Category Archives: Suspence

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Book Review
Book Review

Book Review of The Thirteenth Tale: 3 Treasure Boxes
Publisher: Atria Books (September 12, 2006), File Size: 768 KB, Print Length: 416 pages, Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0385662858, Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc, ASIN: B000JMKRKC

Margaret receives a mysterious letter from the famous author Vida Winters, and Vida is ready to finally relate her dark secret tale, but Margaret has her own secret haunting past. During her research, and during the tale, a ghost is seen lurking in the old mansion at Angelfield estate, an old mansion that was burned and destroyed many years ago.

The Thirteenth Tale is Diane Setterfield’s debut novel. It is a gothic suspense novel and the story moves between the past and the present. The story is told by two people: an introverted biographer Margaret Lea as well as the fictional author Vida Winter. Margaret’s tale is told in a first person narrative, and Vida’s tale starts out in a third person narrative and then moves into a first person narrative. These two stories are about each of the character’s life.

One of the themes in this book is twins, which Ms. Setterfield has an interesting way of presenting, and at times a twin is seen in the reflection in the glass, or in a mirror, and in a shadow but often she appears pale and colorless. The Thirteenth Tale is the untold story of fictional author Vida Winter and is revealed by the end of the book.

I recommend this book as a very good read, and this standalone story is told in an interesting and intriguing manner.  The characters are unique but the story is sad and somewhat haunting.

Favorite Quote:

For I was spellbound. There is something about words. In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider ilk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your thoughts. Inside you they work their magic. (Location 202)

 

To Purchase: “The Thirteenth Tale” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Memory in Death by J. D. Robb

This entry is part [part not set] of 26 in the series In Death Series
Book Review

Book Review of Memory In Death: 2 Treasure Boxes
In Death Series, Book 25
Publisher: Brilliance Audio, Listening Length: 10 hours and 58 minutes (384 pages), ASIN: B0019ZWM2O

It’s Christmas 2059, and Santa is dead, but that’s an easy case for Lieutenant Eve Dallas. In Memory in Death, the hard case comes later and involves the murder of Trudy Lombard, a woman who was once Eve’s foster mother. She is brutally killed, sometime after she tried to blackmail Roake about Eve’s nefarious past.

To date there are 44 books in the In Death series, with one more expected to be released in February of 2013. These books are crime drama, suspense and romance because they focus on the case Eve is currently working on as well as her and Roake’s personal relationship. This is a futuristic suspense that takes place in 2059 in New York City. The books are told in a third person narrative and they focus primarily on Lieutenant Eve Dallas, but at times the story is also told through some of the other characters including the murderer. They are written by Nora Roberts under the pseudonym of J. D. Robb.

Memory in Death gives the reader more insight into Eve’s life as a child since it provides an avenue for flashbacks to her first experience in child protective services.  Where the woman who was supposed to protect young girls was actually very cruel and abusive and did far more harm than good. This book had a good hook and it kept the reader engaged as it unfolded and developed. There was a good twist at the end, and even though I saw it coming, I still like how it was presented.

The story is well told and interesting, and I recommend this book as a good read. It is a standalone story and the book can be read and enjoyed on its own.   However I recommend you read the books in order to receive the most enjoyment since the story revolves around the characters and they grow and develop in each new installment.

To Purchase: “Memory in Death” from Amazon, click here or on picture above


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Dead by Midnight by Beverly Barton

This entry is part [part not set] of 1 in the series Dead by Trilogy (Griffin Powell)
Book Review

Book Review for Dead by Midnight: 2 Treasure Boxes
Dead by Trilogy #1
Griffin Powell #11
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listening Length: 15 hours and 34 minutes (384 pages), ASIN: B005HBKTG2

The actors that once starred in a porno movie are systematically being murdered in Dead by Midnight. Lorie, one of the actors, has for the past nine years regretted making this movie. Since returning home, she has been living a good life, despite her childhood sweetheart who is unable to forgive her past mistakes. But now that her life is threatened, her ex-finance, who is also the sheriff, is determined to see she remains safe, despite his feelings.

Beverly Barton, who past away April 2011, wrote over 80 novels in both the romance and suspense genres and a number of series including: The Protectors, Griffin Powell / The Powell Agency, and The Cherokee Pointe Trilogy. Dead by Midnight is a Griffin Powell novel and it is also the first book in the Dead by Trilogy. This book is a thriller, suspense and romance. There are also several graphic sex scenes. The story is told in a third person narrative from the point of view of several different characters, including the murderer, but primarily from that of the main protagonist, Lorie.

Initially, there were a lot of different characters and it took me a while to get everyone straight, but once I did I really started to enjoy the story. This book revolves around the porno industry, and it shows how porno can hurt people and families. It is good to bring some attention to the porno industry because in our current environment 12% of websites are pornographic and 25% of all internet searches revolve around porn.1 I thought the story helped to bring some awareness to this without becoming preachy.

There were several layers to this story, with numerous killers or would be killers running around. A couple of the storylines came to a full conclusion, but the one surrounding The Powell Agency did not. The story was told fairly well, and kept the identity of the murderer pretty well hidden until the end. Enough clues were released to enable me to guess who it was before the reveal, and I liked that a couple of red herrings were thrown in as well, so it was not completely transparent. The Griffin Powell Agency played a minor role throughout the story, but I have a feeling the next book is going to be centered more on the people from this group.

This is the first Griffin Powell novel that I have read, even though it is the 11th book in this series, and yet I did not feel like I was in the middle of a series. The main story line can stand on its own, and came to a good conclusion, but the secondary story line did not. Since this is the first of the Dead by Trilogy, I probably will read the next book, Dead by Morning.  I have not read the previous 10 books in the Griffin Powell series and probably won’t. I recommend this book as a good read, especially if you enjoy a suspenseful romance that includes some hot sex scenes.

To Purchase: “Dead By Midnight” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

1 http://www.onlinemba.com/blog/stats-on-internet-pornography/
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Visions in Death by J. D. Robb

This entry is part [part not set] of 26 in the series In Death Series

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
In Death Series, Book 22
Publisher: Brilliance Audio, Listening Length: 10 hours and 48 minutes (384 pages), ASIN: B0019ZWM3S

Who is murdering women and stealing their eyes? Can a psychic really help Dallas find the brutal murderer? Lieutenant Eve Dallas stands for the victims. She and her team will work tirelessly to find and stop whoever is committing these horrendous crimes.

To date there are 43 books in the In Death series, with one more expected to be released in September of 2012. These books are crime drama, suspense and romance because they focus on the case Eve is currently working on as well as her and Roake’s personal relationship. This is a futuristic suspense that takes place in 2059 in New York City. The books are told in a third person narrative that focuses primarily on Lieutenant Eve Dallas, but at times the story is also told through some of the other characters including the murderer. They are written by Nora Roberts under the pseudonym of J. D. Robb.

This story examines the choices that people make, and shows that ultimately we must deal with the past so that we are not forced to re-live the past, the choice is ours. While Eve is following the clues, she is also facing with her own past.

Visions in Death was a good installment in the In Death series. As usual, it is a standalone story and it includes a fair bit of suspense. I recommend this book as a good read.

Favourite Quote:

“They flew through a steady, dreary rain. Nature’s way of weighing in, she thought, to make a hideous job more so. She saw a little burst of lightning bloom on the horizon, far to the north, and hoped it stayed there. Roarke didn’t ask questions, and his silence throughout the the flight helped steady her for what was to come. This sort of procedure would never be routine. Never could be routine.

To Purchase: “Visions in Death” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Only The Strongest Survive by Ian Fox

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, File Size: 522 KB, Print Length: 250 pages, ASIN: B006AO1QKS

Emely Donnovan is a successful business women with many enemies. Her cut throat business tactics have made her a target for revenge. The Langdon brothers, who lost their business due to their own carelessness as well as Emely’s machinations have decided to make her pay. This is the story of her journey through torture and redemption.

Ian Fox has written several books in the suspense category.  Only the Strongest Survive is not only suspense but it is also a love story. It is told in a third person narrative, primarily from the point of view of the main protagonist, Emely Donnovan, but at times it moves over to the point of view of the main antagonist, John Langdon.

This is an interesting tale which is intriguing from the first page. The story follows several unique avenues and I was never quite sure where the story was going or how it was going to end. There is plenty of action throughout the book as well as several hot sex scenes.  I liked the characters and I felt there was a good character arc for both Emely and John.

This is a standalone story which builds quite nicely up to an exciting and satisfying ending. I recommend this book as a good read.

 

To Purchase: “Only the Strongest Survive” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

All Cry Chaos by Leonard Rosen

Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes
A Henri Poincaré Mystery
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.; MP3CD Unabridged edition (September 1, 2011), ISBN-10: 1441792902, ISBN-13: 978-1441792907

Henri Poincare, a veteran Interpol agent always finds his man, but at what cost? After paying a horrendous price, Henri questions his choices. A mathematician has been assassinated by a very carefully placed bomb and Henri is determined to once again find the answers.  The theme of mathematics and chaos pervade this novel as Henri searches for the culprit, finding connections where none initially appeared.

All Cry Chaos is a debut thriller by the non-fiction author Leonard Rosen. This crime drama/suspense novel is told in a third person narrative from the point of view of the main protagonist, Henri Poincare. The story takes place in Europe in modern times while Henri solves a case, but this is not a simple crime drama. Although the crime he is investigating is a piece of the puzzle, it is really only a small part; there are many other factors that play into the story line.

The prologue engages us immediately, we are intrigued; who are these characters? Who died and why does Henri wish it was himself?  The opening sets us up, we know something bad is going to happen and we are on pins and needles throughout waiting for it to happen.  Henri’s character is well developed and we really care about him and what happens to him. As the story unfolds there are some pretty shocking events which occur but the story is weaved together in a masterful manner.

This is a standalone book, which creates a lot of suspense and tension as the story unfolds. I recommend this book, I found it hard to put down and I thought the ending was great which included a bit of a twist.

To purchase: “All Cry Chaos” from Amazon, click here or on picture above


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Seduction in Death by J. D. Robb

This entry is part [part not set] of 26 in the series In Death Series

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
In Death Series, Book 15
Publisher: Berkley (September 1, 2001), Format: Kindle Edition, File Size: 597 KB, Print Length: 368 pages, ASIN: B000OCXJOS

Eve is always dealing with the terrible abuse she experienced as a child. So when she comes face to face with a maniacal murder who is killing women by feeding them the rape drugs known as Rabbit and Whore, Eve once again needs to deal with what was done to her as a child while at the same time finding and stopping the murders.

Seduction in Death is the fifteenth instalment of the In Death series by J.D. Robb, to date she has written 40 books in the series, with two more expected to be released later in 2011.  It falls into the crime drama, suspense and romance categories as the book focuses on the case Eve is currently working on as well as Eve and Roake’s personal relationship. This is a futuristic suspense that takes place in 2059 in New York City. The books are told in a third person narrative that focuses primarily on Lieutenant Eve Dallas, but at times the story is also told through some of the other characters including the murderer. The books are written by Nora Roberts under the pseudonym of J. D. Robb.

Seduction in Death grabs our attention from the first page and keeps us engaged as the story builds up to the final exciting conclusion. The personal interactions between Peabody and McNabb are fun to read and as usual there are a few hot sex scenes between Eve and Roake. It was interesting how Eve tracked down the killer and I liked the slight twist at the end of the book, when we thought the killer might get away.

I recommend this book, it is a good, fun read.  If you have enjoyed the other In Death books, then be sure to read Seduction In Death.  If you haven’t yet read any of these books, then I recommend you start from the beginning and work your way through.


To Purchase: “Seduction in Death” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Interlude in Death by J. D. Robb

This entry is part [part not set] of 26 in the series In Death Series

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
In Death Series, Book 14
Publisher: Brilliance Audio on MP3-CD; Com/MP3 edition (Feb 28 2006), ISBN-10: 1423311744

Not only is Eve required to speak at the largest police conference of the year, which she hates, but in order to do so she must travel off planet, something she hates even more. While there she comes face to face with an unknown assailant who has a personal vendetta against both Roake and herself. This is a good futuristic suspense novella featuring Lieutenant Eve Dallas.  She is a tough, smart, likeable homicide detective. In each book she solves a crime and finds the killer. The book also encompasses her entire life including her personal relationships.

Interlude in Death is the fourteenth instalment of the In Death series by J.D. Robb, to date she has written 40 books in the series, with 2 more expected to be released later in 2011.  This novella was originally released in Out of the World, a paperback published by Jove 8/1/2001. It falls into the crime drama, suspense and romance categories as the book focuses on the case Eve is currently working on as well as Eve and Roake’s personal relationship. This is a futuristic suspense that takes place in 2059 in New York City. The books are told in a third person narrative that focuses primarily on Lieutenant Eve Dallas, but at times the story is also told through some of the other characters including the murderer. The books are written by Nora Roberts under the pseudonym of J. D. Robb.

I enjoyed the story, it was told well and I liked how the clues were slowly released to reveal who the murderer really was as well as what motivated him.  We learn more about Rouke’s past, which I always find fascinating.

If you enjoy the In Death series, then you will not be disappointed.  This is a standalone novella and can be quickly enjoyed.  It is available from the library as an audio book. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about strong female lead characters and enjoys a suspenseful crime drama.

 

Judgment in Death by J. D. Robb

This entry is part [part not set] of 26 in the series In Death Series

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
In Death Series, Book 12
Publisher: The Penguin Publishing Group (Electronic Edition: October 2003), EBook: 593 KB, Language: English

This is a good futuristic suspense novel featuring Lieutenant Eve Dallas. She is a tough, smart, likable homicide detective. In each book she solves a crime and finds the killer. The book also encompasses her entire life including her personal relationships. Eve is investigating the murder of a young police officer.  What at first appears to be a brutal killing soon turns out to involve a large conspiracy.

Judgment in Deathis the twelfth book in the In Death series by J.D. Robb, to date she has written 40 books in the series. Books 41 and 42 are expected out in the fall of 2011. I have read most of these books and found them all to be enjoyable and well written. This book falls into both the suspense and romance categories as the book focuses on the case Eve is currently working on as well as Eve and Roake’s relationship. This is a futuristic suspense that takes place in 2059 in New York City. The books are told in a third person narrative that focuses primarily on Lieutenant Eve Dallas, a dedicated and talented homicide detective. Although the story is also told through some of the other characters including the murderer. The books are written by Nora Roberts under the pseudonym of J. D. Robb.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is working on solving the murder of several cops and they all include 30 peices of silver. During her investigation she finds that the link for these murders is the criminal Ricker and cops on the take.  In addition, Ricker has had dealings with Roake in the past and has a hate-on for Roake.  Naturally, this causes trouble in paradise, but the angry sex is hot, hot, hot. This books shows more depth into Roake character and it is interesting to read his jealous reaction against Webster, a fellow police detective from the Internal Affairs Division who is working with Eve on the case.  The story flows well and builds to an exciting ending with Roake working undercover.  Eve’s character is also further developed to show her truly kind heart when she is dealing with the murderer at the end of the story.

This is a standalone book but I am sure that if you read it you would be quickly reading the other books in the series. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about strong female lead characters and enjoys a suspense story. The story is well written and enjoyable. I also recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about a bit of romance since there is a fair bit of this as well as some hot sex scenes between Eve and Roake.

Witness in Death by J. D. Robb

This entry is part [part not set] of 26 in the series In Death Series

Book Review:  2 Treasure Boxes
In Death Series, Book 11
Publisher: The Penguin Publishing Group (Electronic Edition: October 2003), EBook: 551 KB, Language: English,  ISBN-0-9865-7134-3

This is a good futuristic suspense novel featuring Lieutenant Eve Dallas. She is a tough, smart, likeable homicide detective. In each book she solves a crime and finds the killer. The book also encompasses her entire life including her personal relationships. While Eve is at the play called Witness for the Prosecution, put on by one of Roake’s companies, the main character is literally killed on stage during the scene when he should be stabbed with a retractable knife.  But in this case the knife did not retract; now it is up to Eve to discover who caused this gruesome death.

Witness in Death is the eleventh book in the In Death series by J.D. Robb, to date she has written 40 books in the series. I have read most of these books and found them all to be enjoyable and well written. This book falls into both the suspense and romance categories as the book focuses on the case Eve is currently working on as well as Eve and Roake’s relationship. This is a futuristic suspense that takes place in 2059 in New York City. The books are told in a third person narrative that focuses primarily on Lieutenant Eve Dallas, a dedicated and talented homicide detective, and the story is also told through some of the other characters including the murderer. The books are written by Nora Roberts under the pseudonym of J. D. Robb.

The Banter between Eve and Roake is fun to read. I also like Eve’s self-talk. Eve is tough, smart and focused yet she also is tender-hearted, especially in how she deals with women who have been abused. Her past affects her and is brought into the front of her mind whenever her current case triggers it. In this book, the discovered incest between the victim and his daughter is a sure trigger and Eve’s reaction is heart-wrenching. It is really sweet when she turns to Roake and he knows just how to help and comfort her. The story builds well and it has a few twists along the way. It is interesting to read the final conclusion and find out who really killed the bastard.

This is a standalone book but I am sure that if you read it you would be quickly reading the other books in the series. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about strong female lead characters and enjoys a suspense story. The story is well written and enjoyable. I also recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about a bit of romance since there is a fair bit of this as well as some hot sex scenes between Eve and Roake.

To Purchase: “Witness in Death” from Amazon, click here or on picture above