Guest Reviewers

Special Guest Review: Karen Miner (Amber's mom!)

Steve Berry’s The Jefferson Key (Ballantine hc, $26)

Cotton Malone spent 12 years as an agent for the Magellan Billet, a covert U.S. intelligence group. It is headed by Stephanie Nell, his close and trusted friend to whom he is very loyal. Although the experienced and well-educated Cotton has retired and now runs an antique book shop in Copenhagen, he returns to his former profession when Stephanie sends a note asking to meet him in New York and to "trust no one". The meeting turns into an asssassination attempt on the President and Stephanie is missing. Cotton learns of a secret society, the "Commonwealth", which has its roots going back to Americain Revolutionary-era pirates.

Berry weaves the past and the present into a fast moving story that involves solving a code which has remained unsolved for 200 years and modern day "pirates". It's Cotton versus the "Commonwealth" to see who can possess the "letter of marque" that could give the "Commonwealth" unbelievable power.

I am a dedicated Steve Berry fan who has devoured each of his books as soon as they are released. His books are meticulously researched and the historical elements support the story line, adding to the overall appeal of the book. In Jefferson Key, he has blended Americain history with present day events where the past will have serious unforseen consequences in the present. All made very believable. My personal favorite part of his books is his "Writer's Notes" where he tells you what is fact and what is fiction. I like history and a good mystery and with Berry I get both!

The Keeper of Lost Causes - Jussi Adler-Olsen

 

By Gina (aka the Cookie Lady)

               

This is one of those books you put on your wish list then slowly watch the calendar to see if it's actually made it to the bookstore. Aside from the bright orange cover, I'd read nothing but high praise for Jussi Adler-Olsen and once I had the book in hand there came that moment of trepidation. One thought going through my mind: if he's an international best-selling author why has it taken so long to get published in the States? Be that as it may, not every Scandinavian author can be as good as Stieg Larsson, even though every dust-jacket would have you believing so.

               

I started the prologue on the way home from the bookstore via the Link Lite Rail. And just that small piece, a little more than a page long, I knew the author had me hooked.

               

Carl Mørck is a homicide detective recovering from a gunshot wound to his temple. His two colleagues weren't as lucky, one dead and the other paralyzed from the neck down. The other detectives in the squad deem him a belligerent pest and don't want to work with him. The solution of how to handle the independent and outspoken detective comes down through parliament when a new directive is posted, creating a cold cases department within the police station.

               

This new post seems the perfect nook for Carl and he finds himself relegated to a far corner of the basement with a door propped against the wall next to his office and no case files. At first he finds this suitable to his needs as propping his feet on the corner of his desk and leaning back for an afternoon nap is all he has the energy for. We discover quickly why Carl wasn't kicked out the door and forced into retirement. He's rather good at what he does. Detecting.

               

It isn't long before he discovers the allotment for his new department, Department Q, already has funding being redirected into other areas. Bringing this discrepancy to light for his superior, he is able to make a few demands and soon he's got an office complete with a large screen television, unlimited internet access, his own vehicle and an assistant, Assad. Assad is the spark that ignites the fire under Carl, but in a very subtle way and with all his quirks and secrets, he's one of the more interesting sidekicks around. At first only thought of as the cleaner, he's soon given more important tasks, such as chasing paperwork from the secretaries upstairs or following leads via the phone. His timely insights and perspectives keep Carl focused on the first case he decides to pursue.

               

A missing person's case over five years old, involving a politician. Following the paper trail in the case file, Carl soon thinks it is a fairly easy open and shut case. It doesn't take long to realize there is much more involved in the disappearance and new facts begin to come to light.

               

Overall, Carl is an interesting character. He's dealing with the trauma of being shot and blaming himself in part for the outcome, he's playing surrogate father to his step-son while his wife (who doesn't want a divorce) is living with another man and still calling on him for financial backing. He's a bit lazy, short-tempered and has a wry sense of humor. His deals with those he works with in almost a state of tolerance, and is quick to point out their shortcomings while being just as quick to offer assistance. They're on the same team, but they don't have to get along.

               

Part mystery, part thriller, Jussi Adler-Olsen does a fantastic job of weaving a storyline and feeding out just enough clues to keep you guessing. Forget about the comparisons, he ranks beside the top in his field. And the dogged persistence of his detective leads us to believe Department Q will provide a few more cases worth reading about.

               

“For a moment Carl tried to picture everything in his mind, and then it happened. Somewhere inside of him, where cause and effect were not weighed against each other, and where logic and explanations never challenged consciousness, in the place where thoughts could live freely and be played out against each other – right there in that spot, things fell into place, and he understood how it all fitted together.”

Marie recommends:

A river runs through it. Yep, the Madison River runs through The Royal Wulff Murders (Feb., Viking hc, $26.95), a well-crafted tale of fly fishing, environmental disaster, and broken humans by the award-winning survival editor of Field and Stream Magazine, author Keith McCafferty.

Expert knowledge of fly fishing and hazards to the prized wild trout population of Montana flows through a detective story wry with knowledge of destructive human motivations. McCafferty establishes a counterpoint pace between Hyalite County Sheriff Ettinger and a mess of a man who used to be somebody back East.

Graphic descriptions of trout fishing lures fill the book, either as the lure for varied fishing locations and conditions or the clue impaled through each murder victim’s body. And for readers who savor a mysterious female who is trouble with a capital ‘T’, McCafferty serves up an almost noir Southern belle singer who hires that mess of a man to find her missing brother.

In his first novel, McCafferty creates a believable world populated with ornery locals and their small town life, the chronic tension between tourist and resident, and erosion of integrity in the face of big money that proves satisfying and left this reader wanting more, please.

Signing on June 16th at Noon Guest Reviewer: Gina ‘the cookie lady’ In this 8th book in the Walt Longmire series, Craig Johnson once again places his protagonist in a setting outside his normal jurisdiction, albeit a bit closer to home than the streets of Philadelphia. The story takes place on the Montana Indian Reservation, a few hours north of Absaroka County, Wyoming. When Walt discovers the location designated for his daughter's upcoming wedding has suddenly become unavailable, he and his best friend Henry Standing Bear are faced with the prospect of finding another suitable area for the event. Following the advice of the Cheyenne Chief Lonnie Little Bird, the two travel to a place known as Painted Warrior Cliffs. There Walt witnesses a woman falling to her death. The investigation is headed by the newly appointed tribal police chief, Lolo Long, a woman reminiscent of most in Walt's life: headstrong, outspoken, and beautiful. Lacking experience, Lolo convinces Walt to assist with the investigation and he takes on the role of mentor. Caught up in the investigation, playing go-between with an old friend from the FBI, and his daughter's imminent arrival, Walt has more than enough to keep himself occupied. Henry remains a steadfast anchor, providing timely advice and assistance that Walt relies on. The best thing I've discovered about Craig's books, what keeps me re-reading them, isn't just the beautiful sense of location he paints with words, and the laid back, sometimes subtle, humor laced throughout, but the people and their relationships. Craig captures the essence of people, their motivations, fears, and wonder at life and situations they face, and is able to project that onto the page. Highly recommended series, and is slated for broadcast as a 10-episode, television series on A&E later this year, entitled “Longmire”.