Protector
By Laurel Dewey
ISBN: 978-1884820-85-4
June 2007, $19.95
Reviewed by Quality Book Reviews

Laurel Dewey has penned an outstanding debut novel, Protector, which is an exciting crime thriller that has a mix with the paranormal. Detective Jane Perry is a disturbed individual, she is struggling with demons from her past. Recently a family was mysteriously murdered while under her protection and her partner Chris. The incident left Jane with a damaged hand and a jumble of nightmare images that combine the burning death of the little girl with events connected to a different child, someone she has never met. Jane tends to take her job too seriously, and it hits her hard when the family dies in front of her eyes. Jane begins having serious doubts about her sanity, doubts that are furthered by her suspension from the department due to booze and refusal to accept help.

Jane is slowly spiraling out of control when she is saved by nine-year-old Emily Lawrence. The child is put under Jane’s protective care after both her parents were found brutally murdered in their home. Believed to have witnessed her parents’ murders, Emily is in danger when the killer makes another attempt on her life. What follows is an excellent tale of suspense that intensifies as the bond between Jane and Emily grows stronger and the killer takes more desperate measures.

Protector takes both traditional crime drama and metaphysical to become an intensifying debut novel. Dewey’s characters are well defined and believable as well as realistic personalities of the characters in which you can identify. Protector is a crime thriller that is both powerful and emotional with the basis of growing into adulthood from a past of being an abused child.

Laurel Dewey was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband. Dewey has also penned two non-fiction books as well as a western novella that was nominated for a Silver Spur Award.

Want to know more then please check out the dramatic book trailer at www.laureldewey.com

The Daemon in Our Dreams
John F. Rooney
Senneff House Publishers
PO Box 11601, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33339
ISBN: 9780975275672, $14.95
www.senneffhouse.com
Reviewed by Quality Book Reviews

The Daemon in Our Dreams is a suspenseful tale, the author has integrated a mix of characters and a strange mix of travel fiction and ghost stories.

The stories opening begins with the cold-blooded assassination of three people in a London pub by a Indian man, the novel outlines the prequel to this seemingly senseless triple killing. Three travelers, whom are strangers and are connected only by a shared Asian itinerary, and each have begun to have eerie, frightening dreams involving this Indian man. As it becomes apparent to each of these individuals that the others are also haunted by the same man, each begin to see the man from their dreams manifest in broad daylight. As they make their way from one port to another, this man, whom they have come to call “Ramesh,” is able to keep pace with them.. These three people, none of whom know each other, all meet on a cruise that ends up, in India. They discover that they’ve been haunted by the same visions, and they attempt to figure out what it all means. The tension escalates as they start seeing the actual dream man in all the different ports, and the appearances seem to be more threatening. What will become of the three travelers? Will the dreams come true or are they truly dreams, I think they are nightmares that I would not want to live in.

Pick up a copy to see how the above issues are resolved, and enter the nightmare yourself.

Cut To The Bone
By Shane Gericke
www.shanegericke.com
Pinnacle Books
ISBN 978-0786018147, 384 pgs.
Reviewed by Terry South, Quality Book Reviews

Cut to the Bone is a non-stop thriller, one that the reader will not be able to put down.

Governor Covington has built his “Justice Center” in Naperville, a place where they execute death row prisoners in the electric chair. The world is watching Naperville prior to the upcoming execution of Corey Trent. Also, the Executioner is particularly paying attention, he is the man who starts by killing a receptionist at a spa where Emily and Martin Benedetti are members. The police department and Sheriff’s office put together a joint task force following the murder of a police officer. As suspicions begin to build about a serial killer, the Naperville forces are on the hunt for the killer before Friday which is the Governor’s target date for Cory Trent’s execution.

The serial killer known as “The Executioner” is a twisted psychopath, he attacks his victims and the his victims bear precision cuts by a man with no conscious that remains calm, collected and completely in control. If you are looking for a fast paced thriller with edge of your seat impact then look no further, this was a thrilling and engaging read. The author has done an excellent job and has done his research, once you start you will not be able to put this one down. An excellent read from the first page to the last.

Shane Gericke became a professional writer while in high school, since he has polished his writing as both an editor and reporter for newspapers and national magazines. He currently resides in Naperville, Illinois with his wife.

Visit the authors website at www.shanegericke.com

The Screaming Room
by Thomas O’Callaghan
Reviewed by Terry South for Quality Book Reviews

Dave Driscoll is the commander of the New York Police Departments homicide division, he buried his daughter six years ago after she was killed by a drunk driver, his wife had been at home in a coma, now he has buried his wife. Getting back to his life after trying to put the ghosts from his past aside there is a serial killer lose that is killing tourists in New York City, there are very bizarre killings as the victims are scalped and then posed at tourist sites, including a Ferris wheel, Brooklyn Bridge, and the zoo. And to add to all the twist and turns, the serial killer is not one person but a set of twins, identical twins that are of different genders, they are brother and sister.

If you are looking for a fast paced thriller with edge of your seat impact then look no further, this was a thrilling and engaging read. The author has done an excellent job and has done his research, once you start you will not be able to put this thriller down. An excellent thrilling and engaging read from the first page to the last. A must read and an astounding 5 stars!

The Sacred Bones
By Michael Byrnes
ISBN: 0061146072
$24.95 – Hardcover – 304 pages
Harper Collins Publishers
www.thesacredbones.com
Reviewed by Terry South for Quality Book Reviews

The Sacred Bones is set at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. An ancient artifact is stolen from a vault beneath the Temple Mount. The theft has left many soldiers and policemen dead, leaving the Palestinians angry; tensions run high between the Israelis and the Palestinians.Charlotte Hennesey, an American forensic scientist has been hired by the Vatican to examine the ossuary which contains the bones of an unknown man who was crucified. Charlotte is joined by Giovanni Bersei, an Italian anthropologist and together they uncover forensic and genetic data that lead them to wonder if the bones could be those of Jesus.

As Charlotte and Giovanni become closer to solving the true identity of the man in which these bones once belonged, the Vatican’s security begins to have a much greater watchful eye on her. Are the bones discovered those of Jesus? Will the Vatican allow the information on the discovering or keep the secrets hidden? With her identifying the man these bones once belonged to, will Charlotte be silenced?

Byrnes has penned a superbly crafted debut novel that tantalizes with a sense of drama and of suspense as the story races forward. It is evident that he has done a great deal of research which combines historical fact and protreptic fiction. Byrnes novel is powerful and opens an emotional vein in you leaving you with the desire to read through to the end.

Michael Byrnes currently resides in New Jersey with his wife and two daughters. Byrnes attended Montclair State University in NJ and earned his undergraduate degree in marketing, and later his graduate degree in business administration at Rutgers. The Sacred Bones is his debut novel.

This was one explosive and thrilling 5 star read and one genuine page-turner to the very end.

Simple Genius
By David Baldacci
ISBN-10: 0446580341
ISBN-13: 978-0446580342
Washington Political Thriller, 432 pages
Reviewed by Terry South, Quality Book Reviews


The setting is Washington, D.C. and Virginia, and it all begins when Michelle Maxwell who is struggling with emotional problems and finds herself in the midst of a barroom brawl and ends up being arrested and put in jail. Michelle agrees to seek therapy in a psychiatric private clinic. Michelle has some demons that haunt her and she must seek help before it is to late, or before someone ends up dead.

Sean King is Michelle’s partner, they both are former Secret Service Agents, and as Sean watches Michelle’s decline he is in need of some very needed extra funds which he is lacking. Sean accepts an assignment from an old girlfriend at her Investigation Agency and takes on the new assignment which is to investigate a mysterious death in Virginia. His assignment takes him to a place called Babbage Town where he investigates the shooting near the CIA training center. As the investigation continues Sean begins to discover more accidents and apparent suicides that have taken place.

Michelle checks out of the psychiatric facility and teams up with Sean in Virginia. As the story continues to unfold Sean and Michelle are up against major corruption and must save an innocent girl before time runs out and they must expose the corruption that is occurring at the CIA training camp before it is to late. Will they be able to save Viggie, and will they unlock the hidden dangerous secrets that seem to be locked in her memory? What is this major corruption? Is our nation safe?

David Baldacci’s characters are finely tuned and are well developed, compelling and memorable. He has a gripping plot and incorporates twists and turns that will shock you. Baldacci has done a wonderful job in creating a thriller that is thought provoking and he manages to wrap everything up effortlessly so it all comes together. Reviewing this title was a great pleasure and is a highly recommended read.

Pattern of Vengeance
A Maria Sanchez Thriller
By C. Hyytinen
Echelon Press Publishing
9735 Country Meadows Lane 1-D
Laurel, MD 20723
www.echelonpress.com
ISBN: 978-1-59080-520-6 $12.99
April 2007 286 pages
Reviewed by Terry South for Quality Book Reviews

The setting begins in Minneapolis and then moves between LA, Minneapolis, as well as some scenes set in Florida. Agent Stan Bauer has been murdered and believed to have been a Mafia hit. Detective Maria Sanchez is on the case. Her partner is Tom Powders who is nearing retirement and he has been acting very odd lately, Maria is not sure what he is up too, but begins to speculate as the story continues. They believe there is a leak in the department and no one can be trusted. Special Investigator Joe Morgan is Maria’s husband of ten wonderful years.

Chief Sandra LaSalle is the new chief having moved from New York only a year ago, she is a petite redhead in her fifties and is not very well liked and has earned some names since arriving as the new Chief in Minneapolis. Due to the nature of the crimes being committed, the possibility of a leak within the department LaSalle has made the decision to assign the case to Sanchez and partners her with Morgan.

Maria was once married to Jack Sanchez known as The River Rat and was the father to her daughter Tess. He was also father to a boy named Tony, whose mother died and Maria and Joe adopted him, after all he and Tess are brother and sister. Tess is in college and is twenty years old, Tony is a teenager about sixteen. It is nearly Christmas and Tess has finished with finals and comes home to stay for a month, which is just in time as the case heats up for her parents. Will they finally be able to put an end to all the mafia’s crimes? Will anyone else die as a result of this investigation? Will the person responsible for leaking the information to Marco be discovered in time?

LaSalle brings in Etina Altmark a Russian from New York to go undercover as a runaway, she is twenty eight but looks as if she is only fifteen. Hyytinen has a way of leaving you on the edge of your seat, she has incorporated vivid details and accounts throughout the story, making this one that you have to read from front to back non-stop. The chapters are short and each chapter leaves an inevitable hook at the end leaving you with the desire to read one more and then another. The author has superbly written scenes with impact, with a steady flow of action and suspense. This story is so relentless, gripping and intriguing and a genuine page turner. The characters are so finely tuned, believable and real, you find yourself cheering them on, hoping for the best, and feel these are people you have known for quite some time. You will find yourself thinking of the characters long after finishing the book. The story erupts with explosive twists and delivers a powerful ending that will leave you breathless. This is a must read, I will warn there is mature themes including language, but I have no hesitation in saying I highly recommend reading The Maria Sanchez Thrillers. If looking for an explosive read you will not want to miss this one.

It has been a great pleasure to read and review Pattern of Vengeance and I truly cannot wait to read the first in the Maria Sanchez Thrillers, and look forward to all her new releases.

Ladykiller
By Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony
ISBN: 1-933515-05-8 $23.95
Suspense/Thriller 240 pages
Oceanview Publishing
Reviewed by Terry South for Bookpleasures

Ladykiller is the debut suspense novel by Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony, the husband and wife writing team, and what a unique writing team. They have penned a novel that is a must for crime enthusiast.

The setting is the streets of New York, and the year is 1991. Four women have been murdered from all different walks of life, including a cheerleader, stockbroker, a housewife and a prostitute. Homicide detective Dave Dillion of the NYPD is on the case and must solve these murders or risk losing his job. Dave encounters a beautiful social worker by the name of Megan Morrison, the two join forces in search for the serial killer, and romance ensues.

The press is calling the serial killer “Ladykiller”. The killer has left no clues and no trail behind to follow. The murders always take place in some out of the way place where no witnesses can be found. There are never any signs of the victim being taken against her will and no signs of a struggle with their attacker, and the murders all appear to be personal in nature. Will Dave find the killer before its too late?

Lawrence Light is an award-winning journalist and is currently the Wall Street Editor for Forbes magazine. He graduated from Columbia School of Journalism and is the author of the Karen Glick novels. He currently resides in Manhattan with his wife and co-author Meredith Anthony.

Meredith Anthony has written for a variety of sources including film, television, print and the web. She graduated from St. John’s College and also received a MA from The Johns Hopkins University.

Ladykiller is an intriguing, compelling and suspenseful crime novel packed with enticing twists and turns to keep you on the edge. The authors have created a powerful thriller that tantalizes with a sense of suspense and a steady flow of action. The characters are believable, finely developed and engaging. Ladykiller is superbly crafted with vivid detail that draws you into the story.

An astounding 5 stars!

The Naming Of The Dead
By Ian Rankin
Crime fiction 452 pages
ISBN: 978-0-316-05757-8
Little, Brown and Company
Hachette Book Group
237 Park Ave., New York, NY 10169
www.HachetteBookGroupUSA.com
www.ianrankin.net
Reviewed by Terry South for Quality Book Reviews

The setting is Edinburg, Scotland, the year is 2005. And the story begins as everyone is watching for the upcoming G8 summit. Reinforcements are called in from all over the country as a few hundred thousand demonstrators have come to protest poverty aimed at the World leaders. Detective Inspector John Rebus is originally stay on the sidelines away from the scene, but as luck would have it a routine murder investigation turns up with a clue that throws him right in the middle of things.

Rebus and his partner Clarke are on the case and due to the clues they are turning up believe they may have a serial killer. All the while tensions are running high between Rebus and Special Branch Commander Steelforth. The investigation leads to many questions of suicide or murder. Crime fiction enthusiasts will not want to miss this one. This is an astounding 5 stars!

Ian Rankin was born in the Kingdom of Fife and graduated from the University of Edinburg. The first of his Rebus novels, “Knots & Crosses” was published in 1987. Rankin is the UK’s number one best-selling crime writer and lives in Edinburg with his wife and their two sons.

Naming of The Dead won the Worldbooks Crime Thriller of the Year Award. Ian Rankin has developed an intriguing plot that is loaded with twists and turns, and has created some very witty and memorable characters. Looking for a great read that holds your attention through to the end, that is difficult to put down and is a real page turner, then this is a must read, especially for the crime fiction enthusiasts every where. Reviewing this title was a great pleasure, and I look forward to all his works for years to come.

Heart Shaped Box
By Joe Hill
ISBN: 9780061147937 $24.95
William Morrow, February 13, 2007
Reviewed by: Terry South (Quality Book Reviews) 3/07

http://www.joehillfiction.com/

Do you believe in ghosts? Hold on for the spine tingling adventure you will discover in the Heart Shaped Box. There should be a warning label attached stating “Once started, demands to be finished.”

I am not going to give away spoilers in this review, as you will want to read this highly recommended thriller. This is a fascinating psychological ghost story which is packed with thrills and chills. Joe Hill has produced a work that is so vivid and comes to life, an extremely visual novel.

Judas Coyne is an aging rock star; he collects bizarre and macabre artifacts which include a used hangman’s noose, rare books on witchcraft, a snuff film, and artwork by a serial killer. When his assistant approaches him with the discovery of a ghost being auctioned off of the internet, Judas decides to place the highest bid in order to acquire this for his collection. The suit arrives a few days later via UPS in a heart shaped box. Unknowingly, the suit used to belong to an old preacher, Craddock McDermott. This haunting is it for meddling with the spirits? Or just by chance, or is it more sinister like a curse?

Heart Shaped Box is Joe Hill’s debut novel, and proves he is an excellent addition to the horror genre with his own style and voice. Hill is also the son of Stephen King, which should come as no surprise. His plot is strong throughout; he has executed excellent believable character development. This is a masterpiece thriller; I literally read this from cover to cover in one day, I just could not put it down. This story is packed, it is spine tingling, intriguing, enticing, and is fascinating. This book, in my opinion had no faults. I think the concept and the writing as a whole can have no blemish thrown its way.

This is a MUST READ! I cannot wait for the next one.

The Thief Maker
By David H Schleicher

William Donovan is a con man who steals from nursing home residents, and his girlfriend Alice, and the security guard Lucas Tolliver are his accomplices. They prey on the Alzheimer’s ward, knowing these patients cannot be witness to their crimes. Felice Morrison, the granddaughter to one of the nursing home’s residents and Marcus Pierce a private investigator are determined to put a stop to Donovan and his accomplices. The setting takes place on the streets of New York and Philadelphia.

As the story continues, the characters interact and then you become aware that Donovan and his accomplices have ties that you did not know about in the beginning. A great read for those who enjoy mysteries. This is not only a thriller and a mystery, but it also plays on the psychological aspects, including memory loss. The characterizations are engaging, and believable.

This was a wonderful book full of twists and turns and lots of surprises.

Fringe Benefits
By F. M. Meredith
Tigress Press, 2006
ISBN10: 0-977-160-9-X $13.95
Reviewed by: Terry South

Cal Sylvester, a California police officer despises Gordon Butler, who is his rookie partner. Cal does however find his partner’s wife to be hot and has a plan to have her for more than a friend. Cal and Darcy begin a heated romance, after several months Darcy informs Cal she wants and expects more from her men.

In order to keep Darcy in the style she requires, Cal begins to plot the murder of his wife Lee Ann in order to get the money he needs to keep Darcy. He’s plan is to use his wife’s life insurance money, but what about their kids at home? Cal is completely obsessed with Darcy and now needs to fulfill his obsession. Will Cal continue with his plot to kill his wife?

While this book is compact, it delivers a complete read. It combines a luscious blend of police procedurals and thriller, and is a great read. In Fringe Benefits, F. M. Meredith brings a cast of engaging and winsome characters. And most definitely earns 5 stars, and is a must read. Hope there are many more on the way.