The Violet Hour-Daniel Judson

The Violet Hour

Daniel Judson

Minotaur, Oct 13 2009,

ISBN: 9780312383572

In the Hamptons, twenty-two years old auto mechanic Caleb Rakowski is all alone as his criminal bent parents and brother are dead.  He lives in a dumpy apartment above the garage where he works, but is overall contented with his life as he loves working on cars and his appreciative boss Eric Carver knows the young man is a guru when it comes to auto repair.

Cal does have one friend Lebell, who is in hiding from mobsters; professional killers are aware that Cal is their target’s buddy so there is guilt by association.  Also unable to mind his own business when an underdog is abused, Cal gives shelter to Heather who treated him nice when he worked as a teen at the restaurant owned by her and her abusive spouse former NFL thug Ronnie Pamona.  Soon seemingly everyone on Long Island will converge on Cal to play a special version of survivor; as he wears a bulls-eye being the protector of those victimized by figuratively demons from both sides of the law, but will need to pull a rabbit preferably not a dead one out of the ball cap.

This is a zany entertaining Long Island thriller starring a likable seemingly helpless young man who becomes the defender of the downtrodden against a wave of killers.  Blood will flow more often than oil does at the garage over a few days as Cal learns what happens to Good Samaritans.  He can be thankful for being a chip off the old block as his DNA oozes suspicion of cops and robbers.  He makes for a fun over the top of Suffolk County South Fork lighthouses tale

Harriet Klausner

Mania-Craig Larson

Mania

Craig Larson

Pinnacle, Nov 1 2009, $6.99

ISBN: 9780786021543

Seattle Telegraph newspaper photographer Nick Wilder has always looked up to his brother Sam; who is on his way to becoming a billionaire if the drug trials for the anti-psychotic Matrix Zarcon holds up as expected.  Nick currently covers the brutal murders of men so unrecognizable their family members could not identify them.  He becomes part of the story when a homeless man without shoes stabs and kills his sibling.

The incident triggers in Nick flashbacks and hallucinations that make him and the police wonder if he is the vicious psychopathic killer who murdered his own brother.  In a coffee shop, Nick meets Sara Garland, stepdaughter of the Telegraph’s owner Jason Hamlin.  They hit if off and she helps him cope with the nasty hallucinatory incidents and horrific dreams that he fears are repressive memories.  The cops question Nick re Sam’s murder and that of another victim, but let him ago as they lack evidence although Police Lieutenant Dombrowski believes he allowed the killer to leave; he plans to find proof to lock away this maniac for life.

Throughout the story line Nick struggles with his sanity as he is unable to delineate reality from dreams of events that happened to him.  The audience is as unsure whether Nick is the killer or suffering from some other psychotic derangement.  MANIA is a fascinating thriller that delves deep into the mind of a struggling protagonist who ponders what reality really is.  Although a final spin seems over the top of the Needle fans will relish this action-packed psychological thriller starring a beleaguered hero who no longer has the mental fight to argue with people telling him what the truth is.

Harriet Klausner

The Gates-John Connolly

The Gates

John Connolly

Atria, Oct 2009, $24.00

ISBN: 9781439172636

Three days before Halloween in Biddlecombe, England, eleven year old Samuel Johnson of 501 Crowley Rd. accompanied by Boswell the Dachshund goes trick or treating to get a head start against the competition. At 666 Crowley Rd. Samuel debates Mr. Abernathy as to who or what or why they are trick or treating three days early than the official date.

Inside 666, using subatomic physics kicked, punted or booted (not being a scientist not sure which is the vernacular) inside a particle accelerator, Abernathy and three’s company create two giant gates that prove to be a portal between earth and Hades.  All hell has broken out on the planet as the first time since the original dot 13.7 billion years or so ago exploded into the Big Bang, demons cross over in what seems to be the beginning of the small crunch.  Samuel the warrior kid fights the horde but fails to persuade adults including his parents that a demonic invasion has begun.

This lighthearted fantasy is an amusing tale of good vs. evil in a world of cynical disbelievers.  Samuel and Boswell battle the adversary almost alone as ironically their only ally is a low life Nurd the incompetent sub-demon.  Targeting young adults with puns, hyperbole, and Abbot-Costello slapstick starting with John Connolly’s version of who’s on first, older readers who enjoy jocularity in their quantum physics will appreciate the tweener and the canine save the world; although some might wonder why bother.

Harriet Klausner

Star Wars Death Troopers-Joe Schreiber

Star Wars Death Troopers

Joe Schreiber

Del Rey, Oct 13 2009, $24.00

ISBN: 9780345509628

The Imperial prison barge Purge is in a remote sector transporting five hundred of the most ruthless criminals ever known to their new home when the vessel breaks down.  Nearby is a drifting Star Destroyer.  The crew goes on board hoping to salvage parts needed to repair the thrusters on the Purge.

Not all return from the derelict ship, but those who manage to return are very sick bringing back a host of nasty symptoms that rapidly spread throughout the Purge even in the maximum confinement cells isolated from everyone and everything.  The ship’s chief medical officer Dr. Zahara Cody tries but fails to contain the disease.  In incredibly short order, what was once thousands of people on board had dwindled to six survivors.  Cody, Captain of the Guard Sartoris, the teenage Longo sibling prisoners completing their father’s prison sentence because he died during a torture interrogation and two other inmates held in the utmost maximum confinement cell.  This six are not allies as Cody and the siblings have an axe to grind with Sartoris while the other two have been kept away from people for either lethal or political reasons.  The living sextet better unite because the dead crew and prisoners have reanimated and are coming for fresh meat.

Zombies in Star War space seems out of place yet it works as an entertaining thriller with connections to the original film trilogy.  The story line is fast-paced and filled with tons of action even before the dead come back to life.  Unique and refreshing in terms of Star Wars (zombies have become an “overkilled” species lately), fans will enjoy Joe Schreiber’s horror science fiction thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Thanksgiving at the Inn-Tim Whitney

Thanksgiving at the Inn

Tim Whitney

Bancroft, Oct 1 2009, $14.99

ISBN: 9781890862640

Two years ago the mother of teenager Heath Wellington III walked out on him and his dad Junior.  Since she left, Junior treats his son as a slave with chores all the time when the kid is not in school, which he is not having been suspended for cheating.  When Junior’s dad dies, Heath realizes he cannot remember what his grandfather Senior looked like as they drive to Massachusetts for the funeral.  Senior’s lawyer Lloyd explains that Junior and Heath will inherit the Sleeping Inn if they run the place for three months and take care of the residents.

Heath feels at home at the B&B with the Jamaican sage Winsted, elderly Mrs. Farrel who is giving away her late husband’s fortune one letter at a time, muscular children’s author Mustang Sally, and TV news couch potato Carter.  He also likes neighbor Savannah who apparently is his dad’s first love, and her autistic daughter Tori.  On the other hand he loathes his father who sees the world as one endless loveless chore.

This is an engaging inspiring family drama as the son becomes the father (think of Chapin’s song Cat in the Cradle) although Senior learned too late what he did to his offspring.  Senior’s legacy is letters trying to reach Junior before he repeats the mistake with the III.  In light of a photo showing three generations of smiling male Wellingtons, the lack of the back story between Senior and Junior hurts any transformation that may occur.  Still fans will enjoy this fine holiday tale as everyone learns to be thankful for all the good in their lives by celebrating together THANKSGIVING AT THE INN.

Harriet Klausner

Who Do I Talk To?-Neta Jackson

Who Do I Talk To?

Neta Jackson

Thomas Nelson, Oct 2009, $14.99

ISBN: 9781595545244

In Chicago, Gabby Fairbanks knew her husband Philip was upset, but did not realize how much so until he kicked her to the street by changing the locks on their penthouse, ripped up her credit and debit cards, canceled her cell and vanished with their sons PJ and Paul.  She is homeless along with her elderly mom and their canine Dandy.  Gabby can handle a lot and is not overly concerned about where they will live as she can stay at the Manna House women’s shelter where she also works, but she is angry and despondent feeling betrayed especially concerning her kids.

Filled with grief to her bone marrow, Gabby tries to recover her sense of self worth as she now lives with her “clients”.  The Yada Yada Prayer Group and the residents try their best to encourage Gabby to move on, but also go after Philip as she has rights too especially since her children need her.  Still she has no one, not God, her lawyer, her two sisters or her aunt, to talk to as the big hurt is deep inside her soul and will soon worm hole even deeper.

The second Yada Yada House of Hope tale continues the life crises facing Gabby as she has temporarily answered her previous question WHERE DO I GO?  Now she mentally feels like a tsunami has passed through her brain as she wonders WHO DO I TALK TO?  Readers will fully relish her anguish and rage even at God as more personal catastrophes assault the beleaguered Gabby.

Harriet Klausner

Seaside Letters-Denise Hunter

Seaside Letters

Denise Hunter

Thomas Nelson, Oct 2009, $14.99

ISBN: 9781595542601

On Nantucket, Sabrina Kincaid works at the Cobblestone Café where everyday she serves Tucker McCabe his coffee.  Although attracted to him to distraction that she spills coffee, the only relationship she accepts is one in cyberspace as she was hurt badly once before when she lived in Macon, Georgia by her fiancé and her cousin.

Tucker has fallen in love with his email pen pal Sweetpea, but though he believes she is attracted to him and even sent him a photo of her; she refuses to meet him in person.  He has heard that Sabrina is good at puzzles so he wants to hire her to find his Sweetpea.  Sabrina knows that would be extremely easy to achieve.  The hard part would be to tell her beloved email buddy that he just hired Sweetpea to find his Sweetpea as the picture he has of her is actually that of her seditious cousin; so expecting rejection if she tells the truth she schemes to conceal her identity.  She is unaware that Tucker is hiding information from her.

Sabrina is a fascinating character as she feels her transgressions compound her feelings of plainness so that Tucker and God will reject her.  The more lies she weaves and he by omission, the more complicated unraveling the truth becomes though her friend Renny the wannabe writer insists honesty is the only policy.  Fans of inspirational romances will enjoy the second Nantucket romance (see SURRENDER BAY; not read by me) even if the island community never comes into focus.  Two people in love find redemption by taking a chance on honesty with themselves, each other and God.

Harriet Klausner

The Sound Of Sleigh Bells-Cindy Woodsmall

The Sound Of Sleigh Bells

Cindy Woodsmall

WaterBrook, Oct 6 2009, $14.99

ISBN: 9780307446534

Since eighth grade Beth Hertzler worked for and with her spinster Aunt Lizzy in the family owned Hertzlers’ Dry Goods store.  Beth like Lizzy ignored men while her younger sisters married and have had children; until she met Henry.  They became engaged, but he died last year and yet she still wears the mourner’s black as she has not moved on.  Lizzy worries about her favorite niece ending up lonely like she is.

Although she insists she is fine, her family and friends in the Amish community worry about Beth.  However, to prove she is fine, Beth is going on a business trip accompanied by worker Gloria for the next three weeks to the store’s suppliers.  When they miss a turn on their way to All That’s Amish, they stop at the next town where Beth sees an incredible wood carving of Amish children playing.  She buys the piece and wants to help the Amish artist “sell” his work to the right families.  When Beth returns home, Lizzy notices her niece seems to have come back to life and believes it is the woodcarving.  She searches for the artist Jonah Kinsinger as she begins to think God is moving a mountain to bring two Pennsylvania and Ohio young people with emotional scars together to heal one another with love.

This is an engaging Amish romance starring a likable lead couple and two budding in out of love and concern families.  Readers will enjoy the SOUND OF SLEIGH BELLS as their respective caring communities nudge (perhaps shove might be more accurate) towards each other in a wonderful Amish Yuletide tale.

Harriet Klausner

Pursuit of Honor-Vince Flynn

Pursuit of Honor

Vince Flynn

Atria, Oct 13 2009, $27.99

ISBN: 9781416595168

Six days ago the country was rocked by the explosions in DC that killed 185 people and injured so many more.  CIA Director Irene Kennedy orders counterterrorism operative Mitch Rapp to find the three al Qaeda men responsible for the attack and bring them to justice anyway he can.  However, the sophisticated way the trio vanished is a shocker as terrorists have not been very good at hiding their footprints, which to Rapp denotes some insider support to have gotten to and away from the National Counterterrorism Center one of their targets that included several senators as victims.

First Rapp has to take care of “Deep Throat” wannabe CIA IG Inspector Adams.  After that he and his teammate Mike Nash struggle with clues as Congress screams for increased oversight and no more illegal activity while his employer unofficially sanctions whatever it takes to keep the nation safe.  He is unaware that in Toolesboro, Iowa are Hakim and Karim hiding on a farm that the former purchased through a New York lawyer.  They rusticate overlooking the Mississippi before they make their follow-up move to the success of the explosions they set in DC six days ago.

With the arrest of terrorist suspects, the latest Rapp thriller is an exciting tale as the hero struggles with his PURSUIT OF HONOR while trying to take out some nasty folks who hide behind the skirts of young girls as the innocent are expendable in order to achieve their objective Rapp running on that very thin line between morality and security comes across much stronger through Nash’s balancing act between his family and protecting his country.  Ironically while the Congress and Executive Branch debate legal issues over domestic spying and torture, Rapp and Nash skirmish between personal ethics and national security as Vince Flynn provides a thought provoking gripping thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Haunting Jordan- P.J. Alderman

Haunting Jordan

P.J. Alderman

Bantam, Sep 29 2009, $7.99

ISBN: 9780553592108

Jordan Marsh’s husband died in a car cash because someone cut the brake lines of his vehicle.  LAPD Detective Drake believes she killed her spouse but has no evidence to prove his theory.  Sick of Drake’s harassment, Jordan moves to Port Chatham, Washington; where she purchases a fixer upper Victorian, Longren House.  To her surprise her new abode comes with two ghostly residents Hattie her teenage sister Charlotte.

When Hattie’s husband died, she took over his shipping business and inherited his enemies especially amidst his allies when she decides to clean up his dirty dealings.  This includes resentful Mike Seavey who is a power on the docks, her late husband’s manager, and Police Chief Greeley who wants to marry Charlotte.  As Jordan tries to solve who murdered Hattie back in 1890, she also has to deal with Drake who has new evidence and has come to the Pacific Northwest to see her arrested.  Jordan’s lawyer refuses to allow her to be expedited back to California as the new proof would not hold up in court.  Still someone wants Jordan in jail, but she has no idea who or why.

Readers will thoroughly enjoy this paranormal amateur sleuth because of the ghost who tells Jordan what happened to her back in 1890 as she tries to persuade the mortal to investigate the homicide in 2009.  Looking into a cold case as a total amateur seems easy when compared to being a present day suspect in her husband’s death as Drake is like Inspector Girard of the Fugitive.  P.J. Alderman writes a scintillating supernatural whodunit as the spirits connect the past with the present.

Harriet Klausner