All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay

 All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay

Rating: Starred Review

Summary:  A struggling author without any ideas for a new novel meets a former friend for a drink and is given an idea to look at his family past. A well off Newton Massachusetts women married to a highly successful dominant husband, disappears from her family in the mid 70’s without a trace for nearly 18 years. Told brilliantly by multiple characters we dive deadly into family accusations and hate. 

Comments: Completely honest here: The story unfolds in such a way I thought is was real for the first half of the book. Absorbing and suspenseful you will not put it down. We waited a long time for a new William Landay book, and he goes and one ups us all and writes the novel of the year. Highly recommended. 

https://smile.amazon.com/All-That-Mine-Carry-Me-ebook/dp/B0B3HZQD1Z/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2E3RSEB04UYX8&keywords=william+landay&qid=1664279782&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIzLjgyIiwicXNhIjoiMy4zNSIsInFzcCI6IjMuNDAifQ%3D%3D&s=digital-text&sprefix=William+landay%2Cdigital-text%2C177&sr=1-3

The Bullet Garden by Stephen Hunter.

 

The Bullet Garden by Stephen Hunter

Rating: Starred Review 

Summary: An Earl Swagger prequel. The world is in the midsts of WW2 and Earl is back from the pacific war theater where he island hopped and became somewhat of a legend war god. When the war in Europe gets bogged down by some mysterious snipers in the hedge grows of France interrupting the D-day push the OSS calls on a Earl to solve the problem he is only capable to figure out. 

Comments: Hunters gift as a writer is to slowly turn the thermostat up. No slow burn, but a continuous stoking the fire to keep the reader page flipping. His love for the rifle, the precision of shooting, oh I know how difficult this is, lives in his story. I would highly recommend some research and back reading of the Earl Swagger books. They are all excellent. 

https://smile.amazon.com/Bullet-Garden-Earl-Swagger-Novel-ebook/dp/B0B3Y9JWLP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=LBKH6XG2K8F0&keywords=the+bullet+garden+stephen+hunter&qid=1663844960&s=books&sprefix=The+bull%2Cstripbooks%2C96&sr=1-1

Sunsetter by Curtis Leblanc

 

Sunsetter by Curtis Leblanc

Rating: Starred Review

Summary: Back dropped in a dry dusty town during the annual festival named Sunsetter a series drug deals and possessions a young man dies of a overdose setting off a bleak chain of events. The discovery of who is doing the distribution will forever change the lives of the people involved.

Comments: I will say up front this is a top 10 novel of the year for me. Bleak, dark, and crime noir to the very core of writing. Some serious chops go into writing a novel this good. No good happens here. Don’t expect smiley faces. So great. Highly recommended. 

https://www.amazon.com/Sunsetter-Novel-Curtis-LeBlanc/dp/1770416900/ref=sr_1_8?crid=16MZRABQAJIJU&keywords=curtis+leblanc&qid=1663322705&s=digital-text&sprefix=Curtis+leblanc%2Cdigital-text%2C84&sr=1-8-catcorr

Night Shift by Robin Cook

 

Night Shift by Robin Cook

Rating: 4 stars.

When a very popular Doctor at A Manhattan hospital is found dead in her car Jack Stapleton is asked by his wife to look into it and perform the autopsy. Jack doesn’t like what he sees but can’t prove anything either. In long tradition Jack goes into investigation mode, even though he’s been pretty well forbidden. 

Comments: Medical thrillers are always fun and Cook knows how to create a page turner. Don’t worry about a slow parts because there are none. 

https://smile.amazon.com/Night-Shift-Robin-Cook/dp/0593540182/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Robin+cook&qid=1662995850&sr=8-2 

Exiles by Jane Harper

 

Exiles by Jane Harper

Rating: 5 stars

Summary: Aaron Falk returns to Maralee an outback town to visit his friend who he will be a godfather to his son. Falk started looking into a missing women’s disappearance and uncommon ears a mixed up relationship family secrets and a towns hidden pasts.

Comments: A tidy little crime novels that hits on all cylinders. Much enjoying the Falk series and to see where it might go. A little tease towards the end. Great fast paced read. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09XL72RWP/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

An Honest Living by Dwyer Murphy

 

An Honest Living by Dwyer Murphy

Rating: 3 stars

Summary: A aimless attorney meanders around New York City working low level cases for little money. He becomes involved some kind of book theft, or something with authors that is stolen, supposedly. 

Comments: I love crime reads. It’s an outstanding website. Rich in atmosphere. Light on plotting. Or maybe it was me. I love Boyles darker catholic version of Brooklyn 

https://smile.amazon.com/Honest-Living-Novel-Dwyer-Murphy-ebook/dp/B09KGJ49NB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=L9FHZSYLWTKC&keywords=dwyer+murphy&qid=1661698851&sprefix=Dwyer+%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-1

Heat 2 by Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner

 

Heat 2 by Michael Mann and Med Gardiner

Starred review: 

Summary: Those of you familiar with the original Heat movie, this is the prequel. Cops and robbers glamour. 

Comments: Written somewhat like supporter Winslow, this is probably the novel of the year. Smoothly written with Lenny of pazzz. It’s that good. Meg Gardiner….big win.  

https://smile.amazon.com/Unti-Heat-Prequel-Michael-Mann-ebook/dp/B075WQM6PR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2C4J2JMLHMQPK&keywords=heat+2&qid=1661347507&s=digital-text&sprefix=Heat+2%2Cdigital-text%2C203&sr=1-1

No Plan B by Andrew Child

 

No Plan B by Andrew Child

Rating: Stared Review 

Summary: Jack Reacher strolls into a small Colorado town and witnesses a women get pushed into a moving bus. A teen boy runs from an abusive foster mother. A private prison run by goons is up to something Child blends all together.

Comments: Andrew Child takes the Reacher novels into a new category by taking different story arcs and making a nifty little tie in to the entire plot. Well done. Highly recommend.

https://smile.amazon.com/No-Plan-Jack-Reacher-Novel-ebook/dp/B09PMZ93DT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3G7QFZ48X94O4&keywords=no+plan+b+lee+child&qid=1660425149&s=books&sprefix=No+plan+%2Cstripbooks%2C348&sr=1-1

Bad City by Paul Pringle

 

Bad City by Paul Pringle

Starred Review

Summary: A LA Times investigative journalist gets a tip concerning a doctor and his girlfriend. Over several years highs his own bosses to uncover cover ups corruption at USC and the Times bosses to cover for the university.

Comments: A very true story of cover ups the highest levels of American universities. This is a page turner. Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Bad-City-Peril-Power-Angels-ebook/dp/B09CNFDYQ8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3777LK216R5B9&keywords=paul+pringle&qid=1660050393&s=books&sprefix=Paul+pringle%2Cstripbooks%2C245&sr=1-1

Neighborhood of Dead Ends by Stanton McCaffery

Neighborhood of Dead Ends by Stanton McCaffery

Rating: 5 stars

Summary: When a women with little income receives a letter of eminent domain, from a very crooked Mayor of a town in the corrupt New Jersey, she tries as mightily as a poor person can to fight for her neighborhood.

Comments: A somewhat over the top plot, but the pace and the wild ride are sure fun. A relatively short read you can fly through.

https://www.amazon.com/Neighborhood-Dead-Ends-Stanton-McCaffery-ebook/dp/B09H3PGWGM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1VBEC7R9MX1N0&keywords=neighborhood+of+dead+ends&qid=1659530519&sprefix=Neighborhood+of+dea%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-1