Humankind is on the brink of extinction and a thin green line is our only hope. Millions of zombies are making their way to a Texas laboratory defended by Joint Task Force SPARTA. This is the final entry in author Knight's exciting series. He has progressively ratcheted up the action that began in a more nuanced tale of a special forces team making it out of Manhattan. This outing offers tons of explosions, biting and a bit of suspense attributed to high-order zombies. But it the visual of a tidal wave of necromophs crossing America that captured this reader's attention and imagination. It is great zombie fun with lots of testosterone-laced military action.

Mark Mills' Amagansett, set in the Hamptons, was an enjoyable read a couple of summers ago so I hoped this tale set on the French Riviera in 1935 would be equally engaging. This revenge espionage thriller should be fertile ground for many reasons. However, the author is preoccupied with geography and setting, so much so, that plot and characters suffer. Suspense is missing and in its place are 'beautiful people' lunches, dinners and frolics in the Côte d'Azur. These dominate to such an extent that the novel barely moves and the social gatherings meant to expose and untangle the intrigue become repetitious and overdrawn. Some of the supporting characters add flavour but overall it seems recycled and too familiar. I highly suggest Alan Furst's work in this period and genre which set such a benchmark.

I have a few guilty pleasures and post-apocalyptic fiction is one of them. This focus takes all forms and includes zombies. So it has been fun to read Knight's ongoing series covering an aggressive outbreak of the undead rising with a claim to the world. I have read the opener: The Gathering Dead; and the interim novella: Left for Dead, both of which are entertaining and valuable precursors to The Rising Horde. The author keeps a decent tempo and engaging plot which basically boils down to the US military's response to an invasion of the dead (with some vignettes on how the rest of the world is doing).

Not as sophisticated or nuanced as World War Z, which is such an amazing addition to the genre, Knight's contributions act as pulpy 'after-action' reports of the army, air force, navy, and special forces responses to such a cataclysm. The characters are becoming more interesting and the suspense is building. As well, the author is exploring extensions on the standard zombie genre that I will leave you to discover (there are at least three). It is as if Knight were asked to serialize World War Z for solid but campy fun, and if so, he delivers.

Between September 1939 and August 1945 there were at least 60 million deaths due to the war. It is the overwhelming scale of the conflict that Max Hastings attempts to communicate balanced with human tales of sacrifice and suffering. He does this extremely well with the only fault being how difficult it is to give the entire war justice in one volume. The history takes the reader from the tactics of the frontline to opportunistic strategies pursued by Germany and Japan. Hastings points out that Barbarossa was as an economic programme brought about by a military operation (under the Nazi-Soviet Pact, Germany was receiving goods and economic considerations). Indeed Japan's aggression was based on protecting and receiving raw materials.

There are many fresh insights, statistics and stories that should not surprise given the scope of the war. These include:

- nearly ten percent of the wartime dead were Jews but Hastings points out their ordeal was seen as collateral damage at the time. It was only following the war that The Holocaust was positioned as we know it today

- the incredible mass migrations of displaced persons, changing geographic boundaries, and Soviet occupation (8 million French people abandoned their homes in 1940)

- the 17,000 Americans who lost limbs in combat were overshadowed by the 100,000 who became amputees due to industrial accidents

Having read many, many histories of WW2, I was struck by the fate of Poland and Poles who never collaborated with the Nazi conquerors, how many fought with the Allies, and how they still ended up losing their country. And one fact was reaffirmed...that wars still need to be won on the ground so that the 'lowly' infantryman is absolutely crucial. Even today conflicts cannot be dealt with by drones but by ground pounders.

Mr. Hastings does his best taking us to all zones of conflict, all manner of warfare, and with all the attendant hardships they brought. I remain amazed at the "size" of the war and how the Allies, specifically the US, geared their economies and their purpose to fighting in such a short period of time. He does overly admire German, Japanese and Soviet fighting prowess while diminishing the impact of British, American and Canadian fighters (indeed my home country of Canada receives limited mentions which I am used to but I was unprepared that almost everyone of them was neutral to negative). I now look forward to Antony Beevor's new history also covering the war in one volume.

This is the eighth Bernie Gunther novel and with it the author regains his footing. A couple of the recent entries set after WW2 in Argentina and Cuba were not as compelling. But in this outing we are treated to the original stubborn but effective detective. Perhaps because it takes place in 1941 at the height of Nazi conquest and inter-organization intrigue that this novel works. Indeed there was a Alan Furst-like quality to the plot as it deals with Reinhard Heydrich, Czech terrorists, a German traitor, a femme fatale, and a locked door murder mystery.

Heydrich is written about in such diabolical form that it near lionizes his intellect. And a new character, Kahlo, plays Watson to Bernie's Holmes helped to liven up the pace and dialogue as they went about dissecting the crime scene and assemblage of SS, SD, and Nazi suspects. Kerr appropriately addresses the irony of a murder investigation at the time when Nazi Einsatzgruppen death squads are roaming behind the advancing Wehrmacht executing Jews, partisans, and cut-off Soviet forces. Bernie's mordant Berliner humour, contested morals and hardheadedness help him survive in a very dangerous time and make for an entertaining read.

I downloaded this graphic history to my iPad and applaud the author and illustrator for their efforts. This is an entertaining and educational reminder of the incredible sacrifices and accomplishments Canada's armed forces contributed during The Second World War. It should be required reading for all grade school students who will enjoy the format's striking imagery and content. Of course, it must be considered an introductory overview as it does not provide a detailed history but all key aspects are present: Atlantic convoys, wartime production, Dieppe, the home front, Ortona, D-Day, the liberation of Holland. Canada fielded a force of over 1 million out of a population of 10 million with 42,000 deaths. Amazingly, the country efficiently and effectively mobilized for war and once it was over quickly de-mobilized (some might argue too quickly and too dramatically). Canadians must continue to understand and honour their military history - this is a fine contribution to that effort.

Eastwood's second outing with the enigmatic Inspector Pekkala is highly entertaining. Employing the real historic backdrop of the secret development of the Soviet T-34 tank, we follow him and his trusty assistant as they explore murder and espionage. Pekkala, a Finn, has been in the employ of the Russian nation from the time of the Tsar to his current boss, Stalin (who is deliciously depicted). The character loses some of his mystery in this go-around and strays a bit to the campy but it still works. A very solid history-mystery series.

What an engrossing tale. From the opening paragraphs describing the young victim to the year-long saga that tormented the family this is an overwhelming story. What really surprised me were how all of the elements we have now come to expect in high profile kidnappings made their debut during this case. A reward was offered, marked bills prepared, clairvoyants called upon, hoax tips abounded, newspaper media involvement, private detectives, suspicion falls on the family, and events create copycats. The research is first-rate and the writing brings 1874 to life. Author Hagen strikes a fine balance between an objective procedural and an empathetic narrative. It is so rich one may conclude it is a work of fiction.

Thankfully I have read a handful of nonfiction efforts covering the weirdness that was Watergate. This helped mentally sort the players and their stakes in the unbelievable and ultimately silly events. So having some depth of knowledge is important to the enjoyment of this fictionalized account. An effort that is very well thought-out. It is the fact that book reads like a very slow soap opera is what gives it credibility. Not every interaction between these characters is going to provide a stupendous revelation. Yet, as events unfold we are treated to a voyeuristic "could have been". It is hard to dismiss Mallon's take of what may have transpired behind the scenes. The book really moved when dealing with Pat Nixon, Alice Roosevelt, and the Hunts. Truth is stranger than fiction and these actual historic figures add to the strangeness. The author disrobes and lays bare Watergate for what it was ... both high comedy and low tragedy.

Keene has penned some enjoyable zombie books so I thought this effort would be an interesting genre change. The cover art should have been a dead giveaway for the gore within, yet, I it would be suspenseful like a Preston and Child outing...but not to be. The premise is fun with a "Survivor"-like reality show taking place on a thought-to-be unoccupied island. Unfortunately, Keene misses the chance to imbue his characters with more depth beyond fairly simple stereotypes. Soon there is a whole lot of violence and uncomfortable rape situations. It could have taken a 'campy' approach which would have been more interesting. Instead it was blunt and overly explicit reminding me of Jack Ketchum and Richard Laymon novels.