Closing Costs - Bracken MacLeod

Bracken MacLeod's new novel, Closing Costs, has just released. If you like thrillers, then this is a book for you!

Nelle and Evan have just closed on their 'forever' home. It's perfect - there's only one neighbor they can't see and their property backs onto a state forest. Uh huh....you're getting an inkling aren't you...? Nelle is alone when a man invades her home...

MacLeod uses one of my favorite devices, writing a past and present narrative from two points of view - Elle and Mack, the invader. The pivot point is the sale of the house. Where did Elle and Evan get the money for such a house? Who is Mack and what does he want? You'll be quite surprised by the answers to both questions. MacLeod throws in a nice turn I hadn't expected.

Closing Costs reads like a movie in the vein of Bruce Willis. Nelle and Mack just keep getting up again and again, going far beyond what you would think the human body could tolerate. But, like those movies, suspend your disbelief and keep turning pages. The action is non stop and the tension is really high! And you've just got to know how it all turns out. 

I'm not sure I liked Elle very much, even though I was behind her need to best or escape Mack. Mack is, as my gran used to say, a piece of work - a violent misogynist. MacLeod's depiction of him gave me the shivers. 

Closing Costs could perhaps shortened up a bit - the escapes, near misses and more started to lose their impact after so many times. See for yourself - here's an excerpt of Closing Costs.  And make sure your doors are locked. 

(Gentle readers, this one's probably not for you - there are definitely trigger situations.)

The Night Hawks - Elly Griffiths

I really enjoy reading series books - following along with character's lives and settling in to catch up with old friends. Elly Griffiths' Dr. Ruth Galloway series is one of my absolute favorites. The latest (#13) is The Night Hawks.

Ruth is a forensic archaeologist in the beautiful Norfolk area in England. She's head of her department at the University and often consults with the police on cases.

I really enjoy Ruth. I think it's because she isn't a 'cookie-cutter' protagonist. She is a single mother looking at her fifties. She's shy and reticent about accepting praise. She is highly intelligent, empathetic and tolerant.  Griffiths has not endowed her with super sleuth abilities, rather she comes off as an actual person - unabashedly and happily herself. Her only worry is making sure her daughter Kate is happy as well. There's a large cast of supporting characters, including the local DCI Harry Nelson and a number of other well drawn, engaging players. The relationship between Nelson and Ruth is complicated and is one of the most intriguing storylines.  My favorite after Ruth is Cathbad, a self proclaimed Druid. He's enigmatic and he seems to see and recognize things that the others don't. A wonderful little sense of the mystical is woven throughout this series. 

The setting is also a large part of the books. Griffith's descriptions have had me exploring Norfolk online. I think I would enjoy living in her little cottage in the Saltmarsh, 'where the sea and the sky meet.'

The Night Hawks are a detectorist group who come upon a body - one recent and one very old. I am fascinated by the items that are found in the ground in Norfolk - the historical element of the books is quite informative and interesting. The mystery in each and every book is well plotted. This latest had me guessing to the end - I was quite surprised by the whodunit.

This series is so good on so many levels. But it is the characters that are the main draw for me. Griffiths always leaves the door open with a little teaser for the next book. For those that have read previous entries - it's a cliff hanger! 

I highly, highly recommend this character driven mystery series. You could certainly read this book as a stand alone, but do yourself a favor and start with the first book, The Crossing Places.

Girl, 11- Amy Suiter Clarke

Ready for another addictive suspense read? Amy Suiter Clarke's debut novel - Girl,11 - is a great choice!

I love novels told in an epistolary fashion. In Girl, 11, much of the book is told through a podcast. (I love podcasts!) Elle is the host and the investigator behind a true crime podcast called Justice Delayed. Season Five focuses on the Countdown Killer. It's been twenty years since the last death and he's never been caught. Is he dead? But within days of Elle's podcast, there's a new kidnapping - and death. Could he be back? Is there a copycat using the podcast as a template?

The podcast style rings true - interviews, monologues from the host and more. (I bet the audiobook version would be good to listen to.) Elle is a great lead character and I quite liked her. She's intelligent and driven. But that drive to find the killer is verging on obsessive, damaging her reputation, taking a toll on her marriage and friendships and her own wellbeing. The supporting cast was good as well.

Clarke's plotting is not straight forward. (Yay! I like not being able to guess.) There are a number of times Elle is sure she has nailed some fact or clue down, only to be proven wrong. There are a number of suspects - all worthy of being 'the one'. The tension and action gets tighter and more urgent as the hours and days pass. Clarke inserts a really great twist that caught me off guard in the last third of the book. I did find the extent of Elle's involvement with the police investigating the crime to be a bit of a stretch.

There are many points of view in Girl, 11 - Elle's, the killer and one of the captives. The killer is quite disturbing. And the young captive's are nerve wracking.

This was an impressive debut and I will be watching for Clarke's next book. I'm kinda hoping Elle and her podcast might return with a new case? Read an excerpt of Girl, 11.

The Postscript Murders - Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffiths is hands-down one of my favourite authors. And the Ruth Galloway series is my absolute favourite. Last year Griffiths wrote a standalone called The Stranger Diaries that featured DS Harbinder Kaur. It was a wonderful read! (my review) And I’m happy to say that wasn’t just a standalone! Griffith has just released the second book featuring DS Kaur - The Postscript Murders.

Peggy Smith is a senior who spends her days looking out her bay window in the  retirement home. She is older,  so it’s not much of a surprise when her carer Natalka finds her passed away one morning. But it is a surprise when Natalka finds a card a card with the body, listing Peggy as a murder consultant. Well, that opens up a wealth of opportunities and directions for the story to go, doesn't it? A mystery about mystery novels, a murder consultant, mystery writers and more bodies makes for great reading.

That mystery is clever and will keep you guessing. There's lot of red herrings to keep the reader on their toes, as well as a wealth of suspects. I admit I didn’t see the final whodunit reveal coming. (I always appreciate being kept guessing!) And the one that saves the day surprised me as well. 

But here’s the real reason that I love Griffith's books. The characters. They’re just so wonderfully drawn and I find myself so easily transported into the story and the world Griffiths has created. All of the players are just a bit quirky. DS Kaur describes herself as the best gay Sikh detective in West Sussex. She's quite clever and solves cases with her own methods. (Her family is so warm and I wish I could sample her mother's cooking!) Harbinder's inner dialogue is priceless. She often mentally visualizes her partner Neil as a squirrel. The Postscript Murders also has a group of amateur detectives on the case. Natalka, who is quite sure (and worried) that her past has found her. Benedict, an ex monk, turned coffee shack owner and dapper, lonely octogenarian Edwin, who is very happy to be on the case. The burgeoning friendship between the three is a lovely as well. The characters are believable and the reader can't help but be behind them. 

I devoured this one far too quickly. Most definitely recommended. More Harbinder Kaur please!

(And there is a new Ruth Galloway book coming later this year. Watch for The Night Hawks.)

The Lantern Men - Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffiths has just released The Lantern Men, the twelfth entry in the Ruth Galloway series. And I have to tell you - this series is one of my hands down favorites. I eagerly await each new book - and read it far too quickly.

Ruth is a forensic archaeologist. She is a lecturer as well and often helps out on police matters. In The Lantern Men, a convicted murderer will only reveal the location of four of his victims to Ruth. Why Ruth?

Griffiths's plotting is always detailed, the mysteries are always convincing, the police work realistic and the historical components are really well done. With many of the cases, I've gone online to read more about the history.

I've always enjoyed the setting of the Norfolk area - especially the marshes. And I would be quite happy to live in Ruth's wee cottage.

Oh, and the title? "The Lantern Men concerns the Norfolk legend of mysterious figures that prowl the marshes at night. It's said that travellers would see a man walking ahead of them and carrying a lantern. They would follow the light only to be led to their deaths on the treacherous ground."

But what draws me to this series are the characters. I adore the character of Ruth.  I think it's because she isn't a 'cookie-cutter' protagonist. She's become a single mother later in life, she's hard on herself, generous with her friends, is highly intelligent, but shuns the spotlight. She's not beautiful in a conventional sense, but has that something that draws people to her. Griffiths has not endowed her with super sleuth abilities, rather she comes off as an actual person - unabashedly and happily herself. The supporting cast is just as well drawn, with self professed Druid Cathbad being my favorite. And of course there's DCI Nelson. He and Ruth's relationship is very complicated. Eager readers like myself have been waiting for this book to find out what happens next with the two of them. The Lantern Men jumps ahead two years to some unexpected happenings. (And eager readers, it ends with another open ended scenario for book thirteen. Can't wait!)

I highly, highly recommend this character driven mystery series. You could certainly read this book as a stand alone, but do yourself a favour and start with The Crossing Places, the first book.

The Stone Circle - Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffiths pens one of my favourite mystery series - The Ruth Galloway books. The eleventh book in the series - The Stone Circle - has just released.

Ruth is a forensic archaeologist at the University in North Norfolk, England.  An expert in bones, she is often called in to assist police, museums and on other digs. And it is DCI Harry Nelson that calls on Ruth's expertise. The two have a complicated past and present. It is this element of the series that has me always curious as what will happen next. The married Nelson is father to Ruth's daughter Kate. And the attraction is still there between Harry and Ruth, despite the fact that his wife is expecting a child.

But Griffith's mysteries are just as intriguing. The stone henges and salt marshes that opened this series make another appearance. A young girl's remains are found during a dig in the marsh. And Nelson is receiving anonymous letters telling him to go the stone circle and look for the innocent. Much of this mirrors the first case that Ruth and Harry worked on together. As does the appearance of a archaeologist with ties to that first case. I've learned something from every book in this series as Griffiths' cases use history as a basis.

There are many supporting players that I've come to enjoy (and dislike) as well. Griffiths has also fleshed them out with rich, full personal lives. Ruth's boss Phil's pronouncements are always good for a chuckle. Judy and Clough, who work with Harry, are part of Ruth's life as well. This is what I enjoy so much - Griffiths doesn't let her characters be - their lives are evolving as they would in real life.  But my personal favourite is the enigmatic Cathbad, self proclaimed Druid.

Setting is also a character in Griffiths' books. The Norfolk area, while seemingly bleak, is beautiful in Ruth's eyes. I think I would enjoy living in her little cottage in the Saltmarsh, 'where the sea and the sky meet.'

I can't say enough about this series - I absolutely recommend it. Read an excerpt of The Stone Circle. But do yourself a favor and start with the first book in the series - The Crossing Places.

The Stranger Diaries - Elly Griffiths

I absolutely adore Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series. The eleventh book is due out next month. But! Griffiths has penned a stand alone that is an absolutely wonderful read! The Stranger Diaries.....think modern Gothic......

Clare teaches English at Talgarth High. Talgarth is also where Gothic author R.M. Holland wrote his most famous story - The Stranger. Past and present collide when a school colleague is found dead - with a line from The Stranger by the body.

Griffiths opens the book with an excerpt from The Stranger - and I was hooked. Initially Clare is the lead character, but the narrative switches to DS Harbinder Kaur who is in charge of the case. And I was surprised when the narrative switched again to a character I hadn't considered playing a larger part. These switches happen numerous times, giving the reader numerous viewpoints to draw on. We are also given many suspects to choose from. (I must admit, I was surprised by the final whodunit) And then there's the option of there being something more, shall we say, otherworldly, involved.

Excerpts of The Stranger continue throughout the book in addition to excerpts from Clare's diary, giving the reader more fuel for speculation.

Every character is well drawn and fleshed out. DS Kaur was my favourite - I hope she might make an appearance in a future novel.

"It can be a dangerous thing, reading too much." Griffiths' writing makes for addictive reading. The only danger is staying up too late reading 'just one more chapter'. Absolutely a five star read - here's an excerpt.

"Goose-bump spooky, smart, and haunting…I loved this book - Louise Penny"

The Dark Angel - Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffith's Dr. Ruth Galloway series is hands down one of my favourites. The Dark Angel is the 10th book in the series.

Ruth is a forensic archaeologist who often works with the police, in addition to her teaching at a local university. This time round, Ruth is invite to Italy by a former colleague who needs her expertise. Ruth decides to make a holiday of it, taking her daughter Kate as well as her friend Shona and her son. The town is small and is seeped in history, much of it involving the war resistance years. This is where the mystery comes in. I always enjoy learning from Ruth (much of the cases are fact based) and appreciate Griffith's plotting.

But I have to admit, it's the characters and the personal storylines that keeps me eagerly awaiting each new entry.

Griffiths has created a wonderful protagonist in Ruth. She comes across as an actual person, not a super sleuth. She's a single parent at 40 plus, messy, introverted but highly intelligent and curious, shunning the spotlight. She's not beautiful in a conventional sense, but has that 'something' that draws people to her. Kate's father is the married Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson. The evolution of his and Ruth's relationship has kept me quite enthralled from the beginning. With Harry's acknowledgment of Kate as his daughter, things have become even more entangled. Griffiths has added some twists to this storyline that I could not have predicted. And while things are always tied up in the end in regards to the mystery, the personal lives of everyone always gets a little more complicated. This is true for not just the lead character, but for the supporting players as well. (Cathbad, the enigmatic self proclaimed Druid, is my favourite.)

The Dark Angel was another excellent entry in this series. Read an excerpt of The Dark Angel. If you've not read this series before, I recommend starting with the first book, The Crossing Places.

The Dark Room - Jonathan Moore

It was the cover of Jonathan Moore's new book, The Dark Room, that initially caught my eye. (Yep, dark and ominous appeals to me.....) I was unaware of Moore as an author before this book, but after reading The Dark Room, I've added him to my list of 'must be read' authors.

Gavin Cain is an San Francisco PD detective. He's attending an exhumation that he hopes will clear one of his cases when he is abruptly pulled away. The mayor need the best detective SFPD has. Why? Well, someone has sent him pictures. Pictures of a woman in - well, let's just say, in danger. The mayor claims not to know why the pics have been sent to him or who the woman is. He just wants the sender found and punished.

Well, Cain will take the case, but he'll solve it on his terms, not the Mayor's. Cain is such a great character - sharp, smart, following his own intuition, somewhat grumpy but determined.  But Moore adds a bit more to Cain - his personal life is just as intriguing. His girlfriend is a former crime victim and agoraphobic. An unusual and appealing storyline. Moore gives us a good supporting cast as well - but I was a bit shocked (and disappointed) at the turn things took for one of those characters.

Moore's plotting is fantastic, intricate and detailed. The reader is along for the ride as Cain investigates. I like having no 'insider' knowledge in a police procedural. It's fun to take the pieces given and see if I can figure things out before the final pages. Did I? No, but I sure enjoyed trying.

Those who enjoy a good - really good - police procedural will want to pick up The Dark Room. Read an excerpt of The Dark Room.

Moore's first book, The Poison Artist, looks just as good.
“An electrifying read . . . I haven’t read anything so terrifying since Red Dragon.” — Stephen King
“Magnificent, thoroughly unnerving . . . I dare you to look away.” — Justin Cronin

Good as Gone - Amy Gentry

Amy Gentry's new novel, Good as Gone, takes inspiration from real life events. (There are many similarities to the Elizabeth Smart case)

Eight years ago, thirteen year old Julie Whitaker was kidnapped from her bedroom at her parent's home. Her younger sister Jane witnesseD the crime from her hiding spot. Terrified, she didn't alert her parents for three hours. By that time, there was no trace of Julie and chances of finding her were slim......

....until the day when a young woman knocks at the door. Could it really be Julie returned? Her parents are ecstatic - in the beginning. While Dad's faith that this is his daughter never wavers, Mom Anna has serious doubts. As does the reader.

Gentry plays with the reader, giving the returned Julie her own voice and flashback chapters that plant the same seeds of doubt in our minds. Julie/Not Julie's life is hard to read about. I did like the present to past timeline for Julie/Not Julie's chapters. As the book progresses we get closer to the night - and the reason Julie/Not Julie was taken. The emotional upheaval of the return, the guilt, the questions, family dynamics and the mother/daughter relationships are also viewed and explored through Jane and Anna's points of view.

I did find the police investigation into the return somewhat lacking. The night she returns, she is not even taken to a hospital. The question of whether it is Julie or not would seem to be easy to confirm with DNA. (Yes, that pragmatic nature of mine always asks these questions)

I think the 'novel of suspense' moniker on the cover, may be a bit ambitious. I liked the book, but didn't find it overly suspenseful. Instead I saw it as a page turner -  bit of mystery and a journey to the final answer - it it Julie or isn't it? Read an excerpt of Good as Gone.

The Zig Zag Girl - Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffiths writes one of my favourite series - the Ruth Galloway mysteries. Having devoured the last one, I was resigned to a least another year 'til the next. And then....I discovered that she has started another series! The Zig Zag Girl is the first in the Magic Men Mysteries.

Post WWII England in 1950 is the setting. Detective Edgar Stephens is assigned to a horrific crime. A young woman's body is delivered to the station - in three pieces in three boxes. And Stephens can't help but be reminded of a magic trick - The Zig Zag Girl. Now, why would he be reminded of that? Well, Stephens was part of a covert team during the war that used tricks and deception to discombobulate the 'Jerrys".

Stephens has kept his distance from the unit in the years following the war. But this murder and his investigation inevitably reunite him with the Magic Men. Notably Max Mephisto - the inventor of the Zig Zag Girl trick.

What I absolutely love about Griffith's books are her characters. They're appealing, unusual and engaging. Each has a rich background and personality - I liked them immediately and look forward to seeing them again. Edgar and Max each have a voice in the Zig Zag Girl, so we get a view from each of their perspectives.

What I also liked was that the mystery has to be solved the 'old fashioned way' - without the use of cell phones, computer databases and modern technology. Instead we're along for the ride as Stephens and Mephisto follow the clues and connections, making their own deductions.

Griffiths uses misdirection, one of a magician's tricks, to keep the mystery going, sending the reader's suspicions in the wrong direction.  (But clever readers will suss it out) The setting is fascinating - the world of variety shows and magicians was fun and full of detail.

The Zig Zag Girl was a great introduction to a new set of characters - this reader will be looking for the second in this series. (But Ruth is still my favourite!) Read an excerpt of The Zig Zag Girl.

And the inspiration for this new series? There truly was a group of camouflage experts in WWII called the Magic Gang. And Griffith's grandfather also was on the variety circuit as a comedian. You can connect with Elly Griffiths on Twitter.

The Ghost Fields - Elly Griffiths

My power went out this past Sunday - which was the perfect opportunity to sit by a window most of the day devouring the latest in Elly Griffith's wonderful Ruth Galloway series - The Ghost Fields. I've been eagerly awaiting this seventh entry.

Forensic anthropologist Ruth is on a dig in Norfolk, when she is called on by the local police to consult on a rather unusual call. A World War II plane has been uncovered by a developer clearing a field. Why call Ruth? Well, the pilot is still inside. And when Ruth determines that the body isn't that of the original pilot, but rather the son of a wealthy local family reported as killed in action, it becomes a murder case. Murder? Uh huh - there's a bullet hole in the skull and evidence the body has been placed in the plane.

Great premise as always from Griffiths. Her mysteries are well thought out and plotted with lots of possibilities as to the end result.  I was quite sure of whodunit this time, but was proven wrong in the last few chapters.

But what draws me to this series are the characters. I adore the character of Ruth.  I think it's because she isn't a 'cookie-cutter' protagonist. She's become a single mother later in life, she's hard on herself, generous with her friends, is highly intelligent, but shuns the spotlight. She's not beautiful in a conventional sense, but has that something that draws people to her. Griffiths has not endowed her with super sleuth abilities, rather she comes off as an actual person - unabashedly and happily herself.

The evolution of Ruth's relationship with Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson has been a constant from the first book. Indeed, this thread is just (if not more) as engaging as the mystery in each book.

There are many supporting players that I've come to enjoy (and dislike) as well. Griffiths has also fleshed them out with rich, full personal lives. Ruth's boss Phil's pronouncements are always good for a chuckle. Judy and Clough, who work with Harry, are part of Ruth's life as well. This is what I enjoy so much - Griffiths doesn't let her characters be - their lives are evolving as they would in real life. There were a few unexpected developments this time out with one of the Detectives. But my personal favourite is the enigmatic Cathbad, self proclaimed Druid.

I've learned something from every book in this series as well. Griffiths' cases use history as a basis. The Ghost Fields are abandoned air fields in Norfolk. The reasons and results from Ruth's archaeological investigations are always informative and interesting.

Setting is also a character in Griffiths' books. The Norfolk area, while seemingly bleak, is beautiful in Ruth's eyes. I think I would enjoy living in her little cottage in the Saltmarsh, 'where the sea and the sky meet.'

I highly recommend this character driven mystery series. You could certainly read this book as a stand alone, but do yourself a favour and start with The Crossing Places, the first book. Read an excerpt of The Ghost Fields.

"Elly Griffith's Ruth Galloway novels have been praised as “gripping” (Louise Penny), “highly atmospheric,” (New York Times Book Review), and “must-reads for fans of crime fiction” (Associated Press). She is the winner of the 2011 Mary Higgins Clark Award. She lives in Brighton, England." You can connect with Elly Griffiths on Twitter as well as on Facebook.

The Jaguar's Children - John Vaillant

You've read the newspaper stories, seen accounts and shows on the news and television - the desperate attempts of those from other countries attempting to cross the border into the United States - illegally. John Vaillant's new book (and his first work of fiction), The Jaguar's Children, starts with that as the premise, but then goes in a direction I hadn't expected.

Hector, his friend Cesar and some others leave Mexico sealed into the tank of a water truck. But when the truck breaks down, the 'coyotes' promise they'll return soon with a mechanic and leave the group sealed inside.....

Hector finds an American number on Cesar's phone and texts it, but there is no reply. When the signal dies, he instead begins to record a series of  messages - perhaps to send if the signal comes back.....or if the coyotes don't return, someone will know their story.

Oh boy, it was disturbing to imagine being trapped in a metal tank, somewhere in the sun, with limited food and water - and a load of desperate people. And this is what I thought Vaillant's story would be about - but it was so much more.

Vaillant takes the novel beyond the confines of the tanker. The Jaguar's Children is amazing storytelling on so many levels - the nail biting tension of those trapped in the truck, the story of the Hector's life and his people - both immediate and on a larger scale as the vibrant history and legacy of the Zapotec are woven into his recordings. There's much food for thought as GMOs also figure into another plot thread.

It's impossible to read this book without examining and questioning the relationship between cultures, countries and politics. The Jaguar's Children is all the more compelling and intimate told in Hector's single narrative.

And throughout it all, the reader wonders if they will be rescued......A compelling, thought provoking, richly written read. Recommended. Read an excerpt of The Jaguar's Children.  You can find John Vaillant on Facebook and on Twitter.

Winner - Third Rail - Rory Flynn

And the lucky winner of a copy of Third Rail by Rory Flynn, courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is:

Myra C!

Congratulations! I've contacted you by email for your mailing address. Please respond within 48 hours. After that time, a new winner will be chosen. Thanks to all who entered. Check back tomorrow for another great giveaway.

Giveaway - Third Rail - Rory Flynn

Rory Flynn's new novel, Third Rail, releases on June 10/14. And I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader! Crime and mystery fans, this is one you'll want to get your hands on - it's the first in Flynn's Eddy Harkness series.

What's it about? From the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt:

"At crime scenes, Eddy Harkness is a human Ouija board, a brilliant young detective with a knack for finding the hidden something—cash, drugs, guns, bodies. But Eddy’s swift rise in an elite narcotics unit is derailed by the death of a Red Sox fan in the chaos of a World Series win, a death some camera-phone-wielding witnesses believe he could have prevented. Scapegoated, Eddy is exiled to his hometown just outside Boston, where he empties parking meters and struggles to redeem his disgraced family name. 

Then one night Harkness’s police-issue Glock disappears. Unable to report the theft, Harkness starts a secret search—just as a string of fatal accidents lead him to uncover a new, dangerous smart drug, Third Rail. With only a plastic disc gun to protect him, Harkness begins a high-stakes investigation that leads him into the darkest corners of the city, where politicians and criminals intertwine to deadly effect.

With a textured sense of place, a nuanced protagonist, and a story that takes off from page one and culminates in a startling finale, Third Rail has all the elements of a breakout mystery success."

"A powerful new voice in crime fiction. A generally nice guy in Boston.

Credit: Sandy Poirier

 Rory Flynn is the pen name of acclaimed novelist Stona Fitch, author of five previous novels, including Senseless, now an independent feature film and a graphic novel. In 2008, Stona founded the Concord Free Press, a independent publishing house that publishes and distributes original novels, asking only that readers make a voluntary donation to a charity or person in need, then pass their book on. The CFP has inspired generosity throughout the world and created a new approach to publishing that has earned praise from publishing visionaries and readers. Stona lives with his family in Concord, Massachusetts." You can keep up with Rory Flynn on Twitter.

Sound like a book you'd like to read? One copy up for giveaway - simply leave a comment to be entered. Open to US only, no PO boxes please. Ends June 14/14.

The Outcast Dead - Elly Griffiths

The Outcast Dead is the sixth entry in Elly Griffiths' absolutely wonderful series featuring Forensic Archaeologist Ruth Galloway.

I stumbled across the first in this series (The Crossing Places) in 2009 and have eagerly awaited each new installment - I just know I'm before I even turn a page that I'm going to enjoy it.

The series is set in the Norfolk area of England - a setting rife with history and the perfect setting for these mysteries.

On her latest dig at Norwich Castle, Ruth turns up a female skeleton - one with a hook for a hand. Could she have uncovered the remains of the infamous 'Mother Hook', hanged for killing the children left in her care? The find stirs up interest outside archaeology circles as well. A television series, "Women Who Kill", wants to make the discovery the focus of their latest show. But the present is mirroring the past - a local mother is suspected of killing her own child....and then another young one goes missing. And DCI Harry Nelson is on the case.

Griffiths always weaves a fascinating tale, combining a well thought out mystery with fascinating bits of the past. (I often head to the Internet to follow up on the historical bits.) The theme of motherhood and mother love is also explored from many different viewpoints.  But the draw for me is the characters.

I have so enjoyed the character of Ruth. I think it's because she isn't a 'cookie-cutter' protagonist. She's become a single mother later in life, she's hard on herself, generous with her friends, is highly intelligent, but shuns the spotlight. She's not beautiful in a conventional sense, but has that something that draws people to her.  Griffiths has not endowed her with super sleuth abilities, rather she comes off as an actual person - one I would enjoy meeting.

The relationship between Ruth and Harry is a complicated one. And one small complication named Kate is now three years old. The supporting cast is wonderfully eclectic, and diverse. Cathbad, the self proclaimed Druid, is one of my favourites. He's quite enigmatic, showing up just when needed and he seems to see and recognize things that the others don't.  A wonderful little sense of the mystical is woven throughout the series. Cathbad's storyline with another returning character has been building over the last few books and a resolution is reached in The Outcast Dead. I've become invested in these characters and feel like I'm settling in to catch up on the latest when I pick up the newest of Griffiths' books.

Setting plays a large part as well. The Norfolk area, while seemingly bleak, is beautiful in Ruth's eyes. I think I would enjoy living in her little cottage in the Saltmarsh, 'where the sea and the sky meet.'

And the title? "'And we ask your abundant blessing, Lord, on these, the outcast dead...' This brief ecumenical service is held every year for the unknown dead of Norwich: the bodies thrown into unmarked graves, the paupers, the plague victims, forgotten,  unmourned, except by this motley collection of archaeologists, historians and sundry hangers-on."
 
I highly recommend this character driven mystery series. You could certainly read this book as a stand alone, but do yourself a favour and start with the first book.

Read an excerpt of The Outcast Dead. You can find Griffiths on Twitter and on Facebook.

Stillwater - Nicole Helget

Stillwater is Nicole Helget's latest book.

The first few chapters of Stillwater are seemingly the end of the book. We know what has happened, but was the path and story that led here?

Helget quickly immerses us into her tale, set in the frontier town of Stillwater Minnesota and spanning thirty years from 1840-1870.

A runaway wife makes her way to the local orphanage and gives birth to a pair of twins - boy and girl. The girl is adopted by a local wealthy family and lives a much different life than her brother who is raised at the orphanage.

That's the bare bones outline, but Helget's book is so much bigger. She deftly explores the connection between siblings, the need to belong and mothering from many different views. From the mother who walks away from the twins, from the daughter who is only a possession and tool for her mother, from the shunned Indian wife, from the nun who runs the orphanage, from the runaway slave who is desperate to save her son and more. She also uses the tundra swans of Minnesota metaphorically to great effect.

These themes are set within a fascinating historical narrative, covering the early days of settlement, the underground railroad, the Civil War and the inexorable path of progress. Helget's descriptions of time and place are excellent and provided me with vivid mental pictures as I read. Helget is a resident of Minnesota and that personal connection shows.

The characters are unique and unusual. Their actions often don't follow a straight line and their reactions are not always what we would expect. Some serve as background while others are more fully fleshed out.

I love old photographs and often wonder about the lives of those pictured. Stillwater reminded me of that - bits and pieces of history wound through with lives that might have been.

All of this is accomplished with absolutely wonderful prose. Helget is a born storyteller - I was entranced from first page to last. Read an excerpt of Stillwater.

You can find Nicole Helget on Twitter.

A Dying Fall - Elly Griffiths

I was hooked on this series by Elly Griffiths from the very first book. A Dying Fall is the fifth (and latest) entry in her Ruth Galloway Mystery series. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it and settle in for a great read with characters I truly enjoy.

Ruth is a forensic archaeologist at the University in North Norfolk, England.  An expert in bones, she is often called in to assist police, museums and on other digs.

Ruth receives a letter from Dan - an old friend from her university days. They haven't really kept in touch, but the letter piques her curiosity. Dan is also an archaeologist, attached to a university in Lancashire. His letter says he has discovered the bones of 'The Raven King.' Ruth tries to contact him, without result. Until that university calls asking if Ruth could come up and look at some bones for them - their archaeologist Dan Golding has been killed in a tragic accident. Or was it? Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson, on vacation with his wife becomes involved as well.

Why do I love this series so much? The characters. Griffiths has created a wonderful protagonist in Ruth. I just really like her. She's decidedly unique and different. She is a single mother at forty plus, overweight, messy, introverted, but highly intelligent and curious. Griffiths has not endowed her with super sleuth abilities, rather she comes off as an actual person - unabashedly and happily herself. Her only worry is raising her daughter Kate.

Kate's father is the married Harry Nelson. The evolution of his and Ruth's relationship has kept me quite enthralled from the beginning. With Harry's acknowledgment of Kate as his daughter, things have become even more entangled.

The supporting cast of characters is just as intriguing. Cathbad, the self proclaimed Druid takes a leading role in A Dying Fall. I enjoy his enigmatic ways and his pagan beliefs. His personal storyline is just as complicated as Ruth's - involving a sergeant from Nelson's staff. I have to say, he rivals Ruth for my favourite character.  Little Kate's personality is being drawn as well - it's enjoyable to see her growing and talking.

And this wonderful cast of characters carries along a clever, inventive plot involving Arthurian legends, neo-Nazi's and more  I had my suspicions as to the culprit, but Griffiths surprised me at the end this time. I always learn something in Griffiths' books - the historical facts and mythical legends woven into the narrative often send me searching the Internet to read more.

Griffiths has done it again - hooked me with a great read that I finished too quickly and left me waiting for the next in this engaging series. Definitely recommended. Read an excerpt of A Dying Fall. You can find Elly Griffiths on Twitter.