Good Reads & Views

The Driver by Hart Hanson
Fiction

Read it for: The intensely sympathetic portrait of a band of wounded Afghanistan veterans struggling to readjust to civilian life while recovering from harrowing war experiences, as well for the rapid pace storytelling, which is suspenseful, blunt, and funny.

What it’s about: In this debut thriller, former Special Forces sergeant and current limo driver Michael Skellig foils an assassination attempt on his client, Bismark Avila, but in the process a bodyguard is killed and Skellig is suspected in the death. Avila blackmails Skellig into becoming his permanent driver by helping to exonerate him. While working for Avila, Skellig and his “team”—his former Afghan interpreter and two other wounded vets—become embroiled in a violent race to locate some mysterious barrels.

Reviewers say: “Readers of Scott Turow and Harlan Coben will appreciate the intricate plot and rich character development. Although there is a fair amount of violence, loyalty and "doing the right thing" are the main themes of this novel.”—Library Journal.

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The Outsider by Stephen King
Fiction

Starring: Ralph Anderson, Flint City detective, and Holly Gibney, former assistant to Bill Hodges of Mr. Mercedes fame.

What it’s about: It looks like an open and shut case when Terry Maitland, local coach and all-around great guy, is arrested for the brutal murder of an 11-yr old boy. There were reliable witnesses who saw Maitland, and his DNA and fingerprints are all over the evidence. Ralph Anderson is sure he has the right guy and arrests him at a public event. But then Maitland produces an iron-clad alibi that has witnesses and DNA evidence putting him in a different place when the murder was committed. The contradictory evidence is grounds to bring in investigator Holly Gibney, who played a crucial part in King’s Bill Hodges trilogy. This being Stephen King, the supernatural eventually finds its way into the plot and if you have a phobia about worms you may want to let someone else recap the last part for you.

Audio note: This is a great experience on audio; Will Patton does an excellent job voicing all the characters, with much emotion and expertise, as he did for King’s Bill Hodges trilogy.>

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Don’t Go by Lisa Scottoline
Fiction

Lisa Scottoline delivers another suspenseful story about Dr. Michael Scanlon, who after returning to Afghanistan after a visit home learns that his wife has died in a freak household accident. He returns to plan her funeral and try to figure out how and why she died. His new baby girl is being taken care of by his wife’s sister and her husband. After the funeral he reenlists and is injured in an attack. He loses his arm and must figure out how to function in society while still mourning the death of his wife, getting to know his daughter and learning about his wife’s other life and the secrets she kept from everyone. Another good stand-alone title from the best-selling author. The audiobook is narrated by Jeremy Davidson.

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Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
Fiction

A private corporate jet crashes into the ocean shortly after take-off from Martha’s Vineyard. The only two survivors are J.J.,  the 4-year old son of a media millionaire, and Scott, an artist who was an acquaintance of the boy’s mom and a last-minute passenger. Scott manages to swim to shore with the boy and is at first hailed as a hero, but then some in the media start hounding him and he comes under federal suspicion as the crash is being investigated. Each passenger’s back story is told in flashbacks as the investigation proceeds. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called it “a gritty tale of a man overwhelmed by unwelcome notoriety, with a stunning, thoroughly satisfying conclusion.”

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Redemption Road by John Hart
Fiction

Detective Elizabeth Black is facing possible suspension for use of excessive force during the rescue of a rape and kidnapping victim, but she is more concerned about the release of Adrian Wall, a former cop being released from prison for murder. Wall maintains his innocence, and Elizabeth believes him—she is also in love with him. Meanwhile, Gideon Strange, the 14-year-old son of the victim, whom Elizabeth has been mentoring since the death of his mother, waits for Wall with a gun. When a grisly murder occurs in an abandoned church, and all clues point to Adrian, Elizabeth must make a choice that risks both her career and her life. A nail-biting page-turner that races to an explosive end, followed by a touching epilogue.

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Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Fiction

Well it is 6 months before the Trivia night and the story builds around the three main characters: Madeline, Celeste and Jane; mothers whose children attend Pirriwee primary school.  These women are all at various crossroads in their lives and the plot leads to the climax that occurs at the Trivia night. The book touches on many different subjects – among them bullying, spousal abuse, problems with their marriages, dealing with traumas from the past and beauty. The enjoyable thing about the book is how you feel like you KNOW these people.

All the Old Knives by Olen Steinhauer
Fiction

Think: Gone Girl with spies. In this short, twisty espionage thriller, a man and a woman—once a couple—meet for dinner to discuss old times. They had begun their relationship when working together as spies overseas, and old habits die hard; the conversation quickly devolves into a game of deception, power plays, and covert alliances. As the narrative ricochets between his voice and hers, the reader learns each person’s secrets. But who to trust…?

Alex by Pierre LeMaitre
Fiction

In this US debut of French author LeMaitre, a young woman is kidnapped and forced into a cage whose origin dates from an 18^th century design that was meant to deliver maximum torture (there are rats involved). Diminutive Police Commandant Camille Verhoeven reluctantly takes on the case and races against time to find the kidnapping victim, and now hostage, before it is too late. Graphic, dark, and gory, this book has plenty of twists and turns and zigs when you think it will zag. A bestseller in Europe, it is actually the second in a trilogy (Irène being the first, Camille the third) but can be read as a stand-alone. In a starred review, Kirkus calls it “An eloquent thriller with a denouement that raises eyebrows as it speeds the pulse.” 

Swimming with Sharks by Nele Neuhaus
Fiction

German born investment banker Alex Sondheim has landed a big salary position at a major New York financial firm where she is extoled for her big deals. Alex revels in her success but wants to climb higher in social circles. When real estate mogul Serfio Vitali takes a romantic interest in her she becomes involved, in spite of warnings that she is getting in over her head. It may be too late by the time she comes to the realization that he is the head of the crime syndicate, and dozens of influentials are on his payroll including politicians, police officials, judges and even FBI agents. As Alex uncovers a plan to assassinate a colleague, she realizes the depth to which the graft and corruption run. She knows that even her relationship with Sergio will not be enough to spare her when he finds out what she knows. Filled with savage violence and financial shenanigans the plot is somewhat predictable but has enough action and suspense to hold interest.

Deep Black: Death Wave by Stephen Coonts and William H. Keith
Fiction

This action-filled techno-thriller, part of the “Deep Black” series, features agents—male and female—from a secret unit of the NSA. Their mission is to foil the plot of international villains intent on destroying the U.S. through terrorism disguised as an act of nature. The action takes place around the globe, but eventually converges on the Canary Islands, where the final showdown occurs. Despite state-of-the-art communications technology that allows headquarters to talk into the agents’ undetectable earpieces, when the agents fall out of contact, they must rely on their own wits and mental toughness to survive.