Like Clockwork: A Clare Hart Mystery by Margie Orford

Clare Hart is writing about human trafficking and is disgusted by the subject matter.  The fact that her twin was one of their victims and is alive but spiritually wounded makes the crime hit home for her.  It gets even closer when murdered young girls are turning up in her neighborhood.  Is it because of what she is writing about or has that crime reached the shores of her hometown?

Witness Impulse and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published April 22nd.  Check your local bookstore for a copy.

This story is set in Cape Town and Kate lives near Sea Point, where abused young girls bodies are showing up.  She and her police friend are desperate to stop the abuse and the murders and they work diligently on the case.  The problem is that the men they think maybe involved are in the upper leagues of money and have political influence, too.  They have to be cautious about how they phrase their questions and they'll have to have good proof to take them down.

Human trafficking is an ugly thing.  Even reading about it bothers me.  Clare is working against the clock.  Another victim has been kidnapped and she only has a small window of time to find her.  When she determines where she thinks she's being held, she goes in after her.  It's through underground tunnels (one of my fears) and when a madman is at the other end, it's very very dangerous.

This isn't a happily ever after type story.  It's a hard look at men, women, sex, and perversions.  My favorite part of this story is an odd twist at the end when one of the victims gets even with her sexual predator.  It's very ironic and a fitting injury for someone who can't control his desires.

This is a complex police procedural with unsettling details.  It kept my attention to the end.  It also brings a face to human trafficking.  This one will make you think.

Black Lotus by K'wan

Detective James Wolf's nickname is Lone Wolf.  There's a reason for that.  He doesn't like having a partner, he follows his own path, bends the law once in a while and he's champion for justice.  None of that makes the Internal Affairs Bureau happy.  They're just waiting for him to go off on a lost cause; they have plans to nail him once and for all.  So why would his boss take him off Narcotics to work on Homicide?  He's not a homicide detective...

Akashic Books and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this novella (thank you).  It will available May 27th, so make a note.

This case begins with the death of a priest.  It's an ugly death.  The only clues left behind are a boy's baseball cap and a black lotus flower.  Marx thinks it's the Brotherhood of Assassins; they'll kill anybody for enough money.  Wolf has quit paying attention already.  He realizes the people of the congregation include the family of a young boy that went missing and was never found again.  That's an old case of his and this gives him a new opportunity to talk to them.  He'd like to see that case closed.  He'll also ask them about the priest while he's there.

This is not the type of book I usually read but I really enjoyed this.  The Lotus Flower is young woman who was abused in life as a child.  Now she's a weapon who fights back for the defenseless.  She's mean, efficient, and lethal as hell.  She talks to my dark self.  I take glee in each pedophile she kills.

This is a relatively short story with lots of action and hard-core justice.  You can run, but you can't hide.  Just when you think you're safe, you're dead.

The Lone Wolf is still alive at the end, mostly because he has a sense of justice.  But so's the Black Lotus.  

Be careful what you do out there, folks.  You're being watched...

A Siege of Bitterns: A Birder Murder Mystery by Steve Burrows

Domenic Jejeune has just been appointed Police Inspector in their new home town, Saltmarsh.  He'd prefer to be a birdwatcher, but when you are naturally good at solving crimes you can't walk can away, can you?

Dundurn and Edelweiss allowed to me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published May 13th, so make a note. 

I chose this book for three reasons:  I like birding, I like learning about other countries and their environment, and I like meeting new crime detectives.  You learn a little bit about all of those by reading this story.

Domenic's first case here appears to be suicide.  However, the dead man is wearing odd clothing, chains, and has left no note behind.  Domenic's style is to use his brain to figure out why and how this happened.  (Similar to Christie's Poirot.)  While he's gathering hints and talking to everyone who knew the man, his partner is gathering evidence the old fashioned way:  Looking for it on the ground.

Domenic thinks he might have his killer figured out.  Imagine his astonishment when his suspected killer becomes the next victim!  He has two main players still left as suspects and he knows they are not telling the whole truth.  The professor is the hardest to crack, but he finally tells what he knows about the death.  Combined with that knowledge and the fact that the saltmarsh is dying from contamination,  Domenic is then willing to set a trap to see if his "bird" gets caught.

Domenic has to work with local politicians, gossip and innuendo, and move the lines of police work a little bit to solve this case.  I was surprised by the identity of the actual murderer.  This was a complex case of birders against industry, a bit of blackmail here and there, and a certain amount of apathy.  Following the line of inquiry took some doing, but Domenic made it.  Why not follow him on his journey and see how it turns it out?

Ice Red (Once Upon a Red World #1) by Jael Wye

Bianca is very close to getting a position within the company owned by her father.  Her stepmother is the current manager and isn't enthused about the idea.  But Bianca is determined.  Unfortunately, so is Victoria...

Goddess Fish Blog Tours and the author shared a copy of this book with me to read for review (thank you).  It's a Corina Press edition and is now available for order.  Please note there is graphic sex in the story, so don't buy it if this offends you.

This is a rollicking good sci fi adventure.  Almost everybody is a different breed in space; earthlings are a minority.  Bianca's father is an engineer and lives in his world of engineering concepts and projects, not paying much attention to his wife or daughter.  Victoria is quite happy with this because she has plans to take over the company and maybe even rule the world.  Being shy isn't her style.  What she can't get with money, she uses sex to conquer people.  She's mean and she's a killer.  Too bad Bianca didn't realize that sooner.

Victoria sends Bianca to look over a mine recently acquired  and make recommendations on how to proceed.  What she's really doing is isolating her so she's easier to kill.  After all, she'll just seduce the mine owner and then she won't need Bianca's recommendations.  She knows what she's going after and she knows how to do it.  Imagine her surprise Cesare won't sleep with her and can't be bought!  Not only that, he's going back to the mine that Bianca is looking over.

Things are a bit touch and go at the mine.  Bianca works for the enemy, even if she doesn't know it.  Cesare has to save his team and his mine from her.  When someone starts trying to kill them both, they have no choice except to team up and try to escape danger.  Not only does it raise their adrenalin, it raises the sexual tension, too.

The ending surprised me and pleased me both.  I could have used a bit less graphic sex, but that's me.  The story itself is very good and well thought out.  There's another book in this series that I have already requested so I can read and review that one, too.  That should tell you how much I liked it.

Jael will be awarding an eCopy of Ladder to the Red Star to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. 

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: Blog Tour

Happy reading!

 

An Unwilling Accomplice by Charles Todd

Bess is home on leave and gets orders to accompany a wounded soldier to Buckingham Palace, where he will be decorated for service by the King.  It seems an easy enough assignment until the morning after when he's no longer in his room.  Is he a deserter?  Why would he do that after accepting a medal?  And is Bess an accomplice or is it just dereliction of duty?

William Morrow and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 12th, so make a note on your TBR list.

Bess is a nurse.  She's just back from France and has seen some horrific injuries on the fighting men.  Her only conclusion was that the soldier was not as wounded as he pretended.  Where he was going and why is a big mystery to her as well as the police.  When she almost ends up losing her job over this fiasco, she decides she's going to try to run him down and make him confess she was not an accomplice.

This story not only covers the war activities (briefly) but the restrictions on women in that era.  Bess couldn't stay with the soldier without it being questioned.  She also can't do a lot of investigating without the help of Simon, who works with her father.  But she doesn't let that slow her down.  She goes where she needs to and asks her questions anyway.  Simon shows up just in time in a few instances but she doesn't admit that.

The most interesting part of the story are the injured soldiers.  The single soldier turns into three soldiers before the story is over and they all have head wounds.  It seems everyone is holding a secret or three and no one is sharing what they do know.  When she and Simon get close to answers, someone starts shooting at them.  

I certainly didn't expect the ending.  It was more complicated than it seemed and all those seemingly unrelated events fell into place.  This is a good mystery, has interesting historical factoids, and moved along at a good pace.  Mr. Todd writes a good mystery.

Blood Rose: A Clare Hart Mystery by Margie Orford

After four young boys have been killed and it appears there may be a serial killer at Walvis Bay, Dr. Clare Hart, a police profiler, is brought in to investigate.  In a town of squalor and transients, it can be hard to find anyone who cares.  The victims were orphans, most had AIDS, and no one kept track of them.  Those who don't have power or money are ignored.  These victims gave folks a sense of relief when they were removed from the living.  That makes it hard to find a common denominator.  Who killed them and why?

Witness Impulse and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity read this book for review (thank you).  It goes on sale May 13th, so make a note to pick it up then.

Clare has more than one concern.  Just before she left on this assignment, she finds out that her lover's wife is coming back.  He's not divorced yet and she takes his silence about the return as an indication he may be thinking of trying again with his wife.  After all, they have a child he loves very much.  She tells him to get out, packs up and heads out.  She's determined to do her job and work with him when she needs to but he's no longer her love interest.  At least, that's what she tells herself.

This was a strange little tale.  A special unit during the war had hidden/disposed of weapons in various places.  This desert had been one of them.  Faces from the past mix with faces in the present and death seems to come from all sides.  No one works in Special Services because they're nice people.  

Clare keeps talking to people picking up pieces of the puzzle but she can't make sense of it.  When she does, it's almost too late.  She comes very close to dying herself.

I like to read about other countries, Africa especially.  Africa has lots of different ethnic groups, lots of white immigrants, land of every variety, and the atmosphere of a land that is older than time.  This book conveys that message as you follow Clare and her investigation.  I learned a bit more about a land I've never visited, and the story was good.  This read keeps your attention.  I'll be watching for more about Clare.

A Book of Babies by Il Sung Na

Mr. Na's illustrations are luscious and lovely.  He uses unique designs that draw attention and keep it.  His stories are very simple and safe and make young ones smile.

Random House Children's Books sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.  I'd recommend checking his earlier books, too.  They're all a treat!

We begin with baby ducks and then move on to other animals and their little ones.  Some are only children, some have siblings, some walk right away, and some live in pouches for a while.  They are as different as people are.

My favorite part is that there is a duck in each example.  Sometimes in plain sight, sometimes hiding in the background.  While enjoying the story, you can also look for the duck.

This is not a new subject matter for children's picture books, but Mr. Na's illustrations make it unique and well worth the read.  It'd go nicely in someone's Easter basket, by the way.