The House of Silk - Anthony Horowitz

Once I discovered Sherlock Holmes in my younger years, I devoured every tale, fascinated with Holmes' powers of observation and deductions.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle died in 1930. The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz is the first time a new Holmes story has been sanctioned by his estate.

I started to listen to the book with, I must admit, with more than a little trepidation. Would it do justice to Doyle's characters? Would the story have the same 'feel'?

1890's London England. Sherlock Holmes is called in by an art dealer who fears a member of the Flat Cap Gang has followed him from America to Britain and means him harm. Aided by the trusty Dr. John Watson, Holmes begins investigating - aided by the young Baker Street Irregulars. One of the boys ends up dead - and the case leads to places and people that believe they're untouchable. And really you don't need much more of the plot, as it truly is a Sherlock tale. Horowitz has done a fantastic job of recapturing the tone of previous works - the back and forth between Holmes and Watson, the clues and deductions, the Victorian settings and more.

As I mentioned, I chose to listen to the audio version. And am I ever glad I did!  Derek Jacobi did a simply amazing job. His voice is so expressive and rich and captured completely the tone of the story and the characters.

The House of Silk is climbing up bestseller lists  - and with good reason.  Definitely recommended.

Listen to an excerpt of The House of Silk or read an excerpt.

Winners - 21 Day Weight Loss Kickstart

And the two lucky winners of a copy of 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart by Neal D. Barnard MD, courtesy of The Hachette Book Group are:

1. Molly K
2. Chisum Crew

Congratulations! I've contacted you by email for your mailing addresses. Please respond within 72 hours. Thanks to all who entered. Check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways.

Backseat Saints - Joshilyn Jackson

I first read Joshilyn Jackson last year with The Girl Who Stopped Swimming. (my review) I found her voice and style intriguing and was eager to read Backseat Saints. But when I discovered that the author was the reader on the audio book, I quickly decided to listen instead.

I was hooked from the opening lines.

"It was an airport gypsy who told me that I had to kill my husband. She may have been the first to say the words out loud, but she was only giving voice to a thing I'd been trying not to know for a long, long time. When she said that it was him or me, the words rang out like church bells, shuddering through my bones."

Rose Mae Lolley from Alabama has reinvented herself as Mrs. Ro Grandee of Texas. She cooks and cleans and keeps to herself. She also wears long sleeves most of the time. She left her daddy's anger and fists behind as a teenager only to marry Thom - a man just as bad or worse.  When the gypsy reads her cards and tells her what she already knows, Rose Mae is resurrected.

Jackson deftly explores relationships of all manner in Backseat Saints. Abused and abuser, parent and child, man and wife, individual spiritual beliefs (here's where the Saints come in) and more. Her characters are incredibly well drawn. Ro/Rose is strong, fierce and funny, but she's also somewhat unlikeable sometimes. I felt somewhat guilty feeling that as she is an abused woman. Her relationship with her mother is a minefield. Her father, initially portrayed as a hard, unfeeling man in the beginning, comes off as a pitiful wreck later. The same thing with Thom, her husband. He too is an abuser, but when seen in relationship to his father, he steps into the role of abused.

It was a treat listening to Jackson read. Being a Southern native herself, she has the accent/drawl to bring Rose Mae/Ro to life. As they are her words, the emphasis and inflections are exactly where she meant them to be.

The ending left me a bit conflicted - again a two sided page. But Backseat Saints kept me engrossed from first disc to last. This would be a great book club choice and would engender lots of discussion!
Reading guide provided.

Listen to an excerpt. Or if you prefer read an excerpt.

You've got a chance to win one of three audio book copies of Backseat Saints that I'm giving away. Open to US and Canada, no po boxes please. Enter here. Ends Sept. 4/10.

Innocent - Scott Turow

Innocent is the sequel to Scott Turow's bestseller Presumed Innocent.

Twenty years has passed since Judge Rusty Sabich was accused and exonerated of murder. Prosecutor Tommy Molto had tampered with evidence in that case. When Sabich's wife Barbara dies under questionable circumstances, the unthinkable happens - Molto charges Sabich with murder for a second time.

Turow combines the exploration of human nature and the legal system with equal expertise. The events surrounding and leading up to Barbara's death are scrutinized and probed from very different viewpoints. That of Rusty, his son Nat and Anna, Sabich's former law clerk as well as Tommy Molto. The battle in the courtroom is as much about the legal conflict as it is a clash between two forceful men. The plot is very, very clever and revealed in tantalizing pieces.

I listened to this in audio format. Edward Herrmann was phenomal as a reader. His voice is rich and gravelly, projecting the gravity of the case. The courtroom scenes are fantastic - the dialogue is lightning quick, yet there is no doubt as to who is speaking, prosecutor or defendant. Anna is spoken by Orlagh Cassidy. She has a clear speaking voice, but had narrated Worst Case - a book I listened to recently - and I had that voice and character connected in my mind. I also never warmed up to the Anna character at all.

I must confess I have not read Presumed Innocent, but this certainly did not detract in any way from my enjoying Innocent.

If you're a legal thriller fan, then this one's for you! Listen to an excerpt of Innocent.  Or read an excerpt.
You can find Scott Turow on Facebook as well.

Giveaway - Private - James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

This is a new character from James Patterson and thanks to the lovely folks at the Hachette Book Group, I have three audio book copies of Private to give away.

What's it about?

"Former Marine and CIA agent Jack Morgan inherits his father's renowned security and detective business--along with a case load that tests him to the breaking point. Getting to the bottom of an NFL gambling scandal and an unsolved LAPD investigation into 18 school girl slayings would be enough. On top of all that, Morgan takes on solving the horrific murder of his best friend's wife.

As Morgan fights the urge to exact brutal revenge on that killer, he has to navigate a workplace imbroglio that could blow the roof off his elite agency. And it's an especially explosive situation . . . because the love affair is his own."

Listen to an excerpt of Private. Or if you'd rather - read an excerpt of Private.

Simply comment to be entered. Open to US and Canada, no po boxes please. Ends Saturday August 14th at 6 pm EST. Good luck and check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways!

Winners - Slip of the Knife

And the three lucky winners chosen by random.org of a copy Denise Mina's Slip of the Knife, courtesy of The Hachette Book Group are:

1. Betty C

2. Stephanie

3. BohemianBarbie

I've contacted you by email for your mailing addresses. Thanks to all who entered and check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways.

Searching for Tina Turner - Jacqueline E. Luckett

*** Make sure you join Blog Talk Radio on Tuesday Feb. 2 from 6-7 pm EST for a live interview with Jacqueline Luckett. ***

Lena Spencer has it all - or does she? She's married to a handsome, wealthy, successful man, two beautiful children, gorgeous home and has no need to work. She should be happy, right? But she's not. Her marriage seems to be in trouble and there's something missing from her own life. She gave up her own ambitions when she married Randall.

"I love you. I love our family, but, I've given myself away, slowly, freely, and now...I want myself back."

When she approaches Randall, he gives her an ultimatum. Like it or leave - in a nutshell. Lena chooses leave and determined to find herself, embarks on a quest - with Tina Turner as her inspiration.

Lena is a likable character, someone you would enjoy having as a friend. Some readers may identify with her plight at age 54. Lena is lucky to have the funds available to follow her dream - all the way to France. The second half of the novel is set abroad and I did enjoy the descriptions of life and scenery. Some of the supporting characters are somewhat cliched - Randall and the other wealthy wives for example, but not to the point of unbelievability. But our feelings are firmly rooted with Lena and her journey for self-discovery. Parts of the plot are a bit too coincidental, but do not detract overall.

Using WWTD (What would Tina do?) as a hook was a good idea, but by the end the constant references were wearing a little thin for me. The ending is a bit ambiguous - I would have preferred a definite closing. But Luckett is at work on her second novel - perhaps it's a continuation?

A solid debut with a inspirational theme and plucky protagonist.

The reader's guide included in the book would appeal to book clubs of this age group. Fans of Terry McMillan's How Stella Got Her Groove Back would also enjoy this novel.

Searching for Tina Turner is Jacqueline E. Luckett's debut novel. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook or catch up with her on her blog.

See what the other readers on the tour today thought - Nicole, Gwendolyn, Dina, Karen, Isalys & Vanessa , Vicki and Bridget.

Giveaway - The 8th Confession - James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Thanks to the generosity of The Hachette Book Group I have 3 copies of The 8th Confession by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro to giveaway.

What's up in the latest installment of The Women's Murder Club?

From the publisher:

"As San Francisco's most glamorous millionaires mingle at the party of the year, someone is watching--waiting for a chance to take vengeance on Isa and Ethan Bailey, the city's most celebrated couple. Finally, the killer pinpoints the ideal moment, and it's the perfect murder. Not a trace of evidence is left behind in their glamorous home.

As Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile murder, someone else is found brutally executed--a preacher with a message of hope for the homeless. His death nearly falls through the cracks, but when reporter Cindy Thomas hears about it, she knows the story could be huge. Probing deeper into the victim's history, she discovers he may not have been quite as saintly as everyone thought.

As the hunt for two criminals tests the limits of the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay sees sparks fly between Cindy and her partner, Detective Rich Conklin. The Women's Murder Club now faces its toughest challenge: will love destroy all that four friends have built? The exhilarating new chapter in the Women's Murder Club series, The 8th Confession serves up a double dose of speed-charged twists and shocking revelations as only James Patterson can. And remember, this is the only Murder Club episode of the year."

Read an excerpt of The 8th Confession.

Watch a video of James Patterson discussing the 8th Confession.

Listen to a podcast.

Open to both the US and Canada, no po boxes please. Simply comment to be entered. Giveaway ends Saturday February 13th at 6 pm EST.