Welcome to our July, 2008 fiction and mystery book reviews. As
we say, good fiction is mastery of the art of storytelling, where the imagination soars, the intellect is
broadened, and the heart yearns for more. We try to review the best mystery books, sharing amusing works of
fiction and other novels that you probably won't find covered in your local newspaper. Here are some
fiction books we know you'll enjoy. We hope you enjoy this look back at our July 2008
fiction and mysteries reviews.
Pyr
Paperback
ISBN# 978-1-59102647-1
Suggested Retail Price: $15.00 or as low as $5.24 from Amazon.com!
This is the second book in the "Jump 225" trilogy by Dvid Louis Edelman.
Following his victory over the Defense and Wellness Council for control of
MultiReal technology, our hero Natch faces off against the Council's agent
Magan Kai Lee who is determined to infiltrate Natch's company and destroy
it in order to regain control of MultiReal.
It's a sci-fi thriller pitting courageous rebels against a tyrannical
government in a futuristic world filled with enough technological underpinnings
to satisfy the old-line science fiction fans who are still waiting for their
jet packs, but using characters with fully-formed personalities that break the
mold of the traditional guerilla mentalities we see so often. Yummy!
Karin Slaughter's latest mystery featuring FBI Agent Will Trent is a delicious thriller set in
a wealthy Atlanta neighborhood. Abigail Campano comes home to discover signs that someone has broken into her
house. Seeing blood on the floor, she rushes upstairs to discover the ravaged body of her teenaged
daughter and a man standing over her with a knife. The intruder sees and immediately attacks Abigail.
The two struggle, sending Abigail falling down the stairs. In the ensuing fight, Abigail gets the
upper hand (or knee), and in her rage strangles the intruder to death. A simple case of self-defense
turns upside down when the police arrive and discover the young girl is now missing and apparently
kidnapped.
Slaughter's writing is deliciously filled with the internal imagery and emotions of the characters.
Few modern mystery writers can take you so vividly into the feelings of people in such extraordinary
circumstances as well as she does, with dialog that has a natural cadence while still being so
well-crafted. Best of all, you won't out-guess her as the plot of Fractured unwinds. It's the
kind of book mystery lovers line up for at the bookstore.
Set in modern Italy, this new thriller begins when police find two bodies in an artist's studio
in Rome where an eerie painting by Caravaggio depicts bizzare scenes of violence. Clues left by
the killer lead Detective Nic Costa on a search through the bowels of The Eternal City. It's a puzzle
solving mystery worthy of Inspector Morse, woven into the exotic world of Rome's ancient past, with a
secret nearly 400 years old is embedded in a priceless work of art.
David Hewson's second novel is a brilliant work, with fascinating characters whom we follow through
the rich history of Rome. The story is filled with decidedly gruesome scenes that keep the chill
running up your back the way your favorite mysteries do. It's always such a treat to read books
as well-woven and lavishly conveys the environment and the emotions of the characters.
Pyr
Paperback
ISBN# 978-1-59102-646-4
Suggested Retail Price: $15.98 or as low as $6.64 from Amazon.com!
Robert Silverberg proves once again that his imagination remains unmatched in science fiction.
"Son of Man" tells the tale of a man named Clay who is swept up in a time-rift and transported
to the distant future where he sees how man has evolved into a variety of forms over the eons,
starting with the dominant Skimmers who teach him about the true nature of Man.
This seems a very philosophical book that is rich in detail and emotion as we follow Clay's
exploration of the world in which he finds himself. There are many life-lessons
juxtaposed with colorful descriptions of a planet that seems very distant from Earth.
It's fascinating to follow Clay using the wonderful descriptions created by Silverberg.
He truly is a master storyteller.
In Luanne Rice's latest book "Last Kiss", we return to Hubbard's Point, Connecticut
where country singer Shreidan Rosslare has hidden herself away in her beach house
after the murder of her son Charlie in New York where he was just starting his
freshman year at NYU a year before. Charlie's girlfriend Nell Kilvert is also
distraught and is determined to find Charlie's murderer. Nell hires private investigator
Gavin Dawson, who was once Sheridan's love.
The closely-knit community of Hubbard's Point keeps the action close to home in
this nicely-paced mystery by veteran Luanne Rice. It's always enjoyable to follow
a story with familiar characters - especially when you really can't guess the
ending.
This mystery sounds eerily family. It's the story of a small town in Georgia near
Atlanta where young girls are going missing. The crimes go largely unnoticed for
some time because the girls are prostitutes and runaways. Kimberley Quincy, an
FBI Agent does take notice and starts to investigate, despite being four months
pregnant. She's approached by a young hooker who offers information on the killer
in exchange for protection.
To call "Say Goodbye" a dark tale does it an injustice. The stories of the abuse
of several children here is disturbing. There is a payoff at the end of this
intricately drawn crime novel, that does bring a degree of satisfaction. The insights
into Kimberley's constant inner-battles keeps us caring about her and rooting for
her. Not everyone will enjoy this book, but noone who has read it will forget it.
Be sure to visit us again next month when we'll
review more helpful fiction and mysteries. Our
fiction book reviews are written by our Editor, Richard L. Trethewey.
Rainbo Electronic Reviews' fiction book reviews are published monthly. Back issues of our
reviews are available from the Rainbo Reviews Backissues Archive.
We're proud to announce that the reviews archive is now searchable by category so you can find great mysteries we've reviewed in the past.
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