Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: No Deal by J. D. Allen

The latest of Jim Bean’s adventures as a Las Vegas private investigator may be the best of them all. Released last week, I raced through No Deal by J. D. Allen (Severn House, 2022) in a single sitting. It should have been a routine assignment for Bean, to escort Zevah Relan, 17-year-old daughter of corporate mogul Manish Relan, around Las Vegas for a day or so while she shops and her father is occupied with business meetings. Zevah is Relan’s oldest child from his first marriage to a U.S. citizen. After the divorce, Relan fled back to a traditional arranged marriage in India and had two more children there.

As Zevah and Bean are leaving the luxury hotel in Las Vegas where the Relans are staying, three men grab Zevah. In an instant Bean handcuffs himself to Zevah so that the snatchers have to take him too. They reward his quick thinking by tasing him twice, then drugging both of them.

He awakes in pain in a locked room with barred windows, Zevah still secured to his arm. Bean is sure he’s dealing with professional kidnappers. On the one hand, he knows they cannot be reasoned with, on the other hand, they will be businesslike about the arrangement and release the pair as soon as Relan pays their ransom demand.

When he explains this to Zevah, she is devastated. Her father has firm ideas about extortion. He has told his children repeatedly that he will not pay for them if they are kidnapped and that they need to watch their surroundings so as not to be seized in the first place. (Relan cannot be considered for any kind of good parenting award.)

While Bean works on a way out, law enforcement in Las Vegas is searching for them and Bean’s PI trainee Sandy Gupton decides to help, adding a second narrator to the story. Her interactions with the FBI and the local police manage to convey a good bit of information about corporate kidnapping without sounding like a data dump.

I really liked this story. It is a classic combination of mystery and adventure, packed with action, a great setting, and lots of surprises. It’s always a pleasure to visit Jim Bean, Sandy, and their friends. The final couple of scenes were completely unexpected. Highly recommended for thriller fans and anyone who is just looking for a good read.

 

·         Publisher: ‎ Severn River Publishing (August 26, 2022)

·         Language: ‎ English

·         Hardcover: ‎ 244 pages

·         ISBN-10: ‎ 1648752969

·         ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1648752964 

 

Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2022 

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Chain By Adrian McKinty

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Chain By Adrian McKinty: Reviewed by Laura             Have you ever wondered how far you’d go to save the life of someone you loved?   Would you commit murd...

Saturdays With Kaye: The Real Lolita by Sarah Weinman

The Real Lolita by Sarah Weinman

Considering this non-fiction book is about one of the most disturbing subjects I can imagine, I thought it would be difficult to read. However, Weinman’s concentration on linking Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita” to the real-life story of Sally Horner had me quickly involved.  

Nabokov was always determined to hide the origins of his works. His attitude was that true art must stand on its own; it owes nothing to pedestrian realities and events. Today, the opposite is true. Writers readily reveal their inspirations, and readers are delighted to find out what’s behind the stories they love and how they relate to actual events.

Nabokov went to great pains to destroy his sources. He even wrote in longhand, had his wife type up his notes, and then burned the original papers. He took notes on index cards when not actively writing and destroyed most of those, too…but some have survived. One, a big clue for Weinman, detailed the story of Sally Horner. Indications show that Nabokov originally wanted his character, Humbert Humbert, to come across an account of Sally’s kidnapping, but instead decided to use her story to flesh out the novel that’d been rattling around in his own brain for many years—“Lolita.”

The first half of this book is devoted to Sally Horner’s truly tragic story. Frank La Salle, a mechanic with a history of being attracted to prepubescent girls, saw Sally shoplift when she was only 11. He eventually made her believe that he was an FBI agent and she would go to prison or reform school if she didn’t go into hiding with him. Abusing her as they moved cross country for 21 months, Sally finally made a phone call after being encouraged to do so by a kind woman in a trailer park where they were staying.

I could go on forever about this book, but it’s better to give my advice: Pick up a copy!

Reviewed by Kaye George, Fat Cat Takes the Cake (written as Janet Cantrell), for Suspense Magazine

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Somebody’s Daughter by David Bell

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Somebody’s Daughter by David Bell: Reviewed by Brenda G’Fellers I like this book. Well-written, suspenseful, and generally believable, it offers unexpected twist...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai: Reviewed by Kristin Lucy Hull enjoys being a children’s librarian in Hannibal, Missouri.   She’s one of the young ones on staff...

Mystery Fanfare: Presidential Mysteries: Hail to the Chief!

Mystery Fanfare: Presidential Mysteries: Hail to the Chief!: I usually post a Presidential Mysteries list for Presidents Day, but with the Presidential election coming up next week, I thought I&#3...

Review: "Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot" by Ace Atkins

The latest read in the series now being penned by Ace Atkins has a distinct ripped-from-the-headlines feel to it. Late August and New England Patriots star linebacker Kinjo Heywood has summoned Spenser to his mansion in Chestnut Hill to discuss a problem. Kinjo believes he is being followed by a group of guys and wants it stopped. He also wants to know why they are doing it as he firmly believes the way they acted is not something regular fans would do. Of course, it could all just be Kinjo being paranoid. It could also be something more.

The incident of the day before was not the first time this following of him has happened. A previous incident happened after Kinjo and his wife Cristal had dinner at the Capital Grille. In that incident they were followed despite Kinjo's evasive maneuvers until he took matters into his own hands and fired his gun. Fortunately, the incident yesterday ended when he stepped out of the car with his gun and he chose not to fire it. With Kinjo feeling threatened something bad is going to happen if the pursuers return or some random stranger does something that could be perfectly innocent and yet is perceived as a threat by Kinjo.

According Kinjo agent Steven Rosen, Spenser comes highly recommend by a detective named Belson. Kinjo wants Spenser to figure out who is doing it, why they are doing it, and put a stop to it. Despite the recommendation, Rosen, and several others close to Kinjo don’t want Spenser around for a variety of reasons. They also don't want to listen to Spenser as the situation seriously deteriorates with the kidnapping of Kinjo's young son, Akira. With a child's life at stake, Spenser isn't about to worry about what those in Kinjo's inner circle think about him or his methods. It helps that Hawk and Zebulon Sixkill are around to back his play.

The latest in the series is another good read that follows the Parker hallmark of short chapters, little description, and plenty of dialogue. In a move some readers will love, Susan Silverman is kept to a minimum number of scenes where she is either a means of release for Spenser or assisting with the investigation by counseling a secondary character. The Spenser at work here is also a bit more aware of how much the underworld of Boston has changed during his long career and that it is a young man's game on both sides of the fence.

Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot: A Spenser Novel by Ace Atkins breaks no new ground nor does it crack the mold. It gives the legion of Spenser fans exactly what they want and does that fairly well. It also is a good book to escape reality with and reads at a fast pace.

Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot: A Spenser Novel

Ace Atkins

http://www.aceatkins.com

Thorndike Press

http://www.gale.cengage.com/thorndike

ISBN# 978-1-4104-6665-5

May 2014

LARGE PRINT Edition

417 Pages

35.99

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Review: "Wrecked: by Tricia Fields

The series that began with the award winning, The Territory, and continued in Scratchgravel Road, continues in the recently released Wrecked. While this novel could be read as a standalone, because of the numerous references to the two prior books scattered throughout this novel, readers who have read the earlier works will appreciate this one more. Some of those references are clear spoilers for the prior books.

Deep in southwest Texas in the Big Bend region lays the small town of Artemis, Texas. A small border town where folks struggle to survive despite the economy of the region as well as the violence that occasionally spills across the border into Texas. Chief of Police Josie Gray knows firsthand about the violence that comes across the border and might prefer that to local politics.

The idea that Mayor Steve Moss would show up at her door one morning at 6:30 am is something she has never had to contemplate before. This spring morning he has arrived unannounced and she is less than thrilled to see him no matter what he wants. She has been Chief of Police for six years now and their mutual distrust has steadily grown. According to the Mayor, a local woman by the name of Roxanne Spar, went to one of the officer the night before and filed some sort of harassment/stalking charge on Moss. Not only does Chief Gray know nothing about the case or the charge, Moss thinks she should destroy all the paperwork on the case because he said to do it. That won't happen under Gray's watch and the Mayor should have known that.

Of course, Moss should not have put himself in to a position that a woman could accuse him of wrong doing. If he wasn’t smart enough to know that as Mayor, he should have known that as a married man. For Chief Gray Moss’s problems at home and politically are going to become nearly meaningless as in a few hours her boyfriend, Dillon Reese, will disappear.

The next seven days are a nightmare for Chief Gray as she has to take a backseat in the investigation and search for Dillon. Haunted by her actions in the early hours when she wasn't aware he was missing, she can't do much of anything as the days pass and Dillon remains in the clutches of the kidnappers. Having to step aside and let others run things their way is a role guaranteed to drive her crazy if her own emotions about the events don't make her snap first.

The latest in the series from author Tricia Fields is a good read. While the previous books were more police procedural oriented, this one is considerably more psychological suspense as it shifts through the various character viewpoints. Of course the police work is still present, but the primary focus is on what Dillon’s disappearance does to Chief Gray and others as well as what being kidnapped does to Dillon. Guilt, rage, and angst are the main components for all in differing amounts as the case drags on day after day with no easy answers. Despite the occasionally travelogue feel to the series, the reads are complex and feature realistic characters and multiple interesting storylines. As noted, this is one of those series best read in order from the beginning with The Territory and Scratchgravel Road.
  

Wrecked

Tricia Fields

http://www.triciafields.com

Minotaur Books (Thomas Dunne Book)

http://www.minotaurbooks.com

2014

ISBN# 978-1-250-02137-3

Hardback (also available in e-book and audio)

320 Pages

$29.99

Material supplied the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Review: "NO REMORSE" by Ian Walkley

The plan was to let the two fathers make the ransom payoff in the valley a few miles outside of Tijuana. Two hundred thousand should buy their freedom as that is what the kidnappers wanted. At least the dads know that backup is watching them and ready to help. All they have to do is give the bad guys the money and get their daughters, Danni and Sophia.

The kidnappers take the money and then want to change the deal. Instead of giving them Danni and Sophia they offer two other teen girls. Understandably the dads want their own daughters back. Things go bad quickly and Delta Force Operator Lee McCloud and his team watch the kidnappers kill the two girls they had been holding in the van. The dead girls were somebody’s children who were murdered solely because the dads wanted their own daughter back. In the aftermath, while they do have a lead to the kidnapped girls, McCloud and his team are in a world of trouble with the United States Military.

Facing court martial and prison time for himself and others of his team, McCloud agrees to take a discharge from the Army after pleading guilty to some lesser charges. He also agrees to go to work as a contractor attached to some sort of vague shadowy unit pursing various terrorists and their monies. While they have their own stated agenda, Lee “Mac” McCloud has his own and that is saving his goddaughter, Sophia, and her friend, Danni.

NO REMORSE  spans the globe in a complicated read that touches on sex slavery, organ harvesting, Islamic terrorism, politics, and various other themes. Numerous characters are involved as are exotic locals, powerful money interests, and nightmarish weapons. The thriller style read shifts in point of view of the various characters through the use of very short scenes, constant action and a minimum of internal narration. Almost no one in this novel can be trusted as their public actions hide a far different and often devious agenda.

The result is a book that is initially slow to get started after the opening ransom scenes as all the players are brought out and explained. Once the pieces are in place the story revs up to high gear by the middle of the book. At some points the pace is so quick that the very short scenes feel rushed as the author moves on too quickly to another point of view. Season thriller readers will also notice that while the characters, often most notably Mac & Tally ( a computer hacker), display classic clichéd elements (both are haunted in their own way by tragedy in the past and are damaged loners ultimately drawn together) the overall read works fairly well as the action moves rapidly forward on many fronts. The final events seem a bit rushed and rather over the top theatrical with a state of the art fortress that must be breached, complex undersea tunnels complete with submersibles, etc.  Despite the flaws NO REMORSE as a whole works rather well and is definitely highly entertaining.

As of this date, NO REMORSE remains the sole title published by Marq Books.  The paperback copy I received of NO REMORSE contains a twelve page preview of Bait due out later this year from the author.

NO REMORSE

Ian Walkley

http://www.ianwalkley.com

Marq Books

http://www.marqbooks.com/

January 2012

ISBN # 978-0-9808066-0-1

Paperback (also available in e-book)

406 Pages (including preview)

$16.99

Material supplied by publicist PJ Nunn of BreakThrough Promotions for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2012

Review: "Damage Control: A Jonathan Grave Thriller" by John Gilstrap

“’You’ll have a whole life time to grieve.  But ask yourself this: aren’t you living pretty intensely right now?  I mean, if you take away the fear and the loss and the pain, can you think of any time in your life that has felt like a bigger adventure?’” (Page 152)

Jonathan Grave “Digger” had a plan and the trap was set in the deep jungles of Southern Mexico. The hostages and their kidnappers would arrive, he would hand over the money, and the kidnappers would leave with the money. He and Boxers would escort the kids and their chaperones back home to America only a little worse for wear. Their mega church, The Crystal Palace, would welcome them home having survived Satan’s work on Earth and his company Security Solutions would have another successful outcome. That was the plan until the voice in his ear bud explained that current satellite imagery indicated they had unwelcome company in the form of a squad of five soldiers.

An American general once famously said that a plan never survives contact with the enemy.  That is certainly true here as when the shooting stops, the soldiers are dead, the kidnappers are dead, and only one hostage has survived the carnage on the old school bus. 17 year old Tristan is covered in blood not his own and is in shock. Everybody he knew among the hostages is dead, he is a long way from home, and two very scary guys with guns have him with more enemy forces coming their way. If he thought things were bad before, he had no clue.

This latest thriller from author John Gilstrap is a good and often intense read spanning Mexico and the US. Like most thrillers, the point of view constantly shifts from character to character with the focus on the action. Intense physical action in Mexico as the three literally fight their way north mile after grueling mile to get to the US border. No less intense is the psychological battle here at home to stymy the rest of the team at Security Solutions. Various traitors do their parts to prevent the three from returning and to cover up the vast conspiracy between church and state.

The result is a solidly good thriller novel. The character development in this long running series is saved for Tristan who by the end is a far different person then when he started his adventure heading to Mexico. Forced to grow up at gun point, he becomes a man during the days as he runs for his life. That process also allows “Scorpion” to show a side of himself that he rarely shows. Those who enjoy the Mack Bolan series style of thrillers will especially enjoy Damage Control: A Jonathan Grave Thriller” by John Gilstrap.

Damage Control: A Jonathan Grave Thriller

John Gilstrap

http://www.johngilstrap.com

Pinnacle Books (Kensington Publishing Corp)

http://www.kensingtonbooks.com

June 2012

ISBN# 978-0-7860-2493-3

Paperback

400 Pages

$9.99

ARC supplied by PJ NUNN of BreakThrough Promotions for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2012