Stray Bullets - Robert Rotenberg

 Stray Bullets is Toronto lawyer Robert Rotenberg's third novel and it releases today. I have to say - Rotenberg keeps getting better and better. This is my favourite so far.

Cedric Wilkinson and his four year old son Kyle stop by a Toronto Tim Hortons for a quick donut one November evening. It's the first time Kyle has seen snow. And sadly it's his last - Kyle is struck by a bullet meant for someone else. Only one witness knows exactly what went down and he runs - he's in the country illegally.

Recurring characters Homicide Detective Ari Greene, Officer Daniel Kennicott and lawyer Nancy Parish return. It doesn't take long for those involved to be arrested, but who really did the killing? While head Crown Attorney and local philanthropist Ralph Armitage makes a quick deal to close the case, Greene isn't convinced it's the right play. He continues to investigate, despite Armitage's assurances that they've got the killer cold. Parish doesn't think so either - for once, she believes her long time client Larkin St. Clair when he says he's innocent. The wild card? The missing witness....

Rotenberg uses his own knowledge of the Canadian legal system to great advantage. The details, settings, dialogue and situations all ring true. The plotting was excellent, nicely leading the actual whodunit to a grand finale in the final chapters. Sadly the premise of this case is not too far from recent newspaper headlines. It's so enjoyable to read a book set in Canada, even more so when I'm familiar with Toronto and the locations Rotenberg describes. (One small peeve - Uncle Tom's Cabin is in Dresden, not Chatham)

I quite enjoy the characters and the window into their personal lives outside of the cases. Greene is a likable protagonist and I'm quite taken with Nancy Parish . I liked the addition of Sikh Constable Darvesh and hope he makes it to future books. The stage has been set for book number four and this reader will have it on my must read list. (And I want to know what's in Green's father's envelope!)

Those looking for an excellent legal thriller series will find it here. Start now - read an excerpt of Stray Bullets.  Watch the book trailer here. You can find Robert Rotenberg on Facebook and on Twitter.

And if you're in the GTA, stop by Indigo at the Eaton Centre on Tuesday May 8/12 from 1230 - 2 pm. 12:30pm-2:00pm to here Robert read and have him sign your copy! Free, open to the public. Details here.

419 - Will Ferguson

When I think of  Canadian author Will Ferguson, it is his travel memoirs that immediately spring to mind. That and his rich sense of humour (He has won The Leacock Medal for Humour numerous times.)

419 takes us in a completely different direction....

We've all received them. In fact Barrister Salvadore Gallarto sent me one this morning. Can I help him with repatriating 8.5 million euros? It's a simple matter really. I'm sure that every reader has had one of these land in our inbox. And we promptly trash them. But what if you didn't?

Laura Curtis is heartbroken when her elderly father Henry is killed in an auto accident. But on further investigation, it appears he deliberately left the road. Why would he do such a thing? Further digging by the local Calgary police on his computer uncovers the truth - he had become embroiled in a 419 scam...."I can help...." (419 is the Nigerian criminal code for "obtaining money or goods under false pretenses.)

On the other side of the world in Nigeria, we follow the story of  Winston - a 419 scammer. And Amina - a young pregnant woman walking her way across the country, escaping from something. And Nnamdi, a young man from the depths of the Niger Delta.

In the beginning, I wondered how these disparate stories would tie together, but Ferguson deftly weaves an absolutely riveting plot. The criminal underbelly of Nigeria is presented in all of it's seediness. But really, it is the story of Nnamdi that captured me the most. His story is given the most page space and he is the character I felt I 'knew' the most. The effect of the oil industry on a country and its' people is disheartening. The death of her father changes Laura as well. She becomes single minded, after years of staying safely within the confines of the small world she has created. She decides to go to Nigeria and find the man responsible for her father's death. I didn't feel I really got to know Laura and found her sudden about face to be a bit of a stretch.

419 is many things - a mystery, a thriller and a social commentary. I turned the final page with a sense of sadness. Varying degrees, but for most of the characters. Ferguson's tale of the story behind one of these schemes brings a very human face to what most see as a simple nuisance entry handled by a quick tap on the delete button.

An unusual, introspective and recommended read.

Forgotten - Catherine McKenzie

Forgotten is the third book by author Catherine McKenzie. I've read the first two - Spin (my review) and Arranged (my review), but I have to say, this latest book is my favourite. (so far!)

I always stop and look at a cover before reading and wonder - what does the picture have to say about the story? Where could this woman be going?

Well, Emma Tupper goes on more than one journey. When her mother dies, she leaves Emma a ticket for a journey she wished she could have taken herself - a month in Africa.

"Her death was a fractional thing. One moment she was still and pale, but alive. The next she was gone. It seemed like almost nothing had happened, but that almost nothing changed everything for me."

Emma is a lawyer and has been working towards  partnership for many years. When her firm strongly discourages her taking a month long absence, she surprises herself by going anyway. The trip starts out well, but within a few days, Emma is seriously ill. The safari leader leaves her with volunteers in a remote village with a promise to send a doctor. But then an earthquake decimates the country. Emma recovers, but there is still no way for her to contact anyone from her remote village. Six months later, she is finally able to return, ready to step into her life again. But, that life is no more - the key to her apartment doesn't work, there's a strange man living there, she can't reach any of her friends by phone, someone else has her job...and more. When Emma googles herself, she discovers the truth - she's been declared dead.

McKenzie has concocted a great premise that just opens up so many avenues. As one supporting character advises Emma -  to "treat what happened to me like an opportunity to change the things in my life I didn't like."

Emma was an eminently likable character. Her best friend Stephanie was loads of fun - I'm quite taken with her bookstore/match making concept! All the classic elements of a great chick lit read are here - love interests (then and now), b****y co-workers, a great supporting cast with both humourous and wise characters, missed cues and found opportunities. But in addition to all that, there is that underlying question - what's important and what would you change? Lots of food for thought there.

McKenzie's prose flow easily, deliciously enveloping me in Emma's tale for hours at a time. If you're looking for the best books to stock your beach bag with this year, make sure you include Forgotten. It's one you won't forget. (sorry - couldn't resist!)

CATHERINE McKENZIE was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. A graduate of McGill University and McGill Law School, Catherine practices law in Montreal. An avid runner and skier, her novels SPIN and ARRANGED are national bestsellers. Visit her online at catherinemckenzie.com. Or you can find Catherine on Facebook and on Twitter.

The Professionals - Owen Laukkanen

There's been lots of buzz surrounding Owen Laukkanen's debut novel The Professionals, so I was really eager to read it. Oh boy, seriously - run, don't walk to grab your copy - it releases today. Yes, it's that good. Crime, suspense and thriller fans, you're going to love it. (So did Lee Child, John Sandford and more!)

A four person kidnap crew has been touring the country, snatching affluent men and holding them for ransom. Why? Well, it's the economy. Their university degrees are practically worthless. What started out as an offhand comment has mushroomed. Now they're working the Pender Method - nothing too big - sixty grand - enough that the family can easily raise the funds and won't call the cops. In and out clean - very professional. A few more and they can retire to somewhere nice and warm. Next stop - Minnesota.

Minnesota - where Kirk Stevens has worked for the BCA (Bureau of Criminal Apprehension) for ten years. "He caught his reflection in the patrol car';s rear window as he waited and he stared at it a moment, a forty-three-year-old career cop with thinning hair and a paunch, his tired eyes betraying a mounting fatigue....Another botched robbery, Stevens thought to himself. Another day in the glamorous life." Just another professional on the job.

Until the crew hits the wrong man in Minnesota - a husband with connections to organized crime. And his wife sends in her professionals to track down the crew. Stevens is now on the case and it balloons. Then the FBI sends in Agent Carla Windermere and Stevens is called up to help these professionals.

And where things go from there is a non stop, action packed, read 'til your eyeballs hurt ride. (Really, I had the day off, couldn't put it down and finished it by that night) You would never guess that this is a first novel. You'd think that Laukkanen is a professional. The writing is smooth, the dialogue flows so easily and the characters hooked me from the beginning. The plot? Well, the plot is just freakin' fantastic. The kidnappers owned this book, but Laukkanen has plans for another book featuring Stevens and Windermere. I look forward to seeing what he has in store for book two!

Read an excerpt of The Professionals. You can find Owen Laukkanen on Facebook and on Twitter. ( and oh yeah - he's Canadian eh!)

An alumnus of the University of British Columbia's Creative Writing BFA program, Laukkanen spent three years in the world of professional poker, traveling to high-stakes tournaments across the globe as a writer for a poker website. A commercial fisherman when he's not writing, Laukkanen divides his time between Vancouver and Prince Edward Island, Canada.

The Beggar's Opera - Peggy Blair - Review AND Giveaway

Peggy Blair worked as a Canadian lawyer for over thirty years, on both sides of the fence -  defense and prosecution. A Christmas vacation in Havana, Cuba one year "where she watched the bored, young policemen on street corners along the Malecon, visited Hemingway's favourite bars, and learned to make a perfect mojito" provided some great inspiration for her debut fiction novel - The Beggar's Opera.

2006. Michael Ellis, a Canadian police detective from Ottawa and his wife Hillary head to Cuba for some warm weather over the Christmas vacation. Mike is also suffering some fallout from the death of his partner. There seems to be more to this story than we are intially led to believe. Their marriage suffers a blow when Hillary cuts her time short and heads back to Canada. Mike decides to drown his sorrows in one of Hemingway's favorite bars. But when he wakes up the next day, he can't find his wallet, has no idea what he did the night before.....and finds himself being arrested for the rape and murder of a young street boy. He remembers giving the begging child some pesos the day before - but murder....

Inspector Ricardo Ramirez of the Havana Major Crimes Unit has 72 hours to secure an indictment. He'll be moving fast on this horrific crime. And the possible sentence? The firing squad is still in use in Cuba. Mike's commander at home sends a female lawyer, Celia Jones, to Cuba to see if she can help Mike in any way.

The Beggar's Opera was such a great read on so many different levels. The setting itself was a major character. Blair brings to life a Cuba outside the confines of a tourist resort. A Cuba where "anything could be a crime if it served the government's objectives." Unauthorized internet access = a five year prison sentence. Renting a room to a tourist, insulting Castro, possessing tourist pesos and much, much more. Where bribery and corruption are rampant. A Cuba where the legal system is completely foreign to our Canadian sensibilities and weighs heavily in favour of the police. I think the most stunning example is the 'pre-dangerous' charge."The police could arrest almost anyone, even someone the merely considered 'likely' to be dangerous in the future." A Cuba where the poorest have access to a high degree of eduation, but children run hungry in the streets. Where soap and pencils are great treasures. I found myself running to the computer many times to follow up on a detail that Blair included. (Yes, Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Fidel Castro did open Terminal Three of the international airport in Cuba)

But the star of the show is Inspector Ramirez. He is a dedicated policeman and honest (but not above sampling the rum from the evidence locker) Ghosts of murder victims have recently begun following Ramirez. As a small boy, his dying grandmother promised that "The dead will come. My gift to you, as the eldest child." His friend and the local coroner, Dr. Hector Apiro says it may be a form of progressive dementia. Dr. Apiro actually runs a very close second for character I most enjoyed.

Blair has conceived an intricate, multi layered plot that kept me guessing until the very end. I was captivated by both the main story,  and the players and their lives. I'm eager to read the second in this series. It looks like Ramirez may be coming to Canada to assist on a case.

The title? The Beggar's Opera is a ballad opera and Ramirez's favourite.

"An opera about political corruption, with a lively case that included well-bred whores with impeccable manners, men disguised as women, beggars, even prisoners. It was a story of poisoned chalices, violence, and revenge; false charges, even a threatened execution. But it was also about love and loyalty and above all, friendship."

And it's also a pretty apt description of Blair's book. Definitely recommended. And thanks to the generosity of Penguin Canada, I have a copy of The Beggar's Opera to giveaway. Sorry, open to Canadian residents only. Simply leave a comment to be entered. Ends March 18th. Read an exerpt now. You can find Peggy Blair on Twitter and on her blog.

Boston Cream - Howard Shrier

Boston Cream is Howard Shrier's third novel featuring PI Jonah Geller, but a first read of this Arthur Ellis award winning Canadian author for me. It definitely won't be the last.

Geller is just back to work, still feeling the effects of a severe concussion, earned on his last case. If Ron Fine wasn't a family friend, he would have turned him down. Ron hasn't heard from his son in almost two weeks and it's unlike David to not be in touch with his family or miss work - he's a highly skilled surgeon at a Boston hospital. Ron doesn't think the cops in Boston are looking very hard for David and wants his own man on the job. Geller reluctantly agrees, but takes along partner Jenn Raudsepp for help.

Geller and Raudsepp are good, very good. They quickly find clues and connections the cops have missed. But...the bad guys have their sights on Geller and Raudsepp as well. Jenn is kidnapped and Geller is forced to call in another favour from Canada...former hit man Dante Ryan....

I am so glad to have discovered Shrier. Geller is a richly different character - his sense of right and wrong is clearly defined and the path to justice very clear, although it may not always be on the right side of the law. I didn't get to know Jenn as well as I would have liked to in this book, but Geller and Ryan are fiercely loyal and protective of her. I'll have to go back and read the first two in this series Buffalo Jump and High Chicago to get the back story. I am intrigued by Dante Ryan - a hit man who wants to put that part of his life behind him, but won't let his friends down.

I loved the 'local' setting - reading of streets and places in Toronto and imagining Geller walking down them. Although Shrier takes Geller over the border in Boston Cream, the Canadian references are very fun and had me laughing to myself. When Geller takes out two Boston bad guys...

"What does McCudden say"
"He ain't talking yet. Still doped up. Took two pretty good shots."
"From a Canadian."
"Yeah."

The plotting in Boston Cream is excellent, taking a very real crime (I don't want to giveaway the plot) and weaving a tight, taut story around it. The pacing is good, with the final chapters being a run for the money - an action packed, non stop finale.

"I am not a violent man. I keep telling myself that. I think of myself as a good man at heart, who keeps getting caught up in deeds committed by men who really are violent. So I tell myself, if it only happens when I go to the States, where the stakes seem high and guns abound, then there's a simple solution. Hide my passport and keep my peace-loving self at home. Because that is what non-violent men do."

Uh-huh - I'll be waiting to see what case Geller takes on next.....and where.....

Read the first chapter of Boston Cream.  You can find Howard Shrier on Twitter and on Facebook.

Review and Q&A - Red Means Run - Brad Smith

I've added Brad Smith's previous books to my Canadian authors displays at the library in the past, but I admit I hadn't read this author until I picked up his new release  - Red Means Run. And I really wish I had, because he's good - really good.

Criminal attorney Mickey Dupree is found dead at the local golf course. It looks to be murder - the golf club shaft through the chest points to it. And the cops think the clues point straight to Virgil Cain. Once they've locked him up in jail, Virgil realizes that the only way to prove his innocence is to do it himself. So....he breaks out of jail and starts to work the case himself.

Smith's forté is the characters he has created. Virgil is described as a 'clever, laconic charmer' and I don't think I could say it any better. But I would add in sexy. Kind of a country Jack Reacher if you will. The two cops pursuing Virgil are poles apart. Joe Brady is an inept bumbler completely unaware of his deficiencies, certain that he is the man. But Claire Marchand is another story - she's a match for Virgil - maybe in more ways than one. Their cat and mouse game is fantastic. The aging vet, Mary, is a solid supporting character with many of her own tales I suspect.

But those characters are also carrying a plot that is fun, fast and furious. The run up to the ending (which featured a great twist) had me turning pages at breakneck speed. Okay, so the characters and the plot are great - what else? The dialogue - short and snappy, matching the pace of the action. The book is set in the US, but I enjoyed the sly Canadian jibes and references thrown in.

Red Means Run will appeal to all readers - Smith has provided strong protagonists of both sexes. I can't wait to read the next in this new series.

Just a fantastic read - highly recommended. You can see Brad talking about Red Means Runs in this video. (And I think there's more than a little of Brad in Virgil.... which means I'm a little bit in love with Brad too...)

You can find Brad Smith on Facebook. Appetite whetted? Read an excerpt of Red Means Run.

I'm thrilled that Brad was able to stop by for a quick Q&A.

1) The title Red Means Run is taken from the Neil Young song Powderfinger. Did the lyrics inspire the idea behind the book? Or was the title added after you'd finished writing? (Check out the Red Means Run playlist)

The lyrics were definitely an inspiration as the song is a presence in the book. Virgil mentions that his late wife used to sing it to him from the porch when he walked home from a day in the fields. And the lyrics come back to him in the book’s climactic scenes.

2) Continuing with that idea - was the name of the main character - Virgil Cain - inspired by the song The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down? (also penned by a Canadian)

In part, yes. The book has a real musical element to it on several levels. And because Virgil lives near Woodstock – where The Band resided around the time they produced The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down – it just seemed to fit. And Levon Helm – whose wonderful vocal makes that song so memorable – still lives in the area. I want to send him a copy of the book. (you’ll note I did drop the final “e” from Cain, though)

3) You've pursued a number of jobs and professions - what made you pick up writing? How much of your personal experiences do you draw on for your books?

I always wanted to write, but it took me a lot of years to develop the self-discipline required. During my ‘20’s I was pretty much committed to having fun (which can be a great source of research). As it turned out, I use a considerable amount of my personal experience in my books.  You’ll notice I write more about carpentry than I do about interpretive dance. Trust me, that’s not by accident.

4) The cover of Red Means Run also carries the tag line " A Virgil Cain Mystery". I'm thrilled that there will be more of this - can you tell us anything about the next in the series?

Yes. In the next book, Virgil stumbles upon a steel cylinder containing a couple million dollars’ worth of pure cocaine and suddenly finds himself pursued by a whole bunch of unsavory characters – mad Russian cowboys, dirty cops, homicidal drug dealers…and a single mother trying to keep herself from returning to prison. Sort of like The Sound Of Music…without the music…and the Alps…and the Von Trapps…

5) I'm always interested to see what authors are reading themselves. What  books/authors have been influential in your life?

I read a lot of non-fiction when writing.  I recently finished Rin Tin Tin by Susan Orlean and Charlotte Gill’s terrific Eating Dirt. Going back to my youth, I’ve had a lot of influences – Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Hammett, William Kennedy. I like Richard Russo, Jim Harrison, Willie Morris, the early fiction of Ellen Gilchrist. I love all of Charles Portis.

Thanks Brad! Red Means Run releases January 10.

I am Half-Sick of Shadows - Alan Bradley

 I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley arrived in my mailbox early last week. I looked at it and put it down, determined to save it for reading closer to Christmas. Looked at it again the next day and hid it under a couch cushion. But to no avail as I knew it was there and I just couldn't wait until December to devour the latest in the Flavia De Luce series.

For those of you unfamiliar with this utterly delightful series, I'll give you some background. It is 1950. Flavia is eleven years old and lives with her father and two older sisters in the crumbling old family home in Bishop's Lacey, England. Flavia has a penchant for cooking up chemical concoctions in the chemistry lab in the far off east wing. She considers herself on par with the local constabulary and often offers her assistance.

"While I could still become quite excited by recalling how I had dyed my sister Feely's knickers a distinctive Malay yellow by boiling them in a solution of lead acetate, followed by a jolly good stewing in a solution of potassium chromate, what really made my heart leap up with joy was my ability to produce a makeshift but handy poison by scraping the vivid green verdigris form the copper floatball of one of Buckshaw's Victorian toilet tanks."

Flavia's father has struggled with the upkeep of Buckshaw. He has reluctantly agreed to host a film crew over the holidays. Film star Phyllis Wyvern is in attendance and offers to be the star in a fundraiser to be held at Buckshaw. The entire village troops to the mansion, but are snowed in. And when a dead body is found, any one of the attendees could be the murderer...

And of course, since it's happening right under her nose, Flavia must jump in. "In my eleven years of life I've seen a number of corpses. Each of them was interesting in a different way, and this one was no exception."

I absolutely adore the character of Flavia! I've said it before and I'll say it again...."Flavia is one of the most endearing, captivating, curious, beguiling, precocious characters I've ever discovered in the pages of a book." I love her thought processes and inner dialogue. She is so old and yet still so young. Her attempts to puzzle out the identity of the murderer are at odds with the little girl concocting a super sticky glue to capture Saint Nick on the chimney and prove to her sisters that he is indeed real.

Although the murder plot line is good,  for this reader, it is the characters that Bradley has created that capture and hold my interest the most. I love the quirky inhabitants of the village, the sparring sisters and how we learn a little bit more with each book about some of them. This time around we get to learn more about the enigmatic and mysterious Dogger - Buckshaw's man of many hats.

What is the appeal of an eleven year old protagonist for adult readers? Well, for this reader, it's the chance to vicariously relive my missed opportunities to become Nancy Drew and Harriet the Spy. And honestly, you can't read any of the books, without smiling and chuckling.

You can see my reviews of the first three Flavia books - 1, 2 and 3.  I can't wait for the next book in this planned six book series - Seeds of Antiquity. Highly, highly recommended! Maybe Saint Nick will leave a copy at your house this year!

Keep up with all things Flavia at her fan club! Read an excerpt of I Am Half-Sick of Shadows.

Twelve Drummers Drumming - C.C. Benison

I was off sick one day last week, cuddled up under a quilt on the couch, just waiting for it to pass. I picked up C.C. Benison's latest book Twelve Drummers Drumming to spend the day with me. What a perfect choice this cozy little mystery was!

The Reverend Tom Christmas takes a new posting in the village of Thornford Regis after his wife was murdered in the city. He hopes this English village will offer a place to heal and and a chance to move on for both himself and his nine year old daughter Miranda. But the new vicar is not long into his new posting when one of his young parishioners turns up dead - stuffed in a large drum at the local May Fayre. Father Tom's natural curiosity has him quietly asking questions and discovering that this sleepy little village is not as idyllic as he had hoped.

Father Tom is a great character - very likable and real. He's struggling with coming to terms with his grief and trying to move on. Yes, he's a vicar, but the book never gets overly 'preachy' at all. I enjoyed his honest and thoughtful observations on life and people. The village is populated with many, many characters - a 'who's who' list is at the front of the book. Quirky, suspicious, friendly, nosy, secretive, helpful - there's no lack of suspects in this parish! The whodunit has many possibilities.

There are actually a few mysteries tucked into the pages of Twelve Drummers Drumming. The plot kept me engaged and I enjoyed following the vicar as he pieced together the clues.

But the real strength of this book is in the village, the inhabitants and this great new protagonist. I look forward to seeing what happens next in Thornford and seeing the residents again. Benison has nicely set up the framework for future books in this new series featuring Father Christmas. Care to garner a guess on what the next one is called?!

Read an excerpt of Twelve Drummers Drumming.  You can find Benison on Facebook.

The Virgin Cure - Ami McKay

Ami McKay's first novel The Birth House was a phenomenal success. I have no doubt that her  newly released second novel - The Virgin Cure - will also be bestseller. And, it's one of my favourite reads for 2011.

I was hooked from the opening line..."I am Moth, a girl from the lowest part of Chrystie Street, born to a slum-house mystic and the man who broke her heart."

And so begins the story of Moth, born into the slums of Manhattan in New York City. In 1871 Moth's mother sells her - to a wealthy woman looking for a young servant. When that situation becomes untenable, Moth runs away and finds herself alone on the streets with no prospects. Until the owner of a brothel in the Bowery that 'caters to men looking for young companions who are 'willing and clean' takes her in. In Miss Everett's "Infant School", the most desirous of  all are virgins, for it is said that a virgin can cure a man of that most scurrilous of diseases - syphilis.

One bright light in Moth's life is Doctor Sadie, one of the first female physicians in New York City, who attends the girls at Miss Everett's establishment. The idea for the Virgin Cure was based on McKay's search into her own roots. Her great-great grandmother was a physician in New York City.

What did I love so much about this book? Well, everything! McKay's characterizations are rich, detailed and believable. I became so invested in Moth and Dr. Sadie, sharing their fears and dreams. Both of these characters are strong, strong female leads, staying true to themselves despite the obstacles put before them.

The setting is just as much of a player in the novel. McKay's depiction of 1870's New York conjured up vivid scenes crackling with detail.  McKay includes historical side notes, newspaper articles, pictures and more throughout the book. I found myself on the Internet many times following up with the history she presented.

Ultimately - it's a book that is so engrossing, so readable, so fascinating that I wish I could give it six stars. I just can't seem to articulate what a great read this is from such a skilled Canadian story teller. Highly, highly recommended! Check out The Pear Tree Planchette for excerpts and ephemera. You can find Ami McKay on Facebook and on Twitter.

Before the Poison - Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson has long been one of my favourite authors and I pick up anything with his name on it, knowing I'll be in for a good read. His latest book Before the Poison, is not part of his series featuring Inspector Banks, but is instead, a stand alone work.

Chris Lowndes left England when he was younger for the United States. He made quite a name for himself as a movie score composer. When his wife dies, Chris decides it's time to return home to England. He and Laura had planned to retire there. He buys an isolated house, sight unseen. When he arrives at the home, he is curious about the former inhabitants of the house. When he finds that it was the site of the murder of local physician, Dr. Fox and that his wife Grace was hanged for that murder, Chris indulges his curiosity and begins looking further into the trial. Curiosity quickly turns into almost obsession as he begins to doubt the official version of what really happened.

" I had a curious sensation that the shy, half-hidden house was waiting for me, that it had been waiting for some time."

This was a very different read from the Banks books. The pacing is much slower, taking time to build the layers of the story slowly and carefully. We follow Chris as he becomes increasingly insistent on discovering more about Grace. The story is told from three sources - Chris's inquiries,  excerpts from a book called Famous Trials and finally bits from Grace's own journal, kept during her wartime nursing years. I found the journal entries especially poignant and extremely well written.

Much time is spent on developing the characters, their reasoning and their emotions. And this absolutely works for this story - anything faster would have ruined the atmospheric, period piece tone and feel of the tale. Some of that atmospheric feel comes from Chris's thinking he's seen something in the mirror of an old wardrobe in the house. There is another 'incident' such as this in Chris's childhood and I wondered if this would be explained or used in the story further. It wasn't, but added another layer to Chris's obsession. A revelation I didn't see coming late in the book does much to explain Chris's behaviour.

Robinson has always injected music into the Banks books. The Inspector's music collection and choices always provide a soundtrack for the story. This is continued in Before the Poison as well. Chris's choice of music often sent me online to listen to Robinson's selection of musical background.

Although others may find the pacing and lack of action a bit too slow, I enjoyed the change of pace from an author I have followed for many years, but Banks still remains my favourite. Before the Poison deserves to be slowly savoured under a single lamp, by a crackling fire in a house with creaking floors....

Read an excerpt of Before the Poison.

The Thirteen - Susie Moloney- Review AND Giveaway

I first discovered Canadian author Susie Moloney when I read her novel A Dry Spell way back in 1997. She followed that up with The Dwelling in 2003. Both seemed to fall under the horror genre - a la Stephen King - with everyday occurrences and things becoming sinister, such as a lack of rain and a house that just won't sell. But Moloney also does a fine job of exploring reactions and behaviour as a result of those occurrences.

Moloney's latest novel - The Thirteen - centres on the perfect little town of Haven Woods. Things are, well, just as they should be, according to the thirteen women who seem to have a grip on the town. Until one of their own breaks rank and upsets everything. What to do? The leader Izzy calls Paula -daughter of one of their group (coven) and convinces her to come home - with her daughter Rowan. After all thirteen is the magic number and a sacrifice is needed...

Moloney has crafted another entertaining tale, drawing upon today's fascination with all things paranormal. But it just didn't grab me as much as her past books. Paula is unable to contact the doctor tending to her mother in the Haven Woods Hospital. Or even a nurse (other than one of the thirteen posing as one). No cleaners, no other patients, nothing. Really, after the fourth or fifth visit and she is still acquiescing, it stretched credibility. It reminded me of a slasher film where you want to yell at the lead character to "open your eyes and look around!"

Desperate Housewives sprang to mind and indeed this is one comparison that the publisher uses as well - "The Witches of Eastwick meets Desperate Housewives in Susie Moloney's The Thirteen, her new and long-awaited novel."

Once I got past being annoyed at the hospital situation, I did enjoy the book. Moloney has a wry sense of humour that is fun to catch. She again explores the human dynamic with lots of back stories of many of the characters and emotion drives some of the plot line.  I was never really 'horrified', but did appreciate Moloney's take on urban witches and the desire of many to 'have it all.' The action in the last few chapters had me quickly turning pages and the ending employed a great hook.

Read an excerpt of The Thirteen.

And thanks to the lovely folks at Random House Canada, I have a copy of The Thirteen to giveaway. Open to Canada only, one win per household. Simply comment to be entered. Ends Sun. Sept. 11 at 6 pm EST.

The Accident - Linwood Barclay

Comfy chair? Drinks? Snacks? Good lighting? Excellent! 'Cause you're not going to be getting up or stopping once you dive into Linwood Barclay's latest release - The Accident.

The opening prologue - a violent crime with a distinctly different setting caught my interest. But the foreshadowing in the first paragraph in chapter one clinched it:

"If I'd known this was our last morning, I'd have rolled over in bed and held her. But of course, if it had been possible to know something like that - if I could have somehow seen into the future - I wouldn't have let go. And then things would have been different."

Glen Carver inherited his building business from his father. He's a straight shooter and does right by his customers, staff and his wife Sheila and eight year old daughter Kelly.

Times are tough all over - the economy still hasn't fully recovered - the Carvers have money troubles like everyone else. And then the unthinkable happens - Sheila is killed in an accident that also kills a father and son. The cops say Sheila was drunk and was at fault. But Glen knows that Sheila didn't drink to excess...or did she and he just never knew?

As Glen  struggles to deal with his wife's death and looking after Kelly, more seeming unrelated incidents transpire. A web is being woven around Glen, but he can't see it. We can though. I just wanted to shout at Glen - NO! Look out! Ask them why....! When he finally twigs that there is something really wrong going on with his friends and family, it's almost too late...

Barclay's characters are almost anti-heroes; everyday men thrust into situations completely outside the scope of their everyday lives with the need to protect their families. It makes them all the more believable and likable. Adding more reality to the story is the economic thread of the story - foreclosures, lay-offs, downsizing and desperately trying to make ends meet.

Barclay has the suspense/thriller genre in a choke hold with no signs of letting go (thank goodness!)
I've read and reviewed three of Barclay's previous thrillers - all five star reads, as is The Accident.

Like Harlan Coben? You're going to love Linwood Barclay!

You can find Barclay on Facebook and on Twitter. Get a head start - read the prologue now.

Never Knowing - Chevy Stevens - Review AND Giveaway

Chevy Stevens hit the ground running with her debut novel - Still Missing. It was a break out thriller that ended up on the New York Times bestseller list. (my review.) Her second suspense book, Never Knowing, releases today.

Sara Gallagher was adopted when she was very young. Now as a young mother herself and about to be married, she decides to seek out her biological mother. She finds her alright....but she also finds out much more than she bargained for. Her mother is the only surviving victim of The Campsite Killer - a serial murderer who was never caught. Sara - she's the result of a rape by said killer.

When word of Sara's existence and circumstances go viral, the Campsite Killer reappears. He'd like to get to know his daughter and grand daughter. The RCMP would like to catch him and ask Sara to communicate with him.

Never Knowing is told in an interesting format. Each chapter is a session with Sara's psychiatrist, told from Sara's point of  view. (side note: This same format featuring Nadine the psychiatrist was employed in Still Missing.Chevy indicates that her third book, Always Watching, will be from the perspective of Nadine)

Stevens has again come up with a terrifying concept for a book. Sara is torn between wanting to know her biological father and wanting to put him away. Sara is an interesting character - she is high strung, prone to anger, self centered and very high maintenance. Maybe she is more like her real father than she realized? I must admit that I found Sara annoying, despite her situation. Many times I just wanted to shout at her. The supporting characters, cops and dysfunctional birth family, are all very defined, perhaps a bit too much in some cases -I found many of the characters to be  somewhat cliched - especially the adoptive father.

I enjoyed the Canadian setting and references. Never Knowing is an addictive read with some good twists and turns along the way. For me it didn't quite live up to Still Missing, but was a great page turner, perfect summer escapist reading.

Get a head start - read an excerpt of Never Knowing. And if you missed it, here's the link to my Q& A with Chevy last month.

You can find Chevy on Facebook and on Twitter.

And thanks to St. Martin's Press, I have three copies to giveaway! Open to US and Canada, no po boxes please. Simply comment to be entered. Ends Sunday July 31 at 6 pm EST.

The Canadian Book Challenge 5

That's right folks - another Canada Day has passed. And that brings another chapter in The Canadian Book Challenge - number 5! This will be my 3rd year participating. I managed 22 Canadian books last year.

What's involved? From John Mutford, the host at Book Mine Set:

"The Canadian Book Challenge is an online reading challenge in which participants from Canada and around the world aim to read and review 13 or more Canadian books in a one year span: Canada Day to Canada Day. Reviews must be posted online and participants are asked to share links to their reviews with other participants. More on reviews and other FAQ's here."


Interested? Join in the fun - here's the starting point. See you there!

1. Never Knowing - Chevy Stevens - July
2. The Accident - Linwood Barclay - August
3. The Thirteen - Susie Moloney - August
4. Before the Poison - Peter Robinson - October
5. The Virgin Cure - Ami McKay - October
6.Twelve Drummers Drumming - C.C. Benison - October
7. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows - Alan Bradley - November
8. Red Means Run - Brad Smith - January
9. Boston Cream - Howard Shrier - February
10. The Beggar's Opera - Peggy Blair - February
11. The Professionals - Owen Laukkanen - March
12. Forgotten - Catherine McKenzie - April
13. 419- Will Ferguson - April