Novels Now

The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais
Scribner, 2010
Fiction; 245 pgs

Those of you who know me well, know I am not fond of the kitchen. I like to eat (although lately, not so much), but my tastes are rather simple. Therefore, I am not sure I would feel at home in a high class French restaurant. So what was it that drew me to a book like The Hundred-Foot Journey, a novel about a young Indian boy who pursues his dream of becoming a famous French chef? It certainly wasn’t the elaborate descriptions of food and slaving over a hot stove. I do, however, enjoy an inspiring story about reaching for one’s dreams. And I like going behind the scenes in worlds or lives I am not familiar with, including getting a look inside the workings of a restaurant.

The Hundred-Foot Journey is not a deep novel, nor is it one I would label as a light read. Hassan Haji retells his life story, about his beginnings in the family kitchen in India to his eventual training in a haute cuisine French restaurant in Lumiére, just one hundred feet away from his family’s own Indian restaurant and then onto strike it on his own in Paris. His family is forced to flee India after a tragic event that destroys everything his family worked. The family’s relocation to France is met with some resistance, as is their attempt to establish themselves in the restaurant business there.

There was a distance in the telling of the story, and it made getting to truly know Hassan difficult on some level. However, from what I did learn about him and his life, I liked and admired him. He has a natural talent for cooking and even his chief rival cannot deny it.

Overall, it was an enjoyable book on one hand, but lacking on the other. I really would like to have gotten to know Hassan more. But there was a simplicity to the novel that was quite appealing. I enjoyed reading the behind the scene descriptions of shopping in the market for the freshest foods, the search for the perfect venue, spending time with Hassan’s family, and seeing Hassan go from a young boy still trying to find his way to reaching his dreams.

Rating: (Good)

For more information about the author and his book, visit his website.

Source: Copy of book provided by publicist/publisher.

It is the night of Easter Sunday. I’ve already been to chapel and received God on my tongue. I sit in my cell with the lights off. Everyone’s light is off. I wait for the man with the cross to begin his walk. He’s been doing it once a year for the whole twelve years I’ve been in here. Carnival is coming in a few weeks. The queens have already had their pageants. The steel bands are practicing every night–until late in the morning. But this man. He will come, I believe. He always comes. I wait for him. And I think about why he is doing his penance. And I think about why I am doing mine. [opening paragraph of "Kill the Rabbits"]

How to Escape From a Leper Colony: A Novella and Stories by Tiphanie Yanique
Graywolf Press, 2010
Fiction; 184 pgs

There is beauty in words. Beauty in a story. And beauty in the characters that fill those stories. Tiphanie Yanique captures all of that in this collection of stories and a novella, steeped in culture and life.

The characters are the main thrust of each of Tiphanie Yanique’s stories. And with many of them, the endings gave me pause. The stories may not be wrapped up with a neat little ribbon at the end, but they certainly offer one food for thought. Yanique’s writing style is lyrical, and, while several of the stories are straight forward, with others she takes creative license. I was reminded of how much of an art writing can be. I found myself wanting to take my time with each story, lingering over the words and taking in the experience. For each story truly is its own experience.

There was not one story in the collection I did not like. In fact, I’d come across one story, decide it was a favorite and then claim the next was a favorite too. This happened over and over again.

One of my favorites was “Street Man”, about a drug dealer who falls for a straight girl. He is so focused on his own life and his own perception of their relationship, keeping the street out of his relationship with her, that he misses the fact that she may have a life and ideas of her own. There is also the story about a young woman who is sent to live in a leper colony, isolated from the rest of the world. She befriends a young man whose entire world is the island, and they both long to be free. I was moved by “The Bridge Stories: A Short Collection” which is a series of stories seemingly independent of one another but interconnected at their core. Another of my favorites was the novella, “The International Shop of Coffins”, covering moments in the lives of three very different characters. The story begins the same in each case, and yet each story is unique but equally sad.

The collection is made up of eight stories all together. The stories are about love, despair, regret and longing. They are about dreams, both lost and hoped for. They are set mostly in the U.S. Virgin Islands, touching on several different cultures and lifestyles. This is one of those books that would make a great book club selection, if the group is willing to take a chance on a collection of stories.

Ratings: (Very Good)

Book Source: I bought the book myself.

Time played tricks on him whenever he stood in front of the easel. Hypnotized by the rhythm of the brush on the canvas, by one color merging into another, the two shades creating a third, the third melting into a fourth, he was lulled into a single-minded consciousness focused only on the image emerging. Immersed in the act of painting, he forgot obligations, missed classes, didn’t remember to eat or to drink or look at the clock. [opening of The Hypnotist]

The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose
Mira, 2010
Crime Fiction; 409 pgs

Synopsis from the author’s website:

An FBI agent, tormented by a death he wasn’t able to prevent, a crime he’s never been able to solve and a love he’s never forgotten, discovers that his true conflict resides not in his past, but in a…Past Life.

Haunted by a twenty-year old murder of a beautiful young painter, Lucian Glass keeps his demons at bay through his fascinating work as a Special Agent with the FBI’s Art Crime Team. Currently investigating a crazed art collector who has begun destroying prized masterworks, Glass is thrust into a bizarre hostage negotiation that takes him undercover at the Phoenix Foundation—dedicated to the science of past life study—where, in order to maintain his cover, he agrees to submit to the treatment of a hypnotist.

Under hypnosis, Glass travels from ancient Greece to 19th century Persia, while the case takes him from New York to Paris and the movie capital of world. These journeys will change his very understanding of reality, lead him to question his own sanity and land him at the center of perhaps the most audacious art heist in history: the theft of a 1,500 year old sculpture from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I was first introduced to M.J. Rose’s writing through her crime fiction series, featuring a sex therapist Dr. Morgan Snow. I enjoyed the series and so was excited when she came out with the Reincarnationist series, especially given the subject matter. Like so many books, however, the series went on my wish list, and I hadn’t had the opportunity to read any of the books until now, beginning with the third book in the series, The Hypnotist. Although labeled a series, the Reincarnationist books (The Reincarnationist, The Memorist, andThe Hypnotist) can be read in any order. Their only connection seems to be the fact that they deal with past lives at their heart. The stories and the characters are independent of one another.

The above synopsis only covers a piece of what can be found in The Hypnotist. So much is going on that I would not recommend setting the book aside once you start for days a time before returning to it. You may lose a thread or forget an important detail. I had the luxury of reading most of this book in one sitting and found it captivating all the while. It was never dull and each thread of the story seemed carefully crafted to create a suspenseful and fascinating ride. As I read, I could hardly wait to see how everything would come together in the end.

The idea of past lives has long interested me, and so I was especially drawn to that aspect of the book. I haven’t done nearly as much research into the subject as the author has, but my interest has been piqued. While the novel itself stretches believability, it does not do so in a way that interferes with the suspension of disbelief. I was hooked from the start and lost in the novel right through to the end. The characters were well developed, some more complex than others.

Art history has never been one of my strong suits, but I am fascinated by history itself and find the world of art theft intriguing. One issue the novel brought up that especially caught my interest was the trail of ownership a piece of art may leave, the complexities of it and just how difficult it could be to trace the art back to its origin. History is full of its own mysteries. It is no wonder I love it so.

Having been reading so many books about the Vietnam War recently, The Hypnotist was a nice change. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

Ratings: (Very Good)

You can learn more about M.J. Rose and her books on the author’s website.

Source: Book provided by publisher for review.

She tried to summon her best composure but her expression changed like a cloud movement: flashes of red emerged in sudden streaks across her face, and tears began coursing along her cheeks. her countenance betrayed such anxiety that Connery eyed her closely. His instinct told him to remain still–emotional moments like these were often followed by a confession. [pg. 15]

31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan
Harper Collins, 2010
Crime Fiction; 352 pgs

When Dr. Harvey Burdell, a New York dentist, is found brutally murdered in his own home, behind locked doors, suspicion immediately falls on those in the household, particularly Emma Cunningham whose sudden production of a secret marriage certificate between her and the doctor two weeks before the murder raises eyebrows and puts her innocence in doubt. Emma is a woman who is desperate to hang onto the last vestige of her social status, both for her daughters’ sake as well as her own. She is near broke and facing eviction when she first meets Dr. Burdell. Dr. Burdell seems like a gentleman through and through. Only, he isn’t nearly as perfect as he seems. As the investigation into his murder unfolds, it becomes clear that Dr. Burdell had many secrets and just as many enemies.

With the media, public opinion, and the ambitious district attorney, Abraham Oakley Hall, already poised to hang Emma, Henry Clinton steps in to defend her. He puts his own career on the line to do so.

Ellen Horan’s novel, 31 Bond Street, is lush with detail. The mystery is tightly woven, at times intense, and always interesting. The story went in several unexpected directions. I had my theories, but nothing was quite as simple as it seemed. The narrative follows events as they unfold from the moment the body is discovered and is interspersed with flashbacks to the months before the murder, offering insight into the characters lives and motivations. New York was a character of its own: the bustling streets, the spreading out of a city, the back alleys and the upper class neighborhoods. I felt as if I was right there in the middle of the events as they transpired.

I hadn’t realized when I first began reading 31 Bond Street that it was based on a true crime that took place in 1875 New York. In a way, I’m glad I didn’t know as I might have been tempted to run and look up the story before finishing the novel. While that isn’t always a bad thing, I’ve found, this is one book I preferred to go into blind. I look forward to reading more by Ellen Horan in the future.

Ratings: (Very Good)

You can learn more about Ellen Horan and her book on the author’s website.

She sprang from the womb and waved to the crowd. Then she smiled and took a bow. [opening. pg. 3]

Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show by Frank Delaney
Random House, 2010
Fiction (historical); 448 pgs

A young man on the cusp of adulthood has lead a relatively good life up until that point. His father is a well-respected farmer and seems happily married to his mother. Everything changes, however, when he attends a traveling show performance with his father one evening. His father refuses to return home, emphatic that he is joining the show. The elder MacCarthy is smitten with the show’s lead act, Venetia Kelly, an interest that had begun two years before, unbeknownst to the son. Ben MacCarthy is forced to grow up very quickly after that. Tasked by his mother to go after and bring home his father, Ben must give up his own dreams of college. The year is 1932 and the story takes place in Ireland, a beautiful and yet tense backdrop. Political tensions are high with the upcoming election and subsequent battle for power. What follows is a story full of intrigue, drama, comedy and family loyalty and strength. It is also rich in history with a dash of Irish lore. I laughed. I cried. I held my breath in anticipation of and fear. What sounds like a simple story is far from it. Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show is quite complex, with many layers.

What I found most exquisite in this novel was Frank Delaney’s writing. Narrated by an older Ben MacCarthy as he attempts to document the events that took place during the early 1930’s. He begins by setting up the characters, introducing them and sharing a little of their background. It was almost too much, but just when I was growing tired and wondering if the book would go on like that forever, Ben’s narrative moved into the story and the events that changed his life forever.

I really came to care for the characters. Ben, in his innocence and naivety, was charming and thoughtful. He does what he has to do with the confidence of the young, yet he is still unsure and scared at times. His parents seemed like good people, hardworking and persevering. There were moments I was less than sympathetic with his father, quite a few, actually, but I could see why Ben held him in such high regard. I really felt for Ben’s mother. She lost so much in all of this. The Kelly family remains difficult for me to describe. King Kelly, Venetia’s grandfather, is a cold man, charming in his own way, but clearly used to using people to reach his own ends. Sarah King, Venetia’s mother, and Venetia herself were held at a distance for the first half or so of the book–untouchable almost–but not without reason. The author dazzled the reader with their beauty and skill, both on stage and off. Both were actresses, you see. It is only as time goes on and Ben reveals more that we are given a deeper view of the two women. Venetia, eccentric as she is, never really loses her luster.

The side characters are just as intriguing. From Mrs. Hass, the King’s housekeeper, to my favorites, Miss Fay and James Clare, a smart and supportive pair who offer their help to Ben along the way. James Clare was an especially interesting character; his occupation involved traveling around Ireland collecting and telling stories. He knew just the spin to put on a story. The most ordinary of circumstances seemed like an adventure when he was through weaving his own tale.

The political undercurrent that runs through the novel plays a significant part in the novel. Just as the MacCarthy family is facing serious upheaval of their own, so seems to be the government. Violence threatens to erupt from under the surface and Ben unwittingly finds himself at the forefront of it all.

As I read Frank Delaney’s novel, I couldn’t help but be entranced. The art of storytelling is in high gear in the novel, both as a theme running through the novel and the way the book was written. I would love to hear this novel narrated–I imagine it would be just as wonderful in the right narrator’s voice. Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show is definitely one I will be keeping around. I can see myself returning to it again and again, each time getting something new out of it.

For all the books I have read over the years set around or during World War II, I have yet to explore every facet of it. The Soviet Union’s involvement is one such area I am still relatively new to. And so, when the opportunity arose to read and review Michael C. White’s novel, Beautiful Assassin, I was quick to volunteer. The novel opens with an American journalist on her way to meet who she believes is the namesake of the novel, a woman she has long been searching for. The two women talk long into the night as Tat’yana tells the story of her life all those years ago.

Tat’yana was once a Soviet Hero, having killed over 300 soldiers. She had come to the United States as a guest of Eleanor Roosevelt, but under the watchful eye of the Soviets who dictated just about every word she spoke and every move she made. She had been told her purpose was to draw support from the Americans and to encourage the U.S. to become more active in the war, to fight the Germans alongside the Soviets. Only, she soon learned that she was to also glean as much information as she could from her new friends. Tat’yana did not want to be a spy as it went against her very nature. She was loyal to her country, but she also knew the faults of her government. She was put in a difficult situation, having to choose between her country and a new one.

Tat’yana is not someone anyone would expect to become a soldier. She was an academic, a poet. When tragedy befell her family, however, she was desperate and full of rage. The only thing she wanted to do wass strike out at the enemy. Her skills in marksmanship proved an asset in the war.

Although women fought alongside men in the Soviet Union, Tat’yana and other female soldiers did not have it easy. There were those who did not believe a woman’s place should be on the battlefield and they made life difficult. As Tat’yana tried to prove herself in a man’s world, she quickly learned that it would be an ongoing battle. While others sought to keep her in her place, Eleanor Roosevelt had other ideas. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt instantly takes a liking to Tat’yana, a capable, strong woman, as does Tat’yana to Mrs. Roosevelt.

There was so much I liked about this book. Tat’yana is an interesting character who evolves as a person over the course of the novel. Because Tat’yana is telling her story in hindsight, she has insight into the events that took place all those years ago, and so she comes at it from a place of maturity we might not have seen from her younger self. Tat’yana is by no means perfect. She is strong and yet vulnerable. She did not always make the best or even the most heroic choices.

At 464 pages, this novel has a lot packed into it; it is at once a war story, a political thriller, and a historical novel with a touch of romance. Although I enjoyed nearly every aspect of the novel, my favorite time was spent when Tat’yana was in the Soviet Union. I felt like I got to know Tat’yana best during that time as well as her family, including her husband and her relationship with him.

Once Tat’yana arrived in the United States, I felt as if the plot began to overshadow the characters. I found the later romance portion of the novel difficult to buy into if only because Captain Taylor was not as well-developed a character as I would have liked. He is charming and mysterious, and while I could understand the attraction between Tat’yana and him, I never felt like I got to know him as well as I did her character. I never lost my fascination and interest in the story and of Tat’yana, however, and I was anxious to see how it all turned out in the end.

Beautiful Assassin was a satisfying read overall. I enjoyed the time I spent with Tat’yana and look forward to exploring the author’s other novels.

Rating: (Good +)

For more information about the author and his books, visit his website.

Source: Received book through BookBrowse First Impressions Program.

“Earrings are not decorations. They are a statement of legitimacy, of dignity, of self-worth. Ask any woman, and she would tell you that she would pawn everything she has before she gave up her earrings. Even her wedding band. For what is a wedding band worth except to say that a man coveted your children and wanted to claim them for his own? A wedding band can come from any man, just like children. Earrings, a real pair of earrings, come only with love.” [pg 121]

A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman
Atria Books, 2009 (ARE)
Fiction; 374 pgs

Sri Lanka is located in South East Asia, an island country just south of India. It is a beautiful country that has been mired in conflict for over 40 years. Cultural and religious differences are at the forefront of the civil unrest and terrorist acts by extremists. Ru Freeman’s novel, A Disobedient Girl, is set during these tumultuous times. Biso is the mother of three young children. In the early morning hours, she prepares her children for travel. After years of abuse, she has finally decided to leave her husband. They travel by train to the north, hoping to take refuge with Biso’s mother’s sister. The long train ride allows Biso time to reflect on her life, about her affair with the love of her life, his death at her husband’s hands and the continuing abuse she suffered. Her children are her life, especially her youngest, the product of her affair.

This is also Latha’s story. Latha works as a servant for the Vithanages, a wealthy family in Colombo. She and the daughter of the house, Thara, become friends although Latha is never allowed to forget her lower status. Latha has never taken easily to her role as servant. She feels she deserves better in life and often lands in trouble for going after what she wants. Her choices in life are not always the wisest, and, while still a teen, she becomes pregnant by her friend and mistress’ love interest.

Biso’s story is told over the course of a few days in first person; while Latha’s is in third person and spans many years. It is an interesting technique that the author balances well as she alternates between characters with each chapter. The stories of the two women are connected in such a way that makes the ending all the more bittersweet.

I was drawn to both stories equally. Both Latha and Biso are flawed characters and strong women. My heart instantly went out to Biso and her children. While I may not approve of extramarital affairs, I do understand on some level why and how they come about. It becomes more complicated when cultural issues are thrown into the mix. Biso had lost her own mother at a young age and was married to a man not of her choosing. That marriage quickly became a violent one. Biso longed for love and to feel wanted. She found that in Siri. All that ended when he died, and Biso had to begin making other choices.

It took longer for me to warm to Latha. Latha is a passionate character. As the novel opens, she is young and naive and often impulsive. She carries with her a sense of entitlement and does not seem to know her place. The treatment of child servants was appalling and a part of me cheered for Latha for knowing she deserved better even while knowing her life would have been easier had she played along like the good little servant girl. I have read several other reviews that berate the fact that that Latha does not evolve as a character over the course of the novel. She never does seem to fully take responsibility for her actions, always seeming to lay the blame at others’ feet. At the same time, I think she did grow as a character in other ways, eventually coming into her own.

Ru Freeman captured the hearts of her characters and the country about which she wrote. Through her characters, readers get a feel for the political unrest, the caste and class struggles, and the inner turmoil and sacrifices of both Latha and Biso. It took me about 76 pages or so to really get into A Disobedient Girl and while I wanted to shake the characters at times for the decisions they made, I enjoyed it just the same.

Rating: (Good +)

Be sure and visit Ru Freeman’s blog for more information about the book and to get to know the author.

Disclosure: Review book provided by publisher.

The cat on the middle step was washing its face, carefully licking its left paw and then running it over each ear in turn. “Mr. Grey?” It made no sense. The cat kept washing, straining sideways now to get its tongue into the thick grey ruff.Dulcie closed her eyes. The heat, grief, and these damned pantyhose. She was losing it.When she dared to look again, the cat was gone. [pg 3-4]

Shades of Grey by Clea Simon
Severn House, 2009
Crime Fiction; 216 pgs

Having read and enjoyed author Clea Simon’s Theda Krakow series, I looked forward to trying her new series featuring Dulcie Schwartz, a doctoral student specializing in gothic literature at Harvard University. Besides, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to meet a ghost cat, could I?

In order to help pay the bills, Dulcie has sublet her roommate’s room in their apartment to another college student, a rather obnoxious man who likes the ladies. Dulcie isn’t too fond of him, but she would never have wished him dead, which is exactly how she finds him one evening after a long day at work. He’s been stabbed to death with her own knife. A cat that looks an awful lot like her former companion, Mr. Grey, tried to warn her not to enter the apartment, but Dulcie dismisses the voice in her head, and goes in anyway.

Besides finding herself a suspect in her roommate’s murder, things aren’t going so well at Dulcie’s workplace either. Someone has been hacking into the computer system at the insurance company and suspicion seems to have fallen on Dulcie, whose temp position began not long before the trouble started. Dulcie cannot afford to lose her job, at least not before the school year starts and her grant kicks in.

As to that grant, she may lose that if she cannot come up with a thesis topic. She’s drawing a blank and with the drama unfolding around her, is it any wonder? Could someone be trying to frame her for both crimes? Dulcie is not sure who to trust, even amongst her friends.

I took an instant liking to Dulcie. She lives and breathes gothic literature. And is it any wonder with a name like Dulcinea straight out of the gothic novel, Don Quixote? She is bookish and good-hearted. Some may find Dulcie’s penchant for day dreaming to be distracting, but I found it endearing (not to mention a little all to familiar). Dulcie was not the only character who won me over in Shades of Grey, and I look forward to discovering more about them in future books.

The author was very subtle in her handling of the supernatural element of the novel. While Mr. Grey is clearly a spirit, his few appearances in the novel are understated, and, as a result, come across as quite natural and believable. It suited the novel well.

There are several bookish references for the book lover within the pages of Shades of Grey. My favorite location in the novel was the Widener library. I would have loved to venture down into the lower floors of the library along with Dulcie, losing myself in the pages of an original copy of a gothic novel.

Shades of Grey was a pleasure to read. There’s plenty of mystery, a bit of thrill and even some romance. There was something about the tone–the atmosphere–that I found especially appealing. Perhaps a hint of that gothic flare coming out in Simon’s tale? It looks like I have a new series to add to my must read list.

Rating: (Very Good)

You can learn more about Clea Simon and her books on the author’s website and on her blog, Cats & Crime & Rock & Roll.

Disclosure: Copy of book provided by author.

Gangs are a reality, and, for Cesar, they are a way of life. His older brother is serving a life sentence for murdering two teenagers, and Cesar would have landed in the cell next to Wicho if their mother had not decided to move home to Alaska, taking 17 year old Cesar with her. Unalakleet couldn’t be more different than Southern California. It is a small village where everyone knows just about everyone. There are no gangs and the crime rate is extremely low. Life seems to be much less complicated there.

Cesar’s cousin, Go-boy, takes Cesar under his wing the minute Cesar stepped off the plane. Go-boy is confidant Cesar will stay in Alaska despite Cesar’s determination that he will return to Los Angeles at the end of the summer. The novel is narrated by Cesar as he gets acclimated to his new life in Alaska. He takes an instant liking to Go-boy’s stepsister, Kiana, and she to him. However, their relationship is a complicated one, neither being sure what they want from the other, if anything at all.

Although Sometimes We’re Always Real Same-Same is about Cesar coming into his own as he struggles with guilt for his part in a heinous crime while at the same time adjusting to life in Alaska, Go-boy steals the show. His initial optimism and belief in people touches everyone he comes in contact with, including Cesar. As the novel unfolds, it becomes clear that Go-boy has many more layers than it may first appear. Cesar, who is so much in his own head and dealing with his own issues, does not see the trouble his cousin is in right away.

Go-boy has an optimism and innocence about him that drew me straight to him. He believed that the world was destined for good things and went out of his way to try and make his part of the world a better place in his own unique way. Go-boy stood for hope. He was a light in Cesar’s dark world and it was no wonder Cesar took to Go-boy so easily. It is Go-boy that helps Cesar through some of his most difficult moments. Even so, Go-boy is struggling with his own problems. He has mood swings and often disappears for days on end without notice. His own family is in crisis, facing tragedy and uncertainty. My heart ached for Go-boy.

There were moments when I wish the author would have explored some of the minor characters more. I was especially curious about Cesar’s relationship with his mother and would like to have delved more deeply into that. Being that the story is told from 17 year old Cesar’s point of view and that his world view centers around himself and Go-boy, it may not have been a direction the author felt necessary to go.

I like Mattox Roesch’s writing style and the way he weaves the past with the present. I felt like I truly was in Cesar’s head, seeing the world through his eyes. He wasn’t always an easy character to like. Overall, I enjoyed the time I spent reading Sometimes We’re Always Real Same-Same. Although at the end I did not feel that Cesar made huge strides in resolving his issues, he certainly was headed in the right direction. Being that he’s only 17 going on 18, that’s really all a person can expect.

Agents and the men they chase often have the same start in life. They are creative problem solvers, natural leaders with street smarts and an ability to anticipate their adversary’s next ten movies. Somewhere along the way, guys like Gagne choose the law, and guys like Solomon choose crime. Gagne understood that there is a fine line between them, and he believed deeply in sticking to his side of the line. [pg 8]

Chemical Cowboys: The DEA’s Secret Mission to Hunt Down a Notorious Ecstasy Kingpin by Lisa Sweetingham
Ballantine Books, 2009
Nonfiction; 464 pgs

Journalist and author Lisa Sweetingham takes the readers behind the scenes of the investigations into major Ecstasy rings, while following the career of Special Agent Robert Gagne. For many years, Ecstasy was not taken all that seriously. It was “kiddie dope”. Special Agent Gagne with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) would play an integral part in changing that. Gagne was passionate about his work and wanted to make a difference. While most DEA investigations were focused on cocaine and heroin in and around 1995, he was hoping to go in a different direction, go after a lesser known drug. A call from an informant who was given a sample of Ecstasy by two Israeli Nationals was just the break he needed.

Ecstasy got its start as a psychotropic drug and was quite popular for couple’s counseling during the 1970’s and 1980’s. It’s official name is 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). It earned the name “Empathy” because of the effects it had on users, including a feeling of euphoria and heightened sensitivity; however later came to be called Ecstasy. In 1988, MDMA became a Schedule 1 Drug, determined to be highly addictive and with no real medical purpose. The effects of the drug diminish with each use, causing users to use more and more to gain the same results as when they begin taking it. The side effects and consequences of using Ecstasy, especially long-term use, can lead to permanent brain damage and even death.

While very popular among young adults, Ecstasy knows no boundaries. It holds appeal to a wide spectrum of people from all walks of life. As the drug grew in popularity and there was a greater demand for the drug, it became all the more challenging for law enforcement officials to crack down on it. When one person in the Ecstasy chain was arrested or disappeared, another was immediately ready to take that person’s place. The Ecstasy business was ever changing and growing rapidly.

The book opens with a stakeout in Los Angeles in November of 1999. DEA agents followed their suspects and watched as they abandoned a SUV. Suspecting it was a trick set up by the suspects to make sure they were not being watched, the agents laid in wait, keeping an eye on the vehicle for days. Eventually, they made a move on the vehicle and discovered the body of a man linked to the Israeli mafia. There were obvious signs of his having been murdered. Suddenly, the stakes had risen and it was not just about the drugs anymore.

In 1973, President Nixon’s declaration of war on drugs led to the establishment of the DEA. In the early years, the DEA went after anyone they could get, and that often meant the little guys. Today, they go for those higher up in the hierarchy. They want to suppliers and the cartel heads. It was no different for Special Agent Gagne and his partner, Special Agent Germanoski. The agents began by investigating two low level Israeli drug dealers in New York in 1995 and worked their way up from there. They infiltrated the nightclub scene, posing as gay ravers, in an effort to bring down Peter Gatien, a well-connected nightclub owner who they believed was a major player behind the scenes of the Ecstasy trade. Unfortunately, the jury found him not guilty despite the damaging evidence against him. Special Agent Gagne was not so willing to let it go, and, as a result, suffered a blow when he is assigned a desk job, his maverick style finally catching up with him. However, that did not stop him from doing what he could to stay involved with the Ecstasy scene.

In 1995, when Gagne and Germanoski began their investigation into Ecstasy sales, the drug was barely a blip on the map. As time went on and the demand for the drug grew, other agencies across the globe began to take notice. The problem was so widespread that it did not take long before law enforcement agencies around the world joined forces to tackle the growing problem. The effort was lead by Gadi Eshed with the Israeli National Police. Once the various law enforcement agencies came together, their jobs suddenly became a lot easier. The tangled web of the Ecstasy underworld, at least that under investigation, was beginning to be unraveled.

The drug was being imported into the United States from Holland. Israeli Nationals played a large part in the organization and distribution of Ecstasy during the 1980’s, 1990’s and early 2000’s. It was even tempting enough for the Israeli mafia to take up. The three countries, working with other countries across Europe, were able to put a major dent in the Ecstasy trade.

While Special Agent Gagne plays a large part in Lisa Sweetingham’s book, he is not the only major player, nor even the most important. The bringing down of a major Ecstasy kingpin, Oded Tuito, and many others tied to the industry was the result of the hard work of many. While jurisdictional issues occasionally came into play, for the most part the various law enforcement agencies involved worked together for their common cause. They relied heavily on confidential sources, such as informants. In fact, many of their leads come from those on the inside.

It will come as no surprise that I am a fan of crime fiction, especially mysteries. I am fascinated by the investigative process, the discovery of clues that lead to another and another and how it all comes together in the end. True life investigations are even more fascinating in many ways. You may not be able to get into the characters’ heads quite the way you can in fiction (which is one of the aspects I especially find appealing in reading fiction), but you can get a glimpse at how crimes are really solved and of our legal system at work.

I have a new found respect for the hard work and dedication of those investigating drug crime rings and just what they are up against. They have an immense amount of patience, that’s for sure, and their job requires meticulous attention to details. I am glad to have people like Special Agent Gagne and Commander Gadi Eshed on the job. They both take their jobs very seriously and it shows in their work product—and in their personal lives.

There are a lot of players mentioned in this book, both criminals and authorities. Usually I do not have trouble keeping several characters straight while reading, but in this case, it proved to be a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, Sweetingham did try and help, reminding the reader of the link between one person and another without being repetitive; however, I would not have minded having an organizational chart to help me keep it all straight. Especially one or two involving the various criminal groups.

I never know quite how to review a nonfiction book. While the events covered in the pages of Chemical Cowboys are factual and a matter of record, I do not want to spoil the book just the same. I will not go so far as to say the book reads like fiction, but I will say that it flows smoothly and the author has done a good job in presenting the information she has gathered. Is the book suspenseful? Yes. Informative? Absolutely. Did I enjoy it? Very much. Chemical Cowboys was without a dull moment. Sweetingham kept me interested from the very first page through to the last.

With both the law enforcement officers, the criminals and those who fall somewhere in between, the author presented them as the human beings they are, with their strengths and vulnerabilities. At times she talked about their families and their hopes and dreams, along with their failures. The people described in the book are more than just names on a page. Lisa Sweetingham saw to that.

While the efforts of the DEA and their allies had a major impact on the Ecstasy trade, the distribution and abuse of the drug continues still today. There are new criminals in place to do the dirty work, and law enforcement agencies all over the world continue to do what they can to make our streets safer.

Rating: (Very Good)

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Printed with permission from Wendy Runyon. Originally published ©2009 Wendy Runyon (aka Literary Feline) of Musings of a Bookish Kitty.

No one stays forever. On the morning of her disappearance Lilia woke early, and lay still for a moment in the bed. It was the last day of October. [excerpt from Last Night in Montreal]Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel
Unbridled, 2009 (ARC)
Fiction; 247 pgs

Last Night in Montreal is a rather melancholy tale set in the bitter cold of winter. But the author’s writing has a softness to it, a gentleness that takes away the edge without losing any of the suspense or the strength of its message. Emily St. John Mandel has a way with words. Her writing is lyrical and yet simple.

On the outset, this may seem like Lilia’s story. Her father kidnapped her when she was 7 years old, and, most of her life, she was on the run, traveling by car from town to town. She has no recollection of her life before her father whisked her away, much less of why her father took in the first place. Even after her father decided to set down roots, Lilia was unable to stop moving from place to place. She would make friends, sometimes take on lovers, and always she would leave, most often without a word of warning.

It was like that when she left Eli behind in New York. Eli had no idea that the morning he sat working on his long-overdue thesis would be the day she would disappear from his life. She had given no warning. After she left, he felt lost. A postcard from a stranger in Montreal spurred him into action. He would go to Montreal to make sure Lilia was okay.

All her life, Lilia had felt as if someone was watching her. And she was not have been wrong. When police failed to locate her, her mother hired a private investigator to track her down. The detective assigned the case became obsessed with finding Lilia to the detriment of his own family, including his daughter Michaela.

And while this is Lilia’s story, it is also the story of Eli, Christopher and Michaela, all of whom are gliding through life, seeking something they aren’t quite sure of. There is an underlying desperation within each of the characters, even the outwardly calm Lilia. Lilia has been chasing after her forgotten past while all the meanwhile running away from it. Eli feels stuck, living his life but not moving forward. He has been trying to write his thesis for years and continues to work in the same mindless job. Michaela longs for her absent father, jealous and angry of the time he has devoted to finding Lilia, a complete stranger. She was on her own from an early age, her parents absent for much of her life. Christopher’s life was spiraling out of control before he took on the search for Lilia and her father. Lilia was someone he could latch onto, an anchor of sorts. She was a distraction that kept him from facing his own problems. Each of these four characters were lost, their paths intersecting–the key, being Lilia.

I was just as mesmerized by Lilia as the other characters in the book. There was a charm about her that drew people in. She was worldly and ever changing. She seemed to float through life, or as Lilia would say, “ice skate” through it. It is obvious the author took great care in creating the characters. They are vulnerable, and yet each carry within them a strength that keeps them going.

The city of Montreal made a fascinating character all her own. Not to mention it was the perfect setting for the story. Both Michaela and Eli are English speakers in a part of the town where French is the main language. Already feeling unsteady on their feet, they are even more isolated, more alone.

There was only one minor thread in the story that stretched my own suspension of disbelief almost to the breaking point, a part of Michaela’s family’s history. Eli’s wonderment over it made it okay for me though. It is always interesting to me how that happens. If a character acknowledges the doubt I am feeling, however silly I am being, I find it easier to move past it and accept that which I doubted in the first place.

Told in third person, the novel flits back and forth between the past and present and between the characters. The changes are subtle, but I had no difficulty following each of the story threads. This is definitely a book that is more about the process, the journey that falls in between the beginning and the end. While certain aspects of the outcome may not be surprising, the way it comes together was completely unexpected. Last Night in Montreal was a pleasure to read. It was beautiful–poetic even–in writing and profound in scope.

Rating: (Very Good +)

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Printed with permission from Wendy Runyon. Originally published ©2009 Wendy Runyon (aka Literary Feline) of Musings of a Bookish Kitty.

She’s dead, Pat wanted to say. I’m too late. But he could not form the words. He heard them echoing in his head, but though he tried he could not get them to his lips. Then suddenly he was crying, holding his hands to his eyes to hide his tears. [pg 13]

A World I Never Made by James LePore
The Story Plant, 2009
Suspense/Thriller; 262 pgs

The novel, A World I Never Made, opens with Patrick Nolan sitting across from a French Inspector. He holds his daughter’s suicide note in his hands. He had never been close to his daughter, Megan. After his wife died while giving birth to their only child, Pat held onto his guilt and kept his distance from her. Megan’s death brings his regrets to the surface. Only, as Pat will soon discover, it is not Megan’s body which lies in the coroner’s office. Under the impression that Megan was trying to fake her own death, Pat remains silent, going along with the ruse that his daughter is, in fact, dead.

Officer Catherine Laurence of the judiciary police is assigned to keep an eye on Pat Nolan. He is not the only one who knows his daughter is not truly dead, and there are those in power who hope he will lead them to her. Megan’s name has turned up on a terrorist watch list, the Saudi police claiming she was involved with the planning of several suicide bombings in Morocco.

Catherine and Pat are thrown together in the search for Megan when they realize someone else is stalking Pat as well–someone who is much more dangerous, and those under his order will not hesitate to kill everyone in their wake. Pat and Catherine must get to Megan before those she is hiding from find her first.

Woven between the chapters of the race to find Megan, is the story of why Megan has gone into hiding, of why she felt the need to lie about her death. Megan, a freelance journalist, has always been an independent spirit, headstrong and motivated. She goes after what she wants, be it a man or a news story. And, in this case, she goes after both. There is much more to her current lover, Abdel al-Lahani, than she at first realizes. She soon finds her very life on the line, and she must flee before it is too late.

The two storylines eventually intersect, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. Author James LePore has crafted an exciting and heart pounding novel. A father and daughter lost to each other for most of their lives rediscover each other as death chases right on their heels. The death of his wife Lorrie had devastated Pat. He blamed himself. He closed himself off from not only his daughter, but also from letting anyone into his heart. Believing his daughter was dead, even if for a short while, changed all that, as did his meeting of Catherine Laurence, the beautiful detective who carried her own baggage. She, too, had a well guarded heart. At first I wondered at their falling for each other so quickly given their defenses, but taking into account the high emotions, their current circumstances and the common bond they felt for one another, it does fall in the realm of believability.

I was not sure I would like Megan at first. She uses men and in the beginning came across as cold and calculating. She grew on me though. Like her father, she is a complex character with many layers. Her father’s absence in her life wounded her and has influenced her life choices. She is intelligent and has a confidence and strength about her, which has seen her come out on top more often than not. It is easy to see why she was drawn to Lahani. He is charming and mysterious. They are very similar in that they hold parts of themselves back from one another. Neither wanting to let the other in, at least not completely. This in juxtaposition to Pat and Catherine whose hearts are just beginning to thaw.

The novel takes the reader all over Europe and North Africa, including France, Germany, the Czech Republic and Morocco. James LePore puts the reader right there in the midst of it all. His descriptions of the locales and people are rich and detailed, which is balanced out by the crisp dialogue.

I was most fascinated by the gypsies. They played a significant part in both Megan and Pat’s stories. Their own history and mysticism is touched on ever so slightly in the novel. Having just read Precious by Sandra Novack, in which the mother was born to a gypsies during the Second World War, my interest was particularly heightened as I came across mention of that again in A World I Never Made.

Another aspect of the book that interested me is related to Megan’s journalistic work: the culture and influence of Islam, particularly that of fundamental Muslims, in European countries, such as France and Spain. It is not something I have given much thought to but is worth looking into further for a better understanding of world events.

It was easy to get swept up in James LePore’s novel. His writing is beautiful and the story is captivating. I really grew to care about the characters, especially Pat. It is a shame it ended so soon.

Rating: (Very Good)

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Printed with permission from Wendy Runyon. Originally published ©2009 Wendy Runyon (aka Literary Feline) of Musings of a Bookish Kitty.

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
ACE Fantasy, 2009
Fantasy; 312 pgs

There are times when I wish I could read people’s minds. I imagine it would get tiresome after awhile–not to mention the headache! And would I be able to block out the voices and images that flood my mind? I am sure there are some thoughts I would rather not be privy to. No, I don’t envy Sookie Stackhouse at all.

Dead and Gone is the 9th book in Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire mystery series, featuring Sookie Stackhouse, a Southerner in Bon Temps with the ability to read minds. It’s a series filled with supernatural beings, a bit of magic, romance and mystery. Sookie and I have been through a lot together over the years. We have shared laughs, tears, and many frightening experiences. I was with her when she met her first vampire and discovered that the world around her was not the world she’d grown up believing it to be.

In this latest installment of the series, the were-people and shape shifters have decided it is time to announce their existence to the world. The vampires have been more of less integrated into society for quite a while, and the two-natured folk feel the time has come to step outside of the proverbial closet. Their coming out is met with a mixture of fascination, excitement, fear and anger. When the body of a woman, partially shifted into her animal form, is found hanging from a cross in the back of Merlotte’s, the bar and grill where Sookie works, it’s a sure sign of a hate crime. The real question though is whether the murder took place as a warning to other shape shifters or was it more personal?

As if that wasn’t enough, a civil war is brewing between the fairies, and Sookie is right in thick of it. Add to that the inquisitive FBI agents who are breathing down her neck and a rather disturbing turn in her relationship with one of her vampire friends.

Trouble always seems to find Sookie and it does not waste time finding her again in Dead and Gone. She is joined by some of her usual crowd: her brother Jason, whose neck I wasn’t quick to want to ring this time around; the ever sexy and confident vampire Eric; Sam, Sookie’s charming boss; Amelia, Sookie’s witch roommate; ex-boyfriend and vampire Bill Compton; and, of course, a special appearance by none other than the King Bubba himself. And that’s just for starters.

I enjoyed Dead and Gone overall. I gobbled it up quite quickly as I often do Harris’ books. That said, it left a little something to be desired. I liked the story well enough, but a couple of major scenes fell a little flat for me, especially towards the end. There were also side story lines that I would like to have seen more fully developed. All in all though, it was still a fun novel and a good escape from an otherwise stressful day.

It’s been interesting to watch Sookie grow as a character. She isn’t quite as innocent as she once was. The series has definitely taken a darker turn with each book. While Dead and Gone is not my favorite book of the series, it will tide me over until I can get my next Sookie fix.

In the meantime, let’s get back to supernatural powers we wouldn’t mind having. Now telekinesis . . . There’s a gift I wouldn’t mind having.

Rating: (Good)

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Printed with permission from Wendy Runyon. Originally published ©2009 Wendy Runyon (aka Literary Feline) of Musings of a Bookish Kitty.

When I stepped out of the elevator, though, I started to freak. Quietly. To myself. Because the big, bald, tattooed guy in the sleeveless jean jacket was leaning against a concrete pillar about halfway to my car. [excerpt from The Missing Ink]

The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson
Obsidian Mystery, 2009 (ARC)
Crime Fiction (M); 299 pgs

My father used to tell me that when I turned 21, he would take me Reno, Nevada. It’s a good thing I did not hold my breath because it never happened. I still haven’t made it to Reno. I did, however, make it to Las Vegas. Only not with my father. My first visit there was with my boyfriend-now-husband for a friend’s wedding. We stayed at Circus Circus and had fun playing the arcade-like games (Skee-Ball was a favorite) and watching the free circus acts performed nonstop throughout our stay there.

Even though we have never been interested in gambling or spending hours on end in the smoke-filled casinos, there is something about Las Vegas that attracts us there still today. One of the best views of the city is driving up to it, seeing it rise out of the desert like a huge funky oasis. During our last trip to Las Vegas, my husband and I did not stick to the strip, the most famous part of the city. Rather we explored the back streets and other parts of town that are lesser known. It’s just a regular city like any other, really.

As much as I enjoy reading about places I have never been and may never go, I also take pleasure in reading books set in places I have traveled to. While I would have read The Missing Ink for the very reason that it is written by one of my favorite crime fiction authors, the Las Vegas setting made it all the more appealing.

Brett Kavanaugh is a tattoo artist who owns her own tattoo parlor, The Painted Lady, a classy joint that is nestled in an upscale shopping center. I instantly took a liking to Brett. She’s smart and witty, not to mention a bit gutsy. She lives with her brother who is a homicide detective with the Las Vegas Police Department. Having both just come out of bad relationships, it is the perfect arrangement. I enjoyed the easy banter between the sister and brother. They make a good team, even if the detective doesn’t quite see them as such. It’s obvious they love and respect each other.

In the first installment of this tattoo shop mystery series, Brett becomes especially curious when a police officer asks her if she has seen a missing woman. Brett, valuing her clients confidentiality, at first does not admit to anything. The woman had, in fact, been to her shop and requested a devotional tattoo, only the name she wanted on the tattoo would turn out not to be that of her fiancé’s. Brett decides to ask a few questions to see if she can find out more about this mysterious woman. She ends up in the middle of a murder investigation when a woman’s body is discovered and the police’s prime suspect takes her into his confidence.

Author Karen E. Olson’s latest novel is just a tad less gritty than her last series, but by no means less entertaining. She has created a cast of colorful characters who make the perfect sidekicks. From the gentle but tough looking Joel who can’t resist a doughnut to the small Bitsy who shouldn’t be underestimated despite her size. Then there is the elderly Sylvia, a pioneering female tattoo artist, who I hope to see more of in future books. And I dare not leave out the charming and ever sexy Simon Chase, to whom there is more there than meets the eye.

Just as interesting as the characters is the mystery itself. It was like being in a car chase, with quick turns and heart racing moments. This is one of those books where the obvious may be just that—obvious—while at other times, nothing is quite what it seems. What makes it works all the better is that, as the reader, I was never quite sure which was which.

The Missing Ink is a great start in a new series by author Karen E. Olson. It is fun and fast paced. It makes for great summer reading. And if ever I decided to get a tattoo in Las Vegas, I would head straight for The Painted Lady.

Rating: (Very Good +)

Starfinder: A Skylords Novel by John Marco
DAW, May 2009 (ARE)
Fantasy (YA); 326 pgs

When I first began reading John Marco’s Starfinder, I was instantly transported back into my own past. Waves of heat bouncing off the tarmac, I stood looking on in awe as the F-16 jets roared down the runway and into the sky. How many times did I gaze longingly at the poster in my bedroom of the Thunderbirds, wishing I could sit inside the cockpit of one of those jets and race through the sky? It was with those memories that Moth and I became acquainted.

Thirteen year old Moth is an orphan, poor and low in status. He knows his chances of becoming a Skyknight and being able to fly a Dragonfly are slim, and yet he dreams and holds on to the possibility that his dream can come true. When his friend and caretaker, Leroux, dies on the night of Moth’s birthday, Moth’s world is turned upside down. His friend left him with a mysterious gift and a mission that will forever change Moth’s life.

Moth’s friend Fiona is only a year older. She has shared similar pains–having lost her parents when she was young, just as Moth had. Unlike Moth, however, she comes from a powerful and wealthy family. Her grandfather, Governor Rendor, is the inventor of the Dragonflies and the airbuses as well as the leader of Calio, a city on the edge of their world. Fiona’s grandfather is so caught up in his business affairs that he has no time for Fiona. Feeling abandoned and alone, she wants nothing more than to leave behind her grandfather and Calio.

Leroux and Rendor had been Eldrin Knights, heroes in their younger years. Upon Leroux’s death, Rendor seeks out the gift Leroux left for Moth, understanding its full power, something a young Moth could never fully comprehend. His search turns into a chase, and Moth and Fiona, along with Leroux’s beautiful kestrel, Lady Esme, decide to brave the unknown in an effort to save themselves and grant Leroux’s dying wish.

The Reach, covered in mist, and what lies beyond are places of legends. It has long been forbidden to enter the Reach. The threat of being lost forever is very real. Leroux had been famous for his stories of the Reach and the lands on the other side, all of which were often disregarded as tall tales; the stories being full of mythical creatures such as dragons, mermaids, centaurs and the fearsome but beautiful Skylords. Moth and Fiona are about to find out for themselves whether the stories are true. What they find is both magical and dangerous. And not everything–or everyone–is what it may seem.

Moth may be a dreamer but he also has common sense. His trusting nature is not devoid of suspicion where suspicion is due. Fiona is intelligent and very strong willed. For Fiona, trust comes slowly and she does not easily rely on others. Her loyalty to her friend, Moth, is fierce though. The two balance each other out and make the perfect protagonists for this fantastical adventure story. Both characters grow over the course of the novel, not quite as innocent by the end as when their story began.

A minor but prominent character in the novel, Skyhigh, caught my fancy early on in the novel.  His character was not developed to the degree that many of the others were–his personal story remains a mystery that I hope the author will explore further in a future book.  The centaurs were also favorites of mine.   They are a noble and intelligent species. Their relationship with the dragons especially had me curious, wondering if something in their past played a part in the status of their current relationship.

One of the aspects I enjoyed most about this novel was the ambiguity of some of the characters. It added an extra dimension to the novel that took it in unexpected directions. While on the surface this novel is light reading, there is an implied depth that grazes on more serious and darker themes. While an older audience may expect more, I personally felt this approach worked well for the type of book written.

I had never read a fantasy novel that had flying machines before, and so this was a new experience for me. Steampunk, I think my husband called it, or something along those lines. Calio certainly had a slightly modern feel to it, and it was, therefore, quite different from the more traditional fantasy world belonging to the Skylords. Seeing the two side by side made an interesting contrast.

While Young Adult (YA) fiction is not my first or second choice in reading material, it certainly has a way of finding itself on my reading list often enough. And although I may not always care for much in the way of YA fiction, I do enjoy those with fantasy themes more often than not (Harry Potter and the Farworld series come instantly to mind). In the case of Starfinder, it is a young adult novel and it reads for a younger audience; however, that never bothered me. I had a good time while reading the book. I love a good fantasy tale, and, while I enjoy long epics, it was nice to settle in with a fantasy novel that was a bit shorter, especially right now with everything else I have going on in my life. The story moves quickly and there was never a dull moment. As I read, I could easily picture a librarian sitting in the school library, reading Starfinder to a group of students, much like my own school librarian used to do for my class. I do think that adults might enjoy it too.

Starfinder is the first in what promises to be a fun-filled and exciting fantasy trilogy. For those concerned about starting a trilogy with only the first book yet published, do not fret. Starfinder stands well on its own.

As an aside, I never did get to fly an F-16. Back then, my gender, poor eye sight, and height would have kept me from being a fighter pilot anyhow. Even so, as I got older, my dreams shifted and other ones became more prominent. My calling lie elsewhere.

You can learn more about John Marco and his books at the author’s website and his blog, Bastion.