Virals
by Kathy Reichs
Released: November 2010
Penguin Group Int'l, Hardcover, 454 Pages, ISBN 978-1-59514-342-6
Genre: Young Adult Sci-Fi/Mystery

Review: 4 out of 5 stars
Synopsis: Fourteen-year-old Tory Brennan has a lot going on in her life. After the death of her mother, she is living with her marine biologist father on Morris Island in South Carolina. She is getting to know the father she never knew, while he is getting used to being a father to the daughter he had never known exisited. Tory has also found out that she is the niece of one of her heroes, the famous forensic anthropologist Temperence Brennan. Tory is doing the best she can to adjust to her new life. With new friends who are science geeks like her, she explores nearby Loggerhead Island, where the research institute her dad works at is located. But she soon notices that something strange is happening at the Loggerhead Research Institute. There are secret experiments, a disappearing skeleton, and a thirty-year-old mystery. After rescuing a half wolf pup from the secret lab, Tory and her friends start experiencing changes in their DNA. They become VIRALS and they become targets.

Review: I liked this book, though it started a little slow. Once the characters are introduced and we know their backstories, the action doesn't stop. I did think, however, this book is more geared to a younger audience. The story seems kind of young for a 16 or 17-year-old. I am thinking more 12 and up. Kathy Reichs hit the right note with the characters. I loved Tory's friends Hi, Ben and Sheldon. I am looking forward to the futher adventures of Tory and her pack. An exciting and fun story!

Reviewed by Dinah Colegrove

The Murder Room: The Heirs of Sherlock Holmes Gather to Solve the World's Most Perplexing Cold Cases
by Michael Capuzzo
Released: August 2010
Hardcover, 439 Pages, ISBN 978-1-592-40142-0
Genre: Non-Fiction Murder Case Studies

Review: 5+ out of 5 stars
If you are a fan of true crime or forensic shows, this is the book for you. These men and women are real heros. Capuzzo's The Murder Room draws you in from the beginning. It is a tale of three investigators that are offended that one out of every three homicide cases in the U.S. goes unsolved. These sleuths: William Fleisher, a former FBI agent and customs agent turned P.I.; Frank Bender, a forensic artist and ladies man; and Richard Walter, an eccentric forensic psychologist and profiler known as "the living Sherlock Holmes"; form a group called the Vidocq Society, named for the 19th century Paris detective Eugene Francois Vidocq, whose life as a crime fighting ex-con inspired the creation of the detective novel. The first detective novel written by Edgar Allan Poe, The Murders in The Rue Morgue, was inspired by the life of Vidocq, who founded the Brigade de la Surete in Paris in 1811. It later inspired the creation of the FBI and Scotland Yard. In 1833 he opened the first private detective agency a full 17 years before the Pinkerton Agency was founded in the United States.

The three original members of the Vidocq Society invited the greatest collection of detectives, forensic specialists and others to join them in tracking down the killers of our country's toughest unsolved homicides. Working these cases pro bono, they meet once a month for dinner and a new case of murder to solve. The Murder Room gives you the stories of these heros and what inspires them to give their all in helping the victims and their families. It shows us the skill and insight into the criminal mind that these men and women possess. You are glad they are there to speak for the dead. Long live the Vidocq Society.

Reviewed by Dinah Colegrove

Angel Interrupted
by Chaz McGee
Released: September 2010
Berkley Prime Crime, Paperback, 327 pages, ISBN 978-0-428-23314-6
Genre: Mystery/Paranormal/Police Procedural

Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Kevin Fahey was never a good cop, a good husband, or a good father. But since he was killed in a drug bust gone bad he has been searching for redemption in doing what he can to help his replacement, Detective Maggie Gunn. In this second book of the Dead Detective Mystery series, Chaz McGee has written another winner. I had enjoyed book one in this series, Desolate Angel (July 2009 release), and this book did not disappoint me. It was a great story on its own and a good follow-up to the first book.

In this story we find Maggie investigating the death of nurse Fiona Harper. As she arrives at the scene, a young boy, Tyler Matthews, is kidnapped from the park across the street. She now has two crimes to investigate. Are the crimes connected? Maggie searches for answers. Kevin Fahey figures he better help because her new partner is a bit of a bully and not very good at detecting anything. He has to figure a way to point Maggie in the right direction even though she can't see or hear him. If you like a good mystery, you will love this story.

Reviewed by Dinah Colegrove

The Postcard Killers
by James Patterson and Liza Marklund
Released: August 2010
Little, Brown and Company, Hardcover, 420 pages, ISBN 978-0-316-08951-7
Genre: Vacation Thriller

Review: 5 out of 5 stars
James Patterson teams up with the #1 best selling author in Europe, Liza Marklund, to take us on a chilling tour of Europe.

NYPD detective Jakob Kanon is on a tour of the most beautiful cities in Europe to try and catch his daughter's killer. Kanon's daughter Kimmy and her boyfriend were murdered while on vacation in Rome. After their deaths he finds that young couples in Athens, Salzburg, Madrid, Copenhagen, Berlin and Stockholm have been murdered. The only clue to connect any of the deaths is a postcard sent to the local newpapers in each city prior to each murder. Kanon has tried in each city to get himself included in the investigation and to convince the departments that all the deaths were committed by the same murderer or murderers. He goes to Stockholm when Swedish reporter Dessie Larson receives the next postcard. With her help they figure out a pattern to the clues and think they know where the next victims will be. The Postcard Killers is an edge-of-your-seat ride that James Patterson is so good at delivering. He doesn't disappoint you this time and will keep you in suspense until the end.

Reviewed by Dinah Colegrove

Ghost Of A Chance , A Ghost Finders Novel
by Simon R. Green
Released: September 2010
Ace Books (a division of Penguin Books), Paperback, 260 Pages, ISBN 978-0-441-01916-8
First in a new series genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy

Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Our heroes at the Carnaki Institute are what stands between the world and what goes bump in the night. Team leader is JC Chance, an arrogant, talented, rising star of the Institute. He is assisted by Melody Chambers, techno-wizard extraordinaire, and Happy Jack Palmer, a telepathic smart-arse who self-medicates as much as he can. Their current assignment is to investigate a possible haunting underground at London's Oxford Circus Tube Station. They get more than they bargained for, as this haunting is a lot more than the usual ghost. To complicate matters futher, Carnacki Institute's nemesis, the Crowley Project, has sent a couple of nasty agents, Natasha and Eric, to kill JC and his team. The Crowley Project wants to use the hauntings in a bid to gain even more power.

The book started a little slow and in fact it reminded me a little of reading a screenplay at first. The story didn't start taking off until about page 60 and then ran at full tilt until the end. It reminded me a bit of a much more bloody and violent Scooby Doo gang and I ended up enjoying it. This is a book for people who enjoy books like The Dresden Files. If you like ghost stories with a twist, don't miss this one.

Reviewed by Dinah Colegrove

Spider Bones, Temperance Brennan Novel #13
by Kathy Reichs
Released: August 24, 2010
Scribner, Hardcover, 302 pages, ISBN 978-1-4391-0239-8

Review: 5 out of 5 stars!
In her thirteenth book with forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan, Reichs has written another solid, entertaining mystery. It starts with an investigation of a drowning death in Hemmingford, Quebec and leads to a search for truth in North Carolina and on to Hawaii and the headquarters of JAPAC, The U.S. military's Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command. When the body in Canada is identified as John Lowery, it raises a lot of questions. John Lowery was declared dead in 1968 from a Huey crash in Vietnam, his body sent home to be buried in North Carolina. Upon arrival in Hawaii, JAPAC has yet another set of bones attached to John Lowery's dog tags. Which one is the real John Lowery? Who are the other 2 bodies? Why won't family members give DNA swabs to help with identification? Tempe is joined in Hawaii by her daughter Katy, suffering from a personal loss, and her ex, Detective Andrew Ryan, and his daughter Lily. To complicate matters further, she is asked to consult on a case with Honolulu's medical examiner, Hadley Perry. As Tempe tries to unravel the mystery and deceit, she is run off the road. Is it tied to the John Lowery case or is it because she is helping Hadley Perry? As she unravels the tangled web, Kathy Reichs serves up a great story that her legions of fans will enjoy. Happy Reading!

Reviewed by Dinah Colegrove

Ghost Moon, The Bone Island Trilogy, Book 3
by Heather Graham
Released: September 2010
Mira Books, ISBN 978-0-7783-2796-7

Review: Rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Heather Graham's summer trilogy has been very enjoyable. Starting with Ghost Shadow (July) and Ghost Night (August), we are taken for a ride through Key West's spooky side. At the beginning of each book we are given a historical timeline of events that happened in Key West throughout its history. Each book has ghostly ties to that history. In Ghost Moon, police detective Liam Beckett pays a visit to the reclusive collector, Cutter Merlin, the grandfather of his childhood first love. He finds Cutter's long dead body in his study looking as though he had been scared to death! His mouth opened as if to scream and his eyes wide with fright with a gun on his lap and a death grip on an occult book and a reliquary. He calls Kelsey Donavan to inform her of Cutter's death and she returns vowing to follow his wishes in distributing his artifacts and treasures. From the first she senses that she is being watched, when there is no one else in the house. Is the Merlin house cursed? Was Cutter fearful of dark forces? Liam knows that some ghost stories are true, and with the help of the ghost Bartholomew and his friends, vows to keep Kelsey safe. The Bone Island Trilogy is a good spooky ride though the dark side of Key West. Enjoy the trip.

Reviewed by Dinah Colegrove

Scarlet Nights: An Edilean Novel
by Jude Deveraux
Released: August 2010
Atria Books, ISBN 978-1439107973

Review: My rating is 2.5 stars.
This was an enjoyable and somewhat lighthearted suspense. It is the third Deveraux novel set in the town of Edilean, Virginia. Mike Newman is in his sister's hometown looking for a mother and son duo of con artists. People he suspects of not only conning innocent people out of their money but also of murder. Since his sister is away on her honeymoon, he plans to stay in her apartment with her friend, Sara Shaw. Sara is currently engaged to his suspect, Greg Anders, aka Stefan Vandlo. Scarlet Nights is an enjoyable tale of heartbreak, romance, a Scottish fair, family rivalries, light suspense, and happy endings. You will visit characters you know from Deveraux's previous Edilean novels and have a good time.

Reviewed by Dinah Colegrove

The Eternal Ones
by Kirsten Miller
Released: August 2010
Razorbill, An Imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., ISBN 978-1-59514-308-2

Review: As it is, I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
I thought I would love this book as it was a book about eternal love that for once wasn't about a teen in love with a vampire. I was intrigued by the story of love, reincarnation, secret societies, and murder. Seventeen year old Haven Moore has had visions since she was 3 of a past life as Constance and her love Ethan. When the Tennessee town of Snope City becomes convinced she is possessed by the devil, she runs away to New York to investigate the memories and to get the help of the mysterious Ouroboro Society. She also goes looking for billionaire Iain Morrow, as she is sure he was her Ethan reincarnated, a man who in both lives is suspected of murder. My problem with the book is, at 411 pages, it is too long. I feel clever editing would have made the story much more suspenseful, the heroine less wishy-washy, and the meeting with Iain a little less creepy (you have to remember we are talking of a 17 year old girl ). That said, it was an interesting story that held my attention and had me thinking about it later. Edit it by about 100 pages and it would have been stellar.

Reviewed by Dinah Colegrove

Discord's Apple
by Carrie Vaughn
Released: July 2010
TOR, ISBN 977653-2554-9

Review: I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.
At first I found this book hard to follow. After I read a few chapters I found that Carrie Vaughn has written an exciting tale of magic, gods, mystery, and an unlikely heroine. Set in the future in a time that all nations are at war with each other and the apocalypse is near, comic-book writer Evie Walker has gone home to Hope's Fort, Colorado to see her dying father. It is a place she no longer feels at home. With strange people showing up asking for objects from the basement that she had never been allowed near in her youth, we are taken on a ride through myths, magic, and fantasy. Along with Evie, who is the new Keeper of the storeroom, we are taken on a journey that you are not ready to let go of in the end. You will definitely want a bite of Discord's Apple.

Reviewed by Dinah Colegrove

Veil Of Night
by Linda Howard
Released: August 10th, 2010
Ballantine Books, Hardcover, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-345-50689-4

Synopsis: We start out with a bad day for wedding planner Jaclyn Wilde. Not only does she have to stand in line to pay a traffic ticket, she is almost knocked off her feet by hot Hopewell, Georgia Police Det. Eric Wilder, then has to deal with Bridezilla Carrie Edwards. When someone murders Carrie after a very public argument with Jaclyn, she is the prime suspect. Det. Wilder has to solve the crime and find the real murderer so he can clear Jaclyn.

Review: I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.
I was looking forward to this book, even though I had been disappointed by two of her previous books, Ice and Death Angel. Linda Howard has a wonderful talent for writing likable, independent women and heroic men. The dialogue is witty, believable and sometimes makes you laugh out loud. Where this book fell short was in making the suspense weak. The heroine needed to show more fear and the mystery needed to be more mysterious. I feel if the killer had not been so obvious it would have been a better book, or maybe I have read too many mysteries and find the killers easier to figure out. I did enjoy the book though and feel that most of Linda Howard's fans will be happy with the story.

Reviewed by Dinah Colegrove

I Am Number Four
by Pittacus Lore

It's time to put away the broomsticks and plastic teeth, and pull out the alien antennae! I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore is a great read. Funny and creative, it brings a whole new outlook on being a teenage alien with superpowers. I devoured page after page and kept wanting more.

Reviewed by Jeremy A.

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X
by James Patterson

Another book to read that I enjoyed just as much is The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson. Another great story of a teenage alien helping us humans survive against the dangers of the universe, one slimy extraterrestrial at a time!

Reviewed by Jeremy A.

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