Monday, May 29, 2017

"Bad Mommy" by Tarryn Fisher

                                                                                   



"This was my future, this man. I loved him. He was everything I'd wanted when I was young and stupid, but instead settled for George..dull, monotone, silent.. George. He'd been waiting for me, only he didn't know it yet. The two of us carved out of the same block of wood. But, he was coming around. I could see it in his eyes. He used to glow when Jolene walked into the room, now he looked skeptical...bored. I'd be bored with her too."....

Darius and Jolene have a nice life. A nice house. Good jobs, and a beautiful daughter named Mercy. Fig Coxbury has a husband, and a lost child. Fig also has an obsession. Mercy should be hers. Darius should be hers as well. Now to get rid of the "Bad Mommy," and Fig can finally be happy.

We're talking crazy on a whole new level. Believable crazy is what makes this book so wild. I loved it from start to finish. The lengths Fig will go to be Jolene's friend, only to be planning to replace her. Is there anything Fig won't do? I kept expecting that some of this was made up in Fig's mind, only to have the story flip and be told from Darius's side, and then Jolene's. Not everyone is as nice as they seem.

Everyone has secrets and Jolene, Darius and Fig are no exceptions. I wish George would have been more of a character. I almost started to think he wasn't real. Was he or wasn't he? You'll have to read to find out for sure.

The last line of the book just got me. Absolutely loved it. Know any narcissists? You'll recognize them in Fig. The thing with crazy plans, they never really work out the way you think it will. Do they Fig?

"Resurrection America" by Jeff Gunhus

                                                                                            


"Things could have gone in a different direction for him, and Rick knew that. Bertie had taken a chance on him when he'd come back from the war a broken man, and not just because of the arm he was missing. Rumors followed him back into town, hushed conversations of a mission gone wrong in Istanbul. No one knew the details for sure, and no one was about to ask.".....


Sheriff Rick Johnson presides over the small town of "Resurrection, Colorado." First, the local mine has been surrounded and electric fenced. Suspicious that no one has notified the town of the mine being put back in use. Then on a day the town is celebrating a festival, armored vehicles, and men in hazmat suits arrive to quarantine his town. Fear of a deadly virus, has brought them to his door. 

Something suspicious keeps Rick, and his ex Cassie, from buying the official version of what's happening, in town and in the mine. As they discover holes in the "official story," something more sinister is at play. Everyone has been promised a vaccine. In 24 hours everything is supposed to be alright for everyone. Is it all a lie? What really lies beneath this takeover? 

Can Rick save his town? Can Cassie's scientific knowledge lead them out of this? How many lives will be lost? What is really happening in Resurrection? You'll find out that the one person running the show has his own secrets and plans. 

It was an exciting story line, right from the start. It will certainly make you think about the possibilities we could all face. Scary at times, action filled. A few surprises I didn't see coming. 

I enjoyed Rick's character. A former marine, having served in Afghanistan. His toughness, his no nonsense clear thoughts, the kind of guy you want watching over you, if something is threatening your life, and or safety. 

The future is coming. Things we can't even imagine. Overall a thrilling read! 

Thank you Jeff Gunhus







Monday, May 15, 2017

"Dangerous Ends" A Pete Fernandez Mystery by Alex Segura

                                                                                                
                                                         



"Part of being a private detective was accepting that you didn't have all the answers. You might not even after a case is closed. With that knowledge came the acceptance that you had to trust your instinct to guide you down the right path. Pete had felt a shiver of unease as he left the restaurant and Emily. It let him here. The idea of Rick being murdered wasn't the kind of information that would, under normal circumstances, make him rush into action. But something about the news report had stuck in Pete's head, buzzing around like a dream forgotten too soon after waking up."....


This is the third book in this hard boiled detective series. It's also a stand alone, with an interesting, and lots of action, story line. 

Pete Fernandez, P.I., is about to turn his little boring corner of paradise upside down. His partner, Kathy, talks him into taking on a case that nobody else wants to touch. An ex Miami police officer, serving prison time, for the murder of his wife. A murder, his daughter is sure he didn't commit. 

Off shoots of this story, include history of a man who dared to say no to Fidel Castro, causing him to flee to Miami. As you get further into the book, you realize how it relates to Pete. Eventually it relates even further to what he's trying to find out about the ex cop, Varela. 

Is the cop guilty, or was he really innocent all along? Can everyone accept the truth? Lives are in danger, unless Pete and Kathy can move fast enough to protect themselves. How does a drug gang, with ties to Cuba come into play?

Fast paced, and a few well placed surprises. Well written characters. This is always one of my favorite genres. Great story line that pulls you in, takes you for a spin, and tosses you out the other side with all the answers. It also leads you to what could possibly be the next in the series!

Thank you Alex Segura