As the story opens a schoolgirl is abducted from a sweet shop in England, having been led to believe that the man in the woolly hat was sent by her mom. As the man drives the girl away, the song 'Ninety Nine Red Balloons' - which she likes - is playing on the car radio.
**********
Stephanie arrives at her sister Emma's house.......
.....to find her sibling near hysteria.
Emma's 8-year-old daughter Grace hasn't arrived home from school, and none of the neighbors have seen her. The police arrive to hunt for the child, but Grace can't be found anywhere. DI Lee Hines and DS Rachel Berry question Grace's relatives about where the girl might go, but the family doesn't believe Grace would wander off on her own.
As time ticks by - and the situation looks dire - Grace's family draws together to support each other. This includes the parents, Emma and Matt; Aunt Stephanie and her 13-year-old son Jamie; and the widowed grandmother.
When the police leave to continue their search elsewhere, the Family Liaison Officer (FLO) - PC Nadia Sharma - stays to assist Grace's relatives.....who are falling apart.
Across England, in another town, an elderly woman named Maggie is disturbed when she sees the news story about Grace.
Maggie's granddaughter Zoe was abducted 30 years ago, and the loss destroyed the family. Maggie's son Scott turned into a drug addict and criminal; Maggie's grief-stricken husband Ron died; Maggie's son-in-law David left to search for his girl; and Maggie's daughter Sarah became an alcoholic and committed suicide.
Maggie's lived alone since then, and has continued to follow news stories of vanished children. Maggie always sends a card to the parents of missing kids - with her name and address - in case the current police investigation turns up news of Zoe....who's never been found.
Most of the story is told in the alternating voices of Stephanie and Maggie. There are also sections narrated by an abducted child, and glimpses into the thoughts and behavior of a kidnapper.
In Stephanie's chapters we get insight into a frightened family trying to deal with a dreadful situation. As days pass, family members blame themselves and each other; can't bring themselves to shower or change clothes; drink too much; ignore the food dropped off by neighbors; and generally fall into despair.
Stephanie has the added responsibility of looking after her son Jamie, who gets a break from the suffocating environment by visiting his dad and going to school.
We also learn that Emma is not Stephanie's biological sister. Emma was adopted at the age of 10 after being rescued from an abusive home. Nevertheless, the siblings have a very strong bond and are devoted to each other. Still, Stephanie and Matt (Emma's husband) have a secret between them, which causes added tension in the already strained household.
This is exacerbated by the presence of PI Sharma - who's always around.....listening.
In Maggie's narrative she describes her family tragedy; her continuing depression; her day to day activities; and the discomfort she feels with local people - who seem to exude pity. Maggie also talks about her friend Jim - a caring man who comes by regularly to check up on her. When Maggie and Jim see a photo of Grace's family in the newspaper, someone looks familiar.
In the chapters recounted by the child she seems drugged and sleepy during a long car journey - and frightened by her situation. She continually asks when she'll see her mommy.
And finally we see a nervous abductor trying to keep a child calm while he disguises or hides her, to keep from getting caught as he crosses borders. (Uh-oh!) I wanted to know what this was all about.
The police investigation continues behind the scenes, and the family is kept updated by the detectives and the FLO. But the cops don't divulge everything they find out until the book's climax, which is appropriately dramatic.
I don't want to give away spoilers so I'll just say the author has a deft touch with misdirection and the story has some big surprises.
The narrative is probably an accurate depiction of how families react when a child goes missing. If you've ever mislaid a kid temporarily - in a store or park - you've probably felt a little of this. I found the story compelling and was anxious to discover what happened to Grace..... and what secrets people were keeping.
I'd recommend this engaging book to fans of psychological thrillers.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Elisabeth Carpenter), and the publisher (Avon) for a copy of the book.
Rating: 3.5 stars
In this 21st book in the 'Stephanie Plum' series, the bounty hunter is trying to track down a man accused of human trafficking. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Stephanie Plum, bail enforcement agent, needs to round up Jimmy Poletti - a used car salesman accused of of trafficking girls. Jimmy is an elusive crook though, and while he's on the loose members of his gang are getting bumped off, one after another.
Jimmy seems especially anxious to get rid of Briggs, a little person who was Jimmy's accountant and knows too much. After Briggs' apartment is blown up he convinces Stephanie to let him stay with her, with unfortunate consequences for Stephanie's abode.
The two men in Stephanie's life are on hand. Cop Joe Morelli is trying to capture Poletti and shows up at the various murder scenes and in Stephanie's love life - often with pizza or donuts.
And security firm honcho Ranger is being threatened by a member of the Russian mob, who tries to wipe out his entire staff with the deadly poison polonium. Stephanie, worried about Ranger's safety, joins him on various exploits to catch the Russian.
Meanwhile, gun-toting Lula helps Stephanie run down some eccentric bail jumpers.
Grandma Mazur goes to viewings at funeral parlors, Stephanie's mom drinks and irons to calm her nerves, Rex (the hamster) runs on his wheel, bombs and rocket propelled grenades blow up Stephanie's stuff.....all the usual shenanigans that go on in this series.
Many of the previous books in the Stephanie Plum series are laugh out loud funny, but it feels like Evanovich is really running out of steam with this one. The book felt stale, it recycled the same old scenes, and Stephanie still lusts after both Joe and Ranger - which is tiresome by now.
Moreover, by the end of the story it felt like Evanovich just wanted to get it over with, and the finale is rushed and tacked on.
A disappointing book.
Rating: 2 stars
"Magpie Murders" is a cleverly constructed double whodunit.....two mystery books in one. Here's how it works:
Susan Ryeland, a fiction editor at London's 'Cloverleaf Books', is reading the manuscript of 'Magpie Murders' - the ninth book in Alan Conway's Atticus Pünd mystery series.
Pünd - a fictional private detective inspired by Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot - is a German Holocaust survivor who lives and works in England.
Conway's Atticus Pünd books have been Cloverleaf's bread-and-butter.....and have even been optioned for a television show. Thus, Susan has high hopes for Magpie Murders. The only downside to the successful series is the author himself, who's not Susan's favorite person.
**********
Alan Conway's 'Magpie Murders' Manuscript
The plot of Magpie Murders, set in 1955, involves two deaths at Pye Hall - the manor house in the village of Saxby-on-Avon. The first fatality is Mary Blakiston, Pye Hall's housekeeper, who dies from a fall down the stairs. Mary had a tragic history: her teenage son Tom drowned many years ago, after which her husband left for good. Mary then clung tightly to her remaining son, Robert, who chafed under Mary's smothering attention. Robert left home as soon as he could, and works as an auto mechanic at the local garage. Mary and Robert have a fractious relationship.....and had a big, public argument shortly before Mary died.
In Saxby-on-Avon Mary was known as a do-gooder, always helping at church and lending her neighbors a hand. However, Mary was also the town busybody, who stuck her nose into everybody's business.....and learned people's secrets.
Mary's death is officially ruled an accident, but local scuttlebutt suggests foul play.....and there are whispers about Robert pushing his mother down the stairs. This disturbs Robert's fiancée, Joy Sanderling, who travels to London to ask Atticus Pünd to 'clear Robert's name.' However Pünd - who has a terminal illness - declines to help.
A few days later, Sir Magnus Pye, the owner of Pye Manor, is killed in his front hall....beheaded with a sword! When Pünd hears of this development he changes his mind and - with his assistant James Fraser - journeys to Saxby-on-Avon to help Inspector Chubb investigate the recent deaths.
It turns out that Sir Magnus was a haughty, difficult man who planned to sell a tree-filled copse, called Dingle Dell, to building developers.....a move universally opposed by the townsfolk.
As in all cozy mysteries, there's a handy group of suspects for the possible murder of Mary, and the definite murder of Sir Magnus. These include Sir Magnus's disenfranchised sister; his cheating wife; the vicar and his spouse; the doctor; the cleaning lady; Mary's estranged husband; and so on.
Pund and Chubb question persons of interest, collect clues, speculate about this and that.....and Pünd eventually reaches a conclusion.
*********
Editor Susan Ryeland is about to read the final chapters of Magpie Murders - where Pünd reveals all - when she realizes the last section of the manuscript is missing. Susan calls her boss, Charles Clover, whose copy of the book is also incomplete. This shouldn't be an insurmountable problem. Susan can just contact the author, Alan Conway, and ask for the missing pages. Except that Conway has committed suicide!
Susan looks for the lost chapters in Conway's home and office - and reaches out to his sister and other loved ones - but can't find the book's finale. This is a potential disaster for Cloverleaf Books, which depends on the megabucks generated by the Atticus Pünd novels.
Susan continues to search and learns that - like his character, Atticus Pünd - Conway was seriously ill. This could be a reason for his suicide. However, Alan's sister insists that the writer would NEVER take his own life. Moreover, Conway's diary reveals that he made plans and appointments for the days following his death.
Thinking it all over, Susan concludes that Conway was murdered, and that his death is connected to the missing pages of Magpie Murders. Thus Susan decides she'll track down the killer AND locate the vanished chapters. Lo and behold, a new amateur sleuth is born!
As before, there's a ready set of suspects for Alan's demise, including: his ex-wife; his boyfriend; a would-be writer who thinks Alan stole his idea; Conway's former colleagues; the producer who optioned the Atticus Pünd books for TV; and other folks acquainted with the cantankerous author.
Since the police accept that Conway killed himself, some people discourage Susan's investigations. Why rock the boat, after all? The intrepid editor carries on regardless, putting herself in grave peril.
In the end, Susan uncovers all. She learns the the truth about Alan Conway and finds the chapters that conclude Magpie Murders. So job well done!
Anthony Horowitz's dual suspense novel is well-crafted and a fitting homage to the 'golden age of British mysteries.' For added fun, Magpie Murders contains cunning tributes to people and places in Agatha Christie's mystery books.....and clever allusions and puzzles. Very amusing all around.
I enjoyed this entertaining novel and highly recommend it to mystery lovers. For fans of Dame Agatha, it's a must read.
Rating: 4.5 stars
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In this 17th book in the 'Joe Pickett' series, the game warden is in the sights of an ex-convict out for revenge. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Joe Pickett is a Wyoming Game Warden who's very good at catching wrongdoers in his district, Twelve Sleep County, a sprawling region of forests, mountains, rivers, flora, and fauna.
Twelve Sleep County seems to be chock full of miscreants who have a grudge against Joe.....and are prone to target the warden AND his family: wife Marybeth and daughters Sheridan, April, and Lucy.
Joe is now in the sights of former rodeo star Dallas Cates, who just got out of prison.
Joe has a long history with the Cates family, all of whom are violent sociopaths. Joe's previous altercations with the Cates crew resulted in the death of Dallas's father and two brothers and the crippling of his (now imprisoned) mother....so Dallas is out for revenge.
Toward this end Dallas puts together a gang composed of himself, two ex-cons, and a meth-addicted woman. The gang saunters into Stockman's Bar for drinks and, while there, quietly discuss their heinous plans. Joe's acquaintance, Dave Farkus, happens to overhear the thugs and leaves a phone message warning Joe of a dire threat to his family. Farkus then goes on a hunting trip and ends up shot to death.....apparently by Dallas Cates and his buddies.
Moreover, the bartender at Stockman's, Wanda Stacy, disappears.
Dallas is arrested for Farkus's murder, and hires defense attorney Marcus Hand - a high-priced legal shark who rarely loses - to defend him.
In the courtroom, Hand accuses Undersheriff Lester Spivak of shenanigans with the evidence, and Cates is soon out of jail. With Cates on the loose, Joe and his family are in serious peril.
In an ironic touch, lawyer Hand's new wife is Joe's mother-in-law, Missy - a vain, self-centered golddigger with a nasty streak.
Missy hates Joe, and is constantly trying to get her daughter, Marybeth, to leave him. (Missy is so over-the-top that's she's almost a comic character.)
A lot of the book involves the unsavory behavior of Dallas and his co-horts, including his jailed mother Brenda.
There are some clever surprises as Joe susses out exactly what's going on, and tries to get justice for the gang's victims.
Joe's not all alone in his fight against the killers. The game warden gets some help from his notorious friend Nate Romanowski - a former special ops agent who's the cleverest, most capable, and toughest outdoorsman in the country. (Nate - who's a sort of 'Jack Reacher of the mountains' - is one of my favorite characters in the series. LOL)
In the midst of Joe's struggles with Dallas and his hooligans, some local poachers are targeting non-trophy animals. The hunters attack at random locations every few days, making it hard for the wildlife cops to catch them. In addition, Joe is approached by Wyoming's new governor, Colter Allen, who mentions Joe's 'special assignments' for the previous governor - and asks for similar favors. In Governor Allen's case, though, the requests are overtly self-serving and political. Will Joe comply? You'll have to read the book to find out.
The book has an interesting plot, but has less action and more talk than previous entries in the series - which makes the story feel a little slow. This isn't a major flaw though, and there IS plenty of excitement.
I'd recommend the book to readers who enjoy action thrillers, especially fans of the Joe Pickett series.
Rating: 3 stars
In this 7th book in the 'Cat Who' series, Jim Qwilleran (Qwill) - formerly a crime reporter in Chicago - is living in a town called Pickax in Moose County....a region that's '400 miles north of everywhere.' The book can be read as a standalone without missing much.
Qwill and his pets moved to the nether regions because he's required to live in Pickax for five years to get his inheritance: the Klingenschoen fortune and the Klingenschoen mansion.
One of Qwill's notable characteristics is his luxuriant moustache, which twitches when something is 'off.'
Qwill isn't very interested in the trappings of wealth, so he uses the Klingenschoen billions to establish the philanthropic 'K-Fund'.....and is converting the Klingenschoen mansion into a museum. To this end, Qwill hires Mrs. Iris Cobb to be his housekeeper/house manager. This works out well because Mrs. Cobb - an antiques expert - will catalogue the contents of the mansion. Moreover, Iris is a wonderful cook, and bakes delicious cookies and cakes.
Two other members of Qwill's entourage are his beloved Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, who have their own 'apartment', eat gourmet food, and get lots of attention: Qwill talks to them, reads to them, brushes them, and so on.
Yum Yum is a normal kitty - who likes to swipe and hide shiny things, but Koko is very unusual: he's a sort of 'cat clairvoyant' who can sniff out evil; predict crimes; mount rescue operations; etc. Koko communicates via yowls, facial expressions, and unusual behavior. In this book, Koko continually knocks Shakespeare books off the shelf.....especially Macbeth.
Though 'the cat who' books are ostensibly cozy mysteries, the 'mystery' part of the stories is sometimes rather nebulous. That's certainly the case here. For the most part, Qwill keeps busy with normal everyday things such as: dating the head librarian, Polly Duncan; taping the remembrances of elderly Pickax residents; hobnobbing with acquaintances from 'down below' who've moved to town for employment;
conferring with Junior Goodwinter - the editor of 'The Picayune' - about modernizing the newspaper;
avidly following the weather reports to see when 'the big one' (a huge snowstorm) will hit; and doing other mundane things.
On the 'suspense' side, a few things do concern Qwill: several people, including Senior Goodwinter (Junior's father) are killed in car accidents; Qwill's old friend Hixie Rice - a restaurateur - is acting hinky; and Mrs. Cobb is dating a businessman named Herb Hackpole - an unpopular, bad-mannered lout who drinks a lot and is mean to the cats. (Boo! Hiss!) ☹
By the end of the book a crime is uncovered and a tragedy has occurred....and it looks like Koko predicted it all.
SPOILER ALERT
(view spoiler)I have to say, Lillian Jackson Braun is not shy about divesting Moose County of people and property in her books. LOL
END SPOILER ALERT
I've been a long-time fan of this series, and I enjoyed this book (which is a re-read for me).
Recommended to fans of cozy mysteries.
Rating: 3 stars
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