• Hardcover:368 pages
• Publisher:Minotaur Books (October 11, 2011)
• ISBN-10: 0312622813
• Source: Publisher

On the same night the nation was watching Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon, ten-year-old Charlie Olmstead disappeared. He took off on his bike, never to be seen again. His bike was found in a in the water of Sunset Falls, one of his favorite places to visit. The Perry Hollow Police Chief Jim Campbell discovered the bike and he, among many others, assumed Charlie had fallen into the falls and drowned. His mother refused to believe this, spending the rest of her life investigating her son’s disappearance.

Decades later, Charlie’s younger brother Eric, a mere infant when his brother disappeared, has returned to Perry Hollow to bury his mother and to fulfill her deathbed request: Find Charlie. He requests the help of Nick Donnelly, a former state police officer, for help.  After being fired for assaulting an employee at the county hospital, Nick formed a non-profit foundation dedicated to solving cold-case files. Nick drags Kat Campbell, police chief and daughter of Jim Campbell into the case. Kat has lived in Perry Hollow all her life and could provide valuable resources in his investigation.

The trio soon learns that Charlie wasn’t the only boy that went missing in this time frame.  A handful of children disappeared in Pennsyylvania within years of one another, all taking place at the same time as Apollo missions in space.  Instead of one disappearance they begin to investigate several, on the hunt for an elusive serial killer roaming the quiet towns of Pennsylvania.  In their investigation, they uncover a host of small-town secrets kept hidden and a multitude of residents who would prefer to allow the dead to lie and for the decades-old secrets remain…

Bad Moon is Ritter’s follow-up to his debut, Death Notice, and what a stunning follow-up it is! Both take place in the small town of Perry Hollow, PA, a small town in which everyone knows one another.  Kat’s involvement as both the police chief and daughter of the man who discovered Charlie’s bicycle and the high-school love interest of Eric Olmstead adds a bit of intrigue to the storyline. Additionally, several times throughout the book, I was certain I knew who the abductor was, but without fail I was proved wrong each time. When the truth was ultimately revealed, I was floored; I quite literally shouted “No way!”

Ritter has quite the talent; he develops a compelling storyline as well as deep and complex characters. Each of the main characters have skeletons in their closet and Ritter does a tremendous job of relating this to the storyline. Bad Moon is an absorbing, addictive thriller!Ritter is an author to watch; I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next!

I’d be remiss not to add a bit of a soundtrack to this book…for this was the song playing in my head as I read the book:

Mx3 Review: Bad Moon by Todd Ritter is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

At a very young age, Michael witnessed a horrendous crime.  Since then, he’s been unable to speak. Nearly a decade later, Michael learns he has a special skill: he can pick the most difficult of locks, including padlocks, combination locks, even safes.

As punishment for a prank he and a few other teens participate in, Michael is forced to provide manual labor for the family of the victim.  It is here that Michael’s trade is discovered.  This knowledge falls into the wrong hands and Michael becomes quite a commodity for the wrong kind of people.

Michael also meets Amelia here.  She’s the one bright spot in his life, the one person who understands him.  The both share a love of drawing that brings them closer together, allows them to communicate without words. She gives him hope for a better life, a future.  Their relationship becomes one similar to Romeo & Juliet: two individuals who love one another but cannot due to circumstances beyond their control.

While Michael is bright & extremely intelligent, the fact he does not speak separates him from the outside world.  Because of these circumstances, he’s forced to choose a vocation that puts him in danger.  Michael is an extremely courageous man, forced to deal with the mistakes of the past and see forward to his future. Despite his line of work, he is an man with a conscious, one that prevents him from doing much darker & deadlier things in order to get paid.

This is my first experience with this author and it will not be my last.  Hamilton is extremely talented, weaving the story of a innocent child and the effect that trauma has on his future with a story of crime & corruption.  Ultimately it is also a story of love, and how it can help one overcome any obstacle.

I cannot say enough about the narrator, MacLeod Andrews.  He does an outstanding job of portraying Michael, both as a child and as an adult.  I plan to actively look for and listen to more of his work!

I must thank Jen Forbus from Jen’s Book Thoughts  for recommending this book to me.  I really shouldn’t be suprised at how much I enjoyed this book, Jen’s recommendations have never steered me wrong. Here is Jen’s review of The Lock Artist, a book she calls “one of the most unique books I have read in a long time.”

If you’re looking for a thriller with a unique storyline then The Lock Artist is the book for you.  If you are partial to audiobooks, read it in this format; you won’t regret it.

Review: The Lock Artist (Audiobook) by Steve Hamilton is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

It’s been six months since the case in the previous book The Brutal Telling was solved.  Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is still recovering, both physically & mentally, from this case, in which he arrested a his good friend & citizen of Three Pines for this heinous crime.  The guilt, the feelings of doubt, weighs more heavily than the physical.

While on leave, visiting his mentor in Quebec City, Gamache becomes involved in a case in which a man is found dead in the Literary and Historical Society. The victim, Augustin Renaud, was known to be on an obsessive hunt for the burial ground of Quebec’s founder, Champlain.

The new investigation doesn’t cut Gamache free of his ties to Three Pines, however.  He continues to receive pleas to reopen the case.   Gamache relives his feelings of guilt & doubt through flashbacks to this crime.

Bury Your Dead may very well be my favorite of the sixc-books in the Inspector Gamahe series. Whereas the citizens of Three Pines were the focus of the previous books in this series, Gamache himself is clearly the center of attention in this book.  Readers see a different side of Gamache, one full of emotion, both positive & negative.

Penny did an outstanding job of juggling/mixing the two storylines together.  While other reviews have stated the storyline was so slow-paced, I believe this pacing actually allowed the reader to become more engaged & invested in the characters & storyline.

Fans of intense, character-driven literary suspense will be enamored by Penny’s writing.  As this is a series, I do strongly recommend starting at the beginning  & reading the series in order to fully appreciate the depth of Penny’s characters.  Highly recommended.

Review: Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books (October 12, 2010)
• ISBN-10: 0312622805
• Source: Publisher

Kat Campbell is a single mom & chief of police for the small town of Perry Hollow, PA. Other than a few minor crimes, Perry Hollow is a pretty quiet town. Until one frigidly cold day when a coffin is found on the side of the road.  Inside the coffin is the body of a local farmer.  Two shiny pennies lay over his eyes; his mouth sewn shut.  On his neck was another wound, stitched closed with the same black thread that sealed his mouth.

Henry Goll works for the local newspaper as an obituary writer. It’s his job to makes sure every obituary printed contains a death sentence-the line that details who died, how & when.  Henry has quite the history; after surviving a horrible crash he’s left with a severe scar and burns covering a large portion of his face.  Henry’s a loner, keeps to himself, never smiles.  He’s known as Henry Ghoul by other reporters.

It is normal for Henry to receive faxes from funeral homes, announcing the deaths of citizens of the small town.   However one fax he receives is very different. It is the death notice for George Winnick, the farmer found in the coffin, sent before his body was found.

Chief Campbell knows she’s in over her head and seeks the assistance of Nick Donnelly, a state police officer with special knowledge about serial killers. When Goll continues to receive death notices for the killer’s victims, he becomes an integral part of the investigation.

Death Notice is a chilling & suspenseful debut novel.  Readers will become instantly invested in the well-developed characters.  I felt for Goll’s character, in particular.  In a hell of his own already due to the horrific accident that scared him, he faces his own fears to help save the citizens of the small town.

What really impressed me about this book was the fact that it isn’t one of those formulaic, cookie cutter crime novels.  It was well-paced, not rushed at all.  The killer was kept a secret til the very end, despite several false leads. All in all, I can’t say enough just how much I recommend Death Notice.  It’s one of those one-sitting thrillers; you won’t be able to pull yourself away til you turn the last page.

I’m not sure if Ritter plans a follow-up to this novel.  In any case, I look forward to reading what he writes next.

Review: Death Notice by Todd Ritter is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

The book I’m eagerly awaiting is THE NIGHT SEASON by Chelsea Cain. It’s the fourth book in Chelsea’s Beauty Killer series.  I literally yelled with excitement yesterday when I read about it on Twitter.  Here is a synopsis from the publisher:

 As Archie follows the bizarre trail of evidence and evil deeds to catch his killer, he has to battle the rising waters of the Willamette first.

I’m literally aching to get my hands on a copy of this book! I’ve been a Chelsea Cain fan from the beginning! As a matter of fact, during Dectectives Around the World, hosted by Jen’s Book Thoughts,  I did a spotlight on Chelsea Cain’s Portland.

THE NIGHT SEASON is scheduled for release by Minotaur Books on March 1, 2011.  Over seven months to wait…however will I do it!?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Night Season by Chelsea Cain is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1 edition (September 1, 2009)
• ISBN-10: 0312368488
• Source: Publisher

Archie Sheridan was held captive and tortured by Gretchen Lowell, a beautiful and sexy serial killer who has haunted the citizens of Portland, OR for years.  She brags that she’s killed over 200 people, and she nearly killed Archie. He’s voluntarily admitted himself into a psychiatric hospital in an attempt to get over his addiction of Vicoden, and Gretchen herself.

Archie’s not the only one who is infatuated with Gretchen. Her crimes have been sensationalized by the media; Hundreds of “Beauty Killer” fan sites have popped up on the internet.  There’s even a tour bus that drives tourists around to the spots where Gretchen’s victims’ bodies were found.

When body parts are discovered in the bathroom of a local rest stop, along with the tell-tale “hearts” Gretchen was known to decorate her crime scenes (and victims!) with, everyone believes the serial killer is killing again.  Archie’s good friend, Detective Henry Sobol, new lead of the “Beauty Killer” task force, asks Archie to check himself out of the psych ward to once again join the hunt for Gretchen. Joining the hunt alongside Archie and Henry is Susan Ward, a reporter for the local newspaper, another near-victim of the Beauty Killer.

Bodies begin showing up at the sites of Gretchen’s killings.  Something seems a little off to Archie. Gretchen’s MO is to remove the spleens of her victims and to carve hearts on their bodies.  These new victims don’t quite fit the profile of Gretchen’s handiwork.  Once again, Archie puts his own life in danger in order to find the truth behind the killings.

Chelsea Cain has once again done a stunning job!  Her ability to portray such a vicious killer astounds and impresses me.  As in the previous two books, Sweetheart and Heartsick, the relationship between Archie and Gretchen fascinates me!  Archie’s character has performed an astounding transformation.  He literally went from a bumbling love-sick puppy in Gretchen’s presence to a relatively strong character.

There are quite a few scenes in  Evil at Heart that are terrifying and gruesome, even more so than any of Cain’s previous books. However, this wasn’t just randomly inserted, I think it was done to realistically capture the pure evil that resides in the killer.

I highly recommend this, and the other “Beauty Killer” books to anyone who enjoy a nice, terrifying read! Take a peak at the book’s trailer!

I’m now happy to announce a special giveaway!  One grand prize winner will receive the entire “Beauty Killer” series: a paperback of Heartsick, an ARC of Sweetheart, and a hardback copy of Evil at Heart.  One runner-up will win an audiobook of Heartsick. To be entered into the contest, please fill out the form below. Contest is open to US and Canadian residents only.  Contest ends Monday, April 26th.

Please be sure to come back on Saturday for post about Chelsea Cain’s Portland.  You see, in Cain’s writing, the setting is practically a character itself.  Cain made sure to pick real locations to detail in her books, and on Saturday we’re going to take a tour of these spots!

Review & Giveaway: Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

 

Sgt. Michael McCabe, a former NYPD detective, has recently moved to Portland, ME in the hopes of finding a safer place to raise his thirteen-year-old daughter. McCabe soon learns that Portland isn’t as safe as he believed.  Someone is stealing the hearts of young athletic women-literally.  Their bodies are found with their hearts  removed with surgical precision. 

When another young women goes missing, the pressure is on.  McCabe and his partner, Detective Maggie Savage, begin investigating a local prominent cardiac surgeon, Philip Spencer. McCabe wonders if the hearts are being harvested for transplant,  but Spencer is convinced they are not.  The secrets hidden in his past make Spencer a prime suspect. 

As if McCabe isn’t under enough pressure his ex-wife, who has been out of their daughter’s life for three years, forces her way into the picture again.  She insists that their daughter needs her in her life.  As the investigation unfolds, we also learn a great deal about McCabe’s character.  I really appreciated that his character was flawed.  He has several emotional ghosts hiding in the closet. The parallel storyline dealing with his relationships with his ex-wife, daughter, and current love interest added depth to the story.

The Cutting is a very impressive debut novel. I was so intrigued and engaged in the characters and the storyline that I devoured the book. There was no point at which I lost interest or thought the story was dragging. Everything flowed at a perfect rate, nothing was drawn out or rushed.  This is one of those books you have to make time to read in one sitting, for you will be unable to pull yourself away. I’m excited to learn there is more to come from this author.  I will impatiently await the release of his next book and will rush out to get it as soon as it hits the stores!

About the Author:

Like McCabe, I’m a native New Yorker. He was born in the Bronx. I was born in Brooklyn. We both grew up in the city. He dropped out of NYU Film School and joined the NYPD, rising through the ranks to become the top homicide cop at the Midtown North Precinct. I graduated from Brown and joined a major New York ad agency, rising through the ranks to become creative director on accounts like the US Army, Procter & Gamble, and Lincoln/Mercury.

We both married beautiful brunettes. McCabe’s wife, Sandy dumped him to marry a rich investment banker who had “no interest in raising other people’s children.” My wife, Jeanne, though often given good reason to leave me in the lurch, has stuck it out through thick and thin and is still my wife. She is also my best friend, my most attentive reader and a perceptive critic.

Both McCabe and I eventually left New York for Portland, Maine. I arrived in August 2001, shortly before the 9/11 attacks, in search of the right place to begin a new career as a fiction writer. He came to town a year later, to escape a dark secret in his past and to find a safe place to raise his teenage daughter, Casey.

There are other similarities between us. We both love good Scotch whiskey, old movie trivia and the New York Giants. And we both live with and love women who are talented artists.

There are also quite a few differences. McCabe’s a lot braver than me. He’s a better shot. He likes boxing. He doesn’t throw up at autopsies. And he’s far more likely to take risks. McCabe’s favorite Portland bar, Tallulah’s, is, sadly, a figment of my imagination. My favorite Portland bars are all very real.

You can visit our website at www.jameshaymanthrillers.com.

Review & Blog Tour: The Cutting by James Hayman is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.