Cat of many Tails by Ellery Queen

About the book: A strangler is killing Manhattanites, seemingly at random. The only common thread is the unusual silk cords that are used for the killings; blue for men and pink for women. Other than that, the victims come from all social classes and backgrounds, ethnicities, races, neighbourhoods, etc. The city is in a panic. Ellery Queen forms together a small group of people related to some of the victims, and some consultants, and works to determine the killer's reason for selecting these particular victims. When he finally realizes the thread that connects the victims, the murderer is revealed and peace returns to the city.

First line: The strangling of Archibald dudley Abernethy was the first scene in a nine-act tragedy whose locale was the City of New York.


My thoughts: This Ellery Queen novel, first   published in 1949, is the first I've read by this author. I enjoyed reading this vintage mystery. It was a puzzler that kept me guessing till the end then....there was the twist! At 241 pages it was over a little two quickly for me. The characters, victims and main, were well developed and sympathetic. I found the spoken language of the era entertaining and the layout of the story was engaging.

Note: While reading about Ellery Queen in Wikipedia I found that Ellery Queen is both a fictional character and a pseudonym used by two American cousins from Brooklyn, New York: Daniel Nathan, alias Frederic Dannay (October 20, 1905 – September 3, 1982[1]) and Manford (Emanuel) Lepofsky, alias Manfred Bennington Lee (January 11, 1905 – April 3, 1971[2]), to write, edit, and anthologize detective fiction.[3] The fictional Ellery Queen created by Dannay and Lee is a mystery writer and amateur detective who helps his father, a police inspector in New York City, solve baffling murders.

Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy

About the book: People are dying for the new computer game by the software company Monkeewrench. Literally. With Serial Killer Detective out in limited release, the real-life murders of a jogger and a young woman have already mimicked the first two scenarios in the game.

But Grace McBride and her eccentric Monkeewrench partners are caught in a vise. If they tell the Minneapolis police of the link between their game and the murders, they'll shine a spotlight on the past they thought they had erased-and the horror they thought they'd left behind. If they don't, eighteen more people will die...

Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Signet (April 6, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 045121157X
ISBN-13: 978-0451211576

First line: The brandy had been absolutly essential.

My Thoughts: I read a couple of negative reviews of this book but decided to go ahead and read it. Boy am I glad I did. This has to be my new favorite thriller and I intend to get on with this series as soon as possible. It kept me engaged, pulling me along with a couple of subplots and several twists. I enjoyed the nuggets of humor that shined in the twist of a phrase or the observation of an incident. The characters were colorful and likable. The dog, Charlie, went straight to my heart. I'm hoping that Jackson, a boy who had a bit part, will be more fully reaalized in the next book. Get it, you'll like it.

Rating: A

Cujo by Stephen King

About the Book: Cujo is a two-hundred-pound Saint Bernard, the beloved family pet of the Joe Cambers of Castle Rock, Maine, and the best friend ten-year-old Brett Camber has ever had. One day Cujo pursues a rabbit into a bolt-hole--a cave inhabited by some very sick bats. What happens to Cujo, and to those unlucky enough to be near him, makes for the most heart-squeezing novel Stephen King has yet written.

Vic Trenton, New York adman obsessed by the struggle to hand on to his one big account, his restive and not entirely faithful wife, Donna, and their four-year-old son, Tad, moved to Castle Rock seeking the peace of rural Maine. But life in this small town--evoked as vividly as a Winesburg or a Spoon River--is not what it seems. As Tad tries bravely to fend off the terror that comes to him at night from his bedroom closet, and as Vic and Donna face their own nightmare of a marriage suddenly on the rocks, there is no way they can know that a monster, infinitely sinister, waits in the daylight, and that the fateful currents of their lives will eddy closer and faster to the horrifying vortex that is Cujo.

My Thoughts: Wow, I read this years ago and couldn't remember anything about it. Except for the rabid Cujo, of course. It was quite the page turner, I couldn't put it down. I cried at the end.

There are seemingly endless peeks into the lives of people connected to the main characters. But the threads of these come together forming a horrifying look at a chain of coincidences that ultimately cost several lives. This wasn't the supernatural novel I am used to from King but it was all the more scary for that. 

If you have seen the movie and not read the novel, well, you should. In this story King takes you into Cujo's mind unlike the movie where he is just a mindless monster. You find that Cujo, in his heart, is a good dog. He would never hurt anyone. Through snippets from Cujo's POV you follow his decline as the disease ravages his mind and body.

Rating: B+

Secrets to the Grave by Tami Hoag

About the book: Marissa Fordham had a past full of secrets, a present full of lies. Everyone knew of her, but no one knew her. When Marissa is found brutally murdered, with her young daughter, Haley, resting her head on her mother's bloody breast, she sends the idyllic California town of Oak Knoll into a tailspin. Already on edge with the upcoming trial of the See- No-Evil killer, residents are shocked by reports of the crime scene, which might not have been discovered for days had it not been for a chilling 911 call: a small child's voice saying, "My daddy hurt my mommy." Sheriff's detective Tony Mendez faces a puzzle with nothing but pieces that won't fit. To assist with his witness, Haley, he calls teacher-turned-child advocate Anne Leone. Anne's life is hectic enough-she's a newlywed and a part- time student in child psychology, and she's the star witness in the See-No-Evil trial. But one look at Haley, alone and terrified, and Anne's heart is stolen. As Tony and Anne begin to peel back the layers of Marissa Fordham's life, they find a clue fragment here, another there. And just when it seems Marissa has taken her secrets to the grave, they uncover a fact that puts Anne and Haley directly in the sights of a killer: Marissa Fordham never existed.

First Line: The house stood by itself off the road in a field of dried-golden grass, half hidden by spreading oaks.

My thoughts: This is the second book in Hoag's Deeper than the Dead series. This one continues to explore the early days of forensic investigation. It was interesting going along with Leone and Mendez as they used old fashioned investigation methods while dreaming of the future. Since this story takes place in 1986, Hoag wrote in historical facts and pop culture references common to the day. The fact that there were virtually no cell phones added to the danger for some of the characters as they were placed in situations where they couldn't just whip out the phone and call for help. I enjoyed this look into the recent past, it really set the feel of the setting!

It takes up a year after the events in Deeper Than the Dead and I liked catching up with the main characters Ann, Vince, Mendez, Franny and others. Some of the minor were revisited as well, in a sub plot that I think is leading into another book in this series.

The first scene is fairly graphic and heartbreaking so like the first book I'll tell you to beware. This was a page turner for me and would do quite well as a stand alone, but I'm glad I got to know the back story. This one kept me guessing till the end as well as keeping me on the edge of my seat.

Rating:

Deeper Than the Dead by Tami Hoag

About the book: California, 1985-Four children and young teacher Anne Navarre make a gruesome discovery: a partially buried female body, her eyes and mouth glued shut. A serial killer is at large, and the very bonds that hold their idyllic town together are about to be tested. Tasked with finding the killer, FBI investigator Vince Leone employs a new and controversial FBI technique called "profiling", which plunges him into the lives of the four children-and the young teacher whose need to uncover the truth is as intense as his own. But as new victims are found, Vince and Anne find themselves circling the same small group of local suspects, blissfully unaware that someone very near to them is a murderous psychopath...

Pub. Date: October 2010
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Format: Paperback , 560pp
Sales Rank: 5,966
ISBN-13: 9780451230539
ISBN: 0451230531

First Line: My hero is my dad.

My thoughts: For an over 500 page book this one sure went fast! To begin with I thought it was interesting that the action takes place in the mid-eighties. That means that the law enforcement community did not have the databases, DNA profiling, or other modern forensic techniques that we have today. The details and wishes of the police for these things at times may have felt a little awkward or contrived but for me it just added to the atmosphere, reminded me of where the story was. The title, Deeper Than the Dead, refers to the location of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit in its early days. It is in the basement so it is "deeper than the dead." That was an interesting little tidbit.

This was a pretty dark story with vivid descriptions of the murder victims, so beware. There was the occasional bit of dry humor but not much. I felt sorry for the kids in this book...wow....each one was traumatized in some way. If not for the treatment of the children, my rating would be higher. With that said, I still couldn't put it down. I've already got the next one, Secrets to the Grave, ready to go.

Rating:

Hell's Corner by David Baldacci

Synopsis: Oliver Stone and the Camel Club return in #1 bestselling author David Baldacci's most stunning adventure yet. An attack on the heart of power . . . In sight of the White House . . . At a place known as . . . HELL'S CORNER

John Carr, aka Oliver Stone-once the most skilled assassin his country ever had-stands in Lafayette Park in front of the White House, perhaps for the last time. The president has personally requested that Stone serve his country again on a high-risk, covert mission. Though he's fought for decades to leave his past career behind, Stone has no choice but to say yes. Then Stone's mission changes drastically before it even begins. It's the night of a state dinner honoring the British prime minister. As he watches the prime minister's motorcade leave the White House that evening, a bomb is detonated in Lafayette Park, an apparent terrorist attack against both leaders. It's in the chaotic aftermath that Stone takes on a new, more urgent assignment: find those responsible for the bombing. British MI-6 agent Mary Chapman becomes Stone's partner in the search for the unknown attackers. But their opponents are elusive, capable, and increasingly lethal; worst of all, it seems that the park bombing may just have been the opening salvo in their plan. With nowhere else to turn, Stone enlists the help of the only people he knows he can trust: the Camel Club. Yet that may be a big mistake. In the shadowy worlds of politics and intelligence, there is no one you can really trust. Nothing is really what it seems to be. And Hell's Corner truly lives up to its name. This may be Oliver Stone's and the Camel Club's last stand.

First line: Oliver Stone was counting seconds, an exercise that had always calmed him.

My thoughts: This is the 5th Camel Club book. Up to now Divine Justice has been my favorite of the series. This one is running a close second, and will probably remain second because the Camel Club wasn't in evidence as much, even though they did help out and run into danger. I really got to know the members of the club in Divine and liked them all. This book was a thrilling read, fast placed, great escape.....a real page turner. I had to suspend belief at times but that doesn't bother me. The mystery was good. There were a couple of twists, one that REALLY surprised me.

Rating:

The Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke

About the book: James Lee Burke’s eagerly awaited new novel finds Detective Dave Robicheaux back in New Iberia, Louisiana, and embroiled in the most harrowing and dangerous case of his career. Seven young women in neighboring Jefferson Davis Parish have been brutally murdered. While the crimes have all the telltale signs of a serial killer, the death of Bernadette Latiolais, a high school honor student, doesn’t fit: she is not the kind of hapless and marginalized victim psychopaths usually prey upon. Robicheaux and his best friend, Clete Purcel, confront Herman Stanga, a notorious pimp and crack dealer whom both men despise. When Stanga turns up dead shortly after a fierce beating by Purcel, in front of numerous witnesses, the case takes a nasty turn, and Clete’s career and life are hanging by threads over the abyss.

Adding to Robicheaux’s troubles is the matter of his daughter, Alafair, on leave from Stanford Law to put the finishing touches on her novel. Her literary pursuit has led her into the arms of Kermit Abelard, celebrated novelist and scion of a once prominent Louisiana family whose fortunes are slowly sinking into the corruption of Louisiana’s subculture. Abelard’s association with bestselling ex-convict author Robert Weingart, a man who uses and discards people like Kleenex, causes Robicheaux to fear that Alafair might be destroyed by the man she loves. As his daughter seems to drift away from him, he wonders if he has become a victim of his own paranoia. But as usual, Robicheaux’s instincts are proven correct and he finds himself dealing with a level of evil that is greater than any enemy he has confronted in the past.

First line: The room I had rented in an old part of Natchez seemed more reflective of new Orleans than a river town in Mississippi.

My thoughts: This is the newest in James Lee Burke's series featuring the New Iberia, Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux, one of my favorite series. It is a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Mystery and Thriller (2010). Being the Burke fan I am, I knew I would not be disappointed in this book. Boy was I right! Dave and Clete shined in this one as did Alafair. I wish there had been a little more on Molly but I got to know Helen a little better. As I've come to expect in the Dave Robicheaux novels, it is good vs. evil. Dave, who sees things in black and white, must find out who killed several young women. His unfailing compassion for the victims drives him. This was a great mystery, I didn't want to put it down. Dave had several obstacles to overcome as his personal and professional lives became entangled, placing those he loves in the line of fire. The end of this one was different, though. I was left hanging...the story ended...but it didn't. No epilogue either. Now I can't wait to see the next one.

I also enjoy the insight into the history, culture, and politics of Louisiana. Burke is a native of Louisiana and he tells it like it is. His descriptions of the scenery are to be savored. I reread these often.

If you haven't read any of the books in this series I would suggest you start with some of the earlier ones. One of my favorites was In The Electric Mist With the Confederate Dead. Purple Cane Road was another. In Electric Mist more than any of the others, you get to read about Dave's connection to his private world, things he doesn't share. You see, Dave sees dead people. He says that the dead are with us. I find his glimpses interesting. In Glass Rainbow he sees an old paddle wheeler and the people on it beckon to him. Mystery lovers will like this series.

Rating:



Quote: "I sometimes subscribe to the belief that all historical events occur simultaneously, like a dream in the mind of God. Perhaps it is only man who views time sequentially and tries to impose a solar calendar upon it. What if other people, both dead and unborn, are living out their lives in the same space we occupy, without our knowledge or consent?"

I, Sniper by Stephen Hunter

Synopsis: It takes a seasoned killer. . .Four famed ’60s radicals are gunned down at long range by a sniper. All the evidence—timeline, ballistics, forensics, motive, means, and opportunity—points to Marine war hero Carl Hitchcock. Even his suicide. The case is almost too perfect.. . . to hunt one.Recruited by the FBI to examine the data, retired Marine sharpshooter Bob Lee Swagger penetrates the new technology of the secretive sniper world to unravel a sophisticated conspiracy run by his most ruthless adversary yet—a marksman whose keen intellect and pinpoint accuracy rival his own. But when the enemy and his deadly henchmen mistake Bob for the hunted, it’s clear that some situations call for a good man with a gun . . . and the guts to use it.

First line: The time has long passed in America when one can say of a sixty-eight-year-old woman that she is "still" beautiful, the snarky little modifier, all buzzy with irony, signifying some kind of miracle that one so elderly could be so attractive.

My thoughts: This is the newest book in the Bob Lee "Bob the Nailer" Swagger series by Stephen Hunter. There are others in this series that I enjoyed more but this was still a page turner, a thriller. There was a lot of technical gun stuff here, just right for people who know anything about guns. I don't so just trusted that the author did his research. I may have skimmed some of the technical sections....I have enjoyed getting to know Bob over the years, he is a good guy who stands up for what is right, a guy in his sixties with the aches and pains to prove it. He is a rough and tumble hero who has been known to bend the rules. Over the course of the series he has demonstrated the ability to out-think and out-shoot the bad guys. A great read for those who like thrillers and shut-em-ups.

Personal note: I had a cat some years back named Bob and later dubbed Bob the Nailer. He could get you every time! And his claws were sharp!

Rating:

Quote:

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

About the book: FBI Special Agent Brad Raines is facing his toughest case yet. A Denver serial killer has killed four beautiful young women, leaving a bridal veil at each crime scene, and he's picking up his pace. Unable to crack the case, Raines appeals for help from a most unusual source: residents of the Center for Wellbeing and Intelligence, a private psychiatric institution for mentally ill individuals whose are extraordinarily gifted. It's there that he meets Paradise, a young woman who witnessed her father murder her family and barely escaped his hand. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Paradise may also have an extrasensory gift: the ability to experience the final moments of a person's life when she touches the dead body. In a desperate attempt to find the killer, Raines enlists Paradise's help. In an effort to win her trust, he befriends this strange young woman and begins to see in her qualities that most 'sane people' sorely lack. Gradually, he starts to question whether sanity resides outside the hospital walls...or inside.As the Bride Collector increases the pace and volume of his gruesome crucifixions, the case becomes even more personal to Raines when his friend and colleague, a beautiful young forensic psychologist, becomes the Bride Collector's next target. The FBI believes that the killer plans to murder seven women. Can Paradise help before it's too late?

First line:Thank you Detective. We'll take it from here.

My Thoughts: This is the 4th or 5th book I've read by this author. I am a Dekker fan, but I don't think this will go down as one of my favorites. For the most part it was an edge of your seat page turner. You know the killer from the first as the author takes you into his head and thoughts through out the book. What a twisted bad guy. I said for the most part because a lot of time was spent by characters reflecting on their love for each other, repetitive conversation between the patients at the center, and the main female character, Paradise, repeatedly thinking about how worthless she thought she was. The FBI spending so much time with mental patients instead of doing their own research didn't work for me, it rang untrue and I couldn't suspend belief for this one. With that being said, I still thought it was good. The race to get to The Bride Collector before he killed his 7th woman was exciting. The story contains plot twists, character turns, scary scenes. It had horror, mystery, suspense, murder, and a little romance.

Rating:

Genre: Christian Fiction, thriller
Pages: 353
Publisher: Center Street; 1 edition (April 13, 2010)
Source: Library (Digital Branch)

Why This book?: I like this author's work and this book his been on my wishlist for awhile. I thought I'd use it as the kick off for my Christian Fiction reading challenge this year.

Quote: “You see, everyone is God’s favorite, even the mentally ill, which is most people, but don’t let me digress. They are God’s favorite, too, all of them. This is possible only because God is infinite and can therefore have more than one favorite without violating the meaning of the term. He can have multiple favorites, and each one is truly a favorite, receiving the greatest God has to offer, which is infinite.”

Links:
Author's site