Reviews

Alan Bradley - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (2009)

Making his fiction debut at age 70, Alan Bradley has crafted a charming novel that is sure to be one of the most loved mysteries of the year. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie introduces a delightful, intrepid, acid-tongued new heroine to the genre.

Flavia de Luce, an 11-year-old girl living in 1950s England, is an aspiring chemist, a lover of poisons and a terror to her older sisters. When she discovers a dead body in the garden of her family's estate, she adds another hat to her repertoire: detective.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie has a wonderfully entertaining plot, but it is Flavia that truly makes it shine. As this is only the first in what is projected to be a six-book series, readers are sure to enjoy the delights of Bradley and his creation for some time.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, May 3, 2009

Paul Levine - Illegal (2009)

Paul Levine's latest thriller is another that deals with controversial border politics and the charged issue of immigration, although it uses its subject matter more effectively. Illegal treats the issues with both seriousness and satirical wit, lending the topic greater entertainment value while still making a point.

Jimmy "Royal" Payne, a skilled, but disintegrating Los Angeles trial attorney, is on the lam after stealing some of the money the government gave him to bribe a corrupt judge. He ends up helping a young Mexican boy (an illegal immigrant) search for his mother, who's been forced into a prostitution ring.

Levine is one of the few thriller authors who can craft a plot filled with suspense while still making the reader smile at the characters' antics. Illegal doesn't work quite as well as some of Levine's previous books, especially the outstanding Solomon vs. Lord series, but it's worth giving a go.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, May 3, 2009

Jack Kilborn - Afraid (2009)

Jack Kilborn, a pseudonym for Chicago-area writer J.A. Konrath (best known for the Jack Daniels cop novels), makes his "debut" with Afraid, one of the most violent, bloody and outrageously entertaining horror thrillers to come along in quite some time.

When a secret military helicopter crashes near sleepy Safe Haven, Wis., a terrifying team of technology-enhanced killers is unleashed on the unsuspecting populace. It's up to the locals, including the aging sheriff, a timid firefighter and a single mom, to stop this gang of killers before they annihilate everyone in town.

Definitely not for the faint of heart (or stomach), Afraid is a non-stop orgy of action and gore. Whether or not it's actually frightening will depend on how seriously readers take the over-the-top story (probably not very). Regardless, for those willing to take the ride, Afraid is a deliciously guilty pleasure.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, May 3, 2009

Nevada Barr - Borderline (2009)

Nevada Barr's series character, park ranger Anna Pigeon, heads south in Borderline. She's accompanying her new husband and a quartet of teenagers on a rafting trip down the Rio Grande when trouble arrives. After their boat capsizes, they discover a pregnant woman whose dying plea is to save her baby.

That touches off a plot involving murder and adultery, along with the complicated politics of immigration and U.S.-Mexico relations. The latter proves to be a fruitful campaign issue for one of the book's less authentic characters, the scheming mayor of Houston who'd really rather be governor.

Borderline is entertaining enough, but its most likely appeal will be to existing fans of the series. Pigeon makes for an interesting character and the setting is well used, but the story just isn't all that interesting. Even cast against the backdrop of an important issue, the plot never manages to generate more than modest appeal.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, May 3, 2009

Harlan Coben - Long Lost (2009)

Harlan Coben first made his bones as a mystery writer with his series featuring sports agent/detective Myron Bolitar, a lovable rogue and beloved character. But it wasn't until Coben started writing high-concept, stand-alone thrillers that he started dominating the bestseller lists.

With his latest, Long Lost, Coben combines the two elements into one pleasing whole, sending Bolitar plunging headfirst into a whirlwind story of international intrigue. When an old girlfriend calls from Paris, asking for his help, Bolitar jumps on the next plane and finds himself neck-deep in a conspiracy involving terrorists, Homeland Security and other assorted baddies.

Coben is one of the best authors around at writing page-turning suspense, as Long Lost makes clear. He has a knack for hooking readers right away and holding their interest as they zoom through his plots. Long Lost does require a healthy suspension of disbelief, but it's worth it.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, May 3, 2009

Jon Land - The Seven Sins (2008)

Jon Land channels Mario Puzo is his latest novel, a book that more closely resembles The Godfather than it does the action-thrillers for which he is best known. The Seven Sins tells the story of the rise of casino mogul Michael Tiranno, known popularly as "The Tyrant."

Tiranno came from humble origins, a poor Sicilian boy left orphaned by the men who killed his family. But he didn't let that stop him from becoming a wealthy and powerful man. He is now the king of Las Vegas -- but that success came at a steep price and there are many dark secrets in his past.

In a gripping story told through alternating scenes of present-day action and flashbacks, The Seven Sins depicts the life of Tiranno, culminating in his efforts to save Las Vegas from a terrorist attack. Although the discontinuous timeline diminishes some of the story's momentum, the well-crafted biography of Tiranno makes for fine reading.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, June 29, 2008

Janet Evanovich - Fearless Fourteen (2008)

Janet Evanovich's series featuring hapless bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is consistently one of the most entertaining in the genre, filled with lots of laughs, original characters and just good, silly fun.

The new book in the series, Fearless Fourteen, continues that tradition, setting Stephanie loose on the heels of a woman who's skipped bail, only to uncover a larger plot involving $9 million in stolen loot. With assistance from her friend Lula and a trio of whacked-out misfits, Stephanie is certain to bring home the goods.

The Plum series isn't about realism or great writing, it's about entertaining readers and Evanovich has that down to a science. The books all conform to the same basic recipe -- jokes about Stephanie's car, sexual tension between her and fellow bounty hunter Ranger, antics from Grandma Mazur -- but it's a formula that works.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, June 29, 2008

Julia Spencer-Fleming - I Shall Not Want (2008)

Julia Spencer-Fleming's I Shall Not Want demonstrates that her series featuring Episcopal priest Clare Fergusson and police chief Russ Van Alstyne remains a stand-out in the mystery world. It's not because the plots are so good -- they're fine, although nothing outstanding -- but because spending time with the characters is so pleasing.

Clare and Russ have been through some tough times lately, but they seem to have turned a corner in their relationship. Their problems might be a little more melodramatic than those faced by us normal folks -- interfering bishops, nosy congregations, dead wives -- but the trick is that Spencer-Fleming makes us care.

She has invested her creations with so much life, and made them so likable and real, that we can't help but be drawn into their world. The ups and downs and ins and outs of their relationship keep readers coming back each year for more.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, June 29, 2008

James Rollins - The Last Oracle (2008)

James Rollins has achieved success on the bestseller lists in recent years by writing smart adventure thrillers, most of them in a series featuring the soldier-scientists of Sigma Force, a top-secret agency within the Defense Department. The latest of these, The Last Oracle, is likely to once again find him a spot high on the charts.

A group of Russian scientists have developed a biotechnology project designed to harness the savant-like abilities of autistic children. Their goal is to unleash the hidden powers of the human brain in order to further their plans for world domination. And it's up to the men and women of Sigma to stop them.

Rollins combines real-world science with high-octane action to create rousing stories of adventure that are as exciting as any movie. The Last Oracle takes a little while to get going, but once it does, there's no stopping it.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, June 29, 2008

Lawrence Block - Hit and Run (2008)

As he approaches the age of 70, a time when most of us are contemplating retirement, author Lawrence Block shows little sign of stopping. His output may have slowed in recent years, but he's still producing top-notch crime fiction as his latest thriller, Hit and Run, shows.

Hit and Run features the return of one of Block's best characters, the average-guy hit man Keller. In his latest, and perhaps last, adventure Keller is embarking on his final job. Although even he realizes the folly of taking that one last assignment, he does it anyway, and finds himself in predictably hot water.

This is the best Keller book since the first (Hit Man) and it's also one of the best novels of the summer season. Block remains a true master of the crime genre and the day he finally does retire will be a sad one for readers.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, June 29, 2008