The Investigator - John Sandford

‎I am a long time fan of John Sandford's writing, having literally read everything he’s written. 

Sandford has moved his characters along in real time - they age and change as their lives move forward. Davenport's adopted daughter Letty is now 24 years old. When she joined the series, I have to admit I really didn’t like her. She has continued to make appearances in the Prey series and slowly but surely she has grown on me. Sandford's latest book, The Investigator, features Letty as the lead character. And after just a few chapters, I was solidly in Letty's court. 

The opening chapter gives you a feel of what the rest of the book(s) are going be like - which is one heck of a good page-turner. Letty is working for a Senator (shades of her dad) and ready to quit (she's bored) when the Senator offers up an investigative position working with a member of Homeland Security. She's intrigued, takes the job and is paired with investigator John Kaiser. The two make a really good team - age and experience combined with youth and intelligence. Both have the drive to go the extra mile. The dialogue between the two is short and snappy, suits the characters and echoes Sandford's style. 

Oh my gosh - the plotting! The case is ripped from newspaper headlines and is more than possible. I'm sure it's happening already somewhere. It's brilliantly written and will have the reader on the edge of their seat, turning just one more page. There’s so much action in this book and the danger level is set to high.

This book is listed as the first in the new series an I for one cannot wait to see the second book featuring Letty - and John as well I hope. See for yourself – read an excerpt of The Investigator

And for those of you who are long-term time fans like myself there is a mention of you know who in the book. Virgil Flowers. And speaking of Virgil and Lucas - keep  your eyes out for Righteous Prey (#32) due out in October 2022.

Freefall - Jessica Barry

It's a bit hard to see in this small picture, but the image on the cover of Jessica Barry's new novel Freefall, is a shot of the clouds taken from an airplane.

And that's where the book begins - a plane crash. Ally Carpenter is the only survivor when her fiancee's plane crashes. She picks up a few things, stuffs them in a backpack and starts limping off the mountain. She's hurt - but from her inner thoughts we learn she's desperate as well...."I know what's coming for me."

Ally's mother Maggie is informed of the crash - and the death of her daughter. And the news is all the more gut wrenching as she and Ally have been estranged for the last two years.

Freefall is told in alternating chapters from Ally and Maggie. We know Ally is alive - and her desperate flight from the crash has only raised more questions for the reader. Who or what is she fleeing? Why? Will she make it? Or is she too hurt? And then the narrative switches to Maggie. She can't believe Ally is gone and starts to try and piece together the last two years of her daughter's life.

I adore this method of storytelling. But I have to admit, it keeps me up very late - I desperately want to know what's going on with each character. And boy, oh boy, does Barry ever keep the tension high. Every chapter seems to end on a cliffhanger or a revelation. And you just have to keep turning pages! The who and why become clearer as the book progresses and more is revealed, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Freefall is a plot driven novel, but I found the characterizations done just as well. I really liked Maggie, her self awareness and her determination.

This was the right book at the right time for me - I was looking for a fast paced, action filled read. And I found it in Freefall. See for yourself - here's an excerpt of Freefall.