even as he mockingly rips holes in her lifestyle. When someone begins to serially murder girls who look like Sophie, Rachel fears her brother-in-law is the culprit with her terrified that her daughter will be his final curtain.

SILVER FALLS is a fast-paced suspense thriller starring a strong cast. The story line is fast-paced from the moment the newlyweds and her teen daughter arrive in town and never slows down. Although some of the “Notorious” excitement is lost because the killer is revealed early on, fans will enjoy Anne Stuart’s tale as Rachel risks her life to keep Sophie safe.

Harriet Klausner

Cursed-Carol Higgins Clark

Cursed

Carol Higgins Clark

Scribner, Apr 7 2009, $25.00

ISBN: 9781416562177

Regan Reilly is all alone in New York City while her husband NYPD Major Case Squad chief Jack Reilly (no blood relation) is in Miami attending a seminar and her parents are in Palm Beach. After being reminded to remove her property from her parents’ garage so they can park their cars inside, Regan moves her stuff into a Long Island City storage unit. On the way back to her car, she receives a call from her former apartment neighbor in Hollywood Hills Abigail Feeney.

Her former boyfriend Cody Castle borrowed $100K from her a few months ago to make a movie; he promised to pay her back in three months but instead vanished but recently was seen. She needs Regan to return to California to find him before her grandmother arrives in town to give her a condo as a birthday gift; that 100,000 is needed to pay part of the principal. Regan knows Abigail is a kind person who is a hairdresser to the stars but gives free styling at a nursing home so she agrees to help. However the case takes a spin when someone kills an old rich man she gave a haircut to and the police suspect Abigail in spite of her recent injury on a set. Regan needs to find the murderer, clear Abigail and get Cody which is all in a day’s work for the brilliant private investigator.

Regan leans no good deed goes unpunished as besides the cops seeking Abigail for questioning, a stalker believes she is married to the man who Abigail is house sitting for and tries to kill her. Abigail brings comic relief to the tense plot with her belief she is cursed by the number thirteen (read to learn why she reached her Triskaidekaphobia conclusion). Though a bit light Carol Higgins Clark provides another exciting fun to read mystery.

Harriet Klausner

Bloodline-Maggie Shayne

Bloodline

Maggie Shayne

Mira, May 2009, $7.99

ISBN: 9780778326182

When Lilith awakens, she feels confused as to where she is, how she got there, and why she is nude. Although it is cold at dusk, she feels no discomfort except for her emotional bewilderment. Somehow she knows to walk to Ethan’s nearby ranch though she has no idea why that feels right or how she knows the property is near.

Ethan, who was falling in love with her when they were prisoners, informs Lilith that she like him is a vampire trained by the top secret CIA Division of Paranormal Investigations as a killing operative. Also like him, she escaped from the Farm, the DPI’s top-secret facility. DPI brass wants both brought in from the cold while Lilith feels an obsessive need to free others from the Farm.

This is a superb romantic fantasy thriller starring two likable legendary escapees struggling to survive as anyone who kills either of them becomes an instant legend and anyone who brings one of them in from the cold to the CIA owns the “farm”. The story line is fast-paced, but driven by the lead couple who knows the danger they confront especially if they try to assault the Farm. Maggie Shayne’s fans will relish this fun fantasy thriller as Lilith and Ethan fall in love while taking the fight to the DPI.

Harriet Klausner

Storm Glass-Maria V. Snyder

Storm Glass

Maria V. Snyder

Mira, May 2009, $13.95

ISBN: 780778325642

In Sitia the Stormdancer clan is near panicked over some recent deadly incidents. An apparent diabolically clever traitor has killed some glassmakers and destroyed the glass orbs they were creating that is needed to catch elemental power. They know this unknown adversary must be stopped before the realm is devastated beyond recovery by the power of unabated torrents.

Master Magician Cowan assigns glassmaker and apprentice magician Opal Cowan to investigate the deadly incidents as he believes her two skills make her uniquely qualified to learn what is going on. The two males who seem interested in her, Kade the Stormdancer who grieves the death of his twin and Ulrick the glassmaker who is a long time friend, help her. None of them realize the peril they place themselves in from crafty foes; none of whom have any compunction with killing someone even a person they have known for years.

This is a terrific mystery fantasy told mostly by the unconfident Opal, who believes she is a failure due to her inability to expand her magical skills, which is ironic as she was a heroine in MAGIC STUDY. The action-packed story line is fast-paced, but character driven while the whodunit is fun to follow. Fans of the Study trilogy will enjoy returning to that world as Maria V. Snyder writes an entertaining coming of age simply superb fantasy whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

God Of Clocks-Alan Campbell

God Of Clocks

Alan Campbell

Bantam, Apr 2009, $25.00

ISBN: 9780553384185

The King of Hell Menoa appears on the brink of achieving what would have been universally thought of as impossible over the past eons. The god appears ready to take over Heaven and therefore the universe and recreate it in his image.

Perhaps the only potential meaningful opposition comes from Menoa’s half-brother Cospinol, but he has hurt his chances of usurping his sibling as he tries to boil out the life essence of mad angel Carnival. However, the fallen angel’s former allies keep seeking a miracle as humanity as we know it will be extinct if they fail. Assassin Rachel, blood-mage Mina, demon-dog Basilis, sop god Hasp and the ghost Dill turn desperately to whom they believe is the last prayer Sabor the god of clocks who controls time. Menoa sends his invincible arconites to kill the last insurgency, but finally aware of the urgency of stopping his half brother is Cospinol, who sends his top aid to destroy the breach that will release a zombie horde; however, he may be too late.

The exciting final tale of the Deepgate Codex fantasy (see SCAR NIGHT and IRON ANGEL) is a gruesome violent finish to a fine trilogy. The story line is fast-paced, filled with bloody action, and a sense of desperation. Adding to the overall feel of violence is none of the Gods care one iota about the lesser beings except as an energy source, which seems apropos for the war of the gods. Although the ending takes a plausible but Twilight Zone twist that supersedes too much history, fans of the saga will overall enjoy the GOD OF CLOCKS.

Harriet Klausner

Covenant Hall-Kathryn R. Wall

Covenant Hall

Kathryn R. Wall

Minotaur, May 2009, $24.95

ISBN 9780312375355

In Hilton Head, South Carolina private investigator Bay Tanner struggles with two difficult inquiries that are personal. Heart wrenching she needs to find rather quickly one of the long lost sisters of Joline Eastman, whose child Kimmie needs a bone marrow transplant from a suitable match donor before she dies from leukemia. Her other case is not life-threatening, but matters a great deal to her. She reads her dying father’s will in which he mentions Julia Simpson, a half-sister of whom Bay she never knew she had.

Bay is stunned when Joline’s friends and family refuse to cooperate in spite of the clock ticking on Kimmie’s life. On the other hand she is not stunned that Julia’s guardian has doubts and cocnerns about whether she should agree to the half-sister meeting. As her dad retired judge Talbot Simpson nears death, Bay also must decide whether she will actually marry her fiancé police sergeant Red Tanner, the brother of her deceased husband.

Both of Tanner’s cases hit her gut with the fury of a Tsunami. Frantic from the start she personalizes saving Kimmie’s life especially when no one who might have a clue cooperates, and obsesses over meeting Julia. Ironically though fans have waited for her decision whether to marry Red, in COVENANT HALL that feels minor and intrusive when compared to Kimmie and to a lesser degree Julia. Fans will relish Bay’s latest cases as each gets personal.

Harriet Klausner

Even-Andrew Grant

Even

Andrew Grant

Minotaur, May 2009, $24.95

ISBN 9780312540265

In New York City, Royal Navy Intelligence Officer Lieutenant Commander David Trevellyan has completed a mission when he sees the corpse in an alley. A bum has six bullet holes arranged in fastidiously geometric order in his chest. David calls 911.

The police immediately look at David as the prime and only suspect. However, before they can investigate, the FBI takes control of the case; as the victim is the sixth undercover agent murdered in such a manner in recent months. The Feds also look at David as more evidence surfaces that tie him to the murders. He knows his British intel agency must disown any knowledge of him, as standard operating procedure requires; so David knows he must find the predator with insider information setting him up to take the fall.

This is an exciting thriller with a few super twists including tidbits about David’s past that will keep and maintain the audience’s attention throughout wondering what comes next. The story line is fast-paced and filled with plenty of action as David and readers rarely get a respite before something else occurs. Andrew Grant writes a fabulous tale as as the beleaguered Intel officer knows he is being set up for the fall and has no safety net from his agency; leaving it to him to extract himself from the frame before some agent decides to permanently make him the culprit by killing him.

Harriet Klausner

Father’s Day-Keith Gilman

Father’s Day

Keith Gilman

Minotaur, May 2009, $24.95

ISBN 9780312383657

Louis Klein and Sam Blackwell were partners on the Philadelphia Police Department. Knowing how dangerous their jobs were, they not just had each other’s back, they vowed to take care of each others dependents if something happened to one of them. Sam ultimately committed suicide while Louis left the force.

Sam’s widow Sarah begs Louis to help her. Her teenage daughter, Carol Ann has disappeared somewhere on the streets of Philadelphia. Mindful of his vow to Sam and having a free spirited daughter of his own, Louis begins the search for Carol Ann, but soon finds out some sleazy information about the Blackwell family.

Though some of the crime scenes detract form an otherwise terrific investigative Noir as they have been overused in books and movies, FATHER’S DAY will hook readers once Klein works the mean streets of the City of Brotherly Love. Klein makes the tale work as he is propelled to find Sam’s daughter as much from their joint vows as from the nightmarish thought that this could be his late partner searching for his offspring. Fans will agrees FATHER’S DAY is a worthy winner of the Minotaur Books/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel award.

Harriet Klausner