On My Bookshelf: The Merry-Go-Round by Donna Fasano

The Merry-Go-Round by Donna Fasano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“The merry-go-round was traveling in reverse. The horses, tigers, bears, zebras were all circling tail-end first as if competing in some bizarre, backward race.” – The Merry-Go-Round

Thirty-eight-year-old lawyer Lauren Flynn harbours a lot of resentment toward her soon to be ex-husband, Greg. All she wants from him is his signature on the divorce papers. Or at least that’s what she tells herself.

While I didn’t feel that this was a comedy, it was one of the best romances I’ve read in a long time. Engaging story with strong, real people. Lots of sexual tension but no gratuitous sex scenes. Balanced pacing with no flat spots.

I didn’t warm to Lauren straight away, but the more I got to know her, the more she grew on me. In the beginning, she came across as quite hard and bitter, but I soon discovered that was only a veneer and brittle at that.

Highly recommended.

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On My Bookshelf: With Full Malice by Brenda Hill

With Full Malice by Brenda Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“She aimed for his heart and pulled the trigger. Blood sprayed from a blackened hole in his shirt and he staggered backward. The pistol recoiled, but she stepped forward and fired a second time, knocking him off his feet. Bending over his sprawled form, she fired again, putting a round through his temple.” – With Full Malice

This is the second Brenda Hill novel I’ve read. I enjoyed this one even more – it’s not quite as intense as Ten Times Guilty and the reading is effortless, the writing more assured.

Hill’s strength is her character development. The author explains it best when she says she writes about women in crisis, celebrating the inner strength women sometimes forget they possess. And it’s this growth that we see with Maddy Young, haunted by the murder of her parents when she was only six years old and the promise the killer made to return for her. I cared as much for Maddy as her grandmother and Detective Dexter Quinn did.

If you’re looking for a fast, easy read that packs a punch, then I highly recommend With Full Malice.

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On My Bookshelf: The Naked Room by Diana Hockley

The Naked Room by Diana Hockley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“I crouched over the steering wheel, urging the Suzuki car on. Drivers coming the other way leaned on their horns as they fronted my headlights. The car behind me caught up and settled right on the back bumper, forcing me to take more chances. It swerved and began to draw alongside, until I could see the dark shape of the driver in the side mirror. I did a lightning inventory of what was in the car. Nothing available for a weapon. Can’t out-run him.” – The Naked Room

The Naked Room was recommended to me as a cracking good read, and it’s that and more. Hockley’s writing is strong, sensory and compelling, the plot complex and fed on secrets and lies. The many strands are woven seamlessly into the story.

The book’s structure is a bit different from the norm in that there are multiple points of views with most narrated in first, one point of view per chapter. It’s a technique, I imagine, that takes skill, but it works well here. Chapter headings help keep the reader in the right head and on track, although I had to occasionally flip back to check whose head I was in. I think that’s probably more about the way I read than the narrative, though.

Highly recommended. I look forward to reading Hockley’s next, The Celibate Mouse.

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New Release Giveaway - Billy Bones: Beyond the Grave by David Burton

To celebrate the release of Billy Bones: Beyond the Grave, a Choose-Your-Own-Demise novel, author David Burton is doing a number of giveaways:

“First up, the fine folks over at The Cheap. For Kindle readers, check out their KOTC site, for Nook/Kobo/etc, visit their regular site. I’m giving away 25 copies at each site, so go get your name in there for your chance to win!

As it becomes available at various retailers, I’ll update the links at my Billy Bones page, so check back often.

And if you’re new to Billy Bones, you can read the first chapter here.”

For more information, please visit David’s website.

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On My Bookshelf: The Lottery Ticket by Tony Eldridge

The Lottery Ticket: A Novel by Tony Eldridge

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“A thunderous bang shattered the surreal moment as the car hit the slope of the mountainside. Jason watched trees and bushes fly by as he stomped with full force on the brakes. The seatbelt cut into him like a violent fist refusing to let go. He lost all orientation when the car started tumbling down the slope.” – The Lottery Ticket

The Lottery Ticket is a fast-paced, easy-reading thriller populated with complex characters, each with his/her own agenda. Greed is a powerful motive.

Eldridge’s writing flows with an ease and naturalness that makes reading a pleasure. It’s a “clean” story – no offensive language or the like – which also makes it suitable for a younger audience.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

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Suspense Radio: Inside Edition for May 2012

Suspense Radio brought to by Suspense Magazine: M. William Phelps, star of the TV show Dark Minds in the ID channel and bestselling true crime author kicks off the show. DJ Niko is next, talking about her book The Tenth Saint, the first in a new series. NY Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey is back on Suspense Radio with his latest book, An Accidental Affair. Cindy Cromer closes out the show to talk about her book Desperate Measures and her journey into the eBook world and much more.

The much more includes audio clips from selected books. The opening to Thin Blood, narrated by Basil Sands, features in this episode (56m45s). Thanks for listening.

Also available as a download: suspense-radio--inside-edition-for-may-2012.mp3