A Review of Blood Flag by Steve Martini

Blood Flag (Paul Madriani #14)

by Steve Martini

Steve Martini departed a bit from his normal type of story when he wrote Blood Flag. Most of his stories concentrate on the court and law. He finds ways to prove that his client is innocent. In Blood Flag much of the plot centers around an international group of people who are intent on owning Hitler’s Blood Flag.

“The Blutfahne (pronounced [bluːtˈfaːnə]), or Blood Flag, is the Nazi German Swastika flag that was used in the failed Beer Hall Putsch in Munich, Germany on 9 November 1923, during which it became soaked in the blood of one of the SA members who died. It subsequently became one of the most revered objects of the Nazi Party. It was used in ceremonies in which new flags for party organisations were consecrated by the Blood Flag when touched by it.” (From Wikipedia)

This flag was then prominently displayed throughout Hitler’s reign. It was thought to have been destroyed, but maybe not.

This is the fourteenth book in the series, but can be read as a standalone book. The characterization will come across as rather two-dimensional, but you won’t get lost. Even though Paul Madriani does have a client that is under suspicion of murder, much of the action is centered around the hunt for the killer of Paul’s assistant, Sofia, and search for the Blood Flag. There are some plot twists and unexpected events along with a few suspenseful sequences to keep you on your toes. I was completely surprised by the ending. Mr. Martini wrote one chapter so masterfully that I was totally fooled. I thought that one thing had happened, but it really was just the opposite. After rereading that chapter, I can see how I was deceived.

On the whole, this was an enjoyable book. I was engaged and interested in what was happening and I wanted to continue reading, even when I should have stopped. This book broke me out of my stupor. I hadn’t been able to get interested in most books recently. So I give a big thanks to Mr. Martini for that.

I give Blood Flag 4 Stars out of 5 and a Thumbs Up! I recommend it to anyone who likes their legal thrillers with a historic and international flavor.

I received a Digital Review Copy from the publisher.

Book Description

Defending a client accused of killing her father, attorney Paul Madriani is drawn into a treacherous conspiracy dating to World War II in this enthralling installment in the New York Times bestselling series.

Paul Madriani and Harry Hinds have a new client: Emma Brauer, a woman accused in the “mercy killing” of her aged father, Robert Brauer. Insisting she’s innocent, Emma tells Paul about a package sent to her father shortly before he entered the hospital. Bequeathed to him by a member of his unit from World War II, the box contains a key and a slip of paper. Emma fears that this package is connected to her father’s death.

When Paul’s young assistant Sofia is murdered, Madriani is blindsided by the realization that Emma’s fears are well-grounded.

Digging into Robert’s military history, Madriani discovers that other members of the Army unit Robert served with have recently died—under similarly suspicious circumstances. When he finds that the box sent to Brauer relates to a mysterious talisman that went missing at the end of the war—a feared Nazi relic known as the “Blood Flag”—Madriani and Hinds realize they are in for the fight of their lives.

With Emma’s life on the line and their own safety in jeopardy, Madriani must uncover the truth before the evil of the Blood Flag is allowed to spin a new web.

Book Details

Series: Paul Madriani (Book 14)
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (May 17, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062328964
ISBN-13: 978-0062328960
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces

About the Author

Photo by Brian Smale

Steve Martini is the author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including The Enemy Inside, Trader of Secrets, The Rule of Nine, Guardian of Lies, Shadow of Power, Double Tap, and others featuring defense attorney Paul Madriani. Martini has practiced law in California in both state and federal courts and has served as an administrative law judge and supervising hearing officer. He lives in the Pacific Northwest.

A Review of Gone Again by James Grippando

Gone Again (Jack Swyteck #12)

by James Grippando

Mr. Grippando completes the circle with Gone Again. Jack Swyteck is back where he started in the first book in the series, The Pardon. He is back at the Freedom Institute. He says that he isn’t joining the team, just renting an office, but he gets drawn back into a death row case, when the victim’s mother, Debra Burette, talks to him when everyone else is down at the Florida State Prison. She is convinced that the man who is scheduled to die for her daughter’s rape and murder shouldn’t be executed because she is sure that her daughter, Sashi, is alive.

This is just the beginning of a book that is full of twists and turns. Many of the people in this book have secrets, and just when you think that you have them figured out something else happens to change your mind. As the story progresses, layer after layer of lies are torn away, until you reach the truth, a truth that you never expected, and could not have anticipated.

I like the Jack Swyteck series. I read The Pardon a long time ago, and I’ve read another couple since then. I like the Freedom Institute members. I hope that Jack sticks around there. He is a good fit. You don’t need to read this series in order, since each of the books stand on their own; but once you read Gone Again, you probably will want to read some of the earlier books.

I give Gone Again 4 1/2 Stars out of 5 and a Big Thumbs Up. If you like multilayered legal mysteries, I think you will really like Gone Again.

I received a Digital Review Copy from the publisher.

Book Description

In this electrifying and fast-paced tale of suspense from the New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Cash Landing, Cane & Abe, and Black Horizon, Miami criminal defense lawyer Jack Swyteck takes on his first death-row client since The Pardon in a case as twisty as it is shocking.

Sashi Burgette vanished three years ago on her way to school. The night after the teenager’s disappearance, ex-con Dylan Kyle was stopped for drunk driving. An article of Sashi’s clothing was found in his truck, and a police videotape of his drunken explanation under interrogation sealed his fate at trial. Now, just days from Kyle’s execution, Sashi’s mother visits Jack Swyteck, doing pro bono work at the Freedom Institute, and delivers shocking news: “Sashi called me.”

The police dismiss the call as a cruel hoax. The State Attorney refuses to consider the new evidence, insisting the case is closed. The governor has already signed the death warrant. An innocent man may be executed and time is running out—unless his lawyers can locate Sashi.

A man of principle who believes in justice, Jack jumps into the investigation. But the deeper he digs the more he discovers that nothing is what it appears to be. Not the victim. Not her alleged killer. And definitely not Sashi’s parents, whose grief ruptured their marriage, each openly blaming the other for what happened to their daughter.

As their gut-wrenching and hopelessly conflicting version of events unfolds in a Miami courtroom, it becomes clear there is something even more difficult to find than a long-missing girl . . .

The truth.

Book Details

Series: Jack Swyteck Novel
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Harper (March 1, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062368702
ISBN-13: 978-0062368706
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds

About the Author

Monica Hopkins photography

James Grippando is a New York Times bestselling author of twenty-four novels. He was a trial lawyer for twelve years before the publication of his first novel in 1994 (The Pardon), and now serves as counsel at Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP. He lives in South Florida with his wife, three children, two cats, and a golden retriever named Max who has no idea that he’s a dog.

A Review of Crimson Shore by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

Crimson Shore (Pendergast #15)

by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

This is pretty simple. If you like the Pendergast series, you will definitely like Crimson Shore. If you haven’t read any books in this series, this could be a decent starting point. This is the 15th book in the series, so you won’t know the whole back story, but you won’t feel lost.

For the people who are thinking about reading this series, let me tell you what it is like. Special Agent Pendergast is an FBI agent from New Orleans, but he is unlike any FBI agent you have ever run across. He is eccentric to say the least, but he has a fascinating strangeness about him. There is something about this series that reminds me of Sherlock Holmes. They both are very meticulous and see things that other detectives miss. Many of the Pendergast books seem to have an obvious mystical component to them, but usually there is some scientific solution that disproves the supernatural. But sometimes there seems to be a touch of the metaphysical still left at the end. If you think about some of the more famous Holmes stories, you will notice the similarity. (The Hound of the Baskervilles comes to mind.)

In Crimson Shore Pendergast works closely with his ward, Constance Greene. She plays a major role in the investigation, but she feels like Pendergast discounts her contribution. I always enjoy the books in which Constance plays a major role. She is a good foil to Pendergast’s meticulousness, and an interesting character in her own right.

One thing that you should realize before starting this book, is that there is a cliffhanger. The Pendergast series has had a couple of these trilogies. The Diogenes Trilogy and The Helen Trilogy were each three book mini-series’. I expect that is the start of another one. So if you shy away from trilogies, this might not be the best book to start with. But of course if you are a Pendergast fan, then it won’t matter to you, since you were planning on reading each book as it came out anyway.

As nearly always, I enjoyed this Pendergast book. There has been a couple of low points in the series, but this isn’t one of those. Even though there is a cliffhanger, the main story does have a conclusion. So all in all Crimson Shore is another great read. I give it 4 1/2 Stars out of 5 and a Big Thumbs Up! If you haven’t read Pendergast, what are you waiting for?

I received a Digital Review Copy from the publisher.

Book Description

A secret chamber.
A mysterious shipwreck.
A murder in the desolate salt marshes.

A seemingly straightforward private case turns out to be much more complicated-and sinister-than Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast ever could have anticipated.

Pendergast, together with his ward Constance Greene, travels to the quaint seaside village of Exmouth, Massachusetts, to investigate the theft of a priceless wine collection. But inside the wine cellar, they find something considerably more disturbing: a bricked-up niche that once held a crumbling skeleton.

Pendergast and Constance soon learn that Exmouth is a town with a very dark and troubled history, and this skeleton may be only the first hint of an ancient transgression, kept secret all these years. But they will discover that the sins of the past are still very much alive. Local legend holds that during the 1692 witch trials in Salem, the real witches escaped, fleeing north to Exmouth and settling deep in the surrounding salt marshes, where they continued to practice their wicked arts.

Then, a murdered corpse turns up in the marshes. The only clue is a series of mysterious carvings. Could these demonic symbols bear some relation to the ancient witches’ colony, long believed to be abandoned?

A terrible evil lurks beneath the surface of this sleepy seaside town-one with deep roots in Exmouth’s grim history. And it may be that Constance, with her own troubled past, is the only one who truly comprehends the awful danger that she, Pendergast, and the residents of Exmouth must face . . .

Book Details

Series: Agent Pendergast series
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (November 10, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1455525928
ISBN-13: 978-1455525928
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds

About the Authors

The thrillers of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child “stand head and shoulders above their rivals” (Publishers Weekly). Preston and Child’s Relic and The Cabinet of Curiosities were chosen by readers in a National Public Radio poll as being among the one hundred greatest thrillers ever written, and Relic was made into a number-one box office hit movie. They are coauthors of the famed Pendergast series and their recent novels include Fever Dream, Cold Vengeance, Two Graves, and Gideon’s Corpse. In addition to his novels, Preston writes about archaeology for the New Yorker and Smithsonian magazines. Lincoln Child is a former book editor who has published five novels of his own, including the huge bestseller Deep Storm.

Readers can sign up for The Pendergast File, a monthly “strangely entertaining note” from the authors, at their website, www.PrestonChild.com. The authors welcome visitors to their alarmingly active Facebook page, where they post regularly.

A Review of Quicksand by Carolyn Baugh

Quicksand: A Nora Khalil Novel

by Carolyn Baugh

Philadelphia policewoman Nora Khalil is an interesting character. Her parents are Egyptian refugees. Her mother is dead, but her father expects Nora to live the life of an Egyptian Muslim, but Nora is more concerned with her job than her religion. One of the most important job skills she has is her ability to connect with the Arab population in Philadelphia. She can speak the language and knows the customs, therefore she has a better chance to engage with them and win their trust.

Nora Khalil is a believable character. I liked her. I think that i would like to read another book featuring her. I imagine that people like Nora will become more common in the police forces across this country, and the world. There is a large Arab community in my city. Most of them are Christians, but several cities in our area have large Muslim populations. The average US policeman can’t understand what goes on in these tightly knit communities, or even communicate with some Arab-Americans. Many don’t speak English. There can be frustrations on both sides. This book shows one way that problems can be overcome.

Quicksand brings up many ideas that are hard to think about. Most people don’t like to think about the horrors of human trafficking, especially when it involves children. It doesn’t seem possible that young girls could be sold into slavery in this day, but you hear of those things happening throughout the world. Quicksand will open your eyes.

I liked this book, and think that this series really could break new ground. Nora Khalil is an original character. She gives you a glimpse into the problems that Arab-American women have in the United States. Dr. Carolyn Baugh has a winner here.

I give Quicksand 4 Stars out of 5, and a Thumbs Up! I really can’t compare Nora Khalil to anyone else out there, so I’ll just say, “If you are ready to try something different, read Quicksand”.

I received a Digital Review Copy from the publisher.

If you would like to try to win a copy of Quicksand, the giveaway that I’m running ends tonight at 11PM EDT. Click here for more info, Giveaway for Quicksand by Carolyn Baugh

Book Description

Quicksand: The beginning of an engrossing new suspense series featuring Philadelphia policewoman Nora Khalil by Carolyn Baugh, acclaimed author of The View From Garden City.

Officer Nora Khalil is used to navigating different terrains. As part of a joint task force set up by the Philadelphia Police Department, the FBI, and the local sheriff’s offices, she works to keep Philly’s mean streets safe from gang violence, while trying to honor the expectations of her traditional Egyptian-American family. She can hold her own against hardened murderers and rapists, and her years as a competitive runner ensure that no suspect ever escapes on foot.

Nora tries to keep her professional and personal lives separate, but when a mutilated body is discovered in a tough section of town, Nora must rely on both her police training and her cultural background to find out whether this is another gang-related killing or the grisly evidence of something even darker and more disturbing.

Book Details

Series: Detective Nora Khalil
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Forge Books (September 29, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0765375605
ISBN-13: 978-0765375605
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds

About the Author

Dr. Carolyn Baugh holds both a Master’s (2008) and a Doctorate (2011) from the University of Pennsylvania in Arabic and Islamic Studies. She is an Assistant Professor of History at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she teaches courses in Middle East and world history and also directs the Women’s Studies Program. Her graduate research focused on minor marriage in early Islamic law, while her translation work includes the Sufi treatise of the celebrated 14th century jurist and scholar Ibn Khaldun. Dr. Baugh co-directs the Erie Voices refugee oral history project geared at collecting the stories of Erie’s diverse refugee community for purposes of increasing tolerance and understanding between cultures. She is faculty advisor for Students United against Human Trafficking and the Muslim Students Association. She is a failed concert pianist, a psychotic soccer mom to two indomitable girls, and the only one in the house who feeds Oreo the Cat.

Visit her website http://www.carolynbaugh.com/

A Review of The Scam by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

The Scam (Fox and O’Hare #4)

by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

The Fox and O’Hare series reminds me of the Ocean 11, 12 etc. film series, but with a twist. The crooks are working for the FBI. They run a scam trying to bring down the bad guys.

I enjoy this series. The writing team of Evanovich and Goldberg work as well together as their fictional team of Fox and O’Hare. They keep the action fast paced and pretty believable. It feels like it really could happen this way. Fox and O’Hare are fairly well developed, but most of the supporting cast are pretty much there just to fulfill a task. They are brought in to do a job and they do what they have to do without intruding too much into the action. If you have been reading the series, you will know most of them from previous books, if not it won’t matter. Everything still works just fine.

One thing I really like about this series is that it is a true series, not a serialized book. The whole story is told in this one book. You can pick it up and read it as if it was a stand-alone book. Then once all the loose ends are tied up, they add one more chapter. The last chapter adds a cliffhanger. Something happens in the final chapter that lets you know where the next book will start, but it isn’t a continuation of the current book. It’s kind of like a preview shown at the end of a television show. Kudos!

The Scam is another fun, sexy, action-filled, fast-paced, addition to possibly my favorite Janet Evanovich series. I think the writing team approach to this series really works well. I look forward to reading the next book, and hope that it will be here soon.

I give The Scam 4 1/2 Stars out of 5, and A Big Thumbs Up! If you have read any of Janet Evanovich’s books, I’m sure you will like this one. If you like heist or con-man type movies, give this book a read; you will have fun.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Book Description

Nicolas Fox is a charming con man and master thief on the run. Kate O’Hare is the FBI agent who is hot on his trail. At least that’s what everyone thinks. In reality, Fox and O’Hare are secretly working together to bring down super-criminals the law can’t touch. Criminals like brutal casino magnate Evan Trace.

Evan Trace is running a money-laundering operation through his casino in Macau. Some of his best customers are mobsters, dictators, and global terrorists. Nick and Kate will have to go deep undercover as high-stakes gamblers, wagering millions of dollars—and their lives—in an attempt to topple Trace’s empire.

It’s a scam that will take Fox and O’Hare from the Las Vegas strip, to the sun-soaked beaches of Oahu’s North Shore, and into the dark back alleys of Macau. Their only backup—a self-absorbed actor, a Somali pirate, and Kate’s father, an ex-soldier who believes a rocket launcher is the best way to solve every problem. What could possibly go wrong?

Book Details

Series: Fox and O’Hare (Book 4)
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Bantam (September 15, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345543165
ISBN-13: 978-0345543165
Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1 x 9.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces

About the Authors

Photo: © Roland Scarpa

Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Fox and O’Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg, the Lizzy and Diesel series, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and Troublemaker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author.

 

 

 

Photo: © Roland Scarpa

Lee Goldberg is a screenwriter, TV producer, and the author of several books, including King City, The Walk, and the bestselling Monk series of mysteries. He has earned two Edgar Award nominations and was the 2012 recipient of the Poirot Award from Malice Domestic.

A Review of Night Life: A Novel by David C. Taylor

Night Life: A Novel

by David C. Taylor

I’ve read quite a few mystery books set in the 1950s, but none of them grabbed me as quickly as Night Life did. From the opening pages, Mr. Taylor had me. His descriptive language put me right into the era. I was in New York City in 1954. I was looking around and seeing real life. A life that I never really lived, but a life that I felt part of. Mr. Taylor gives you everything that you ever wished for in a piece of noir fiction. He has well developed characters with lives that you care about set in an authentic landscape. He has hard-hitting, straight forward action, that is mixed together with some of the most ruthless protagonists that you will ever meet. The story has many layers. It’s like an onion, and Michael Cassidy has to peel away the layers to get to the truth. He has to battle the F.B.I. and C.I.A. along with Russian agents and even Senator Joe McCarthy’s public hearings investigating the Communist threat in America. It is a path with twists and turns galore.

This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I give Night Life 5 Stars out of 5 and Two Big Thumbs Up! You must track this book down. If you read authentic hard-hitting mysteries, you are going to love this.

I received a hardcover copy of this book from the publisher.

Book Description

Night Life first of a transporting historical crime fiction series from David C. Taylor.

New York City in 1954. The Cold War is heating up. Senator Joe McCarthy is running a witch hunt for Communists in America. The newly formed CIA is fighting a turf battle with the FBI to see who will be the primary US intelligence agency. And the bodies of murdered young men are turning up in the city.

Michael Cassidy has an unusual background for a New York cop. His father, a refugee from Eastern Europe, is a successful Broadway producer. His godfather is Frank Costello, a Mafia boss. Cassidy also has an unusual way of going about the business of being a cop-maybe that’s why he threw a fellow officer out a third story window of the Cortland Hotel.

Cassidy is assigned to the case of Alexander Ingram, a Broadway chorus dancer found tortured and dead in his apartment in Hell’s Kitchen. Complications grow as other young men are murdered one after the other. And why are the FBI, the CIA, and the Mafia interested in the death of a Broadway gypsy?

Meanwhile, a mysterious, beautiful woman moves into Cassidy’s building in Greenwich Village. Is Dylan McCue a lover or an enemy? Cassidy is plagued by nightmares-dreams that sometimes become reality. And he has been dreaming that someone is coming to kill him.

Book Details

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Forge Books (March 17, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0765374838
ISBN-13: 978-0765374837
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.1 x 9.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds

About the Author

David C. Taylor, author of Night Life, was born and raised in New York City. He spent twenty years in Los Angeles writing for television and the movies. He has published short stories and magazine articles, and has had an Off-Broadway musical produced in New York. He now divides his time between Boston and the coast of Maine.

A Review of Cash Landing: A Novel by James Grippando

Cash Landing: A Novel

by James Grippando

Cash Landing feels like an Elmore Leonard crime caper gone wrong. It’s set in South Florida. A couple of guys get some inside info on how the can easily score a major theft of clean U.S. currency being brought back into the country. They figure that since it will be so easy that the best idea would be to have it be a family affair. So they make their plans, enlist the family, and are ready to go. From then on, things start to go wrong.

Mr. Grippando based Cash Landing on a real life heist that happened in Miami. The following is from jamesgrippando.com

THE TRUE STORY BEHIND CASH LANDING 

“It reads like a movie script . . . Only this was no blockbuster action film. It was a real-life crime drama straight from the streets of Miami.”

Those aren’t James Grippando’s words. They come straight from the FBI’s official website, the bureau’s own description of one of the biggest airport heists in history—$7.8 million in cash stolen by a band of amateur thieves. That real life caper is the inspiration for James Grippando’s twenty-fourth thriller, Cash Landing (HarperCollins Publishers June 2, 2015).

Who were the real life crooks?   The “mastermind,” Karls Monzon, teamed up with his uncle, an ex-con; his cocaine- addicted brother in law; and an insider who worked for Brinks Security, Onelio Diaz. Diaz was Monzon’s neighbor and friend since childhood, and he drove one of the armored trucks that regularly shuttled millions of dollars in cash from Miami International Airport to the Federal Reserve Branch just four miles from the airport.

How much cash are we talking about? Every week a 747 leaves Frankfurt and lands at MIA with anywhere from $80 million to $100 million in U.S. dollars in the cargo belly. German banks don’t need all those fifty- and hundred-dollar bills, and much of Miami’s economy runs on cash.

How did this rag-tag group pull off the heist? The cash is shipped in 38-pound bags, each holding almost $2 million in bricks of bills. The bags have to be opened to clear customs in a warehouse at MIA. Diaz, the security guard, told Monzon about the security failings inside the warehouse: The bills lay exposed; the security cameras didn’t work; the guards removed their guns before entering the building; and most alluring of all, the warehouse’s enormous bay doors led directly onto the street, which meant that any getaway vehicle could bypass the perimeter fence and the airport gatehouse. For an even cut of the haul, Diaz signaled to Monzon when it was time to strike. The gang drove up to the loading dock in a pickup, covered their faces with bandanas, brandished a handgun, and hurried to grab as many bags of cash as they could carry. They dropped one of the forty-pound bags their way out, but they still managed to speed away with Monzon’s cokehead brother-in-law at the wheel and $7.8 million in the bed of the pickup.

How did they get caught? They started flashing money—especially Monzon’s brother-in-law, who loved strippers even more than cocaine. He started buying dancers $40,000 Rolex watches.   An unidentified informant tipped off law enforcement, and the FBI got a wiretap on Monzon’s cellphone. But the FBI was only half their problem. A rival gang kidnapped Monzon’s brother-in-law and demanded a hefty ransom—all of which the FBI was monitoring by wiretap. When it appeared that Monzon’s brother-in-law was in imminent danger, the FBI swooped in. They arrested Monzon, his wife, and Diaz. After a high speed chase, another group of agents nabbed the kidnappers and Monzon’s brother-in-law.

Where are they now?   Federal prison. Monzon, Diaz and the rest of his gang got long prison sentences. The kidnappers got even longer ones—35 years.

Was the money recovered? Only about a million dollars was recovered. The rest? Only the gang knows.

How did you find out about it? The federal judge who presided at the trial is a friend. He’s been on the bench for years, and he told me that this was the wildest case he’d ever seen—and, mind you, he sits in Miami, where “bizarre” is an everyday occurrence. He said, “James, you’ve got to write a book about this.”

How did you turn this true crime story into a work of fiction?
I considered writing it as nonfiction, but the best sources weren’t available. Monzon and his gang are up for parole soon, and I can’t blame them for not wanting to talk to me. You may recall that the movie Goodfellas, which was based on the real life airport heist at JFK in 1978, was made possible by the book “Wise Guys” written by the mob informant Henry Hill.   To this day, the FBI has not identified the informant who tipped off the FBI about Monzon and his gang. In the end, Cash Landing just works better as fiction. It’s a face paced and compelling story that allowed me to further develop one of my favorite characters, FBI Agent Andie Henning, who has appeared in nine of my previous novels.

 Cash Landing is a well written caper novel, with believable characters that do stupid things once they get their hands on huge amounts of untraceable cash. It’s fun to see the extremes that people go to when they think that they are rich.

I give Cash Landing 4 1/2 Stars, and a Big Thumbs Up!

I received a Digital Review Copy from the publisher.

Book Description

The New York Times bestselling author of Cane and Abe and Black Horizon blends Goodfellas and Elmore Leonard in this wild, suspenseful caper inspired by actual events, in which a band of amateur thieves pulls off one of the biggest airport heists in history with deadly consequences.

Every week, a hundred million dollars in cash arrives at Miami International Airport, shipped by German banks to the Federal Reserve. A select group of trusted workers moves the bags through Customs and loads them into armored trucks.

Ruban Betancourt has always played by the rules. But the bank taking his house and his restaurant business going bust has driven him over the edge. He and his wife deserve more than life has handed them, and he’s come up with a ballsy scheme to get it. With the help of an airport insider, he, his coke-head brother-in-law, Jeffrey, and two ex-cons surprise the guards loading the armored trucks and speed off with $7.4 million in the bed of a pickup truck.

Investigating the heist, FBI agent Andie Henning, newly transferred to Miami from Seattle, knows the best way to catch the thieves is to follow the money. Jeffrey’s drug addiction is as conspicuous as the Rolex watches he buys for dancers at the Gold Rush strip club. One of the ex-cons, Pinky Perez, makes no secret of his plan to own a swinger’s club—which will allow him carte blanche with his patrons’ wives. Levelheaded Ruban is desperately trying to lay low and hold things together.

But Agent Henning isn’t the only one on their trail, and in the mob-meets-Miami fashion, these accidental thieves suddenly find themselves way in over their heads . . . and sinking fast.

Book Details

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Harper (June 2, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062295454
ISBN-13: 978-0062295453
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds

About the Author

James Grippando is a New York Times bestselling author of suspense. Cash Landing is his twenty-third novel. James Grippando was a trial lawyer for twelve years before the publication of his first novel in 1994 (The Pardon), and he now serves as counsel to Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP. He lives in south Florida with his wife, three children, two cats, and a golden retriever named Max, who has no idea he’s a dog.

A Review of Guilt by Degrees by Marcia Clark

Guilt by Degrees

by Marcia Clark

This is book two in the series featuring Rachel Knight and her two female associates, Toni LaCollier and Bailey Keller. Rachel and Toni are prosecutors in the District Attorney’s Special Trials Office, and Bailey is a detective in the LAPD Major Crimes Division.  I am working my way though this series towards the new release, The Competition, compliments of NetGalley and the publisher, Mulholland Books.

In many ways, this book is even better than book one. The dialogue and story feel even more authentic. Ms. Clark really can write. My only complaint is that she, like many authors, had to leave a few dangling questions at the end. I guess that some authors think that will entice you to pick up the next book. Totally unnecessary, if the author writes a great story, you will be anticipating the next book, whether there is a cliffhanger or not. I personally like all the threads of a story to be completed at the end of a book. But since I don’t have to wait, I’m not objecting too much.

I really like the “buddy film” feel that comes across with the three women. They work hard, get in some tight spots, but always have some jokes and fun along the way. This is a very enjoyable book, and series. I am going to start book three, Killer Ambition, later today.

I give this book 4 1/2 Stars out of 5, and a Big Thumbs Up. So far this series is really good. I think that most people who like to read mysteries with female lead characters will enjoy these first two books. You may as well start with book one, Guilt by Association.

I received this book for free from NetGalley.com.

Book Description

Whip-smart Los Angeles D.A. Rachel Knight returns in Marcia Clark’s gripping follow-up to the national bestseller GUILT BY ASSOCIATION.

Someone has been watching D.A. Rachel Knight—someone who’s Rachel’s equal in brains, but with more malicious intentions. It began when a near-impossible case fell into Rachel’s lap, the suspectless homicide of a homeless man. In the face of courthouse backbiting and a gauzy web of clues, Rachel is determined to deliver justice.

She’s got back-up: tenacious Detective Bailey Keller. As Rachel and Bailey stir things up, they’re shocked to uncover a connection with the vicious murder of an LAPD cop a year earlier.

Rachel suspects someone knows the truth, someone who’d kill to keep it secret. Harrowing, smart, and riotously entertaining, GUILT BY DEGREES is a thrilling ride through the world of Los Angeles courts with the unforgettable Rachel Knight.

Book Details

Series: A Rachel Knight Novel
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Mulholland Books; 1 edition (May 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316129534
ISBN-13: 978-0316129534
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds

About the Author

Marcia Clark began practicing law as a criminal defense attorney. She became a prosecutor in the L.A. District Attorney’s Office in 1981, and spent ten years in the Special Trials Unit where she handled a number of high profile cases prior to the O.J. Simpson case, including the prosecution of stalker/murderer Robert Bardo, whose conviction for the murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer resulted in legislation that offered victims better protection from stalkers as well as increased punishment for the offenders.

Since the Simpson trial, Ms. Clark has toured the U.S. and Canada giving lectures on a variety of women’s issues including domestic violence and inspirational/motivational speeches, as well as lectures on the latest high profile cases, public service careers, and of course, the Trial of the Century.

In May of 1997, her book on the Simpson case, “Without a Doubt” was published and quickly rose to #1 on the New York Times, Wall St. Journal, Washington Post, LA Times, and Publisher’s Weekly bestsellers lists.

From February 1998 to 2000 Marcia was under contract as a legal analyst and expert commentator for NBC, CNBC and MSNBC. She appeared weekly as the substitute host of Geraldo Rivera’s “Rivera Live,” and also hosted “Equal Time” for CNBC and “Judge and Jury” for MSNBC. Marcia has appeared on the “Oprah Winfrey Show,” the “Larry King Show,” the “Today” show, “The Early Show,” and “Good Morning America,” among others, and provides legal commentary on a wide variety of cable shows such as “Anderson Cooper 360” and “Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell.”

Marcia Clark (with writing partner, Catherine LePard) has sold hour-long pilots to the FX network, Lifetime, and VH1 and developed a half hour comedy for NBC. She has also developed reality projects for CBS and was an executive producer of a one hour reality pilot for CBS.

Marcia has published three novels which feature Los Angeles Special Trials prosecutor Rachel Knight: “Guilt by Association,” “Guilt by Degrees,” and “Killer Ambition,” which is due out in June 2013. TNT has optioned the books and a drama series is currently in development. Marcia is attached as an executive producer. She’s currently at work on her fourth novel.

Book description and author information from the publisher, Mulholland Books, Guilt by Degrees.

A Review of Invisible (Audiobook) By James Patterson and David Ellis

Invisible – Audiobook

By James Patterson and David Ellis

The audiobook version of Invisible adds a lot to the story. The two readers, January LaVoy and Kevin T. Collins, add so much to the narrative that I had to raise the rating of the book, just because of their ability. Mr. Collins plays the part of Graham to perfection, and the sound effects are perfect. Ms. LaVoy performs the rest of the book and is spot on. If I had been reading this book, I don’t know if I could have finished it, but listening in the car as we were driving up to our cottage worked perfectly.

This is a typical book from the James Patterson book factory. The characters feel like a rehash of the last installment, and the storyline is quite similar to any of many of his books. This is light entertainment, with quite a bit of gore and creepiness. There are some plot twists, but if you are like me, you will have everything figured out before the final chapter. The performances from the fine readers made it entertaining, so I recommend that you don’t read Invisible, listen to the audiobook in the car, while you are working out at the gym, cleaning your house, or pulling weeds. You don’t have to get every word, just the gist of the story will be fine.

I give the book, Invisible, 2 1/2 Stars out of 5, but due to the production, I give the audiobook 3 1/2 Stars out of 5. If you have 9 hours and 16 minutes to kill, listen to the audiobook.

I borrowed this audiobook from my local public library.

Book Description

Release date: June 23, 2014

Everyone thinks Emmy Dockery is crazy. Obsessed with finding the link between hundreds of unsolved cases, Emmy has taken leave from her job as an FBI researcher. Now all she has are the newspaper clippings that wallpaper her bedroom, and her recurring nightmares of an all-consuming fire.

Not even Emmy’s ex-boyfriend, field agent Harrison “Books” Bookman, will believe her that hundreds of kidnappings, rapes, and murders are all connected. That is, until Emmy finds a piece of evidence he can’t afford to ignore. More murders are reported by the day–and they’re all inexplicable. No motives, no murder weapons, no suspects. Could one person really be responsible for these unthinkable crimes?

INVISIBLE is James Patterson’s scariest, most chilling stand-alone thriller yet.

Product Details

Audiobook
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company; Unabridged edition (June 23, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1478900342
ISBN-13: 978-1478900344
Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces

About the Author

James Patterson has had more New York Times bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according to Guinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1977 James Patterson’s books have sold more than 280 million copies worldwide. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. Mr. Patterson also writes the bestselling Women’s Murder Club novels, set in San Francisco, and the top-selling New York detective series of all time, featuring Detective Michael Bennett. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.
The book description is from Amazon.  Invisible – Audiobook

A Review of The Chase: A Novel by Janet Evanovich & Goldberg Lee

The Chase: A Novel (Fox and O’Hare)
by Janet Evanovich & Goldberg Lee

The Chase is a fun, fast-paced, con and heist type book. It’s a quick read, a perfect book to take on that Caribbean cruise. This series from Evanovich and Lee has a lot of potential. The Chase is book 2 in the series. It’s very outlandish and over the top, so it has some of the humor of the Stephanie Plum series, but not that flat-out, laughing out loud kind of humor.

The main characters, FBI agent, Kate O’Hare and con man, Nicolas Fox, are likable and just slightly larger than life. They seem to feel similar to the duo in the TV series, “White Collar”. The difference here, is the addition of a sexual tension, since O’Hare is a female FBI agent, and both Fox and O’Hare are young and physically attractive. The supporting cast is a fun-filled bunch with idiosyncratic personalities and some of them have quite exaggerated mannerisms. They liven up the story quite a bit. I expect that most of them will be permanent fixtures in the upcoming books in this series.

The Chase was an enjoyable novel, and I give it 4 Stars out of 5. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted adventure story. If you like Janet Evanovich’s other books, you will enjoy this one too.

I received this Digital Review Copy for free from NetGalley.com.

Book Description
Release date: February 25, 2014

Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg, New York Times bestselling authors of The Heist, return in this action-packed, exciting adventure featuring master con artist Nicolas Fox and die-hard FBI agent Kate O’Hare. And this time around, things go from hot to nuclear when government secrets are on the line.

Internationally renowned thief and con artist Nicolas Fox is famous for running elaborate and daring scams. His greatest con of all: convincing the FBI to team him up with the only person who has ever caught him, and the only woman to ever capture his attention, Special Agent Kate O’Hare. Together they’ll go undercover to swindle and catch the world’s most wanted—and untouchable—criminals.

Their newest target is Carter Grove, a former White House chief of staff and the ruthless leader of a private security agency. Grove has stolen a rare Chinese artifact from the Smithsonian, a crime that will torpedo U.S. relations with China if it ever becomes public. Nick and Kate must work under the radar—and against the clock—to devise a plan to steal the piece back. Confronting Grove’s elite assassins, Nick and Kate rely on the skills of their ragtag crew, including a flamboyant actor, a Geek Squad techie, and a band of AARP-card-carrying mercenaries led by none other than Kate’s dad.

A daring heist and a deadly chase lead Nick and Kate from Washington, D.C., to Shanghai, from the highlands of Scotland to the underbelly of Montreal. But it’ll take more than death threats, trained henchmen, sleepless nights, and the fate of a dynasty’s priceless heirloom to outsmart Fox and O’Hare.

Product Details
Series: Fox and O’Hare
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Bantam (February 25, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345543084
ISBN-13: 978-0345543080
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pound

About the Author

Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Lizzy and Diesel series, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and Trouble Maker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author, as well as the Fox and O’Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg.

Lee Goldberg is a screenwriter, TV producer, and the author of several books, including King City, The Walk, and the bestselling Monk series of mysteries. He has earned two Edgar Award nominations and was the 2012 recipient of the Poirot Award from Malice Domestic.

The book description is from Amazon.  The Chase: A Novel (Fox and O’Hare)