Hush (Harriet Blue #4) by James Patterson and Candice Fox

 Synopsis

Top cop, devoted sister, and now Inmate 3329: even prison bars won't stop Harriet Blue from seeking justice for the murder of her brother.

Prison is a dangerous place for a former cop -- as Harriet Blue is learning on a daily basis.

So, following a fight for her life and a prison-wide lockdown, the last person she wants to see is Deputy Police Commissioner Joe Woods. The man who put her inside.

But Woods is not there to gloat. His daughter Tonya and her two-year-old child have gone missing.

He's ready to offer Harriet a deal: find his family to buy her freedom . . .

This book was intense. It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the Harriet Blue series, but ‘Hush’ absolutely sucked me right in. 

There were so many different things going on. It all started out with Harry being in jail. We get an insight into how her stay has been so far – violent and less than ideal. When Deputy Police Commissioner Joe Woods’s daughter and granddaughter go missing, he’s desperate and knows he needs the unconventional style of Harriet and her crew to find them – hopefully alive. 

Then, there's a murder in the prison. The doctor that Harry has become friends with is murdered and her cellmate is blamed. Harry knows in her gut that the case isn't that cut and dry. She takes the deal from Joe Woods to investigate his family's disappearance as long as she can also try to solve the murder of Doctor Goldman from the outside. 

Hush endears the readers even more to the dynamic trio that is Harriet Blue, Ed Whittaker, and Tox Barnes. They make a great team and they’re fun to read about. 

This whole series takes you on an emotional journey, but it’s also just plain fun to read. The characters you’re supposed to like are very likable and you root for them the whole time. 

If you want some books that are quick reads, pick up this series!

5/5 Stars

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Liar Liar (Detective Harriet Blue #3) by James Patterson & Candice Fox

Synopsis

Detective Harriet Blue is clear about two things. Regan Banks deserves to die. And she’ll be the one to pull the trigger.

But Regan – the vicious serial killer responsible for destroying her brother’s life – has gone to ground.

Suddenly, her phone rings. It’s him. Regan.

‘Catch me if you can,’ he tells her.

Harriet needs to find this killing machine fast, even if the cost is her own life. So she follows him down the Australian south coast with only one thing on her mind.

Revenge is coming – and its name is Harriet Blue

When we tear everything down, what are we left with? Who are we as people? Are we good? Are we bad?

Those are the thoughts that the viciously evil Regan Banks puts in Harriet Blue’s mind. No matter how strong willed you are, when your heart and soul are put into question, it’s only a matter of time before you spin out of control. 

Is Harriet doing the right thing being on the run from her friends and comrades in law enforcement? Maybe we still don’t know, but it sure was an interesting journey to tag along on. 

I love this series. We’re used to these types of storylines and characters from Patterson’s other law enforcement series – The Women’s Murder Club, Alex Cross, etc. What differentiates them are the main protagonist, their supporting characters, and location. Well, and Patterson’s co-authors!

There’s something about them that make for cozy books to get sucked in to at any time. It must be a formula that just works well. They may not be the deepest books or the best written books, but they’re fun and they give you characters to connect with and get to know. 

I always love jumping back into one of these series, so I was very happy that this book gripped me from the very beginning. It was a great edition to the series especially after the heartbreaking loss of Harry’s brother. 

If you haven’t read any of the Harriet Blue series, start from the beginning. Rest assured that all of the books have been fun reads thus far!

5/5 Stars

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In the Heart of the Fire (Nameless #1) by Dean Koontz

Synopsis

A bloodthirsty sheriff is terrorizing a small Texas town where justice has been buried with his victims. Until Nameless arrives—a vigilante whose past is a mystery and whose future is written in blood.

Anyone who crosses Sheriff Russell Soakes is dead, missing, or warned. One of them is a single mother trying to protect her children but bracing herself for the worst. Nameless fears the outcome. He’s seen it in his visions. Now it’s time to teach the depraved Soakes a lesson in fear. But in turning predators into prey, will Nameless unearth a few secrets of his own?

This read sure was . . . something. 

‘In the Heart of Fire’ is the first in a series of short stories about a character who is nameless and is sent on jobs to act as a vigilante of sorts. I am all about this. 

But . . .

The plot in this first story just made me feel ill. It’s about pedophilia, and some of the things the horrible people say made me want to throw up. 

Nameless is an intriguing character, and it was easy to read. I was certainly happy when I was done with this one though. I look forward to reading the rest of them and hope they are less vomit-inducing. 

4/5 Stars

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Revenge by James Patterson and Andrew Holmes

Synopsis

From the World's #1 Bestselling Author, comes a story of revenge as a former SAS soldier is ready to settle into civilian life when he's hired to solve the mysterious death of a daughter, diving into a seedy world that a parent never expects to see their child in.

Former SAS soldier David Shelley was part of the most covert operations team in the special forces. Now settling down to civilian life in London, he has plans for a safer and more stable existence. But the shocking death of a young woman Shelley once helped protect puts those plans on hold.

The police rule the death a suicide but the grieving parents can't accept their beloved Emma would take her own life. They need to find out what really happened, and they turn to their former bodyguard, Shelley, for help.

When they discover that Emma had fallen into a dark and seedy world of drugs and online pornography, the father demands retribution. But his desire for revenge will make enemies of people that even Shelley may not be able to protect them from, and take them into a war from which there may be no escape.

This is one of the best Patterson books I’ve read in awhile. If you’ve been reading my reviews for a good amount of time, you’ll know that I read a lot of them. 

Revenge grabs you from the very first page and it doesn’t let go until you close the book for the last time. 

From a tragic death to mafia activity to a race against time, you don’t have a whole lot of time to breathe. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I also loved these new characters that we met in David and Lucy Shelley. David was great, and Lucy is a total badass. I love a good, badass female protagonist. 

The book takes a few twists and turns. It’s mostly straight forward and you know who you like and who you don’t. 

Revenge is intense. There are some great characters. It’s a fun read. 

I recommend it. 

5/5 Stars

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The Face of Deception (Eve Duncan #1) by Iris Johansen

 Synopsis:

An unidentified skull, a trail of shocking secrets, and a woman whose talented hands could reveal the terrifying truth--#1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen blends these elements into a compelling novel of suspense, and introduces her most popular character ever: forensic sculptor Eve Duncan.

After her beloved daughter vanishes, Eve Duncan survives by immersing herself in her work. The best in her elite field at rebuilding faces from fragments of skull bones, she helps to put a name to a face, to identify missing children. It is Eve's way of coming to terms with her personal nightmare. But more terror lies ahead when she accepts a job from billionaire John Logan. Beneath Eve's gifted hands, a face begins to emerge from the skull he has given her to reconstruct--a face that no one was ever meant to see. Now Eve is trapped in a web of murder and deceit as powerful enemies rush to cover up the truth, determined that their secrets go to the grave--even if Eve gets buried with them.

I love jumping into a brand new series. You get to meet new characters and, if you like the first book, you can settle in for a fun ride. 

This book took most of the things I enjoy in a good crime novel and made it fun. I don’t know if the whole series will just be a fun read, but the first book was. I feel like it doesn’t take itself too seriously, so readers shouldn’t either. 

There’s a strong female protagonist, a crime suspense element, and the story wraps up at the end of the novel. 

I’m not a huge fan of cliffhangers in books, unless it’s done very well. If there’s going to be one, there has to be some resolution to the story with a hint that there will be a storyline that flows into the next book as well. I prefer when books in a series could survive as a standalone book if you wanted to read them that way. The first book in the Eve Duncan series provided that. 

I’ve read many books about detectives and private investigators. None of the book I’ve read have had a Forensic Sculptor as a protagonist. I didn’t even know that was a career. So, that was very interesting. I can only hope that Iris Johansen has done research on the career so we get more insight into the process and what goes into it. That’s still left to be seen. 

The Face of Deception was a fun and quick read. Eve seems like she could be an interesting protagonist to follow. I’ll definitely be picking up book #2!

4/5 Stars

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R is for Ricochet (Kinsey Millhone #18) by Sue Grafton

 Synopsis:

Reba Lafferty was a daughter of privilege, the only child of an adoring father. Nord Lafferty was already in his fifties when Reba was born, and he could deny her nothing. Over the years, he quietly settled her many scrapes with the law, but he wasn't there for her when she was convicted of embezzlement and sent to the California Institution for Women. Now, at thirty-two, she is about to be paroled, having served twenty-two months of a four-year sentence. Nord Lafferty wants to be sure she stays straight, stays at home and away from the drugs, the booze, the gamblers." "It seems a straightforward assignment for Kinsey: babysit Reba until she settles in, make sure she follows all the rules of her parole. Maybe all of a week's work. Nothing untoward - the woman seems remorseful and friendly. And the money is good." But life is never that simple, and Reba is out of prison less than twenty-four hours when one of her old crowd comes circling round.

Jumping back into the Kinsey Millhone world is always great. In this one, she had to deal more with someone else’s trouble rather than getting into trouble of her own!

That was something new to get used to. 

It was a fun ride, though. I don’t think this book was a stand out in the series, but it was a fun ride either way. I look forward to seeing how Kinsey’s new budding relationship grows. 

4.5 Stars

Memorable Quotes: “The basic question is this: given human nature, are any of us really capable of change? The mistakes other people make are usually patently obvious. Our own are tougher to recognize. In most cases, our path through life reflects a fundamental truth about who we are now and who we’ve been since birth. We’re optimists or pessimists, joyful or depressed, gullible or cynical, inclined to seek adventure or to avoid all risks.”

“I listened to the dial tone in a state of despair. I could see now I was being penalized for shirking my job. I should have gone in to work. The Universe keeps track of our sins and exacts devious and repugnant punishments, like dates with unknown men.”

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The 20th Victim by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro (Women’s Murder Club #20)

Synopsis:

Three victims, three bullets, three cities. The shooters' aim is as fearsomely precise as their target selection. When Lindsay realizes that the fallen men and women excel in a lucrative, criminal activity, she leads the charge in the manhunt for the killers. As the casualty list expands, fear and fascination with this suspicious shooting gallery galvanizes the country.
The victims were no angels, but are the shooters villains . . . or heroes?

I’m not sure what this recent trend is with Patterson books, but there’s such a large build up to the end . . . and then the capture of the bad guy takes about a paragraph. It’s been that way in the last few that I’ve read I feel like. It’s very odd.

The rest of the story was good. It was nice to see the Women’s Murder Club working together again. We also got to see more of Cindy’s working life which I enjoyed and thought was interesting. There was a wrench thrown in their friendship with some bad news about Claire. But they rallied together. I know that wasn’t the main storyline of the book, but it almost seemed forgotten at times. It would get mentioned again and I’d be like OH YEAH, THAT’S HAPPENING.

There were a lot of different storylines going on all at once. They didn’t all necessarily get the attention they deserved. This book probably could have been a lot longer and I would have been fine with that.

Cindy’s co-worker drama was pretty unnecessary especially with how it ended. The storyline with Joe was random.

After all of that, it’s still nice to be back in their world. Lindsay’s main crime storyline was rather interesting. I wish we could have heard more about that.

3.5/5 Stars

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19th Christmas by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro (Women’s Murder Club #19)

Synopsis:

As the holidays approach, Detective Lindsay Boxer and her friends in the Women's Murder Club have much to celebrate. Crime is down. The medical examiner's office is quiet. Even the courts are showing some Christmas spirit. And the news cycle is so slow that journalist Cindy Thomas is on assignment to tell a story about the true meaning of the season for San Francisco. 

Then a fearsome criminal known only as "Loman" seizes control of the headlines. He is planning a deadly surprise for Christmas morning. And he has commissioned dozens of criminal colleagues to take actions that will mask his plans. All that Lindsay and the SFPD can figure out is that Loman's greed -- for riches, for bloodshed, for attention -- is limitless. 

Solving crimes never happens on schedule, but as this criminal mastermind unleashes credible threats by the hour, the month of December is upended for the Women's Murder Club. Avoiding tragedy is the only holiday miracle they seek.

This was a fast-paced and infuriating ride from beginning to end. If stress from the holidays wasn’t enough, imagine being sent on a wild goose chase by a criminal. You can feel the tension building and building as the SFPD is ripped from their families around Christmas and being forced to track down a bad guy with no solid leads.

I was hooked from the very beginning and finished it in a day. Jumping back in with Women’s Murder Club crew usually does this to me, but I didn’t expect to get through it quite this quickly. But, I just couldn’t stop. I needed to know what was going to happen and how everything was going to unfold.

I’m just glad I got book #20 in the mail yesterday so I don’t have to wait to dive right back in.

5/5 stars

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Criss Cross by James Patterson (Alex Cross #27)

Synopsis:

In a Virginia penitentiary, Alex Cross and his partner, John Sampson, witness the execution of a killer they helped convict. Hours later, they are called to the scene of a copycat crime. A note signed "M" rests on the corpse. "You messed up big time, Dr. Cross."

Was an innocent man just put to death? Alex soon realizes he may have much to answer for, as "M" lures the detective out of the capital to the sites of multiple homicides, all marked with distressingly familiar details -- details that conjure up decades-old cases. Details that conjure up Cross family secrets. Details that make clear that M is after a prize so dear that -- were the killer to attain it -- Alex's heart would no longer have reason to beat.

This was a fun read! Not only is it always great to jump back into the Alex Cross universe and spend time with that family, but the story was intriguing and terrifying and kept the pages turning.

We also get to see Alex go almost a bit rogue now that he’s mostly an advisor and working just in this psychologist business. You can never take the action away from the Cross family though.

I feel like Criss Cross was unique in that almost every single character in the book had a major role. Of course the standouts were Alex, John, and Bree. But, the kids had a bigger role. And, Nana Mama was sassy as ever.

SPOILERS AHEAD:

M is a huge project for Alex to solve, and I guess we will have to wait for the next book to see if he does!

5/5 Stars

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The Night Window by Dean Koontz (Jane Hawk #5)

Synopsis:

Since her sensational debut in The Silent Corner, readers have been riveted by Jane Hawk's resolute quest to take down the influential architects of an accelerating operation to control every level of society via an army of mind-altered citizens. At first, only Jane stood against the "Arcadian" conspirators, but slowly others have emerged to stand with her, even as there are troubling signs that the "adjusted" people are beginning to spin viciously out of control. Now, in the thrilling, climactic showdown that will decide America's future, Jane will require all her resources--and more--as she confronts those at the malevolent, impregnable center of power.

So we’ve come to what I can only imagine is the conclusion of the Jane Hawk series. I’m both happy and sad about this. I’m sad because Jane Hawk was one hell of a protagonist. She was a badass woman, and it was fun to read about her being pretty invincible due to her brain and instincts.

I’m happy it’s over because reading each book filled me with such a huge sense of dread hoping that nothing would happen to Jane and/or Travis. I became very attached to them over five books. I don’t think I could handle getting this deep into it only for her to not succeed.

That said (SPOILERS AHEAD)

With the help of Vikram, one of her pals from the FBI,

She DOES succeed! She is finally able to take down the horrendously evil Techno Arcandians and reunite with her son to try to live somewhat of a normal life.

The ending did seem a bit rushed and half-baked. I expected there to be more of a focus on the takedown. But, it is what it is. Their revolution was so widespread and far-reaching. They were gaining on her. But, she launched her counterstrike just in time and got to see them come crashing down.

The Jane Hawk series was a ride from start to finish. I’m glad it had a happy ending. I would have been beyond bummed out if it were any other way.

5/5 Stars

Memorable Quotes: “Art made life in a dark world tolerable, but when a declining culture arrived at critical depth, Art alone was insufficient either to restore that culture or to prevent its further descent into an abyss.”

“Life of a tapestry of tragedy and comedy, terror and fortitude, despair and joy, and it’s routinely more colorful and crazy than anything I —or anyone— could invent.”

“The highway before them was smooth and open. Historically, however, the road to every utopia was paved with blood and bones, leading not to the dreamed-of perfection of humanity and society, but to mass murder, madness, and for a while the death of hope.”

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The Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox

Synopsis

The Inn at Gloucester stands alone on the rocky shoreline. Its seclusion suits former Boston police detective Bill Robinson, novice owner and innkeeper. As long as the dozen residents pay their rent, Robinson doesn't ask any questions. Neither does Sheriff Clayton Spears, who lives on the second floor. 

Then Mitchell Cline arrives, with a deadly new way of doing business. His crew of local killers break laws, deal drugs, and bring violence to the front door of the Inn. That's when Robinson realizes, with the help of journalist Susan Solie, that leaving the city is no escape from the reality of evil -- or the responsibility for action. 

Teaming up with Sheriff Spears and two fearless residents -- Army veteran Nick Jones and groundskeeper Effie Johnson -- Robinson begins a risky defense. The solitary inhabitants of the Inn will have to learn, before time runs out, that their only choice is between standing together -- or dying alone.

When it comes to James Patterson, I’ve mostly been reading series books lately. I can’t give up on my Women’s Murder Club or Alex Cross books, and the newer Harriet Blue series is off to a good start.

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve picked up one of his stand-alone books, but I did with The Inn. It’s been sitting on my table since it’s release day and I kept choosing to read others before it. During this quarantine time, I figure there’s no better time to try to get through some of my TBR pile, so I finally started it. . . and then finished it in about a day and a half.

It was refreshing to meet all new characters. They’re all a special brand of unique, and I could definitely see a series starting up about The Inn. But, I’ll be happy with it just being a one off novel too. Not everything has to be a series. Sometimes it’s better just to let them be.

Bill Robinson is a former detective, but Mr. Patterson can’t get away from his detective writing just like Bill can’t shake his habits. Once a major drug problem becomes apparent in their little town, Bill decides to track down the source with the help of his fellow housemate Nick who is ex-military and dealing with PTSD.

It’s a wild ride from beginning to end. As the case with most recent Patterson novels, the writing isn’t top-notch, but it’s a fun read nonetheless. The characters are likable, the story moves at a good clip, and I had fun reading it.

You’ve got a recommendation from me!

4/5 stars

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Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Synopsis:

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all. 

Still Missing interweaves the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfold through sessions with her psychiatrist, with a second narrative following the events after her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

Chevy Stevens is one of my favorite newer authors. Her books twist and turn while moving at a good pace. The characters are deep and developed. Each story cuts deep in its own way.

Still Missing is no different. Although, I guess I should say it set the tone for the rest of her work. I read that it was her first novel. I’m just the one reading her works out of order.

Still missing follows an absolutely heartbreaking yet incredibly strong heroine as she works through being kidnapped, abused, raped, and just so many more awful things. It’s told through her perspective as she’s recounting the tale to her therapist in different sessions. That makes things interesting. So, you know she survives, but you don’t know how she escapes until it plays out in her retelling.

I found myself totally sucked in to the book and I needed to see how she got free. I think I was even more drawn in once she actually was free. The parts with her interacting with The Freak were so dark. It was hard to take them in large chunks.

Still Missing is a crazy story of determination, strong will, and survival. If you like suspense novels and can handle some triggering subjects, I would highly recommend.

5/5 Stars

Memorable quote: “Like I said, I should feel proud of my progress, and I am, but that just adds another layer of guilt. Healing feels a lot like leaving my daughter behind and I already did that once.”

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The 18th Abduction (Women’s Murder Club #18) by James Patterson

Synopsis:

When three female school teachers go missing in San Francisco, Detective Lindsay Boxer must unravel the mystery of their disappearance. But what starts as a missing person case quickly escalates to a troubling murder investigation.
As pressure at work mounts, Lindsay must rely on her husband Joe to support her at home. Yet Joe is pursuing a mysterious case himself, as a woman running from her past brings him terrifying information – the notorious war criminal from her Eastern European home country has appeared on the streets of San Francisco.
As Lindsay searches for the three missing women, a frightening new twist forces her and Joe's investigations to collide. His mystery informant has gone missing, and all four abducted women are in grave danger. As shocking revelations emerge, Lindsay and Joe find themselves caught up in an international crime operation unlike anything they've seen before.
With the help of her fierce and courageous friends in the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay and Joe fight to save their city from the corrupt clutches of a monster.

There’s something so comforting about jumping back into a series that you love and getting to hang out with your favorite characters again. That’s what reading a Women’s Murder Club book feels like.

This is book number 18 and I still love reading them as much as I did with the first few.

This book was a wild ride from beginning to end and has a little bit of everything you love from Lindsay Boxer and the crew. It’s high intensity and will keep you turning the page. The ladies (and Joe) come through again.

5/5 Stars

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The Forbidden Door (Jane Hawk #4) by Dean Koontz

Synopsis:

She was one of the FBI’s top agents until she became the nation’s most-wanted fugitive. Now Jane Hawk may be all that stands between a free nation and its enslavement by a powerful secret society’s terrifying mind-control technology. She couldn’t save her husband, or the others whose lives have been destroyed, but equipped with superior tactical and survival skills—and the fury born of a broken heart and a hunger for justice—Jane has struck major blows against the insidious cabal. 

But Jane’s enemies are about to hit back hard. If their best operatives can’t outrun her, they mean to bring her running to them, using her five-year-old son as bait. Jane knows there’s no underestimating their capabilities, but she must battle her way back across the country to the remote shelter where her boy is safely hidden . . . for now.

As she moves resolutely forward, new threats begin to emerge: a growing number of brain-altered victims driven hopelessly, violently insane. With the madness spreading like a virus, the war between Jane and her enemies will become a fight for all their lives—against the lethal terror unleashed from behind the forbidden door.

If you’ve been keeping up with my reviews, you know I’ve been attached to this series. So, imagine my disappointment when I felt like this installment wasn’t necessary to the series. There were a few bits a pieces that definitely added to the series, but this book could have been cut in half, and I would have been totally fine with it.

It was slow-moving. There was not nearly enough Jane in this one. I really don’t care about getting full character arcs for characters that just end up dying – not at the hand of Jane. Maybe the first three books were just too good that getting a mediocre one made me seem worse than it was.

There was a steady building sense of dread while I read the first three. I had that sense of dread going into this one, but nothing really . . . happened. It kept building up like something was going to, and it just didn’t. Here is where I feel conflicted. I usually enjoy books more when my favorite characters make it out safe and alive. I still wanted that in this book, but I could have used some more action too.

I will say, The Forbidden Door which the title of the book references is very interesting, and I would like to hear more about how it happened all of a sudden.

On to the next one. . .

2.5/5 stars

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