Tag Archives: mystery suspense

Unknown's avatar

The Stand

by

13492880

The Stand

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

I listened to this book this time around after having read it 3 times over the years. It is a story that you find something new in each time you read it. The characters are well written and fleshed so that you get to know them on a deep level. The story is not really scary but has elements that can make you feel uncomfortable or want to look over your shoulder for the bad. Even though it is only a story you can imagine it happening in your world. This seems to be a character study of sorts because you have so many personalities.

A deadly virus is let out into the world because our government cannot seem to keep their word about not creating things that could kill large numbers of people. Around the country people are dying from a superflu and while some are immune they start to dream of two people who they cannot be sure are real. One is an old black woman named Mother Abigail to tells them to come see her in Nebraska, the other is a dark man who scares most but is calling people to him in the west. The good and the evil are bringing together their forces to battle, or so it seems.

For me this is one of his best but I have read most of his work and love it. Try this if you have not read anything else by him.

Unknown's avatar

Books with No Review but 5 stars

by

18166667  21509141  15781825   13477321  Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter - The First ... by Laurell K. HamiltonLaurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter - The First ... by Laurell K. Hamilton  Laurell K Hamilton’s Anita Blake Vampire Hunter – The First Death # 1 & 2 ( Marvel Comics) by Laurell K Hamilton (Author), Jonathan Green & Wellington Alves (Illustrator)

Each of these books is really good as far as I am concerned. Each is from a slightly different genre so there should be something here for most tastes.

 

Unknown's avatar

The Word Exchange

by

18666199

The Word Exchange

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book seems to cover a number of genre’s including science fiction, mystery, and romance. The story is basically about the use of language and how it is used and how we would be affected without it. The story starts slowly but builds to a point that you become thoroughly engrossed with what is happening and trying to figure out who and what is behind things. The language is good but sometimes just a little over the head of someone who does not know about library science with references to people who you may have never heard of. I just looked them up to see who they were and learned something in the process. The characters are well written and you can’t help but have an opinion on them because you get a chance to really know those who are central to the plot and get a good look at the others.

Anana and her father Doug work for the Dictionary working on the NADEL (North American Dictionary of the English Language) and are preparing the 3rd edition for print. Doug is totally anti-MEME (a device used for everything from movies to banking) and has caused the deterioration of language because of its invasive nature into the minds of the public. Things seem to be going well though Anana is heartbroken over her breakup with Max, her boyfriend of 4 years and the mastermind behind a game which invites people to make up words, which he sells to Synchronics. This company is trying to corner the market on words and their meanings.

When people start to show signs of aphasia and illness it becomes a race to find out who or what is causing it and to find a cure before the world becomes infected.

This is an entertaining story but it is about more than words, it seems almost to be a cautionary tale about how technology can take away more than we are willing to lose if we are not careful. The romance is very low-key, mostly pining about lost love or not having the guts to say you love someone. The mystery elements are nicely done though you have an idea who is behind it but you need the why. I also have to say that Anana annoyed me a great deal of the time, she seemed to want to get killed to me because she did not really think much for someone who came off as smart and capable, but was acting like a five-year old who just had to be rebellious. Other than her I enjoyed the other characters and the action. This gave me something to think about and I like that.

Unknown's avatar

Witch’s Bell 2

by

18910467

Witch’s Bell 2 (The Adventures of Ebony Bell #2)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The first book in this series did not exactly grab me, but this one made me more of a fan. This time around I was ready and got into the story a lot quicker with a lot more interest in what was going on. The fact that Ebony seemed a bit more subdued and not so manic and annoying helped get me there. The plot here was a lot tighter and well thought out, at least for me, then the first which I completed but was not sure if I even liked the character. The characters felt more real to me here though I am still not fully invested in the world they inhabit.

After almost losing herself and being rewritten months ago Ebony has finally found her purpose and balance in life. She and Harry the bookstore are doing well and she has moved in to be closer. Things are going well with her job. The only thing seems to be that the police are busier than ever as magic seems to be running amok and her job seems to never end.

Something deadly and sinister is happening in Vale and Ebony is about to find herself at the center of trouble once again. And just to keep things interesting she is being courted by a handsome wizard from out of town named Aaron Heart who is in town to talk about security for a wizards convention. Meanwhile, Detective Nate Wall seems decidely jealous, though he hasn’t made a move of his own.

There is only one thing that really bugged me and that was the fact that so many words had been misused throughout the book. The word ‘where’ was used when they meant ‘were’ as well as ‘allowed’ for ‘aloud’. It kind of throws off your train of though while you try to make sense of it.

The books are sweet with a hint of danger and darkness with the potential for romance eventually. Ebony Bell is a likeable character most of the time but sometimes seems a bit naive for someone who grew up a witch. I hope to get better acquainted with the other characters who populate Vale.

“Magic is like silver cutlery, Ebony, you only bring it out to either impress, or stab, important guests.”
― Odette C. Bell, Witch’s Bell Book One
Unknown's avatar

Dead Petals

by

21279473

Dead Petals – An Apocalypse

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received this book for free through Netgalley for an honest review.

I was expecting another zombie story but got more than that with this tale. There is much more here than just zombies eating and people being eaten. It got my attention because I needed to see where this was going and if some of the characters I had come to like were going to be around by the time it ended. The characters themselves were interesting, some more than others, but not as well fleshed as I would have liked them to be, you never really got a good background on any of them. The dialogue is good but comes off a bit stilted, not sounding smooth like but like everyone is über proper, even the red-neck. The zombies were pretty great though, they were so different from anything I had read about before and sounded worse than anything I have ever seen on a show.

The end of the world came suddenly and with no warning to those around the world. One day they were going about their every day business and the next it seemed everyone had died and were returning from the grave or simply getting up and walking. While most people die immediately there are still pockets of survivors trying to say ahead of the ravenous crowd of walkers. Among these the survivors are 6 people who are drawn to each other and to a forest that has nothing special about it except that it has been made fairly safe by one man.

Oz was a teacher and trucker before things fell apart and took off looking for a place he could live in as long as possible. He was joined by a doctor named Masaaki, twins Jack and Selene, cop Mason, and country boys Luke and Bob. They were living their lives day by day until they were brought into a secret place that gave them insight into what was really happening with the dead. This was no accident but a deliberate attempt to change life on the planet and they were going to have to stop it.

This had elements of time travel, mystery, horror, as well as an end of the world story. There was greed, vanity, avarice, god complexes, and just simple hate for what had been. I found myself cheering on the small group and sometimes being disappointed in them as well for their lack of follow through when it counted. But really it made me wonder if I would do anything different if I found myself in their situation. Good read but do not expect a lot blood or gore, this is more about the people than the zombies.

 

 

Unknown's avatar

Moon Dance

by

8129929

Moon Dance (Vampire for Hire #1)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have never read anything by this author before but that is all about to change. I really enjoyed this novel more than I though I would. I was drawn into the story from the beginning, probably because it seemed at first that things were just so normal when I knew they weren’t. I’m glad that it started after she had been dealing with the situation for a while instead of taking us through the whole thing and having to arrive at that point. The characters are interesting and the situation unique to anything I have read in the past. The story is simple but at the same time incorporates a mystery that is fairly complex and keeps you guessing. You have the occasional missing word, wrong word, or typo but nothing that detracts from the action. The story moves along quickly with language that is fitting and characters who are given life enough to allow you to get a sense of who they are and what you can expect from them later.

Samantha Moon was your ordinary wife and mother who had a job in a government agency. She was attacked and when she recovers from her injuries discovers that her life has been changed forever. She has become a vampire and has to adapt this new life to her old one, which means changing jobs as well as being a much more tired mom since she must forego regular sleep in order to be awake during the day for her children. Samantha has become a very good private investigator in demand because she closes cases using her new abilities and her government connections. Her life seems normal on the surface but things are not as good at home as she could hope them to be.

Samantha is hired to find the person who attempted to kill Kingsley Fulcrum, a defense attorney who is maybe to good at his job. He was attacked and shot multiple times but survived and now wants to know who did it and why. If anyone can find out it is Sam.

I felt sorry for Sam because she was turned against her will and it made her life so much more difficult. Their was not a lot of action but for a get to know you story it was just right. Light romantic moments, introspection, a nasty husband, and a hot werewolf. Worth reading and worth following her continued story.

“I surveyed the others, who had all stopped in their tracks. “So what was the plan, boys? You were all going to get a fuck in? The very definition of sloppy seconds – hell, sloppy thirds and fourths and fifths. Than what? Slit my throat? Leave me for dead? Let some school janitor find me stuffed in a dumpster? You would deny my children their mother for one night of cheap thrills?”
― J.R. Rain, Moon Dance   J.R. Rain
Unknown's avatar

Rosetta

by

18340750

Rosetta

I am giving this 3.5 stars and wishing to read another in order to get more background on the central character. This was an interesting concept with some good characters who make it worth reading again to make sure I got all the details. The story runs a bit slowly until you finally arrive at the destination and then things pick up a bit and continues to build. The characters are both fleshed out and not fleshed out depending on how long they are in the book, the main character has a lot more personality and background than any of the others but you still feel that he is lacking somewhat. I like the world that has been created, it has the ring of authenticity mainly because of its resemblance to the world we now find ourselves living in. The technology is real enough that you would have no problem believing in its existence or at least the possibility that it could be created.

James Meade is a runabout who was born on Mars, this means that he does not bother himself with the politics of either power running things. In this case there is the Consortium, a fascist society that uses its citizens as virtual slaves based on whether they are born into wealth or not, and it is impossible to gain wealth if you are not born to it. The other side is the Coalition who claim to be better and allow for a democratic society, while you can pull yourself up to a higher standard before you can get there you must pay off the crushing debt you have been forced into. This is the world Jim lives in and still is unable to get away from.

When a Consortium engineer is found dead on Rosetta it is decided that Jim will do the investigation because of his neutrality. He is not given much of a choice in the matter and decides that if he has to do it he might as well get paid as much as possible. He figures it will be a simple job with little work involved and a good payday, but he has no idea of what is going on that asteroid far out in the belt. And what he does not know will likely get him killed.

For some reason Meade reminded me of Harry Dresden, not just because they were both P.I.’s but the way he dressed and the use of sarcasm and humor. This is a detective story in space with a noir feel. You have the female bar owner with a heart of gold, the femme fatale, the crime bosses, the crazy zealot wanting to save the world, and our detective who is less and more of hero than you expect him to be. All in all a good read but could have been even better with a more serious mystery.

Mars has two moons. One of them is Phobos and other’s name is Deimos ...
Unknown's avatar

Bump In The Night

by

Bump in the Night

Bump in the Night

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a quick and fun read with a good mystery to solve. Nothing is better than a locked door mystery with multiple suspects all with good motives. The fact that so much information was able to be packed into such a short story is amazing. From the start I was pulled in and ready to try to solve the mystery before it got to the end. The number of characters is not large but definitely enough to make it more difficult.

Renni is a lawyer who made the mistake of sleeping with a co-worker and partner at her law firm. When Daniel shows up at 2am pounding on her door she lets him in to keep the peace with her neighbors. Though he is her ex she has a quickie and leaves him asleep on her couch, the next morning he’s dead and she has a problem. Who could have killed him? See if you can figure it out.

I have a total love of good locked door mysteries, well not just locked door. If you have a little time or are sitting and waiting somewhere this can be a great way to spend the time.

Unknown's avatar

On Demon Wings

by

On Demon Wings (Experiment in Terror, #5)On Demon Wings by Karina Halle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The intensity keeps going up right along with the terror. Each entry takes you a little deeper into the mystery, a little deeper into the horror, and a little deeper into a tangled romance.

Who will we get to see here: Ada Palomino is Perry’s younger sister and would do anything to help her mend her broken heart. She knows that Perry is not crazy and actually does see ghosts. She may be a fashionista but she is a smart girl with a quick mind.

Mom & Dad Palomino, they love their daughters but have decided that Perry is crazy and that they know what is best for her. The problem is that everything they do shows they may want to help but it pushes Perry further away because their love seems to be conditioned on her being a more perfect child.

Maximus was last seen in “Red Fox“, he was Dex’s best friend in college but there is no love lost between them. He shows up on Perry’s doorstep as if he cares about her, but his motives are much more shady. He may be a handsome man but the things he is willing to do for revenge make him less than desirable.

This installment revolves around Perry and what happens to her in the aftermath of her broken relationship with Dex. As someone who can see spirits Perry needs to protect herself, but in her weakened mental and physical state she leaves herself open to the spirits who would take advantage of her. Perry is faced with fighting for life and sanity and the only person who truly has her back is Ada, a fifteen year old who understands more than she is given credit for.

Though I have loved all the previous books, this one really gave me something to think about. We get some big reveals which make some of the earlier encounters make more sense. And we do get some Dex. 😉

Related articles
Unknown's avatar

The Missing

by

The Missing (The FBI Psychics, #1)The Missing by Shiloh Walker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Taige Branch is a psychic who free lances for the FBI, her specialty is finding lost or kidnapped children. When Taige was young she lost her parents and was sent to live with an Uncle who hated her and called her a demon every day she was in his presence. The summer she was 16 she finally met someone who she could connect with, Cullen Morgan, a rich boy who came for a vacation. They were inseparable that summer and every summer for the next 4 years, then Cullen experienced a tragedy that he blamed Taige for not stopping. He kicked her out of his life and she was changed by his actions. For twelve years they were apart and then tragedy strikes Cullen again and he seeks out Taige’s help, but also wants her back in his life.

The story is about finding what has been lost and what can be gained from love. There is a feeling of heartache here but behind all that is a mystery which holds murder, insanity, trauma, and kidnapping.

The other players here are Jillian Morgan, Cullen’s 9-year-old daughter and also very special. There is Taylor Jones, head of the special branch of the FBI which employs psychics of all types and varied talents. Taige’s Uncle, Leon Carson, is a preacher and very evil man who is charming on the outside but has no love for the niece who lost her whole family in one night.

If good characters, great story, and happy endings interest you then this should be given a chance.

Related articles