Musings of a Bookish Kitty

When I first entered my name for a chance to read and review The Arthurian Omen through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer program, I had certain expectations for this book. As the reviews began to trickle in, I did my best not to pay too close attention, but at the same time it was hard not to pick up on some of the criticism. I then took a closer look at the back of the book. “In the tradition of Mary Higgins Clark . . .” the back cover reads. Ah ha! I suddenly understood. It isn’t recommended that a reader believe author and book comparisons that may be mentioned in blurbs or elsewhere on the back of or inside a book. I learned my lesson in that regard awhile ago. It has been a long time since I picked up a novel by Mrs. Clark, but I do think of her books fondly. She was one of my favorite “comfort” authors for many years and while maybe not the best written, they certainly were quick and entertaining. Taking all that in when I finally settled in to read G.G. Vandagriff’s novel, I had a better grasp of what I was getting myself into, and I truly think I was better for it.

Maren and her sister Rachael have been estranged for a number of years, and so it came as quite a surprise when Rachael, a Celtic scholar, telephones Maren to ask Maren's assistance in locating a sacred fifth century manuscript relating to the history and legend of King Arthur. Maren is looking forward to reconnecting with her sister and desperately wants to get away from her failing marriage. The man she married on the rebound after the suspicious death of her first husband is not the man she thought he was.

Upon her arrival in Oxford, Maren learns that her sister, Rachael, has been murdered, and Maren is sure it must be over the Arthurian manuscript. What follows is a fast paced adventure from Oxford, England to Northern Wales as Maren, accompanied by Chief Inspector Llewellyn and Sergeant Cole of Scotland Yard, begins the search for the manuscript and a killer. She is not alone in wanting to get her hands on the manuscript, and those on the same trail prove to be much more unscrupulous and deadly.

Maren comes across as reckless at times, jumping into situations feet first. She seems to be a woman who attracts trouble while the men around her cannot help but adore her. G.G. Vandagriff does a good job of keeping the characters a little off center so as to keep the mystery at bay from her main character, even if not this reader. There are plenty of twists and turns as the many plot threads begin to come together.

If you are expecting a novel that is rich in Arthurian or Celtic history and of a more scholarly nature, The Arthurian Omen is probably not what you are looking for. The writing is simple, at times repetitious and stating the obvious, but it does make for a quick read. This really isn’t the type of book that can be taken too seriously. It’s purely for fun and entertainment. I had a good time racing through the pages alongside Maren and her traveling companions.

First Sentence: Somewhere in her heart, Danielle Montgomery knew this was wrong, and her guilt had a face.

No One Heard Her Scream by Jordan Dane
Avon, 2008 (ARE)
Crime Fiction (S/T); 354 pgs

Detective Rebecca Montgomery is hanging by a thread emotionally and career wise. Her sister’s disappearance and the lack of progress in the investigation have the grieving San Antonio detective on edge. Her coworkers are tired of her butting in and jeopardizing the investigation, one that involves more than just Becca’s sister. Other girls have gone missing across the country with possible ties to the San Antonio area.

In order to divert her attention and keep her busy, Becca’s superior assigns her to a case involving the discovery of skeletal remains in the old Imperial Theatre, which had just recently burned down in an arson fire. When Becca’s investigation takes her to the doorstep of a shady wealthy businessman, she is suddenly pulled off that case as well, and the FBI takes over. Not ready to give over the reins completely, Becca decides to continue with the investigation on her own. Becca must decide if she wants to try to enlist the help of an insider, Diego Galvan, whose own motives are questionable.

Billed as a romantic suspense, it is easy to see why. Sparks fly the moment Becca and Diego first lay eyes on each other. She is not sure which side he is on, but it’s clear he has a dangerous streak that she must not underestimate. While at first I questioned the believability of her falling so fast for Diego despite common sense and the walls she had built around her, I came to recognize that her toughness was only a façade. She wanted—needed—a connection with someone and her mysterious stranger was able to get under her defenses from the very first moment. In addition to the physical attraction, he showed an interest in her and listened to her, filling a void in her heart. She had been living a relatively lonely existence since her sister’s disappearance and apparent murder.

I tend to shy away from books with heavy romance overtones as a matter of preference, and I had been hearing here and there that this particular novel might be too much in that direction for my tastes. While the sex scenes were certainly sizzling in content, they did not overwhelm the overall story, one that exposes a very dark and ugly criminal underworld that unfortunately is very much a part of our world today.

The players in the novel become obvious fairly quickly as I am sure the author intended, but where all the pieces of the puzzle will fall remain unknown for most of the book. No One Heard Her Scream is predictable in some respects, but not in all. Jordan Dane is off to a great start with her first novel. It is suspenseful and fast paced, always a good combination for a book like this. Jordan Dane’s No One Heard Her Scream came to me through the Harper Collins First Look Program.

Rating: (Good)

Be sure and stop by Jordan Dane's website website for more information about her recent books.

Read what Bookgal and April had to say about this book:
Books, Memes and Musings (Bookgal)
Cafe of Dreams (April)

Killer Heat by Linda Fairstein
Doubleday, 2008 (ARE)
Crime Fiction (S/T); 368 pgs

Sex Crimes Prosecutor Alexandra Cooper is still going strong ten books into the series. Detectives Mercer Wallace and Mike Chapman continue to stick by her side. In the latest installment of Linda Fairstein’s best selling series, Alex is pulled into a murder investigation by her friend and colleague, homicide detective, Mike Chapman. A woman’s body has been discovered in an abandoned office building at a New York ferry port, and Mike believes it may be the missing woman who Alex has been searching for. However, the dead woman turns out to be someone else entirely, a woman with questionable associations. When a second and then third body are found brutally murdered, it becomes clear that a serial killer is on the loose in the city. The sweltering summer heat and jurisdictional battles between law enforcement agencies are not enough to stall the investigation, at least not for long.

As if that is not enough, Alex is in the middle of a 30 year old rape trial, seeking justice for a victim who has lived in fear most of her adult life while her rapist has roamed free. Yet another complication arises when it becomes obvious that Alex is being targeted by a gang whose leader she prosecuted and put into prison on rape charges not long before. The question becomes whether they have murder or simply harassment in mind. In typical Linda Fairstein fashion, Alex Cooper has her work cut out for her as the game of cat and mouse turns deadly.

In Killer Heat, Linda Fairstein follows through with her trademark history lesson, this time weaving the hunt for a serial killer among the small islands of Manhattan, which had once played a part in the defense of the country. This was perhaps the weakest part of the book, however, with the historical aspects coming across more as a lecture at times than a natural part of the story. Just the same, the islands take on a life of their own, especially when a storm comes roaring into town.

One of the reasons I enjoy this series is because Alex Cooper is a smart woman who does not back down easily. She is also compassionate and cares about the people for whom she seeks justice. Too often in this novel, it felt as if Mike Chapman was dismissing her whether through his joking or his taking over a situation. While it was not too out of place considering the danger of the situation and the need for him to do his job as a homicide investigator, at times, it seemed to get in the way of the story.

Despite that, the story itself is fast paced and hard to tear away from. Once Alex and friends are on the trail of the serial killer, events happen at break neck speed as the mystery unfolds and the race to stop the killer from striking again is on. Linda Fairstein knows how to create suspense in a novel, and she has not failed in Killer Heat. The last hundred pages had me glued to my seat. While this may not be the strongest book in the series, it was still an entertaining novel to read, and I am looking forward to the next book. Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book at www.curledup.com. © Wendy Runyon, 2008.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Good +)