Coffee Shops, Grunge Music and Murder - Part II

dear readers,

Last year (2011) I discovered 3 mystery/suspense authors who write about death in Seattle (Washington).  I live in Vancouver, BC so Seattle is not so far away making the killer quite literally next door.

Gregg Olsen writes both fiction (Suspense/Mystery and now Young Adult) and non-fiction (True Crime).  He has appeared on many radio shows and television shows - including 2 of my favourite 48 Hours and Dateline.
Okay I lied about this one...I thought I read Gregg Olsen this year, but it appears I read him in 2010.  I discovered him as I was looking up authors who wrote suspense thrillers and I recognized his photo from an episode on 48 Hours.  I decided to try one of his suspense novels as he seemed to be an acclaimed writer of True Crime.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/o/gregg-olsen/

A COLD DARK PLACE

3 STARS

 A family is brutally murder and their son has disappeared...Emily Kenyon - a police officer and mother - is in charge of finding the boy and see if he is the murderer.  Jenna, Emily's daughter, also becomes involved and is in fact ahead of the police but soon is in danger herself. There is another family murdered in Iowa and then in Salt Lake City...and Emily is soon on a race to find a killer who may come after daughter.

This was a great suspense thriller set in the Pacific Northwest and it had me from the first page.  Emily is a great heroine and very realistic as a cop and a mother.  It is gritty but not overdone.

HEART OF ICE

3 STARS

There is a killer loose  - 3 murdered victims each taking place somewhere different - and he is cunning.  The only clues the have are the victims common background- sorority sisters who are very privileged women.  What the police do not know is that this will not end until he kills one very particular sorority sister.

I was on pins and needles throughout the novel.  It was well-written and the suspense is crazy to the point I cannot stop reading!

I am now on the hunt for his first novel A Wicked Snow.

http://www.greggolsen.com/

NEXT: Coffee Shops, Grunge Music and Murder III (Kevin O'Brien)

love,
kris

Reviews: Get Ready to Read Through the Night...

and you may want to keep the lights on (no judgement).

dear readers,

I have been lucky this month and had a chance  to read Advanced Copies of two brilliant suspense/mystery authors: Tami Hoag and Lisa Gardner.  Both had their start in the romance genre before they went into the suspense genre for which they are now known for. (I received both ARCs from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

TAMI HOAG

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/tami-hoag/ 

Oak Knoll
1. Deeper than the Dead (2010) 4 STARS
2. Secrets to the Grave (2011) 4 STARS
3. Down the Darkest Road (2011) 4 STARS

 

The Oak Knoll series is named for the town these novels take place in (California, USA) and are set from mid-80s to 1990.  What I love about this series is that this is pre-CSI era where it is more detective work and instinct versus DNA and profiling.  Former FBI agent Vince Leone is in fact one of the pioneers of profiling so we get the beginning of this new tool.  The characters are all realistic and could fit in the present day but the setting around them reminds you that this a few decades back.  Though you could potentially read these novels as a standalone or out of order - I would advise against it.  Many of the characters run through all of the novels and unfortunately the third book does reveal some spoilers for the first.  I think that this series is so wonderful just read book one and I dare you not to continue.

DOWN THE DARKEST ROAD

(BOOK 3) 

written by TAMI HAOG
genre: thriller, mystery, suspense

4 STARS

Lauren's perfect family has fallen apart - her eldest daughter has been missing for years and her husband has left her a widow.  She is angry and wanting justice she takes her daughter, Leah and moves to Oak Knoll to start anew - except the man she suspects of her daughter's disappearance has also moved to the neighbourhood.  Det. Tony Mendez of Oak Knoll has been put in the middle to discover the truth.

I really like this series and this novel was no disappointment.  I hope Hoag continues with the series.  I love the late 80s/early 90s setting and the characters are wonderful and has wonderful suspense keeping you flipping the pages. 

LISA GARDNER

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/lisa-gardner/

D.D. Warren
1. Alone (2005) 4 STARS
2. Hide (2007) 3 STARS
3. The Neighbor (2009) 3 STARS
4. Live to Tell (2010) 4 STARS
5. Love You More (2011) 2.5 STARS
6. Catch Me(2012) 3 STARS
The 7th Month (2012)

D.D. Warren is a female homicide detective in the Boston PD and tough as nail in and out her job.  She likes her freedom but is strongly attracted to fellow BPD detective, Bobby Dodge.  I like this character because is not a damsel in distress or cold unfeeling bitch - she is the perfect blend of strength and compassion.  These books can be read on there on own but there is a story that goes through the novels.

The first 2 books Alone and Hide are more of Bobby Dodge's story than D.D.'s but gives you a great introduction to her character.  The 3-6 book feature her as the main character.  The novella The 7th Month should be read before Catch me and after Love You More. The 7th Month will be released January 10, 2012.

CATCH ME

(Book 6)

written by Lisa Gardner
genre: thriller, mystery, suspense

COMING: February 7, 2012

3 STARS

Charlie cannot remember exact details of her childhood with her mother only that her mother was not entirely sane and hurt her and her siblings.  After a fire she is sent to live with her Aunt and starts to rebuild her life as best she can.  Then the nightmare has started again - 2 years ago her best friend was murdered and the case was never solved.  Then the following year to the date her other best friend is murdered and again the case goes unsolved.  Now it is another year and Charlie is prepping for the fight of her life.  

D.D. Warren is now the mother of baby Jack and is back on the force.  She feels something is not quite right with Charlie, but also has another case of young pedophiles being murdered.  Like Charlie's best friends, there was no forced entry or much disturbed.  

I am a big fan of the D.D. Warren series - she is a realistic portrayal of a female detective in Boston PD.  She is ballsy and yet vulnerable.  I was not overly joyed with Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant as a main character.  I just did not care for her as a character and to be honest hoped she would exit left.  I have given this novel 3 starts mainly for the great writing, twists and suspense and because of the realistic nature of the novel.

love, 
kris