As a reader of The Dry, I was looking forward to another great story and was not disappointed. Corporate Retreats for team building and leadership skills are fashionable, and this story centers around a retreat gone wrong. Four of the five female participants return expecting the fifth to have arrived before them.
As the story continues we learn more about each of the women as well as the organization for which they work. Each of the women is facing desperate family crisis about which they are worried. As they move along the trail they pick up the wrong track leading them deeper into the Giraland Range and into deeper concerns for their well-being.

Hovering over them is the mysterious disappearance of a young girl and the murder of three others decades ago. As times goes on instead of trust building and team work old dislikes and hostilities emerge making the journey more difficult.

What happened to Alice? Is she simply lost or has something more tragic found her. Each of the women offer a piece of the puzzle but time will tell.

I strongly recommended the novel. It is well written and a great treat. The author is able to keep the intensity high and the story-line moving. I read the novel in one sitting and was not disappointed in the time spent.

I like the relationship between mom and son. Also liked the son's willingness to help his girl friend no matter what. A good wholesome read for a summer's day

I have never run across a book that was presented to the reader the way this book was set up. In important scenes the book showed what various characters were doing at the same time by writing the prose in separate columns across the page. It was unique in my experience and at first was a bit strange but as the book advanced I came to find it very helpful in moving the story along.

A beautiful new hotel on a lovely unspoiled beach is about to open. The general manager and several key staff have remained late to perform last minute checks to be sure all is ready. The hook for this exclusive hotel is that it has the latest and greatest privacy and safety features for celebrities to unwind, businessmen to enjoy their mistress or any other secretive meet up you would like.

But things go horribly wrong from the very start with a housekeeper discovering blood where none should be in room 717. One by one the staff meet the killers who plan to leave no one alive. But Tess, the GM, and her boyfriend Brian, who shows after an eleven year absence are determined to have a different ending once they are aware of what is happening. The story is told by an unseen and unknown character who works to save Tess and Brian from the slaughter.

I enjoyed the book, the murder scenes are not particularly gruesome for those who might be squeamish. It is an unusual story written in an unusual way which does not distract from the story or the pleasure of reading the novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I did not give the book five stars only because I was a little confused at first with the presentation.

Far From True is the second in a continuing story about Promise Falls. On a clear and beautiful night a group of young guys try to sneak into the outdoor theater, which is scheduled for demolition the next week. Just as the group drive up there is a huge explosion which brings the movie screening crashing to the ground crushing several cars and their occupants. From there the story looks to identify the who and why of the explosion and who and why were those murdered in the explosion. Finding out exactly who turns into kind of a circus which is explained by the why of those murdered. But as in the previous book we have reached another cliff hanger.

If you like serials with characters killed off as new ones are added this serial of Promise Falls novels is well written and kept my interest even though I had not read the previous book. I prefer my mysteries to be nicely concluded with a satisfying resolution which is why it has a four star rating from me. I would like to know if the mayor is re-elected and what 23 means. Next book.

in war torn Sarajevo a fearless front-line reporting crew try to get the real story for their readers at home. The human side of war that is. But going for that story leads to a horrible tragedy that affects the crew forever. With nothing but their lives the remaining crew face the past and the present in a world where the bad guys are protected and possibly by the U.S. Government itself. Well written. Acceptable for mature teens and adults.

The plot is well worn among mystery thrill writers. Girl kidnapped and tortured. She escapes serial killer who is sent to mental hospital. He eventually escapes and the chase is on. It stretches my credibility that after enduring torture and abuse a young girl can repair her psyche enough to be willing to hunt for her torturer herself. However that said the book is well written. It is a quick read on a rainy afternoon. The plot is nothing new but the book held my interest. No gory scenes so the book would be ok for young adults an older.

Little Black Lies is interesting from several different perspectives. The setting is the Falkland Islands, where people all know one another and there are few secrets. The second important factor is the islands have a very low crime rate so when a crime occurs it may be not be recognized as a crime. The third perspective is the main character, Catrin Quinn, is a deeply wounded woman who has lost her children in a horrible and tragic accident. Her job as a sort of wildlife agent brings other significant and tragic events to play in a way that threatens her very life. The story begins with a boy who has gone missing. As the search for the child continues more information about Catrin's loss is shared which appears to be the motivation for how current findings about the missing child are interpreted. A very complex and fast moving story I read it in one sitting. Difficult to put down with each page bringing a new possibility. Thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was well written. Anyone who loves a good mystery will enjoy this book. Acceptable for young adults an older.

Jackie was ambitious courageous and artistic. She loved politics but it didn't love her. Her college years and early married life are not well known but help to explain the tremendous pain she suffered when Jack died. Her reasons for marrying Onassis aren't well known but are explained well; all in all she was a very strong woman who endured much. The book is a good read for anyone who remembers the Camelot years and wants to know more. Well written and well documented through letters and personal conversations. Somewhat intense.

Having arrived at adulthood during the time of Camelot, I have been predisposed to be invested in the media's continued focus on all things Kennedy. I, like others I'm sure, were mystified by some of their actions. Reading this book has clarified some of the myths and mysteries surrounding the family. The book provides a perspective on an important historical period in U.S. history and perhaps a true appreciation for a woman who achieved great personal and professional success under difficult circumstances. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking a greater understanding of that period and the politics of today.

"The Race Underground" is a critical and detailed examination of two cities engaged in an intense rivalry in the late 19th century. New York and Boston, at the time this adventure started, were both dirty and crowed cities. Horse draw streetcars had been the basic means of transportation for over 50 years leaving little to the image the suffocating stench. Alfred Beach, publisher of Scientific American, had a dream of using an underground system But many challenges lie in his way from political to technological to the inbred fear of being underground. His dream comes to fruition in the tale of two brothers, one successful the other not so much, two cities and two subways. This is a detailed account of how New York and Boston tunneled their way into a transformation from the pre-industrial to a world of new possibilities.

I love a good mystery. But I really love a good mystery with characters who could easy be my next door neighbor. The whodunit part was sort of obvious but the reasons for it were not so one couldn't be sure. The main character was a strong but not necessarily confident woman, which is a great theme, not to have the superwoman. Other characters helped make the story a different kind of mystery read. Wonderful book and I will read more by this author. Although mystery solved, am hoping for a sequel to find out how the personal chapter in her life is resolved.

Is an ex-law officer ever really able to leave it behind? Are there some officers for whom truth and justice are more important than rules and protocol? These questions are not directly addresses but certainly give the reader a chance to ponder.

A well written story with two strong believable female characters who have strengths and weaknesses on which the plot depends rather than a string of violent situations. I look forward to future efforts by this author.

Perception is not always reality and getting it right sometimes is less important than keeping face, especially if you belong to the upper echelon of the art world. Claire Roth has a real artistic talent but also a stubborn streak that won't let the truth hide even if it costs what she most wants. Can she afford the price?

The book pulls the reader into the world of art, only some of it is not pretty. But it is a page turner. Not a mystery per se but certainly suspenseful.

Can 15 seconds change your life forever? How can an everyday event in one person's life affect the lives of people that the first person has never even met? We all hear about decisions made in a split second can change your life forever. This book dramatically describes just how such decisions can and do affect not only your own life but those who aren't even known to you. Thought-provoking and a very fine read.

Most crime fiction, which is a favorite genre of mine, usually finds the main character in the role of PI or Police detective but not this one. The main character just happens to find the body and becomes a central figure in the investigation without intending to. The book is very well written and has an intriguing plot. The story was so compelling that dinner was over an hour late because I had to finish it without stopping. Good Job Mr. Olshan!

In 1937 Russia, Captain Alexei Korolev is caught between his party loyalties and his sense of justice, while investigating the murder of an actress. What makes the job more difficult is the one secret condition under which he must perform the investigation. With endless possible suspects, Ryan writes an intriguing crime fiction drawn from history. Rated good versus very good because occasionally a bit stilted but a fascinating story none-the-less.

This would be a good read for teens as well as for adult women. Although not a romance story it is definitely a romantic story. The backdrop is tragic as the main characters are forced to examine their decisions, determine what is truth and live with the consequences.

If your teenage years were perplexing ones, then this novel shows you were not alone. While alternating time frames can be disconcerting in some novels, they help support who these characters were and have become. It is a tough book because it has not been a happy time for them and, in the end, it is not clear that the solving the mystery of Rose's disappearance will make a difference. A melancholy book but worth reading if you want to share the lives of your novel's charaters from either the adult or teen perspective. I would recommend the book and would read it again.

This is a typical English novel with lots of detail and a slower paced story than most American mystery novels. However, the story held my interest throughout the novel. The protagonist experienced a variety of emotions with uncertainty and fear the key elements as well as lots of action before he was finally able to safely resume his old life. But the reader will have to decide for his/her self if, in fact, the story has really come to an end. Well done.

This is the first Jack Reicher novel I have read. And if this is your first you will be happy to know that it does not depend on previous stories to enjoy the novel.

In many suspense novels I am often able to guess the outcome. In this one I really couldn't tell who the bad guys were because everyone seemed to be hiding something. There is one very graphic scene but it was not an overreach for this storyline. It did make me wonder how much of the backstory was based on real events.

While I have not read the previous novels, I am looking forward to the next one since I would expect this character to find new challenges to face and not simply a replay of the last one in different clothes.