When I read and reviewed Christopher Klim's first novel, JESUS LIVES IN TRENTON, it was the title that grabbed me. After that I was hooked on its unlikely hero, Boot Means, and looked forward to the next book in the series. EVERYTHING BURNS is a surprising sequel in that it retains the streetwise humor of the first book while exploring a much more serious theme. There is no light side to arson that results in the death of children. Yet Klim manages to integrate wisecracking characters and dramatic action without confusing the reader. Though not an easy task, he has employed the same engaging combination of contrasts that we enjoyed in such shows as MASH and NYPD Blue.
At the end of JESUS LIVES IN TRENTON, Boot Means met his long lost Father, Charles Goodman, a wealthy Texas businessman who is eager to make up for his past neglect. Boot has a difficulty finding forgiveness in the heart that was broken as a child. A child who grew up knowing that his Father had left his pregnant Mother and that she later abandoned her infant to the foster care system. He grows up with a poor self image and his lack of self esteem contributes to his lack of success. Neither of which does much for his attitude. Yet, there is that phenomenon that causes a child to want to know his parents, no matter what. So, when things go bad in Trenton, Boot has a good excuse to head for Texas.
In the town of Concho, about an hour distant from his Father's ranch, our n'er do well photojournalist is once again seeking a permanent spot on the local newspaper. As he works to prove himself to Shep Newell, cranky editor of the Concho Democrat, Boot finds himself in the midst of mayhem caused by a serial arsonist. Though he establishes a comfortable camaraderie with Fire Marshall Ryan Galloway, "Gally" never lets him forget who is in charge. Boot observes, "I understand that if there existed infinite ways to phrase a sentence, Gally picked one that pissed off the most people."
Oscar Van Hise is revealed to the reader as the arsonist who is systematically working out his vengeance on the town and the people that he holds responsible for his screwed up life. He is portrayed as psychotic but not sympathetic. We don't for a minute buy any of his perverse justification for what he is doing despite his real or imagined suffering. Klim writes, "For all of his genius, he possessed the power to change everything but the past." And it is his past, greatly exaggerated in Oscar Van Hise's malevolent mind, that obsession festered and grew and will not cease until he completes his final masterpiece, an elaborate electrical fire designed to destroy the Concho Art Museum.
Despite all odds, Boot dogs this lunatic arsonist to the exciting climax. Regardless of barriers and betrayals, Boot Means emerges a hero. Not because he catches the bad the guy but because he does the right thing.

Is there a happy ending? Does Boot get the job? Does he get the girl? Will he be united with his Father? You'll just have to find out for yourself when you read, EVERYTHING BURNS by Christopher Klim.

MISSING WITNESS, book number four in the Chambers of Justice series, presents Will Chambers with the most difficult challenge of his career. Talk about cold cases! He has to prove that Isaac Joppa, who lived more than 300 years ago, was innocent of piracy. Despite the lack of historical documentation, Will begins this seemingly impossible investigation. He skillfully follows what few threads he has and starts to unravel the mystery that surrounds the most infamous dweller on the Reverend Jonathan Joppa's family tree.
If Isaac Joppa's innocence can be proved, Reverend Joppa will inherit Stony Island off the coast of North Carolina, left to him by Randolph Willowby, a distant cousin who was also related to the alleged pirate. Of course there are those who benefit if Will loses the case. Enter the dastardly Blackjack Morgan, who is certain that the secret to Blackbeard's buried booty is hidden on the island. Morgan is a good ol' boy godfather type who seems to have everyone in his debt, including Judge Hawsley Gadwell who is trying this unusual case. But loyalty through intimidation seldom lasts and one wonders which of Morgan's lackeys will be plotting to betray him first.
Once again Parshall comes through with a cast of fascinating characters played against a backdrop jam-packed with history, suspense and legal maneuverings. Will's beautiful wife, Fiona is having serious difficulty carrying their first child, there are intermittent chapters that detail Isaac Joppa's adventures, and there is the drama surrounding Reverend Joppa's struggle with his faith. These are back-stories that intrigue but never distract. Another winner for Craig Parshall.

Power hungry politicians, fiendish terrorists, treacherous drug dealers and corrupt police perpetrate the gripping events that plunge Will Chambers into the most dangerous case of his life. Once again things are not as seem when a highly respected special forces Colonel is accused of killing an innocent family during a daring rescue operation. The fact that Colonel Marlow cannot reveal all of the details makes defending him even more complex.
In this his third book in the Chambers of Justice series, Craig Parshall has once again proven that he can weave headline events, courtroom drama, human relationships and emerging faith in God into a powerful and thought provoking story. It begins joyfully with Will and Fiona on their honeymoon in Cancun. Having worked out some of their earlier communication problems and having set aside their busy schedules, they are ready to settle into married life. However, before the honeymoon is completed, the kidnapping of an American official begins a series of events that may once again awaken the demons that Will thought he had defeated.
Parshall deftly pulls together characters and events from the first two books, giving justice another chance to prevail against those who escaped her power before. Cops and Christians don't believe in coincidence so, once again we also see the role that God plays in the lives of those who put their faith in Him.

CUSTODY OF THE STATE by Craig Parshall is the second in the Chambers of Justice series. Attorney Will Chambers continues to regain the ground he lost when he allowed alcohol and despair to pull him into the dark abyss of grief over the murder of his wife. He has had a spiritual awakening and is truly experiencing what it means to be born again.
Life gets hectic quickly as his reputation for championing lost causes spreads. He is on the verge of a break through in an international case involving terrorist activity against American missionaries when he gets an urgent plea to defend a Georgia farm family against charges of child abuse. Between these cases and getting his law practice back on track, he has little time to pursue the fair Fiona who played a big part in his recent conversion.
Once again the forces of good vs. evil are explored and we see that power hungry executives with the backing of corrupt politicians make a formidable foe; the very ones charged with protecting the innocent are part of the problem. This is the arena in which our hero, bolstered by his newly found faith, does battle. His determination never falters as he works to uncover the plot formed against the innocent young Fellows family.
Parshall draws from his twenty-seven years as a lawyer to provide authentic courtroom machinations and drama. The reader gets an inside look at the fine points of law and how they can be manipulated to serve the guilty as well as the innocent. (...)

This first book in the Chambers of Justice series introduces Will Chambers, attorney at law. I like the clever but not too cutesy play on words and I really like what promises to be a great new reading experience. Craig Parshall has been a successful attorney for over twenty years and now shows himself to be a gifted writer as well.
THE RESURRECTION FILE refers to the case that down- on- his-luck-attorney Will Chambers is working on. As a matter of fact it's the only case that he has to work on since his law firm recently "disengaged" him and the only clients that he has had lately were "slow pays" or "no pays." All of this trouble only serves to feed the depression that Will has been nurturing since his wife was murdered. The fact that he keeps trying to solve his problems with alcohol has only made things worse.
Like Will himself, the case seems hopeless. A small-time preacher, Angus MacCameron, has written a scathing commentary on the recently published scientific findings of Dr. Albert Reichstad. Findings which claim that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ was only a myth; further stating that he has proof that the body of Jesus is still in the tomb. Reichstad hires a high-powered attorney to sue the preacher. Like chasing a mouse with a nuclear bomb. It certainly raises the question, "why would a renowned scientist be so upset over the words of an unknown preacher in an even lesser known publication?"
As the answers to that question unfold, so does this thought provoking tale. It's a compelling, realistic story right off the front pages. And, as Will is pursuing truth, God is pursuing Will and the author easily incorporates Will's spiritual awakening without ever being preachy.

Why did I put off reading Hostage until long after I had zipped through the rest of RC's books? Perhaps it was because I was delaying gratification, not wanting to read the last one...like saving the last peanut M&M. Wanting to savor it later on. Perhaps it was simply that "hostage" situations are probably my least favorite type of suspense. In either case, I just finished it. And while I feel slightly depressed that there are no Robert Crais left unread, I'm delighted that it's changed my attitude toward hostage stories.
The business of preserving and protecting takes its toll on those charged with the awesome task of policing. Case in point is Jeff Talley, former LAPD SWAT team negotiator. The price he paid was his heart... his emotions...his family, all the elements that give life short of the breath that keeps the body alive. The price was exacted from Talley the day he failed to talk down a perp in a hostage situation and witnessed the man put a bullet in his 9 year old son's neck.
After sitting on the couch for a year, Talley leaves his wife and daughter behind and takes a job as Police Chief in the small upscale community of Bristo Camino. A job that routinely involves little more than security work. Most of the local 14 man police force had never even had to draw their weapons. A peaceful little town where a man could heal and figure out his next move.
Then one day, all hell breaks loose and Talley is thrust into the middle of a high profile hostage situation. By page 40 the hostages have been taken, Talley's world had been rocked and you wonder, how can it take another 300 pages to resolve this? I can guarantee that there is never a wasted word as Crais reveals the complexities that makes this one of the best hostage stories ever. It seems the three young thugs who have taken a family hostage, have blundered into the middle of mob operation that includes some of the biggest crime families in the country. These modern day wise guys may have college educations but they are every bit as ruthless as their bentnose, monosyllabic predecessors.
And Talley gets his groove back, forced into reliving a situation similar to the one that took it away. "Talley wasn't acting like a has-been cop who had been broken by the job and come to nowhereland to hide; he was carrying on like a full-blown SWAT tactical streetmonster." I love it.
Sharp thinking, sharp writing, sharp shooting ...sharp sharp sharp! Can't wait to see it on the big screen, starring Bruce Willis!!!

Why did I put off reading Hostage until long after I zipped through the rest of RC's books? Perhaps it was because I was delaying gratification, not wanting to read the last one...like saving the last peanut M&M to munch later on. Perhaps it was simply that "hostage" situations are probably my least favorite type of suspense. In either case, I just finished it. And while I feel slightly depressed that there are no Robert Crais books left unread, I'm delighted that it's changed my attitude toward hostage stories.
The business of preserving and protecting takes its toll on those charged with the awesome task of policing. Case in point is Jeff Talley, former LAPD SWAT team negotiator. The price he paid was his heart, his emotions, his family, all the elements that give life meaning and that keep the body alive. The price was exacted from Talley on the day he failed to talk down a perp in a hostage situation and witnessed the man put a bullet in his 9 year old son's neck.
After sitting on the couch for a year, Talley leaves his wife and daughter behind and takes a job as Police Chief in the small upscale community of Bristo Camino. A job that routinely involves little more than security work. Most of the local 14 man police force has never even had to draw their weapons. A peaceful little town where a man could heal and figure out his next move.
Then one day, all hell breaks loose and Talley is thrust into the middle of a high profile hostage situation. By page 40 the hostages have been taken, Talley's world had been rocked and you wonder, how can it take another 300 pages to resolve this? I can guarantee that there is never a wasted word as Crais reveals the complexities that makes this one of the best hostage stories ever. It seems the three young thugs who have taken a family hostage, have blundered into the middle of mob operation that includes some of the biggest crime families in the country. These modern day wise guys may have college educations but they are every bit as ruthless as their bentnose, monosyllabic predecessors.
As Talley gets his groove back, he is forced into reliving a situation similar to the one that took it away. "Talley wasn't acting like a has-been cop who had been broken by the job and come to nowhereland to hide; he was carrying on like a full-blown SWAT tactical streetmonster." I love it.
Hostage by Robert Crais. Sharp thinking, sharp writing, sharp shooting ...sharp sharp sharp! Can't wait to see it on the big screen, starring Bruce Willis

"Cheechako (Native Alaskan for "alien" or "foreigner") is a horror novel that forces our eyes open to the real price we pay for our human addictions-whether it is our submission to the lash of the dominatrix or to the pious light that filters through stained glass windows." Not for the faint of heart.
An earthquake registering 8.5 on the Richter scale hits Alaska and unleashes a subterranean deity more wicked and noxious than most could imagine. Even those who have battled addiction and experienced the horrors of withdrawal would have difficulty relating to this creature in his fullness. Pluto, as in the plutonium spill that results from the earthquake, is beyond repulsive. Yet somehow he manages to lure people into his dominion with the promise of comfort, power, and fulfillment through his "magic box" of energy and light. The box lends itself to the needs of the one who uses it...whatever you need, it provides. Sometimes it simply changes your reality. Like being on the holodeck of the Starship Enterprise. Other times it allows you to read minds, teleport, and even hear the dead speak. It lures you in and makes you a willing partner of its master, willing to participate in his endeavors "at any cost."
The parallels between evil and addiction are drawn in so many different ways that even readers who are not in recovery will be able to relate and to perhaps gain a better understanding of how bright, rational, caring people become stupid, insane, selfish idiots when they succumb to mind altering drugs which, by the way, include alcohol. Those in recovery will marvel at their own survival and be astonished at how they have overcome man's proclivity to believe the lies of Satan over the truth of a loving God. As Jocelyn says when talking about her coke addiction, "It gave me wings and then it took away my sky."
Dan McFadden has spent nearly a quarter of his life writing and publishing this awesome work. His writing style is gripping and rich with the humor of a man who has fought and won. Cheechako is brimming with the thoughts, impressions, perspectives, wit and wisdom of a man who has battled his own demons. Demons that come cloaked in pious garb, in the latest pimp gear, and in the everyday clothing of the drunk next door. And, if I were to have one dispute with McFadden's portrayal of Pluto, it would be that he was too obvious. The evil one is much more subtle. If the tempter of mankind came in the repulsive form of Pluto he would be easily recognized and most people would flee him before he ever got a chance to pull out his magic box. I believe that the personification of evil would be more malicious if it came in the person of a beautiful, well-mannered and trusted acquaintance who betrayed you in unspeakable ways. There is definitely more to Cheechako than one can absorb in a single reading. Actually, it might even work better as a trilogy since, at nearly 700 pages, it can hardly be considered a pocketbook even in soft cover. In any case, I am sure that book clubs and study groups will have a fantastic time discussing the many aspects of this book for years to come.

If you're like me, you approach the latest book by your favorite authors with mixed emotions. Excitement, joy and anticipation are often dampened by the knowledge that when you finish it will be all over for another year, at least. And don't the good ones read too darn fast? Somehow I need to learn to savor but once I get started I just keep soaring through to the end
To the Nines by Janet Evanovich takes the reader on another zany adventure with Stephanie Plum, queen of the bounty hunters, and her wacky entourage of weirdos...that is they are weirdos to anyone who does not live in Trenton, New Jersey. In Trenton it is perfectly normal to see a bail jumper like Punky Balog mooning the entire block from his second story window. That being his most effective way of expressing how he feels about Stephanie trying to apprehend him. And, in Trenton, no one gives a second look at large black woman with a purse full of freshly fried pork chops. After all, Lula is just trying to become a supermodel by losing weight on "this great new diet where you eat meat all day long." Thus begins the ninth book in the Stephanie Plum series and Evanovich keeps up the pace all the way through.
This time out Stephanie has gained some stature in the bounty hunting business and doesn't mess up her captures nearly as much as she used to. Growth, I like that. However, the laughs keep coming and a smile just seems to stay on your face as you read through the book. I like that too. Reading this series is like going to a dysfunctional family reunion as we get to spend plenty of time with Morelli, Ranger, Grandma Mazur and the other wacky people we've come to know and love. I especially like that.
It's easy to get so caught up with the zany characters and merry mayhem which fills the pages of To the Nines that you forget there's a darn good mystery going on which needs to be solved as well. Finding a bond jumper and a psycho stalker leads Stephanie and her companions on a wild chase that takes them to Las Vegas and back with nothing to show for it but another dead body. You may figure out who dunnit but the why will keep you guessing.
Janet Evanovich has done it again. For the ninth time she has written a book that will satisfy her many fans and attract a horde of new ones. Irresistible.

A shady antique dealer named Ralph Meeker had a sweet deal going. He would sell stolen art to wealthy clients and then blackmail them with threats of exposing their "crimes." When both he and one of his victims, Senator Allan Puckett, turn up dead on the same night, police conclude that it was a murder suicide and quickly clear the case. However, Lindsey Grey, who was mentored by the Senator and her husband, amateur sleuth, Paul Grey, cannot believe that Allan Puckett would kill himself or anyone else for that matter. So Paul sets out to find evidence that will clear the Senator, remove the cloud that may hurt his wife's chances of getting elected to her mentor's seat, and release insurance funds to the man's wife.
For a guy whose regular job is some sort of contract data entry, Paul Grey is a pretty methodical detective. He does get tripped up, as beginners often do, by starting with a premise and then trying to develop evidence to prove it rather than allowing the evidence to develop the premise. However, he's evidently read enough mysteries and watched enough Law and Order to doggedly track down leads and continues to investigate every angle until he comes up with a pretty plausible theory.
Then, taking a page from Charlie Chan, he gathers all the suspects together at Denny's telling them that he knows who the culprit is. Unfortunately, it turns out that Grand Slams are not only on the menu when several of the gentlemen take exception to Paul's probing and accusations. With everyone furious at him it's no wonder that his car is blown up. But now at least the police are willing to listen and begin to be more open to the idea that the case was not quite so open and shut.
In her breakout novel, Beginner's Luck, Cheryl Ritzel has created a strong foundation for her proposed series staring Paul Grey. With a twist on the usual detective mysteries Paul Grey is just a regular guy who has a knack for winnowing out facts where others would have given up. And, despite some beginner's boo-boos he manages to solve the case with lots of hard work and determination...and, well maybe a bit of beginner's luck.