Predetermined Evil

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Robert Downs

In The Blood by Lisa Unger
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Is evil predetermined genetically, or is it based on environment and upbringing? IN THE BLOOD attempts to answer this question, and I can state rather emphatically that my mind might never be the same again. The mental mind trip left me in a cold sweat, and there’s a chance I may now be prone to night terrors. If I wake up screaming, though, I’ll only have myself to blame, as I attempt to pound through the pain.

The plot moved along at a slow simmer with some rather unexpected twists and turns, as I kept a death grip on my Kindle and flipped the pages with one eye closed. Terror of the psychological variety proves much more appealing to me than some dude in a hockey mask slashing oversexed campers with a machete. And there’s plenty of terror to be had here, most of which floats just beneath the surface, bubbling up when you least expect it, and grasping you around the ankle before pulling you beneath the water.

Lana Granger may have told more than a few lies in her day, each one building upon the one before it. Even though she might show aspects of being a pathological or compulsive liar, I’d still stand behind her. Despite Luke being only eleven-years-old, I wouldn’t stand behind him, even if I were holding a shovel in one hand and a grenade in the other. There’s a term that often applies in situations such as these: little bastard. And should you look it up in the dictionary, you’d probably see a picture of Luke’s sneering mug (among others).

I am proud to say I have more Lisa Unger novels at my disposal, so when the night terrors cease, I shall revisit her to kick start the screaming and cold sweats all over again.

I received this book for free through NetGalley.

Clanged Together Effortlessly

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Robert Downs

The Kill Order by Robin Burcell
My Rating: 3/5 Stars

You might say destiny brought this book and me together. I certainly didn’t discover it in the usual manner. Instead of purchasing it online, discovering it in a conference gift bag, requesting it on NetGalley, or snapping it up for free online via some form or fashion, it stared up at me from a pile of books next to the sink in the men’s bathroom in Albany, NY. Crazy, right? Well, I didn’t have to think too long and hard about it, since free books and I go about as well together as sugar and cocoa beans.

This book proved to be more thriller than suspense, and it certainly managed to hold my attention with a heroine that has a bit of a backbone and a quirky nature. Sydney Fitzpatrick may fail at relationships, but she’s not going to fail when it comes to protecting colleagues and individuals, and that’s why it was rather easy to rally behind her, even if she did make a mistake or two along the way. The world may have Armageddon on its doorstep, but she’s not about to back off. And I wasn’t about to back down from THE KILL ORDER.

It captured my attention right away, and I managed to hold on to the side of the cliff with what was left of my fingernails. Dangling on the side of a precipice, I could have used a string of random numbers and possibly a rope and a woman with more than a bit of gumption on the other end who has enough wherewithal to accept the challenge of pulling me back to safety.

Piper Lawrence proved to be an intriguing character. Saddled with eidetic memory, this allows her to remember strings of random numbers as soon as she reads them, more than a dozen license plates with effortless ease, or recite entire pages from Shakespeare after one perusal, which makes her an absolute hit at drinking parties. Even if she has few friends and even fewer people who understand her true talents, it’s hard not to soften your heart when she enters the picture and rally behind her with both hands placed firmly in front of you.

The dialogue punched and sang and clanged together effortlessly and easily; the story railed away at my senses; the characters fit together rather seamlessly. But I did find myself questioning the likelihood of the storyline, and I would have preferred more jagged edges, instead of the pieces fitting together a bit too easily.

I received this ARC for free at Bouchercon (via the men’s bathroom).

A Firm Salute

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Robert Downs

The Drop by Michael Connelly
My Rating: 3/5 Stars

Few things bring me greater pleasure than stumbling across free books. One might even say I have a sickness or disease for which there is no cure in this life or the next. But I’ve learned to live with my disease and so has my wife. So when I happened upon THE DROP on the other side of the TSA line as it sat on a metal table and as I picked through my luggage before I headed toward the pearly gate and a destination that was not New Mexico, one might say I was giddy. I took a quick look around and then stuffed this gem of a novel in my backpack before I received a TSA pre-approved pat down and body cavity search.

Did it turn out to be a great novel? Not exactly. Would I have done it again if I could go back in time? Absolutely. Do I like TSA? We have a love-hate relationship, although recent traveling events have leaned me a little more in the love direction.

Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch has had a long and distinguished career within the confines of the LAPD, and I’ve entered the confines of his world from time to time to say hello and offer up a firm salute. Michael Connelly knows his crime fiction, and he knows how to offer up more than a few thrills for even the hard-to-thrill individuals. The cast of characters spans an entire precinct, and the two crimes placed firmly on Harry’s lap span decades forcing him in the middle of a political and criminal quagmire where the scales start to pile up against our aging hero.

The story holds firm even if it feels a bit forced at times, and it’s nice to visit in on an old friend, even if the surroundings feel just a bit too easy and familiar. There’s retribution and hate and animosity and enough of a story to keep the kiddos entertained, but I would have preferred a better meshing of the two crimes and more hard-hitting elements contained within this gritty tale.

Creepily Good Read

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Robert Downs

Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

INTO THE DARKEST CORNER reminded me of a slow burn, of holding my marshmallow an inch or two above the campfire, the flames licking and dancing but never quite touching that puffy goodness. But minus the gooey center and the warm, fuzzy feeling that a sugar rush gives you. Instead, this novel has a bitter aftertaste that leaves you wanting to down shots of Jose Cuervo to take away the burn. To be honest, it kind of creeped me out, like a whisper just behind my left ear with nary a hint of a mouth or an individual to explain the voice I heard.

I understood Cathy’s character, but I couldn’t really identify with her. Rather than seeking out help or even fully recognizing her emotional disorder, she chooses to bury it and attempt to move on with her life, but she seems to fail somewhat miserably in her effort. I wrote those two sentences about a quarter of the way through the novel and before I completely understood her character. Needless to say, I’m willing to admit how wrong I was. She’s a freaking trooper, and four years later she’s lucky to be walking the Earth, all trust issues, anxiety, and OCD aside.

She may have to check a lock six times but it’s what helps her push through, to make it from one moment to the next, even if those moments turn into hours, and she has to repeat the process three or four times to help her feel truly safe. Catherine Bailey may have been a twenty-four year old carefree, fun-loving individual, but Cathy Bailey is one tough, yet emotionally damaged woman, and she’s not going down without a fight.

I had a hard time understanding that woman. You know, the one that stays in a relationship even when it starts going horribly wrong, and the boyfriend/husband/lover suddenly turns into a wife beating, knife yielding maniac who carves up his beloved like she’s some kind of Christmas ham. After reading this novel, I understand the dynamics of that particular relationship a bit better. And it kind of freaks me out.

Opposites Do Attract

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Robert Downs

18134787 King And Maxwell by David Baldacci
My Rating: 3/5 Stars

Mimicking the highs and lows of this novel, my rating had some higher points along with some lower ones (which you wouldn’t know based on my final overall rating). But trust me, my friends, they were there. But that’s the joy of reading: expect the unexpected. KING AND MAXWELL started off well enough, with desert scenery and a finger placed on the kill switch and high powered weapons pointed at foreheads, tripped over its own two feet a bit in the middle with some Swiss cheese dialogue and gouda lines, and then had a rather disappointing ending, at least in my opinion.

Let’s start with the good. Sean King and Michelle Maxwell prove rather emphatically that opposites do attract, that partners can banter as well as brother and sister, tease each other relentlessly in the pursuit of some comic relief, and that even while being chased by alphabet soup agencies, good humor never dies. The premise could have been straight out of Hollywood: There’s even a Jaws reference that I wouldn’t have gotten without the explanation. The action-packed plotline proved mostly enjoyable (I don’t read thrillers for the stunning, poignant prose and literary awards). I value entertainment, and I definitely felt the back of my knees on the edge of my seat.

Measuring this against earlier David Baldacci novels, though, I couldn’t help coming away a bit disappointed. There were lines of dialogue that could have been pilfered from an Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie, and the premise, while entertaining, probably was a tad outlandish, and was all wrapped up a bit too neatly for an edge-of-your-seat roller coaster ride.

I received this book for free through NetGalley.

Wrapped In A Secondhand Bow

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Robert Downs

Sinister by Lisa Jackson, Nancy Bush, Rosalind Noonan
My Rating: 2/5 Stars

I applaud authors that take chances, and in this case we have three authors that have decided to color outside the lines. Rosalind Noonan and sisters Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush took collaboration to a whole new level by dividing SINISTER into parts and then each author seized a particular section(s) and made it her own. While author collaboration is not a new concept in the writing universe, this particular brand of teamwork has not been seen by these eyes, or if I did see it, I lived in a world of blissful ignorance (which can be a perfectly acceptable playground if you’re so inclined).

But that’s where my applause ends, and the criticism begins. If you’re going to trip and fall and possibly end up doing a face plant on an icy patch of sidewalk, you should at least do it in style. While these three ladies have earned style points on collaboration originality and character voice consistency, the style points ended as this romantic suspense novel took hold. The dialogue felt forced and sometimes trite; the romance was packaged a little too well and wrapped in a secondhand bow; the suspense needed an anticipation injection along with a tad more unease; and there were scenes where the moments felt erratic and jerky, because of the choice of viewpoint character.

While Ira, Hunter, and Sam certainly had personality, Renee, Ricki, Sabrina, and Delilah proved more fleshed out than their male counterparts. And I had trouble identifying with and getting behind any particular character, and not just because I’ve never been to Wyoming and have very limited experience with barns and horses and farms.

So, yeah, I’d been excited to see this one come, but in the end, I was rather glad to see this one go.

I received this book for free through NetGalley.

Dark, Compelling Read

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Robert Downs

6348514 The Cold Room by J.T. Ellison
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

J.T. Ellison knows how to spin a tale with Taylor Jackson, a tough-as-nails main character who never seems to lack for passion. She finds it in both her professional and personal life. The Cold Room gripped me from the first page, and it didn’t let me go until I had reached the end. The chilling nature of the tale kept me in rapt attention, and while the plot may have seemed a bit farfetched to some, I found it to be both heavily researched and a compelling read.

I found myself intrigued by the descriptions of Nashville, and I attribute this to the outstanding writing abilities of the author. She turned a local tale into an international one, when Taylor and her fiancé, FBI agent John Baldwin, crossed the Atlantic Ocean to Italy. Florence never sounded so good.

It takes a special writer to delve into some dark places of the human psyche, when many individuals might shy away from such an experience. To her credit, she didn’t just skirt across the surface, she jumped all the way in, and her novel is a stronger, better book because of her willingness to peek beneath the surface.

Endings can prove a bit of a challenge, but Ellison pulls it off with ease. She sets herself and the reader up perfectly for The Immortals. While this is my first foray into Taylor’s world, it certainly won’t be my last.

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Liquored Up And Pissed Off

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Robert Downs

18802779 The Last Clinic by Gary Gusick
My Rating: 3/5 Stars

“People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.” – Dave Barry

While reading this debut novel, I couldn’t seem to get that particular thought out of my head, as it cycled on rinse and repeat. And I couldn’t help this one either: Men seem to have no problem telling women what to do with their bodies. Now I’m not saying what is right or wrong about the above quote, or whether abortion is a sin or not, and whether or not women should have the right to choose. But I do think when you only see one side of the issue, and you can’t even stare at the opposing party on the other side of the fence without getting into a spitting or shouting match, then you might want to take a good, hard look at yourself and ask yourself what you really stand for, and why you’re even standing there in the first place. Empathy isn’t just some word that you look up in the dictionary, and you completely discard it in your daily life. We’ve had plenty of leaders who’ve lacked empathy in our modern world: Hitler and Stalin certainly come to mind.

So yeah I was pretty liquored up and pissed off while reading THE LAST CLINIC, and I was even more liquored up and pissed off when I finished it, and I’m still liquored up and pissed off as I write this review. Because really the bottom line is it takes two people to start an argument, and it takes two people to continue one. Religion ends up getting a bad reputation when folks use it as an excuse to further their own extremism causes. Religion can actually do some good when used properly, creating a set of values and structure, and giving a man or woman hope, and a belief in something greater and more powerful than themselves. But when it isn’t used properly, you might as well be holding a gun in your hand instead of a Bible, because it’ll lead you to some pretty fucked up shit, and you’ll be screaming the name of Allah, or God, or Jesus Christ, or Buddha, or whomever from the other side of a metal cell or padded walls.

Aside from the religious aspects, and there were plenty for me to stand up and take notice, Detective Darla Cavannah is a woman I have no problem getting behind. She’s smart and beautiful with a body built for trouble, and the story added elements of mystery, instead of moving in a linear fashion straight to the finish line. But it’s hard for me to get past the fact that there were multiple individuals I’d like to whack upside the head with a Bible or a wooden cross.

I received this book for free through NetGalley.

Unkillable Charlie Hardie

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Robert Downs

9583670 Hell And Gone by Duane Swierczynski
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

I blame erotica. My natural response is to proceed with a whips and chains and between-the-pages sexual binge until this burning desire extricates itself from my system, and the world turns itself right-side up. What does that have to do with HELL AND GONE? Probably not a whole hell of a lot. But here we are you and I. With that being said, I cannot be held accountable for my actions during this review.

Fun And Games had Mann in all of her infinite glory, with her nipples sticking straight up in the air, sunbathing topless on a deck in the middle of LA. But Mann has been relegated to cameo status in the sequel, and I couldn’t help the heartfelt sigh that escaped my lips. Now we have Eve Bell who can maintain the lotus position for hours on end, and I’m intrigued all over again. Her shower scene certainly captured my attention. I’ll say it right now: I have no shame.

Unkillable Charlie Hardie once again was forced to question his very sanity, spending his days in an inescapable prison with a team of guards and prisoners that proved to be some of the baddest dudes and dudettes around. The adrenaline rush proceeded at an IV pace (my finger pushing the magic button every three minutes or so), and I couldn’t avoid the post-nasal drip, the chlorine beach, the white tile, the blue scrubs, or the shower curtain divider that separated me from the guy on the respirator.

The other characters, while interesting and intriguing, didn’t capture my attention the way the secondary cast of characters popped into my brain and executed the mambo in the first installment. The action scenes, while intense and electrified, held back a bit compared to the first go round and the insanity that is LA. But don’t get me wrong, this was one hell of a ride, and I’ll be seeking out the explosive finale with equal parts enthusiasm and trepidation. I may need to sleep with the lights on, and my head buried underneath the covers, but it’ll all be worth it in the end. That’s what I’ll keep telling myself anyway, repeating the mantra until it’s permanently etched in my brain.

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Before And After

Posted on November 23, 2013 by Robert Downs

Lie Still by Julia Heaberlin
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

When I finished LIE STILL, I realized how absolutely ignorant I was about rape and women and the lingering effects of the horrific ordeal that no amount of washing or scrubbing or therapy or counseling or friends and familial support can ever hope to take away. And that for the rest of Emily Page’s life she will remember vivid details of the assault and Pierce Martin like he was the grim reaper sent down just for her: the empty Domino’s pizza box, the cloying odor of his shampoo, her final thought before he entered her—that he’s not going to marry her—the fingernail that raked her leg and the scar it left behind, and the sting of the alcohol, as she attempted to clean up the last remnants of him. And that when he entered her a part of her soul tore away, and that now her life is divided into two periods: before and after.

Even though Pierce is an asshole, a controlling, abusive, manipulative, done-this-sort-of-thing-before asshole, who had planned the violation for weeks and probably fantasized about it for even longer than that, Emily still thinks the rape, in this case date rape, was her fault. Her humiliation and guilt clings to her like a virus. Even though it wasn’t her fault, she feels culpable in the horrific ordeal, flashing her virginity around like it somehow made her better. This novel refers to date rape as “the last frontier of crime,” because the victims look and feel guilty, while the rapist feels pleased because he painted the whole picture himself. I had no idea rape victims were viewed this way, and it saddens me deeply to realize this is the case. I only hope our society can somehow figure out a way to right this horrible wrong.

This novel shows Texas like it was truly meant to be shown with fake mansions the size of convention centers, where fake women and fake breasts and fake tans loom larger than the Georgia sun. Where a middle-aged former beauty queen packs pistols and assault rifles in the back of her Lexus and shoots out the zero of interstate signs at 65 MPH. Where the twists and turns prove more complicated than Texas’s geographical landscape and interstate highways and where high school never seems to end. And where Caroline Warwick has more secrets and more enemies than one would like to admit.

I’d like to end with the “legitimate rape” legacy left behind by a US representative that Julia Heaberlin brings up in her Author’s Note. She takes the higher ground by not mentioning this particular bastard by name, but I believe he should be called out once again for his comment. Representative Todd Akin said, “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” That shows ignorance on so many levels, and it scares the shit out of me that he was actually running our country for six terms. Akin didn’t get reelected in 2012, and rightfully so.

I received this book for free through NetGalley.