NEW BOOKS!!! & The Spy / Thriller Novel

Wonder of wonders! Jo and I have had things on order for quite a while now, books and things. Items from within Canada have been no problem but, understandably, mail from the UK and US have been taking much longer. But today, I received two books I ordered!! Yay!

New Books

1. Phaze Doubt by Piers Anthony (Apprentice Adept #7).

"The conclusion of the enchanting Apprentice Adept series. With most of the inhabitants of the planet Phaze/Proton incarcerated or in hiding from a hated enemy government, the job of saving this endangered planet falls to Nepe and Flach, two children with special magical powers."

2. The Innocent by Taylor Stevens (Vanessa Munroe #2).











"Eight years ago, five-year old Hannah was spirited out of school and into the closed world of a cult known as The Chosen. Ever since, followers of its leader have hidden the child and shielded her abductor. Now, childhood survivors of The Chosen who have escaped to make a life for themselves on the outside know here to find Hannah and turn to Vanessa Michael Munroe for help. Munroe reluctantly takes the job, and travels to Buenos Aires to infiltrate the cult and save the girl. Inducted in to a world unlike anything she has faced before, Munroe must navigate unpredictable members and their dangerous cohorts, the impatient survivors who hired her, and the struggle against her own increasingly violent nature so she can rescue the child before the window of opportunity closes and Hannah is lost forever."

The Spy / Thriller Novel - Victor Canning

Victor Canning

British author of novels and thrillers was born in Plymouth in 1911 and died in 1986. He was a prolific writer. His most successful series contained 4 books featuring detective Rex Carver. At the moment I have 4 of his books, having completed one of them.

1. The Whip Hand (Rex Carver #1).










"Laconic private eye Rex Canning has accepted the apparently straightforward job of tracing a young German au pair. Never one to avoid trouble, Carver becomes entangled in a dangerous game of international espionage and double dealing."

2. Doubled in Diamonds (Rex Carver #2).

"Doubled In Diamonds is the 2nd Rex Carver mystery by Victor Canning. There are 4 books in this series and this is the 1st I've read. Carver is a private detective in London and like many others, struggles to make ends meet. In some ways, he reminds me of Robert Galbraith's Cormoran Strike. 

The story starts off relatively simply, Carver's assistant, Hilda Wilkins, books him for an easy job, finding Arnold Finch to let him know about a 5,000 pound inheritance. As he investigates, he finds that there is more to Finches disappearance that meets the eye. He might have been involved in a previous diamond heist and might not wish to be found.

Carver travels to Ireland and becomes involved with Chinese spies, two twins who want also to hire his services to help acquire the diamonds. He also get caught up by British intelligence and the British police and must try to wend his way between these competing interests and at the same time try to save a young woman from both the bad guys and the police.

I enjoyed this story very much. Carver is a sensible, reasonably smart character and I really liked his assistant / partner. I hope she plays more of a role in the other stories. The story moved along at a nice steady pace and had nice little twists and turns. Very interesting introduction to the Rex Carver mysteries. (4 stars)"

3. The Python Project (Rex Carver #3).










"The rug was ivory white and I slowly sank into it. At the window stood a black-ivory-white striped daybed that could seat up to six people. Surrounded by her black and white pillows, Mrs. Stankowski sat there, legs raised.

She was wearing a short, high-necked jacket and long trousers made of silver-colored fabric; The red hair gleamed blindingly and had to cost her a lot of money at some expensive hairdresser's every few days. Her eyes were blue, but they were not that friendly. I gave her a warm smile and saw that it didn't hurt her.

"Sit down, Mr. Carver, and make it short." She pointed with a long ebony stick at a small gilt chair by the fireplace. I sat down and said: "Your insurance company has asked me to track down the gold bracelet in the form of a rolled up python that has been stolen from you ... To be honest, it is not likely that when you and the maid were there were not, someone came into this flat with the key, took the snake bracelet from your dressing table and didn't steal anything else."

4. House of Seven Flies aka The House of Seven Hawks (1952). - made into a movie 1959.

"Although striving to make an honest living running a small yacht for charter, Edward Furse dreams of a better life for himself and his son Jimmy, and when a mysterious Dutch passenger dies on the voyage back to Holland, Furse finds that fate may have placed him on the path to good fortune. Checking through his deceased passenger’s possessions, he finds papers and charts which suggest treasure long buried and forgotten. Gems ready for the taking, if only he can decipher where along the Haringvliet to find the House of the Seven Flies.

With a dead passenger aboard, Furse’s arrival in Holland is met with some suspicion and soon it is not only Inspector Molenaar who is keeping the English sailor under his watchful eye, but also Rohner, a man as well-known for his wealth as his dishonest ways in acquiring it. With dangerous competition, Furse starts to hunt for clues that can lead him to the Seven Flies and the jewels that will secure a prosperous future. However, the journey towards fortune is less than simple and Furse has to grapple with both his own conscience and a beautiful woman, whom he knows deserves more than a smuggler and a thief. . ."

The complete list of Canning's books can be found at this link.