Sadly, the author passed away before he completed this novel, and thus his son finished with the writing of it.
Prior to passing away“We did it, Pop.”
Sadly, the author passed away before he completed this novel, and thus his son finished with the writing of it.
Prior to passing away, Michael Palmer had discussed his vision for the story with his son. He was already proud of his son for his own published accomplishments, and so, would completing his story be something he could accomplish for his Dad?
And, will having two author voices affect the feel-flow of the story?
M. Palmer was known for medical thrillers, and this one follows that theme. In this story, we have Carrie, a surgery resident expected to assist her boss with a difficult brain surgery. But something goes wrong during the surgery which causes Carrie to resign in shame before completing her residency. Returning home, she is addressing her brother, Adam’s PTSD from his time spent in combat.
The VA Medical Center has an opening for Carrie to join them in their neurosurgical unit. But no sooner does she start, but she suspects something isn’t quite right as to what the VA Medical Center is doing in that unit. Because of her sensitivity about what happened to her earlier, she feels shy about saying anything. So, she lines up with an investigative journalist, to get answers.
What will be discovered? Will Carrie be able to survive another controversy? Stop whatever is wrong from continuing? What will happen to her brother?
Suspenseful. Riveting. Page-turner. But some may get lost in the medical jargon, which could get confusing, at times. Otherwise, it proves to be a fairly worthy accomplishment in honor of his Dad, on behalf of his son.
How well do we really know the people we think we love?
Martha’s husband, Alan is a travelling salesman. And, they have a really neat, rather compact How well do we really know the people we think we love?
Martha’s husband, Alan is a travelling salesman. And, they have a really neat, rather compact and comfortable marriage. As a librarian she is content with her life. But when he comes back from one of his trips with blood on one of his shirts, she begins to question what exactly happens at his “selling” conferences, after all.
And, as she begins the painstaking research, to figure out what her husband might be up to, she is uncomfortable enough about what she discovers, that she calls one of her friends from college, Lily Kintner for support.
Now, as I mention Lily Kintner, for those who have not read this series, please understand that this is book #3. It is best if you read the series, to know Lily and Henry from book 1, so you understand their characters fully. You can read this as a stand-alone, but you will appreciate this story better, if you have followed the series.
Back to this story…
Martha and Lily have their own past, in which Lily helped rescue her from an ill-fated relationship with Ethan Saltz back in graduate school.
How can Lily help her discover if her husband could be a potential serial killer? And, will Henry Kimball be able to also help when Lily ventures into dark and deadly territory?
What will readers discover in this twisty, riveting, page-turning tale? And, when all seems to be clear, don’t be so sure. This author has a way of throwing many twists that will keep readers going up to the very last page!
When this one came through as a donation to my Little Free Library Shed recently, I was reminded how I felt when I first read it. Have youCatching up…
When this one came through as a donation to my Little Free Library Shed recently, I was reminded how I felt when I first read it. Have you read it or seen the movie?
And, do you recall having that feeling about a book or a movie that you aren’t sure you want to re-visit it because it was that frightening?
And, to be honest I am not a fan of horror, scary or being told “boo” around any dark corners.
So, the question for me was, did I really want to go here again just to submit this review?
Well, obviously I did. So, what was I thinking?
When I tell you that this is that kind of a book that once you decide to place yourself within the pages of it, you are making a commitment to maybe not choose to sleep for a week afterwards, will you believe me?
Please know that, I care enough about you to put this much into words. But I am not going to give you explicit details. Nope. Not because I am not a spoiler revealer kind of a person, but this is the kind of a book that is better to go into blindly. At your own risk. It will be important to know that there will be slow reveals. Tension. Because something is ALWAYS happening. And, it WILL always be about choice. For you as a reader. And, for the characters to make. At the cabin. At the end of the world.
And, as the cover of the book says, “save your family or save humanity. Make the choice.”
But the real choice is whether you as the reader will want to just open the pages of this book.
So, Mel is getting ready to attend her twin brother, James and his fiancé RacheFamilies are complicated.
Especially when it comes to murder and money.
So, Mel is getting ready to attend her twin brother, James and his fiancé Rachel’s wedding. Little did she know that she would be finding herself showing up at her ex-boyfriend David’s place needing help because her supposed date was attempting to murder her.
What?
As more and more becomes known, what will Mel discover about this unknown assassin? And, as readers turn pages, what will they discover about Mel and James past that led to this moment?
Each chapter provides clues to the past as readers get closer to James and Rachel’s wedding. But what do each of these characters reveal that leave readers wondering, when it comes to family who can anybody truly trust?
Pages turn quickly in this riveting, thrilling novel.
I want to thank the author for this complimentary book for our Little Free Library Shed. I am providing an honest review....more
Oh Alex, you had me at page 4. And, then you did it again. You kept at it with every chapter. What were you doing to me? My pulse couldn’t stop racingOh Alex, you had me at page 4. And, then you did it again. You kept at it with every chapter. What were you doing to me? My pulse couldn’t stop racing. I kept checking my Apple Watch to make sure I wasn’t hyperventilating from all the excitement, as you kept me hanging and wanting more from all the little shocker reveals at the end of each chapter.
Ryan and Ali(son) are so in love. They are at the end of their high school year, and they want to have this instant romantic evening together before they head off to their separate colleges. And, just as they might be able to have that loving teenage moment together at their favorite hang-out secluded spot, a storm hits.
But wait readers, there is more!
As they head for shelter to Ali’s car, did someone knock Ryan out, or are we imaging it?
And then, readers find Ryan waking up, Alison and her car are gone and it is daylight. Chapter ends.
And, thus this is how it is throughout the book. Moments like this with explicit tension.
Something dramatic happens at the end of each chapter where readers are left hanging with a piece of news hoping for some explanation…but not necessarily getting it. Yet!
And, that is where readers feel like they are attending a masterclass in expert plotting.
By chapter 2, readers find themselves fast forwarding 5 years later. What happened? Ryan has changed his last name and although he is evading his past, it seems to be catching up to him. Why?
Readers are still left wondering what happened to Alison that fateful night 5 years earlier. And, what happens when Alison’s car is found 5 years later? And, what happens when some (thing?) is found in Alison’s car that isn’t Alison? And, who is after Ryan now?
Will the past ever be resolved?
And, will Karen ever get some sleep? (That’s me! Spoiler reveal: No.)
So many questions…
I couldn’t turn pages fast enough to keep up with the twists and turns in this fast-paced, riveting story that will have readers guessing what really happened on that night long ago. And, if readers think they know…don’t be so sure of yourself!...more
When I ordered this book from my local library, I didn’t know what kind of book I was going to be reading. I just knew it was a Baldacci book, and thaWhen I ordered this book from my local library, I didn’t know what kind of book I was going to be reading. I just knew it was a Baldacci book, and that is all that mattered to me. And, I can’t believe I didn’t put this in my ‘currently reading’ pile. Oh well. Believe it or not, I have been reading it. It is a book to be reckoned with, in all its 477 pages. But before I get in to discussion of it, back to Baldacci.
I love all his characters. And, who knew if it was going to be someone from the past, or someone new. I just knew I had already developed my relationships with, Atlee Pine, Aloysius Archer, Amos Decker, Alex Jamison, Travis Devine, Will Robie, John Puller, Sean King, Michelle Maxwell and Oliver Stone.
I never expected to be taken into a historical fiction courtroom drama with two new characters to add to my personal “love” list. But here I was. Ready and willing.
And, to be honest, my heart was on fire from page one. And, that even included the ‘Author’s Note.’
“I wish we lived in a world that was just and equal for all, and that lawyers could concentrate on being simply lawyers and not spokespersons for a cause. …and we can all rise high or fall low, but we should all be judged by the same standard. That is the only way we can move forward as a country, as a people.”
This is a stand-alone featuring two new characters in 1968 Freeman County, Virginia, a hotbed county, and area of the state, filled with hate and prejudice. We meet Jack Lee a white lawyer who is given a case to defend a black couple, Jerome and Pearl Washington that have been accused of killing a rich white couple.
And, when we are talking the south, it doesn’t look like they are going to get a very fair chance at trial with a Judge that has Ku Klux Klan leanings, George Wallace poised to run for President and an all-white jury.
To help Jack on the case is Desiree DuBose a Black lawyer from Chicago who is fierce about justice and equality.
What will this team discover? Will they be able to overcome these odds?
As I turned pages and read, I couldn’t help but feel the 60’s past and today’s present merging too closely together. I wanted to cry out in frustration and sadness that something was wrong – that there was a time machine that had made a mistake – that thought that 2024 was 1968 all over again and to please let me blink myself awake to a better more thoughtful, just present. That I must be dreaming.
And then, I got out of my head and reminded myself I was within the pages of a really excellent story with solid character development. It was describing the 1960’s south realistically. The courtroom drama was spectacular and dramatic and real-feeling.
There will be much to digest within these pages. Be patient. It will be worth the journey.
This story is fresh and intense, and thrilling, and showcases the human corruptness. I can only hope that this is just the beginning of Dubose and Lee as future characters and fighters of justice in an upcoming Baldacci series.
Also, I recommend that everyone read the ‘Author’s Note’ at the beginning. It is heart-felt and timely. What he shares at the end of it, which makes even more sense once it is read and digested, I think is worth including…
“I wanted each to learn from the other, and …to eventually find mutual respect and empathy for one another. In the end, what can we strive for that is more vital, for all of us?”...more
Imagine that you and your best friend are having a sleepover in the backyard tent. You both are 10-year-old kids. All seems good, until you wake up toImagine that you and your best friend are having a sleepover in the backyard tent. You both are 10-year-old kids. All seems good, until you wake up to find that there is a slash down the side of the tent and your best friend is nowhere to be found.
How would you feel upon waking?
In this story, this is the nightmare Ethan carries for the next 30 years. It is a real nightmare for Ethan, because his best friend Billy, is forever gone.
How does anybody live with this kind of memory? This has been what Ethan has had to deal with his whole life. And, when he is expected to return to his childhood home, and things begin to happen again to stir up these old memories, what is he to do? How can he overcome this past?
Will he ever know what happened to Billy?
In many ways this feels like a twisty mystery with just a slight touch of the supernatural. But more than anything there is a strong sense of the complications of friendship amongst these pages.
Most importantly, the author shows readers how grief and trauma are complicated, by showcasing both sensitively.
At the same time, readers are quickly turning pages for the resolution to the mystery of missing Billy....more
Paul is the narrator of this one “perfect” day tale. And, he will be an unreliable narrator because of his cocky, outbursts and justifications for whaPaul is the narrator of this one “perfect” day tale. And, he will be an unreliable narrator because of his cocky, outbursts and justifications for what he believes will create the “best day ever” for his meticulously planned drive with his wife Mia to their vacation home.
But not all will go as planned. What will be truth and what will be lies? How healthy and perfect is this marriage really? What is Mia thinking about what Paul has planned for her?
Readers will feel the suspense and angst and drama and deception and could it possibly be betrayal as pages turn? The drive will be tense as readers wait for the riveting conclusion.
But…about that ending…(no spoilers from me.)...more
I have to admit, I like this Follett best. Not that I didn’t enjoy his first story of the trilogy, “The Pillars of the Earth.” I just prefer the storyI have to admit, I like this Follett best. Not that I didn’t enjoy his first story of the trilogy, “The Pillars of the Earth.” I just prefer the storyteller in him here.
He has a way of creating characters that feel real.
This story is set on the eve of WWI. A bit of personal tragedy set against the backdrop of world tragedy.
He builds his narrative suspense in a way that makes readers enjoy being inside this historical fiction novel wondering what the interplay will be – will they or won’t they?
A bit of romance, intrigue, a murderous mission, a war backdrop. So much to take in, that readers can’t help but turn pages and know that Follett is taking us a long on a suspenseful journey worth every moment until the last page leaves us fairly appreciative and satisfied....more
Sometimes I am surprised when I discover I haven’t read a Baldacci. And, then I am even more surprised when it is a stand-alone, like this one.
And, wSometimes I am surprised when I discover I haven’t read a Baldacci. And, then I am even more surprised when it is a stand-alone, like this one.
And, what makes this one so interesting, it is an older novel, written just a year after Baldacci gained notice with his first novel, “Absolute Power” which spent about 4 months on the New York Times best-seller list, at the time.
This one, in true Baldacci fashion only takes 5 pages before the action is clearly set with a plane crash that kills everyone on board. It doesn’t take long for readers to meet our main protagonist, lawyer, Sidney Archer, whose life will be inevitably changed because of it.
And, what did her husband have to do with this plane crash? And, why are their more dead bodies being dropped amongst the pages of this story?
Will teaming up with FBI Agent Lee Sawyer help to uncover the truth?
This story will feel like a roller coaster ride through dangerous people and secrets. There are some places within the story where readers will need to suspend disbelief, but other than that (which may be a big ask at times), it feels like we are watching an action movie in which Baldacci is in charge – or should I say, total control, every step of the way. Just let yourself go with it. If, willing....more
As a former CIA counterterrorism analyst, this author brings a sense of authenticity to her story which kicks off from the nail-biting first page.
ReaAs a former CIA counterterrorism analyst, this author brings a sense of authenticity to her story which kicks off from the nail-biting first page.
Readers are first introduced to Jill Bailey, a CIA analyst whose son is kidnapped and won’t be returned unless she vets a source named Falcon. And, if she ever breathes a word about this event, he will be killed. So, to save her son she quits her job, changes her name and convinces her husband to leave the state.
Only, when they settle in, she finds a note… YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE.
So, who did this to Jill? And, why?
For the next four years everything seems fine. Until she is contacted by an investigative journalist named Alex Charles who has been given her name by an unknown source about Falcon.
Will Jill finally open up about what happened? Will Alex be able to write the Pulitzer Prize winning story? Will Jill be able to right this terrible wrong she thrust upon the country when she allowed Falcon in?
When readers think they know everything, think again. Readers will experience quite the rollercoaster ride of twists and turns in the final third of the story, so hang on to your seat. But the biggest plot twists to come, will be revealed at the end. And the most likely question readers will be asking themselves will be…
So here I am. Years later. This is it. The last book in The Camel Club series. I had just finished Book 4, “Divine Justice” when I discovered there waSo here I am. Years later. This is it. The last book in The Camel Club series. I had just finished Book 4, “Divine Justice” when I discovered there was a Book 5. My review for (Book 4) “Divine Justice” is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I almost feel sad saying goodbye to the series. But in many ways, I feel happy because it took me this long to even realize that there were two last books in the series that I hadn’t realized existed until recently. So, this was like a happy reunion, too.
I am breathing it all in. Re-entering the world of Oliver Stone aka John Carr as he is called into service for the President of the United States on a special mission to investigate a bombing that occurred at Lafayette Park, known as Hell’s Corner, located across from the White House. (Hence: the title of the book!)
Who could have been responsible? And who was the target? Was it the British Prime Minister? Or someone else? And why?
But most importantly, who would do this?
Oliver Stone who is comfortable working alone, but now finds himself once again working for the government, a team, and an MI6 agent, named Mary Chapman to discover the truth behind the attacks.
“The bogeyman appeared to be winning the war of perception in the hearts and minds of the citizenry.”
So, how would they tackle this unknown “bogeyman.” Could it be the Russians, or drug dealers out of Mexico? And why specifically when the British Prime Minister was visiting the President?
And, when things seem to be getting too hard to handle, will the Camel Club members come into play to help save the day?
Readers can plan on a lot of twists, turns, action, suspense, diversions, short chapters, an unexpected finale (did anybody expect this one?), well-developed characters and loss of sleep to finish this last book. I certainly did!...more
Sloan is adopted. She was raised by a very loving supportive family. Now she is in a doctorate program where she is excited to be a part of the emergiSloan is adopted. She was raised by a very loving supportive family. Now she is in a doctorate program where she is excited to be a part of the emerging field of forensic genealogy. So, it makes perfect sense for her to submit her own DNA to an online genealogy site. What doesn’t make sense are the results of the test. In fact, they are shocking to her.
Could she really be the missing baby to affluent parents who also vanished in 1995?
And as a cold case, what will happen if Sloan decides to open this case to discover the truth of what happened?
Well, as it turns out, someone isn’t happy about it, and the closer Sloan gets to the truth, the closer danger gets to her.
This page-turning, twisty, engrossing, propulsive novel is undoubtedly, Donlea at his best....more
Apparently, Russia has successfully had spies living in America in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, especially at the height of the nuclear age and CApparently, Russia has successfully had spies living in America in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, especially at the height of the nuclear age and Cold War. But something happened to one of the spies back then that caused him to want to leave his position and defect.
What really occurred at the Nevada Test Site?
“‘I am sorry for what occurred in 1957. I was young, and I was a patriot, but you were asking me to do something horrible.’”
And, why would whatever happened all those years ago suddenly become an issue in present time for the current Sheriff, Porter Beck?
Well, when a horrific murder is discovered of a retired FBI agent, what could this have to do with this long-ago and forgotten Russian spy?
And why are these Russian assassins hunting down other 80+-year-old citizens around Lincoln County?
Meanwhile, Clem Edwards wife Michaela is missing, and her bike has been found with blood on it. And the Sheriff knows that the statistics of finding her alive are getting dimmer, especially with Russian assassins on the loose.
Could her disappearance be related to the current case?
Now, the Sheriff is being told an FBI Agent, Sana Locke is being brought in on the case to assist. Will Sheriff Beck and Agent Locke be in time to stop these killings?
Readers will be given hints of the past through varying chapters, as the investigation unfolds.
With pages turning faster than my fingers could flip them, this spell-binding thriller mystery will keep readers engaged from beginning to end. And the twists and surprises will be exactly what readers need to make this story the one they want to pick up next!...more
I thought I had read and reviewed every one of Jodi Picoult’s books, and, then this one was donated to my Little Free Library Shed. What? I missed oneI thought I had read and reviewed every one of Jodi Picoult’s books, and, then this one was donated to my Little Free Library Shed. What? I missed one?
I could tell with what I read on the back cover about it, I needed to be prepared, so with my Kleenex already beside me, I was ready.
Chris and Emily are best friends. Their families have been best friends since Chris and Emily were children. They have lived next door to each other since they were kids. So, it is no surprise that they should be considered soul pals. But when Emily is dead of a single gunshot wound to the head at age 18, how are the police to believe that Chris did not intentionally murder her?
But Chris insists that it was part of a suicide pact that he made with Emily – it is just he could not follow-through and kill himself.
The problem is that the police don’t have the full story. Only Chris and Emily do, and Emily is dead.
So, will the police believe Chris?
What really happened to Emily to cause her to want to end her life? Will we as readers, truly know Emily’s story?
And, if we don’t believe Chris, should he be charged with murder?
Readers will be taken through the courtroom, Chris’ incarceration, and the families grief. But mostly, inside the minds of what really was going on for Emily and Chris.
And, that is what makes this page-turning story, heart-breaking and heart-wrenching, as Picoult challenges readers with ethical and emotional issues that feel much too real not to feel believable. Yes, please have Kleenex available.
When considering my favorite series by David Baldacci, I believe The Camel Club is it for me. So, when I was making a recommendation to a fellow GoodrWhen considering my favorite series by David Baldacci, I believe The Camel Club is it for me. So, when I was making a recommendation to a fellow Goodreads friend, about which Baldacci series to start with, I was surprised to find that there were more than 3 books in the series. For whatever reason, I must have lost track of the series at some point and had moved on.
So, I was happy to see that my local library at least had this 4th book available for me to read.
Now, having started this 4th book, there were some disadvantages after coming back into the series after such a long absence. My memory was certainly being taxed. I kind of remembered the past characters, but the circumstances of where they were at and why, were somewhat vague to me. Still the tension that Baldacci presented, was very much alive and well and the plot moved at a quick pace which allowed me to be quite invested in this current story.
So regardless of my loss in memory, I was getting a sense of why the tension existed for the characters, and what the purpose was for the original Camel Club. And certainly, why this was my favorite series in the first place. Besides, whatever happened in the past, it all comes out in the end, eventually.
Still, Baldacci always has a way of making a turn up a small-town road into lives unexpected. And as readers, we are uncertain why we are headed here. But we know we are in for something, yet remain curious anyway, waiting for the first ball to drop, because that is typically what is going to happen in a Baldacci story.
And when that ball does eventually drop, suddenly the title of the book becomes clear! And everything we thought initially about the story, really wasn’t what it was all about, and it becomes even something more.
But readers need to always keep in mind what is key to this story…
We have Oliver Stone. And we have Joe Knox. The hunted and the hunter.
And then they can add in…
All sorts of other characters, too. With page-turning, short chapters.
And that is what makes this story relentlessly readable....more
Oh, how fun it is to re-visit a Baldacci read from my past. Especially when someone has dropped it off as a donation to my Little Free LibCatching up…
Oh, how fun it is to re-visit a Baldacci read from my past. Especially when someone has dropped it off as a donation to my Little Free Library Shed for some lucky reader.
And, now I get to bring my review to Goodreads.
This is the second in the Amos Decker series. For those following Amos Decker, please start at the beginning. The first book was, “Memory Man.” And even if you think you can begin reading this second book as a stand-alone without reading Memory Man, you will miss out on understanding the nuances of Amos Decker’s character that you get from the first book.
This book is typical Baldacci. Intense. Short chapters. Starts with a character named Melvin who is facing execution for the murder of his parents. As readers, we are not sure how to feel.
And then, suddenly the execution is stopped. Why? Someone else has confessed to the murders. What? After all this time?
What happened?
Not for me to say. It is for you to enjoy the ride and find out. Buckle up. You will not be disappointed.
A body floats down a river. For several pages as readers we are experiencing this, not certain what isCatching up…
As readers we open the book to this…
A body floats down a river. For several pages as readers we are experiencing this, not certain what is truly going on with this floating body…until the moment when…
We know that the policeman would be attending to her. This feels like the true beginning of where this story will take us.
We are in South Africa. One story follows the present-day investigation of the murder of Melanie du Preez, the daughter of a prominent professor, who defends the Afrikaans culture. The second story is set in the past, and talks of the brutal, early life of the colony.
The stories will provide a police procedural with unsettling details and depth that give a sense of realism to the times.
At times the novel feels chilling and compelling and difficult to read with realistic characters and subject matter that may be triggering – drug and alcohol addiction, prostitution, and prejudice.
And yet, because of the thought-provoking plot, it is not surprising that it won South Africa’s Sunday Times Fiction Prize in 2014....more
Another Baldacci favorite that I read a while ago. I am now bringing my review to Goodreads.
This is our introduction to Baldacci’s characCatching up…
Another Baldacci favorite that I read a while ago. I am now bringing my review to Goodreads.
This is our introduction to Baldacci’s character, Amos Decker.
A college football injury gives him an exceptional memory and total recall. He is also a detective in a small town in the Midwest with a horrific backstory. Someone has killed his family. The devastation from this loss has unraveled and practically destroyed him causing him to leave everything that he knows.
Over a year goes by and another horrible crime occurs. The police ask if he would be willing to help because there appears to be evidence that the murder of his family and this crime could be related. So, Decker decides to get involved.
Decker is definitely someone we will grow to care about and want to understand. Along with other interesting characters (an attractive young reporter, as an example), who will work alongside him who we hope can bring out the goodness in him.
Readers are just getting the beginning of Decker, a character that will baffle and confuse and tantalize us, at the same time.
This is a fast-moving narrative. Short chapters. An original hero. Irresistible plot. Twists and turns....more
Christopher Drayton has died. Did he accidentally fall off the cliff or was he pushed? How much do we really know about Christopher Drayton? What woulChristopher Drayton has died. Did he accidentally fall off the cliff or was he pushed? How much do we really know about Christopher Drayton? What would lead him to this cliff? Was it an accidental death? Or was it homicide?
The setting for Drayton’s death is Canada. These are daunting questions for the police investigation being led by Esa Khattak and his assistant, Detective Rachel Getty.
But what is so compelling and heart-full about this story, isn’t just the police procedural look into the death, but what lurks below the surface of the crime.
This story touches on the brutality and terror of war crimes, the Bosnian conflict and how it affected the people touched by those horrific experiences. But the author tells it with such a slow, intense, sensitivity.
The story may be difficult for some, and it takes a while to kick in, but once it does…it is haunting, compelling and emotionally spellbinding up to the last page.
I believe this debut novel will move readers....more
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