Name of the Devil - Andrew Mayne

FBI Agent Jessica Blackwood returns in Andrew Mayne's new novel - Name of the Devil.

Blackwood is a unique character - she's a magician turned cop. Mayne's own background as a magician and a family in law enforcement add much to his books.

A new nemesis awaits Jessica this time out. A massacre in a small town church seems to point to spontaneous human combustion, exorcism, madness - and the devil. The residents in town are frightened and local enforcement baffled, so the Bureau is called in. And so is Jessica - to consult. For she sees with a different set of eyes and a different logic. I really enjoy the trickery, the sleight of hand, if you will, that Mayne uses in his plots. I like the behind the scenes, alternate explanations and illusions that Jessica exposes.

Jessica is a likable character. This time around, we get to know a bit more of her background with flashbacks from her childhood. Her magician grandfather is someone who fascinates me - there's much more to the man than simple magic tricks. Another recurring character is Damien, the extremely dangerous, seemingly all seeing man who seems to have his eye on Jessica - watching for her safety and providing her clues in an oblique fashion.

Mayne's plot is intricate, involved and far-reaching in Name of the Devil. Some of it is a wee bit over the top and asks the reader to suspend disbelief. And you should - it fuels an already action-filled read. Mayne has conjured up another great cat and mouse game with a unique protagonist - perfect for summer escapist reading. I loved the ending and will be watching for number three. Read an excerpt of Name of the Devil.

"Andrew Mayne is the star of A and E's magic reality show Don't Trust Andrew Mayne, and has worked with David Copperfield, Penn and Teller, and David Blaine. He lives in Los Angeles." You can connect with him through his website, on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter. See what others on the TLC book tour thought. Full schedule can be found here.

Angel Killer - Andrew Mayne

Andrew Mayne is an illusionist and magician who has worked for David Copperfield, Penn and Teller and David Blaine. He's also the star of A&E's Don't Trust Andrew Mayne.  And....he's also an author. Mayne self published his novels and had some success. Angel Killer sold really well in that format and Bourbon Street Books picked it up, with a hard copy of Angel Killer just published.

I normally eschew self published books, but was incredibly curious to read Angel Killer (especially after a large publisher picked it up.) I found the premise intriguing - an FBI agent who grew up in a 'magic' family. When a killer calling himself the Warlock starts staging and executing seemingly impossible crimes, Jessica Blackwood is called in. The FBI seems to think her unusual background will be the key they need to find this killer. But it's easier said than done - The Warlock is incredibly devious and seems to have a long range plan.....

Well, Mayne is smart as well - he's writing what he knows. The use of magic and illusion as the serial killer's signature is unique. And having an agent just as familiar with the sleights of hand and misdirection is fresh and different. And quite fascinating.

Mayne is setting the stage (yes pun intended) for Jessica. We get to know her background and mindset and I quite liked her. We're also introduced to the mysterious Damien n - I definitely want to know more about him.

The plot is inventive and again, out of the ordinary. There are a few instances where I questioned the leap to the next point or some technical wizardry, but overall I thought it was really good.

And through it all runs the idea of magic. I am always entertained by illusionists and am not sure how I feel about knowing the truth behind some 'tricks' I've seen, but it's pretty interesting to discover how some of them are achieved.

Angel Killer is being marketed as the first Jessica Blackwood novel. I would definitely pick up the next in this series - even more so that the end of Angel Killer is not truly the end - the last page is a definite link to a larger plot still not uncovered. I've peeked at other's thoughts on this book and many readers mention their dissatisfaction with the ending. I actually like the unfinished threads - the idea that there's more in store for this character and the anticipation of the continuation of a good tale. Read an excerpt of Angel Killer.

"Wildly innovative, highly-visual with a little bit of mischief thrown in, Andrew Mayne is at the forefront of the next generation of magic. Star of A&E's Don't Trust Andrew Mayne, he’s performed his unique brand of illusion on five continents, his YouTube videos have millions of views and he’s cultivated thousands of fans for his magic, books and podcasts calling themselves ‘Mayniacs’."You can find Andrew Mayne on Facebook and on Twitter.

See what others on the TLC book tour thought. Full schedule can be found here.

Backlash - Lynda La Plante

Lynda La Plante's name was always one I recognized, but until last year I hadn't read any of her books. That quickly changed and I've added her to my list of favourite British mystery authors. La Plante writes a number of series and many have been adapted for television, such as Above Suspicion and Prime Suspect. (These are incredibly popular at the library.)

Bourbon Street Books latest La Plante release is Backlash, the eighth book in the series featuring Detective Chief Inspector Anna Travis.

A late night traffic stop on a van advertising clowns and kid's parties yields one surprise the uniformed officers didn't expect - the body of a woman hidden in back. The driver, Henry Oates, claims that she wasn't the first - and mentions two other young women who have been missing for years. One of the missing is a thirteen year old girl. Her case is one that Detective Chief Superintendent James Langton never solved and it haunts him. But then Oates recants.....Still recovering from surgery that has immobilized him, Langton is forced to let Anna and her team work the case without him.

I was eager to reconnect with Travis and the rest of the team. Anna has still never really dealt with the death of her fiancée and drives herself to keep her mind and body occupied. She's a character I really like - she's smart, tough and driven. My opinion of Langton is ever-changing - he's rude, brusque, opinionated, but just when I think he has no redeeming qualities, he surprises me. Travis is quickly catching up to her superior in leadership and deductive skills. Familiar supporting characters provided a comfortable home base.

"She was gaining a reputation as a very dedicated officer with her tough no -nonsense attitude and almost obsessive attention to detail."

As always, La Plante has crafted a wonderfully involved plot that was a treat to read. We have the guilty party right at the beginning, but it's up to the team to prove their case. And this is where La Plante shines. I really enjoy the pacing of British mysteries - the careful, methodical piecing together of information obtained through painstaking legwork. The case builds layer upon layer, but La Plante has more than one twist up her sleeve before the final reveal.

La Plante has a screenwriting background and some of the descriptions, action and dialogue read like a screenplay - short and to the point, at times pointedly directional. But, I stopped noticing this about fifty pages in and became engrossed in the case. Backlash kept me interested right 'til the last pages. Fans of police procedurals - this one's for you. Those that haven't read previous Travis books would be able to jump in and enjoy this book, but I always enjoy starting a series from book one. (Above Suspicion) Read an excerpt of Backlash. Definitely a recommended read.

"Lynda La Plante's novels, including the Prime Suspect novels, have all been international bestsellers. She is an honorary fellow of the British Film Institute and a member of the UK Crime Writers Awards Hall of Fame. She runs her own television production company, and lives in London and Easthampton, New York." You can find Linda La Plante on Facebook and on Twitter.


See what other bloggers on the TLC book tour thought. Full schedule can be found here.

Blood Line- Lynda La Plante

I read my first Lynda La Plante books earlier this year when I devoured the first three books in the Prime Suspect series featuring Jane Tennison. At the end of that review I made a note to check out her other series featuring Detective Anna Travis.

And I'm glad I did! I picked up Blood Line - the latest - released by Harper Collins's new crime imprint - Bourbon Street Books.

Anna is the new Chief Inspector for London's murder squad. Watching closely over her shoulder is her boss - and former lover - Superintendent James Langton. Anna is still dealing with the death of her fiancee and Langton is not sure she is up to the job. He gives her a missing persons case to follow up on - not a murder. Alan Rawlins has been not been seen for eight weeks. His father is pushing for an investigation, but his live in girlfriend doesn't seem too concerned. No one has a bad word to say about Alan, but there's something just 'off' about the whole situation.  As Anna grows more determined to prove Langton wrong about her abilities, she starts to question her own investigative instincts.

Anna reminds me of the Jane Tennison character. Both are strong but flawed characters trying to prove themselves in their chosen profession. They're emotionally wounded, but driven to achieve results. La Plante combines her mystery with excellent character building. The supporting cast members are all just as interesting and not all of them are 'pretty'. The personal and professional tension between Anna and Langton continues to build, with the door left open for this story to continue in future books.

I enjoy British mysteries for the pacing - a lot of them are slower and much more procedural bound, instead of rushing in with guns blazing. I feel like we're right with Anna as she puzzles through the case. And La Plante has penned an excellent plot. I had my suspicions numerous times throughout the book, but until the last few chapters I was never really one hundred percent sure 'whodunit'.

An excellent read for me. LaPlante is now firmly on my 'must read' mystery/thriller list. Read an excerpt of Blood Line.

'Lynda La Plante’s fourteen novels, including the Prime Suspect series, have all been international bestsellers. She is an honorary fellow of the British Film Institute and a member of the UK Crime Writers Awards Hall of Fame. She runs her own television production company and lives in London and East Hampton, New York.' You can find Lynda La Plante on Twitter. See what others on the TLC tour thought. Full schedule here.

The Hollow Man - Oliver Harris

The Hollow Man is Oliver Harris's debut novel and the first release from Bourbon Street Books - Harper Collins' new imprint.

I loved the opening chapters and introduction to Detective Constable Nick Belsey. "The earth was cold beneath his body,. His mouth had soil in it and there was a smell of blood and rotten bark." Has he been attacked? In an accident? Well, yes, but Nick himself is the car wreck. He has a drinking problem, a gambling problem and at this point no possessions and no home. Once he remembers what he did last night, will he have a job?

He heads off to his station and is given an apparent suicide to investigate in a wealthy area of London. Nick finds the body and sends it on it's way to the morgue.  With nowhere to stay that night he decides to sleep in the dead man's house. And eat his food, drink his booze, wear his clothes and drive his car. As he looks in the life of (wealthy) dead Alexei Devereaux, Belsey decides to take his money as well. After all, there's no family and it will be a fresh start for him somewhere else.

"It takes the average person twelve months to discover that their identity has been stolen. That was for the living. If this was what he was doing, stealing Devereaux's identity, then it gave him some time. He felt ready to pick up where Devereaux had left off. If he was gong to be born again it would be nice to be someone rich."

But many, many others have their eye on Devereaux's business as well. Taking over Devereaux's life won't be as easy as Nick first thought. Things are getting complicated. Complicating them more is Nick himself. He's also driven by his own desire for answers. So he starts to work the investigation. Unofficially of course.

Nick is the quintessential anti-hero. He's crooked, selfish and self serving. And I couldn't help but like him. For he's also very clever and does have some soft spots. I really enjoyed the way he insinuated himself into situations, finagled what he wanted or needed and bamboozled others. A true wolf in cop's clothing. But, I found myself rooting for him, hoping he gets away with it.

I'm unfamiliar with the setting of North London, but Harris did a good job of bringing his setting to life. The plotting is complex and involved, with many twists and turns. My only complaint would be the reveal of Devereaux's master plan - I found it a bit of a let down and somewhat unbelievable.

The Hollow Man is the first book in the Nick Belsey series. I'll be curious to see where Harris can take this character after this first outing. Read an excerpt of The Hollow Man.

"Oliver Harris was born in north London in 1978. He has a first-class degree in English Literature and an MA in Shakespeare Studies from UCL, and an MA in creative writing from UEA. He has worked in clothing warehouses, PR companies and as a TV and film extra. More recently he assisted with research in the Imperial War Museum archives, and continues to act as a reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement. Oli is currently finishing pursuing a PhD on antiquity in the work of Jacques Lacan at Birkbeck’s London Consortium, and in the last few months has presented papers on obscenity at the Hayward and on conspiracy theories at Ghent’s Vooruit Arts Centre. He loves travelling, especially in cold places."You can find Oliver Harris on Twitter.

See what others on the TLC tour thought - full schedule can be found here.