A Book A Week

Hen and her husband Lloyd have just started to settle into their new suburban home and are ready to leave their troubled past behind. Hen, short for Henrietta, has a past of mental breakdowns. When she was in college, she was convinced that a fellow student was guilty of a heinous crime. Hen took her suspicions to an unhealthy level that resulted in a psychiatric intervention. Thankfully, Lloyd stepped in and has helped her to control her irrational fears. Now she works as a successful illustrator. Life seems to be back on track.

During a neighborhood block party, Hen and Lloyd paired up with the only other childless couple, and they decided to spend more time together. The dinner party started innocently enough.  They met at the other couple's home and had a lovely evening of small talk and bonding. It was during the grand tour of the home that things got strange. In the husband Matthew's office, Hen noticed a fencing trophy. Her eyes lingered a bit too long. She caught herself, but it was too late. Matthew seemed to notice her noticing the trophy too, a flash of dark recognition on his face.

Hen knows she is being unreasonable. Matthew and his wife seem normal enough, but she can't shake the feeling that she knows that fencing trophy. It is the same trophy that was missing from the scene of a brutal murder she recently obsessed over. As she starts to observe Matthew and his peculiar behavior, her suspicions evolve to certainty. Matthew is a killer, and Hen must find a way to prove it before she becomes his next victim.

I was first introduced to Peter Swanson's writing in All the Beautiful Lies, his stellar thriller that was released last year. Before She Knew Him sees Swanson tackle psychological suspense that slowly pulls the reader along until the entire plot unravels into a twisted and startling conclusion. Swanson's story unfolds through shifting perspectives between Hen and Matthew. Hen's history of mental trauma makes her an unreliable witness. She grows more and more uncertain of her own ability to separate reality from paranoia. At the same time, seeing the events from Matthew's point of view on increases our own certainty of his guilt. The combination of both creates ever-mounting suspense that had me racing through the pages to see what happens next. Before She Knew Him is easily one of the best thrillers I've read this year and has turned me into a huge fan of Peter Swanson's writing.

With only seven novels to his name, Dan Brown is one of the most-read authors of all time. His novel The Da Vinci Code became an instant bestseller, a worldwide phenomenon, and cemented his Robert Langdon series as must read fiction. Following that smash hit, Brown's next two novels were met with a more mixed reaction. Hollywood even skipped an adaptation of The Lost Symbol in favor of the better-reviewed Inferno. Complaints aside, there is no denying Brown's ability to engage a wide audience with his fiction. Having read each of his other novels, it was only a matter of time before I would pick up his latest, Origin.

Edmond Kirsch is about to announce a discovery that he believes will change the world. The billionaire futurist is known for his revolutionary and often controversial inventions and innovations, but his latest is set to be his most impactful. The eccentric futurist has been working on the age-old questions, "Where do we come from and where are we going?". Finally, Kirsch believes he has the answers. Before he presents his revelations to the world, he consults with three leaders of the world's main religions, each of who is certain that Kirsch's breakthrough threatens thousands of years of theology.

Robert Langdon is brimming with anticipation for Kirsch's announcement. Kirsch was one of Langdon's students, and the two have cultivated a long friendship built upon their mutual intellect. Kirsch has partnered with the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao to host his unique presentation and has promised that Langdon will share an integral part in it. The interactive demonstration begins with the precision and spectacle that Kirsch excels at, but things soon take a tragic turn. With the entire world tuned in, Kirsch's evening turns to complete pandemonium. With chaos surrounding him, Langdon must step in and work to ensure Kirsch's discovery is not lost forever.

Critics of Dan Brown will say that all of his books follow a similar narrative formula, are too far-fetched, and come off as pretentious. There is certainly truth to each of these complaints, but I feel like those naysayers miss the point. At the outset, Origin teases a revelation that has earth-shattering ramifications. Brown is writing about big topics and ideas, specifically the battle between science and religion and where the two intersect. It is this very big thinking that made his early books so much fun to read. Sure, the odds of one man being involved in five controversial and history challenging situations is a bit unbelievable, but in suspending our disbelief we are taken along one heck of a ride. I'd argue that this is the first novel since The Da Vinci Code to actually deliver on its promise. More so, the topics that help drive the drama of this book are all more timely than ever. While Origin will never pass for high-brow literature, it certainly succeeds as a page-turning thriller that will keep you enthralled and make you ponder its themes long after the last page. 

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2019, 7)

"Places have secrets too, I think. Like people. You just need to dig. In land, in life, in a man's soul."

Last year, I read and enjoyed C.J. Tudor's debut novel The Chalk Man. That book weaved alternating time periods and strong characters into a suspenseful and enthralling mystery. The Chalk Man immediately became one of my favorite reads of 2018 and left me anxiously waiting to read whatever Tudor came up with next. When her publisher offered me a copy of her next novel, The Hiding Place, I eagerly jumped on the chance to read it.

Joe Thorne is happy to be getting a fresh start. He struggles with alcohol, is a gambling addict, and was recently dismissed from his teaching job in a shroud of personal and professional disgrace. As he looks to create a new beginning for himself, Joe turns to the place where everything started last time. He never thought he'd come back to his hometown of Arnhill, but here he is. He's secured a teaching position at the same school he attended. The Arnhill Academy was so eager to find a teacher that they skimmed over most of Joe's checkered past. For better or worse, Joe is starting over.

Joe's predecessor at the academy was an unassuming single mother who shocked the town when she brutally murdered her young son and shot herself. Now Joe has taken her job and moved into the same cottage where the gruesome crime occurred. He's optimistic about this fresh shot at life. He's already stopped a bully from picking on a student, is getting along with his co-workers, and seems to be on the path to happiness. Life has other plans. The longer he stays in the town, the more he's realizing that things aren't as different as he hoped. In fact, the dark history of Arnhill that destroyed his life years ago seems to be repeating itself.

The Hiding Place, C.J. Tudor's sophomore novel sees the author's brilliant writing veer into much darker territory. While this novel shares many of the same themes as Tudor's debut (childhood trauma, community culture in a small town, etc.) it really pushes the author into new territory. One climactic flashback scene, in particular, left me emotionally shaken. Tudor deftly balances these bleak scenes with brisk pacing, detailed character development, and wit that surfaces at all the right moments. As she did in The Chalk Man, Tudor again employs flashbacks to both provide depth and backstory and to ramp up the suspense. Even a twist that seemed almost too familiar for this longtime fan of Stephen King couldn't detract from my overall satisfaction with this book. With The Hiding Place, C.J. Tudor proves that The Chalk Man was no fluke. She recently tweeted that her next novel is complete, and I'll be the first in line to give it a read!

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2019, 6)

"Are you ready to play a game for us?"

James Patterson is no stranger to causing controversy amongst his fans. His prolific output and copious use of co-authors has divided readers for years. The latest snafu came in the form of Patterson's foray into short stories/novellas. On the surface, his BookShots seem like an okay idea. They are short, inexpensive stories that have the potential to satiate his fans between books and potentially serve as easy-to-digest reading material for those less-consistent readers. In his attempt to draw readers to this new venture, Patterson made a critical miscalculation.

In his BookShot Cross Kill, Patterson featured his iconic hero Alex Cross. Much to the chagrin of his longtime readers, the novella had major plot points that altered the course of the character's life and left readers of the next full novel in the series completely confused. The People vs. Alex Cross sees the famed detective on trial for the murder of several Gary Sonjei look-alikes who he shot in the aforementioned BookShot. If you didn't read the BookShot, you'd have no real context for why Alex Cross was in such a strange situation. Fortunately for me, I heard the outrage of the fans. While I didn't agree with the way Patterson used Cross in his other ventures, I begrudgingly read it and was fully prepared to embark on his 25th Alex Cross novel.

Controversy aside, I really enjoyed The People vs. Alex Cross. The novel sees Alex Cross put on trial for the killing of several alleged criminals. Yes, you need to read Cross Kill for context, but it is short and pretty entertaining. I even managed to snag the ebook version from my local library for free! As if having his entire career and judgment called into question isn't enough, Cross also finds himself involved in investigating a string of kidnappings that end in gruesome snuff films. With Cross suspended from police work during his trial, he is forced to take a back seat to his wife Bree as she tries to put a stop to the brutal abductions.

By making Alex Cross answer for all of the bodies he's wracked up over the years, Patterson comments upon the state of the criminal justice system and what actions are appropriate for officers of the law to take. With the Black Lives Matter movement causing debate in our society, this story is more relevant than ever. Patterson smartly avoids taking a stand on things, instead opting to show how both sides of the story are affected in their own ways. I've always been a fan of the Alex Cross series, and I'm happy to report that The People vs. Alex Cross is a solid installment. The book provides everything fans of the series have come to expect and takes the characters into an exciting new direction.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2019, 5)

"Every building had ways in and out that a thief could exploit. Nothing was impenetrable or invincible."

You see her running through the neighborhood, hair tied back, adorned in a form-fitting athletic tank and leggings. She has the pace of an expert athlete and the appearance of any other young 20 something-year-old whose parents probably pay for her to enjoy the privilege of living in the neighborhood. She fits in with the affluent surroundings with ease. Before you think to looks again, she's out of your sight and out of your mind. You couldn't conjure up an image of her if you tried. All of this, of course, is intentional.

Elle veers off of the sidewalk to the edge of the house. Although she doesn't live in the area, she's observed the people here enough to blend in. She's been burglarizing homes since her youth, so entering this one poses no real challenge. She slips into the building undetected and begins taking stock of her potential score. The walls are aligned with artwork that only someone with money could own. Elle quietly makes her way into the master bedroom. Before she can locate the safe, she spots the recently dead bodies of two women and one man. When she looks at the opposite wall and sees the red light on the video camera, Elle knows she is in trouble.

Thomas Perry's latest release The Burglar sees him tackle a unique mystery with an alluring main character. Elle's approach to theft is almost surgical in its precision. Perry mirrors this scientific like approach with bare prose that focuses more on descriptive action than exposition. While this writing style works well for this particular narrative, it does create a bit of detachment to the story. We don't get much backstory or character development outside of Elle's point of view.

Fortunately, Elle is a fascinating character who precariously balances the line between right and wrong. I took more joy in discovering more about her as a character than I did in solving the actual mystery. She is the kind of person who purposefully creates distance between herself and others, even leaving her group of friends in the dark about some of the trouble she is in. I found the end of the novel to be a bit rushed, leaving some plot points unfulfilled. Still, there's no denying the skill and restraint that Thomas Perry's latest novel displays. The Burglar may not be a nail-biter, but it is still a solid read.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2019, 4)

With the dust of the contentious 2016 presidential election finally settling, Americans are beginning to look toward the 2020 contest. As the early stages of this election begin to come into view, potential Democratic candidates have started to offer a counter choice to Donald Trump's controversial presidency. It seems to be a prerequisite for each prospective candidate to publish a memoir that gives voters an intro to their family upbringing, political history, and hopes for America's future.

In his memoir, An Unlikely Journey, Julian Castro attempts to plant the seeds for his own political future. Castro recently announced his candidacy for President, so this book seems a bit inevitable. His story is pretty compelling. In sharp contrast to the rhetoric of the current President, Castro writes about the value of immigrants to the US. His family descends from Mexican immigrants, and he was raised with a deep connection to his culture. He witnessed the ways his family members worked hard and persevered to build their own version of the American dream. Moreso, he saw his mother's never-flinching commitment to provide him and his identical twin brother with the opportunities only a solid education could provide.

Julian has had an interest in politics for most of his adult life. He's grown and learned from each of those experiences. From student council member, city council member, city mayor, and finally head of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Castro has dedicated his life to public service. He writes about the challenges of those demanding positions and the need for balancing them with the needs of his young family. Ultimately, his most passionate explanations are the ways in which he eschewed personal gain for the needs of his constituents. Specifically, Castro writes about initially turning down a job with the Obama administration so that he could see a large education policy for San Antonio children come to fruition.

San Antonio is my hometown, and I remember Castro as being the first mayor I was actually aware of. His Pre-K for SA initiative still stands as a lasting testament to his commitment to providing a strong education to future generations. Despite my personal connection to his story, I'd be lying if I said An Unlikely Journey is a good read. He fell into the trap that many political memoirs do. His personal story is compelling, but his writing on political aspirations and specific policy halt any narrative momentum. Instead of coming off as an inspiring story of rising from nothing, An Unlikely Journey ends up being a mere clog in Castro's political machine.


For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2019, 3)