September 2023 MBR The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Operation Bethlehem
Yariv Inbar, author
Amon Jackont, editor
Dalit Shmueli, translator
Genera Ventures Ltd
9789659310616, $19.99, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Bethlehem-Espionage-Yariv-Inbar/dp/9659310625

Synopsis: Daniel, an Israeli intelligence operative, has a tempestuous personality which has led him to lose everything. Now, years later, in complete secrecy, Daniel sets out on a private operation to restore meaning in his life.

Daniel infiltrates hostile territory and tries to locate a national treasure which is seemingly hidden on the site of a psychiatric hospital. He pieces together the clues, delving ever deeper undercover. So determined is he to uncover his personal and national identity that he suddenly finds himself in grave danger, risking not just himself but a mission far greater than even he is aware. Beyond the thrills of Daniel's operation, "Operation Bethlehem" explores the existential questions and tough decisions faced by those responsible for Israel's security, probing the moral complexities of espionage and national defense.

Critique: With many an unexpected plot twist and the deft creation of memorable characters, readers with an interest in espionage fiction will be presented with a rare and fascinating introduction to the secret, life and death world of Mossad spies and terrorists in "Operation Bethlehem" by Israeli novelist Yariv Inbar. Expertly edited by Amon Jackont and ably translated into English by Dalit Shmueli, "Operation Bethlehem" is a strongly recommended pick for community library Suspense/Thriller Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Operation Bethlehem" is also available in a paperback edition (9789659310616, $12.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Yariv Inbar (https://yariv-inbar.com) is the pseudonym of an Israeli novelist whose real identity has been banned from publication by the Israeli authorities. His novels must pass a rigid vetting process, including the approval of a special Governmental Ministers' Committee. With a wealth of experience from many years of serving in sensitive positions within the Israeli intelligence community, Yariv brings a unique authenticity to his writing about Middle Eastern spycraft. His novels were initially published in Hebrew, earned bestseller status in Israel, and received high praise from critics and readers alike.

What Never Happened
Rachel Howzell Hall
Thomas & Mercer
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/thomas-mercer.html
Brilliance Audio
9781662504150, $28.99, HC, 428pp

https://www.amazon.com/What-Never-Happened-Rachel-Howzell/dp/1662504152

Synopsis: Colette "Coco" Weber has relocated to her Catalina Island home, where, twenty years before, she was the sole survivor of a deadly home invasion. All Coco wants is to see her aunt Gwen, get as far away from her ex as possible, and get back to her craft -- writing obituaries.

Thankfully, her college best friend, Maddy, owns the local paper and has a job sure to keep Coco busy, considering the number of elderly folks who are dying on the island.

But as Coco learns more about these deaths, she quickly realizes that the circumstances surrounding them are remarkably similar -- and not natural. Then Coco receives a sinister threat in the mail: her own obituary.

As Coco begins to draw connections between a serial killer's crimes and her own family tragedy, she fears that the secrets on Catalina Island might be too deep to survive. Because whoever is watching her is hell-bent on finally putting her past to rest.

Critique: Original, compelling, memorable, "What Never Happened" by novelist Rachel Howzell Hall will have a very special interest for fans of crime fiction in general, and deftly crafted murder mysteries in particular. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99, in a paperback edition (9781662504136, $16.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9798400100093, $29.99, MP3-CD), "What Never Happened" is a solid pick for community library Crime Fiction and Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Rachel Howzell Hall (www.rachelhowzell.com) is the author of We Lie Here; These Toxic Things; And Now She's Gone; and They All Fall Down; and, with James Patterson, The Good Sister, which was included in Patterson's collection The Family Lawyer. A Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist as well as an Anthony, International Thriller Writers, and Lefty Award nominee, Rachel is also the author of Land of Shadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes, and City of Saviors in the Detective Elouise Norton series. A past member of the board of directors for Mystery Writers of America, Rachel has been a featured writer on NPR's acclaimed Crime in the City series and the National Endowment for the Arts weekly podcast; she has also served as a mentor in Pitch Wars and the Association of Writers & Writing Programs.

Black Camelot's Skeletons & Secrets
Darius Myers
Independently Published
https://dariusmyers.com
9798850241148, $17.95, PB, 339pp

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Camelots-Skeltons-Secrets-Darius/dp/B0C9SLF2L1

Synopsis: "Skeletons & Secrets" is the fifth installment in the dramatic and thrilling Black Camelot series by Darius Myers. The saga picks up after the funeral of the city's future Hall of Fame sports star and mayor hopeful, Phaethon Malone. His savage death has turned eyes to Donald Alexander, to run for Mayor against the feckless, Delbert Tenny.

Violence from the ever-present kill squads that remain on the hunt has forced the Black Camelots and their friends out of Gotham.

For Alexander, running for Mayor is a decision that cannot be rushed--- if he chooses politics, several dark family skeletons and secrets will be revealed. Kwame Mills' wife also has a secret talent and has used it to commit an act that jeopardizes her freedom.

Senator Bivens faces even tougher choices. She refuses to sign off on the most evil deeds by family and friends, and learns that her family patriarch is as ruthless as her corrupt political foe. The patriarch has already used his immense power in ways that she would never, and expects her to take part in his dark world activities.

There's also a burgeoning dalliance that can't be repressed. It fuels an assassination attempt by incompetents and is catastrophic.

"Skeletons & Secrets" ends painfully. Choices are made that wrench hearts. A moment of revenge may change the tide to darkness forever.

Critique: While helpful to have read the previous four volumes of author Darius Myers' outstanding 'Black Camelot' series, "Skeletons & Secrets" is an exceptionally well written, stand-alone novel that will have immense appeal to readers with an interest in action/adventure murder/suspense thrillers. While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Skeletons & Secrets" is also available in digital book format (Kindle, $9.99). Librarians should also note that there is a large print hardcover edition of Skeletons & Screts" available (Fero Scitus, 9781088197516, $28.95, 340pp).

Editorial Note: Darius Myers (https://dariusmyers.com) is a New York City-based fiction writer. In an earlier life he was a senior marketing and media industry executive. He has held roles at leading media companies that include Time Warner (Fortune and Sports Illustrated), Gannett (USA Today) and the CBS Magazine Group (now Hachette Magazines).

A Fatal Illusion
Anna Lee Huber
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com/berkley-overview
9780593198483, $17.00, PB, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Illusion-Lady-Darby-Mystery/dp/0593198484

Synopsis: Yorkshire, England. August 1832. Relations between Sebastian Gage and his father have never been easy, especially since the discovery that Lord Gage has been concealing the existence of an illegitimate son. But when Lord Gage is nearly fatally attacked on a journey to Scotland, Sebastian and Kiera race to his side. Given the tumult over the recent passage of the Reform Bill and the Anatomy Act, in which Lord Gage played a part, Sebastian wonders if the attack could be politically motivated.

But something suspicious is afoot in the sleepy village where Lord Gage is being cared for. The townspeople treat Sebastian and Kiera with hostility when it becomes clear they intend to investigate, and rumors of mysterious disappearances and highway robberies plague the area. Lord Gage's survival is far from assured, and Sebastian and Kiera must scramble to make the pieces fit before a second attempt at murder is more successful than the first.

Critique: A wonderfully entertaining and carefully crafted historical mystery, "A Fatal Illusion" is a pare of novelist Anna Lee Huber's 'Lord Darby Mystery' series. Especially appropriate and appreciated by readers with an interest in historical mysteries featuring women sleuths and a bit of romance in their mysteries, "A Fatal Illustration" is especially commended as a pick for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "A Fatal Illusion" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Anna Lee Huber (https://www.annaleehuber.com) is the Daphne Award-winning author of the popular Lady Darby Mysteries and the Verity Kent Mysteries. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she majored in music and minored in psychology. She currently resides with her family and is hard at work on her next novel.

A Killing at Smugglers Cove
Michelle Salter
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781837510672, $32.99, HC, 248pp

https://www.amazon.com/Killing-at-Smugglers-Cove/dp/1837510687

Synopsis: July 1923 - Iris Woodmore travels to Devon with her friends Percy Baverstock and Millicent Nightingale for her father's wedding to Katherine Keats.

But when Millicent uncovers skeletal remains hidden on the private beach of Katherine's former home, Iris begins to suspect her future stepmother is not what she seems.

The police reveal the dead man is a smuggler who went missing in 1918, and when a new murder occurs, they realize a killer is in their midst. The link between both murders is Katherine. Could Iris's own father be in danger?

Critique: A riveting and fun read that will have a special attraction for dedicated 'whodunnit' murder mystery fans of amateur female sleuths and unexpected plot twists, "A Killing at Smugglers Cove" is an Iris Woodmore Mystery from the pen of Michelle Salter. A simply riveting novel from start to finish, this hardcover edition from Boldwood Books is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of mystery buffs and Michelle Salter fans that "A Killing at Smuggler's Cove" is also readily available in a large print paperback edition (9781837510689, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).

Editorial Note: Michelle Salter (https://www.michellesalter.com) is a historical crime fiction writer based in Hampshire, United Kingdom. Many of her books are set in the area where she lives and are inspired by real-life events in 1920s Britain. She also has connections to Devon, and her latest novel, A Killing at Smugglers Cove, is set in Dawlish and Exeter. Michelle brings a love of social history to her novels, which reflect how issues of 100 years ago are not so different from the challenges we face today.

Birder, She Wrote
Donna Andrews
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250760241, $28.00, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Birder-She-Wrote-Langslow-Mysteries/dp/1250760240

Synopsis: Meg Langslow is relaxing in the hammock, taste-testing Michael's latest batch of Arnold Palmers and watching the hummingbirds at their feeders when her hopes for a relaxing early summer morning are dashed.

First her father recruits her to help him install a new batch of bees in the hive in her backyard. Then Mayor Shiffley recruits her to placate the NIMBYs (Not In My Backyard), with respect to a group of newcomers to Caerphilly who have built McMansions next door to working farms and then do their best to make life miserable for the farmers. And finally Meg's grandmother, shows up, trailed by a nosy reporter who is writing a feature on her for a genteel Southern ladies' magazine.

Cordelia drafts Meg to accompany her and Deacon Washington of the New Life Baptist Church (and the reporter, alas!) in their search for a long-lost African-American cemetery. Unfortunately what they discover is not an ancient cemetery but a fresh corpse. Can Meg protect her grandmother (and Caerphilly) from the reporter who seems to see the worst in everything -- and help crack the case before the killer finds another victim?

Critique: A 'must read' for the legions of cozy mystery enthusiasts in general, and novelist Donna Andrews fans in particular, "Birder, She Wrote" is the 33rd entry to the veritable library of Meg Langslow Mysteries. Laced with humor, and starring one of the most popular armature female sleuths in the cosy mystery genre, "Birder, She Wrote" is an original and fun read from cover to cover. While with the highest recommendation for inclusion into community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Birder, She Wrote" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Donna Andrews (http://www.donnaandrews.com) has won the Agatha, Anthony, and Barry Awards, an RT Book Reviews Award for best first novel, and four Lefty and two Toby Bromberg Awards for funniest mystery. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Novelists, Inc. She has written over 30 books in the Meg Langslow mystery series.

The Trade Off
Sandie Jones
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250836939, $29.00, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Trade-Off-Sandie-Jones/dp/125083693X

Synopsis: For Stella, deputy editor of The Globe, the choice has always been clear. It doesn't matter how low she has to stoop -- getting the best story is what she's built her reputation on.

For Jess, The Globe's rookie reporter, the story stops when the truth does. But she knows that the dirty tricks of the tabloids will be hard to overturn.

And when a celebrity is hounded by The Globe and pays the ultimate price, Jess wonders just how much Stella and the paper are responsible.

Determined to show the world what the tabloid is capable of, Jess will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth, but she needs to watch her back, because someone else is prepared to kill to bury it.

Critique: Because novelist Sandie Jones can draw upon her more than twenty years as a practicing journalist she is able to bring a very special authenticity to her newest novel, "The Trade Off". Original, entertaining, compelling, "The Trade Off" is a riveting read and highly recommended for community library Domestic/Psychological suspense thriller collections. It should be noted that "The Trade Off" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Sandie Jones (https://sandiejones.com/about) has worked as a freelance journalist for more than twenty years and has written for publications including The Sunday Times, Woman's Weekly, and Hello magazine. She lives with her husband and three children. She is the author of The Other Woman, a Reese's Book Club x Hello Sunshine pick.

The Velvet Fleece
Lois Eby, author
John C. Fleming, author
Stark House Press
www.starkhousepress.com
9798886010312, $15.95, PB, 174pp

https://www.amazon.com/Velvet-Fleece-Lois-Eby/dp/B0C4XVL2TJ

Synopsis: When their mark in a Miami con drops dead, Silky figures it's time to head West to Hart City on the California coast. And since Rick is their point man, he gets the job of setting up the fix. It looks like a piece of cake, ripe for the serving. All he has to do is pose as the best friend of a rich young war widow's dead husband, and he's in. With the rubes in this town, Rick figures it's a cinch.

Of course, there's Silky's girlfriend, Tory, who's bored with the boss and only has eyes for Rick. She's supposed to be in Havana, but Tory is no fool. She's followed Rick out west. And how he's got his hands full trying to keep the widow and Tory apart, while working a con of his own, only this time he's going to try to con Silky!

Critique: Originally published in hardcover in January 1941, "The Velvet Fleece" by co-authors Lois Eby and John C. Fleming has now been published in paperback for a new generation of 'hard-boiled' mystery fans who appreciate the art of the con and the complications of a femme fatale. This new edition features an informative introduction by Curtis Evans to the book and its genre. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99), this 'Time Lost Treasure' of a read is a highly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: The novel, "The Velvet Fleece" was filmed as the movie "Larceny" in 1948 starring John Payne, Joan Caulfield and Dan Duryea.

Thicker Than Water
Megan Collins
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9781982196240, $27.99, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Thicker-Than-Water-Megan-Collins/dp/1982196246

Synopsis: Julia and Sienna Larkin are sisters-in-law, connected by Julia's husband and Sienna's brother, Jason. More than that, the two are devoted best friends and business partners, believing that theirs is a uniquely unbreakable bond. To Sienna, her protective brother can do no wrong, and although Julia knows he's not perfect, they've built a comfortable life and family together. Recently, Jason has been putting in long hours to secure a promotion at work, so when his boss is found brutally murdered (and with his lips sewn shut) the Larkins are shocked and unsettled, especially as local gossip swirls.

A few days later, Julia and Sienna's lives are upended when Jason gets into a car accident and is placed in a medically induced coma. Worse, the police arrive with news that he's the prime suspect in the murder investigation. With Jason unable to respond (and with Julia and Sienna working to clear his name) the two women find their friendship threatened for the first time: Sienna staunchly maintains her brother's innocence, but as their investigation uncovers a complicated web of secrets, Julia is less sure she's willing to defend her husband.

Critique: A finely crafted, richly textured, original and simply compelling read from start to finish, "Thicker Than Water" by gifted novelist Megan Collins will have a special and consummate appeal to readers with an interest in psychologically suspenseful murder mysteries featuring amateur women sleuthing and more plot twists and turns than an Oklahoma tornado. While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the growing legions of Megan Collins fans that "Thicker Than Water" is also available in a paperback edition (9781982196257, $17.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781797159607, $39.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Megan Collins (https://www.megancollins.com) is the author of "The Family Plot", "Behind The Read Door", and "The Winter Sister". She taught creative writing for many years at both the high school and college level and is the managing editor of 3Elements Review.

Murders in Silk
Asa Bordages (writing as Mike Teagle)
Stark House Press
www.starkhousepress.com
9798886010268, $11.99, PB, 218pp

https://www.amazon.com/Murders-Silk-Asa-Bordages/dp/B0BWL8RZFY

Synopsis: Tie Bixby spots the woman with the red hat getting on the train. But the guy she's trying not to be seen talking to is strictly a lug. After she comes out of the ladies' room and announces that there is a man with his throat cut inside (that same lug) Tie figures she's up to her neck in trouble. That night, while visiting Pa, there is an explosion next door. An inventor is burned to death in the fire -- and Tie sees the woman in the red hat fleeing the scene.

He could tell the cops about her, but he decides to not to. He decides to play it cagey for awhile, and help her out. There is definitely a mystery here. Why does the inventor's daughter hate him so much? And why is a gangster's lawyer hanging around the scene of the crime? And who is the guy who was murdered on the train? Most importantly of all, what does the woman with the red hat have to do with all of it?

Critique: A classic novel of the hard-boiled murder mystery genre, "Murders in Silk" by Asa Bordages (writing under the pen name of Mike Teagle) is still another 'time lost' literary treasure original published in 1938 now brought back into print for the benefit of a new general of readers. This Black Gat Books paperback edition from Stark House Press has a classic 1930's style cover art. A fun 'whodunnit' read from start to finish, "Murders in Silk" is strongly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated hard-boiled mystery fans that "Murders in Silk" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Asa Cyril Bordages was born on March 2, 1906, in Beaumont, Texas. He lived in Houston, Texas in the 1920s and moved to New York in 1932, where he became a feature writer for the New York World Telegram, marrying actress Gertrude Flynn in 1933. In 1941 Bordages authored a play, Brooklyn, USA, with screenwriter John Bright, featuring characters based on Murder, Inc. gangsters. It ran for 47 performances, and was revived in Hollywood in 2010. Bordages wrote two novels under his real name, and two more as Mike Teagle. He died on December 9, 1986, in Columbia, Knowlton Township, New Jersey, at the age of 80.

How Can I Help You
Laura Sims
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593543702, $27.00, HC, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/How-Can-I-Help-You/dp/059354370X

Synopsis: No one knows Margo's real name. Her colleagues and patrons at a small-town public library only know her middle-aged normalcy, congeniality, and charm. They have no reason to suspect that she is, in fact, a former nurse with a trail of countless premature deaths in her wake. She has turned a new page, so to speak, and the library is her sanctuary, a place to quell old urges.

That is, at least, until Patricia, a recent graduate and failed novelist, joins the library staff. Patricia quickly notices Margo's subtly sinister edge, and watches her carefully. When a patron's death in the library bathroom gives her a hint of Margo's mysterious past, Patricia can't resist digging deeper -- even as this new fixation becomes all-consuming!

Critique: A deftly scripted suspense thriller of a read from cover to cover, "How Can I Help You" by novelist Laura Sims is especially recommended to fans of psychological suspense stories that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While an especially commended pick for personal reading lists and community library collections, it should be noted that "How Can I Help You" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Laura Sims (https://www.laurasims.net/about) is the author of the critically acclaimed novel, LOOKER, now in development for television with eOne and Emily Mortimer's King Bee Productions. An award-winning poet, Sims has published four poetry collections; her essays and poems have appeared in The New Republic, Boston Review, Electric Lit, and more. She and her family live in New Jersey, where she works part-time as a reference librarian and hosts the library's lecture series.

Windfall
Wendy Corsi Staub
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780063235311, $18.99, PB, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Windfall-Suspense-Wendy-Corsi-Staub/dp/0063235315

Synopsis: J.J., Molly, and Leila had once been inseparable, but it's been a long time since college, and life (not to mention distance) have disrupted the former roommates' friendship.

When the three reunite for a birthday weekend in Las Vegas, the lottery ticket they buy on a whim has the winning numbers -- giving them a billion-dollar windfall. Shell-shocked, they turn to Shea Daniels, a "sudden wealth manager" who promises to guide them through the pitfalls of having more money than they'd ever imagined. But it would be the girls' weekend they would live to regret.

The trio travels to a secluded California mansion, where Shea and her staff cater to their every whim, promising to teach them to navigate their newfound wealthy lifestyles with ease. The house is luxurious beyond their wildest dreams -- and purportedly cursed, the last place a missing movie star was seen alive. Their weekend turns to terror when they discover they are trapped -- the roads are blocked and communication disrupted by the wildfires raging around them.

And when history repeats itself and one of them disappears (the one who's holding the billion-dollar ticket) the others must face the fact that either their friend has betrayed them -- or a predator is lurking!

Critique: Another original and gem of a suspense thriller from the mind and imagination of novelist Wendy Corsi Staub, "Windfall" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to the personal reading lists of Staub's legions of fans, as well as community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "Windfall" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, $36.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Wendy Corsi Staub (https://wendycorsistaub.com) is the award-winning author of more than seventy novels and has twice been nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award.

Fatal Legacy
Lindsey Davis
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250799906, $28.00, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Legacy-Flavia-Albia-Novel/dp/1250799902

Synopsis: Flavia Albia, daughter of Marcus Didius Falco, has taken over her father's business as a private informer. She only has two hard and fast rules -- avoid political cases and family cases because nothing good comes of either of them. Unfortunately, since Albia isn't good at avoiding either, it's really more of a guideline. So when her Aunt Junia demands Albia track down a couple of deadbeats who owe her money, it's an offer Albia can't refuse.

It turns out to be a relatively easy job, requiring only some half-hearted blackmail, and it leads to some new work in the form of tracking down some essential paperwork for the debtor family.

But nothing is truly easy in Rome. If Albia doesn't find the paperwork that proves that family's ancestor was a properly freed slave, then the family could lose everything. The more she digs, the more skeletons she finds in their closet, until murder in the past leads to murder in the present.

Now, it's serious, even deadly, and Albia has precious little time to uncover the truth.

Critique: Set In first century Rome, "Fatal Legacy" is the latest addition to author Lindsey Davis' wildly popular 'Flavia Albia' series as Alba now takes on a seemingly easy case that soon proves to be anything but as, at every turn, bodies both old and new keep turning up. A fun read for any and all dedicated historical mystery fans, "Fatal Legacy" is a welcome pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections and easily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Lindsey Davis (https://lindseydavis.co.uk) was born and raised in Birmingham, England. After taking an English degree at Oxford and working for the civil service for thirteen years, she "ran away to be a writer". Her novels featuring ancient Roman detective Marcus Didius Falco include Venus in Copper, The Iron Hand of Mars, Nemesis and Alexandria. She is also the author of Rebels and Traitors, set during the English Civil War. Davis is the recipient of the Crime Writers' Association Cartier Diamond Dagger Award, the highest accolade for crime writers, as well as the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award and the Authors' Club Best First Novel award.

The Moth Came Back
Tara Ratzlaff
Camel Press
www.camelpress.com
9781684920969, $15.95, PB, 230pp

https://www.amazon.com/Moth-Came-Back-Tara-Ratzlaff/dp/1684920965

Synopsis: Twenty-eight year old Carmen Karlaff, owner of a native grass and wildflower seed farm in northwestern Minnesota is surprised when her employees find a dead body in her big bluestem field.

Her best friend, Jessica, is accused of the murder when the body is identified as Jessica's long lost brother who ran away twenty years ago after injuring a young girl in a drunken driving accident. No one seems to know why he returned home after all this time, or what would have caused him to be killed. The sheriff suspects Jessica of murdering her own brother when he learns there is an inheritance at stake.

Things are further complicated when evidence implicating Jessica is found at her home. But Carmen knows Jessica isn't a murderer and decides to investigate. In the midst of a building project to promote tourism on her farm, navigating her feelings for her newly hired foreman with a past he's unwilling to share, and preparing for harvest; her questions lead her to suspect this present day murder is tied to the twenty year old accident and if she's not careful the killer who is trying to keep the knowledge of what really happened that night quiet will try to silence her too.

Critique: Specializing in the cozy mystery genre, novelist Tara Ratzlaff's newly published novel, "The Moth Came Back" is set in the Midwest and features an inherently interesting female sleuth. This debut volume of a new cozy mystery 'Native Prairie Mysteries' series has more unexpected plot twists and turns than a Kansas tornado and is a compulsive page turner of a 'whodunnit' murder mystery from start to finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery fans that "The Moth Came Back" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

Editorial Note: Tara Ratzlaff (https://tararatzlaff.com) graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in Civil Engineering and became the first female County Highway Engineer in the state of Minnesota. She retired early from her career as a Civil Engineer when she and her husband purchased a native grass and wildflower seed farm/business which they operated for over twenty years before recently retiring. With her daughter in college pursuing her master's degree and the seed farm no longer keeping her busy, she decided it was time to pursue her dream of writing cozy mysteries.

The Cat's Paw Murders
Frank L. Gertcher
Wind Grass Hill Books
9781735145983, $29.95 Hardcover/$11.49 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Cats-Paw-Murders-Frank-Gertcher/dp/1735145971

The Cat's Paw Murders is the fourth book in the Caroline Case Jones mystery series, but while it builds upon the characters created in prior books, it requires no familiarity from newcomers in order to prove independently accessible and compelling.

An introductory author's note defines the broader concept of a cat's paw situation: "A cat's paw is a person or organization used by another as a tool to achieve some end, especially in a duplicitous or cynical manner. For example, an espionage agent may become the cat's paw for a government in secret conflict with a foreign power." This is essential to keep in mind as political situations and subterfuge evolve in the course of the story where Caroline is kept on her toes.

A prologue indicates that this presentation is the fourth volume in a diary chronicling her adventures, reviewing past events in a succinct roundup that sets the stage for prior fans with reminders, and for newcomers with important backdrop information. With these notes in mind, The Cat's Paw Murders proceeds to the latest mission, beginning in 1929 with espionage training that will take Caroline from being a sleuth to becoming a spy. From the start, Caroline harbors doubts about the demands that her new profession will introduce to her and Hannibal's lives. She has "...qualms about learning new techniques for killing. The veneer of civilization is not very deep over my primitive inner self, and on several occasions, I have demonstrated unrelenting, hardened talents with regard to subduing villains. However, I know that a killing experience, even if it's gratifying at the time, would trouble my dreams forever."

These are challenged by the events that affect their wealthy facade of life in Paris, and by a mission that demands their compliance with sometimes-uncomfortable choices and politics. Readers receive diary entries that follow Caroline and Hannibal from 1929 through the 1930s as they operate in privileged circles of the wealthy while maintaining focus on their secret mission and directives.

Some might anticipate that a diary format couldn't capture the sense of intrigue or cat-and-mouse adventures that a different form would cultivate, but Frank L. Gertcher captures first-person "you are there" moments to fully capture the drama, tension, conundrums, and discoveries of Caroline's life. Whether she's moving through privileged circles or spying on those around her, her involvement in a murder mystery spurs her to make changes in her own life focus and perspectives. As four and a half years of adventure play out, readers will find themselves engrossed in Caroline's descriptions of confrontations and her discovery of a European milieu vastly different from her familiar American roots.

Mystery libraries looking for stories of international intrigue, inner demons unleashed, and the world of a woman whose notes describe the evolution of a couple destined to murder in the course of being paid espionage agents, will find The Cat's Paw Murders a satisfying blend of moral conundrums and intrigue. Readers seeking a fine interplay of class, culture, and self-discovery will find the intersection of all these forces captivating and revealing in a story more than worthy of pursuit.

The Shadow of the Mole
Bob Van Laerhoven
Next Chapter
9798412767628, $36.49 Hardcover/$12.61 Paper/$5.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Mole-Bob-Van-Laerhoven/dp/B09RVDXRBG

It's rare to see mystery and history wound into what is basically a military thriller, but The Shadow of the Mole accomplishes all three goals by stretching its story to appeal to diverse audiences with different interests. A prologue neatly sets this stage, focusing on Jean Dumoulin's work in "Satan's Lair," the tunnels dug by the French Infantry under those created by the Germans in 1916. Another body has just been uncovered ...not a rarity during times of war. But what is unusual is Jean's reaction when he touches it.

Readers move from this underground discovery to above-ground conundrums in the first chapter as the infamous mystery 'Mole' receives further attention. The Mole is convinced that he's died, and that the world he awakens to is the afterlife. The military believes that he is a deserter, worthy of the firing squad. And physician and would-be psychiatrist Michel Denis believes that the mystery man is the victim of shellshock. The truth is even stranger than all three could guess as The Mole begins to write his story, creating a cathartic experience which awakens memories that prove stranger than anyone could have anticipated.

Bob Van Laerhoven's story of intrigue, amnesia, and discovery is compelling on many levels. History buffs interested in World War I will find the novel steeped in military references that chart the progress and politics of the war. Those interested in mystery will find the intrigue woven into the tale from the point of discovery to its increasing puzzles about The Mole's real identity and purposes. And readers who choose The Shadow of the Mole for its thriller components will find that action and tension abound in a riveting story packed with satisfying twists and turns.

Readers won't expect footnoted references in a fictional presentation, but these are peppered throughout to define non-English phrases or succinctly explore setting and historical reference, even including poems and literary insights that enhance the progression of the story without detracting from it with too much information.

The real heart of this story lies in injured physician Michel Denis as he explores not just his patient's identity, but his own disability and reactions to it. War changes identity and life trajectories, often forever. Its participants never emerge unscathed. The psychic and physical traumas experienced in battle resonate throughout time and place, stretching beyond the battlefield to affect the hearts and minds of anyone with any connection to the war. In this case, it's the world. In this case, it's Van Laerhoven's attention to capturing the details of desperation and revelation that powers The Shadow of the Mole, compelling it to become something more than any of its characters foresaw.

The exquisite balance between reality, insanity, and the emotional twists and turns of love and war create an especially gripping story that's thoroughly unpredictable in its evolution and unique in its focus. Libraries strong in thrillers, military fiction, psychological inspections of reality and fallacy, and historical mystery will find that all these elements (and more) will attract a wide audience.

Unforeseen
Deven Greene
Black Rose Writing
www.blackrosewriting.com
9781685130121, $21.95

https://www.amazon.com/Unforeseen-Erica-Rosen-MD-Trilogy/dp/1685130127

Unforeseen is the third book in the Erica Rosen MD trilogy, and will especially be appreciated by prior thriller readers who enjoyed Dr. Rosen's prior medical conundrums.

Erica is a pediatrician who faces a medical mystery when two of her young patients don't respond to their medication. When others begin to succumb to a mysterious illness, Dr. Rosen finds her expertise (and heart) shaken by a series of circumstances which challenge both her medical training and abilities. At the same time, she's faced with a competitor for her job as the clinic's director. Not only is Dr. Nilsen possibly after her position, but his nefarious moral behavior comes to light as she discovers that he is cultivating a romantic relationship with a co-worker at the clinic. Is Dr. Nilsen also involved in a dangerous scheme that compromises their patients, the clinic, and the mandate of the medical profession to "do no harm"?

Deven Greene creates another engaging, engrossing thriller that tests Dr. Rosen's experience, perceptions, and investigative abilities. As Erica embarks on a search that leads her down unexpected paths of medical and personal conundrums, readers follow her into a rabbit hole of complex moral and ethical dilemmas which are paired with a solid attention to investigative problem-solving. Dr. Rosen's ability to tackle many kinds of issues again comes to the forefront in a medical thriller filled with unexpected twists and turns that continues to expand Dr. Rosen's life and abilities.

The result is a powerful escapade about saving not just one clinic, but herself and the world. Libraries strong in medical thriller novels, and discussion groups that look for powerful female protagonists, will find plenty to like in Unforeseen, which ends with the promise of love and, perhaps, the threat of something further to evolve in Erica's life and her readers' eyes.

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