The First Days

The First Days - As the World Dies: Book One

by Rhiannon Frater

Reviewed by Gerti

I have been reading Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga’s zombie novels for the past few weeks, so it is with great joy that I have discovered a strong, new voice in the genre – Rhiannon Frater. Her “The First Days” is delightful in a number of ways. First, her writing is strong and clear, and the image she draws in the first pages of the housewife whose zombie baby is trying to reach her – with the little fingers peaking beneath the door – is truly haunting. Second, she has female protagonists, which is something Kirkman and Bonansinga dabble in with their “Walking Dead” novels, but Frater (being a woman!) does it better.

However, that said, there are some rough patches in the novel as well. While I like the storyline about prosecutor Katie helping housewife Jenni out of town when the zombie apocalypse hits urban Texas, I got tired of the constant references to Katie’s lesbian lifestyle. I also wearied of the weaker Jenni consciously thinking about how she can’t be apart from Katie, because Katie is her protector now, taking the spot vacated by her now zombie-fied husband. Those passages seemed either grating or whiny, depending whose brain we were picking, to use a phrase zombies might appreciate.

Ultimately, however, the book is the story of each woman discovering her strengths and through their partnership, accomplishing feats, like rescuing other people, that truly weak individuals would not be able to manage. There is a level of realism, like when she shows the workers at the rural gas station who don’t believe the end of the world has arrived, and the rich idiot who still wants to throw his weight around in a world where money and what kind of car you drive no longer matters. These people all get killed, while our adaptable heroines carry on, first finding safety in a gun shop and then in an isolated, fortified town.

“The First Days” is a thrill ride, and a great first effort from author Frater, who apparently started writing the novel on-line, but has luckily now gotten a contract to publish all three books in her zombie trilogy. Having finished the second book, “Fighting to Survive”, by this time, I can say that it is even stronger than this one, and does not share the “rough patches” that I had trouble with in this initial offering. So I would advise readers who love the zombie genre to pick up this book, put up with its shortcomings, and plow on to Ashley Oaks, the town where civilization is trying to rebuild itself in the midst of a hoard of reanimated dead people. You won’t be sorry that you entered the world that talented newcomer Frater has created.

The Cinderella Murder

“The Cinderella Murder” by Mary Higgins Clark

sequel to “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”

Review by Gerti

Mary Higgins Clark newest novel is novel in a number of ways. First, for this book, she uses a collaborator named Alafair Burke (which makes me question how old Clark is), although she has co-written books before with her daughter. And second, this book continues the story of Laurie Moran, a TV reality series producer with bad luck in her real life, but great luck in her career. She’s just produced a ratings-busting TV pilot called Under Suspicion, which tries to take long-cold murder cases and uncover the killer. Now her boss wants more of those shows. She’s chosen “The Cinderella Murder” for her second show, even though her boss was pushing for her to work on the Jon Benet Ramsey case.

In the first book, Laurie’s high profile crime series comes to the attention of the man who killed her husband years before, and he tries to put his own high-caliber spin on the ending by killing her. Fortunately for Laurie, her dad used to be a powerful NY cop, and he foils the killer’s plans. In this sequel, her father once again senses a killer is trailing the TV crew when a neighbor to Cinderella’s mother, Rosemary Dempsey, is found bludgeoned to death in her backyard (which is actually good, since she’s an obnoxious character!) Laurie thinks there is no connection, but her dad does not believe in coincidence. So he and Laurie’s son, Timmy, head to California with the production crew to keep an eye on things, and hopefully catch the killer before he can get to Laurie.

The original murder goes like this – Susan Dempsey, Rosemary’s daughter, was a beautiful and talented student at UCLA. She is found dead (minus one shoe) near the home of the movie producer she was supposedly auditioning for, but his alibi is another beautiful blonde acting student (Susan’s roommate Madison) from UCLA whom he supposedly called to his home after Susan didn’t show up. Another roommate named Nicole was never originally under suspicion, but Laurie thinks she’s being far too secretive about the murder, as is Susan’s former boyfriend. But don’t forget to put the boy who was crushing on Susan (currently a quirky computer billionaire) and their hunky college professor on the list of suspects. Add a crazy religious cult and you’ve got your mystery.

Clark’s characters are always well-drawn, distinct, and likable, so I found myself caught up in the story, however convoluted. The only thing I don’t like about this book is the romance between Laurie and the lawyer who interviews the graduates, named Alex Buckley. Fortunately, there is just a touch of romance, (and a smattering of gramps and son) so that I would recommend this quick and satisfying read to anyone. I’m glad to hear that they are starting a series of these books, and look forward to reading the next one.

I've Got You Under My Skin

“I’ve Got You Under My Skin” by Mary Higgins Clark

Review by Gerti

I’m as irritated as the next guy by the fact that Mary Higgins Clark always uses old songs titles for her book titles, but this book is much better than the title might indicate. It tells the story of Laurie Moran, a TV series producer who has had a bad stretch of luck. Her last two shows bombed, and her husband was killed. On top of that, the killer told her young son that he was coming after him and his mother, too. Fortunately for Laurie, her dad used to be a powerful NY cop, and he retired to watch over his grandson Timmy. The only clue to the killer is that he has blue Eyes, but we don’t find out till the end that they are only contact lenses.

Because of her affinity for crime victims, Laurie pitches a story idea to her boss for a series of shows on unsolved murders. She chooses to start with a doozy – the case of wealthy socialite Betsy Powell, found smothered in her bed the night after a Graduation Gala for her daughter and 3 of her friends. Turns out, each of the girls hated the lady, and each had a good motive to kill her. Betsy was such a witch, though, that other people wanted her dead as well, and hundreds of people were invited to the house party. So whodunit? Old Mr. Powell wants to find the answer before he dies, and so he’s willing to pay each of the girls (now women) $250K to reenact the night of the party at his house – and be questioned by a lawyer.

Laurie’s new show is so high profile, however, that the man who killed her husband hears about it, and he’s ready to put his own high-caliber spin on the ending by killing her. His name is Bruno Hoffa, but of course that’s an alias. He’s pursuing revenge on Laurie because her father, when he was still a cop, put him away for 30 years.

Sounds like a pretty hackneyed plot, but Clark is such a good writer, that this novel really works. Her characters are well-drawn, distinct, and likable, so I found myself caught up in the story. It’s a delight finding out how evil Betsy Powell is, and how she ruined the lives of the 4 girl murder suspects. The only thing I don’t like about this book (besides the title, which doesn’t appear anywhere in the book), is the romance between Laurie and the lawyer who interviews the graduates, named Alex. It is irritating that Clark has to have her protagonists find love in many of the books she writes, but perhaps that’s part of their appeal to many of her readers. Romance novels with mysteries attached, or Mystery novels with a touch of romance? To me, the book would have been stronger if she had left that out. There are so many other juicy relationships going on, the budding romance between Laurie and Alex is the least interesting in the book.

In summary, Clark’s style is easy breezy, and I would recommend this quick and satisfying read to anyone. The characters are great and the plot moves fast

On the Street Where You Live

“On the Street Where You Live” by Mary Higgins Clark

Review by Gerti

Mary Higgins Clark novel “On The Street Where You Live” is a lively tale of murder in the present, and in the past. Protagonist Emily Graham moves back to her ancestral home in the seaside town of Spring Lake, New Jersey, after a nasty divorce. Her family sold the home at the turn of the century after one of her ancestor’s was murdered.

Emily is just settling in when the crew out back digging a pool make a grisly discovery – there are two bodies in her back yard. One body is recent, the other is of her ancestor, who has been there since 1892! The odd thing is, the recent murder victim, although wrapped in plastic, has her ancestor’s signet ring clenched in her cold, dead hand. This means that the modern killer knew about the earlier body. How is that possible? Since she’s just taken the house, Emily is beyond suspicion for the crime, but there are a number of characters in town with motive and opportunity to commit the crime.

Emily’s divorce was not the only thing that drove her away from her job as an attorney. She was also being stalked by the son of murdered woman who went mad after Emily got the alleged killer acquitted. When Emily starts getting ominous photos and post cards again, she checks to make sure this whack-job is still locked up – he is – but then has to think about who else hates her. Her ex-husband is one of the suspects, but she doesn’t even think of her high-tech millionaire buddy. He gave her a bunch of stock for defending him in a case, and she cashed it all in to buy the big house on the shore. What she doesn’t know, is that her sale led to a sell-off of other stock in the man’s company, and now he’s got revenge on his mind as well.

There are so many secrets in this small town that it would be re-writing the novel to list them all. Suffice it to say that Clark’s characters are well-differentiated and interesting, with the heroine very likable, and the baddies very disagreeable. The only aspect I didn’t like was the subplot where the modern killer perhaps was the reincarnation of the killer from the 1890’s. But if you can get past all that nonsense, “On the Street Where You Live” is a quick and satisfying read with just a touch of history and romance thrown in for good measure. Well worth picking up.

Where are You Now?

Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark

Reviewed by Gerti

I generally like Mary Higgins Clark books, and “Where Are You Now?” is no exception. The plot is wonderful, as it involves the disappearance of a college student named Charles MacKenzie, Jr., called “Mack”. He has been gone for 10 years without a trace, but calls his family every year on Mother’s Day to assure his mother he’s fine. However this year, his sister Carolyn grabs the phone to tell him she’s had enough. She swears to him on the phone that she is tired of this abuse, because he is torturing his family by his absence. And she swears to him that she will track him down this time, which sets a whole lot of dominoes tumbling.

Carolyn decides to go back to the Private Investigator that her now dead father initially hired to find Mack. She also tries to go back through and interview all her brother’s friends and associates from the time he disappeared. Among the most suspicious are his old apartment superintendent and his wife, Gus and Lil Kramer. Lil used to clean the apartment Mack shared with 2 roommates, and is very nervous when Carolyn starts asking questions about him again. Turns out, she was convicted of stealing jewelry from an old ladies apartment before, and suspicion rises that maybe she had stolen something from Mack, which lead to a fight and… more? Gus is definitely a hot head. Could he have killed Mack?

Also on the list of suspects is the “Lone Stranger” roommate, who married a girl Mack used to date once he disappears. He spirits his wife out of town before Carolyn can get to her, and her interview with him is mighty cold. Carolyn had a crush on the third roommate, playboy Nick DeMarco, whom the cops think is responsible for kidnapping another college student recently. So is he good for the older crime, too?

The plot thickens when the missing girl’s cell phone is used, and she claims that “Mack” has kidnapped her. So is that why he disappeared? He had some kind of mental breakdown, and is now some kind of kidnapper/rapist? Carolyn’s head spins with the possibilities. But in the end, she sticks to her guns that Mack is innocent of the crime, which puts her in even more jeopardy from the real kidnap/killer.

I realized early on that one of the people the family knew well had to be responsible for the recent kidnapping, and it turned out that was true. But who it was a pretty neat twist and I found it very satisfying that I had correctly pegged one of the good guys as a baddie, as well as guessed his motivation for the crimes. “Where” is a satisfying suspense novel that will keep you glued to your seat until you finish the last word.

While My Pretty One Sleeps

While My Pretty One Sleeps by Mary Higgins Clark
Review by Gerti

"While My Pretty One Sleeps" is another winner by Mary Higgins Clark. The protagonist is Neeve Kearny, the only daughter of a former Police Commissioner of NYC. You would think that connection would keep her safe in the city. Instead, it means that Neeve has been exposed to lots of famous people, and some of them are even dangerous! After her mother Renata is murdered, a mobster is put into prison for 17 years, but now he's set to be released, and Neeve's dad is worried that she will be his next victim.

Besides being a potential victim, however, Neeve has a full life. Although she still lives with dad, she runs a very successful clothing store, which caters to the rich lives of New York who have no fashion sense of their own. One of her clients is a hard-to-love, hard-as-nails writer named Ethel Lambston. When the lady goes missing on the eve of a large delivery of clothes, Neeve makes it her business to fin out what happened to the old bird. In the process, she runs into Ethel's mooching nephew, Donald, who has moved into the lady's apartment just as she has done her disappearing act. Also on the suspect list is Lambston's ex-husband, Seamus, whom she's been bleeding dry financially for over 20 years. That man and his second wife, Ruth, are at wit's end and the pressure is on to stop paying alimony, with their 2 kids in college and his liquor business no longer as profitable as it was. He admits they had a big fight. But did he kill her?

Unlike so many mystery books, Clark keeps the reader guessing until the end, and even when the killer is revealed, it is a hug surprise, as there is another suspect who I haven't bothered to name here who is just as likely to have iced the old girl, as he's involved in running seat shops and guilty of tax evasion. He's so openly evil that Neeve has refused to carry his clothes in her shop anymore, so he could have put a hit out on her as well. This book is a thrilling whodunit with only a few sour notes, including the romance of Neeve's father with the widow who found Lambston's body. The book was well written, and the ending very satisfying, as it tied up several loose ends. I would recommend "While My Pretty One Sleeps" to anyone older than their teens.

The Associate

The Associate by John Grisham
Review by Gerti

John Grisham is famous for writing legal dramas. Some, like "The Last Juror," are amazing. While not up to the the genius of that book, "The Associate" is still class "A" storytelling. Grisham's effortless writing is a joy to read, even is his storyline here, about a group of college friends who may/may not have committed a rape, is not the most palatable. Kyle McAvoy is the protagonist, and his is the Tiger Woods of law students. The son of a small-town lawyer, Kyle grew up around the law, and therefore excelled at it in college, even becoming the editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Review. While his father and girlfriend want him to do some pro bono work for a few years in order to give back to the community after graduation, McAvoy is also being courted by some big name law firms from New York, and one of them just made him an offer he can't refuse.

Some cell phone video of the rape just surfaced, and someone, we're never sure who, is using it to force McAvoy to join the largest law firm in the world and become part of a lawsuit they are putting together for a defense contractor. McAvoy is being forced to discover secrets in order to save his own reputation and that of some college buddies, including Baxter Tate, a drug-swilling trust fund baby. Another college buddy tries to help McAvoy figure out who is behind the blackmail attempt, but it is never clear whether it's the opposing law firm, the government itself, or some characters with an even shadier agenda.

There is of course a little sex with a cubicle mate named Dale at the law firm, but McAvoy doesn't tell her about the trouble he is in either. Finally, when McAvoy is on the brink of doing something illegal, he comes clean to his father and another lawyer, who get government officials they can trust involved. Still, the setup for his handler doesn't net the suspect, and McAvoy has to go into hiding, because he knows he just made somebody's hit list, too.

"The Associate" is a good book with enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. The only thing I didn't like about it was that although we know that McAvoy never committed rape, which is good, the truth about who exactly is manipulating him is never revealed to the reader, and even after all that effort and investment in the plot and character, we are left with fewer answers than we'd like. As a result, reading "The Associate" is a little like a date with a cute guy who never calls you again. You are left wondering why, and spend your time, dissatisfied, going back over what happened to see what you missed.