Tag: Action Suspense

ECONOGAL > Action Suspense

You Belong Here Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Tricky Title

The cover of You Belong Here has an almost hidden “Don’t” between the first two words of the title. This mirrored my thoughts on the Megan Miranda title. As I was reading the book I felt like the title and the book didn’t quite match. However, the ending gives deeper meaning. In fact, the entire book is loaded with many layers.

On the surface the novel is an intense drama filled with missing persons and murder. Then, family dynamics come to the forefront. Especially parent/child relationships. But other forces are also at work. Anyone with experience of living in a college town understands the complex nature of the town/gown relationship. You Belong Here has all of this.

Protagonist

Beckett Bowery is a single mom dropping her only child, Delilah, off at college when the story opens. Beckett, named for one of the buildings at the college Delilah will attend has a difficult relationship with her parents and a decent relationship with Trevor, Delilah’s father. Mother and child are close but not without secrets.

Unbeknownst to Beckett, Delilah had applied to the same college her grandparents had taught at and her own mother had attended. Beckett never shared why she distanced herself both from her parents and her hometown. This resulted in a forbidden attraction for Delilah.

Before and Present

The author shares Beckett’s story alternating between past and present by chapter. The back story is compelling and as dangerous as what is currently happening to Delilah. One’s past has a way of complicating the present and impacting the future. Beckett finds that true.

Recommendation for You Belong Here

Megan Miranda has written an intense suspenseful novel with incredible depth. The surface story captures the reader with action. But it is the under story that captures the reader’s thoughts long after finishing the book. Relationships between parents and their children are complex. Reactions have consequences far after the event. And life can change not only from a single event, but even a single (re)action or a misplaced comment.

Miranda is a top selling author for a reason. I highly recommend this book.

Dating After the End of the World Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Zombie Fiction

Jeneva Rose wrote the Zombie filled Dating After the End of the World at the request of a fan-her father. Since this is my first zombie novel, it has no comparisons. And the author suggests it is a mix of genres.

The fast-paced book is both gruesome and entertaining. Her writing is topnotch even though it will be a while before I pick up another zombie story…if ever. But I do look forward to reading more from Rose.

Plot

Dating After The End Of The World opens up with a young Casey Pearson struggling with the doomsday prepping task of building a perimeter fence with her off-the-wall prepper dad. She hates the work and harbors bitterness for her dad and more so for the kids that torment her at school over the family lifestyle.

Flash forward sixteen years and Casey is bantering with her fiancé Nate Warner as the pair of doctors begin making rounds at a city hospital during an influenza outbreak. But this is not the regular flu and patients are biting everyone in sight. Zombies are here.

The pair escape the hospital only to be separated weeks later. Casey does the only thing she can and heads home.

Romance in Dating After the End of The World

Rose’s novel includes a lover’s triangle with Casey at the center. One of the inhabitants of her dad’s compound is Blake Morrison. He was chief tormentor at her high school. There are plenty of bitter memories and perhaps a few that conflict. So, sparks fly between Casey and Blake as they struggle to keep the compound safe from the Zombies.

Things get very complicated when Nate shows up.

Plenty of Action

Since Dating After the End of The World is an action thriller at heart, the characters face danger on almost every page. Bonds form, and romance is mixed in. The fight scenes are graphic and so are the love scenes. If books had ratings this one would definitely be for over 18.

Recommendation

This is the first Jeneva Rose book I have read, and I could hardly put it down. Despite the gory details of the zombies, the book resonates with those that look at the conflict between good and evil. Forgiveness also plays a small part. And for those crazies out there that fantasize about a reset in the world, Rose has a very realistic ending. Be careful what you wish for!

I bought my copy at Target but maybe you can find a copy at your library.

The First Time I Saw Him Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Good Sequel

Laura Dave’s The First Time I Saw Him is the sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me. It is just as action packed and suspenseful. But, not quite as many twists and turns as the previous novel. This book literally picks up where the other one ends.

Hannah and Bailey

Mother and stepdaughter are settled in California. Both working with fulfilling careers. The book opens with Bailey bringing a new boyfriend to meet Hannah. Normal life. Or almost, Hannah thinks she has just spoken with Owen, Bailey’s dad.

Then the next morning everything changes. Bailey’s grandfather has died and their lives are once again in danger. Is Owen involved? Regardless they face a threat and are again on the run.

Flashbacks in The First Time I Saw Him

Laura Dave uses flashbacks to move the story forward. However, in this sequel they include multiple points of view. This allows the reader to gain more understanding of the men in the background. Owen, Nicholas and Frank all played pivotal roles in the past. And are important in keeping Hannah and Bailey safe as they flee the country.

Emotional Impact of The First Time I Saw Him

Multiple emotions are at play for both the characters and the reader. Keeping loved ones safe is an innate desire and that theme stays constant throughout The First Time I Saw Him. What boundaries will be tested to safeguard family?  Also, what role will forgiveness play among family and the closest of friends. These questions are central to the storyline.

Recommendation

The First Time I Saw Him is satisfying. However, the heartbreak is not as deep as in the previous novel. Those readers that love happy endings will be met part way. Unfortunately, there is always a cost of dealing with the mob. And forgiving and forgetting is also a challenge. This is a great book to give or own. Plus, your local library will certainly want a copy as well. Laura Dave has penned another winner.

 

Identity Unknown Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Kay Scarpetta Series

The 2024 release in Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta series, Identity Unknown brings the series cast together to solve two murders linked together even though different individuals are responsible. Throw in a UAP/UFO at one of the murder scenes and fiction takes on a modern twist. Drones and secret military sites also play a role. The question of beings from other planets already on Earth is not new. But Cornwell does a good job exploring the plausibility.

Hallmark Descriptions

The series is known for the intense autopsy scenes and Identity Unknown is no different in that aspect. But the scenes that stand out in my mind were of an abandoned amusement park and two harrowing flights where a helicopter took on Mother Nature.

Cornwell’s prose brings scenes to life. Whether protagonist Kay Scarpetta is performing an autopsy in the lab or on site, the reader is a part of the action. The same holds true when she encounters dangers during her investigation. The scenes with the caves and mines of West Virginia make you feel transported to that location.

Technology in Identity Unknown

The first murder is solved in a traditional way. But catching the second murderer involves the use of AI. And secret military autopsy rooms. A stretch of the imagination leads to the possibility that these secret rooms examine beings other than humans. But in the end it is simple greed and vengeance, not “Others”, responsible for the death of Kay’s old friend and lover.

As the plot unravels, the author suggests a plausible explanation for the increase in UAP/UFO sightings. High tech secret flying machines produced by various countries, both friend and foe. To bring a touch of reality, the infamous Chinese weather balloon gets a mention in the story.

Emotions on Display

Identity unknown has multiple meanings in the novel. Both victim and villain need identification with respect to the second murder. Plus, what kind of unidentified flying machine left a circle of flower blossoms around the body? Finally, a decades long mystery kept by Kay of the mystery lover from Italy.

This last brings out a myriad of emotions during an interview by top military authorities. The attempt at discernment on Kay’s relationship with the victim stirs a wide range of emotions with respect to Kay, Benton and Marino. Thus, the examination of their feelings becomes a main thread in the story. For this reader, the approach is preferable to the suspenseful gore of earlier novels. The lack of intense violence makes the book more palatable.

Recommendation for Identity Unknown

The last two books of Cornwell’s have softened in tone. The graphic descriptions are there but fortunately the terror is gone. I enjoy suspense, but not violent terror. I am glad I checked this out at the library. See if your local library has a copy or find it on Libby.

 

Shadow of Doubt Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Latest in Scot Harvath Series

Brad Thor “shadows” current events with Shadow of Doubt. The latest thriller featuring the character Scot Harvath involves Russians, Ukrainians, Norwegians and Americans wreaking havoc across France. Harvath is once again ruthless as he seeks to avenge the death of his wife while trying to keep his fiancé alive.

Double Agents and Moles

The action begins in Paris with the killing of a veteran French Intelligence officer. Jean-Jacques Jadot has discovered evidence of Russian infiltration of a multitude of spy agencies and governmental cabinets. However, he is killed before he can share the information with his CIA counterpart.

Meanwhile, the author introduces the protagonist Harvath on his way to reunite with fiancé Sølvi Kolstad. Before they can celebrate, her task of debriefing a Russian defector is compromised by a breach in Norwegian security. Fortunately, Kolstad and Harvath manage to secure and whisk the asset off to the South of France.

Shadow of Doubt- Multiple Story Lines

Former lovers and now antagonists Karine Brunelle of The French Directorate General for Internal Security and Vincent Gibert a French homicide detective reluctantly work together to solve Jadot’s murder.

Naturally, the story lines overlap causing great confusion for the French. Along the way, Harvath involves the Ukrainians. Scenes are gruesome for those not accustomed to Thor’s writing.

Mirroring Reality

To a certain extent, Thor is mirroring current events. Hostilities between Russia and Ukraine continue and there is always a threat the ongoing war could blow up into World War Three. However, the fictional parallels fall wide of the mark with the supporting cast of countries. Furthermore, the reader will need a suspension of disbelief with regards to the Black Ops of Harvath and his crew going unpunished.

Recommendation for Shadow of Doubt

This latest thriller by Brad Thor will undoubtably become a best seller. Fast paced with a few surprises, the secondary plots add to the overall story. One wonders what may be next for Harvath and Kolstad. Shadow of Doubt makes great reading for an airplane ride, cross country travel via car or even a rainy weekend at home.

The Spy Coast Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Retired Spies

As a retiree, the blurb on the back cover of The Spy Coast spoke to me. A gang of former agents in their sixties at least, combine efforts to aid one of their own. Tess Gerritsen’s writing compels the reader to keep turning the pages. The novel is fast paced, and the storyline is intriguing. It took just three days for our household to read through the action-adventure.

Locations Featured in The Spy Coast

The story opens in Paris and covers the world-Southeast Asia, Italy and the coastal part of Maine, U.S.A. are just a few locations. A more exact locale of the spy coast is Purity, Maine, a small village home to lobstermen, farmers, seasonal tourists and spies. Protagonist Maggie Bird moved to the quaint town two years ago and was finally making a home after years on the run following a disastrous operation which cost lives of innocent-including her unwitting husband.

The descriptions of each location make the reader feel as if they are personally experiencing each place. Gerritson has a knack of bringing the background to life. In turn, the realistic settings bring a reality to the fiction.

The Spy Coast Protagonist

Maggie Bird at sixty is the youngest of the retirees. She may have been on the sideline for a while but her skills are not rusty. She easily out-maneuvers Jo Thibodeau a homebred member of the Purity police department who is tenacious toward her duties. Maggie also gets the one-up on her fellow agency retirees when the going gets dangerous. But she faces an unknown and powerful opponent.

Storyline

The agency in Virginia is breached and info about the operation gone wrong is delivered into the hands of one seeking revenge. Maggie, an unwilling field agent in the op in question, is compromised. If she does not find where the threat is coming from she will need to run again. Something she is reluctant to do since finding peace and an opportunity for a new life among former friends and new ones.

As bodies drop all over the place, Maggie’s neighbors and friends are pulled into the mystery. The protagonist is unwilling to share the details of the bitter past. Then, the teenager next door is kidnapped as a bargaining chip. Find a copy to discover what happens next.

Recommendation

Without disclosing too much of the story, The Spy Coast is one of the most satisfying books read in 2024. Good overcomes evil and yes there are many shades of gray. Tess Gerritsen is the best-selling author of the Rizzoli and Isles series and potentially has another series on her agenda. Look for future books featuring the retired spies and their Martini Club. Buy or borrow The Spy Coast if you love a good read. Our family could not put it down.

 

 

The Edge Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Sequel

Book cover showing man standing at the edge of a cliff looking down,The Edge is David Baldacci’s follow up to The 6:20 Man. Protagonist Travis Devine returns stateside and is deployed to investigate the murder of a CIA operative. Jenny Silkwell was the daughter of a retired Senator from Maine. Thus, Devine and the reader travel to Maine.

As a sequel, The Edge retains the same sense of action-suspense. Devine is a complex character and definitely one of the good guys. Murder and mayhem just happen to follow in his wake. However, the mystery of “whodunit” really wasn’t hard to determine. Fortunately, the mystery was tertiary to the story after the action and the emotional evolvement of the female interest.

The Silkwell Family

Devine’s investigation is complicated by the various personalities of the Silkwell family. The former Senator is at an unresponsive stage in a memory care facility, and his wife has remarried and is estranged from her children. Her input ties to seeing the eldest right before the murder.

The surviving children are a son Dak, and a younger daughter Alex. Dak had received an Other Than Honorable discharge from the Army and Alex is a shell of the girl she once was. The murder of their older sister weighs on both.

Series Development

The Edge certainly acts as a vehicle for developing Devine’s personality. As the second in a series, the book moves beyond introducing the character and his back story. Baldacci uses the wounded Alex Silkwell to demonstrate the caring and compassion of Devine.

Furthermore, the account of the young woman grips the reader as she struggles to remember details of her vicious rape and assault as a teenager. The story line of the talented artist conveys the harsh realities women live with years after an assault occurs. One wonders if she will re-appear in future books given the large role she played in The Edge.

The Edge Recommendation

I enjoyed The Edge even more than The 6:20 Man which I read a year ago. Baldacci is one of those authors that churns out book after book while retaining the reader’s interest. This is a great book to borrow from the library or grab at an airport bookstore. However, a warning for assault victims or their loved ones- Alex Silkwell’s story is very realistic and may be too much for those dealing with their own PTSD.

Dead Mountain Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

New Release

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child pen a new winner in the 2023 release Dead Mountain. The latest in the Nora Kelly series involves a cold case mystery.  How did nine veteran climbers perish under unusual circumstances? Of course, Halloween as the date of the event adds to the eeriness.  Furthermore, only six bodies were recovered in the aftermath.

For those unfamiliar with the series, Dr. Kelly is an archaeologist frequently contacted by young FBI agent Corrie Swanson to either give expert opinion or handle ancient finds uncovered during investigations. Previously, the two teamed up in several Preston & Child novels including The Scorpion’s Tail. Both women are strong likeable characters. Neither gives up until the truth is found.

Dead Mountain- A Cold Case Never Closed

Two young men stumble over human remains inside a cave. In the process of verifying the remains as ancient, Kelly and Swanson stumble upon more skeletons. But these remains were much younger. Thus, the Dead Mountain case becomes active once again.

The story line is actioned packed. The FBI takes a lot of heat for never discovering the truth from the 2008 event. Backstories of the families and former agents create a nice subplot. Additionally, Dr. Kelly’s brother Skip lands in hot water once again. This subplot mostly serves to show the corruptness of Sheriff Hawley. The bones were discovered in his county. To be honest, Skip is a character that grates on one’s nerves, even if he’s with the good guys.

Top Secret Bunker

At the heart of the mystery is a secret bunker originally built to protect President Eisenhauer. Agent Swanson surmises the scared hikers were headed for the safety of the bunker. Perhaps the remains of the still missing final member of the expedition will be found there. Unfortunately, she cannot gain access. Instead, she is ordered to cease and desist with the investigation. Furthermore, she is ordered to pretend to continue investigating. Naturally this does goes against her moral compass.

So, Agent Swanson pushes on with the help of Dr. Kelly. They discover the missing hiker and his journals and camera-only to be ambushed. Fortunately, Swanson’s new mentor Agent Sharp and Sheriff Watts arrive just in time. Watts reveals his feelings for Swanson adding just the right touch of romance for the end.

Terrific Duo

Preston & Child the talented duo behind Dead Mountain are prolific authors. And they work well as a team. Each also writes solo books. Both have a long list of impressive credentials. So, it is not surprising how well researched their books are. This is important to me because nothing encourages me to stop reading a book more than inaccurate details.

Praise for this duo is found in the previous blog posts Library Book Sale and City of Endless Night. To be honest I have read more of Mr. Child’s work since supernatural thrillers are often read in this household. For anyone with a non-fiction preference, Mr. Preston brings fine detail to all of his work. Needless to say, I enjoyed Dead Mountain and highly recommend this novel.