Review of "Unleashed: An Andy Carpenter Mystery" by David Rosenfelt

In this eleventh book in the 'Andy Carpenter' series, the defense attorney represents a murder suspect and cooperates with the FBI. The story can be read as a standalone.

*****

New Jersey criminal defense attorney Andy Carpenter, who's independently wealthy, rarely accepts new cases.



He prefers to hang around with his P.I. girlfriend Laurie.....



…..and his golden retriever Tara.



So when Andy's accountant Sam asks the lawyer to represent his friend, businessman Barry Price, Andy says no way. 👎

Sam is already scheduled to join Barry for a trip on his private plane, so the accountant sets off for Barry's house. Along the way Sam accidently hits a dog with his car, causing serious injuries. Seeing the imploring look in the dog's eyes, Sam rushes it to a nearly animal hospital, and - as a result - misses the plane.



This turns out to be a good thing because Barry's plane crashes.



When the entrepreneur's body is recovered, the police discover that he died before the accident.....and they arrest Barry's wife, Denise, for murder. Sam has a soft spot for Denise so he once again appeals to Andy for help.



Andy hems and haws but eventually takes Denise's case.

Meanwhile, Sam is convinced that the wounded dog is a 'lucky charm' that saved his life, so he adopts the pooch - who happens to be another golden retriever - and names him Crash. As things play out Crash recuperates at Andy's house, where the dog lounges atop the sofa or lies on the recliner.....which he apparently knows how to operate. 😊



Once Andy takes a case, he zealously defends his client. So - with Laurie's help - Andy investigates Barry, to find out who might have wanted him dead. As a result, Andy makes a shocking discovery, which leads to his cooperation with the FBI.

In chapters that alternate with the murder case, we learn that a mysterious terrorist called Carter is organizing a heinous mission.....and that deceased Barry Price may have been involved.



Moreover, Carter immediately kills anyone who might endanger the operation, no matter the circumstances. Thus, whenever Andy uncovers the name of a co-conspirator working with Carter, that person turns up dead. 

The death of numerous witnesses seriously hampers Andy's case - and things go from bad to worse when Denise accuses someone else of her husband's murder. All this hoopla means that Andy has to make several court appearances, and his examination of witnesses is clever and funny. In fact the book is full of amusing scenes, and I got plenty of chuckles and some hearty laughs. 😁

Many series regulars make an appearance in the story, including: Edna - Andy's secretary, who never does any work;



Hike - Andy's co-counsel, who's so boring that Andy (jokingly) considers suicide;



Marcus - Andy's brawny bodyguard, who scares everyone in sight;



and Sam's 'assistants' - four elderly Jewish computer hackers, one of whom brings delicious rugelach (pastries).



In the end the murderer is uncovered, and Andy has a dramatic showdown with the terrorists.

I enjoyed the story, but would have liked to see more action from the dogs. Tara usually plays a big part in the story, and this time she and Crash mostly lie around, go for walks, and eat dog biscuits....albeit some homemade ones. (The closest my dog ever got to homemade biscuits is a Christmas 'gift box' with red and green treats. 🧡💚)

Though this may not be the author's best work, it's an entertaining mystery, recommended to fans of the genre.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "The Geometry of Holding Hands: An Isabel Dalhousie Novel" by Alexander McCall Smith

Alexander McCall Smith is probably best known for his 'Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency' series, but he's a prolific author who pens other series as well.

In this 13th book in the 'Isabel Dalhousie' series, ethicist Isabel tackles problems related to her niece's engagement, and deals with a dying man's unusual request. The book can be read as a standalone but familiarity with the characters is a plus.

*****

Isabel Dalhousie and her younger husband Jamie live in Edinburgh and have two little boys, Charlie and Magnus. Isabel is a philosopher who publishes and edits The Review of Applied Ethics.....



…..and Jamie is an elite musician who gives concerts, teaches music, and assists with a high school band.



Isabel is the prime beneficiary of a well-funded family trust, but is nevertheless reluctant to splurge on 'fripperies' like expensive restaurants, though she and Jamie do treat themselves on occasion.

Isabel's niece Cat owns an artisanal deli......



…..and has a single employee, a vulnerable young man named Eddie who was rescued from difficult circumstances.



Cat doesn't hesitate to call Isabel when the deli needs an extra pair of hands, and Isabel is always happy to help. Nevertheless the two women have a tricky relationship because Isabel's husband Jamie was once Cat's boyfriend - the only 'nice one.' Cat has a habit of taking up with bad boys, and her current fiancé Leo is a loutish 'hot body' with an eye on Cat's assets, including Cat's small share of the family trust.



Isabel is uncertain what to do about this because, on one hand she doesn't want to see Cat taken advantage of, and on the other hand she thinks people should be allowed to learn from their mistakes.

This kind of thinking is typical of Isabel, who always feels compelled to look at every side of an issue.....to tease out all the ethical implications. Moreover, Isabel's mind constantly wanders down tangents. For example, when Isabel is talking to Cat about the trustees of the family assets, MacGeorge and MacGregor, who travel to other countries to participate in Scottish folk dancing exhibitions.....



…..she starts to think about the men "playing golf together and having tea in the clubhouse, sharing a Dundee cake."



Then Isabel thinks about the trustees " sitting at a shared desk, counting Greek government bonds, a Greek dictionary at their side. She sees them doing a Zorba-like dance on the beach of a Greek Island, still wearing their identical glasses, the sun on their pallid Scottish skin, with, in the background, a chorus of local fisherman and their wives clapping their hands to the music."

Isabel's mind is frequently distracted with random thoughts like this.

In addition to being concerned about Cat, Isabel is thinking about a 68-year-old man named Iain Melrose, who has terminal cancer. Melrose approaches Isabel in a café, mentions acquaintances they have in common, and asks her to be the executor of his will.



Melrose is impressed with Isabel's moral philosophy and wants her to choose which of his relatives will inherit his estate - which is close to his heart, and which he wants to be well-managed. The candidates are artist Jack and his wife Hillary; developer Sarah; and accountant John. As it happens Isabel knows something compromising about one of these people, which complicates the situation.

Isabel's chats with Melrose drift into side issues like films as works of art; irresponsible capitalism; morality in countries that committed genocide like Germany, Cambodia, and Japan; unfulfilled good intentions; the pharmaceutical industry; and so on....all of which have ethical implications. Isabel indulges in this type of chitchat at every opportunity, including with her husband Jamie.

The various ethical issues Isabel tackles in this book come to affect her niece Cat; deli employee Eddie; Jamie's music student Mark; Melrose's heirs; Isabel's philosopher colleagues; and more. On a personal level, Isabel gets help from her housekeeper/nanny Grace and takes care of little Magnus and Charlie. Charlie is a biter, and Isabel agonizes over her remedy for this behavior.



Isabel also has unpleasant interactions with Cat's crude boyfriend Leo, and works on The Review of Applied Ethics (which I'd like to read if it was real 😊).

The plot is slight but engaging, and the book lends itself to a cozy read with a beverage and a snack. I'm curious to see what happens with Cat and Leo, so I look forward to the next entry in the series.

I think fans of Alexander McCall Smith's quiet musings would like the book.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Alexander McCall Smith) and the publisher (Pantheon Books) for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "The Suicide House: A Novel of Suspense" by Charlie Donlea

In this 2nd book in the 'Rory Moore/Lane Phillips' series, the criminalists looks into deaths at a private school. The book works fine as a standalone.

*****

Classy 'Westmont Preparatory High School' in Peppermill, Indiana used to pride itself on graduating ALL its students and sending them on to good colleges. 



Then starting on June 21, 2019, a string of tragedies ruined the school's statistics. Two students were murdered on that summer solstice night, and - in the subsequent year - two more students committed suicide.

The institute's losses were the media's gain. Crime blogger Ryder Hillier has a blog devoted to the Westmont deaths.....



….. and television newsmagazine host Mack Carter has a podcast, called The Suicide House, about the incidents.



Mack Carter rents a house near Westmont Prep, and in the summer of 2020 hires Chicago forensic psychologist/criminal profiler Lane Phillips to contribute to future episodes of the podcast.



Lane leases a cottage in Peppermill and cajoles his girlfriend, forensic reconstructionist Rory Moore, to follow him a couple of days later.



Lane specializes in psychotic killers and Rory is a cold case expert, so they're good 'gets' for The Suicide House podcast.

Up to this point the blog and podcast covered the following: Two students named Andrew Gross and Tanner Landing were brutally killed in an abandoned house on the edge of the Westmont campus on June 21, 2019. A few days later the prime suspect, a chemistry teacher called Charles Gorman, threw himself in front of a train near the abandoned house, and is now a vegetable.



In the following months, two friends of the dead boys, Bridget Matthews and Danielle Landry, also threw themselves in front of trains, and died.

It turns out that Westmont Prep has a secret club, called 'The Man in the Mirror', that meets at the abandoned house.



Each year the club extends invitations to a few juniors, who must perform harrowing challenges to become members. All the dead students were associated with The Man in the Mirror, and - as the story unfolds - more deaths follow.

Lane and Rory make it their mission to unravel all the mysteries at Westmont Prep, and endanger themselves in the process.

The book is very complex, with several subplots. Moreover, the story skips back and forth between the summer of 2019 and the summer of 2020. Thus there's a lot to follow, but once I got into the rhythm I was able to keep up.

A strong point of the book is the wide array of characters, including students; faculty; administrators; parents; journalists; police; and more. The best character is forensic reconstructionist Rory Moore, a woman on the autism spectrum whose favorite beverage is Dark Lord beer.



Rory has trouble making eye contact and is most comfortable wearing a beanie hat; big glasses; and Madden Girl Eloisee combat boots.





Rory also has OCD, which she controls by restoring damaged antique dolls. In this book Rory reconstructs an Armand Marseille Kiddiejoy German baby doll, and the scenes of Rory working on the doll are instructive and interesting.



I won't give away plot secrets but I will say that Charlie Donlea is a master of misdirection and twists. For me the plot is a bit overly contrived, but I enjoyed the book and recommend it to fans of suspense novels.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Charlie Donlea), and the publisher (Kensington Publishing) for a copy of the book.

Rating; 3.5 stars

Review of "Then She Was Gone: A Novel of Suspense" by Lisa Jewell

 

Ten years ago, Londoners Laurel and Paul Mack were happily married with three children, Ellie, Hanna and Jake.



Laurel loved all her children, but the youngest, 15-year-old Ellie, was her favorite. Ellie - smart, beautiful, and warm, with a handsome boyfriend and bright future - had a special bond with Laurel.



Then Ellie left for the library one day and never came home. A police search turned up no clues to Ellie's fate and Laurel's grief was unassuageable and overwhelming.



Now, a decade later, Laurel and Paul are divorced and Hanna's contact with her remaining children amounts to cleaning Hanna's apartment for £30 a pop, and phone calls with Jake - who's living with his girlfriend Blue.



A recent reenactment on 'Crimewatch' reminds the public of Ellie's disappearance, and the girl's remains are found, crushing Laurel's hopes of seeing her daughter again.

Laurel knows she has to move on and the opportunity presents itself when Laurel is having a bite to eat in a café. A nice looking divorcé named Floyd Dunn sits at the next table, strikes up a conversation, and gives Laurel his phone number.

Before long Laurel and Floyd are dating......



…..and Laurel meets Floyd's daughters, twentysomething Sarah Jade and nine-year-old Poppy. Shockingly, Poppy is almost the spitting image of school-age Ellie, with similar intelligence and exuberance, but less fashion sense.



Poppy's mother is long gone so Laurel takes the girl shopping, and catches herself choosing clothes like Ellie wore.

Soon afterwards a dinner is held to celebrate Laurel and her daughter Hanna's joint birthdays, and the guests include Laurel's ex-husband Paul and his new girlfriend Bonny; Jake and Blue; and Floyd and Poppy. (This guest list is unbelievable to me, with the ex-spouses and their new love interests.)



In any case Blue, who's a spiritual flower child, calls to tell Laurel that Floyd has a dark aura and deep secrets....but Laurel gets angry and blows it off.



As it turns out there are LOTS of secrets, revealed by a string of characters, including: Laurel; Ellie (from beyond); Poppy's mother; and Floyd. Some of the book's characters are toxic and stomach-churning, some are manipulative and dishonest, and some are mildly pleasant. There's probably no one you'd want to hang out with for any length of time.

Like any good mystery there are twists, and the astute reader is likely to guess some of them in advance. However this doesn't detract from the impact of the story.

I think fans of psychological thrillers would enjoy the book.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "The Outsider: A Police Chief Kate Burkholder Novel of Suspense" by Linda Castillo

In this 12th book in the 'Kate Burkholder' series, the Chief of Police learns about serious corruption in the Columbus, Ohio Police Department. The book can be read as a standalone. ***** Police Chief Kate Burkholder grew up in an Amish community in Painter's Mill, Ohio but left as a teenager. Kate eventually wound up in Columbus, Ohio where she met Gina Colorosa. The two young women bonded instantly. They moved in together, attended the Police Academy together, and became Columbus cops together. Gina was always a loose cannon, but Kate loved Gina like a sister and ignored her roguish behavior for years. Then Gina went too far and Kate packed up, moved out, and returned to Painter's Mill, where she became Police Chief. Kate and Gina haven't spoken for ten years when Gina crashes her truck on the icy roads of Painter's Mill. Gina is rescued by Amish widower Adam Lengacher who's out sledding with his three young children. Adam takes Gina to his house, administers first aid, and contacts Police Chief Burkholder. Kate makes her way to Adam's house just as a blizzard is roaring into Painter's Mill. Kate is shocked to find her former friend in a highly agitated state and bleeding from a bullet wound. The blizzard makes it impossible to take Gina to a hospital so Adam's Amish neighbor administers medical help. Meanwhile, Gina shamefully admits she was one of a group of bent cops in Columbus who shook down drug dealers, stole money from crime scenes, beat up suspects, and so on. According to Gina, her corrupt comrades went too far one night, and she was about to blow the whistle. Gina goes on to explain that, before she could turn them in, her former buddies framed her for murder, obtained a no-knock warrant, and planned to kill her during the arrest. Gina was ready for them though, and she escaped - getting shot in the process. Now Gina is in Painter's Mill, hoping Kate can help her. Kate repeats this shocking story to her boyfriend John Tomasetti, who's an investigator with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). Both Kate and John think Gina is holding something back, but Tomasetti agrees to check things out. He learns that the BCI is aware of corruption in Columbus and is quietly investigating. Moreover, Gina can supply valuable information.....if the bad guys don't get her first The suspense ratchets up as blizzard conditions strand Gina and Kate in the Amish household while a couple of Columbus cops are on the hunt, determined to find Gina and shut her up....forever. It's interesting to learn more about Kate's early police career. I also liked the peeks into Amish culture, and the scenes where the Lengacher children care for a newborn calf that's been rejected by its mama. This is more of a thriller than a mystery, but there are some twists to keep things interesting. I enjoyed this addition to the Kate Burkholder series and recommended it to fans of thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Linda Castillo), and the publisher (Minotaur Books) for a copy of the book. Rating: 3.5 stars