Book Review | The Dry (Aaron Falk # 1) by Jane Harper

The Dry (Aaron Falk # 1)

by Jane Harper

Flatiron Books

Publication Date : January 27, 2017

Pages : 336

I am very late to the party on this one since this book was published almost one year ago. However I enjoyed the story so much, I had to post a review. From page four, I was drawn into the story, invested in the characters, and felt compelled to continue.

Times are very hard for the town and people of Kiewarra; a small farming town about 4 hours from Melbourne. The town is in the middle of a drought which as destroyed most of the land. To say Kiewarra’s citizens are on edge would be an understatement. To make things worse, a well-known figure within the community, Luke Hadler has died under tragic circumstances.

Aaron Falk, Luke’s childhood best friend, now Federal Agent reluctantly returns for the funeral. Upon his arrival, Falk is drawn into an unknown yet familiar set of circumstances. He is soon reminded why he left Kiawarra.  Many long-held secrets are coming to the surface, some of them involving Falk and Luke. Falk joins the local police in the investigation surrounding Luke’s death.

Once Aaron arrives in his home town for the funeral, he is literally counting down the hours until he can leave. Despite his eagerness to leave, he does not need much convincing to stay. As the investigation heats up, some of his allies tell him to go, he stays. It seems as if he is in a battle with his heart and mind. His mind is telling him to go but his heart is leading him to stay to get to the bottom of Luke’s death. This made me wonder what his true motives were for staying, was he trying to prove a point or did really want to answers for Luke?

All the ingredients for my idea of a perfect crime book are found in The Dry. It is fast paced, full of mini cliff hangers, a police procedural, and full of suspense. There is also an element I have never come across in the past.  Throughout the story there are flash backs, but these flash backs are told by a neutral narrator, not from the perspective of the character. The story is told from one character’s perspective and the flash backs tell you what really happened. I really enjoyed the flash backs, they provided additional insight into Luke’s death as well as objective character development.

The most compelling aspect of this book is the atmosphere Harper has created. The heat that has engulfed this small community is a central character in the story. Harper is able to capture the desperation and sadness the citizens of Kiawarra are experiencing.  In the local school children draw pictures with sad faces, landscapes with brown grass, and pay tribute to pets that have died. The depiction of hot wind and dry leaves allow the reader to become completely immersed in the book. These depictions created feelings of sympathy and understanding for many of characters.

For almost a year this wonderful book sat on my bookshelf unread. I so regret not reading it sooner. Harper vividly illustrates a desolate community where many of the citizens seem to be on the verge of financial and emotional ruin. This illustration kept me hooked until the very last page and has made book two of this series (Force of Nature) one of my most anticipated releases for 2018.

Murder and Moore Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

Blog Tour | Book Review | Deep Blue Trouble by Steph Broadribb

Deep Blue Trouble

 by Steph Broadribb

Orenda Books

Publication Date : January 5, 2018 (UK) May 1, 2018 (US)

Pages: 320

Synopsis from Publisher:

Single-mother Florida bounty hunter Lori Anderson’s got an ocean of trouble on her hands. Her daughter Dakota is safe, but her cancer is threatening a comeback, and Lori needs JT—Dakota’s daddy and the man who taught Lori everything—alive and kicking. Problem is, he’s behind bars, and heading for death row. Desperate to save him, Lori does a deal, taking on off-the-books job from shady FBI agent Alex Monroe. Bring back on-the-run felon, Gibson "The Fish" Fletcher, and JT walks free. Following Fletcher from Florida to California, Lori teams up with local bounty hunter Dez McGregor and his team. But Dez works very differently to Lori, and the tension between them threatens to put the whole job in danger. With Monroe pressuring Lori for results, the clock ticking on JT’s life, and nothing about the Fletcher case adding up, Lori’s hitting walls at every turn. But this is one job she’s got to get right, or she’ll lose everything.

I am beyond excited to be participating in this Blog Tour. Orenda is one of my favorite publishers and I am so honored to be included. Special thanks to Anne Cater and Karen Sullivan for extending the opportunity.

2017 was the year I discovered I love action thrillers, a genre I did not think I would like. Clearly I was wrong. Lori Anderson is one of the reasons I am so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone. Deep Blue Trouble is a thrilling action packed story of a woman driven to extremes by one of the most basic human instincts, protecting her family.

Bounty hunter Lori Anderson has two problems. Her daughter Dakota is in remission from cancer, which could rear its ugly head at any moment. The only possible way to save Dakota’s life should the cancer reemerge would be a bone marrow transfer from her father JT.  JT is in prison and could be facing the death penalty in Florida. In order to save JT and her daughter, Lori makes an unofficial deal with a person she does not fully trust. Lori must find Gibson “The Fish” Fletcher. Lori is familiar with Fletcher, but leads on his location are limited. We join Lori as she tries to hunt down Fletcher in unfamiliar territory and with limited resources.  

Deep Blue Trouble is the follow up story to book one in the series, Deep Down Dead. In Deep Down Dead we read exclusively from Lori’s point of view. In Deep Blue Trouble we get to know JT. In the first book, JT was very elusive. I was not sure I could trust him or if I even liked him. In many ways Lori showed she was unsure of JT as well.  Reading from JT’s perspective allowed me to get to know him and finally find out his true motives.

Lori is not the same person we met in book one. In Deep Down Dead she is focused and calculated. In Deep Blue Trouble, her desperation is showing; she is reckless and scared. While she has every right to be scared and desperate, these feelings are causing her to lose focus. She realizes this is happening but she is unable to regain her focus. Lori tries to reflect on lessons and learned practices (trust no one, work alone) from her mentor JT. These earlier lessons further complicate her situation. When JT was training Lori to become a bounty hunter, the teachings were based on neither of them having anything to lose. To me JT’s earlier lessons did not apply; Lori and JT both have everything to lose. Trying to apply her methods with these new circumstances was the biggest hurdle Lori had to overcome.

Broadribb introduces some new characters in book two. I really enjoyed reading how Lori interacted with other people and how other people reacted to her. In book one, most of the people Lori meets are criminals. In book two she meets people who are not criminals and could become allies. I found it very interesting that her attitude towards both criminals and potential allies were pretty much the same.

All though this is an action thriller, it is loaded with feelings of love and sacrifice. The author perfectly blends a story full of high anxiety with just the right amount of emotion. When you remove all the action and suspense from the story you will find a very basic premise - a woman who loves her family and will to do anything to protect them. I cannot think of anyone who would be unable to relate to Lori.  Deep Blue trouble is action packed, exhilarating, fast paced, and full of heart. Fans of James Patterson’s Alex Cross and Women’s Murder Club series, as well as Dean Koontz’s Jane Hawk series will certainly love Lori Anderson.

**Thanks to Orenda Books for my free copy of Deep Blue Trouble**

Murder and Moore Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

**CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE BLOG TOUR**

AUTHOR BIO:

Steph Broadribb was born in Birmingham and grew up in Buckinghamshire. Most
of her working life has been spent between the UK and USA. As her alter ego –
Crime Thriller Girl – she indulges her love of all things crime fiction by blogging
at www.crimethrillergirl.com, where she interviews authors and reviews the
latest releases. Steph is an alumni of the MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction)
at City University London, and she trained as a bounty hunter in California. She
lives in Buckinghamshire surrounded by horses, cows and chickens. Her debut
thriller, Deep Down Dead, was shortlisted for the Dead Good Reader Awards in
two categories, and hit number one on the UK and AU kindle charts.

January TBR

Happy New Year!

January is shaping up to be a fine month for the crime fiction genre. The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor (Releases 1/9/18), The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn (Releases 1/2/18), and The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (Releases 1/9/18) are just a few titles I am sure will make a huge splash this month. I was able to complete my December TBR as well as finish up books left over from my November list. So I am bringing in the new year on a good note. I'm excited to get started on my January book pile and I am hoping to sneak in a few more!

Click a picture below for the publisher’s synopsis and a brief overview of why I am looking forward to reading each book . 

Happy reading!!! 

Book Review | House of Spines by Michael J. Malone

House of Spines

By Michael J Malone

Orenda Books

Publishing Date: April 1, 2018

Pages: 276

Synopsis from Publisher:

Ran McGhie’s world has been turned upside down. A young, lonely, and frustrated writer, and suffering from mental-health problems, he discovers that his long-dead mother was related to one of Glasgow’s oldest merchant families. Not only that, but Ran has inherited Newton Hall, a vast mansion that belonged to his great-uncle, who it seems has been watching from afar as his estranged great-nephew has grown up. Entering his new-found home, it seems Great-Uncle Fitzpatrick has turned it into a temple to the written word—the perfect place for poet Ran. But everything is not as it seems. As he explores the Hall’s endless corridors, Ran’s grasp on reality appears to be loosening. And then he comes across an ancient lift; and in that lift a mirror. And in the mirror . . . the reflection of a woman.

House of Spines has left me speechless. The only way to describe this book is AWESOME. The plot, the imagery, the characters, the pacing, it is all perfection.  There are so many things I love about this book, that this review could go on until my fingers fell off. I have managed to narrow down the elements of this novel I found the most wonderful.

The Atomsphere and Imagery:

The story is set in Glasglow Scotland on a large estate which contains the “big house” Newton Hall, where Ran resides. Malone’s descriptions of the estate allowed me to create an image so vivid, that I could see myself walking up the front steps of the estate with Ran. Malone describes manicured lawns and gardens, with two lion sculptures standing guard at the front door. The large windows are covered with large draperies. Whenever I see lion sculptures in front of building I assume one of two things. You have to be very brave to enter the building the lions are guarding, or the lions are symbols of protection over the people or things housed within the structure.  In the case of Newton Hall both assumptions may apply.

Ran McGhie:

I was completely enamored with Ran by page 6 of this book. He is emotionally damaged and fragile but he is as sharp as a tack. Because of his mental instability he is underestimated by some of the other characters in the book. These characters quickly realize Ran is much more than his mental illness and he will not be taken for a fool.

I felt completely in sync with Ran throughout the whole book. He really has no secrets, everything he learned about Newton Hall and his family I learned at the same time. Ran is hesitant to explore the house and its secrets, I wanted to push him up the steps of the house and open the unexplored doors for him. There is a section of the book where you can tell that Ran is starting to become a little unhinged and his mental illness is starting to take hold.  While reading this section I felt anxious and was hoping Ran would pull himself out of the mist. Malone has created a character that is broken but not beyond repair, you will want to reach into the book and encourage Ran (maybe even force feed him his medication) to hang in there.

Reminiscent of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier:

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is possibly my favorite book of all time. To me it is the perfect blend of psychological suspense and crime fiction. Rebecca is the book that kindled my love of suspense and crime fiction books. I could not help but draw comparisons between House of Spines and Rebecca. Both have a seemingly unsuspecting innocent main character thrown into a tangle of secrets. Both characters have to maneuver through these secrets while trying to maintain their sanity. House of Spines and Rebecca both take place in a huge house where the sprit of a beautiful dark haired woman lingers. I have read Rebecca many times over the years and I had the same feelings while reading House of Spines as I do each time I read Rebecca. Feelings of anxiety and wanting to push the main character to uncover the mysteries forced upon them.

Ran McGhie is a lonely writer who struggles daily to pay his bills and maintain his mental and emotional stability. Suddenly his fortunes turn and he inherits an estate from an unknown great uncle. Upon his arrival Ran feels uneasy but he ignores these feelings of unease and tries to settle into this new life. The house is filled with old secrets of his unknown family and something else that Ran is unable to describe. As he begins to unearth the buried secrets of the house and his family he begins to lose touch with himself and reality.

I am unable to fully describe how much I enjoyed this book. I literally had to ration out the pages so I would not finish it in one sitting. I did not want the book to end. Malone has created a masterpiece worthy to rank alongside one of my literary heroines Daphne du Maurier. Whenever I read Rebecca I will instantly think of House of Spines. If you are looking for a read that fill you with anxiety and maybe cost you a night’s sleep, House of Spines will fit the bill.

Murder and Moore Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

 *Thanks to Orenda Books for my free copy for review.*

Book Review | The Devil's Wedding Ring by Vidar Sundstol, Tiina Nunnally (Translator)

The Devil's Wedding Ring

by Vidar Sundstol, Tiina Nunnally (Translator)

University of Minnesota Press

Published: September 26,2017

Pages: 280

Synopsis From Publisher:

On Midsummer Eve in 1985, a young folklore researcher disappears from the village of Eidsborg in the Telemark region of Norway.  Exactly thirty years later, the student Cecilie Wiborg goes missing. She too had been researching the old, pagan rituals associated with the 13th-century Eidsborg stave church.  And then Knut Abrahamsen, a former police officer from the area, is found drowned in the nearby Tokke River, a presumed suicide since his pockets were filled with stones.

Hearing of the death of his former colleague and friend, private investigator Max Fjellanger feels compelled to leave his long-time home in Florida and return to his native Norway to attend Knut’s funeral. Even though they haven’t spoken in more than three decades, Max is not convinced that Knut killed himself.  There are details about the circumstances of his death that just don’t add up. And there seems to be a link to the case of the missing researcher in Telemark, which the two of them had worked together—until threats from a corrupt sheriff put an end to the investigation and to Max’s career on the police force.

This time Max is determined to find out the truth. Reluctantly he finds himself drawn into a dark universe in which ancient superstitions, religious cults, and sinister forces are still very much alive. And the stave church, with its famed wooden statue of Saint Nikuls, is at the center of it all.

Finding an unlikely partner in Tirill Vesterli—a university librarian and single mother who is obsessed with crime novels—Max is plunged into a menacing world of ghostly monks, severed pigs’ heads, and mythic rites, all somehow connected to Midsummer Eve, which is fast approaching. As Max and Tirill quickly learn, it’s a misconception that the past is past—the truth is that it’s never over.

This is award-winning crime novelist Vidar Sundstøl at his best, spinning a tale that is taut with suspense and steeped in Norwegian culture, past and present.

When I came across this book, I really did not have any expectations. Once I knew the book was considered Nordic Noir, I did not need more convincing to give it a try. Happily my optimism was rewarded and I discovered a great book and a new author to add to my list of favorites. The Devils Wedding Ring is a character rich twisty tale filled with myths, folklore, and long kept secrets. 

The story takes place in the Telemark region of Norway. I had never heard of this region so I checked to see if Telemark was a real place in Norway and it is indeed a real place. The real names of the towns within the region are mentioned frequently throughout the book. I looked at images of the region and it looks to be just what I pictured, rolling hills, mountains, old barns, isolated roads, and lakes that mirror its surroundings. Along with the descriptions in the book, these images allowed me to fully picture myself in Telemark as I was reading.

The book is filled with tales of the past residents of this region; tales of love, death, and betrayal. These stories allowed me to get a full picture of the people and the culture of this region. These are people who acknowledge and respect their past; many still paid tribute to the characters in the legends. 

Max Fjellanger returns to the Telemark region of Norway for the funeral of a former colleague and friend, Knut Abrahamsen. The cause of death is ruled a suicide but Max is not convinced. Instead of returning to the U.S. and his private investigation firm; Max stays in Norway to conduct his own investigation into the death of his friend. During his investigation he meets Tirill Vesterli, a librarian and single mother. Max and Tirill discover they have shared interests and both set off to investigate Knut’s death.

I enjoyed getting to know the main characters. Upon his return to Norway Max is filled with feelings of guilt and regret. When he was a young police officer in Telemark, a young man disappeared while hiking. Max was assigned to the search for the young man, but he knows he should have done more to find the lost hiker. He is ashamed of his lack of courage. Max believes the death of his former colleague and the missing hiker are connected. Max is now determined to find resolution to his friend’s death and the disappearance of the young man he believed he failed years ago.

Tirill Vesterli, Max’s right hand lady, was my favorite character. I loved her role as Max’s voice of reason. She basically forces herself into Max’s life and the investigation; I found her determination admirable. As a child she often felt out of place among her peers. She mimicked their behavior in an attempt to fit in. Now as a mother she is determined to be her true self, she wants to be someone her son can respect. Tirill is also an avid reader of detective stories; in her mind she calls herself Detective Vesterli. When she first meets Max she quickly figures out where he is from, where he lives, and his marital status through deductive reasoning. She immediately became my favorite character.

The author provides more character development by giving the reader insight into the characters dreams. While conducting their investigation Max and Tirill talk to relatives of victims and witnesses. Upon meeting some of these people, they sometimes recall a dream they once had. The dream is conjured up by a look on the person’s face or the feeling they got when the stepped in the room. The descriptions of these dreams made the pair seem more authentic.

The mystery at the core of the book surrounds a cult, religious rituals, and folklore. In the past I have found books with this type of central mystery difficult to follow and typically after finishing the book I would feel let down with the ending. Thankfully this was not the case with this book. The plot was not weighed down with religious customs and superstitions. The Devil’s Wedding Ring was a wonderful atmospheric read. I was completely caught up in the region and the characters. If you are looking for a Nordic Noir read for the Halloween season make sure to pick up The Devil’s Wedding Ring.

**Thanks to Netgalley and University of Minnesota Press for my review copy**

Murder and Moore Rating:

4 ½ out of 5 Stars