Marika Vecera is a young war reporter driven by the danger experienced during her assignments. During a trip to the Congo, she is held captive by rebel soldiers and barely escapes with her life. She returns to the States, battered and beaten, mentally worn. Upon her return, she discovers that her idol/mentor Robert Lewis, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, has committed suicide. She devotes her life for the next several months to writing his biography. During her research, she discovers evidence that indicates Lewis is still alive, living in a remote village in Papua New Guinea. Drawn to the possibility that Lewis is still alive, Marika embarks on a journey not knowing what she will find. Her guide is Tobo, a medicine man, provides her with guidance along the way. During this journey, Marika learns a lot about humankind, and more importantly, herself. The White Mary is an incredibly powerful and empowering tale about one woman’s dedication to her career. While the scenes detailing the atrocities that are occurring clear across the world are difficult to read at times, the end result gives you an appreciation for all that we have as inhabitants of the “civilized” world.

It’s been a decade since I read a book by Deaver, and boy…was I missing out! The Broken Window is the eighth installation in Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series. For those unfamiliar, Detective Lincoln Rhyme is a paraplegic forensic consultant for the NYPD. Combined with his cop girlfriend Amelia Sachs, the two forms an amazing crime-solving duo. In this installation, Rhyme and Sachs have been called in for assistance when Rhyme’s cousin Arthur gets arrested for murder. Evidence found in his home and car is undeniable. Although Rhyme and his cousin haven’t talked in years, Rhyme agrees to help. Quickly they discover that this case involves much more than a “simple” murder. Rhyme and Sachs are introduced to the world of data mining, where companies collect personal data on individuals, including their shopping habits, medical history, etc. The unsub, referred to as 522 because his first crime was committed on May 22, is tainting the lives of several innocent people just by typing a few keystrokes. The Broken Window takes the reader on a fast-paced adventure with unexpected twists and turns. In the end, it leaves me very paranoid about the information that is collected each time I swipe my credit card…

The setting is Winchester University. Three college students, Brian House, Dennis Flaherty and Mary Butler are among the many students that enroll in Logic and Reasoning 204. The course is taught Professor Williams, a man full of mystery. Their sole assignment is to find Polly, a “fictitious”eighteen year old missing girl. They must find her before the six week semester is up or she will be murdered. Professor Williams provides them with weekly clues and his students begin to realize the case sounds remarkably similar to the 20 year old cold case of another missing girl. The assignment slowly begins to encompass their entire lives and the Brian, Dennis, and Mary begin to wonder if they are just pawns in some sadistic game the professor is playing. Characters from the assignment seemingly come to life, and by the end of the book, it is their own lives they are attempting to save. My heart was racing through my reading of this book. Definitely a quick read, but it is a book that I will not soon forget!