Posts tagged with "Thriller"
The Night Season
Posted by on 10/03/11
Portland OR is experiencing the worst rain in decades there are parallels between the current fictional natural disaster and one which actually did completely wipe out Willamette River City more than 60 years earlier. As the water is quickly rising in the town of Vanport several people have been swept away by the flood waters and the coroner soon discovers puncture wounds and learns the victims were dead before they entered the flood waters. Even more unusual is how they were poisoned by one of the most bizarre methods, deadly toxin from an exotic octopus sting. As the skeletal remains turns up we soon learn there are several more bodies first thought that they were victims of the flood waters. Homicide Detective Archie Sheridan is once again on the trail with his side kick quirky reporter Susan Ward. Unlike the first three books where Gretchen Lowell, the “Beauty Killer” is a main character she is only mentioned in passing.
There's a mildly intriguing subplot involving a young boy who may be working with the killer, Sheridan heroically rescues a young boy from the floodwaters, only to have the boy disappear from the hospital. As Sheridan races against time to find the killer, he together Susan Ward believes the child is tied into the case.
For those that are new to the series you can read this novel without reading the other three novels:
Evil at Heart (Sept 2009) Thriller 3
Sweetheart (Sept 2008) Thriller 2
Heartsick (Sept 2007) Thriller 1
The Vesuvius Club
Posted by Ultra Violet on 08/22/11
Intensely silly and yet unabashedly erudite, The Vesuvius Club weaves together dark humor (with a British accent), saucy romantic encounters and action-packed fight scenes. Written by Mark Gatiss who is one of the contributing writers to the new Doctor Who series and who played Mycroft Holmes in the recent Sherlock series.
Turn of Mind
Posted by Ultra Violet on 07/13/11
Dr. Jennifer White had a stellar career as a hand surgeon until early onset dementia forced her into retirement. Her best friend, who lives only a few doors down, is murdered and Dr. White is a prime suspect. There is no evidence of forced entry or struggle and the victim is missing fingers from one hand. There were expertly removed, even Dr. White commends the work when she is shown the pictures. However, she keeps forgetting that Amanda was killed, as she keeps forgetting everything. Dr. White's son and daughter are alternately a support and an annoyance to her as they struggle with losing their mother and their own neuroses. The entire book is told from the point of view of Dr. White and it is painful and frightening to get inside the head of someone in the situation of slipping away. It is especially hard for Dr. White because she has always been such a powerful woman. If one has gone through the despair of witnessing a loved-one with dementia, this book will be difficult to read, but cathartic as well. LaPlante has achieved something very special in that she has written a work of literary fiction that is also an exciting thriller as the murder investigation unfolds.
Under the Harrow
Posted by Ultra Violet on 02/09/11
The world of Dingley Dell exists along side our own. But the inhabitants of this isolated community have developed a singular society and culture based entirely on the complete works of Charles Dickens. When someone from the Dell ventures to the Outland, it is assumed they will never be heard from again, and most certainly won't survive. Then, and eleven-year old boy runs away from home and brings the Outland back to the Dell, changing their lifestyle in an instant.
