A Technothriller That Could Happen Today

A devastating cyberattack cripples the US just as President Focillo is set to announce the creation of a cabinet level group, Net Force, to deal with the cyberthreats posed by all the non-secure device in the US. She knows that the nation’s number one threat will undoubtedly come from cyberattacks, but she has not been able to persuade Congress or the skeptical intelligence agencies of the seriousness of the threat.

This is a very detailed look at cyberattacks. It is closely written, packed with information, but it is easy to read because the author keeps the technical detail at a manageable level for the average reader. The plot is complex with plenty of action and the cast of characters very large. However, I found it easy to follow. The major characters are threaded through the action with chapters devoted to scenes

in other countries and organizations.

One of my favorite characters is Kali, she appears in the opening of the novel. She’s young, but she has an obvious skill in cybertechnology. She’s tough, able to cleverly use judo to disable a strong man. She also wants to maintain her independence.

The setting moves through various countries. Each area is well described. You could almost be there and the characters are well developed so you feel as if you know them. My only real criticism is that the ending felt unfinished. I suspect that’s because another book is planned.

If you enjoy technothrillers, this is a good one. It’s long, but it keeps your interest.

I received this book from Harper Collins for this review.

Unable to Escape, Milo is Forced Back to Spying

Recovering from a gun shot wound to the stomach received at the end of “The Nearest Exit” Milo Weaver is glad to be back with his wife and stepdaughter. He values his family even more after his latest foray into the murky world of espionage and the Department of Tourism.

At the end of the last book, the Chinese infiltrated the Department of Tourism and killed 33 agents. The department was almost wiped out. Milo’s friend and former boss, Alan Drummond, was head of the department, and he can’t let the assassinations go. He disappears on a mission and Weaver has to go after him.

This book has a very complex plot and is not as readable as the previous books. It takes concentration to keep all the characters straight. I think the author does a good job with the moral problems Milo faces in this book, however, the rationale for the action is sometimes murky. I was disappointed in the ending. The resolution was never really clear. If you enjoyed the first two books, you may want to finish the saga with this one.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Murder, Blackmail, and a Mole in the Department of Tourism

Milo Weaver’s chance to have a life working as an administrative bureaucrat in the CIA was blown after his last case. Now he’s back as a tourist in the CIA, but he has to prove his loyalty. In this second novel, Weaver is handed a complex case involving the murder of a young girl, blackmail of a German spy, and the suspicion of a mole in the Department of Tourism.

This is not the exotic world of romantic spies like James Bond. This is a dirty world where compromises are made rather than arrests. Instead of a clean distinction between good and evil, it’s a murky world of expedience. Loyalty is questionable and agents are expendable.

There is more violence in this book than the first book. There is also more character development. There is moral ambiguity and Weaver is faced with choices he doesn’t want to make. There is plenty of suspense and twists, but the major factor is the arena in which these flawed characters operate.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

A Spy Who Thought He’d Retired

Milo Weaver has retried from his black ops job to an administrative desk job. At least he thinks he has. He has a wife and stepdaughter, and a brownstone townhouse, but then the past comes back to haunt him.

Milo was once a Tourist, an undercover operator who travels from place to place with no home or identity to follow espionage leads. He thought he was done with that, but when one of his old cases comes alive, he finds himself back undercover.

This is more a psychological spy novel than a book with lots of action and violence although there is some. I thought the author did a good job balancing violence with drawing the characters. There are plenty of exotic locals and the story is filled with twists. It’s a good entertaining read.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

A Neurosurgeon Faces the Ravages of Death and The Renewal of Hope

Dr. W. Lee Warren is an Iraqi War veteran, a neurosurgeon, and a man of faith. Dealing on a day-to-day basis with the tragedy of people diagnosed with the virulent brain tumor, gioblastoma, he sadly thought, “I’ve seen the end of you”, when an MRI showed the presence of the deadly tumor he knew it would change their lives.

This book is filled with the stories of people who were diagnosed with gioblastoma. Some had very short lives, others lived longer, some had great faith, other approached death with fear. The stories are not easy to read. They remind all of us, including Dr. Warren, that we will face death. Perhaps the character I found most haunting was a young woman, pregnant with her first child, who was diagnosed with an advanced brain tumor that had migrated to the rest of her body. Although knowing that she could try treatments to prolong her life, she feared they would hurt the baby, so she opted to do what she thought was best for the baby, hoping to live long enough to deliver the child.

At the end of the book, Dr. Warren faces a crisis of faith when his son dies. Now he knows what it’s like to come through the darkness with renewed faith and hope.

The book is easy to read because the characters are believable. The author is able to bring us into his world to see bravery, fear, faith and hope. I recommend this book for the way it highlights the role of faith in dealing with crises.

I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah for this review.

A Thirty-Year-Old Murder Challenges the Bellandini Sisters’ Sleuthing Skills

Quinn and her boyfriend, Tucker, plan a fire pit as a Christmas present for his aunt Lela. While digging in Lela’s backyard to prepare for the fire pit, Quinn’s spade hits a human skull. The body has been there a long time and it turns out to be a young girl who vanished decades ago.

Unfortunately, Lela has a history with the girl and the police find the evidence strong enough to arrest her. Tucker can’t believe his aunt is guilty and wants to hire a private investigator, but Quinn and her sister, Delilah, decide to exercise their sleuthing skills and find the killer themselves. After all, it’s pretty tame running a B&B in Savannah, Georgia.

Then the girls’ parents are implicated and the plot becomes more complex. Plus they have even more reasons to solve the old crime.

I love the characters in this book. Quinn and Delilah are typical sisters, but their personalities fit together well to make them an invincible team. Tucker seems a little too sensitive, but it makes a foil for Quinn’s more take charge attitude.

Savannah is an excellent backdrop for this old mystery. The cast of characters is amusing and quirky. It’s a fun read and the mystery will keep you guessing. This is the second mystery featuring the Bellandini sisters, and it doesn’t disappoint.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.

A Story of Survival and Political Intrigue

Seventeen-year-old Jinx is trying to settle into her new family with a step-sister, Mackenna, and Toby, a stepbrother. Jinx’s father is a computer genius and survival fanatic. He is also associated with the Opposition, a political party currently in power after ousting the Spark. The political divide leads to violence which becomes personal for Jinx, Mackenna, and Jinx’s little brother Charles.

The siblings are inside a store when explosions rock the area and fire breaks out in the store. Jinx has to use all the survival skills she learned from her father to get herself and her siblings to safety. This involves trying to get to her missing father while being pursued by an agent from the Opposition.

The characters Jinx and Mackenna are faced with a frightening task. That they tackle it with fortitude and learn how to act together makes the story more than just a chase scene. They are characters teens can identify with. Charles is an adorable character. He’s fascinated by all sorts of living things. He’s also a trial because he adores sweets although his type 1 diabetes makes it dangerous for him to eat them.

The underlying political drama makes a good background for the girls struggle to get to safety. There are plenty of twists and the action is non-stop. I recommend this for teens who enjoy adventure stories.

I received this book from Harlequin for this review.

Mansions, Famous People, History and Scandal

Mar-a-Lago conjures up opulence, fame, and scandal, as does Palm Beach itself. The history of Palm Beach began with Henry Flagler in 1895. Flagler’s contribution was to build a railroad down Florida to Key West. In addition, he built famous homes along the coast of Florida and hotels like The Breakers. His two marriages set the stage for eccentricity and scandal.

Perhaps the best known of the mansions, particularly today is Mar-a-Lago, built by Marjorie Merriweather Post and E.F.Hutton. They lavishly furnished their home as an opulent estate where Marjorie ruled for many years. Today the estate is owned by President Trump. It seems fitting that the home should continue to play a role in US history.

In addition to the famous people, we learn about their architects, designers, valets, butlers, and other servants. This is a well researched look at a place famous for wealth and privilege. It’s also a place were scandals occurred behind the high walls of the mansions.

The book is well-written but so full of detail it sometimes bogs down. I thoroughly enjoyed both the history of the area and the stories of the famous inhabitants. If you like history seasoned with titillating bits of gossip, you’ll enjoy this book.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Murder on the Homefront in WWII

Poppy Redfern wants to help the war effort so her grandfather, who brought her up, sends her to London to be trained as an Air Raid Warden. Back in her village, Poppy is ready to assume her duties. She’s been in London and feels capable of walking the village alone at night, but her grandfather insists that she have an escort.

The War Office has taken over the farmland and house owned by Poppy’s family for an airfield for the American Air Force. Not everyone is happy to have the Air Force invading the village. Tensions escalate when two young women who were involved with Air Force officers are found murdered. The murders make Poppy’s grandfather even more sure that she needs an escort. Poppy wants to solve the crimes and gets support comes from Griff, an Air Force officer, who likes her and helps her in looking into the murders.

This is a delightful WWII mystery. Many WWII tales center on London so it was refreshing to get a peek at what it was like on the homefront. Poppy is very independent. I thought she was a great character. I also liked Griff. Poppy was attracted to him, but couldn’t quite decide whether is was a good thing to do.

If you enjoy historical mysteries, this is a good one.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

A Hidden Story of WWII Espionage

During WWII a number of individuals in Great Britain sympathized with the Nazis and were eager to supply secret information to them. This is the story of Eric Roberts, a bank clerk, who as Jack King formed these traitors into a network that supplied him with information that he passed to MI5.

Roberts was known a something of a daredevil, but was very personable and able to attract people to him. He had done some spy work for MI5 before the war and wanted to get back into the game. He got his chance and was able to infiltrate Fascist and Nazi groups. He became a leader, Hitler’s man in Britain, and was able pass on information that the traitors were trying to send to Germany. Information on Bletchley Park, a secret radar named Windows, and other to secret plans that would have severely hampered Britain’s war effort were among those Jack intercepted.

The book is exceptionally well researched. The author did an excellent job of digging deep into the past and bringing to life episodes that were classified until 2014. Sometimes the book reads like a thriller. At other times it gets bogged down in a tremendous amount of detail. Even minor characters are introduced with their full histories. If you love history, you enjoy these excursions. However, it does interfere with the flow of the narrative.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

A Story of Hope

Rosie Collins, imprisoned for a crime she didn’t commit, finds solace in training service dogs. One of the dogs she trained goes to Meghan Custer, a wheelchair bound veteran, who feels confined until her service dog, Shark, helps her find independence. Both women struggle with feelings of being imprisoned either behind high walls of an actual prison, or a prisoner of a damaged body.

Rosie gains an early release from prison and gets a job near Dogtown, On the Massachusetts coast near the town of Gloucester, where she is helping to restore a crumbling mansion. She’s doing well until her history comes out.

Meghan’s life changes completely when with her service dog, Shark, she finds that she can live on her own and rebuild her independence. She connects with Rosie through Shark and the women become friends.

I loved this book. Rosie and Meghan are strong women who face and overcome obstacles. It was emotionally gripping to see them finding hope and the role their dogs played in their growth. The setting is perfect for the story, particularly as Rosie learns more about Dogtown, a town where women lived alone with their dogs for protection.

I didn’t particularly like the chapters where the dogs shared their opinions. I felt it was distracting from the women’s stories. However, that’s a small criticism. I highly recommend the book.

I received this book from Macmillan for this review.

Amusing Tales of Trying in a World Not Made for You

A tiny head and short arms couples wit a large body are not ideal for living in the modern world, but T-rex keeps trying to hang wallpaper, pull the plug after a bath, or chop down a tree with an ax or chainsaw. I love the illustrations in this book. T-Rex looks so serious trying to do all the things that are difficult for him.

This is not really a children’s book, but children will enjoy it. Adults will pick it up and be amused. It’s also a good book to share with your children in a read-aloud setting.

I enjoyed the book. It would make a good Christmas gift, or just a fun way to tell someone you’re thinking of them.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

Comics for the Technology Age

This is the third installment of Reza Farazmand’s Poorly Drawn Lines Series. The cartoons feature the same characters that have grown familiar to readers of the series.

The comics are a great way to take a quick break and laugh about the absurd problems the characters face in the technology age.

I thoroughly enjoyed the new batch of cartoons. You can open the book anywhere and enjoy the author’s insights about friends, enemies and other life challenges. The cartoons are short, but the sentiments are pithy.

I recommend this book as a treat for yourself, or a Christmas gift.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

A Coloring Challenge from Kerby Rosane’s Animorphia

This reduced size book contains extremely detailed drawings from Kerby Rosane’s Animorphia. Although the book is a reduced size version, the drawings are lovely and the paper is heavy.

In addition to the artist’s drawings, he invites readers to try their hand at filling the pages with their own art.

This book would make an excellent low-cost Christmas present. Whether you want to try your hand at decoration or just enjoy the art, the pictures are wonderful and can be removed from the book and framed.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

More a Self-Help Book than a Cookbook

Although the title says this is a holiday cookbook, and it does cover the major holidays, it’s more about inventing holidays as background for giving suggestions about food and presenting a philosophy of life. Some ideas come off better than others. Seeing what it’s like to have children by duct taping a watermelon to your abdomen is one of the weirder ideas.

I was unfamiliar with the background for this book. It’s an offshoot of Hannah’s successful YouTube videos. I think some of the holidays would work better on the screen. However, the pictures in the book are colorful and often amusing.

Recipes are rare, at least ones I’d be tempted to cook. Some recipes for Thanksgiving might be worth a try like garlic mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. However, it seems that most recipes are really for talking about life and Hannah’s philosophy.

The book is fun to read, if you don’t take it too seriously.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

A Genealogist Solves a Family Mystery

Although she doesn’t ski, Jill accompanies her friend Kris to the slopes. Since this is the Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines there’s plenty of good snow. On the slopes, Kris encounters Tucker. He’s skiing like a maniac. Then they meet up with him again at the ski shop where he tries to pay for new boots for Kris.

Tucker is obviously troubled. When Jill and Kris get him to talk, he tells them that he carries a letter from his grandfather that he fears opening. Since his troubles appear to stem from a family situation, Jill agrees to run a genealogy search to see if it will highlight any problems.

I loved the genealogy part of this book. We see Tucker in the present troubled by things that happened in the past. The book is structured so that the story of the past is also told and we can get a glimpse of the terrible secret bedeviling the family.

Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. There are some parts of the past of Jill and her father, Nolan, that need to be understood, but they can be gleaned from the story. The characters are likable. Jill and her father are particularly sympathetic. Although because of the chapters on the past, we know approximately what the secret is, the author does a good job of keeping the suspense building.

If you enjoy romance, mystery and secrets from the past, you’ll like this book.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.