• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (January 31, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 075824665X
• Source: Author

Former Navy Seal Tom Hawkins doesn’t have the best of relationships with his teenage daughter, Jill. Frankly, he has no relationship with her, thanks to his ex-wife. When she dies, apparently an accident while jogging, Tom is forced to attempt to make amends with Jill. Jill has grown up listening to her mother’s lies about Tom and, traumatized by her mother’s death, isn’t in the mood to trust him right now.  They attempt to allow life to get back to normal, as normal as it can be at least.

Soon their attempts at normalcy are put on hold; the town’s police sergeant insinuates that Tom is a suspect in his ex-wife’s death. As if things can’t get worse, an anonymous Tumblr posts accuses Tom of having sex with one of the girls on the soccer team he coaches. Jill is also on this team and these accusations essentially put a halt on any attempts  of progress in the relationship with her father.  Tom willingly gives up his work computer to the police, simply wanting to rid his name of any accusations of guilt. When he’s arrested, not only for the accused relationship with his player but also several other pretty heinous crimes, Tom realizes all of these false accusations, these attempts to imprison him, to ruin his life, are all due to his actions over a decade ago.  A secret he’s kept hidden for so many years, the reason his wife left him. Someone is willing to ruin his life to protect this truth he’s buried for all this time.

Without a doubt, Helpless is one of the most terrifying books I have read in some time. In this book, Palmer unveils a world of sexting and cyber crimes that is all too realistic, of how easy it is for an individual to infiltrate your computer system,  to ruin your life. It’s all too incredibly chilling. The storyline is truly unique and incredibly realistic, adding to the terror and chills that flooded my body as I read this book. This is yet another book that has fueled quite a lengthy conversation with my pre-teen son about what is appropriate to share online.

Additionally, the identity of the “culprit” truly keeps you guessing up until the last several pages.  Several times, I thought I had it all figured out and each time I was completely floored when my guess was disproved.  Another key to the success of this book are the father and daughter characters of Tom and Jill. You become invested in their lives, want the to survive and have a healthy parent-child relationship again.

Bottom line, if you are looking for a dynamic thriller with genuine characters, Helpless is the book for you. If you haven’t read Palmer’s previous book, Delirious, I encourage you to do that as well. Highly recommended.

Review: Helpless by Daniel Palmer is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

Frightful Friday is a weekly meme in which I feature a particularly scary or chilling book that I’ve read that week.

The featured book this week is Defending Jacob by William Landay

• Hardcover:432 pages
• Publisher:Delacorte Press (January 31, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0385344228
• Source: Publisher (BEA)

Every parent likes to believe they know their child: what kind of person they are, what they are/are not capable of. What happens when it turns out that you didn’t know your child quite as well as you believed?

Andy Barber is a well-respected Assistant District Attorney in the small Massachusetts down where he, his son Jacob, and his wife Laurie reside. They are your typical suburban family, content with their lives.

One morning things change.  A boy who attends the same middle school as Jacob is found murdered, stabbed to death on a path in the woods that leads to the school. Since it has the potential to be a high-profile case, Andy accepts the case. He joins the police in interviewing the students about the deceased. One individual suggests he check out what is being said about the crime on Facebook. When he does, he sees that Jacob’s best friend implicates Jacob in the crime, reporting to have seen him with a knife. He takes this news at face value: it appears to be just a bunch of kids posting their opinions on social media. Nothing to be worried about. Yet, he’s completely shocked by what happens next: Jacob is arrested for the murder. For obvious reasons, Andy is put on paid leave, removed from the case completely.

As the case builds and evidence is introduced, the Barber family begins to become unraveled. Andy and Laurie want to stand behind their son, want to believe he’s innocent of the crime. When Andy reveals a secret about his own family it all begins to crumble away. Andy & Laurie, normally an extremely close couple, begin to become strangers to one another. They, Laurie in particular, looks back at Jacob’s childhood. Were there any indicators that he may predisposed to this sort of anger?

In a whirlwind court case, Andy and Laurie stay by their son’s side, posing a united front, at least in appearances. In the back of their minds, they can’t help put wonder: How well do I know my child? Just how far will I go to protect him?

Defending Jacob is without a doubt one of the most suspenseful, emotionally-tolling books I have read in some time. As the mother of a middle-schooler myself, I couldn’t help but wonder what I would do in the Barber’s place? Just like the Barber’s, I believe I know my child. Yet this book inspired me to learn more about my own child, the emotions he’s feeling, the relationships he has at school. It generated quite a lengthy, but healthy and important discussion with my son, one that will continue.  Assuming life is grand, everything is perfect isn’t the way to live life, as the Barber’s unfortunately learn.

What was truly memorable about this book was the way Landay was able to pace, to portray, the unraveling of the Barber family. Laurie was always the one people turned to when they had a problem, she always had a perfect demeanor and could withstand anything. The true impact of the trail is unveiled through Laurie and the physical and emotional toll it takes on her. Throughout the book, Andy comments on this:

“She had lost so much weight that her hipbones protruded, and when we were together she spoke less and less. In spite of it all, I never softened in my determination to save Jacob first and heal Laurie later.”

And later during the trial:

 ”She never stopped defending Jacob, never stopped analyzing the chessboard, calculating every move and countermove. She never stopped protecting him, even in the end.

This last line plays a very poignant role in this storyline, sort of a foreshadowing of what is to come.

Bottom line: Defending Jacob is a tremendous read: memorable, thought-provoking, intense. I stayed up until the wee hours of the night to finish this one; I couldn’t bear to step away once I got involved in this story. This is a book that will resonate within you, change your perceptions of life and love, forever. Without a doubt, this book will be added to my favorites of 2012 list. Highly, highly recommended.

Frightful Friday: Defending Jacob by William Landay is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

• Listening Length:16 hours and 7 minutes
• Version:Unabridged
• Publisher:Blackstone Audio, Inc.
• Release Date: April 7, 2011
• Source: Personal copy

After his last mission left Department of Military Science agent Joe Ledger emotionally broken, he decides to “unofficially” retire from his duties. However, when a terrorist attack destroys the Royal London Hospital, killing thousands of innocent people, Ledger leaps back into action. The attack on the Royal London is just the first move in a series of attacks at the hands of The Seven Kings, a terrorist group made up of seven of the most dangerous people of all time. The terror they unleash isn’t by their own hands, but those of innocent people, threatened to the point of submission by a man referred to as the Spaniard.

The Kings have seemingly unlimited resources, turning to bioweapons in an attempt to unleash the modern version of the biblical Ten Plagues of Egypt. Worse is the implication that the Kings are everywhere, even among the members of the DMS. Ledger, Church, and the other DMS agents are put on edge until they can found out who the traitor/double agent is and put an end to the acts of the Seven Kings before it is too late.

The King of Plagues is the third book in the Maberry’s Joe Ledger series, after PATIENT ZERO and THE DRAGON FACTORY. By this time, the characters, including Joe Ledgers, are well established, their history as a team is established. As with THE DRAGON FACTORY, we now see a deeper, more emotional and sympathetic side of Ledger. Still vulnerable after the death of his love interest, Ledger is reluctant to leap immediately back into the folds of the DMS. In a sense, he craves to be normal but also realizes that he lives in a world in which this is not possible. The addition of Ghost, his dog/DMS agent, adds a new element to Ledger’s character.

As with all of Maberry’s other books, the storyline is genuinely unique and engrossing. Had this not been an audio book (which I only listen to during my commute to and from work) I would have finished this book in one evening. It is that suspenseful, demanding all of my listening time. In addition to the new evil characters unveiled, I was both surprised and a bit excited to see two of the DMS’ most notorious arch nemesis making a return appearance.

A note on the audio production: As I’ve stated over and over again, Ray Porter, to me, is the very essence of Joe Ledger. He captures his hard exterior, his soft interior, perfectly.

Bottom line: As with any of Maberry’s books, I can’t recommend The King of Plagues and the entire Ledger series enough. A bad-ass government agent with a witty sense of humor, in touch with his emotional side? How can you resist. Highly recommended.

Audio Book Review: King of Plagues by Jonathan Maberry is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

• Paperback:288 pages
• Publisher:Harper Paperbacks (January 17, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 006213437X
• Source: Publisher

New female Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison is struggling to gain the acceptance of the chauvinistic Scotland Yard detective squad. She’s put in her time, unfortunately this isn’t recognized by the men she leads nor those higher up.  Tennison is forced to work in an extremely hostile work environment. Still, she’s quite desperate to succeed in this incredibly political squad, desperate enough to put her work in front of everything else, including her personal life.

When the body of a prostitute is discovered, Tennison’s battle must be put on hold. The body appears to be that of Della Mornay but it doesn’t take the squad long before they realize the body has been wrongly identified, mainly due to the true brutality of the killing. This woman is merely the first in a spree of killings by a truly sick individual. It becomes a race against the clock: will Tennison and her squad be able to put an end to the killings before another woman is brutally murdered?

I’m ashamed to admit it, but when I accepted these books for review, I wasn’t aware that the Prime Suspect novels were made into television shows, let alone a shortly-lived one here in the states. Perhaps seeing this version of Jane Tennison would have provided me with a better outlook on her character.

I can completely sympathize with Tennison and her struggle to burst through the glass ceiling hanging over the Scotland Yard detective squad. But frankly, I despised her character. Yes, she was strong, unfaltering, dedicated…but perhaps it was too much. The portrayal of her dedication to rising above those her were trying to hold her down made her seem like a completely selfish and uncaring bitch. Working in a man’s industry, I can get how hard it is to rise above but I think Tennison’s character went a bit too far, not caring who she hurt on her struggle to climb the ladder to the top.

Additionally, I had a bit of a hard time getting into the story. It just didn’t flow well for me, I couldn’t get immersed in the story and my feelings about the main character hindered the experience even more. I found having to reread pages, not because I’d skimmed but because it didn’t seem to connect. At some point, however, I finally got immersed in the story, able to put my feelings about the main character aside. The procedural part of the investigation was pretty spot on. Although the reader is pretty sure they know the identify of the perp, the investigation is compelling enough, the individual’s pure evil chilling enough, that this is all overlooked.

Despite my feelings about Tennison’s character, I think Prime Suspect is the first in a series I can find myself enjoying, looking forward to the subsequent books in this series. Recommended.

• Paperback:256 pages
• Publisher:Harper Paperbacks (January 17, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0062134396
• Source: Publisher

When the body of a young black female is found in one of London’s poorest districts, Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison knows she has her work cut out for her. Not only is she still caught in the drama of the lack of respect provided to her by the detective squad, but the city is already in a pretty brutal racial battle.

They believe the body to be that of a young woman missing for several years. Even the girl’s mother is convinced the body is that of her daughter, claiming that items found with the body are her daughter’s. Further forensic testing disproves this, meaning yet another innocent young woman has been killed. Tennison and her squad have to trace the history of the property on which the body has been found.

It isn’t until a cast of the victim’s face is made that Tennison is able to get any headway (no pun intended) into the investigation. They uncover series of particularly brutal unreported assaults and with that a truly sick individual, set on ruining Tennison’s reputation. The detective squad is hit with endless accusations of brutality, not surprising considering the racism that runs pervasively through the squad. Can Tennison rise above these personal attacks and finally bring to justice a man who had been brutalizing young girls for years.

Given my apprehension over the previous book in this series, I can’t deny I was skeptical about how I would feel about A Face in the Crowd.  It didn’t take me long to get over these feelings for I became almost instantly wrapped up in Tennison’s most recent case. Aiding in my new perspective was the “toned down” Tennison, not nearly as blood-thirsty in her attempts to rise to the top as she was before.

Additionally, I found myself caring about her character a bit more, actually rooting for her when she stood up for herself against those in power. This new and improved Tennison is a woman not to be messed with, a woman not only dedicated to her job but those citizens whom they protect.

Given the nature of the crimes, the depictions of the acts are quite brutal. I found myself getting queasy at some of the descriptions, if that gives you an indication of the severity. This book isn’t one that I would recommend to just anyone for this reason. That said, I’ve become quite invested in Tennison’s character and find myself hoping that she finally gets the recognition she deserves. Recommended…with caution.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing me the opportunity to review this series of books. Please check out the tour page for the other stops in this tour.

Prime Suspect/A Face in the Crowd by Lynda La Plante is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

Frightful Friday is a weekly meme in which I feature a particularly scary or chilling book that I’ve read that week. Feel free to grab the button & join in!

This week’s featured book is Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake:

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tor Teen; First Edition edition (August 30, 2011)
• ISBN-10: 0765328658
• Source: Publisher

Theseus Cassio (Cas) Lowood is a ghost hunter, a trade he inherited when his father was brutally killed by a ghost he was chasing. Armed with his father’s powerful athame (a knife that is able to “kill” ghosts), Cas and his mother travel around the country on the hunt for evil spirits.

Cas’ latest “case” brings him to Thunder Bay, Ontario, on the hunt for a ghost referred to as Anna Dressed in Blood. She was killed in the late 1950s and now haunts her former home, killing whomever crosses the threshold. She still wears the same white dress she wore when she died, now dripping in blood. Anna has quite the reputation as a pretty serious and dangerous ghost, killing dozens of people each year. Cas doesn’t get just how dangerous she is until he witnesses one of these deaths. Not a pretty picture, to say the least. Yet he’s the only person alive who has lived through a sighting of Anna. For some reason, she spares his life.  This first time, at least.

Before he can put an end to Anna’s murderous rage, he must find out the cause of her death, the motive behind her anger. Along the way, he becomes fascinated, almost obsessed with her. With the help of a handful of his classmates, this motley crew of ghost hunting teens devises a plan to trap Anna and rid this small town of her evil acts.

Overall, I enjoyed Anna Dressed in Blood.  Blake provides a fairly unique story. Definitely a spooky tale; I found myself scared several times. While classified as a book appropriate for ages twelve and up, I’d be reluctant to allow my twelve year old to read it. There is a good amount of swearing. I’m talking the f-bomb, so not on the light end of the swearing spectrum. Additionally, there is a good deal of gore, not for the weak of stomachs.

What I definitely did not like about this book was the romance. It frustrates me that, as of late, all YA has to have some sort of romance happening. I’m not certain if that’s what gets young adults to read this sort of book or, thanks to Twilight, authors feel they must add an injection of love to anything they write geared toward teens. In the case of Anna Dressed in Blood, I think it was forced, unnatural, and quite frankly, a little eerie.

That said, if this is something you don’t have objection to or an issue with, this is definitely a book I would recommend. Despite my issues with this book,  I’m looking forward to the next book in this series, Girl of Nightmares, due out in August.

Frightful Friday: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
• Hardcover:352 pages
• Publisher:Putnam Adult (January 24, 2012)
• Source: Publisher

Krista is a first generation Hispanic-American.  When she goes off on a trip with her boyfriend and doesn’t return when planned, her mother doesn’t worry. Nor does she worry when she receives a call demanding money for her daughter’s release.  She assumes her daughter has run off with her boyfriend, Jack, and gotten married. When days go by with no word from Krista and reluctant to call the authorities, she calls Elvis Cole, whom a recent newspaper article refers to as the “World’s Greatest Detective.”

Cole soon learns that Krista and Jack have unwittingly gotten mixed up in an illegal immigration ring. Coyotes, individuals who require immigrants to pay exorbitant amounts of money to cross into the States, often are preyed upon by Bajadores, criminals who attack other criminals. These bajadores kill the coyotes and hold the immigrants hostage until their families are able to pay the ransom. Some families are able to pay the ransom  while others have already given everything they have to get their loved ones across the border. In this world of illegal immigration, no lives are safe. Oftentimes, once the bajadores receive their money they kill their hostages anyway, having no reason to let them go free.

Cole, realizing what danger Krista and Jack are in, immerses himself into this incredibly dangerous crime world and is taken hostage himself. His partner and friend, Joe Pike, scrambles to rescue Cole (as well as Krista and Jack) before it’s too late.

Taken is the 15th book of the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series and Crais’ skill at pulling at the heartstrings of readers while simultaneously making their heart race is tremendous. I was quite impressed at Crais’ unique take on illegal immigration, a side of a dangerous trade that we don’t often learn about. It’s not frequent that we are exposed to a world so deadly and unforgiving.

The one thing that I feel affected the pacing of this book in particular was the timeline; rather than telling what took place in a linear timeline, Crais jumps around, some chapters before and others after Cole is taken. I found myself flipping back to the beginning of the chapter to remind myself of the timing of that particular chapter. Ultimately, it wasn’t that big of a distraction; after I was in a few chapters I was able to pick up on the jagged timeline.

As with his past books, Crais allows us to see a softer side of his seemingly strong characters. After Cole is taken, Pike feels vulnerable, void of control over what happens to Cole. He immerses himself in things that he does have control of, but seems quite out of place an inappropriate given what is going on around him, like feeding Cole’s cat.  This sense of vulnerability in Pike is heartwarming; while the two friends/partners are tough-skinned there really is a deep friendship there.

Fans of Crais’ writing (known as Craisies) will once again be rewarded with another stellar Pike/Cole novel.  Those new to the series won’t be lost if this book is their first introduction to this dynamic duo, but I warn you: you’ll want to go back and read all the previous books in the series as I did when I read my first book. Additionally, in Taken, Crais brings back characters from previous books, characters I hope to read more about in the future. Highly recommended.

Review: Taken by Robert Crais is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

Frightful Friday is a weekly meme in which I feature a particularly scary or chilling book that I’ve read that week.  Feel free to grab the button and join in!

This week’s Frightful Friday book is The Chalk Girl  by Carol O’Connell:

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult (January 17, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0399157743
• Source: Publisher

School children on a school field trip to Central Park come across a young girl. She’s bright-eyed, red-headed and appears to be okay other than the blood on her shoulders.  She dismisses this, stating that it fell from the sky when she was looking for her uncle, who had turned into a tree. It isn’t until later that police, including Special Crimes Detective Mallory, begin finding bodies hanging from trees.

Mallory has just recently returned to the force after a three-month “leave.” She feels a close bond with the little girl, Coco, due to their similar history. Mallory, too, was a “found” child, fostered by a police detective, spurring her interest in law enforcement.  Due to her childhood, she’s quick to form bonds with others with attachment disorders.  It’s not long before they learn that Coco has a disorder called Williams syndrome, giving her a fairy-like appearance and the desire to form close attachments with complete strangers.  The man she refers to as her uncle isn’t her uncle at all, but a man who abducted her after her grandmother passed away.

The discover of Coco uncovers murders spanning back nearly two decades and a series of deep secrets kept hidden thanks to good, old-fashioned blackmail. The serial killer responsible for the current crimes is referred to as The Hunger Artists, for all of his victims are found close to death due to starvation.

The Chalk Girl is a multi-faceted thriller. Not only is it an investigation of a serious set of crimes, it is also a psychological examination of Mallory herself. While this is my first Mallory novel, I felt I learned a great deal about this incredibly rich character.  She has quite a history, largely influenced, in my mind, by her difficult upbringing.

Additionally, it is an examination of the life of a troubled set of children. Each chapter begins with a statement by a character named Ernest Nadler from his childhood. It isn’t until much later in the book that the reader discovers Nadler’s connection to the other victims mentioned.

As mentioned, this is my first Mallory novel.  I can’t wait to dive in the other nine novels in the Kate Mallory series. Mallory is a no-nonsense, incredibly strong female character. I can’t wait to trace back her history with the New York City Police Department, to see how her character has evolved over the years. Recommended.

Frightful Friday Review: The Chalk Girl by Carol O’Connell is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

• Hardcover:304 pages
• Publisher:Harper (January 17, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0066210623
• Source: Publisher

Evvie and Ben married relatively young after a pretty idealistic romance. They traveled the country, sleeping under the stars. Life seemed so much simpler then.  Things have changed over the years.  Evvie continues to life the alternative lifestyle she did when she was in college, most of her time spent writing letters to politicians about animal cruelty Ben has become more “mainstream,” heading to the office in a suit all day.

A divide has formed between them.  Evvie notices it just as much as Ben, but Ben is set on making a change. He’s formed a friendship with another woman. Not a physical relationship, but in my mind, an emotional one. He craves the ability to have an intellectual conversation with someone close to him.  He still has some feelings for Evvie, but he questions if it is love.

When he Ben tells Evvie his decision to leave she is quite reluctant to accept it. She does so, certainly not willingly.  Months pass by and she continues to be unable to really process the fact that their seperation isn’t temporary.  Ultimately, just as she’s beginning to accept her new life, she sees Ben and his girlfriend, Lauren, at the movies. Up until this point, Ben has kept this relationship from Evvie, not certain how she’ll handle it.

It is at this point that Evvie becomes desperate, agreeing to partake in a dangerous (and ulitmately devastating) scheme to get Ben back.  However, it is the results of this scheme that force Evvie to wake up, in a sense, truly evolving into a completely new individual.

Admittedly, as I was reading First You Try Everything I was on the fence in regards to my feelings about this book.  It is certainly a very emotional book; I experienced a wide range of motions as I read it, including sadness, anger, and in parts, amusement. It was tremendously difficult to “side” with either Evvie or Ben. They both have aspects I liked and disliked.  How can you hate a man wanting a little more in his life, a relationship with a woman who isn’t afraid to leave the house. Conversely, however, Evvie’s eccentric behavior isn’t new.  This was the woman Ben fell in love with, the one he married. Yes, some of her behavior is a little out there, but I felt a great deal of sympathy for her as well.

I did a great deal of contemplating after reading this book, ultimately coming to the realization that it was the author’s skilled writing that prevented me from siding with one character over the other.  I don’t believe McCafferty intended the reader to do so, but to look at this relationship as a neutral observer.  Granted, one cannot be expected to be completely void of emotion while reading this book.  It certainly evokes a great deal of strong emotions.  Throughout a great portion of this book I wanted to grab Evvie by the shoulders and shake her to get her to wake up from the fog she was under. Her signs of desperation really bothered me, but once I really thought about it, can I guarantee that iI wouldn’t act similarly (not nearly as severe, however) if I were in a similar situation?

Given these statements,  I wouldn’t necessarily recommend First You Try Everything to just everyone.  It is a dynamic psychological evaluation of one couple’s separation, the steps one woman will take to save her marriage. It’s not a simple read, but a completely emotionally complex.  Beyond the surface of this book is a vastly different world dealing with the psyche of this woman, desperate to keep her marriage whole. That said, it might be a little much for some readers, but if you are up for it, First You Try Everything is a book that I do recommend.

Review: First You Try Everything by Jane McCafferty is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (January 10, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0553808125
• Source: Publisher

Varvara (Russian for Barbara) is the daughter of a book binder.  When her mother and father pass away within a year of one another, Varvara is taken under the employ of the Empress Elizabeth and finds a home in her court.  With Count Bestuzhev as her mentor, Varvara becomes an all-seeing eye to all the things that take place before her.  She’s waiting for a better opportunity, something to give her the life she’s long desired.

When a young princess Sophie arrives from Zerbst, Varvara has new hope.  Sophie is destined to marry the Empress’ nephew & eventually become Catherine the Great.  Sophie needs an insider, someone to be her confidante, protecting her against those who would like to see her fail. With Varvara by her side, Sophie/Catherine becomes a legend, surviving trials, tribulations, and the coup that allows her to rise and assume the throne of all of Russia.

The Winter Palace is a beautifully written, dramatic glimpse inside the world of Catherine the Great. With the intensity of a suspense novel, readers get a unique view of Catherine’s youth, from a young, shy girl to an incredibly strong leader.  Stachniak’s writing is so detailed, the reader will feel as though they are walking the halls of the palace themselves, a witness to all the (often cruel) actions. Most importantly, this isn’t merely a novel about Catherine the Great, but one about the confidant who was by her side as she rose to power.  Varvara was a truly impressive character. Despite having a difficult start, she evolved into a truly powerful woman.

To some, the pacing may be slow.  Personally, I thought it was perfect, allowing the growth of these two great women to be revealed slowly, rather than rushed. Fans of history, particularly Russian, will enjoy this fine novel. Highly recommended.

Review: The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.

• Hardcover:416 pages
• Publisher:Atlantic Monthly Press (January 3, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0802120172
• Source: Publisher

Clinical psychologist Dr. Tony Hill and detective Carol Jordan make quite the dynamic team. The work they’ve done together to put away dangerous criminals makes them the envy of their coworkers. One individual, however, has forever changed & affected their careers, their very lives: Jacko Vance, a former celebrity and truly evil person. Jacko is imprisoned, never to walk the streets again. So they think…

Vance has a unique way of influencing people. With help from inside the institution he is imprisoned, as well as outside, Vance is able to escape, desperate to destroy the lives of those individuals who put him in jail. Including Tony and Carol. They don’t know who Jacko will strike out against, they just know it will brutal and painful. Meanwhile, the team is also on the hunt for another serial killer, responsible for the murders of multiple prostitutes.

The Retribution is the seventh book in the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series of books, but my first introduction to McDermid’s writing. In my opinion, this book serves as a good introduction to the characters.  While new readers miss out on a great deal of the character’s history, The Retribution does a pretty outstanding job and describing the characters and giving an introduction to who they are, including brief snippets of the past incidents that have influenced them.

I can’t believe I waited so long to read McDermid’s books! I hate to use the term “unputdownable” but I was so absorbed in the storyline and the characters that I couldn’t bear to take a break from reading. As mentioned above, we learn a great deal about the character’s past, specifically Tony’s childhood and his unloving and emotion-free mother (which just happens to play an important role later on in the book).  Additionally, the pacing is perfect, lasting throughout the entirety of the book.  This is an author I plan on devoting a lot of my reading time to. Highly recommended!

The Retribution by Val McDermid is a post from: Jenn's Bookshelves. Reproduction of this content is forbidden unless approved through prior written consent.