The glass books of the dream-eaters is a mystery/thriller set in an unspecified European city in what seem to be Victorian times, and unites three central characters who, despite different individual motivations, band together to prevent a mysterious cabal of politicians, royalty, and wealthy dignitaries from carrying out a dastardly plan to acquire power across nations. Although we know the central characters motivations, we don't always know the intentions of each member of the cabal. The central characters, Miss Temple, Cardinal Chang and Doctor Svenson were sympathetic and intriguing, and I found myself caring about their fates, although at 752 pages it was quite a slog! I felt the book was repetitive in parts and could have done with some editing down. The language was at times over-the-top, and occasionally comic, but it didn’t stray too far into parody. It reminded me somewhat of Mark Gatiss’s Lucifer Box novels, though these are screamingly funny parodies, whereas Dahlquist’s is a straightforward adventure.

The edition I read had beautiful covers, and while I know you never should judge a book that way, I often do – it was wrapped in blue cellophane reminiscent of the blue glass which is a main ingredient in the story, and has fake foxing on some pages. It also had mock Victorian adverts in the back cover. I was drawn in by the packaging and the title, and found it a fun and entertaining read. It’s a very involved plot and I found the idea of what the cabal were up to an interesting and unique one. It has some very cinematic aspects and it could be adapted to film, which might solve the problem of the book being rather over-long.

The devastation and havoc caused by hurricane Katrina should have been a wake up call for America. But, as soon as gas prices began to drop, media attention reverted back to the latest tabloid issues. It is with the memory of this devastation and the long list of consequences this country could endure as a result of our oil addiction, that LA Starks penned this explosive debut novel. 13 Days is an espionage thriller taking the reader as close to the industry as possible, without dawning a hard hat and being part of the crew.With Centennial Refinery on the verge of bankruptcy and management unable to shore up their company from within, the stage was set for an outside takeover. TriCoast Energy took control of the fledgling refinery. Lynn Dayton had four weeks to prove this a profitable venture to the board of directors. She had no way of knowing what began as merely another job, would soon become a matter of life and death for the employees, the refinery, and most importantly her family. Lynn Dayton is a strong character, engaging, intelligent. Her commitment to her family is mistakenly considered a weakness for an idealist that seriously underestimated his target.With a magna cum laude degree in engineering, MBA in finance and a career in the oil industry LA Starks provides a glimpse into the politics, secrets, and vulnerabilities as only someone with her extensive knowledge could deliver. I found the notes, definitions, and diagrams to be invaluable resources. While the lengthy detailed narratives, seemed to slow the story and clog the brain, it is vital to describe various processes in a basic, easy to understand format, due to the complexity of the subject matter. The plot, characters, and settings are all well thought out and delivered with the expertise of an award winning author. 13 Days is an excellent read that is as interesting as it is frightening. LA Starks has created a suspense filled thriller, that will keep the reader thinking from the very first chapter. Plot twists, unexpected betrayals, manipulations and so much more, this one has it all. If you love a good thriller, that keeps you up reading way past your bed time, look no further than 13 Days: The Pythagoras Conspiracy.

This is an exceptionally well written novel. I found it difficult to believe it was LA Starks debut novel. Well developed characters, strong and entertaining, 13 Days is one of those rare books that stays in your thoughts long after you’ve finished reading it! With this being the First - readers are sure to have many exceptionally well crafted titles to choose from.

Happy Reading!     RJ  xx

A Nail Through the HeartTimothy HallinanDisplaying an enviable gift for pacing and action, Hallinan’s first installment in this new series is an intelligent suspense thriller that is firing on all cylinders. Vivid descriptions of Bangkok provide a dramatic contrast to the dangers and unflinching moral depravity that isn’t truly hidden, but most never see. Hallinan artfully and cleverly peels away the surface layer, revealing a disturbing and ominous dark side. Painting his characters with deep, broad strokes - each is flawed and somewhat of an outcast. Yet, together, their complexities tell a multi-layered story that is sure to please even the most astute reader. Poke Rafferty has made a living writing travelers guides for the not so average tourist. The series, aptly titled “Looking for Trouble” was a how to guide for the odd and unusual. Tips on how to bribe a cop, advice on how to beat the exchange rates and spot counterfeit jewels, even how to discern a transvestite prostitute before it was too late. Trouble had never been too far away from Poke Rafferty, but that was before Bangkok, or so he thought. Poke had fallen in love with the city and a former Pat-pong bar girl. He hoped Rose would one day accept his proposal and become his wife. He was in the process of adopting Miaow, an eight year old street orphan, he loved as his own daughter. It felt as if his life was finally coming together. Until the day an injured street kid, everyone called “Superman” came into his life. Unknowingly setting into motion a chain of events that would expose a world, that exists in the shadows and welcomes newcomers with sly glances and wicked smiles. It is while juggling his girlfriend, the arrival of “Superman”, and the adoption of Miaow that Poke, in need of money, agrees to investigate the disappearance of Claus Ulrich. While working on this case, he meets Madame Wing, a rich old woman with secrets. The kind people will go to great lengths to keep hidden. She offers to pay him thirty thousand dollars and her instructions are non-negotiable. Poke is to find the Cambodian man and the envelope he stole and return the envelope to her. There was but one stipulation, Rafferty could not know what the envelope contained. As Poke gets more involved, the lines that so clearly divided these three events, as well as, those defining morality and decency begin to blur.A Nail Through The Heart showcases Hallinan’s literary talents, as well as, his knowledge and appreciation for the culture of the Far East. In addition to delivering a heart stopping fusion of mystery and intrigue, his ability to entertain, while simultaneously stimulating the reader intellectually will keep readers clamoring for more. To say that this is a must read or a page turner, would be a grave injustice. For these catch phrases are used far too often to be attached to a novel such as this.Happy Reading!.

RJ 3Rs-Real Reader Reviews©

I highly recommend this novel and anxiously await the second in the series!

In her stunning follow up to the 2006 best seller “Shiver,” Lisa Jackson has proven that there’s room for a little romance amid all the death and depravity. Absolute Fear is part of the Bayou series, which includes, “Hot Blooded, Cold Blooded, and Shiver.” The plot line is in depth and complicated yet developed simultaneously with the characters, in such a way that Absolute Fear stands on its own. This book has it all, child abuse, scandalous behavior within the church, unethical medical practices, sex, murder and mayhem. Having enjoyed this novel on every conceivable level, I have added all three previous titles to my list of must reads.

Absolute Fear opens three months after the ritualistic murder of Roy Kajak and the attempted murder of Eve Renner. Eve, still suffering from amnesia, returns to New Orleans. That very day, Cole Dennis was set free. It seemed like a life time ago that she had met Cole at her fathers farm house. A hot shot attorney that successfully represented Dr. Renner after his patient committed suicide. There was a part of her that had never been convinced that he had tried to kill her. On the night of her return, this belief would be tested, when Cole appears at her door.

They had to find a way to trust each other and work together. The irony of this uneasy alliance is yet another twist leading the reader deeper into the story. Everything that was happening was related to the asylum, where her father had been the head psychiatrist. As an adult she had heard rumors about Our Lady of Virtues and the horrors that occurred there. Now  in order to regain control of her life she would have to go back where it all began. Because somewhere in the midst of that crumbling building were the shattered pieces of her memory. The key to the murders wasn’t the only secret Our Lady held. Oh no, there was more, much more. The subtle innuendos quickly place the reader into a frenzied state of near panic. Frantically reading as quickly as possible in hopes of finding a calm place to slow down and breathe.

Unspeakable madness had once been perpetrated behind the walls of Our Lady of Virtues - and he intended to revive that madness, just for Eve. She would pay for her sins, he would make sure of that. Then he would be deified, his god had said. The “Reviver” is a sick, twisted, ritualistic murderer. The tattooing, cryptic clues and murders are all part of his elaborate revenge. He knew they were all so blinded by sin that they were unable to interpret that which he had written in blood for all to see? He wouldn’t just spell it out for them - and yet that is exactly what he had done. As the true nature of his actions and extent of his manipulations are revealed, the skillfully coded clues scattered throughout become crystal clear.

Absolute Fear is an Absolute Best Seller! Lisa Jackson has continued her series, while creating a novel that stands tall on its own merit. Jackson’s ability to explore the inner workings of this characters depraved mind is an astonishing literary feat, that should not be overlooked. Successfully delivering to the reader a fright filled journey into the dark recesses of a madman’s desires, while maintaining a relationship filled with explosive passion places Lisa Jackson in the company of the best! This book has the perfect mix of secrets, lust and murder to keep readers coming back again and again. And with the door left open at the conclusion, we can hope that there will be another installment.

Happy Reading!RJ xx

"Dead Connction is a smart, funny, very clever page turner; unique and fun to read. As much as I wanted the mystery solved, I didn't want it to end. You're going to like this book." - Chris Crutcher, author of King of the Mild Frontier and Whale Talk.

Murray Keifer is a special kid. Although, not many people think so. The only people who he seems to really get along with are just as lonely as he is. In fact, they're dead. Every day he visits his friends in the Forrest Grove Cemetery. But lately, hes been hearing a new voice. It sounds distressed. Where is it coming from? Could it be linked to Nikki Parker's disappearence?

In Dead Connection, Charlie Price takes you through the investigation of Nikki Parker, a sixteen year old cheerleader, who is suspected to have been kidnapped. He shows us the perspectives of six different people; Murray Keifer, Deputy Gates, Janocheck, Pearl, Vern Billup, and Mister Robert Barry Compton. Could any of these people have been the perpetrator? Or was it someone else?

As much as I would love to say that this book was a favorite, I have to say that it fell a little short. The book was very clever, and being a mysery, it was also a good page turner. You fall in love with a character or two, and find yourself making predictions in how the book will end. Sadly, the ending was the part that just didnt cut it. If you're a diehard mystery fan, I'd say that this book isn't for you. If you want to start reading mysteries, think you might like them, or just want a fun teen book, then this book is a pretty decent read.

Dead On is a thrilling, intellectually fearless novel that seamlessly blends horror, mystery, and the paranormal, to deliver a fast paced, provocative and highly entertaining read.

Ann Yang hoped to escape the ugliness of her divorce and start over in the quiet Pennsylvania suburb of Doylestown. Settling into her job as Medical Examiner, with renovations to her house underway, she was putting the past where it belonged... in the past. However, that notion is short lived as a ruthless killer begins to hone his sinister craft in Ann's backyard. When bodies are discovered, obviously staged, the killer's one-of-a-kind signature placed beneath the tongue, taunting police, Ann finds herself in the middle of a madman's reality. With her colleagues unaccustomed to high profile crimes and mystified by the murders, Ann calls on close friend and retired FBI profiler, Tony Cole for assistance. Together they follow the clues from Pennsylvania to New Orleans, only to find themselves wrapped in an unending enigma of impossible to answer questions.Adding yet another dimension to this multi-layered story is the discovery of an old diary that immediately captures Ann's attention and captivates her unusual abilities of perception. Dating back over a hundred years, the time worn pages reveal intimate details surrounding the disappearance of a young girl, which remained unsolved. Could this be related? Are the hypnosis induced visions of being murdered in past lives clouding or possibly shaping reality? The one thing that is abundantly clear this psychopath has Ann squarely in his sights and she has unwittingly become the ultimate pawn in a high stakes game of cat and mouse.

The characters while sharply drawn are as fluid as the ink of this phenomenal author's pen. The expert use of dialogue brings the characters to life and delivers a disturbingly delicious reading experience. Although a quick read, Kelly spares no punches when it comes to complexity, depth and suspense. Palpable tension builds as the story speeds, almost recklessly toward the shocking but satisfying conclusion.

Ann Kelly's tantalizing debut novel is well researched, intelligently portrayed and delivered with unbridled passion. The subtle clues embedded throughout keep the reader involved and guessing, without preemptive spoilers. The mystery within a mystery allows Kelly to simultaneously develop multiple angles, cleverly weaving an intricate web of murder and mayhem, past life regression and brilliant detection. Dead On is an absolute knock out! Happy Reading!RJ McGill

Editor's Choice Award Winner!DIY Los Angeles Book Festival Runner-upNominated for Agatha Award for Best First Mystery NovelFilm rights optioned by Gold Circle Films

Deadly Beloved is a story for fans of Mickey Spillane. Michael Tree - Ms Michael Tree - is a hardboiled female P.I. Her father, a cop, wanted a son and insisted on naming her Michael. Michael Friday also became a police officer but has been relegated to the records department. She married an ex-police detective,Michael Tree and, taking his last name, gives us the pun, Ms Tree = "mystery."

Michael Tree, the husband, left the police force to open a detective agency taking the then Michael Friday and two other police officers with him. On their wedding night Michael Tree, the husband, is murdered in the parking lot of their motel. Ms Tree takes over the detective agency and establishes herself as a hardboiled private investigator, always ready to apply force and not hesitant to use her automatic - a 9mm not .45 like Mike Hammer but nonetheless lethal.

The Tree Detective Agency is hired to look into the case of Marcy Addwater, who, without a doubt, shot and killed her husband and a prostitute in a sleazy motel room. While there is no doubt she did the murders, why and how she accomplished it are questionable. Even some of the police officers think something is fishy.

The case takes a decidledy odd turn when it emerges that the case and the murder of Michael Tree might be somehow related. Is there an "Event Planner" who orchestrates murders, arranging it so that they cannot be traced back to the persons who commissioned them?

As with the hardboiled genre in general, there is a high body count, crisp, ironic dialog and a fast paced story.

Max Allan Collins is well known for writing Dick Tracy for many years where he worked to bring Tracy back to his hardboiled roots. He was also involved in comic projects including Ms Tree. Deadly beloved is the first Ms. Tree novel. There is an afterword where Collins writes "About Ms Tree" describing how he took her from comics to a novel. Collins obviously loves the hardboiled genre and Deadly Beloved is a terrific addition. I hope he decides to pen further adventures of Ms. Tree.

I recommend that you listen to an interview of Max Allen Collins on the podcast, Behind the Black Mask: Mystery Writers Revealed. There is a lot of good information about Collins' writing, the evolution of Ms. Tree, and the hardboiled genre. While you are there, check out the other interviews. I regularly get reading suggestions from the author interviews that Clute and Edwards, the podcasters, conduct. 

When the National Security Agency's "invincible" code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls in its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant, beautiful mathematician. What she uncovers send shock waved through the corridors of power. The NSA is being held hostage - not by guns or bombs, but by a code so complex that if released it would cripple US intelligence.

Caught in an accelerating tempest of secrecy and lies, Fletcher battles to save the agency she believes in. Betrayed on all sides she finds herself fighting not only for her country but for her life, and in the end, for the man she loves...

Well that's what the blurb on the cover says. Digital Fortress is more of the same from Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown - talk of codes and crytography with fast-paced action. Unfortunately the characters here are not as engaging as Da Vinci Code, but the book is enjoyable enough, easy reading with plenty of mentions of the main character's designer shoes to prove that not only is she a genius mathematician, but a fashionista to boot.

Myron Bolitar was an All-American basketball star at Duke and a first-round draft pick for the Boston Celtics, destined for NBA stardom. A freak accident in a preseason scrimmage blew out his knee and ended his pro career before it began . . . so he worked as an undercover agent for the FBI, got a law degree from Harvard, and settled down as a sports agent in a one-man office on Park Avenue, New York City. His secretary/assistant is a slight, gorgeous Latina who's studying law but had a successful career as a pro wrestler under the name "Little Pocahontas." His girlfriend is a tall, more-than-gorgeous Anglo who's also a best-selling author. His best friend and quasi-partner is an independently wealthy bond trader who's also an expert marksman and an nth-degree master of taekwon-do. Myron--being a tough guy with a soft spot for clients, friends, or virtually anybody else with a problem--often functions as a latter-day Travis McGee: part private investigator and part freelance avenger.

You get the idea . . . we're not in Dennis Lehane territory here. This is slick, escapist mystery fiction at its best.

Fans of Robert Crais and Robert B. Parker will see echoes of Elvis Cole and Spenser in Myron and (perhaps more to the point) of Joe Pike and Hawk (or maybe Vinnie Morris) in his sidekick Win (who's amusingly, and not inaccurately, dubbed "psycho-yuppie" by one of the minor characters in this book). Coben's books offer some of the same pleasures as Crais's and Parker's--serviceable plots, vivid characters, and crackling smartass dialogue. For my money, though, Coben has a slightly lighter touch than either. If you find yourself wishing that Parker had never discovered psychology, you'll probably find Coben particularly refreshing.

The plot of "Drop Shot" is satisfyingly complex without being byzantine: A washed-up former women's tennis star is shot dead outside the stadium during the U. S. Open, and a client of Myron's--a talented young black player who came up from the streets--is a suspect. It quickly becomes apparent that there's *way* more to the murder than meets the eye, and that nobody (including Myron's client) is telling everything they know. The detection is well-handled throughout (with one glaring exception when a key witness goes, at the drop of a hat, from stonewalling Myron to giving him great slabs of information) and the revelations that wrap up the mystery are credible enough to be satisfying. The humor is sometimes a little broader than it needs to be, and Win's skills sometimes a little more perfect than they ought to be, but not enough to upset the balance of the story.

"Drop Shot" won't teach you anything profound about the human condition, but it's a well-told story with characters who I'm actively looking forward to meeting again.

At least in the Myron Bolitar series, Harlan Coben's stock-in-trade is slick, entertaining mysteries with broadly drawn characters, fast-moving plots, and large quantities of smartass dialogue. "Fade Away," the third installment in the series, offers all that . . . plus a surprisingly poigniant subplot about Myron coming to terms with his lost professional basketball career.

Myron, a college superstar and first-round draft pick, never played professionally. His knee was damaged in an on-court collision during a preseason game and never recovered. Now, nearly ten years later, he's hired by the owner of the New Jersey Dragons, whose star player (Myron's college rival both in sports and in love) has mysteriously disappeared. The mystery unfolds with Coben's usual verve, though readers looking for a conventional whodunnnit where it's actually possible to guess the solution ahead of the detective will probably be disappointed. Myron is in fine form, and the usual supporting cast (his friends Win and Esperenza, his NYPD nemesis, his girlfriend) make satisfying appearances along with a variety of new characters . . . including a veteran female sportswriter who bears a more than passing resemblance to Lesley Visscher. Though not overtly comic, the book has its share of funny moments, supplied mostly by the dialogue between Myron and his firends.

What sets the book apart, however, is the way Coben shows us the major characters--Myron, of course, but also Win, Esperenza, and various others--responding to Myron's belated chance at a pro career. Their reactions are believably varied and (gratifyingly) make Myron a seem a little less glib than he usually comes across. Solving the mystery turns out to bring Myron face-to-face with things he might have preferred not to know about himself, and although it's hard on him it's good for the book.