Immortal in Death by J. D. Robb

Immortal in Death
by J.D. Robb
$7.99
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley (July 1, 1996)
ISBN-10: 0425153789
ISBN-13: 978-0425153789

Annotation/Flashtalk: Will fashion or murder keep Eve from finally marrying Rourke?

Summary:
The book opens with the murder of one of Eve's snitches.  He turns up dead with this face bashed in.  An inspection of his apartment turns up a formula and some unidentifiable blue powder.

Eve Dallas' best friend Mavis knows just the man to help Eve find the perfect wedding dress, Leonardo.  It just so happens that Leonardo is also dating Mavis and he used to date the famous supermodel, Pandora. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.  Pandora is not done with Leonardo and promises to ruin him if he doesn't leave Mavis immediately.  Pandora is soon found murdered, her face also bashed in, at Leonardo's studio and Leonardo and Mavis are the prime suspects.

Nothing links the two murders except the face bashing, but Eve is determined to prove that Mavis is not Pandora's killer. The mystery must revolve around the blue powder. With the help of Rourke's resources, Eve identifies the powder and is able to link it to the beautiful women and the fashion industry. She now just needs to link the youth-promising drug to its producer to find the killer.

Genre/Subgenre: Mystery/Romance/Suspense

Evaluation: 3-stars

Blameless by Gail Carriger (The Parasol Protectorate #3)

Blameless (The Parasol Protectorate #3)
by Gail Carriger $7.99
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Orbit; Original edition (September 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0316074152
ISBN-13: 978-0316074155
Annotation/Flashtalk: A preternatural pregnant by a werewolf? Unheard of! Alexia unfaithful to the gorgeous Lord Maccon? No way! But why won't anyone believe her?

Summary:
At the onset of book three of the Parasol Protectorate, we find our heroine Alexia  pregnant, ousted from Woolesy Manner, a social pariah, removed from her post on the Shadow Council,and thoroughly in need of some tea.  She takes off on a journey with Floote and Madame Lefoux to Italy to find the Templars, the only people who might be able to explain her "infant inconvenience." Throughout their journey they are being stalked and attacked by vampires, only to be saved by an oddly-familiar dog, and on another occasion a hooded man.

Back in London, Professor Lyall is doing his best to maintain BURR business, and keep the Woolsey Pack together in the face of his inebriated Alpha, Lord Maccon, who has been drinking the formaldehyde, one of the few elixirs that can actually intoxicate a werewolf, out of Professor Lyall's specimens.  Lord Akeldama has left town, and his drones are also suspiciously missing.  Buffy, his best drone, has been taken captive and is being held underwater.  Once sober, Lord Maccon and Professor Lyall devise a plan to rescue Buffy, and in the post-rescue scuffle Buffy is shot.  The only way to save him is to turn him into a werewolf -- poaching a drone is going to cause some trouble, even if it was the only way to save his life. 

Coming to his senses and armed with new information, Lord Maccon reunites with Alexia as they wonder about the future of their offspring.

Genre/Subgenre: Fantasy/Romance/Humor/Steampunk

Evaluation: 4-stars

Naked in Death by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts)

Naked in Death  
by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts)
$7.99

Paperback: 600 pages

Publisher: Vintage Crime / Black Lizard (June 23, 2009)

ISBN-10: 0307454541

ISBN-13: 978-0307454546

Annotation/Flashtalk:
When a prostitute, or licensed companion as they are called in 2058, who happens to be the granddaughter of a US Senator winds up brutally murdered, can Detective Eve Dallas get to the bottom of it before leaks to the press threaten her career, not to mention her ability to close the case?

Summary:

Set in 2058, Detective Eve Dallas is the lead investigator in the murder of a prostitute, who turns out to be the granddaughter of a US Senator.  The case is quickly shaping up to look like the work of a serial killer. Working the case brings to the surface many of Eve's childhood traumas. The grizzly murders have been comitted with handguns, antiquated novelties now only kept by rich collectors who are licensed to do so. It seems that the killer has fixated on Eve, and begins to send her videos of the murders just to unnerve her. One of the lead suspects in the case is Rourke, a well-off business entrepreneur who has taken a liking to Eve. In an undavised moment of weakness, Eve allows herself to be swept off her feet by Rourke. Their little tryst puts her investigation and her reputation in jeopary. Eve must work twice as hard to clear Rourke, because her gut tells her he didn't do it, and to find the real killer.

Genre/Subgenre: Mystery/Romance/Futuristic

Evaluation: 4-stars.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larson

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
by Stieg Larsson
$14.95

Paperback: 600 pages

Publisher: Vintage Crime / Black Lizard (June 23, 2009)

ISBN-10: 0307454541

ISBN-13: 978-0307454546

Annotation/Flashtalk:

Every year, Henrik Vanger received a framed pressed flower from his niece Harriett; then one year Harriett disappeared and the flowers stopped only to start up again the following year.  Like clockwork the flowers arrive, but Vanger cannot locate his niece and assumes that someone, presumably the killer of his missing niece, is messing with him.  He hires a journalist in an effort to find out what happened to her. 

Summary:

Disgraced journalist Carl Mikael Blomkvist is facing the prospect of jail time after being convicted of libel.  He is contacted by a wealthy Swede named Henrik Vanger and offered asylum at his property in exchange for Blomkvist’s help in discovering what happened in the disappearance of Vanger’s niece over 30 years ago.  The only catch is that Blomkvist is to disguise his investigation under the guise of writing the Vanger family history.   In return, Vanger promises Blomkvist details of his past business dealings with Hans-Erik Wennerström, the man Bloomkvist is accused of libeling.

Before extending the offer, Vanger has Blomkvist investigated by the Milton security firm; the assignment is given to Lisbeth Salander, a young, anti-social, orphan rebel who likely suffers from Asperger’s syndrome. Lisbeth is a ward of the state, and she has her finances entrusted to a trustee.  Her familiar trustee, with whom she finally had reached a good working relationship dies, and her new trustee is not so kind.  He sexually abuses Lisbeth in order to control her and her access to her money.  Eventually Lisbeth reaches a working relationship with him, but in a totally unexpected way. 

Eventually their paths cross and Blomkvist and Salander work together to solve the disappearance of Harriett.  All signs point to a member of the Vanger family, but there just doesn’t seem to be any solid evidence.  Blomkvist’s daughter happens to solve the mystery of a series of numbers, the only thing that seems to tie Harriet’s disappearance to a string of murders going back decades before Harriet disappeared.  Soon the pieces begin to fall into place, and dark Vanger family secrets are revealed.  Fearing that the family secrets will get out, Blomkvist is captured, tortured and about to be killed to keep him silent; Lisbeth races to rescue him. 

Genre/Subgenre: Adventure/Thriller/Suspense/Mystery

Evaluation: 4-stars.

Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

Plum Lucky: A Stephanie Plum “Between-the-Numbers” Novel

by Janet Evanovich
$6.99

Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks; Reprint edition (January 6, 2009)

ISBN-10: 0312377649

ISBN-13: 978-0312377649

Annotation/Flashtalk:

What would you do if you found a bag of money at the end of a rainbow? Stephanie Plum’s Granny Mazur says finders keepers losers weepers and runs off to Atlantic City. The only problem is the money belongs to a Jersey mobster, Lou Delvina.  Can Stephanie keep Grandma safe and return her home in time for dinner?

Summary:

In this “between-the-numbers” novel, we get to meet Stephanie Plum, a bounty hunter, and her colleagues, Lula, Connie, Diesel, and Ranger as they track down what happened to Stephanie’s grandmother, whose gone missing after running across a mysterious bag full of money.  Shortly before her disappearance Stephanie sees her grandmother being attacked by a small man in green pants, could he be a leprechaun?  Stephanie and Lula save grandma from the attacker, who escapes in the process. 

Stephanie and the gang, and the man in the green pants find grandma at a casino in Atlantic City.  We find out that Snuggy (the man in the green pants) had originally stolen the money from mobster Lou Delvina. Delvina is now holding Snuggy’s horse for ransom, but grandma won’t give up the money.  Delvina comes to Atlantic City looking for his cash and winds up with Grandma Mazur instead. Stephanie and the gang have less than a day to come up with the money, or a way to rescue both grandma and Snuggy’s horse.

Genre/Subgenre: Mystery/Humor

Evaluation: 2-stars.

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate)
by Gail Carriger $7.99
Paperback: 310 pages
Publisher: Orbit; Original edition (October 1, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0316056634
ISBN-13: 978-0316056632
Part of a Series

Annotation/Flashtalk:
Armed with her intelligence, her silver-tipped parasol, and her special ability to neutralize the supernatural, can Alexis Tarabotti get to the bottom of the missing vampires and werewolves of London?

Summary:
Meet Alexia Tarabotti, a soulless one, or what the supernatural crowd living in this alternate version of 18th century London would call a preternatural. While her family doesn’t think her to be totally normal (Alexia is a bluestocking, forthright, and her curiosity often gets this unmarried spinster into some tight situations), they know nothing of her special abilities. Her special powers are only known to those of the supernatural set.

After her accidental killing of a rove vampire, Alexia finds herself in the middle of a curious mystery; the lone vampires and werewolves of London and the surrounds seem to be disappearing. Alexia receives an interesting invitation to meet with the hive queen of London’s most prestigious vampire family; upon leaving the hive house, Alexia is attacked. Enter Lord Maccon (handsome, ravenous, and did I mention Alpha werewolf of the most prestigious werewolf families in London?) to the rescue.

Despite Lord Macoon’s stated dislike for Alexia, and hers for him, they are somewhat forced to work together to solve the mystery of the disappearing werewolves and vampires, as we soon discover Alexia is on the kidnapper’s list as well.

Genre/Subgenre: Fantasy/Romance/Humor/Steampunk

Evaluation: 4-stars

Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill, Artwork by Gabriel Rodriguez

Locke and Key:Welcome to Lovecraft
by Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez
$15.00

Hardcover: 152 pages

Publisher: IDW Publishing (September 24, 2008)

ISBN-10: 1600102379

ISBN-13: 978-1600102370

Annotation/Flashtalk:

What would you do if you found a secret door that once you passed through it you turned into a ghost and were able to spy on the rest of your family? What if you heard a voice coming from the bottom of a well?

Summary:

When their father is brutally murdered the Locke family moves in with their uncle at Keyhouse.  Tyler, the older brother, is sullen and brooding. Kinsey, the middle child, is trying to assimilate.  Nina, their mother, is slowly trying to drink her pain and loss away.  Bode, the youngest, is having more adventures than Tyler and Kinsey combined.  Bode has discovered a spirit at the bottom of the well, who he visits with and talks to.  He’s also found a secret door at Keyhouse that when he goes through it he becomes a ghost and can float around the house and spy on his family. 

Bode’s friendship with the spirit in the well turns dangerous when the well becomes a link to the prison cell that holds his father’s killer.  When Sam comes through the portal and tortures Bode’s family again, someone must rescue the family.  In the process, one of the special keys at Keyhouse is located and it’s used to open a special door that allows the owner to change their appearance; so little does the family know that their new found pal Zach is really Echo, the ghost from the well. 

Genre/Subgenre: Graphic Novel/Horror

Evaluation: 3-stars.