Review of "Lucky Us: A Literary Novel" by Amy Bloom

The story opens in 1939, when World War II is starting. Twelve-year-old Eva Logan Acton and her waitress mother Hazel are the 'secret family' of English professor Edgar Acton.



Edgar has a 'real' wife and daughter in classy Windsor, Ohio, and visits his clandestine family twice a week. When Edgar's wife dies, Hazel drives Eva to Windsor and leaves the girl at Edgar's house as she drives away for good.



Eva is accepted into Edgar's household, and is impressed by her beautiful 16-year-old half-sister Iris, who's a frequent prize winner at contests in "elocution, rhetoric, dramatic readings, poetry readings, patriotic essays and dance."



Edgar is a caring father, but morally challenged, and he steals Iris's stash of prize money.



Outraged, Iris finds a new hiding place for her winnings, but constantly fears for it's safety.

By the time Iris is 18 she's had enough of Edgar and Ohio, and - hoping to launch a show business career - decides to head for Hollywood. Iris sneaks away in the middle of the night, taking her 14-year-old sister Eva with her.

In Hollywood, Iris works hard to break into the movies, starting with walk-ons and tiny speaking parts. Then, just as Iris is poised for a breakthrough, she gets involved in a lesbian love affair that becomes a public scandal.



The uproar scotches Iris's acting career, and she and Eva struggle to get by. The girls are helped by a kind landlady and a sympathetic homosexual make-up artist named Francisco Diego.



Iris and Eva's father Edgar now shows up, and a confluence of circumstances sends Iris, Eva, Edgar, and Francisco to New York City.



There, a wealthy Long Island couple - Joe and Anna Torelli - hire Edgar to be their butler and Iris to be their children's governess.





The Actons are allowed to live in the Torelli's carriage house, which works out well all around.



Teenage Eva, who hasn't attended school since she left Ohio, gets a part-time job in a beauty salon run by Francisco's sisters. Eva supplements her meager salary with petty theft and - eventually - tarot card reading in the salon. Eva is intuitive and clever and knows how to make up predictions her clients want to hear, like "you'll meet a wonderful man; you'll get pregnant; your deceased relative is happy in heaven, etc."



The Actons become acquainted with all the Torellis and their employees, and Iris falls in love with the family cook Reenie Heitmann, who's married to handyman Gus.



Iris pines for her crush night and day, and this infatuation spawns unfortunate consequences for a number of people. Meanwhile dad Edgar is smitten with a black nightclub singer named Clara Williams, who suffers from vitiligo.



As events unfold, Eva - who's the most responsible of the Actons - is compelled to take on adult responsibilities way before she should. To say more would be giving away too much.

The story covers a span of ten years, from 1939 to 1949, and German people in America, such as Gus Heitmann, are subject to suspicion, prejudice, and worse during wartime. Aside from that, most of the protagonists seem to be relatively unaffected by the fighting.




WW II German internment camp in America

The story is told from the perspective of a number of characters - including Eva, Iris, Gus, Clara, and others - and incorporates letters the protagonists write when they're separated. This works well since the novel is character-driven, and there's a diverse array of interesting 'voices.'

This is a compelling, thought-provoking - and occasionally funny - story, recommended to readers who enjoy historical literary novels. 

Rating: 4 stars

Review of "The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story" by Douglas Preston

For centuries rumors swirled about an abandoned ancient settlement in the jungles of Honduras, a region called 'The White City of the Monkey God.' The remains of the White City was reputed to contain gold, priceless cultural artifacts, and the remnants of temples and buildings - a veritable cornucopia for treasure hunters, archaeologists, and anthropologists.

Review of "The Museum of Desire: An Alex Delaware Mystery" by Jonathan Kellerman

In this 35th book in the 'Alex Delaware' series, the psychologist helps his friend, Lieutenant Milo Sturgis, investigate an odd set of murders. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Two days after a party at an uninhabited Bel Air mansion that's rented out for 'events', a cleaner makes his way up the drive to scrub down the property. The cleaner is surprised to see a white stretch Town Car parked near the house, and optimistically thinks there might be something to steal inside....or maybe some drunken naked chicks.



Instead, the cleaner is horrified to discover four dead bodies.

LAPD Police Lieutenant Milo Sturgis gets the case and calls his friend Alex Delaware, the department's consulting psychologist, to meet him at the scene.





At first sight the four victims appear to be a chauffeur and three passengers. However, a closer look leads Milo and Alex to suspect the scene was staged. The deceased were killed in different ways (shooting, stabbing, asphyxiation); two victims were posed in a sexually explicit manner; and there's too much blood.



The victims turn out to be Solomon Roget - a 78-year-old black man who owned and drove the for-hire limo; Benson Alvarez - a 44-year-old mentally challenged man who lived in a care home; Richard Gurnsey - a handsome, 36-year-old attorney who worked at Sony Studios; and Mary Jane Huralnik - a 59-year-old homeless woman.

There's no obvious connection between the deceased, and Milo and Alex struggle to think of a reason for the strange crime.

Most of the story is a police procedural as Milo data mines the internet; interviews people who knew the victims; obtains information from the medical examiner; analyzes forensic evidence; assigns his team of detectives (whom he calls 'the kids') to knock on doors and surveil persons of interest; and so on.





Alex helps by attending Milo's interviews; contributing psychological insights; and doing his own online research.

There are soon more homicides connected to the case, and the investigators discover clues that point to a possible suspect. All this leads to a dramatic and exciting climax.

When Alex isn't working with Milo or doing his own consulting job, he cozies up at home with his long-time love Robin and their French bulldog Blanche, both of whom are sensitive to Alex's moods. When the psychologist is on edge and trying to look relaxed, for example, Blanche looks up at him 'with big brown eyes full of pity.' 😊



As always, Milo frequently stops by Alex's house to discuss the case, and takes the opportunity to raid the refrigerator and make himself a snack - like turkey on rye with lettuce and tomatoes.



For me this mystery is better than most of Kellerman's recent books, probably because the author returns to his original formula - a psychopathic perp (or perps) with a bizarre agenda.

I enjoyed the book, which has an engaging plot and favorite recurring characters. Recommended to readers who like police procedurals, especially fans of Alex Delaware.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Jonathan Kellerman), and the publisher (Ballantine Books) for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars 

Review of "White Plague: A Joe Rush Thriller" by James Abel

Lieutenant Colonel Joe Rush is a man you'd want around in an emergency. He's a Marine, a doctor, and an expert on biological weapons.



So when the nuclear submarine 'USS Montana' is stranded on the surface of the Arctic Ocean, on fire, with a crew that's dying from a mysterious illness that kills in days (if not hours) - AND a massive Arctic storm is approaching - the Pentagon knows who to call.



The Pentagon's Director apprises Rush of the Montana's dire situation, and tells him that - of the Montana's crew of 158 - 51 have died (so far) and most of the others are suffering from burns and/or the deadly sickness.



Moreover, communication with the sub has been lost, so there's no time to waste.

Rush and his teammate/best friend, Major Eddie Nakamura, are soon aboard the ice cutter 'U.S. Wilmington', on their way to the Montana.



Part of their hush hush mission is to rescue the crew and salvage (or scuttle) the sub before Russia or China gets wind of the situation and tries to grab the ship themselves - to get hold of its cutting edge guidance systems and weapons.

The ice cutter is making it's way to the Montana - and experiencing every kind of problem imaginable (intractable ice, bad weather, fire drill, communication blackout, etc.) - when sonar shows a Chinese submarine fast approaching the crippled American ship.



This results in a race to the Montana, with Rush and several cohorts making a final push using snowshoes and climbing gear. (Just reading this made me shiver with cold. LOL)



As the Americans close in on the Montana, Rush has a dramatic showdown with the captain of the Chinese sub. This raises the question of 'who told China about the Montana?' Is there a spy on the Wilmington? YES!



Once the Montana situation is resolved, there's the issue of the rapidly spreading illness.



In an attempt to diagnose the dying patients Rush defies a direct order from the Director, and learns something that horrifies him.....and strongly impacts his subsequent actions.

As the story unfolds Rush has multiple flashbacks to his tour in Afghanistan, where he had experiences that left deep psychological scars. These include: the discovery of a hidden lab that used monkeys to develop biological weapons; and the death of eight fellow Marines.....for which he was responsible. These incidents greatly impact Rush's behavior in the Arctic.



The story has an array of interesting characters, including: submarine specialist Karen Vleska - a platinum-haired beauty who catches Rush's eye; Eskimo Clinton Toovik - who knows everything about ice; State Department honcho Andrew Sachs - who continually inserts himself where he's not wanted; Major Pettit - the Marine who's sleeping with Rush's ex-wife (how's that for awkward company?😕); Captain Zhou Dongfeng - skipper of the Chinese submarine; Major Li Youyoung - Zhou's placid translator; and more.

This is an exciting story with a great setting and an interesting (and clever) plotline about biological weapons. I think most thriller fans would enjoy the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Lady in the Lake: A Novel" by Laura Lippman

The story opens in 1966, when thirty-seven year old Maddie Morgenstern Schwartz is a beautiful Jewish housewife with an attorney husband named Milton, a teenage son called Seth, and a lovely home in a toney Baltimore neighborhood.





Many women of Maddie's generation would be happy with this life, but Maddie has ambitions for a career, so she moves out to follow her dreams.

Living in a small apartment - and barely making ends meet - Maddie decides to report her diamond ring stolen for the insurance money. This acquaints Maddie with an attractive black cop named Ferdie, with whom she embarks on a TORRID affair.






Given the racially charged times, Maddie and Ferdie's relationship is confined to Maddie's apartment save one 'date' at an Orioles game, where the duo pretend to be strangers making conversation.



While Maddie is struggling financially, an 11-year-old girl named Tessie Fine goes missing from Maddie's former Baltimore neighborhood. Maddie joins the search and stumbles on Tessie's body near her old high school make-out spot.



Afterwards, Maddie strikes up a correspondence with the prime suspect in Tessie's death, who's in jail, and unearths a clue about the crime. Maddie parlays this correspondence into a job at the Baltimore Star, assisting the consumer helpline columnist.

Maddie yearns to be a real reporter, however, and hits on a story that might be her way in. The body of a young black woman, Cleo Sherwood - who's been missing for many months - has been found in a lake in a Baltimore park. The only newspaper that features the story is the Baltimore Afro American, and the circumstances of Cleo's death remain unresolved. No one knows if it was an accident, a suicide, or a murder.....and no one is investigating.



Maddie sees this as an opportunity. She wants to look into Cleo's death and write a story, but the Star's editor says no one wants to read about the death of a black woman - especially a black woman like Cleo, who worked in a nightclub and had a dubious reputation. Nevertheless, Maddie persists. She speaks to Cleo's parents, the Sherwoods; visits the psychic the Sherwoods' consulted about their missing daughter; and goes to the nightclub where Cleo worked. This irks the nightclub owner, a criminal in the prostitute and drug business. Maddie also discovers the identity of the rich married man Cleo was seeing, and intrudes into his life. Maddie's actions are beyond foolhardy, but she seems oblivious.



Most of the book is narrated by two characters: Maddie and Cleo's ghost. Maddie's narrative ranges from her youth to her adulthood, and she reveals a life-altering secret from her past. In Cleo's sections, the woman addresses Maddie directly, and brags about her own good looks.....her green eyes and straight nose and enticing figure.



Cleo also talks about her beautiful clothes, her children, her parents, her aspirations, her need for a rich man; and her annoyance at Maddie's inquiries into her death.

Additional commentators include a journalist; a bartender; a waitress; a young boy; a young girl; a baseball player; an African-American policewoman; and more.



As the story unfolds, we get a feel for the racist segregated Baltimore of the mid-twentieth century, where women and people of color struggled to get ahead.



Black police officers, for example, didn't get patrol cars or radios, and had to use call boxes to communicate with the police station.



And women journalists were almost non-existent.



We also get a peek at Maddie's Jewish culture, with her kosher home; dual sets of dishes, versions of choreset (a Passover food) and chopped liver; Jewish mother 😊; and the eruv (wire boundary) that encloses some Jewish communities for religious reasons.



By the end we know what happened to Cleo Sherwood, what happened to Tessie Fine, and a lot more. 😲

I admire Maddie for having the strength to defy the old-fashioned traditions of her community and family, and to strive for a fulfilling career. I also applaud Cleo's determination to improve conditions for herself and her sons. In fact most of the characters (except for the out and out criminals) demonstrate admirable qualities as they deal with the everyday problems of life.

I'd recommend the book to fans of literary mysteries and historical novels. 

Rating: 4 stars 

Review of "Her Last Breath: A Police Chief Kate Burkholder Mystery" by Linda Castillo

In this 5th book in the 'Kate Burkholder' series, the Police Chief investigates a hit and run. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with the series is a plus.

*****



In the Amish region of Ohio an Amish man and two of his children are killed in a hit and run incident and Chief of Police Kate Burkholder (formerly Amish) investigates. I enjoyed the book very much up until the end which I thought was overly contrived and not believable.

I also wish the issue of Daniel Lapp's death (killed by Kate when she was 14) would get resolved already. It comes up in every book and in this story feels like it's tacked on just for form's sake.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Nine Elms: A Kate Marshall Thriller" by Robert Bryndza

This is the first book in Robert Bryndza's new 'Kate Marshall' series. Bryndza is also the author of the popular 'Detective Erika Foster' crime novels. ***** In 1995 Detective Constable Kate Marshall of London's Metropolitan Police Service is on the team searching for the 'The Nine Elms Cannibal' - a serial killer who bites chunks from the teenage girls he murders. The killer's fourth victim was just found, and like the other dead girls, has a rope around her neck with a monkey's fist knot. Kate's boss, and occasional lover, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Conway drives her to the crime scene and home, and accidentally drops a set of keys into her shopping bag. At home, Kate finds the keys, which are attached to a rope tied with a monkey's fist knot. Holy crap! DCI Conway is the Nine Elms Cannibal! Conway comes back for his keys, and realizing he's been exposed, almost kills Kate before she clocks him and calls 999. Kate is savaged during Conway's trial because she slept with him, and she subsequently loses her career, gives birth to Conway's son, and starts drinking heavily. ***** Jump ahead fifteen years to 2010 and cannibal Peter is in a prison for the criminally insane. Kate is a recovering alcoholic who teaches criminology at a university in Ashdean, on the south coast of England. Kate's drinking made her an unsuitable mother, and Kate's (and Conway's) 14-year-old son Jake lives with Kate's mum in London. Kate and Jake skype frequently, though, and see each other on school holidays. Kate frets about Jake being the child of a serial killer because the boy may have inherited bad genes. Moreover, though Peter is forbidden to contact Jake now, he may try to get in touch when his son comes of age at sixteen. Kate and her mum try to protect Jake by curtailing his access to social media, but their attempts aren't completely successful. Aside from worrying about Jake, Kate's life is going well. She likes to swim in the ocean; gets along well with her Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor Myra, who lives next door; and relishes her teaching job, where she talks about real cases. In an ironic coincidence, Kate's school presentation about her brush with 'The Nine Elms Cannibal' is immediately followed by an email from the parents of a girl named Caitlyn Murray, who disappeared twenty years ago, at the age of sixteen. The Murrays have come to believe their daughter was an early victim of Peter Conway, and they ask Kate to look for Caitlyn's remains.....so they can bury her. At about the same time, the police become aware that a copycat cannibal, who calls himself a 'A FAN' of Peter Conway, has begun to mimic his hero's crimes. The copycat abducts teenage girls, bites and kills them, and leaves them in dump sites similar to those used by his idol. Kate and her 21-year-old university assistant, Tristan Harper, start to look into Caitlyn's disappearance, and their investigation inevitably overlaps the copycat case. This annoys Detective Chief Inspector Varia Campbell, who's in charge of the copycat inquiries, and she tries to freeze Kate and Tristan out. However, Kate and Tristan discover helpful clues, and - with a nudge from DCI Campbell - call themselves private detectives, have cards printed up, and jump into the copycat probe. (This is a bit dubious, since private detectives in England need to be licensed.) Kate is so disturbed by the search for Caitlyn - and the grisly copycat murders - that she's tempted to drink.....which would scuttle her entire life. The book switches back and forth between the detectives' investigations; Peter Conway's activities in prison; and the actions of the copycat killer. We come to learn that the copycat is able to contact Peter via his mother Enid, who's permitted to visit her son without a glass barrier. Enid is a seductive, well-preserved woman who'd do anything for her beloved son.....with whom she has a disturbing relationship. (Once again this is highly questionable. Enid is strip-searched by prison guards multiple times, but they allow her to bring in bags of sweets THAT GO UNCHECKED. And when Enid's 'hearing aid' mysteriously switches ears - which is noted by a prison guard - it doesn't trigger alarm bells. Are we supposed to believe this?) Peter is angry at Kate for unmasking him 15 years ago, and he plots all kinds of revenge. Peter is aided in this endeavor by the copycat, who is hatching a sinister plot. In the meantime, the copycat is happily abducting and killing girls, and the torture he inflicts is described in lurid detail. So if you're squeamish, this isn't the book for you. For me this thriller is just so-so. The story is engaging, but there are too many unlikely details.....and the relationship between Peter and Enid is batshit crazy. It's hard to believe that someone as disturbed as Peter could have functioned normally and risen to the rank of DCI. On the upside, the characters are interesting, and the copycat's plan - though it stretches credibility - is inventive. I'd probably read the next book in the series, in hopes that the kinks are worked out. Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Robert Bryndza), and the publisher (Thomas & Mercer) for a copy of the book. Rating: 3 stars