The Heathens by Ace Atkins

 

The Heathens by Ace Atkins

Rating: 5 stars

Summary: A young girl and her brother are orphaned after there mother is murdered. They flee Mississippi with there criminal boyfriend and Quinn needs to find them soon. As they flee they meet a girl who’s house they are staying in and she turns TJ Byrd into a social media sensation claiming her innocence. 

Comments: Told from multiple perspectives, leaving Quinn with little room in this novel, it’s a solid page turner. Atkins has hit his stride here and Quinn carries little of the story which was fine with me. Great book. Some great creepy characters that smell bad. 

https://www.amazon.com/Heathens-Quinn-Colson-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B08L9ZJTXW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6NDM6H8UPFE0&dchild=1&keywords=the+heathens+ace+atkins&qid=1627295395&s=digital-text&sprefix=The+hea%2Cdigital-text%2C183&sr=1-1

The Cover Wife by Dan Fesperman

 

The Cover Wife by Dan Fesperman

Rating: 5 stars

Summary: Two years prior to September 11th a group of alphabet agencies are monitoring a group of suspected planners in Hamburg Germany. Schemes are set up and individual agents with different agendas are following them but not talking to each other. What plans are the suspects planning?

Comments: Sadly, I don’t believe are alphabet agents are talking to each other 20 years past the horrific attacks. Wonderful book with some nifty twists. 

https://www.amazon.com/Cover-Wife-novel-Dan-Fesperman-ebook/dp/B08KST2JKW/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=dan+fesperman&qid=1626775955&sr=8-3

How To Find Your Way In The Dark by Derek B Miller

 

How To Find Your Way In The Dark by Derek B Miller

Rating: Starred Review

Summary: Young Sheldon Horowitz is orphaned at twelve years old after his mother and father die in separate tragic deaths. He is sent to live with his uncle and two cousins. Much like Sheldon they lost there mother and the father is not mentally able to care much for them. The novel covers the next ten years of Sheldons formative years and revenge to his fathers killer.

Comments: This will be considered the crime novel of the year, if not the novel of the year. Although described as a coming of age novel, it’s much much more then that. Miller will have a couple of up coming releases to challenges his book, but it’s by far the best I’ve read this year 2021. Outstanding! 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08B3HQVWS/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

Lake Kabetogama, Minnesota.

 

Summer in Northern Minnesota. 

Ocean Prey by John Sandford

 

Ocean Prey by John Sandford

Rating: 5 stars

Summary: Lucas is tasked with jump starting a stalled FBI task force in Southern Florida after three coast guard men are killed trying to stop a drug boat. Lucas certainly stirs the pot and things start moving, sometimes in the wrong direction. Once he calls his long time cool hearted relentless investigator Virgil Flowers in for a undercover assignment the novel really takes off.

Comments: Somehow Sandford keeps churning the novel machine and they keep getting better. Just like Jack Reacher too. 

https://www.amazon.com/Ocean-Prey-Novel-Book-31-ebook/dp/B08DMVCQNL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1B479ABQ36OFV&dchild=1&keywords=ocean+prey+by+john+sandford&qid=1625927121&sprefix=Ocean+pre%2Caps%2C221&sr=8-1

A Good Kill by John McMahon

 

A Good Kill by John McMahon

Summary: The third book featuring Detective PT Marsh in what has developed into a great established author John McMahon. PT finds himself in a school shooting in Mason Falls Georgia. He has to make a decision to either kill the suspect or negotiate. When he gets a call from his sometimes nemeses the governor of Georgia to shoot and kill him. The rabbit hole opens for PT to confront his demons on who killed his wife and child a few years back. 

Comments: The third installment of a fine series. If you like Brian Panowich you’ll also like this series. 

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Kill-P-T-Marsh-Novel-ebook/dp/B08K7LTJ3F/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3HZUDM9CUK48X&dchild=1&keywords=john+mcmahon&qid=1625490662&s=digital-text&sprefix=John+mcma%2Cdigital-text%2C188&sr=1-3

The Institute by Jakub Zulczyk

 

The Institute by Jakub Zulczyk

Rating: 4 stars

Summary: A restless and troubled women in A failed marriage with a young daughter looks to escape the marriage and gather her daughter along with her and start a new life. When she suddenly inherited a apartment building from her Grandmother she makes her move. She starts a new life and parties hard in her new independent life. She has a group of friends living with her when they find themselves locked in their own apartment with now seemingly way out. 

Comments: A ghostly scary tale with some brutal violence. I loved the past story on our propagandists past history. A well done page turner. Hold on tight.

https://www.amazon.com/Institute-Jakub-Zulczyk-ebook/dp/B08Z8KKPJX/ref=sr_1_5?crid=9YN7CUBSFYBF&dchild=1&keywords=jakub+zulczyk&qid=1624975177&sprefix=Jakub+%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-5

The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan

 

The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan

Rating: 5 stars

Summary: Cormac Reilly returns to lead a somewhat inexperienced team on a chase to find a missing girl and his supervisor refuses to help with man power because he’s interested in a much bigger case and dislikes Cormac immensely. When the suspected is located and shot dead by is underling detective treats of firings and prosecution split the young team up and Cormac on suspension. 

Comments: A very complex plot. Many plot lines must come together to create a fine crime novel and charter driven novel. If you enjoy Tana French and other fine Irish crime novels this series is right for you. Do not hesitate to buy and enjoy. Highly recommended. McTiernan can craft a great suspense novel. 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+good+turn+dervla+mctiernan&crid=3QSH1N6BR4KZI&sprefix=The+good+turn%2Caps%2C185&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_13

No Witness by Warren C. Easley

 

No Witness by Warren C. Easley 

Rating: 4 stars

Summary:  Recurring character Cal Claxton hires a young eager man to help and learn the ways of private investigation. When his sister is killed on a grape farm near Portland Oregon Cal steps in to help the migrant family when police fail to investigate throughly. 

Comments. Easley has a great series of Cal Claxton PI crime novels. Much like William Kent Krueger race and politics play a large role in Cals life. Well worth your time. 

City on the Edge by David Swinson

 

City On The Edge by David Swinson

Rating:  Starred Review 

Summary: A twelve year-old boy is with his family in Beruit Lebanon during the 1972 Olympic massacre of Israeli athletes. He is a curious boy with two friends that share a hidden fort near there home. One day he hanging out in his fort when a man is killed right in front of him. He slowly puts together his fathers job and his mothers dislike for him into a saga of guilt, dishonesty, and distrust. 

Comments: one of the best books of 2021 this far. It has touches of Young Adult but is a fabulous who done it. Highly recommend.

https://smile.amazon.com/City-Edge-David-Swinson-ebook/dp/B08HLPQ6ZL