SHADOW STRIKE

BRAD TAYLOR

For those looking for an outstanding thriller, this reviewer highly recommends Brad Taylor’s 20th book featuring the indomitable Pike Logan. Logan’s mission is as real as today’s news. A terrorist has escaped, and Logan and his team are ordered to find him, a man who calls himself the Ghost. Logan and his team find out that the ghost is or has been tasked with killing a high Israeli official. This exciting thriller follows Logan and his cadre around the world, from Mexico to Argentina, as they discover that the plan devised by the ghost is even more perilous than they first expected. Shadow Strike is a thriller author in the vein of Mark Greaney and the late Tom Clancy. There are many moving parts in this exciting novel, featuring both good and bad characters. My recommendation would be to read at least some of the backlist and get familiar with Pike Logan and his comrades; this is Taylor’s 20th book, and by now he’s able to write a novel that stands on its own. Shadow Strike can definitely be read as a standalone or for the ambitious as part of the long backlist, as mentioned previously. Do yourself a favor, take this weekend, pick up a few of Brad Taylor’s Pike Logan adventures, and see what it’s like to be in the shoes of someone on the hunt as well as someone who is being hunted.

KILL DICK

LUKE GOEBEL

Susie Vogelman comes home one day after art school she finds her roommate has overdosed on opioids. She does what many young people do: she takes the drugs and starts to live large in one of Manhattan's finer hotels. She does this with her favorite art teacher, who is soon to be terminated, and ends up in Los Angeles with his ex-student, Vogelman. Susie stays at her parents' mansion getting high until Phil moves in. Phil wants to find his unhoused brother and opens a rehab center, hoping to attract his brother and others like him. Phil has an ulterior motive, which is to make and take as much money as possible from the addicts who are living in the rehab center. As with drugs, violence is its best friend. Homicides occur left and right, leading to Phil and Susie.

Kill Dick provides the reader with a sad, horrifying, yet realistic view of the worst in people and in society. Kill Dick is a worthwhile read. The writer can be verbose, which lessens the impact of what should be a wake-up call for the reader and for all those who are more fortunate than the characters in Kill Dick.

FAST AND FASTIDIOUS

R.M. CALDWELL

Fast and Fastidious by R.M. Caldwell is an effective blend of romance and historical mystery. Fans of mechanical engineering will find plenty to like in this novel. Lucy Elliott is the perfect Regency lady. But it's interesting that she is obsessed with engineering. As the book progresses, we watch her attend the Night Races. This brings her together with a friend named Captain Dashwood. The relationship between Lucy, Captain Dashwood, and her friend Meg is unpredictable yet hopeful. Action scenes abound, and the night races attempt to minimize the classism prevalent at the time. Fast and Fastidious is entertaining and well worth reading. Lucy should be mentioned as possessing neurodivergent traits. And instead of being a detriment, they emphasize her unique personality. And produce empathy among readers. Perhaps the story could have placed more emphasis on romance and the high emotions that usually attend a romantic endeavor. But nonetheless. The character development and the plot make Fast and Fastidious a book well worth diving into.

THE ADJUNCT

MARIA ADELMANN

The Adjunct is an extremely well-written, multifaceted novel about academia, the gig economy, and what it takes to survive them both. Higher education employs fewer and fewer tenure-track teachers and an abundance of temporary workers, variously called adjuncts, visiting professors, assistant professors, lecturers, and other synonyms that describe jobs that are harshly demanding, intellectually straining, and absurdly low-paying.

This book asks the reader to sympathize with well-educated, mostly white young adults in their late 20s and 30s who have reached the pinnacle of success in their chosen academic discipline. Most readers, at first glance, would have none of it, turning their head away perhaps in envy, knowing that they themselves could not achieve the academic success that others have. And that is the irony, there is academic success, but there is very little hope once outside of the artificial environment of campuses, private and public, big and small. These campuses are a microcosm of life within and life outside, when salaries, work comp, health insurance, and retirement benefits rule the day. The well-educated professor is shut out of the labor market. And as the book eloquently illustrates, students, teachers, and staff are all subject to the deficiencies of a system that worships economics instead of academics. The book illustrates how students, especially grad students, get taken advantage of both sexually and intellectually, yet the bad actors, usually ones with more cachet, seem to avoid negative repercussions. Employment searches in vain, and in this particular novel, a scandal about a professor who may or may not have violated all that the Me Too movement has achieved.

The Adjunct is much more than a flip story of a teacher searching for employment and security; it is a story about how life can promise a glittering end if one works hard enough. And unfortunately, many times that glittering end is the headlight of the train bearing down on your academic, social, and sexual wishes and desires.

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD

LUKE DUMAS

Nothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas is a tale of today's societal mores and how they reach out to affect one person. Emmett Trusdale is a man who has been overweight his entire life and has had to deal with unwarranted criticism. His parents, whom he would naturally expect support, did nothing except to make him even more overweight. Eventually, Emmett comes across a weight loss product. He signs up for the trials and begins losing weight. However, without giving too much away, he experiences out-of-body cravings and lapses in memory and blackouts. This theme is not unique. I see Thinner by Stephen King, or even "Quitters, Inc." by the acknowledged horror master. Dumas updates the novel's style by incorporating blog posts, text chains, and similar elements. The book contains lessons for all of us that I will let the reader extract. If you are looking for an entertaining book with a critique of society, this is it. Take a look at Nothing Tastes As Good. You will find that the book is entertaining, perhaps a little horrific, but it is well told and makes the reader flip the pages as they conceivably put some kettle corn in their mouth.

FROM THE DUST

DAVID SWINSON

From The Dust by retired Detective David Swinson is a heart-wrenching, exciting, and tumultuous read. This is a story that stays with the reader long after the last page has been turned. It is a procedural, but much more. The characters are living beings with problems, some surmountable, many unresolvable, as in life.

Retired Washington, D.C. Major Crimes Detective Graham Sanderson moves to upstate New York to be with his agoraphobic brother. There, Sanderson finds a nest of trouble, including his brother, who is an agoraphobic and suffers from PTSD. Bodies start to fall, and clues, forensic and otherwise, begin to point to Sanderson’s brother. The police Chief of the small town is anxious to put down the case when it turns into a serial killing with no known suspect except Sanderson's brother. What comes next is a twisty, sometimes unpredictable case run by Sanderson and a rookie investigator. Swanson is a top-notch writer in any field; readers should rejoice that he chose to excel in mystery and thriller.

SOCIETY WOMEN

ADRIANE LEIGH

Society Woman is a fun read populated by people we all wish we either knew or wished to be. First of all, our protagonist, Ellie, lives in New York City, overlooking Central Park. Add to that a cushy job at her father's accountancy firm and a husband she loves.

Superficially, all looks great. Unfortunately, real life intrudes. When she was a young girl, her mother died. This traumatic experience plagues Ellie and makes her life anything but as described. As the story progresses, Ellie receives an invitation to join a group called Society Women. Here she finds solace and companionship. She also discovers that the society's charitable work is not what it seems.

Society Women is for any reader who enjoys a story about empowerment prestige, and family secrets. Readers will realize that what is visible to the naked eye is often misleading. Frequently, people are tempted to go where they ought not. And in this case, Ellie learns what the Society Women do and has to decide what her ethics tell her to do.

Society Women has everything that makes for grand mystery entertainment. Prepare yourself to spend a few nights reading this entertaining book and losing sleep over this thought-provoking, well-done mystery.

LUCIEN

J.R. THORNTON

Lucien by J. R. Thornton is a thrilling combination of academically based mysteries with a sprinkling of Patricia Highsmith. How can a book set at Harvard and its surroundings be anything but intriguing? And Lucien is all of that and much more.

Atlas arrives at Harvard as an innocent, wanting to take advantage of all that the university has to offer. Intellectual stimulation, culture, and making a friend or two. Fortunately or otherwise, he intersects with Lucien, whose personality is out of proportion to that of Atlas. Atlas is drawn to Lucien, and untoward events unfold, producing less-than-favorable results.

J.R. Thorton’s Lucien is as unpredictable as life itself. The reader is drawn into an unbecoming environment where anything goes as long as everyone gets what they want. Lucien is a superior story that readers will tear through, anticipating a denouement but not believing their eyes when the final page is turned.

A LIE FOR A LIE

REN DESTEFANO

A Lie For A Lie by two-time author Ren DeStefano will amuse and entertain all readers. At the outset, the readers meet Margo. She seems like a normal woman who moonlights. But as to what her moonlighting job is, that is what makes this such a great book. Because Margo spends her evenings pursuing justice

In A Lie For A Lie, Margo receives a new assignment. At first, it appears routine, but quickly takes a dangerous turn. Her target is formidable—skilled, cunning. Soon, the hunter becomes the hunted, and the pursued will stop at nothing to survive, even if it means ending Margo's life.

A Lie For A Lie is full of twists and turns that will keep the reader on their toes. Settle down and see what it's like to be pursued rather than the pursuer.

THE DARK TIME

NICK PETRIE

Veteran thriller writer Nick Petrie has once again written the thriller among thrillers. As always, Peter Ash, a former Special Operations soldier, is at the center of the hurricane. While in Seattle, Peter's girlfriend, June, receives a note that her friend, K.T., is going to be murdered. And for no apparent reason.

K. T. is under attack, dealing with multiple attempts on her life and on the life of her daughter. Unfortunately, the police are useless, leaving Peter and June to find out who or what is behind the threats. During their investigation, they encounter a bizarre multinational cult whose objective is to destroy power grids worldwide to seize control through chaos and reshape society according to their extremist ideology.

Relentless danger and impossible odds make The Dark Time one of Petrie's best.

THE VIOLET HOUR

JAMES CAHILL

The Violet Hour, by the sensational writer James Cahill surpasses his debut novel Tiepolo Blue written in 2022. There is no doubt that Cahill has a unique way of expressing himself. The book can be interpreted as a satire of the rarefied art world and an on-the-nose depiction of the people who populate it. The characters are skillfully sketched, and their motivations are believable, yet they still remind the reader that, after all, the Violet Hour is a novel, albeit one readers will not soon forget. While the book has its share of intricacies and plot devices, it still provides a superbly entertaining story that will keep readers begging for more.

THE BEST LITTLE MOTEL IN TEXAS

LYLA LANE

The Best Little Motel in Texas by Lyla Lane is a comical, cozy, and comfortable mystery that readers will enjoy. The protagonist, Cordelia, is a librarian in Dallas when she inherits a motel in the unlikely named town of Sarsaparilla Falls, Texas. Like most of us, she abhors change but feels obligated to relocate. But what she finds surprises her. Cordelia, with minimal investigation and observation, realizes that she is the new owner of the town's House of prostitution. Unfortunately, a client dies in the motel. Cordelia takes it upon herself to find out who killed the victim, who happened to be the town's pastor. Cordell enlists the locals' help, who offer wit, charm, and a boyfriend.

The Best Little Motel in Texas is an entertaining read that leaves a pleasant impression. One can only hope that the writer decides to turn this into a series, which will have numerous readers.

CRIMINAL NOVICE

MIKE FARICY

Criminal Novice is another entertaining and straightforward private-investigation novel by the talented writer Mike Faricy. The writer is well known for his Dev Haskell PI adventures, which are in their heyday, while Yucky Yates is just getting started. And if Criminal Novice is any indication, readers will have yet another outstanding series on their hands to plow through.

Criminal Novice features Yucky Yates, a former DEA agent who retired and is now a private investigator in the Minneapolis-St Paul area. This time out, he's juggling a riot of cases, including what looks like a rather simple adultery case, a high-end burglary incident, and a hit-and-run resulting in a death. Criminal Novice is a grand example for anybody who wants to know what it's like to be a private investigator. I recommend buying all three titles in the Yucky Yates series and checking out the Dev Haskell collection, which never fails to bring a smile to my face and laughter to my heart. After reading the writer's books, you will feel, as I do, that I owe him a debt of gratitude for keeping me entertained while he slaves away polishing his reputation as one of the best in the business.

BEST BOY

DEBORAH GOODRICH ROYCE

Thriller writer Deborah Goodrich Royce has done it again with her enthralling mystery, Best Boy. The book centers around an ex-actress named Viveca, who left the West Coast to find a new life with her family. Something that is done 1000 times a day with no ramifications. However, when the family moves into their new house, Vivica receives a note signed by someone named 'best boy'. Importantly, after that, their home is burglarized, and her secrets, which are only known to her, become public. What's great about Best Boy is that it imbues the reader with a sense of paranoia and even anxiety that may be hard to shake until the end. The author employs dual timelines, which makes the book that much more fascinating and gut-wrenching. I recommend best boy, especially when you have the lights turned on and the doors locked.

THE HARD LINE

MARK GREANEY

Superb thriller writer Mark Greaney has done it again with his newest entry into the nerve-wracking, volatile Gray Man series. The book starts with a bang and never lets up as multiple characters are up to no good. And it is the Gray Man who blends into the background, coincidentally one of his most outstanding assets, making him so dangerous in the world of espionage and counterterrorism. Like all of the author's Gray Man adventures, The Hard Line can be read as a standalone. However, context and detail will be much easier to grasp if the reader starts at the very beginning of the Gray Man series.

The Gray Man's cliffhanger will encourage you to start at the beginning of this fabulous series while you wait on pins and needles for the next. Greaney is one of the top thriller writers in the genre, and mystery and thriller readers will do themselves a huge favor by picking up The Hard Line and the books on Greaney's extensive back list. The Hard Line is a winner that everyone should read immediately.

JIGSAW

JONATHAN KELLERMAN

Jigsaw, by prolific and super-talented writer and child psychologist Jonathan Kellerman, proves that the longer you do something, the better you become. Jigsaw is Kellerman's 41st Alex Delaware novel, and it is just as involving and entertaining as in any of his prior novels. Reading Jigsaw is like reuniting with old friends who happen to be law enforcement or law enforcement adjacent.

At the beginning, this case looks like a slam-dunk homicide. But, as any mystery reader knows, no such concept exists. The defense attorney presents an airtight alibi for the initial arrestee, and, with a shrug of his shoulders, Milo Sturgis, the long-suffering LAPD detective, goes back to work, but calls in his friend, Dr. Alex Delaware, an experienced psychologist and crime consultant.

Soon enough, the case turns into what looks like a serial killer when Milo and Alex discover a corpse surrounded by brick brack that makes them think that the victim was a hoarder. But they also find an inordinate amount of cash, which adds an ingredient to what is becoming an all-too-difficult case. Add another body to the case, and you have a compelling mystery with great characters and plot. As usual, any Kellerman can be read as a standalone; however, those new to the world of Jonathan Kellerman, and it is a big world, ought to check out every single one of his Alex Delaware novels, starting with When the Bough Breaks, written in 1985.

A WRECKONING UP BLACK CAT HOLLOW

MATTHEW JONES

A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow is an intriguing and involving book that captures the reader and won't let them go until the final page. The plot and characters are well drawn, and soon the reader begins to question assumptions about what is happening in this well-executed, nerve-wracking novel.

The author adds details sparingly until the entire recipe is complete. The reader will find numerous surprises along the way, including empathy for characters who may or may not deserve it. Who is the bad guy and who is the good guy? That is the question that runs throughout this intelligent, scary, and enthralling novel. Turn on the lights and be prepared to stay up all night reading A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow. It's that good.

GREEDY

CALLIE KAZUMI

Greedy, Callie Kazumi, transports the reader to Tokyo. And what happens is certainly not what an expat would expect. And that makes the book what it is: a fun and unpredictable read.

The story opens as Ed and his family experience the trauma of unemployment. So Ed does what so many people do: he seeks escape in gambling. And like so many, he loses and loses heavily. Deceiving his wife into thinking he's looking for a job, he finds employment as a chef working for a wealthy, well-known businesswoman. The only glitch is that Ed is not a chef. Picture yourself as a high school baseball player who decides that he can play Major League Baseball. You are familiar with the tools and the rules of the game. But you don't use them with the proficiency your manager expects.

Greedy is just that. A person who loses his job gets in debt, finds his way out, and into a job that may be the answer to his prayers or the door that leads to his death and the death of his family.

THE IMPOSSIBLE DETECTIVE

BOB REISS

The Impossible Detective, written by novice writer Bob Reiss, gives the reader all they can handle at the outset of this topical story; unfortunately, a young girl witnesses a hit-and-run. But unlike a conventional hit-and-run, the driver doesn't exist because the car is self-driven. Soon, the observer hires a private investigator to find out exactly what happened and why a car with no driver got away with killing an innocent. Politics and intrigue are at play within the detective agency, making for an absorbing backstory. The Impossible Detective combines artificial intelligence and traditional mystery to create an engaging book that readers will want to finish in one sitting.

THE CHARLESTON-SAVANNAH VICTIMS CLUB

TOM TURNER

The Charleston-Savannah Victims Club, by veteran mystery writer Tom Turner, certainly lives up to its author's admirable reputation. Turner has the gift of painting a luminous landscape of his characters, plot, and dialogue. This talent makes all of Turner's books a pleasure to read.

The Charleston Savannah Vctims Club leads the reader down a homicide path for much of its length, then, like any good writer, Turner adds more spices to the pot and all of a sudden the reader is dealing with Russian spies, hit men and women, stolen art and anything else that makes a mystery compelling which is certainly an apt description of this book.

Turner combines the macho characteristics of his recurring homicide cop, Nick Janzek, with those of his more subtle, perhaps more intellectually gifted girlfriend and her sister, both private investigators. Like a good recipe, all the ingredients are there to make the book extremely appetizing and one more outstanding effort in Mr. Turner's long career of writing compelling, entertaining, and amusing mysteries set in Florida, his home base.