Popped Off
Jeffrey Allen
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp | ISBN-13: 9780758266903 | Buy Now
The Stay at Home Dad series began with Stay at Home Dead and continues with Popped Off. This time stay at home dad and amateur detective Deuce Winters must solve the case of the mysterious disappearance of the King of Soccer Moises Huber, the president of the Rose Petal Youth Soccer Association. Many of the characters from the first novel are back as well as some new ones that are just as charming. The story races along with many fun twists and turns to its final laugh out loud conclusion. Popped Off is a Donald E. Westlake type of mystery novel that is fun reading.
Zoo
James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge
Publisher: Little Brown and Company (Hatchet Book Group) | ISBN-13: 9780316097444 | Buy Now
Zoo is another great read by these two authors. Something has happened around the world. Many different types of animals are attacking humans. Jackson Oz, a biologist considered a crackpot, has a theory that many do not believe. He has to convince the world that his hypothesis is coming true and that they must find a way to stop it from continuing. Zoo is a Michael Crichton type of novel in the fold of Jurassic Park but much more believable, because the animals are not extinct. The novel races along with a final ending that is realistic and logical. Zoo is a total departure from the usual mystery novels these two authors are known for and is a frightening look at how technology has gone wrong
Robert B. Parker’s Fool Me Twice
Michael Brandman
Publisher: Putnam (Penguin) | ISBN-13: 9780399159497 | Buy Now
Jesse Stone is back in another great story with Fool Me Twice. Michael Brandman was a logical perfect choice to continue the novels of Jesse Stone because he as screenwriter for the TV movies, worked with Robert B. Parker. Brandman has the feel of the Parker writing with the snappy dialogue and the tense situations in Paradise, Massachusetts that made them so much fun to read. This time out Jesse has to deal with a spoiled rotten rich kid and her parents, a movie crew to begin filming in Paradise, and the murder of one of the stars of the film. As the plot unfolds Jesse has his hands full but nothing fazes him as he tackles all of the situations. Fool Me Twice although not written by Parker, is a great addition to the series that continues to be so much fun to read.
Severe Clear
Stuart Woods
Publisher: Putnam (Penguin) | ISBN-13: 9780399159848 | Buy Now
Woods is back with another great Stone Barrington novel in Severe Clear. The Arrington Hotel is set to open and Stone and a slew of characters are to attend the ceremonies. There also are some terrorists who are going to try to make a statement bigger than September 11th. The novel races along with many interesting characters situations and plot twists to its final enjoyable ending. Severe Clear is a nice addition to the Barrington series.
Cast into Doubt
Patricia MacDonald
Publisher: World Wide Library | ISBN-13: 9780727879516 | Buy Now
For a while I wondered what happened to Patricia MacDonald because I had not seen anything new until Cast into Doubt. Shelby Sloan’s world is out of whack when she learns that her daughter Chloe disappeared from a cruise ship. Shelby cannot believe the explanations given by the police and Chloe’s husband on the vanishing of Chloe. omething to Shelby does not seem right. She delves into the circumstances and begins to learn not everything is as it seems. MacDonald has crafted a complicated tale that races along to its final satisfying conclusion. It’s great to see MacDonald back with another great chilling novel. Cast into Doubt is a suspenseful story that is a page turner
Death of a Neighborhood Witch
Laura Levine
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp | ISBN-13: 9780758238498 | Buy Now
I had never read anything by Laura Levine but Death of a Neighborhood Witch makes me want to read other things by her in the future. Jane Austen has a problem with Crypetssa Muldoon a down and out B horror movie actress who lives like a witch in Austen’s neighborhood. Crypetssa hates Austen and gives her fits about everything. Later Crypetssa is found murdered and the police have only one logical suspect. Austen has a short time to expose the killer before she is charged with the crime. Levine has written a laugh out loud mystery that races along with interesting characters and funny situations. Levine also fills the story with e mails fro Austen’s parents that are a separate story and are very funny. Death of a Neighborhood Witch is perfect reading for the Halloween season.
Mr. Monk on the Couch
Lee Goldberg
Publisher: Signet | ISBN-13: 9780451235336 | Buy Now
Mr. Monk on the Couch is another great tale of Adrian Monk the obsessive compulsive detective. This time Adrian Monk solves several cases while Natalie Teeger enlists the aid of Adrian’s agoraphobic brother to solve a case on her own because Adrian is too busy with a case that involves a couch. Goldberg once again has a firm handle on the characters and takes readers along a fun filled Monk adventure that finishes up with a very satisfying conclusion. The Monk novels like the TV series are fun filled laugh out loud mysteries that are such a delight to read. Mr. Monk on the Couch is sure to please fans of the Monk series.
The Skinvestigator Sunburn
Terry Cronin
Publisher: 3 Boys Productions | ISBN-13: 9780983766711 | Buy Now
The third installment of this series The Skinvestigator Sunburn takes off with a stunning beginning and races along to an exciting conclusion that ends The Sunshine State Trilogy. Once again author Terry Cronin introduces medical factual material into the fictional world of Dr. Harry Poe and makes it very interesting. I love the cover artwork that is a perfect parody of the Coppertone advertisement that adds to the enjoyment of this novel. The Skinvestigator novels have been enjoyable mystery fare by a very talented writer.
The Puppet’s Secret
Alex Samms
Publisher: Outskirts Press Inc. | ISBN-13: 9781432790349 | Buy Now
Normally I do not like novels that tell, not show, what is happening but there is something about The Puppet’s Secret that held my interest all the way through. Though very short the author has written a very disturbing tale of a women’s obsession with a man she briefly encounters. She is so fixated with this person that she is willing to give up her husband and family. The reader is taken along on a very chilling journey that concludes with a very satisfying ending. The Puppet’s Secret is a page turner for great summer reading.
A Giant Pencil
Connor S. Wilson | Illustrations & Cover Art by Alyssa Machette
Publisher: Magic Dreams Publishing | ISBN-13: 9781937148126 | Buy Now
A Giant Pencil is the story of Billy who hates his life because he feels he is being picked on by everyone he knows. He finds a magic pencil that changes his life. He thinks it is a great thing what the pencil can do, but he learns that it is really worse. So maybe just one more time he can do something more positive with it. What is unique about the author is that Connor Wilson began the story when he was 8 years old and finished writing it when he turned 9. The writing is very polished and is a fun children’s book written by a kid. A Giant Pencil has a message to everyone that you should always value what you have before you lose it.
Fluffy’s Guardian Angel
Donald Bussel
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation | ISBN-13: 9781436315241 | Buy Now
Fluffy, a female dog tells the story how she got separated from her owners and the many different characters she meets along the way to get home in Fluffy’s Guardian Angel. Children will enjoy Fluffy’s Guardian Angel for the artwork but there are many lessons that can be learned from the story of the dog who struggles to get back home.
The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude
Lisa Ryan
Publisher: Outskirts Press Inc. | ISBN-13: 9781432790554 | Buy Now
Finally there is a book about the importance of saying thank you. The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude is a ground breaking work that talks about the importance of gratitude. It is one of the simplest things but so many people never do it. Examples are for the service you have by a server in a restaurant and how most people do not take the time to tell managers how good the service was. Or companies that do not understand how important it is for workers to be thanked for the hard work they do. Lisa Ryan shows how the simple act of a compliment can affect business more positively. She also takes it to the level of people dealing with others and how we need to be more complimentary to each other. The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude is for the politically correct generation who need to read this book and go back to a more straightforward set of values.
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