I'm just going to do a reading update and cover a few new books in this entry. I'll get back to my look at the Mystery genre in my next entry.
New Books
I received a book order earlier in the week. A book Jo ordered for me for Valentine's Day arrived as well. And I dropped off a couple of books in some of the local free lending libraries and also found a couple of books in my series while I was out. So let's take a look at them.
"For centuries, the small English village of Dunstonholme has been the scene of mysterious tragedies. Local lore traces these strange events back to the year 1300, when a sect of Christian heretics known as the Children of Paul were involved in a bloody massacre. Since that time, there have been railway disasters, mining accidents, shipwrecks, and other terrible happenings. Now a wave of suspicious deaths has the locals on edge and looking for explanations. Dr. Tom Allen and adventurer J. Moldon Mott think they know what is behind the killings: an ancient evil, dating back seven hundred years, lies hidden underground—and it is preparing to emerge to the surface..."
"Charlotte Kramer, America’s first female president, is beginning her second term and is determined to make her mark on history although events do seem to be conspiring against her. Melanie Kingston, her best friend, just signed on as secretary of defense. Will their relationship survive? Dale Smith is the senior communications advisor to the vice president and knows a secret that could not only ruin her own career but put the credibility of the White House on the line. Tara Meyers is the most popular vice president in recent history, but does her public image match her private life?
When a classified terror threat is made public, all the weaknesses of this presidency are laid bare—and with the country’s safety at stake, someone in the White House isn’t taking any chances"
"News travels fast in the small state of Vermont. In this tight-knit society, police officers and investigators proudly maintain a kinship that transcends the boundaries of their jurisdictions. When an unidentified body is found in the peaceful town of Brattleboro, local police and the Vermont Bureau of Investigation both appear at the scene.
But before investigator Joe Gunther can begin to gather evidence of murder, a family emergency sends him to his hometown, where the lives of his mother and brother have suddenly been threatened. Gunther reaches out to a network of police officers who know him only by name and reputation as he attempts to discover the source of this imminent danger.
Meanwhile, his investigative team chases an elusive murderer who has no apparent ties to the victim. In a state that is more like a neighborhood community, secrets are difficult to keep, and it's sometimes impossible to know who can be trusted. Gunther soon finds himself opposing criminals more menacing than any he has ever encountered in order to save those he holds closest to his heart."
"Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to diabolical.
In this latest installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop them, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth-a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn. Full of humor and heart-pounding action, this fourth book promises to be their most thrilling adventure yet."
Just Finished
"I had previously read David Liss's The Coffee Trader, set in 17th Century Holland. A Conspiracy of Paper is Liss's first novel and also, as it happens the first book in his Benjamin Weaver historical series. This one is set in 18th Century London, with a focus on the stock traders and the mystery of the death / murder of Weaver's father.
Weaver is an interesting character, a Jewish resident of London, during a time when Jews were tolerated, sometimes mistreated, not permitted to own property in England, but still vital residents, as stock traders, merchants, etc. Weaver's family originated in Portugal, then moved to Holland and ultimately settled in London. Benjamin's father was what is called a stock jobber, buying and selling shares in various projects to willing participants. At an early age, Benjamin runs from home, becoming firstly The Lion of Judah, a successful boxer. When injury terminates this career, he becomes a highwayman, then later on, in his present occupation, a thief taker and sort of detective who helps people with debts, return of stolen items, etc.
The story starts with two of Benjamin's investigations, one to obtain the return of stolen correspondence of an embarrassing nature to a wealthy Londoner and the other to investigate the death, presumed by suicide of another London resident who believes his father was murdered. Balfour also believes the murder is related to the death of Benjamin's father, who was run down by a coach. Was it also murder?
Thus begins a winding tale as Benjamin begins both investigations. He tours London's underworld, has dealings, sometimes of a dangerous nature, with the biggest gang lord of London, one Jonathan Wild, who both threatens and encourages Benjamin. He finds himself becoming immersed in the world of finance, of stock traders, of the Bank of England of the mysterious South Sea Trading Company. What was his father's involvement? What is the document that his father tried to publish, the Conspiracy of Paper, and is that what had him killed.
With the help of good friend, somewhat drunken, philanderer, Scottish doctor and wannabe playwright, Elias Gordon, he finds many suspects, many people who want to do him injury or worse, as he tracks down clues to discover who killed his father. It's definitely a meandering story, but it's an interesting view of the life and times on London in the early 1700s.
We meet Benjamin's family, a family that he had estranged himself from. We also meet Miriam, his cousin's widow, a beautiful woman who Benjamin develops feelings for. All in all it's an entertaining story, with probably a few too many suspects, but it all adds to the action and drama. Enjoyable story and I will try the next book of Weaver's adventures. (3.5 stars)"
Currently Reading
"Jane Whitefield is a name to be whispered like a prayer. A shadow woman who rescues the helpless and the hunted when their enemies leave them no place to hide. Now with the bone-deep cunning of her Native American forebears, she arranges a vanishing act for Pete Hatcher, a Las Vegas gambling executive. It should be a piece of cake, but she doesn't yet know about Earl and Linda--professional destroyers who will cash in if Hatcher dies, killers who love to kill . . . slowly. From Vegas to upstate New York to the Rockies, the race between predator and prey slowly narrows until at last they share an intimacy broken only by death. . . ."
Well, there you go. I'll talk to you again shortly. Have a great weekend!
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