False Impressions by Laura Caldwell

Chicago attorney Izzy McNeil is ready to take a break from private investigation and focus on her career in criminal law. But as a favor, she agrees to work with Madeline Saga, a beautiful art gallery owner who fears that artwork she has sold is fake. Who in Madeline's tight circle of artists and gallery owners is guilty of the forgeries?

When Madeline's life is threatened, Izzy is suddenly asking a more troublesome question: Who wants the gallery owner dead?

As the case spins out of control, there's only one person who makes Izzy feel safe—Detective Damon Vaughn. But getting close to her former nemesis is full of surprises. Astonishing truths about the glittering Chicago art scene will introduce Izzy to the deadliest art of deception.…(Synopsis from lauracaldwell.com)

Paperback, Harlequin, 320 pages

I got my first taste of the Izzy McNeal series when I went to BEA ( Book Expo America) and got autographed copies of the first two books in the series. After voraciously reading them in my hotel room, I was ready for the next one and ran to the bookstore to get it when it came out shortly after. False Impressions is book number six in this excellent murder mystery series.

 Izzy is taking a break from detecting after she has lost one fiancé and a serious boyfriend through involvement in previous cases.  She decides to concentrate on her legal career when n her old friend Mayburn asks her to take on another case as a favor. Izzy finds herself in the middle of the art world in Chicago trying to find out who has been targeting Madeline Saga and her art gallery. It's a heady world that Izzy finds herself in and she has to work to keep her wits about her.  Madeline is focused on her art collections and mentors Izzy in the appreciation of it. Madeline vacillates from friendly and focused to aloof and disoriented. Izzy finds out that there are many possible suspects, old lovers, competitors and customers who unknowingly purchased fakes. There are plenty of red herrings in the book and a final twist that works perfectly.

 During her investigation, Izzy finds herself attracted to a gallery customer involved in a messy divorce and also having run-ins with CPD's Damon Vaughn that seem to be leading down an interesting road.  She also discovers an wild side of her that she has not let loose in a long time, and finds that she enjoys letting go sometimes. She also meets a quirky group of artists and art lovers that help her add to her new self-awareness.

 One of the things I like about this series is that Izzy learns from her mistakes and listens when her experts give advice on her cases.  She has learned the hard way what can happen when you rush in unprepared. She mostly follows the law and doesn't do anything egregiously wrong. She has a difficult relationship with her father and brother and it doesn’t get whitewashed or neatly resolved.

Even though this is the sixth book in the series, it can stand alone so new readers don't need to be afraid to jump in.  I suspect that you will like it so much you will go back and read all of the prior books.  Enjoy them!



Death Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James

A rare meeting of literary genius: P. D. James, long among the most admired mystery writers of our time, draws the characters of Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice into a tale of murder and emotional mayhem.

It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on their life together at Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. Their peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons, Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth’s sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the prospects of marriage for Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And preparations are under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball.

Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth’s disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical, shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery. (synopsis from B&N.com)

Hardcover, Knopf Doubleday, 304 pages


I am a total sucker for any Austenesque book and I enjoyed reading this one. The setting is clever, Darcy and Elizabeth are getting ready to host the annual Lady Anne Ball and Lydia shows up in a carriage having a hsterical fit. Wickham and Captain Denny have had some sort of disagreement and left the carriage to go off in the woods, shots rang out and Lydia panicked and made the coachman take her to Pemberley ( uninvited  of course). Darcy, col Fitzwilliam and some footmen head out and find Captain Denny now dead and Wickham claiming it was his fault. The ball gets cancelled and the Darcy's are thrown in the middle of a murder. Darcy finds himself in the unwanted position of having to provide assistance to keep his brother-in-law from hanging and having to try to find out what really happened.
The premise is clever and I liked the way little snippets of other Austen books are worked into this story, ie Wickham worked for a short time for Sir Walter Eliot ( Persuasion).  Ms. James fills in a lot of the backstory of Pride and Prejudice from the Darcy side and that was fun. However, parts of the story plod along and the ending is a little contrived. That said, as an Austen fan I enjoyed reading it and overlooked the negatives. Wickham and Lydia are just as one would have expected them to be and it's nice to see what has happened to the P&P characters years later.

The Blood Red Indian Summer by David Handler

This newest mystery featuring Mitch Berger and Connecticut State Trooper Des Mitry presents Des with her first genuine racially charged case in the historic New England village of Dorset, the gem of Connecticut’s Gold Coast.
Tyrone “Da Beast” Grantham, the famously volatile NFL superstar linebacker, has just been suspended for “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the league.” When Tyrone and his entourage decide to spend his season in exile in bucolic Dorset---much to the dismay of his early-to-bed, ultra-white neighbors---Des is put on the spot. And when Tyrone’s eighteen-year-old sister-in-law, Kinitra, washes up on Mitch’s beach one morning, bloodied and barely alive, Des is on the case. Especially when it turns out that Kinitra is eight weeks pregnant. Good thing there’s nothing else serious going on in our heroes’ lives right now.  Like, say, Mitch’s parents arriving from Florida at long last to meet the new woman of color in their nice Jewish boy’s life. (summary from B&N.com)

 St. Martin's Press , Hardcover , 256pp

I love this series. I enjoy that it takes place in Connecticut and I can visualize the places that are mentioned. I enjoy the little digs that the author makes about the power structure of the Connecticut State Police and about the moneyed life of the residents of the fictional town of Dorset. This book, which is the eighth in the series, continues the story of Mitch Berger and Des Mitry. The opening chapter starts the book off with an emotional situation and outcome that gets your attention immediately.

Des and Mitch are rebuilding their relationship after a rough patch and the ultimate test is coming. Des is going to meet Mitch’s parents. She is worried about the upcoming meeting and about her father, who is recuperating from surgery. Mitch has worries of his own as his parents have been behaving strangely and he is convinced there is something they aren’t telling him.

In the middle of all this, we have the family of Tyrone Grantham temporarily staying in Dorset. The description of how the prickly, native Nutmeggers react to a bad boy African American NFL star in their midst is very realistic. Des is in the middle of the residents and the “outsider” and she feels the pressure. When a Grantham family member washes up on the beach in a bad way, all kinds of possibilities are exposed. There is the angry neighbor, the nutty neighbor, the sleazy relatives, and a money grubbing, publicity seeking, gadfly all of whom make plausible suspects..

A long running theme in the books is how the female troopers are treated by the good old boy network and how that hampers their ability to do their job. Des has survived by being very good at her job and by keeping a few aces up her sleeve when needed. In this book she gets to work with 2 other female investigators and it adds interest to the story, especially as one is the sister of Des’s nemesis in the Department. Des also gets input from her father, the highest ranking African American officer in the CSP.

Mitch is his usual movie geek self, reframing life situations in terms of favorite movies. He helps his neighbors, enjoys his life in the neighborhood, and helps Des when he can. Their relationship is so enjoyable to read about. I love it when she calls him “doughboy”. In this book she picks up another interesting nickname much to Mitch’s chagrin. They balance each other in so many ways, which helps her get through some rough situations, including the conclusion of this investigation.

It has been a while since the previous book in the series. I hope the next one won’t be as long coming.

This book is available in the Adult New Fction section. Previous books in the series are in the Adult Mystery section.

Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs ( Temeperence Brennan # 14)

Kathy Reichs—#1 New York Times bestselling author and producer of the FOX television hit Bones—returns with a riveting new novel set in Charlotte, North Carolina, featuring America’s favorite forensic anthropologist, Dr. Temperance Brennan. Just as 200,000 fans are pouring into town for Race Week, a body is found in a barrel of asphalt next to the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The next day, a NASCAR crew member comes to Temperance Brennan’s office at the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner to share a devastating story. Twelve years earlier, Wayne Gamble’s sister, Cindi, then a high school senior and aspiring racer, disappeared along with her boyfriend, Cale Lovette. Lovette kept company with a group of right-wing extremists known as the Patriot Posse. Could the body be Cindi’s? Or Cale’s? At the time of their disappearance, the FBI joined the investigation, only to terminate it weeks later. Was there a cover-up? As Tempe juggles multiple theories, the discovery of a strange, deadly substance in the barrel alongside the body throws everything into question. Then an employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention goes missing during Race Week. Tempe can’t overlook the coincidence. ( Synopsis from Barnes & Noble.com)

I am a huge fan of Kathy Reichs’ Temperance Brennan series and look forward to each new book. This book does not disappoint. Like Ms. Reichs herself, Temperance is a forensic pathologist who works both in NC and in Quebec.  This book stays in NC and centers on a body found near a NASCAR racetrack.  The story builds on this initial premise and gets more and more intense as it goes on. Temperance finds herself in the middle of feuding cops, the FBI, and her fellow lab staff.

One of the things I enjoy about this series is all of the information that is woven into the plot. In addition to forensic pathology information, this book has a lot of the NASCAR history written into it. Information on the beginnings of NASCAR, history of the drivers, and even a little on how the present day race world functions.

The side story of her ex-husband's fiancé Summer needing Temperance's help in planning her wedding adds a touch of humor to the story. It also gives Temperance some great lines full of sarcasm that go over the beleaguered bride's head.

One of the best parts of this book is the way Ms. Reichs makes her characters so believable whether it's a disgraced former cop or a cranky, humorless coworker. Even the two missing people who we never meet become real to the reader. The ending is not telegraphed earlier in the book and is absolutely believable.

My only gripe-not enough Ryan. Longtime readers will know what I mean.  I can't wait for the next book!

RPL Note: This book will be available on Tuesday, August 23 in the Adult New Books Section.

Gone with a Handsomer Man Review

Take one out-of-work pastry chef . . .
Teeny Templeton believes that her life is finally on track. She’s getting married, she’s baking her own wedding cake, and she’s leaving her troubled past behind. And then? She finds her fiancé playing naked badminton with a couple of gorgeous, skanky chicks.
Add a whole lot of trouble . . .
Needless to say, the wedding is off. Adding insult to injury, her fiancé slaps a restraining order on her. When he’s found dead a few days later, all fingers point to Teeny.
And stir like crazy!
Her only hope is through an old boyfriend-turned-lawyer, the guy who broke her heart a decade ago. But dredging up the past brings more than skeletons out of the closet, and Teeny doesn’t know who she can trust. With evidence mounting and the heat turning up, Teeny must also figure out where to live, how to support herself, how to clear her name, and how to protect her heart. ( Synopsis from Barnes & Noble.com)
 
Michael Lee West is the author of five novels featuring Southern women. This book is her first mystery novel and the character of Teeny came to her in a dream and asked  for her story to be told. This is a funny but suspenseful novel about Teeny Templeton, a sometimes baker who has met the man of her dreams ( Bing) and will finally have that perfect life she has dreamed about. In one night she gets un-engaged, arrested for assault ( with a deadly peach) and becomes homeless. Even worse, her collection of old family recipes is still at her ex-fiance's house. When she goes back to the house, she stumbles upon her ex in a bloody mess and finds herself suspected of murder.
 
Teeny meets up with her old beau, Coop, now a lawyer, and asks him to help her. Along the way we get to know Bing's eccentric aunt Dora-a southern lady with a fondness for pink- much to the historical society's dismay. Dora helps Teeny out with money and a temporary stay in a family owned house that gets sold out from under Teeny by one of the scheming naked badminton players. Another interesting character is Red Butler Hill, a crusty private detective who works for Coop. Red and Teeny do not mesh well at first and it was interesting to watch their relationship transform into mutual respect  as the book progresses. I loved Red's character!
 
Teeny and Coop revisit their old relationship but there are complications and just when you think things are settled, a plot twist at the end leaves you wondering. This is a great summer read especially if you like books about quirky Southern life and traditions.
 
RPL notes: This book is available in the Adult New Fiction section. We have one of her earlier books and all are available for request through the BiblioOak catalog.

Sticky Fingers (Roxie Abruzzo Mystery #2) by Nancy Martin

Roxy Abruzzo stays one step ahead of trouble----especially now that her cash flow is less than stellar, and she's "doing favors" for her slippery uncle Carmine, one of the last old-time Mob bosses in Pittsburgh.
With her sidekick, Nooch, and her thieving pitbull, Rooney, Roxy hustles the mean streets collecting debts for Uncle Carmine and keeping his customers in line. With her daughter's college tuition to pay, Roxy can almost convince herself that the shady jobs are legal. But when Carmine's consigliere offers Roxy a contract to kidnap someone, that's a line she won’t cross.
Trouble is the kidnapping happens anyway, and when the victim turns up murdered, Roxy’s number one on the police hit parade. To protect herself, she investigates and soon learns the victim had a big secret---or two. Add a rock singer with a penchant for dinosaur bones and throw in a pesky paleontologist, plus an ex-nun with a mustache problem---not to mention a sexy chef with a taste for whatever Roxy dishes up---and you've got a caper full of quirky characters and laugh-out-loud mayhem. ( Synopsis from Barens & Noble.com)

I enjoyed this so much, I read it in one night.  The second book in the Roxie Abruzzo Mysteries ( after Our Lady of Immaculate Deception) was a page turner from beginning to end. Roxie has turned over a new leaf in her personal life but her professional life is a little flat. Her Uncle Carmine, a low  level Pittsburgh mob boss, has approached her through his geeky lawyer, Marvin, to kidnap an old classmate of Roxie's.  She is desperate for money, but not that much, and says no. She even goes to see her former nemesis, Clarice Crabtree, to warn her.  Clarice is still a mean girl however, and Roxie leaves without delivering the warning.  While she is at Clarice's house, Clarice disappears and Roxie is smack in the middle of another mess. She ends up identifying the body when Clarice is fished out of the river, and decides she needs to investigate to keep herself out of jail. Roxie is nothing if not tenacious and she keeps one step ahead of the police while figuring out whodunit.  The book has  stolen cars, bratty teenagers, a vengeful stalker with a spray paint can, and a large mastadon bone to peak your interest.

This book reminded me of the early Stephanie Plum books.  Set in a similar setting ( Pittsburgh vs Trenton), both featuring a single woman working in a man's profession ( salvage yard vs bail bond tracer), and having interesting side kicks ( Nooch vs Lula), the books are different enough that you can still enjoy them.  Roxie is tough and has a teenage daughter  Sage, who lives with Roxie's aunt.  Roxie has a love-hate relationship with Sage's father and lots of unresolved feelings about him which get more complicated as the book goes on. Roxie does sometimes behave in an unlikeable way but the character remains sympathetic.

I recommend reading the first book before this one because it sets up the history of Roxie's life and some of the other characters as well. You don't have to, but I think it will make this book more enjoyable. I also suggest you read Ms. Martin's other series- the Blackbird Sisters mysteries which also take place in PA and feature Michael Abruzzo, Roxie's cousin, as a recurring character.

Library note: Sticky Fingers is available in the NEW books section in the adult library. The first book is also available in  regular and large print as well as most of the Blackbird Sisters Mysteries.

Murder at Longborn by Tracy Kiely

Planning New Year’s resolutions to rid her life of all things unhealthy, Elizabeth Parker has dumped fatty foods, processed sugar, and her two-timing boyfriend. Indeed, the invitation to join her Aunt Winnie for a How to Host a Murder Party on New Year’s Eve at Winnie’s new Cape Cod B and B comes just in time. But when the local wealthy miser ends up the unscripted victim, Elizabeth must unearth old secrets and new motives in order to clear her beloved aunt of suspicion. The suspects include the town gossip, a haughty rich woman, and an antiques business owner much enamored of his benefactress, a Mrs. Kristell Dubois. If that isn’t bad enough, Elizabeth must also contend with her childhood nemesis, Peter McGowan---a man she suspects has only matured in chronological years---and her suspicions about his family’s interest in Winnie’s inn.

Yesterday, her only worry was of ever finding her Mr. Darcy. Now she has a murder to solve. Is it any wonder her resolution to achieve inner poise is in tatters? (synopsis from macmillan.com)

As a die hard Jane Austen fan, I will read anything that relates to her books.  Being a mystery fan as well, this book was made for me!  Loosely following Pride and Prejudice, this mystery is set in Cape Cod with Elizabeth Parker having the Elizabeth Bennet part.  Elizabeth's aunt Winnie is a feisty senior who owns a B&B in an old house coveted by a local man hated by almost everyone who knows him. One of Winnie's guests is an antique dealer who keeps going on and on about his oh so tasteful patron, Mrs. Dubois. Shades of Mr. Collins! There is also a  rich and abrasive widow with the obligatory mousy companion(who is an impoverished friend). We meet the young wife of the hateful man and his downtrodden daughter who are somehow involved with a  dashing Brit. Finally, we have our Mr. Darcy in the form of Peter, the childhood tormenter of the young Elizabeth. He is now the hunky heir to a successful hotel business and a friend of Winnie's.

Although the characters sound formulaic, the story is very cleverly done. The murder takes place during a murder mystery performance and the evidence mounts up against Winnie. There are subplots involving the murdered man's previous but now dead wife. Red herrings abound but it all works. The story moves along nicely and there is only a hint of romance.

This is the first book in a  series by Ms. Kiely. The second book is called Murder on the Bride's Side,and follows Austen's Sense and Sensibility.

Library note: RPL has Murder at Longborn ( 2009) in the Adult Large Print section. Murder on the Bride's Side  (2010) is available in Adult Mysteries.  The third book in the series  will come out in August of 2011.

Newsflash- Stephanie Plum movie due out in July

One For the Money, the first book in the Stephanie Plum series, will be released as a movie on July 8,2011. Katherine Heigle will be Stephanie, Jason O'Mara will be Morelli, and Daniel Sunjata will be Ranger. Interesting casting.....

Lula will be played by Sherri Shepard from the View.  Debbie Reynolds will be Grandma Mazur.

I'm torn because I love this series and I'm worried the movie will not live up to the book.  Here's a link to the cast list and other information about the movie.  We shall see!!!!

Library note:RPL has the entire Stephanie Plum series in the adult mystery section. A majority of the series is also available on audiobook at the library. There are 16 books in the series with number 17 due out in June.

Treachery in Death-In Death# 40

In the latest from the #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon, Eve Dallas tracks down those who break the law-including the ones sworn to uphold it.
Detective Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a senseless crime-an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. This is Peabody's first case as primary detective-good thing she learned from the master.
But Peabody soon stumbles upon a trickier situation. After a hard workout, she's all alone in the locker room when the gym door clatters open; and-while hiding inside a shower stall trying not to make a sound-she overhears two fellow officers, Garnet and Oberman, arguing. It doesn't take long to realize they're both crooked-guilty not just of corruption but of murder. Now Peabody, Eve, and Eve's husband, Roarke, are trying to get the hard evidence they need to bring the dirty cops down-knowing all the while that the two are willing to kill to keep their secret.  (Synopsis from Barnes & Noble.com)

Publication date: February 22, 2011- available at  RPL in Hardcover and Audio

I could not wait to get this book home and start reading it!  The book begins with a trio of stoners robbing a small store and killing the owner. As the investigation starts, Lt. Eve Dallas throws the reins to Det. Peabody and Peabody gets her first case as primary. One of the best part of this series is how the history of the characters plays throughout the books. Seeing Peabody step up to the plate almost makes you feel proud because we have seen her grow through the previous books. When she finds herself in a deadly situation after going to and old police gym to workout, we are holding our breath along with her. She overhears a conversation that implicates two cops in a murder and corruption scheme and is lucky to escape undetected.

Peabody goes to Eve and tells her what she heard and the investigation begins.  Eve is a cop to the bone and takes this situation as a betrayal of all she stands for. The fact that one of the cops involved is also a female lieutenant, whose father was a revered Commander in the department, makes it all the worse. Eve draws her troops around her and goes to work making her case. All of the characters we have come to know- Commander Whitney, profiler Mira, Eve's husband Roarke, McNab, Truehart, Baxter, Mavis, and even IAB Det. Webster have a part in the operation. There is plenty of action as well as a strenghthening of some of the core relationships that have been in place since the first book.  

As always, when I got to the end of the book, I was antsy for the next one. This is a great series and if you haven't read it you need to start at the beginning and work your way through. The series takes place about 30 years in the future but has very little of a scence fiction feel to it. It is primarily a police procedural mystery and is very popular among library readers.  The audio version is excellent with the same reader for all of the books.

Buffalo West Wing

With a new First Family, White House executive chef Olivia Paras can't afford to make any mistakes. But when a box of take-out chicken mysteriously shows up for the First Kids, she soon finds herself in a "no-wing" situation. After Olivia refuses to serve the chicken, the First Lady gives her the cold shoulder. But when it turns out to be poisoned poultry, Olivia realizes the kids are true targets. ( description from Barnes & Noble.com)

Ollie Paras returns in another intriguing mystery in the White House Chef series. Her life is topsy turvey-she's broken up with her boyfriend, a White House Secret Service agent, and there is a new  First Family on board. When an unexplained box of fried chicken shows up for the President's children and Ollie refuses to pass it on to them without knowing where it came from, a contentious relationship with the new First Lady (FLOTUS)  begins. The chicken turns out to be laced with arsenic and the Secret Service won't tell the First Lady for security reasons. To top it all off, the FLOTUS brings in a personal chef for the family and he thinks he's in charge of the kitchen.  Add in a terrorist plot, an old relationship rekindled, and a state dinner and you have a fast and frenzied mystery. I especially enjoy all of the information about how things work in the White House. An example-the First Family has to pay for all of their personal food-not the taxpayers.  There is a selection of recipes at the back of the book. I have tried some of them and they are pretty good.
Just a note, if you have not read the earlier books in the series, I would recommend doing so.  They are State of the Onion,Hail to the Chef, and Eggsecutive Orders.