Stalking Jack the Ripper

Hello all! It's been quite some time since I posted anything. Between a new job and a newborn baby, my plate has been overflowing. But, I finally finished reading a book! And it was wonderful. This book was given to me by one of my best friends and I started it nearly six weeks ago. Somehow, between feedings, naps, and late nights, I finally completed Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco.

Here's the synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.


Review:
This historical fiction/mystery crime novel was very entertaining. Though I didn't have the time to become completely enthralled, I feel like if given the proper attention, then this book could consume a reader's entire day (or night).

I really enjoy historical fiction so I also enjoyed Maniscalco's interpretation of Jack's reign of terror. She combined some interesting scientific advancements and trials of the time to add to the plot. The characters were also intriguing. I liked Audrey Rose's resistance to the typical stereotype associated with the late 1800s woman. She fought against the poufy skirts by studying science, specifically forensic science. The love interest, Thomas, who is a suspect at one point, was also intriguing. He seemed like a dark and twisty kind of guy but turned out to be a sweetheart with a scarred past. Just the way we romance readers like 'em! *wink wink*

It was also very satisfying to be right about the identity of Jack the Ripper, though the blurb "I was the girl who loved Jack the Ripper" kind of limits the suspect list.

I do recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction and young adult novels. However, I feel I must add that this book has some gruesome descriptions along with a couple creepy photographs! (Add a dark and stormy night to induce chills.)

Rating: 4/5 Cups

(Can't believe I got this whole thing written while my little one sleeps! Maybe I should change the name of the blog to A Mom Who Reads so the interruptions are already implied! haha! Happy reading!) 

Teaser Tuesday (302)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

Liar, Liar (Kindle 49%)

   - Sarah Flint

Powell's guilt was absolute. The presence of the red roses, the stems devoid of thorns at each murder scene connected them irrefutably. However, the significance of the roses remained unknown, and the only reason for the removal of thorns appeared to be the avoidance of inadvertent DNA contamination. The team wanted more... 

Teaser Tuesday (278)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.




A Life Removed (Kindle 8%)
    - Jason Parent

Jocelyn looked to see if Bruce, the senior officer in the room, had any objection to her taking control of the questioning. When he nodded, she pulled a small notebook from her breast pocket and flipped it open then uncapped the slender pen she kept inside the spiral rings. "Were you with him on November third?" 

Weave a Murderous Web

No good deed goes unpunished. When Jane Larson—a hot-shot litigator for a large firm in New York City—helps out a friend, she is sucked into the unfamiliar world of divorce and child support.

Jane's discovery of the deadbeat dad’s hidden assets soon unravels a web of lies, drugs, and murder that keeps getting more dangerous.

Soon, Jane is involved in a high stakes race to recover a missing suitcase of cash and catch the murderer before she becomes the next victim.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Murder victims, a long list of suspects, enough motives to go around... Welcome to the delicate legal world of NYC. Anne Rothman-Hicks and Ken Hicks share the next case of Jane Larson in their fast-paced thriller, Weave a Murderous Web. 

Jane Larson is a hard-hitting lawyer who does not back down. She's persistent, intelligent, and knows which questions to ask. Readers will enjoy her ability to stand up for herself and remain relatively calm in the face of danger. Her kind heart is revealed when she takes a case, basically pro-bono, to help out the daughter of Gail (a woman who only cares about herself) and Larry (a drug dealing lawyer who had his license revoked) at the request of her friend, Francine. Jane's only motivation is to make sure that Courtney gets the money she needs to live, after her father is murdered. I think readers will relate to Jane's passion to help, like her tough personality (a required trait in NYC law firms), and understand why she can't let this case go, even if it puts her life in danger. 

The plot of the novel revolves around the divorce case of Gail and Larry. Though Larry claims that he is completely broke, Gail believes that he's hiding money and she's prepared to do whatever it takes to stake her claim to that money. This is where Jane Larson comes in, but the case is not that simple. Especially when Larry is murdered. Jane is forced into a race to find the money, and a little digging connects a lot of people to Larry's side-job as a drug dealer. This creates a chaotic web of suspects and motives that will give readers a little mystery to solve along with Jane. The most entertaining part of the book is that any of the suspects could have done this and it creates a feeling that Jane cannot trust anyone. This brings readers closer to Jane as she slowly focuses in on the villain. It's always intriguing and entertaining to try to discover the murderer before the main character, and the authors give readers a few clues that could help them. And of course, the pressure built into the story makes the book even more thrilling because readers will undoubtedly want Jane to make it out alive. I would highly recommend this book for those readers of mystery and crime thrillers. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

What's Next, Wednesday (66)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to... 

Weave a Murderous Web by Anne Rothman-Hicks and Ken Hicks. This book promises to be a thrilling mystery and crime novel. Lawyer, Jane, soon finds herself not just helping out a friend, but trying to track down a murderer before she becomes his next victim. I'm really looking forward to a fast-paced mystery novel that will hook me from the first page, so hopefully this is it. 

The Dog Walker (The Detective's Daughter #5)

Stella and Jack must reawaken the secrets of the past in order to solve the mysteries of the present.

January, 1987. In the depths of winter, only joggers and dog walkers brave the Thames towpath after dark. Helen Honeysett, a young newlywed, sets off for an evening run from her riverside cottage and disappears.

Twenty-nine years later, Helen's body has never been found. Her husband has asked Stella Darnell, a private detective, and her side-kick Jack Harmon, to find out what happened all those years ago. But when the five households on that desolate stretch of towpath refuse to give up their secrets, Stella and Jack find themselves hunting a killer whose trail has long gone cold.

*May Contain Spoilers*

The Dog Walker, by Lesley Thomson, is a detective novel that delves into the cold case of Mrs. Helen Honeysett, a young woman who disappeared thirty years ago on the Thames river towpath. Stella, the owner of Clean Slate, a cleaning company, is hired by the victim's husband, Adam Honeysett, to clear his name after all these years. With a community full of suspects, some living and some deceased, Stella and her partner Jack must turn over old stones, and open old wounds, to find out what happened on January 7, 1987. 

Stella Darnell seems to be a born detective. She's calm under pressure, doesn't mind pushing the wrong (or right) buttons, and is open minded enough to not cast blame prematurely. Her father, Terry, was also a detective and his instructions on how to ask questions or get suspects to open up guide her actions. Stella is a trusting woman, but she doesn't allow that to cloud her judgement. She seems to accept people exactly how they are, which allows her to see others from a unique, nearly outsider, perspective. Though Stella is one of the main characters, not a lot of the book's detail is about her. This might seem like it would be difficult to connect to her character, but Thomson's writing style makes up for this. The details that build Stella's character come out in her delicate actions and thorough thought process, as well as her spontaneous soirees led by intuition and interest. With her web of trusted allies, readers learn a lot about Stella from the background. There isn't just one main trait about Stella that brings readers to feel a connection with her, it's a combination of attributes that work to make her three-dimensional. For example, the fact that she owns a cleaning company says a lot about her personality. Stella likes when things make sense, when the dust is cleared away and the truth can be seen in the clutter that makes up a person's life. 

Though Jack's character offers readers a different sort of connection. Jack is Stella's partner in detective work and also works for her at Clean Slate, along with working on the London underground. Jack is a character connected to the supernatural. He believes in ghosts and True Hosts and gives off the sense that he's being haunted. Though he's truly only haunted by his own memories, or lack thereof. Jack likes to keep secrets and walk the streets during the midnight hours. If Stella were light and air, then Jack would be darkness and shadow. Jack balances Stella out, especially in their detective work. He has a sense about people, though it isn't always correct, that guides him to search for meaning in signs and discover the unseen. Readers will witness his wanderings and want to understand his haunting. His protective nature in regard to Stella will bring readers to his side while his emotional or sensed perceptions of the suspects will help lead them to the novel's conclusion. 

The Dog Walker revolves around the cold case file of Helen Honeysett. She disappeared on a winter night in 1987 while running, an act she did every night at precisely eight o'clock. Helen's character haunts the novel as her husband and the neighbors that live in the Thames cottages open the door to the past. Her husband, Adam, was the main suspect in the murder investigation until a neighbor's daughter told police that she saw her father follow Helen to the towpath that night. Though Helen's body was never found and no arrest was ever made. The details that the suspects share with Stella and Jack all add up to an un-obvious conclusion. Though I would love to say I had it all figured out, I was wrong in my suspicions, which makes the detective novel that much more fun. As readers join Stella and Jack on this cold case, they will undoubtedly be intrigued by the characters that make up the Thames Cottage community as well as the relationships that work between them. Let the title of this book be the first clue for this interesting and intriguing story of love, loss, judgement, and mystery. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Engadine Aerie

Today is the release day of the new installment of the Hardy Durkin travel mystery series, Engadine Aerie! Enjoy this launch day review!

Synopsis:
Hardy Durkin heads to the pristine Engadine Valley in Switzerland with the Ski marathon in mind, but is detoured by a body in the snow and an exotic beauty. While assisting TIGRIS in the hunt for a terrorist arms buyer he narrowly escapes two attempts on his life and meets a new and very deadly nemesis in Engadine Aerie.

Review:
It seems trouble follows Hardy Durkin, or rather, he knows how to find it even when it's hiding in plain sight. In this installment of the travel mystery series, Hardy is helping a friend, Abby, on her first trip as a ski group leader. As Hardy has led many hiking treks around the world, Abby trusts Hardy to offer support while participating on the slopes. Though, there's quite a few members of the group using the trip as a means to their own ends. This is unbeknownst to Abby, but Hardy picks up on it pretty fast, considering he uncovers a dead body on their first outing.

Hardy is a persistent, curious, and cautious man who has dealt with uncovering crime in the past. Having read one of the previous installments of this series, I kind of knew what to expect from this book. Beautiful descriptions, well-rounded explanations and information, and of course, surprises around every corner. Even though the history gets a little dense, Bluette Matthey gives readers everything they need to know it order to understand the story line and enjoy the adventure. As Hardy seems to be a natural born leader, readers will follow his line of thinking and understand his motivations. Though Hardy's character really does seem to always find himself in heaps of trouble, it gives the book a fun though serious aura. Even though it seems unlikely that a trek leader would find himself in the middle of an arms deal, murder plot, and terrorist attack in the same vacation... I guess crazier things have happened.

Overall, Hardy is a likeable character. He's friendly, supportive, and intrigued by anything mysterious, which keeps the book a little bit spicy. There were a couple of disturbing parts of the book including the twins who take their relationship to an illegal level as well as the brother-sister villains who pretend to be each other. Even with these uncomfortable caveats, I did enjoy reading the book. I think I would have liked it more had the plot felt more connected. I could see the web that Matthey was creating and it works but something felt disjointed, perhaps even forced. I think there were too many factors and too many moving pieces to believe that Hardy could just stumble into the plot and figure it all out as easily as he did. Not that it's completely over, and not that I wouldn't read the next installment. The intrigue and adventure is there to pull the reader in, even when the lack of connection is causing issues. My favorite part about the book is the fact that Matthey actually visits all of these places in order to write more honestly about the location. I think that really shines through in this novel. The descriptions are very enjoyable and that helps build the setting that houses so much chaos around this ski trip.

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What's Next, Wednesday (52)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to...

In Between Dreams by Eugene Knight. I'm a little nervous about reading a horror novel, but it sounds so psychologically interesting. The main character experiences dreams that turn out to be visions of murders. This leads him to try to find out who is committing the crimes and stop them. Right now, intrigue has won out over my nervous and slightly scared attitude. We'll have to wait and see how this one goes.

Warped Ambition (Jo Riskin Mysteries #1)

When the battered body of a teenage girl is found in a dumpster, Lieutenant Jo Riskin is called to take the case. Investigating with her partner, Detective Lynae Parker, Jo uncovers secrets, loyalties, and ambitions that give motives to a surprising number of suspects , including a boyfriend from the wrong side of the tracks.

While immersed in her current case, Jo is battling her own personal demons. After two years, she is still grieving over the loss of her husband, who was killed in the line of duty. New information that could help solve his murder, and let her move on with her life, is within her grasp.

Barricading her heart, Jo is determined to solve both cases and bring the killers to justice.

*May Contain Spoilers*

The title fits the crime, and the criminal, in the mystery novel, Warped Ambition by Debbie S. Tenbrink. Joellen Riskin battles her demons while she fights to solve the murder of a fifteen year old girl and maybe even find the man who killed her husband. 

Jo, short for Joellen, is a woman who has lost the most important person in her life. She struggles to stay sane as she works as a detective for the Grand Rapids Police Department. For a woman in so much pain, Jo hides it well. Though her mind wanders to Mike constantly, she keeps her main focus on her case. I couldn't help but instantly connect with Jo. First of all, I have a deep respect for any police officer, especially female officers. It's a tough job and they step up. Jo's the same way in this book. And second of all, Tenbrink does a fantastic job at balancing Jo's struggles with her bravery, courage, and persistence. I think readers will sympathetically connect with Jo while enjoying her playful attitude, when it does creep out. Tenbrink sets up an interesting dynamic between Jo and her current case which also works to bring readers into Jo's circle.

The fifteen year old who is the victim of the murder was also pregnant. At the beginning of the novel, the young girl decides to not go through with the abortion she had planned and is killed for that decision. It's Jo's job to find out why and who would kill over this unplanned pregnancy. At the same time, Jo keeps searching for clues to her husband's unclosed case. The death of which caused her to miscarry because of the stress and despair that Jo experienced upon losing her husband. This dynamic works both for and against Jo as her personal experiences open her up to be vulnerable. Though, it turns out to be a good thing, as it brings her closer to her partner, Lynae. 

The plot of Warped Ambition is messy with multiple suspects and clues that all point to different people. I think all of which are placed nicely in with the unfolding case. Though it was a little easy to figure out who the killer actually was, kind of like a neon sign blinking in my face. (However, to be fair, I read a lot of mystery novels.) My favorite thing about the book was the balance between personal struggles, detective work, and the case related to the death of Jo's husband. Tenbrink created a three dimensional world for Jo to work and move within. I always like when I get to see more of the 'real' life of the characters, outside the office and the mystery. I think it adds to the reader/character connection greatly. 

I am looking forward to future installments of this series. I like Tenbrink's writing style as well as her character development. I also like (and dislike) how it seems there's much more to Jo's husband's case that hasn't been revealed yet. So I'm definitely excited to see where that goes. I think readers who enjoy a strong, yet understandable, main character and the murder mystery / crime thriller genre will enjoy this book, and probably this series. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

Pigeon-Blood Red

For underworld enforcer Richard "Rico" Sanders, it seemed like an ordinary job. Retrieve his gangster boss's priceless pigeon-blood red ruby necklace and teach the double-dealing cheat who stole it a lesson. A job like a hundred before it. But the chase quickly goes sideways and takes Rico from the mean streets of Chicago to sunny Honolulu, where the hardened hit man finds himself in uncharted territory when a couple of innocent bystanders are accidentally embroiled in the crime.

As Rico pursues his new targets, the hunter and his prey develop an unlikely respect for one another and Rico is faced with a momentous decision: follow his orders to kill the couple whose courage and character have won his admiration, or refuse and endanger the life of the woman he loves?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Ed Duncan blurs the boundaries of good and evil in his crime novel, Pigeon-Blood Red. While the main characters are mostly cheats, gamblers, murderers, and thugs, it seems a few of them have a sense of honor. 

Through the opening chapters, I struggled to like the characters. Rico is an enforcer for a loan shark and his sense of 'business' is criminal. When the necklace goes missing, he even checks out his girlfriend by intimidating her with a knife, though Jean isn't the best person either. Rico is first depicted as a man who will do whatever it takes to complete a job because he believes that everyone he kills had it coming. 

Robert is a figuratively the scum of the earth. He wants to be a rich playboy but doesn't want to put in the work. He figured he could make money if he had more money and quickly got too caught up. Now he owes the loan shark, Litvak, thousands of dollars with no way to pay. When he sees the opportunity to steal the necklace (of pigeon-blood rubies) he takes it. But that isn't even the worst part. He drags his wife, Evelyn, into it. 

Evelyn is an innocent in the middle of all these criminals. She's a teacher who just wants her husband, Robert, to stop cheating on her and be a better man, a man she knows he could be. She decides to give him one last chance to redeem himself, a second honeymoon to Hawaii. At first he doesn't want to go, making him even worse, but after he steals the necklace, he's on the flight running away from Litvak and his thugs. 

While in Hawaii, Evelyn runs into Paul. Paul is an attorney who lost his wife a year earlier. He's known Evelyn since college and they were once mutually attracted. When Rico follows Robert to Hawaii, Evelyn finds herself in danger and Paul steps in to keep her safe. I think Evelyn and Paul were the only two characters that were likeable and relatable. Readers will sympathize with Paul's loss of his wife and admire his courage to help Evelyn. I think readers will nearly hate Robert as he has no good qualities that aren't part of his facade. But it's Rico who's the tricky one. It's not easy to paint a villain and turn him into something less evil, something nearly likeable, but Ed Duncan does just that. By the end of the novel, I almost respected him. Almost. 

The plot of the novel follows the necklace. The necklace is a priceless piece of jewelry made out of multiple pigeon-blood red rubies. When Robert steals it, trouble ensues, putting everyone in mortal danger. After his death in Hawaii, Evelyn and Paul escape, but feel like they're being followed. The police believe it's because of the necklace. The two must figure out a way to return the necklace and stay alive without having to look over their shoulders the rest of their lives. And that becomes the hardest part. For readers who enjoy action thrillers with a side of romance and crime, Pigeon-Blood Red by Ed Duncan may be the next book on the reading list.

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

Killer Potential

Seventeen-year-old Yvette doesn’t know what’s worse: being locked up on a high security psych ward for a crime she’s not sure she committed, or having to see the vacant eyes of her fellow patients.

All she wants is her sister back, her parents to get a clue, her brother to quit dealing drugs, the murder trial to be over, and most of all, to be reunited with the pretty little pills that change the gory red on her hands to a much more pleasant hazy blue.

Well that and serious, hard-core, merciless revenge.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Aften Brook Szymanski surprises readers with possibilities in her novel, Killer Potential. Yvette has had an undoubtedly hard time growing up. Her father is always busy, her mother doesn't seem to care, and she has trouble getting along with her foster siblings. Meanwhile her older sister is too absorbed with skipping class and her little brother... that blood isn't thicker than anything. 

But is that the background of a killer? A seventeen year old murderer? Potentially. 

Yvette is depicted in two time frames within this novel: the past and the present. The past tells the story of moving around a lot, her dad trying to keep a paying job. Yvette's mother is depressed, struggling to raise her three children and make money by taking care of foster children. Throughout this, Yvette didn't get a lot of attention. She was the tattle tale, trying to keep everything in order. She didn't like to get in trouble or step out of line. That didn't make her foster siblings too keen to be nice to her. 

With the past, readers see how lonely Yvette was as a little girl, and how much she wanted to be close with her older sister. The past moves quicker than the present and soon Yvette is teen. She's experienced fear, loss, and confusion. Her mother is too interested in taking medicine to make the pain go away than getting out of bed, while her dad is still constantly gone. But as the past draws closer and closer to the present, the closer the truth is to coming out. The truth behind Yvette's current living situation in a maximum security psych ward. 

In the present, Yvette is suffering. She's in a psych ward for a murder she may or may not have committed. She's completely dependent on pills because they help her escape what happened for a little while. What's interesting is that it seems every time Yvette takes a pill, that's when the past comes back and reveals a little more about what's going on to the reader. Yvette is a terrifying girl in the present. She's manipulative, depressed, and rude. 

The contrast between the past and present is intriguing because the reader has to figure out how Yvette got to this point and Yvette isn't a very reliable narrator. That unreliability causes readers to second guess what they're being told and shown. But that's also what makes this novel so entertaining to read, the reader gets to make assumptions and guesses that may or may not be true by the end of the novel. And readers have no idea what exactly happened until the final few chapters. Also, as a  young adult novel, it traverses dangerous territory. It talks about self-harm, drug use, drug overdose, drug dealing, and rape, among other things. Killer Potential isn't for everyone, but it is an entertaining novel with mystery, intrigue, and a character with the potential to be a killer.

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

Die For Me

Katherine Cole thought her fiance was the perfect man until he turned out to be the perfect killer. He left his victims stabbed through the heart holding a telltale single red rose and was deemed the Valentine Killer. Three years ago he vanished. Now he's back. And he's hunting the one who got away. In New Orleans, Katherine dared to hope she was finally safe, yet somehow he found her. This time, Katherine won't just sit silently by; she'll do anything to stop the monster she once loved, even trust the sexy cop promising to keep her safe?

Detective Dane Black never lets his emotions interfere with the job, even as the Valentine Killer surfaces in New Orleans to stalk his prey. But when Dane agrees to protect the killer's ex-fiance, he can't ignore the passion kindling between them. After a single unforgettable night binds them body and soul, Dane won't rest until Katherine is safe in his arms and the Valentine Killer is dead.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Mystery. Romance. Murder. Die For Me by Cynthia Eden is an exhilarating hunt through the streets of New Orleans for a killer who vanished three years prior. I was hanging on to Eden's every word as the plot became as murky as a Louisiana swamp. 

Katherine and Dane are the two main characters in this novel. Though when the Valentine killer enters the picture, the story becomes a trifecta of fear, love, and survival. Katherine is an unbelievably strong woman. She dated, and was engaged to, a serial killer. She entered the witness protection program and tried to start a new life, but always looking over her shoulder is not the kind of life Katherine wants. Readers will enjoy Katherine and understand why she has become who she is. Afraid to live, afraid to love. Readers will commend her on her fighting attitude. She's ready to take a stand and take her life back. Of course, Katherine could use some help. Perhaps in the form of a sexy police detective named Dane Black. 

Readers will completely love Detective Dane Black. Eden definitely knows how to write a delicious romance and her descriptions of Dane are hard to resist. He's a good cop with a few ghosts in his past. Dane is protective, strong, honest, and intelligent. Readers will come to trust him during the novel and the investigation within. There's something about a fictional man in uniform who vows to take down the bad guy. 

The plot of Die For Me was exceptionally intriguing. One twist, I saw coming quite early. But lucky for me and all readers, there is more than just one surprise. Eden keeps things moving at a nice pace with a new clue or another body ready to be discovered. Her writing style was enjoyable and a perfect fit for the novel. At first I thought the idea of a Valentine killer would be a little bit cliche/corny and annoying but Eden pulls it off quite nicely. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Death Never Lies

The federal bureaucrat charged with stopping the importation of dangerous materials vanishes only days before approving a new list of prohibited substances.

Homicide detective turned Homeland Security Agent Greg Kane suspects that the HHS employee may have been killed to keep the new list from going into effect, but he has no idea who's behind the crime, which chemical they are so desperate to import, and what they plan to do with it once they've gotten their hands on it.

After he dives into the case things quickly get complicated for Kane with twists, turns and the tangled relationships that comprise Greg Kane's life.

*May Contain Spoilers*

David Grace pens a crime thriller with focused details in his novel, Death Never Sleeps. Many small occurrences lead readers to the present plot of this book. As a Baltimore Police Officer, Gregory Kane is shot in the head, leaving him angry and blunt. Jason Kane disappears while transporting a criminal to a prison upstate. An importation regulator goes missing while a hit is taken out on a Supreme Court Justice. One loose thread can unravel the entire mystery, if only Kane and his partner can find it. 

Greg Kane is the main character of the book, but not the only important character nor the only character that readers will relate to. After running into gun fire to stop a couple of robbers, Kane is injured as a bullet skips along his brain like a rock thrown perfectly over a pond. Readers immediately know that Kane is brave, courageous, and a little ways off from normal. When he's transferred to Homeland Security, Kane is given a certain amount of leeway because of his history, but he still manages to irritate nearly everyone he comes into contact with. He's more intelligent than most and thinks he is a humorist. No matter, readers will enjoy the upfront officer who doesn't play nice. It's refreshing when a character surprises you and Kane is full of surprises. 

Both Danny Rosewood and Allison Varner are also characters that readers will enjoy. Danny is a desk jockey who does everything he can to look good on paper so one day he'll become a field agent. He's incredibly loyal, voracious for information, and never complains. Allison is the semi-love interest of Kane. Her husband died of cancer two years prior and she won't accept that he's gone. Readers will understand her point of view but won't necessarily agree with some of her decisions. 

The plot is a complete twister of chaos and criminal activity that all fits together rather nicely. Maybe a little too nicely? Or maybe the investigation has a lot of facets? I'm thinking a little bit of both. The main point is that Munroe, a criminal who escaped police a few years prior, has returned and a scientist has disappeared. Kane knows that if he can catch Munroe then a) he will find out what happened to his nephew Jason Kane, who Greg thinks was murdered by the criminal, b) exact his revenge on the dirty cop who aided Mr. Munroe, and c) save the United States from a new drug that's about to go into production. Though there is a lot going on, Grace does a wonderful job in keeping everything direct and understandable for readers. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups