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Emma Caldridge is running in an ultramarathon in South America.  A bomb explodes on the race route, and as Emma recovers from the shock of the blast a stranger injects something into her arm.  Amazingly, Emma is able to complete the 55 mile race and does so in record time.

Emma’s not the only one under attack. Back in Washington D.C., Emma’s good friend Edward Banner is defending Darkview (a security agency) from the FBI, Congress, & the IRS, due actions that took place in Colombia (Running from the Devil).  Cameron Sumner, the man responsible for saving Emma’s life in Colombia, is on board a luxury cruise ship off the coast of Somalia.  When the ship is attacked by pirates, Sumner is the only one onboard with a weapon powerful enough to defend the ship, albeit temporarily.

The three characters are brought together when Sumner learns that a chemical weapon is onboard the ship.  Emma, a chemist, must risk her life to get onboard the ship and determine how how dangerous this weapon is.

Once again, Freveletti doesn’t fail to impress me.  As in Running from the Devil, there is no lack of action and suspense in Running Dark.  From beginning to end, my heart was pounding. Fans of Running from the Devil will be happy to read more about it’s characters, but the author provides enough back story to get a new reader up to speed. My only complaint would be the resolution…it all seemed to end a bit too quickly for me.  Granted, it was very intense and exciting, I just wanted a little more. It is obvious that Freveletti plans on continuing the series; I’m definitely interested in reading more from this author!

Be sure to check back later today and win an ARC of Running Dark!

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On December 24, 1800, an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Napoleon brutally massacres several innocent bystanders. Chief Inspector Roch Miquel must rush to find the guilty party before another attack is attempted.  His efforts are thwarted by internal politics and  corruption within the police force.  His work is also hindered by his superior, Minister of Police Fouche, who arrests his father when Miquel’s investigation leads him in a direction Fouche finds undesirable. His father’s fate and life are held in the balance. Can Miquel reveal the identies of the guilty parties and preserve the life of his dear father?

Delors paints a very vivid setting. For the King combines two of my favorite genres: history & thrillers. Although the reader knows of the identities of the bombers early on in the book, their motives and incentives for the bombing are carefully and intricately revealed throughout.  What I really enjoyed about this book is the amount of historical detail.  It’s not only an investigation to find and put to justice three individuals, but a history lesson as well.  The reader also learns a great deal about the politics and turmoil of France at this time.

Initially, not very much about Miquel is known, but Delors provides a bit of history about this character through flash-backs to his childhood. Miquel is an extremely likeable and compelling character.  Unlike others in his station, he did not come from a wealthy family. His promotion to such a high level within the police force shows his dedication to this cause.

 I highly recommend For the King to readers of historical/political thrillers.

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Four young friends from Sexton College in Vermont formed a group called the Compassionate Dismantlers.  The motto of the Dismantlers was: ” To understand the nature of a thing, it must be taken apart.”  The leader of the group is Suz, whose main motivation is revenge.

They spent a summer in a remote cabin with Suz plotting crazy pranks and seemingly innocent acts of destruction. Suddenly, Suz’s plans become much more violent and Suz is killed. The group breaks up, vowing not to speak of the incident, and they go live their own lives. 

A decade later two of the members, Henry DeForge and Tess Kahle, have married and now have a nine year-old daughter, Emma.  Their marriage is in a shambles and Henry has moved into the garage apartment.  Emma and a friend are determined to get Emma’s parents back together. They come across evidence of the couple’s past. Believing that reuniting the group of friends will bring the couple back together, they  decide to send postcards to those individuals who played such a key part in their lives.

Soon after Henry and Tess learn that one of their friends has committed suicide. They fear what happened ten years ago has been revealed and is beginning to haunt them.  A private investigator has been hired by the family of the suicide victim and begins snooping around, asking a lot of questions.

Young Emma plays a very key role in this story.  She has an imaginary friend named Danner, who starts making comments and asking questions that remind Henry and Tess of Suz and that tragic summer long ago. They soon feel like they are being watched.  Is it possible that Suz has returned from the grave to make them pay for what happened so long ago?

McMahon weaves a very intriguing tale in Dismantled, a character-driven thriller told from the point of view of several of the  main characters. She weaves the past with the present in a very fluid manner.   The several plot twists keep the reader engaged, not knowing what to expect with each turn of the page.   I warn you, this one is addictive, forcing me to stay up late at night to finish reading it.  I’m quite a fan of psychological thrillers, those seem to be the only type that really spook me.  Mcmahon wove bits of suspense in with the supernatural. I found myself turning on all the lights in the house, jumping at every little sound I heard. This book got to me…in a very good way.  Highly recommend to fans of literary thrillers.

About Jennifer McMahon

I was born in 1968 and grew up in my grandmother’s house in suburban Connecticut, where I was convinced a ghost named Virgil lived in the attic. I wrote my first short story in third grade. I graduated with a BA from Goddard College in 1991 and then studied poetry for a year in the MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College.

A poem turned into a story, which turned into a novel, and I decided to take some time to think about whether I wanted to write poetry or fiction. After bouncing around the country, I wound up back in Vermont, living in a cabin with no electricity, running water, or phone with my partner, Drea, while we built our own house. Over the years, I have been a house painter, farm worker, paste-up artist, Easter Bunny, pizza delivery person, homeless shelter staff member, and counselor for adults and kids with mental illness—I quit my last real job in 2000 to work on writing full-time. In 2004, I gave birth to our daughter, Zella. In 2005, we left the woods (for now), and moved to Barre, Vermont—producer of one-third of all the granite gravestones and mausoleums in the US.

My first novel, Promise Not to Tell, was published in 2007. The follow-up, Island of Lost Girls, was published in 2008, as was my debut young adult novel My Tiki Girl.

Visit Jennifer at her website, www.jennifer-mcmahon.com, and friend her on MySpace!  If you are attending BEA, McMahon will be signing copies of Dismantled, Thursday, May 27 from 3-3:30 PM at Table 20!

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to take part in this tour.  Be sure to check out the other stops:

Tuesday, May 18th:  Rundpine

Thursday, May 20th:  Luxury Reading

Tuesday, May 25th:  The Cajun Book Lady

Thursday, May 27th:  Lit and Life

Monday, May 31st:  I’m Booking It

Tuesday, June 1st:  Drey’s Library

Wednesday, June 2ed:  Bookalicio.us

Thursday, June 3rd:  Chick With Books

Monday, June 7th:  Regular Rumination

Wednesday, June 9th:  Booksie’s Blog

Thursday, June 10th:  Take Me Away

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In the eighth book of the Jack Reacher series, we flashback to 1990.  Reacher is a twenty-nine year old military police major for the 110th special unit. The Soviet Union is about to collapse and, with the Cold War at an end, the military faces a reduction in force.  The body of a two-star general is found in a seedy hotel near the base.  He appears to have experienced a heart attack. Reacher, recently reassigned to Fort Bird, NC is assigned to the case.  The general’s briefcase is missing, inside was an agenda to a very secretive meeting.  When the general’s wife is found bludgeoned to death just a few hours later, Reacher realizes the general’s death can’t be attributed to natural causes.  A third body is also found, the body of a gay soldier who was killed in a horrific manner. His superiors want Reacher to report this as  training accident.  During his investigations, Reacher learns his counterparts at 20 other bases were reassigned at the same time he was, December 29th.  Clearly something is going on, for who would exert the power required to accomplish a reassignment of this magnitude?

Reacher has a lot to deal with in his personal life as well. His mother, who lives in France, admits to Reacher and his older brother Joe that she is dying of cancer and doesn’t have much time to live. This foray into his personal life gives long-time fans of the Reacher books a rare glimpse of the personal side of Jack Reacher.  What transpires between Reacher and his brother in this book further explains their relationship in previous books.

When I started listening to this book, I was a bit wary of the flashback.  Ultimately, however, I was able to gain a better understanding of Reacher as a person as well as his motives.  As always, Child really delivers with this one.  His books never fail to impress me. They are consistently full of plot twists, action and intrigue.  The Enemy probably has more political commentary than the other Reacher books I have read thus far; this was a change that I really enjoyed.

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• Paperback: 162 pages
• Publisher: Bennett & Hastings; 1st edition (October 1, 2009)
• ISBN-10: 1934733385
• Source: Author

A child goes missing in Carver Isle, Washington, and FBI Special Agent Ash is put on the case. The small, quiet community is turned upside down in an attempt to find her.  The prime suspect is Edwin Monk, son of a vicious killer.  Monk himself was involved in an incident with a young girl, one that was kept quiet by the townspeople. When a second child goes missing, Ash must pick up the speed on this horrifying case.

Parker Kelly, a Carver Isle native, returns to the small town when her mother passes away. The return is difficult for her; not long ago she too was victim of a horrible crime. Her cousin, Connor, was severely disturbed.  He came to live with Parker’s family after his own died in a horrible fire. Connor is now in jail, after attempting to kill his own family. He’s supposed to be locked up for a very long time, but Parker can’t help but wonder if he is somehow involved in the kidnappings. 

Ash brings in Parker to help with the case, for he’s going to need all the help he can get.  The incident involving Edwin Monk isn’t the only thing the town is keeping secret.

Corso does an outstanding  job of portraying the setting, but unfortunately this one fell short with me.  It’s a short read, less than 200 pages.  It seemed like the author was trying to pack too much into this small book.  I believe it would have a great deal more potential if it was a bit longer.  While Parker’s character is developed adequately, there were quite a few secondary characters that I would have liked to known more about.  It felt at times that I was jumping into a series mid-way.  I would have appreciated “back story” of the events that took place between Parker and her cousin.  Also, the number of characters go to be overwhelming  for me. I literally had to take notes in order to keep track of them all. While the storyline is a compelling one, all the things that were lacking prevented me from truly enjoying this book.  That said, I did appreciate Corso’s writing style and would read more of her work.

About the Author:

D.C. Corso, a Bay Area native, began life reading Nancy Drew books and writing stories featuring her sister’s cat, Fonzie. She likes to think she has become more discriminating over the years in both reading and writing material. While working at a law firm and going to college, she interned at The Nose magazine, and then later worked in PR for the animators of Colossal Pictures. After much practice over the years–not to mention blood, sweat and tears (well, late nights, anyway)–she produced Skin and Bones, her debut novel. She now lives with her husband, Michael, in the San Francisco Bay Area.

You can visit D.C. at her website: www.skinandbonesnovel.com

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On Monday, I introduced you all to the thrilling & bone-chilling world of Chelsea Cain.  As I mentioned, setting in Cain’s novels are like a character in and of themselves, so I thought it would be perfect to get a real glimpse inside the world of Chelsea Cain’s Portland. Following are just a few of the Portland, OR-area sites mentioned in Evil at Heart:

Pittock Mansion was the home of Portland pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock from 1914 to 1919. The mansion serves as a monument to all the contributions the family made to Portland. The home was equipped with progressive features including a central vacuum system, intercoms, and indirect lighting. The mansion was opened to the public in 1965.  In Chelsea Cain’s Portland, the Pittock Mansion is one of Gretchen Lowe’s many crime scenes.

Portland’s Rose Gardens was created in as a place for Georgiana Burton Pittock to exhibit her roses for her friends and family.  It’s renowned for it’s tens of thousands of rose varieties.  Unfortunately, this beautiful, scenic garden was yet another on of Gretchen Lowe’s crime scenes.

The Columbia River Gorge, an 80-mile geologic wonder that forms the border between northern Oregon and southern Washington, is proof of Nature’s unbridled strength. Glacial floods thousands of years ago carved this 1,200-mile-long river, which is the only sea-level passage to cross the Cascade Mountains.  And..you’ve guessed it correctly, it’s another crime scene.

Following is a video of Chelsea Cain herself, touring through Portland.  She also describes how she was inspired to write about a female serial killer.  She starts at the beginning, with  scenes from Heartsick. Be careful, there are some spoilers!

I hope this glimpse inside Chelsea Cain’s Portland hasn’t tainted your feelings about this great city!

Don’t forget, you can still enter to win the entire Chelsea Cain “Beauty Killer” library! Contest ends on 4/26!

I’d be remiss not to thank Jen from Jen’s Book Thoughts for arranging Detectives Around the World! She did an outstanding job!  I discovered several new blogs and authors, so THANK YOU JEN!!

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• 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!

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Homicide detective Taylor Jackson has seen her share of disturbing murders during her career in Nashville.  She’s met her match with the latest serial killer, The Conductor.  He captures young women, places them in a glass coffin and watches as they slowly starve to death.  After they die, he assaults them and disposes them in a manner that recreates scenes from famous paintings.

She mentions these crimes to her fiance, FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin, and finds it is reminicent of a slew of murders taking place in Europe.  Has the killer come across the pond to wreak havoc on the States, or are there two killers at large?  Jackson and Baldwin join forces with New Scotland Yard detective James “Memphis” Highsmythe and attempt to put an end to these killings.

Once again, Ellison doesn’t fail to impress me.  If you want a thriller full of action and twists and turns, this is the author for you.  Taylor Jackson is a character that one can’t help to like, and the side story of her romance with Baldwin really adds to the storyline.  Jackson is a smart, no nonsense kind of cop and I think that’s a great attribute to see in crime fiction.  

Technically, this is the fourth book in the Taylor Jackson series, but it could definitely serve as a stand-alone.  Ellison relays a great deal of back story to the reader.  I would still highly recommend you read the entire series, though (All the Pretty Girls, 14, Judas Kiss).  To make it easier for you, the author has made a free ebook  of ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS  available. So run, not walk, to your local book store and pick up a copy of one of Ellison’s books. I guarantee you won’t regret it!

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• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Jove (November 27, 2007)
• ISBN-10: 0515143820
• Source: Self-purchase

Jack Reacher is back on the road again after trying, unsuccessfully, to settle down. He’s hitchhiking in dry, hot, Texas when he is picked up by Carmen Greer, an attractive Hispanic woman.  It isn’t until they are miles down the road when Carmen tells Reacher the reason why she picked him up–she desperately needs his help.  Her husband, Scoop, will soon be released from prison. Scoop beat Carmen for rive years and is in prison for evading the IRS. Carmen fears for her life, and the life her six year old daughter, Ellie. Carmen begs Reacher to help her, and by help she means killing her husband.

Reacher, a former military police officer, won’t resort to violence unless violence is what is due. He ultimately agrees to accompany Carmen back to the Greer family farm and help protect her.

Once Scoop is released from prison things change for the worse.  Carmen is carted off to prison, and it’s up to Reacher to prove her innocence.

Echo Burning is a classic Reacher book: full of action and intrigue. There are so many twists and turns you don’t know who to believe.  Child has created an outstanding character in Reacher: strong, independent, but not afraid to get dirty when necessary. Reacher looks rough on the outside but he’s definitely a teddy bear on the inside.  Child also does a great job of building the secondary characters, they are each well-developed

While there is technically an order to the series, I think each can serve as a stand alone.  Any relevant back story is typically relayed to the author.

The Jack Reacher series are addictive, I don’t recommend you start one without having the next one ready!  I’ve listened to the audiobooks of all of them thus far, Echo Burning is the fifth in the series. The narrator is Dick Hill and it seems as if these books were made to be read by him.  There’s something about his voice that is truly “Reacher.”

Needless to say, I highly recommend this book.

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• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Center Street (April 13, 2010)
• ISBN-10: 1599951967
• Source: Publisher

A serial killer has struck Denver and has already taken four victims. He’s called the Bride Collector by the FBI because of the bridal veil he leaves behind at the crime scene. FBI Special Agent Brad Raines has his work cut out for him, especially when one of the victims remind him of a former girlfriend who committed suicide.

After profiling the serial killer, the FBI determines that he is an extremely intelligent individual, but with severe mental illness. Raines gets help on the case from “patients” of the Center for Wellness and Intelligence, a private psychiatric institution for mentally ill individuals whose are extremely gifted intellectually. There he meets Paradise,  a young woman diagnosed as schizophrenic.  Paradise witnessed her father kill her family, barely escaping death herself.  It appears as she has special abilities which allows the FBI to see aspects of the victim never seemed before.

But when the Bride Collector picks up his pace and begins killing more frequently and becomes a bit more personal, Brad begins to wonder if they’ll ever be able to put an end to his vicious, sadistic killing.

Once again, Dekker does another outstanding job with The Bride Collector! He steps inside the killer and portrays him remarkably.  The reader is able to feel what the killer feels, see what the killer sees. The descriptions of the killings are so vivid they are terrifying, one of the many things I enjoy about Dekker’s writing. Dekker’s characters are also very complex and compelling. Finally, as he does in most of his novels, Dekker does insert a small bit of faith this story.

I read The Bride Collector on a red-eye flight.  I should have been sleeping but couldn’t bear to put this book down! I highly recommend this to fans for crime fiction and thrillers.

Want to connect with the author? Check out:

Ted’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/teddekker

Ted’s Twitter: www.twitter.com/teddekker

Ted’s website: www.teddekker.com

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