The Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

2.0 out of 5 stars

Annoying character with author trying too hard to be funny.

I had to force myself to keep reading this when I wanted to toss it aside after the first couple of pages. I had read the first book in the series a long while ago and apparently forgot how ridiculous the family members and their business operations were. When a book is praised by authors, I'm suspicious because I am fairly sure they're just trading bon mots on an exchange program, so when these raves were from the likes of Entertainment Weekly and People magazine, I should have known to skip the book just as I avoid all tabloids. Pass unless you like juvenile humor, annoying characters and a very lame plot.

Even though this is the second in a series, you don't need to have read the other one to "get" this -- you're repeatedly reminded of every last detail from the previous book with footnotes and appendices.

Sorry by Soran Drvenkar (translated from German by Shaun Whiteside)

2.0 out of 5 stars SORRY - this was not for me., October 19, 2011

This suspense thriller about four disaffected friends whose unique business venture goes dreadfully wrong was not for me. I would call it a complicated mess. As a device, the author used shifting points of view throughout the narrative as well as all different voices (first, second and third person) alternatively so that the reader was often confused. Not only that, but there were also backward and forward movements in time so that any sense of an unfolding sequence of events was absent. In addition, often things that happened were hinted at rather than fully described which also left the reader constantly guessing about what was going on.

Ordinarily I like a thriller that makes me think and gives me a lot of clues to analyze or things to ponder, but this was all over the place. Themes of child pornography and sexual abuse, torture, gratuitous killing, etc. advanced the plot: someone is using the concept of "sorry" to commit revenge murder. The ending wasn't satisfying nor am I sure that I completely understood the whole point of everything or who did what to whom. I didn't like it. It was hard work to read. I'm glad I finished it, finally. And I won't be recommending it. PASS.

The Stranger You See by Amanda Kyle Williams

4.0 out of 5 stars Murder and mayhem - southern style..., October 16, 2011

  

I love suspense thrillers and this one kept me turning the pages as I wanted to find out two things: first and foremost -- who was this monstrous serial killer dubbed "Wishbone"? and who was this ex-FBI profiler turned private investigator and skip tracer named Dr. Keye Street? With many twists and turns and an almost unbelievable climax, we do get an unequivocal answer to the first question and a desire to learn more about the female protagonist in this debut of what will be a new series by this author.

The setting is Atlanta, Georgia, in the waning days of summer. Mutilated bodies of all ages, races and gender have been found and the killer is taunting the police team led by Keye's friend, Lieutenant Aaron Rauser. He brings Keye into the case when he receives the first letter and wants her to help him by developing a profile and listening to him discuss the case. She was a brilliant criminologist and profiler before alcoholism ended her career with the FBI, but she is drawn in and begins to delve into the psychological and behavioral aspects of the investigation. In addition, Keye continues her private work for local attorneys and bondsmen.

Since I don't "know" Georgia, the atmosphere and detail about the southern culture and lifestyle were intriguing and made me want to visit. I enjoyed the novel because the main character, Keye Street, is imperfect and interesting and I want to follow her into a complete recovery from her past and addictions. I imagine that the rest of the cast of supporting characters, now sort of cardboard stereotypes, will be fleshed out as the series develops. I was a bit chagrined about the romance but it seems inevitable in this type of book. I'll be looking for the follow up novel to see how it all holds up.

One of the BEST books I have ever read!

5+ stars!

I finally finished Cutting for Stone -- I put the first disk in my car CD player in July. To say it was magnificent and a masterpiece is true for me, but it was so much more than that. An experience. I felt like I KNEW those people and loved them dearly and I'll miss them from now on. This is one of the best books I have ever read. I had to wait to write some sort of review because I could barely breathe after I finished and I wanted to go back and start the story all over again. How lucky to be a person just beginning to learn the history of the Stone family... To say it's one of my favorite books is not an understatement. There are many reasons why it touched me, I don't know if the book resonated so much because of the medical and OR stuff or because of the story, but the combination was overwhelming!

I have read thousands of books in my lifetime and this is one of my top five. At this moment in time, I can't even name others besides Gone with the Wind as far as a book having a deep and lasting impact on me.
This is going to be ONE OF THOSE......Sure there are books I liked a lot --but not many like this come along for a person in her lifetime. This was that book for me. Perhaps a lot of it was because I was first and foremost once an OR nurse who lived and breathed and loved surgery. But it was more than about surgery. It was about family and struggles and survival -- ultimately forgiveness and redemption.
 

Anyway, take it for what it's worth and please read it. I was lucky enough to get to listen to the audio version which I've packed off to mail to my daughter today and I also read the actual book. I'd listen in my car while driving to work and then catch up to where I left off when I got home. Hearing the words spoken and pronounced with that fantastic voice and accent really made the book come alive for me. I would urge everyone to get this audiobook version instead of reading it if you can!  ENJOY!

Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver

3.0 out of 5 stars - Convoluted and implausible, a thriller involving blogs and gaming This was just OK. I doubt I read another Deaver novel that features Kathryn Dance as I don't like the character. Really wasn't very suspenseful and way too many red herrings and subplots. The main message: people spend too much time on the internet, they accept rumor, speculation and innuendo as fact -- and reveal far too many personal details. Skip it or borrow if you're a huge fan.

Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos

2.0 out of 5 stars - Romance and self-discovery, but a very long journey...

I have not read any previous novels by Marisa de los Santos so I had no expectation of this book purportedly about a strong and "magical" friendship tested by a separation. I read other reviews that praised this highly, so I was excited to read it but thoroughly disappointed when I did.

The main themes in the book center around the following: when you love someone, you have to go 'all in' -- and that there is always room for one more (in your heart? your house?) -- and people in your life may be "gone but here."  Hmmm, really? That seems obvious enough to most of us and nothing new to any adult who's had some life experience including tragedy and loss.

The characters did not seem fully developed into more than stereotypes of romantic fiction nor did they captivate me in any way and I just did not like any of them. The plot is trite and unbelievable with a "seek and find" game as three adults and a child traipse across the world in a frenzy to find an old friend who had left them behind years ago and moved on with her life.

If you like predictable and slow moving novels with little tidbits of facts that are meant to tell rather than show, you might like this. At times, I felt the author was trying to "show off" as she went on and on about every little thing from the color of something to a thought in the head of a character. I will not look for another by this author.

Pass. I need to go clear my palate with a good thriller!

Cold Plague by Daniel Kalla

4.0 out of 5 stars  

"The purest water on earth" is deadly...

The two doctors with the World Health Organization who appeared in the novel, Pandemic, Dr. Noah Haldane and Dr. Duncan McLeod, join forces with the European Union's department of agriculture representative Elise Renard to analyze several recent cases of what appears to be a variant of Creutzfelt-Jakob Disease. When the team arrives in Limoges, France, to begin their investigation into seven mad cows, they quickly discover that this rapidly accelerated vCJD is not a straight-forward situation of contaminated cows leading to human infection. They delve more deeply into the case and find what they believe is a link between the dead human victims -- is the link connected to the cows or to water all consumed before their deaths? Water that was given to them by a mutual acquaintance -- water with supposed healing properties that came from the huge recently tapped underground lake in Antarctica - Lake Vostok. The purest water on earth, untouched by pollution. The market for this drinking water will be huge and those that discovered and tapped it definitely anticipate the huge profits they will get when it is bottled and brought and sold to the type of people who will pay a hundred dollars or more for a single bottle. They need to solve the mystery fast.

Unfortunately, as the reader suspects immediately, the water contains prions that act very rapidly to destroy the brains of those who consume it. In a race against time, the WHO team and Elise Renard try to find and stop the greedy owners who don't seem to care that they are selling a very horrible death along with the water. The reader knows the major characters involved in this complex coverup, but is not fully able to separate the good guys from the bad guys until almost the very end of the novel. It moves along at a nice pace, back and forth between the settings of French provincial farms and small cities, to the cold ice of the Antarctic.

My favorite genre is the medical thriller and I read them mainly for the science and this idea of the CJD was original and well done. I knew that the doctors would save the world from drinking the contaminated water and having a massive CJD outbreak, but the story of how they solved the case was interesting and I really enjoyed it. I saw that Kalla has written another novel, Of Flesh and Blood, and I may have to read it at some point, but I'm really waiting for another with the Haldane and McLeod characters as I want to see what happens to them next!

The Burning by Jane Casey

4.0 out of 5 stars - Solid investigative police procedural

The Burning Man is the name given by the press to the killer who has attacked and beat four women to death before setting them on fire in various places in the city of London. Maeve Kerrigan, a detective constable and one of the few women on the team, is called to the scene of a fifth victim. As she begins to delve into the crime and interview friends and relatives, some questions about this particular murdered woman, Rebecca Haworth -- make Maeve wonder if Rebecca is really the victim of a copycat killer instead.

The narrative is told in the alternating voices of Louise, Rebecca's best friend, and Detective Kerrigan. Although the ending is somewhat predictable, the story is good and the characters are well developed. It's not a typical fast paced suspense thriller but more a well plotted and deliberate by the book report of the investigation into the crimes. I understand this is the debut of a new series and I will most likely look for the next one when it comes out.

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

4.0 out of 5 stars  

RED: the color of blood, the color of murder, the color of sin...

Hannah Payne wakes up in a cell after being injected with a virus that has turned her skin completely red -- her crime: she aborted her illegitimate pregnancy in a new American society where that is illegal. She will not name the father of her unborn child, a famous married minister, nor the abortionist, and is charged and convicted of murder. What happens to Hannah when she is released from the temporary post-chroming seclusion and is thrust back into a society where she is stigmatized and humiliated by everyone who sees her as a Red? Prevented from returning to her home by parents who will not allow her to live with them, Hannah must navigate a scary road to regain her dignity and make a new life for herself in a world where there is no longer separation between church and state -- and no protection for the Chromes.

I've just paged through all the wonderful reviews written on this product page about When She Woke. I agree wholeheartedly with those who suggest that you obtain and read this book if you like dystopian, futuristic novels about family, religious controversies, crime and punishment, relationships, and self-discovery. The author weaves a very interesting tale -- yes it does have themes similar to those found in some of the classic literature mentioned in other reviews, but it brings all of those together in a new and very thought-provoking way. This would be a fantastic book for a book group discussion, and though probably more appealing to women, I'd love to hear from any men who read it as well.

I will be recommending this!

The Accident by Linwood Barclay

4.0 out of 5 stars  

How well do you really know those people in your circle of family and friends?

I have read all of Barclay's previous books so was looking forward to the latest one! This suspense novel had a fast pace with an interesting subject presented immediately in the prologue - the illegal sales of counterfeit merchandise and the seedy, dangerous underground -- and it kept me turning the pages well past bedtime.

A quiet suburban neighborhood is rocked first by the car accident death of a housewife and mother, Sheila Garber, whose inexplicable car crash while driving drunk results in the unraveling of the lives of several interconnected families. As her husband, Glen, and daughter, Kelly, try to come to terms with this tragedy, discoveries are made that make Glen wonder if indeed "the accident" was what it seemed. As the narrative goes on, suspense mounts as first one character and then another comes to light as involved in a ring of sorts that centers around the sale of various items and a stereotypical villain who wants "the money." The novel has several plot twists but a savvy reader will not be too surprised as events unfold and the climax is reached.

My main complaints, and the reasons I don't give this novel 5 stars: I felt that the death toll was unnecessary -- it didn't advance the plot, and it seemed overmuch. In addition, I've come to notice that the protagonist, in this book he's named Glen Garber, is one that Barclay duplicates in every single book -- a decent ordinary man, husband, father driven to extremes by events he didn't anticipate and now must avenge. This man is always a bit naive and ignorant about things going on under his own roof until the moment when he's spurred into action and then pretty much has to take matters into his own hands and figure out the truth even though he's facing some pretty unrealistic scenarios that cause the reader to suspend some disbelief.

Despite feeling sometimes that I keep reading the same Barclay novel over and over, I would recommend this for any of his fans and others who enjoy a suspense mystery with lots of layers and a well-constructed (though not completely unpredicted) conclusion.

The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian

We all might have demons that drive us...

First, let me say that I have read all of Chris Bohjalian's previous novels and some I have liked more than others. I should have known when someone compared this to The Double Bind (Vintage Contemporaries) that it would be one of those that I liked less.

This was a good story IF you like paranormal (ghosts) and books that tend toward the horror side of the spectrum. I don't tend to like that type of fiction, but I did want to give this novel a chance.

What I liked: the details about the pilot, Chip Linton, suffering PTSD in the aftermath of his plane crash and its relevance to current events and present day airline activity. Reading about Chip's attempts to come to terms with the tragedy was interesting to me. I also liked the details about the plants and tinctures which I assume that the author researched thoroughly.

What I did not like: the fact that the mother seemed clueless and naive, and I could never generate any empathy for her. The twins seemed like stereotypes and the "bad guys" were so obvious that I couldn't believe they weren't all run out of town! The foreboding and ominous feeling that I hope to get from the narrative when reading a thriller was lacking, and events were predictable. I also didn't care for the second person voice of Chip throughout the book.

Ultimately, I liked The Night Strangers: A Novel well enough, but it won't be one I'll urge others to read as I have with his past books. It might just be me -- I'm not a paranormal, supernatural, ghost and haunted house person. I don't care to read about covens and witchcraft, spells or potions used for harm. When I read the book was a "ghost story", I was just expecting something a little different.

If you want to check out other Bohjalian books, I urge you to consider the titles I liked better: Midwives (Oprah's Book Club), Skeletons at the Feast: A Novel, Trans-Sister Radio or even Secrets of Eden: A Novel.

Warning Signs by CJ Lyons

 *** stars

Not much to say about this one. I hoped I would like it more than I did. I really only read it for the clinical/medical details. Don't like all the romance stuff. And, I don't like ANY of the characters really. Scenarios unrealistic in my experience, but realize it is what it is - fiction. Will likely read the rest of the series.

End of Days by Robert Gleason

2.0 out of 5 stars Finally done! I could barely make it to THE END of this book.

I'm a person who always feels compelled to see a book through to the end, regardless of how I'm feeling once I hit page 50; by that benchmark I usually know if I'm going to like it -- or not. I laboriously read my way to that page and knew I was doomed. I forced myself to finish this wordy tome, and words fail me as I try to convey my message to unsuspecting readers who might be tempted to snap this up because of a completely ludicrous set of blurbs proclaiming that this apocalyptic novel is the next great epic of nuclear annihilation. Really? I want to read whatever book those people read -- honestly, the excessive praise by "bestselling authors" and award winners stuns me and makes me question forever if they actually really ever read the books or if they just trade bon mots and write rave reviews for each other on some sort of exchange program?

Here's my review in a nutshell. Do not waste your time on this book unless you enjoy torturing yourself with visions of talking rats, cogent machines, thinking warheads, trash-talking characters who have no redeeming qualities, a heroine who requires you to suspend disbelief as she survives unbelievable peril (not to mention nuclear detonation, radiation fallout, and multiple surefire death scenarios) and an old woman reminiscent of a similar character in Stephen King's The Stand (a far superior novel). I didn't like any one in this novel and really didn't care if they survived or not.

Frankly, there's nothing redeeming this book from the dumpster -- I can't think of a single person I'd pass this one to. I love a good apocalyptic novel - but this wasn't one of those. Skip it!

Crashers by Dana Haynes

4.0 out of 5 stars The job of a Crasher is not to save lives, but to "find out why an aircraft crashed.",

 

I enjoyed this suspense thriller about a passenger plane crash in Portland, Oregon, and the investigation into the cause of it. When the NTSB's "Go-Team" comprised of a pathologist, voice recorder specialist, bomb and engineering experts assembles at the site of the downed plane and finds only a few survivors, they begin their painstaking and meticulous assessments and are quickly forced by obvious clues found in parts and data to accept an unpalatable conclusion: pilot error. As the team continues picking up the pieces and reassembling them at a nearby hangar, another subplot unfolds further south in California. Could there possibly be a terrorist connection to this doomed flight, and if so, since there seems to have been no bomb, how was the plane brought down? For it soon becomes apparent to the Crashers that this plane was indeed brought down deliberately.

The narrative moves at a very fast pace and comes to a quite satisfying conclusion. This is an action novel and the characters are interesting and though a bit stereotypical, I thought they were well described and believable. I admit I know NOTHING about airliners, aviation, or aeronautics, but I can see where professionals who work in this field might have some issues if the details about the plane's operation and such are incorrect. I, however, had no such distractions and just enjoyed the ride.

Recommended for all but the most white-knuckle flyers! I can't wait to read this author's new book, a sequel: Breaking Point due out in November 2011 when the Crashers find themselves with another situation to investigate.

Shut Your Eyes Tight by John Verdon

3.0 out of 5 stars "Don't we...place ourselves in the positions in which we find ourselves?", 

Not long after I had read and reviewed the debut novel in this new series, Think of a Number (Dave Gurney, No.1) (A Dave Gurney Novel), I had the opportunity to obtain this one as an ARC through the amazon vine program. The premise of the new book was really compelling: a bride, newly wed to a famous psychiatrist, is beheaded shortly after the ceremony! Ostensibly retired NYPB detective Dave Gurney is once again drug into a case that proves to be a complex mystery needing his special deductive skills.

The police originally believe that the murder of the beautiful but reportedly sociopathic bride, Jillian, was committed by a missing Mexican gardener who had apparently lived in the cottage where the body was discovered on the property where the wedding was celebrated. Dave is hired by the bride's super rich mother to find out the truth when the police haven't found a trace of the absent gardener after 4 months of investigation.

The narrative focuses on the techniques and thought processes used by Dave Gurney to discover and solve the mystery of who killed Jillian and why. I found some of the book quite slow and plodding and had to suspend disbelief a few times with some of the more unbelievable approaches or "ah ha" moments Dave manages to use to his advantage. The revelations about the complexities of the case are indeed like peeling an onion...layer upon layer. The denouement was not wholly unexpected, just took about 500 pages to get there. By that time, however, I was sick to death of Madeleine. I didn't want to read any more about her and Dave's marriage and I didn't care what she thought about anything nor did I want to hear any of her brilliant "insights" into the investigation. Dave seems to be an introverted intellect and I'd much rather see him tackle future cases alone without all his angst over his home and hearth. The book covers many different criminal elements (don't want to reveal any spoilers) with lots of super bad guys thrown in for good measure. I was ready for the end long before it finally came.

The story is definitely a multi-layered mystery, but really not a suspense thriller. I can't decide if I want to read another in this series or not.

Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian

4.0 out of 5 stars Predictable but entertaining...

Alice Haywood is found dead by strangulation in the family home the night after her baptism. Her husband -- a brute who beat and abused her regularly -- is also there, but he died of a what appears to be a gunshot wound. Was it self-inflicted or is there someone else who entered the house that night and murdered George Haywood after he had passed out in a drunken stupor?

I enjoyed this mystery about an apparent murder-suicide of a married couple though, probably since I read so many, I was able to solve the whodunit after the second chapter. Even though it was predictable to me, I did like the way the author told the story in 4 parts through four of the main characters so that the reader could see the different points of view. I could have done without all the "angel" stuff as I really didn't find it germane or very interesting as I don't think it added anything to the story line. In fact, I thought it detracted from the thriller.

Part of this novel examines the day to day life of an abused woman and how that violence affects her daughter. In addition, it reminds the reader that we rarely know what goes on behind the closed doors of our neighbors, relatives, and friends. "None of us ever knows as much as we think we do" regardless of how many confidences are shared and how much time is spent around other people. Even what is said in secret might be suspect as many tend to hide, to prevaricate, or to lie -- perhaps minimizing or maximizing an event or situation.

I have read most all of this author's books and look forward eagerly to see what topic or issue he tackles next! Recommend to all current fans and encourage those who haven't read him to try one. They're all different so be sure to read the synopses first. My favorites: Skeletons at the Feast, Midwives: A Novel, Trans-Sister Radio: A Novel and Before You Know Kindness.

Keeper of the Light by Diane Chamberlain

3.0 out of 5 stars -- Soap opera at the Outer Banks!

The one thing that can ruin an otherwise good book for me is the ending of it. I don't know why I am so picky, but that is the big thing for me. I want the characters to be people I can admire and whose actions follow that quality. I was really looking forward to this book as I have come to expect great stories and in-depth relationship development with a Diane Chamberlain book. As this was one of her earlier novels (1992), I can see how she has really grown as an author in the last 10+ years.

This book was fine though it had a little too much romance for me -- a love triangle -- or should I say, quadrangle, but the way it ended left me feeling a bit let down and irritated. It was as if the author had to create extreme character flaws in order to make the story turn out the way it did. As I'm finding, I do not like the way that Diane Chamberlain concludes her books! I did not like the resolution of the love dilemma nor did I find it realistic or believable. In fact, I was hoping that she would surprise me this time. Without writing spoilers I can't say more. Frankly I didn't think any of the characters in this novel were likable or worthy of respect so was happy to turn the last page with a sense of relief that I was done hearing about their antics and behavior.

I will likely continue to read more of this author's books hoping that eventually there will be an ending that I think fits before giving up.

Memory in Death by JD Robb

3 stars

My guilty little escapist pleasure. Love Eve and the rest of the characters in this "in death" set of novels that I've read from the beginning. This one, #22, uses the same formula as the rest in this futuristic cop procedural series and I always enjoy them. As each book comes and goes, the reader learns a bit more about Eve's past and her efforts to become a new woman as she starts to appreciate her life now. I am going to keep reading them until the end!

Recommend.

Think of a Number by John Verdon

3.0 out of 5 stars "Everyone wants to be recognized as justified"

  

This debut novel featuring former homicide detective Dave Gurney is a nice introduction to what seems to be a new series.

The premise: someone is sending taunting letters to random men. The letters purport to know of secret misdeeds from their pasts -- and the sender seems to be able to read their minds as he asks them to "think of a number" -- which he identifies.

Murder follows. Is this really the work of a true serial killer? What are the motives for the unusual rituals that the killer uses, patterns that repeat in subsequent cases. How are the murders related?

Dave Gurney is known for his logic and puzzle solving skills. Though he had retired, he is called back to help the local police investigate the crimes. His wife, Madeline, is not happy about his return as he has the unfortunate problem with becoming completely absorbed in his work.

The mystery is solved, and though predictable if the reader is paying close attention, the conclusion is satisfying.

So why 3 stars? The story was good enough but I just couldn't get past the superficiality. The characters are not fully developed and though the author hints of situations and issues from the past, nothing is explained and they seem aloof and I didn't connect with them nor empathize with them. I did not care at all for Madeline nor her role in basically giving this 'famed detective' many of the answers to confounding clues in the book. I wondered who was actually solving the case! That was a real irritant to me while reading.

I am interested enough in Dave Gurney to contemplate reading the second book in the series, Shut Your Eyes Tight (Dave Gurney, No. 2): A Novel, but won't rush right out to obtain it.

Death Pact by William Manchee

3.0 out of 5 stars Predictable but entertaining, 

This audio MP3 of Death Pact is described as a romantic mystery. I would definitely agree with that assessment and I enjoyed listening to this predictable but entertaining book while driving in my car. The novel is about a 30-something lawyer, Rich Coleman, who is put into the position of trustee for 17-year-old Erica Fox when her divorced, wealthy father dies in a skiing accident.

Though she is not of legal age, Erica and Rich begin an affair and he breaches his fiduciary duty on both moral grounds and because of the reckless way he handles the estate left to Erica. Though they try to keep their relationship a secret, they are found out by Rich's partners at his law firm who fire him, as well as by Erica's Aunt Martha and her son Arnold and who both try to get control of Erica and her money. During the course of the contest over the trustee situation, Aunt Martha is found murdered and Erica is arrested and goes on trial. Erica plans to plead temporary insanity but is afraid she will be convicted and urges Rich to enter into a 'death pact' with her -- if she is found guilty, they will both swallow cyanide capsules and thus be together for eternity.

The audio-book, read by Jeffrey Kafer in a capable manner, is not particularly suspenseful and I didn't find surprises or unexpected twists though the author definitely tries to set up some red herrings. The character of Rich seemed a bit immature but I did think it implausible that he would become embroiled in this situation with an underage charge, and his constant unnecessary references to God and going to Mass and such seemed a bit forced for a person who was going to commit suicide and who was having this type of affair. Erica was portrayed as being older and wise beyond her years thus seeking and gaining emancipation, but I did find the love affair a bit disconcerting. The fact of this affair (actually statutory rape) and the breach of fiduciary duty, however, were what set up the focus of the plot -- who really killed Aunt Martha?

I really liked that the entire book was recorded on one CD rather than having to constantly be changing out disks while also attempting to drive. I noticed there was a second book in the series, Plastic Gods (Rich Coleman Novels, 2), and read the blurb before I finished this one so I knew they didn't kill themselves! I don't know if I will read that one or not because of it being so far into the future of Rich and Erica and not focused on them. As an aside, I did find the fact that this book was set in the late 1970s to be a bit disconcerting as certain plot points would have been impossible with cell phones and other present day technology. I also noticed that the author has another series featuring a character named Stan Tuner, and I wonder if they are set more in the current time. I may or may not check them out.

All in all, I'd recommend this book for a quick and easy read (or listen) on a plane, train, or in the car.