Review ~ 10th Anniversary by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

10th Anniversary (Women's Murder Club)
Author ~ James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
Publisher ~ Little, Brown & Co.
Publication date ~ May 2, 2011

About the book ~ 

For every secret
Detective Lindsay Boxer's long-awaited wedding celebration becomes a distant memory when she is called to investigate a horrendous crime: a badly injured teenage girl is left for dead, and her newborn baby is nowhere to be found. Lindsay discovers that not only is there no trace of the criminals--but that the victim may be keeping secrets as well.

For every lie

At the same time, Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano is prosecuting the biggest case of her life--a woman who has been accused of murdering her husband in front of her two young children. Yuki's career rests on a guilty verdict, so when Lindsay finds evidence that could save the defendant, she is forced to choose. Should she trust her best friend or follow her instinct?

There's a different way to die

Lindsay's every move is watched by her new boss, Lieutenant Jackson Brady, and when the pressure to find the baby begins interfering with her new marriage to Joe, she wonders if she'll ever be able to start a family. With James Patterson's white-hot speed and unquenchable action, 10th Anniversary is the most deliciously chilling Women's Murder Club book ever.

My thoughts ~

The time has finally come. Lindsay is marrying Joe Molinari, the love of her life. After taking some time off after the wedding she is a little hesitant about her return to work. Changes are all-around, including a new lieutenant to answer to, Jackson Brady. Her first case back is that of Avis Richardson. A 15-year-old girl found collapsed in the middle of the road, bleeding out. It appears that she has just given birth, but apparently has no recollection of what happened since the delivery, how she got where she is, or what happened to her baby. Lindsay isn’t so sure how honest Avis is being with her. She will have to push her hard in order to find out the truth. And hopefully find her baby alive.

Yuki has a make or break case on her hands. Dr. Candace Martin is charged with shooting her husband in cold blood. It appears to be an open and shut case, a sure, must-have win for Yuki. That is until Lindsay finds herself drawn into the case and starts poking around. Maybe things aren’t as perfect as they appear to be.  And Yuki’s slam-dunk case may now be in jeopardy.

Cindy is basking in the glow of being head-over-heels in love with Rich, who just happens to be Lindsay’s partner. Working as the crime reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. She knows in this day and age - with internet news and bloggers - that she doesn’t have 100% job security. She needs to find that one big story that will make her stand out, and hopefully hold onto her job.  She gets the inside scoop on reports of several women being found passed out near their  homes, with no memory of the past several hours.  Cindy uses her investigative skills and tracks down a lead that will put her in a very precarious position.

While each of the Murder Club women works her own case they offer their own brand of expertise to each other. They each have their own worries, both professional and personal. But they are always there to help and support each other. They are each others best friends.

My issues with 10^th Anniversary are relatively minor. Lindsay, Yuki, and Cindy each have strong, independent stories, but we get only glimpse of Claire. Yes, she had a baby not too long ago, and may be shying away from trouble for now, but I wish we had seen more of her. I also found it confusing that there was a second, albeit minor character, named Cyndi. Granted the spelling is different, but it can be confusing to the reader. I think with any character in a book, we develop a picture in our minds of what we think each character looks like. With the Women’s Murder Club having been a TV show, the images of Angie Harmon as Lindsay have stuck in my mind.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Angie Harmon, but now she is the only face I see. And she wasn’t necessarily what I pictured Lindsay to look like originally.  This isn’t the authors doing, obviously, but those of you who watched the show may have a similar issue.

10^th Anniversary is typical James Patterson ~ short chapters, fast-paced storylines, familiar characters and cases that aren’t easily solved. He realizes that, at this point, everyone is probably familiar with the women of the Murder Club and doesn’t bother the reader with too much repetitive info on their pasts. James Patterson & Maxine Paetro do a great job of combining mystery, intensity, love, friendship, and suspense in this latest edition of the Murder Club series. While most may look at this book as a typical James Patterson mystery, I see beyond that, to what to me is the core of this story. The deep, unrelenting friendship that these four women share. A friendship that has survived death, kidnapping, dating your BFF’s boss, and whatever else gets thrown at them. Looking forward to when they celebrate their 20^th anniversary. 

About the authors ~ 

James Patterson has had more New York Times
bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according to Guinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1977, James Patterson's books have sold more than 205 million copies. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. Mr. Patterson also writes the bestselling Women's Murder Club novels, set in San Francisco, and the top-selling New York detective series of all time, featuring Detective Michael Bennett. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.
 

 Maxine Paetro is the author of three novels, two works of nonfiction, and the coauthor of seven books with James Patterson. She lives in New York with her husband.







Other books in the Women's Murder Club Series ~

FTC Full Disclosure ~ I received this book from the publisher in hopes of an honest review.

Review ~ Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross

Eyes Wide Open: A Novel
Author ~ Andrew Gross
Publisher ~ Harper Collins
Publication date ~ July 1, 2011

About the book ~ 

Jay Erlich is a successful and respected surgeon and dad enjoying a romantic twentieth wedding anniversary on the beach when a call comes with the shocking news that his twenty-one year old nephew has been found dead at the bottom of a famed landmark cliff, ruled a suicide. Years before, Jay’s older brother Charlie, a wayward child of the Sixties, set out for California, where he fell under the sway of a charismatic, but deeply disturbed cult figure. A horrible tragedy ensued, lives were destroyed, but as the decades passed, Charlie married and raised a family, living a quiet, secluded life in a Central California beach town, under the radar. But the demons from his past have never completely disappeared.

When Jay, to help his grieving brother, heads out West, he begins to suspect that his nephew’s suicide may not have been what it appeared at all. At first against his will, and then determinedly, Jay delves into his brother’s dark past—a labyrinth of secrets, terror, and lies buried in the Sixties, with sons fighting against fathers, broken music dreams, mental illness, and a thirty year old vendetta from an infamous killer as real today was it was back then. With eyes wide open, Jay puts his “happy” life at risk to uncover the truth, a quest that goes beyond the edge of madness and a family brought to the edge. . . straight into the depths of evil.

Drawing on two, real-life experiences from his own life, the tragic suicide of his young nephew and an encounter years ago with a cult-killer who’s name has become synonymous with terror, Gross has crafted a richly personal, yet utterly terrifying tale of two brothers, one successful, the other wayward, trying to bridge the gap that has torn them apart.

My thoughts ~ 

There is nothing more tragic, more heart-wrenching than the death of a child. Nothing.

There is no doubt that Evan Erlich is sick. The signs are certainly there. After a particularly violent outburst where Evan tries to kill those he loves, he is admitted to the psych ward. But just three short days later he is deemed better, no longer a threat to himself or others, and after stating he doesn’t want to return home, he is released to what is supposed to be a state-funded residential treatment facility. Not long after his release, Evan’s body is found on the rocks at Morro Bay. It appears that he took his own life by jumping from the top of the big rock.

Charlie & Gabriella are Evan’s parents and deeply mourning his death. They realize that Evan was sick, and apparently took his own life, but they are still looking to place blame somewhere. Whether it be the hospital who let him go too soon, the inappropriate facility the state put him in, or even themselves for passing on their mental health issues on to their only child.

Dr. Jay Erlich lives in New York with his wife, Kathy, his son, Max, and his daughter, Sophie. Charlie is his younger brother, and Evan was his nephew. When he gets the call about Evan’s death he rushes out to California to be with his brother and sister-in-law, and to give them all the support he can. While he has always been financially supportive of Charlie, he hasn’t necessarily always been emotionally there for him. He’s hoping now he can make that up to him. He soon realizes that things aren’t necessarily what they appear to be, and vows to help his brother get to the bottom of things.

When you think of Russell Houvnanian and the Riorden Ranch, think of Charlie Manson and Helter Skelter. The Riorden Ranch was owned by the ex-husband of a woman Russell became involved with. It became a place where drifters, druggies, and the like hung out. A place for those with no other real place to go. Years ago, Charlie actually lived at the ranch. A time he won’t speak about. After being involved in a mass killing, similar to the one Charlie Manson organized, Russell and his followers are locked up. Some for the rest of their lives, and some not long enough. 

The more Jay digs into the death of his nephew, the more things don’t make sense. Who was the woman seen walking up the rocks with Evan that fateful night? Where is his missing sneaker? What does the infinity keychain found among his belongings have to do with anything? What is the connection between Evan and a retired police detective he was seen with, who was recently murdered? He tries to convince Don Sherwood, the coroner’s detective assigned to the case to see that this may be something other than a suicide, but he feels like he’s talking to a brick wall. And the more Jay digs, the more he puts both his life and his family’s at risk. There is definitely someone out there who wants him to back off. And just when you think the book has come to its stunning conclusion, the author teases you with enough information to think that just maybe, it’s not quite over yet.

Eyes Wide Open is full of murder, mystery, sadness, family, and forgiveness. But what truly makes this book stand out is that Andrew Gross has written an amazing, and extremely personal novel with Eyes Wide Open. The emotions that pour out of Jay, Charlie, and Gabriella are so raw, so real, that you can actually feel them coming off the pages of the book. You can literally feel how much each of those affected by Evan’s loss are truly hurting, because the author felt this hurt himself. Eyes Wide Open is not your typical Andrew Gross book. This is a very personal story for him. He took the basis of his own family tragedy and turned it into a remarkable story that will make you hold your loved ones closer, think about what is most important in your life, and be more compassionate for those that may not be as perfect as you are. This story will stay with you for a long time to come.

 

Instead of a bio (from Andrew's website)

 OKAY, SO I WASN'T ALWAYS A THRILLER WRITER

Who was? I actually did major in English at Middlebury, but after an MBA from Columbia, and a stint at the Leslie Fay Companies, a women's clothing firm started by my grandfather, I went into the sports apparel field. I ended up president of HEAD Ski and Tennis (to brag: we grew to #1 in America in both businesses while I was there) and later, le coq sportif, a French sports fashion line. It was one-too-many turnaround situations or more precisely--one that didn't turn around, that hastened my writing career.

SO HOW'D YOU MEET JAMES PATTERSON?

Truth is, he called. Out of nowhere. An editor had given him the manuscript of a novel I was hoping to publish, HYDRA. At that point, I would have been elated if my gate guard (we live in a gated community) dialed in with a little praise. Jim said he had read the book and asked if we could meet for breakfast. He said he had several projects he wanted to write and not enough time to do them. I had the incredible foresight to say yes.

SO WHAT'S IT LIKE TO WORK WITH PATTERSON?

It was like a combination MFA and MBA rolled into one. He knows what kind of stories he wants to tell, has a keen sense of what will appeal to his readers, especially women, what's vital in a scene for it to succeed, knows exactly when the scene needs more--or generally, less! And he's an even better editor than he is a writer. Hopefully, I've learned a few things from him along the way.

SO WHAT HAPPENED?

I figured we'd do one book. It led to six in seven years. The Women's Murder Club Series became one of the leading crime series of all time! My personal favorite was The Jester set in the thirteenth century in France. If you missed it, I really recommend you go back and take a read. Lifeguard had a great, likeable hero with the odds all stacked against him. Judge & Jury, our last together, is coming out July 31, 2006.

HOW DOES A WRITING PARTNERSHIP LIKE THAT WORK?

We alternate every word.

(Jim's line, actually.) To be honest, we always began with a concept and an outline that came from him, which we fleshed out into a detailed chapter- by-chapter outline. (Some chapters longer than in the actual book!) No writer's block here, the roadmap was always there. Every day, I knew exactly where I was going. That call from Jim changed my writing life!

WHAT'S THE SINGLE, MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN A CAREER CHANGE LIKE THIS?

A supportive wife!

And I have one, in Lynn. Never once did she tell me I was out of my mind. (At least, not to my face!)

We live in Westchester County, New York. We have three terrific kids. Kristen's out of college, in the apparel biz, a natural. Matt's in college in D.C. And Nick, a squash player, goes to school in Connecticut. We share our house with a couple of Westies too.

By the way, having a Mom who believes in you all the way is good too!

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS?

If I had to start with a couple of writerly things... Dog Soldiers, by Robert Stone, All the King's Men, by Robert Penn Warren, (Read it as a search for one's father, not as politics.) Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy & Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.

WHAT ABOUT IN YOUR OWN GENRE?

Sorry, Jim anything by Alan Furst or Robert Wilson. They both deserve much wider acclaim. When it comes to classic thrillers, The Wind-Chill Factor by Thomas Gifford and Tears of Autumn by Charles McCarry are my favorites.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE QUOTE?

"Some people think they can and some think they can't and they're probably both right!" Henry Ford

"You can do anything you want in life, anything, if you want to badly enough."
Fred P. Pomerantz. My grandfather.

WHAT IS THE BEST SIDE BENEFIT FROM SEEING YOUR NAME AT THE TOP OF THE BESTSELLER LIST?

A hell of a lot easier commute.

Visit Andrew's website

Friend Andrew on Facebook

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Email Andrew ~ andrew AT andrewgrossbooks DOT com

Andrew's other books ~

FTC full disclosure ~ I received an ARC of this book in hopes I would review it.

Review ~ An Innocent Client by Scott Pratt

An Innocent Client (Joe Dillard)
Author ~ Scott Pratt
Publisher ~ Onyx
Publication date ~ November 2008
Pages ~ 368
ISBN ~ 0451412656

From Amazon ~ 

A preacher is stabbed to death in a Tennessee motel. The suspect is a waitress at a strip club. Defense attorney Joe Dillard’s too burnt out to defend anyone he knows in his heart is guilty. Then he meets the vulnerable Angel—the accused, incriminated by circumstantial evidence. Dillard’s sure she’s not capable of killing anyone. What Dillard doesn’t count on are the others drawn into the storm of the stunning crime—from the vindictive detective to the victim’s avenging son to Dillard’s own deeply troubled sister—all of whom will help to erase the line between guilt and innocence, and between an unthinkable lie and the unbelievable truth.

My thoughts ~  

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Phillip Landers is an arrogant womanizer, a boozer, one to not always play by the rules, and he’s looking to settle a score. If the bad guy ends up behind bars, does it really matter how he got there? So what if a few rules were broken. It’s the end result that counts. Defense Attorney Joe Dillard is over defending one scum ball after another. He’s finishing up his last few appointed cases before he switches teams and heads over to the other side, the prosecution. There is just one last thing he wants, and that’s An Innocent Client. He just wants one, one he knows in his heart is completely innocent of the charges leveled against them. And he just may have found that case.

Preacher John Tester is found murdered and missing a vital organ in a local motel. The investigation quickly leads the TBI to The Mouse’s Tail, a “gentleman’s club” owned by Erlene Fowler. It soon becomes apparent that Erlene (who practically steals every scene she is in) is hiding something, we just don’t know what it is yet. Then Angel Christian, a waitress at the Mouse’s Tail, who is a young, beautiful, timid runaway that Erlene has taken under her wing, is arrested for the murder, and Erlene begs Joe to take the case. Joe is determined to refuse the case, he wants out of the business, he’s done. But then two things happen: he meets Angel and can’t picture her committing murder, and Erlene offers him more money than he’s ever made on one case. How can he say no? The money will help provide for his family since he will be working as a lesser-paid prosecutor, and Angel will finally be the one innocent client he’s been looking for. Unfortunately this isn’t the only case Joe is dealing with. He has a few other death row cases he’s trying to resolve, with clients that are so demented they should be locked up 24/7, never seeing the light of day again. What these men have done, and will do, will make your insides curdle. And if all of this isn’t enough, Joe is also dealing with his mom being in a nursing home and his drug-addicted, thieving sister. A sister who holds a dark secret, a secret Joe is part of and has so much guilt over.

As a former lawyer, Scott Pratt knows what he writes about. The jailhouse visits are vivid and realistic, the people are tough and very true to the character roles they play, and the courtroom scenes are on par with any John Grisham or Scott Turow book that I’ve read. I can’t wait to read the next Joe Dillard book to find out if defending those that may in fact be innocent finally appeals to Joe and he remains a defense attorney, or if he still wants to become one of the good guys, a prosecutor. Scott Pratt hits his first legal thriller solidly out of the park. A brilliantly twisted tale of deceit, murder and the truth, that will have you shaking your head in amazement and wondering – is it really over?

 About the author ~

Scott Pratt has been writing for nearly his entire life.

He started as a contributor to a high school publication, then won the McClellan Award for outstanding writing while majoring in English at East Tennessee State University.

He later worked as a newspaper reporter, columnist and editor for daily papers in Johnson City and Kingsport, Tennessee. Scott earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1998 after commuting over two hundred miles a day for three years.

Scott and his wife Kristy have raised two wonderful people, Dylan and Kody, both of whom are currently pursuing their dreams at the collegiate level.

Three dogs now demand Scott’s attention at home: a German Shepherd named Rio, a Yorkshire Terrier named Pedro, and a Bichon Friese named Nacho. When he isn’t writing, he’s reading, watching sports on television, exercising, mowing his yard, or thinking about writing.

Visit Scott's website 

Friend Scott on Facebook

Email Scott ~ Scott AT scottprattfiction DOT com

Other books in the Joe Dillard series ~ 

In Good Faith

Injustice For All (Joe Dillard)

Reasonable Fear

FTC Full Disclosure ~ I purchased this book for my Kindle.

Review ~ Merciless by Mary Burton

Merciless

Author ~ Mary Burton

Publisher ~ Zebra

Publication date ~ January 25th

Each skeleton is flawless - gleaming white and perfectly preserved, a testament to his skill. Every scrap of flesh has been removed to reveal the glistening bone beneath. And the collection is growing. When bleached human bones are identified as belonging to a former patient of Dr. Dillon Dixon, Detective Malcolm Kier suspects the worst. Dixon was recently acquitted of attempted murder, thanks to defence attorney Angie Carlson. But as the body count rises, Kier is convinced that Angie is now the target of a brutal, brilliant psychopath. Angie is no stranger to the dark side of human nature. But nothing has prepared her for the decades-long legacy of madness and murder about to be revealed - or a killer ready to claim her as his ultimate trophy.

My thoughts ~

If it’s not bad enough finding a dead body, imagine how awful it would be to find a pile of bones, completely stripped of all skin, flesh and muscle, then bleached and piled neatly on a picnic table? A pair of sick and twisted killers is making their presence known in Alexandria. One of them hunts down a victim, has his perverted way with them, then leaves them for the Other to perform the ultimate kill, finishing with a ritual so sick it will leave even the veteran thriller-reader sick to their stomach. This time the victim is an actress who had been missing for days, who just happens to have a six-degrees-of-separation connection to attorney Angie Carlson. Just back from a weekend away, Detective Malcolm Kier and his partner, Deacon Garrison are assigned to hunt down this deranged killer.

Angie Carlson has made a name for herself as a no-nonsense, tough as nails defense attorney. Determined to do whatever it takes to get her client off, even if it means making enemies with the police. Angie got plastic surgeon, Dr. Dillon Dixon off on charges of raping a prostitute (see Senseless), having ripped the victim to shreds on the witness stand, after proving she lied about her drug use. As a favor to her sister Eva, the same prostitute now wants Angie to help her get her child back, swearing she is clean and no longer hooking. But when the client doesn’t show up for her court appearance, something doesn’t sit right with Angie. After more bones are found, and they are believed to be that of Angie’s client, it doesn’t take long for the pieces of the puzzle to fall into place. Adding in a slew of other prostitute murders and a 30-year-old murder, it becomes quite clear that there are three common denominators – Angie, Dr. Dillon Dixon, and once again, the Cross Family. Could Angie have helped get a madman back on the street to kill again? Or is Dr. Dixon just another pawn in this killer’s sick game? Malcolm, fighting his attraction to Angie because of his involvement with another woman, knows he must do whatever it takes to protect Angie from this obviously incredibly bright killer before he takes her as his final prize. The question is, can he save her in time?

Merciless is the intense, on-the-edge-of-your-seat follow-up to Senseless. It can be read as a stand-alone book, as there are references to the previous book, but I think you will get more out of the story and the characters by reading Senseless first. I enjoyed how Ms. Burton switched viewpoints between Angie, Malcolm, and the killers. We get to see the same scenes from the eyes of the cop looking to play protector, the possible victim trying to save herself, and the devious minds of two sick, demented killers. It’s nice to see that Malcolm and Angie don’t rush into their relationship. They are each given the time they need to deal with issues in their lives that, when resolved, will make their explosive union even stronger. Merciless is a taut, action-packed thriller that will hook you in from word one and won’t let you go until the final, mind-numbing, truly unbelievable, out-of-left-field ending.

Guest Post ~ Laura Alden

Musings of a debut author

My first book came out in early October, making me what they call a debut author. Which is as close as I’ll ever get to being a debutante. Not that I mind; high heels were never my best friends and I’m not overly fond of being the center of attention. (More on that later.)

Being an writer is an odd thing. You sit in front of your computer for hundreds of hours, writing and editing and rewriting and then rewriting some more. You read your dialogue out loud. You make the movements your characters make and try to figure out how to describe them in a way that makes sense. You worry about plot arcs and character development and verisimilitude and wonder how on earth you could have written the snipe hunt into the same manuscript twice.

You do all this stuff in the privacy of your own home, and then your book is published. Hooray!! You’ve achieved a lifetime goal and it’s so incredibly cool that you can hardly believe it’s happening.

Acquaintances stop you on the street. “I hear you have a book out.”
Friends ask you to sign their copy. Family members wonder which character they are.

Then you go to your first conference as a published writer and things get ever weirder. You get an official author badge. You get to be on panels. Weirdest of all, people actually listen to what you have to say.

For someone who doesn’t even like to open birthday presents in front of her family for fear of saying the wrong thing -- “Oh, a new pair of slippers. Thanks. They’re just like the ones I bought last week,” -- having a roomful of people hanging on your every word is disconcerting.

Do they realize I have to take deep calming breaths before opening my mouth? Do they realize I have no clue what I’m talking about? Do they realize there’s no guarantee that anything I say will make sense? Do they realize I have a solid reputation for sounding like an idiot?

But you do the panels and people don’t point at you and laugh, so you go away thinking that maybe, just maybe, you didn’t make a complete fool of yourself.

Home again, you think about what you learned, the people you met, the shoes that hurt your feet, and all the books you bought. What you want to do most is flop on the couch and read for a week –bliss! – however, there’s the day job and a book contract to fulfill and laundry to do, so you sadly put all those luscious-looking books onto your To Be Read pile.

And start writing. Writing and editing and rewriting and then rewriting some more….

About the author ~ 

Short Version ~ I grew up in Grand Haven, Michigan, where I spent summers picking blueberries and winters falling down on skis. In the early 80's I graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in geology. While my pursuit of the degree was interesting, a knowledge of how biaxial crystals behave in convergent polarized light has proven completely useless in my various careers. Ah, well.
Except for a year spent in Connecticut, I've lived in Michigan all my life. Currently, I live on a lake with my husband and two cats. Which means I now spend winters and summers falling down on skis.

My Life as a writer ~ Once upon a time, I won an elementary school poetry contest. The prize was getting up in front of the entire school to read my poem aloud. If the intention was to frighten me from publicly admitting I wrote, it worked like a charm.

The B minus in my college creative writing class didn’t help.

Despite a lifetime of rapacious reading, writing my own novel didn’t occur to me until the ripe old age of thirty seven. I’d just left a management job and taken a position in which I had very few responsibilities. Within two months, I was writing daily, devouring books on writing, soaking up Julia Cameron’s three pages a day advice and following Robert Ray’s schedule in The Weekend Novelist.

A year later, I had a novel in hand – a romance with elements of mysticism. I told the tale of Cinderella after the ball. I wrote of disparate cultures and loneliness and hard-won joy. I wrote and wrote and wrote.

And it was rotten. But, hey, I’d finished a novel! And I don’t read that many romances, anyway. I chose that genre only because I thought it would be easier (hah!) than writing what I love to read. Mysteries.

So I wrote book number 2. A mystery. That, too, sucked. Not as badly as my failed romance, but a sucky book is a sucky book. Next!

(For books number 3 and 4, see above paragraph.)

Numbers 5 and 6, a thriller and a mainstream novel, did not suck. However, I couldn't find an agent who agreed with that assessment. Onward!

Book 7 is Murder at the PTA, released in October of 2010, a mere twelve years after I started writing fiction seriously. Some might call me stubborn; I like to say I'm perseverant :)

Visit Laura's website 

Friend Laura on Facebook

Find Laura on Good Reads HERE

 Email Laura at lauraalden42 AT gmail DOT com

Her book ~

Murder at the PTA

A brand-new series in which murder is anything but elementary

After Tarver Elementary School's unpopular principal is murdered, PTA secretary and mother of two Beth Kennedy puts aside bake sales and class trip fund-raisers to catch a killer. And when members of the PTA become suspects, she realizes solving this murder will not be as easy as ABC...

MY THOUGHTS ~ 

Beth Kennedy, mother of Jenna and Oliver, has been divorced for a year now, and her BFF Marina thinks it’s about time she got off her butt and got out some more. It doesn’t seem to matter to Marina that Beth thinks she gets out plenty. Hello - she does own a children’s bookshop in town and has two children – all of which keep her plenty busy. Unfortunately for Beth, that is not what Marina has in mind. She thinks that Beth should run for secretary of the PTA. What Beth doesn’t know is that there are no other “candidates”. She’s it, and she has just volunteered for the position. There go her Wednesday nights alone while the kids are with her ex.


Granted the PTA meetings never go easy, but had Beth known what was about to happen at her very first meeting as secretary, she never would have “volunteered.” Agnes Mephisto, the much despised principal of Travers Elementary School, has decided that, thanks to a very anonymous and very large donation, there will be a new addition to the school. And not only has SHE made this decision, she already had the plans (they were hideous) and the builders are ready to start. Since it was a private donation, there needed to be no discussion about it, as there were no taxpayer dollars involved. WELL….let me tell you, this news did not sit well with the parents. And not to long after the meeting, Agnes ends up dead.


The gossip blog, WisconSINS, starts printing not so nice information about the locals and soon Marina (the not so anonymous author of the blog) starts receiving death threats warning her to back off. With her friend’s life in jeopardy, and having gotten a better understanding of Agnes’s life after speaking with her sister, Beth sets off to track down the killer. With a list of parents/suspects a mile long, it takes some clever sleuthing on Beth’s part to whittle down the list. But will she find the killer before he/she finds her or Marina? Is it a parent hoping to put a stop to the ugly addition or someone that has nothing to do with the school itself? Or just maybe it’s the handsome, mysterious man that has reappeared in Beth’s life? A man she hasn’t seen since she was a little girl. While it was fairly easy to figure out who the mysterious donor was, it wasn’t so easy when it came to the killer. There are lots of hints that will have you thinking one thing, only to find out they mean something completely different, and those things having nothing to do with murder and mayhem. Laura Alden’s Murder at the PTA is a fun, fresh, and exciting addition to the cozy genre. It’s great start to a new series by a new author. Just don’t let the teacher catch you not reading it.

Book Review & Giveaway ~ Blood Over Badge by Wayne Farquhar

Blood Over Badge
Author ~ Wayne Farquhar
Publisher ~ 3L Publishing
Publication date ~ April 12, 2010

Two seemingly unrelated crimes - Two seemingly unrelated killers - And two mysteries waiting to be solved ... The murder of the Mayor of San Francisco's daughter sets the stage for this intriguing and spell-binding crime thriller. Two police detectives, Jack Paige and Casey Ford are assigned to catch a cold-blooded rapist and killer. In this gritty, realistic tale of homicide, unrelated mysteries of two murderers seem to come together and make little sense. What does a man rotting away behind the stench-enclosed walls of Angola Penitentiary have to do with an evil and cruel rapist and killer now on the run from California to Texas? What is the relationship to the killing of the Mayor's daughter? Blood Over Badge, an intense, taunt and brilliantly told crime thriller, takes readers on a realistic, gritty and real-world tour de force exploring the underbelly of police and detective work. It begs important questions about out justice and penal systems; explores the nature of gray areas of good, evil, immorality, love, loyalty and family promises. Readers will be taken into an intense story with many twists, turns and surprises - and be left wholly satisfied with an incredible and shocking ending well worth the read.

My Thoughts ~

Lisa Russell ~ The daughter of the Mayor of San Francisco and murder victim. Found shot to death execution style with her hands and feet bound. 
Jack Paige ~ An experienced homicide detective one year shy of retirement and leading the investigation into the murder of the mayor's daughter.
Casey Ford ~  Just joined the detective squad and is jonesing for his first murder case (not that he wants someone to die of course).
Kyle Sanders ~ Convicted of killing a store clerk, he has spent the past 12 years at Angola Penitentiary in Louisiana.  So how could he possibly know how Lisa Russell was killed?
Justin Pierce ~ Sadistic new corrections officer at Angola who has a deep hatred for Kyle.
The Killer ~ An evil person who thinks nothing of killing whoever stands in the way of freedom.

The murder of the mayor's daughter, a murdering-rapist on the loose, a sadistic corrections office, a convicted killer and two detectives. These are the people you will meet in Blood Over Badge, a thrilling murder mystery that will literally have you hanging off the edge of your seat. A cast of characters who seemingly have nothing in common, and yet, when it comes right down to it, have the most important common thread of all. This book has everything you'd ever want to find in a solid murder mystery - death, family issues, intense dialogue, believable characters, am amazing attention to detail and enough twists and turns to make you so sick to your stomach that you'll want to keep a bucket close at hand. Blood Over Badge has an ending that will hit you in the face like a fly ball coming out of left field. An ending so shocking that you'll go back and reread it to make sure what happened really happened. A first time author with  years of law enforcement experience, Wayne Farquhar certainly knows what he writes about.  This book could only have been written by someone working with the ugliest of criminals, learning what makes them tick and the reasons they do what they do.  He takes you to a place seldom seem by someone without a badge, with words that will have you right there in the prison, on the streets and in the precinct with them.

Thanks to the BK Walker Books, I will be giving away one (1) copy of this book. 

GIVEAWAY  Rules for entering:

• This contest is open to residents of USA  residents only!
• Please complete the form below - do not leave information in the comments - it will not count.
• The contest will end on November 5, 2010 at 11:59PM EST; 1 winners will be selected and contacted thereafter.
• Once the winner is contacted, they will have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen (make sure to check your spam filters!).
• Book will be shipped directly from me.

A Brisket, A Casket by Delia Rosen (ARC)

A Brisket, A Casket: A Deadly Deli Mystery
Author:  Delia Rosen
Publisher:  Kensington Books
Publication date:  October 1, 2010

Gwen (nee Katz) Silver heard the brisket at her uncle-s Jewish deli, Murray the Pastrami Swami-the only one of its kind in Nashville, Tennessee was to die for. But she didn't realize that meant literally.

When Gwen learns she is inherited Murray's, the native New Yorker leaves her chaotic career and messy divorce behind to start over in Nashville. But the venture seems doomed from the start. Murray's taken his recipes and secret list of food suppliers to the grave with him, and ruthless real estate developer Royce Sinclair will stop at nothing to try and sandwich Murray's into his already overstuffed portfolio. Then, on Kosher Karaoke Night, longtime customer Buster Sergeant bites into his brisket-and bites the dust. The coroner says food poisoning, but Gwen is not convinced. Now, with the help of hunky police detective Beau McClintock, Nashville Katz, as Gwen is quickly nicknamed, will find herself adding private investigator to her resume, and a new love to her life.

I'm just about to start this book, so I will be back soon with my review. I figured this was the perfect book to read at the start of Rosh Hashanah.

FTC Full Disclosure ~ I received this book from the publisher in the hopes I would review it. 

Third Degree by Maggie Barbieri (ARC)

Third Degree (A Murder 101 Mystery)
Author - Maggie Barbieri
Publisher - Minotaur
Publication date - November 23, 2010


On her way to meet her boyfriend’s parents, college professor Alison Bergeron stops by a coffee shop to steel her resolve. Not only is it the first time she’s met NYPD Detective Bobby Crawford’s family, but it’s coming on the heels of a wedding proposal that she has left unanswered. Then as she steps into the shop, a brawl breaks out that ends in the death of Carter Willmott, a merciless and loathed local blogger. The case couldn’t be any simpler, and Alison witnessed the whole thing, but when Wilmott’s car explodes in the aftermath, what looked to be a crime of passion becomes something far more premeditated.

My thoughts ~ 

Last time we visited with Alison, she had been proposed to by her boy…..Crawford (she thinks she’s too old to be calling him her “boyfriend”). Now while she tries to figure out just what she wants for the future she finds herself wondering how she can get out of the pool party she and Bobby are heading to where she will meet his entire family, including his parents, for the first time. She doesn’t swim and she refuses to put on a bathing suit. Both of which seem to be a requirement at this gathering. So she did exactly what I would do if I were in her situation and headed out to get an iced coffee. Life is always better when you have an iced coffee in your hand. She walks over to Beans, Beans and after she ties up Trixie turns to head inside. Instead of going inside, she gets a door to the face (and a pretty little shiner for her troubles) as two men come tumbling out, in the midst of a fist fight. The police arrive, break up the fight and Alison goes inside the coffee house with Greg, the owner, to wait to speak with the police. Carter Willmont (fighter #1, local rich guy and blogger determined to bad mouth everyone and everything) comes back inside, coughing and struggling for breath. Shortly after he comes inside, George Miller (fighter #2 and head of the DPW) comes in and cold-cocks Carter with a hard shot to the head, dropping him to the ground – dead! Well this is certainly one way for Alison to get out of the family meet and greet!

Open and shut case right? Guy gets punched in the head right in front of witnesses, hits the ground and is dead. Absolutely no need for Alison to get involved. Right? But things are not as cut and dry as they seem when the grieving widow shows up at Beans, Beans requesting to see her husbands’ body. After that she demands they turn over his car keys and the next thing you know, everyone hits the ground as the car explodes outside, with the wife holding the remote. Seriously? How many people want to see this man dead??? Alison does her best to stay out of things until Mrs. Miller starts harassing Alison, begging her to “tell the truth” about what she saw. She really didn’t see her husband hit Mr. Willmont. He must have fallen and hit his head on something in the coffeehouse. Mrs. Miller is desperate to get her husband out of jail and will stop at nothing to do so. But since the evidence all points to the blow to the head as the cause of death – off to prison he goes.

Geez, Alison has a lot on her plate these days. She’s got the murder she witnessed, the harassment of the suspects wife, the beginning of the college semester (you have to love those new students), and her BFF Max who thinks nothing of cutting the screen in Alison’s kitchen to let herself in whenever she wants. Not done yet. She’s got a new roommate named Queen, a Hooters waitress who doubles as a private eye for Max’s new TV show, all while taking college classes. Then there is the missed period and nausea – hmm…wonder what that’s all about? Unfortunately there is something mysterious going on with her other BFF Kevin – but I’ll let Alison tell you about that. FINALLY – there is the BIG question. Yes or No? Does she marry her boy…..Crawford or not? Only Alison can figure that out for herself. But first – she may or may not have a murder to solve!?!?! Filled with humor, wit, page turning suspense, and tons of emotion, Third Degree is Maggie Barbieri at her best! Just don’t give me the Third Degree, because my lips are sealed!

FTC Full Disclosure ~ The publisher sent me this book in the hopes that I would review it.