What We Thought: Notorious by Allison Brennan

Mystery Readers

September 9, 2015

Notorious

by Allison Brennan

“Notorious weaves through two murders and a suicide investigation. It has all the twists and turns that you look for in a crime/thriller novel.” -- Goodreads, Britney

The first book features investigative reporter Maxine "Max" Revere and her cable television show about solving cold cases. She uses unorthodox methods in her determined search for truth and justice for the victim and his/her family and friends. She doesn’t sensationalize crimes, but presents them in a straightforward manner. She is persistent and follows her instincts despite obstacles. Readers admired her standards, treating everyone the same. If someone deserved her respect, she gave it to them. If someone was nasty, she gave it right back in kind.

Book club members engaged in a spirited discussion of the characters and their motives. This discussion was very serious with everyone participating. Readers focused on Max Revere’s motivation for her chosen career. It was decided that the mystery of her own wealthy family background and direct experiences with crime influenced her personality and determination. She stayed away from her hometown and family members and only interacted with them when absolutely necessary. She had better relationships with her employees and certain law enforcement officers, but occasionally there were problems as well. Everything was black or white with no gray areas for her and she set her own boundaries.

The central issue with Max is the mystery of her mother and abandonment. Readers expected that more will be revealed in subsequent books. (Notorious is followed by Compulsion.)

Log in to NoveList with your Holmes Public Library card number to see a list of read-alike suggestions if you like the Max Revere series by Allison Brennan. Or come in to the library and ask us for the list!

Please add to the discussion in the comments below!

This Month's Selection: Notorious by Allison Brennan

Notorious

by Allison Brennan

Wed., Sept. 9

2 p.m.  

New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan introduces an irrepressible, unforgettable, and notorious new heroine in her latest pulse-pounding thriller.

Maxine Revere has dedicated her life to investigating murders that the police have long since given up any hope of solving. A nationally renowned, tough-as-nails investigative reporter with her own TV show, Max tackles cold cases from across the country and every walk of life.

But the one unsolved murder that still haunts her is a case from her own past.

First in the Max Revere series.

What We Thought: Dog on It by Spencer Quinn

Mystery Readers

Wed., April 22

 

Dog On It

by Spencer Quinn

Dog on It is a humorous mystery told entirely from the point of view of Chet the Jet, canine partner of human P.I. Bernie, owner of the Little Detective Agency.

Readers laughed throughout their discussion of the book and agreed that it was a delightful change of pace from the darker mysteries preceding it in our book club. Everyone was all smiles talking about their favorite part of the book. Everyone had a different story to tell and all were equally funny. Readers appreciated the doggy details and agreed that the story was true to Chet’s nature. They noted Chet characteristically losing his attention during the pursuit of his investigations. He did eventually get back on track although it sometimes took a circuitous route to get there. Chet’s good judge of character saved him from some dangerous characters and bad situations. His point of view provided interest to the story when Bernie missed some of the action.

This was a difficult book to discuss because it is a light mystery, but readers did a great job talking about the characters and their influence in the story. They didn’t leave out Chet’s animal buddies and neighbors. All were particularly interested in the mysterious she-bark of the canyon, whom Chet may have an adventure with at the conclusion of the book.

Chet is just a regular dog (who has his own Facebook page and his own blog and thinks he is a superhero). Bernie thinks he is the perfect partner.

“The cat saw me at once, of course, and every hair on his body stood straight up, and he made a sound like a mountain lion’s roar but much tinier. That’s all cats are -- midget lions. I’m nobody’s midget, baby.”  Chet the Jet.

The books in the Chet and Bernie series so far:

1. Dog on It

2. Thereby Hangs a Tail

3. To Fetch a Thief

4. The Dog Who Knew Too Much

5. A Fistful of Collars

6. The Sound and the Furry

7. Paw and Order

8. Scents and Sensibility (coming July 14)

What We Thought: Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo

Mystery Readers

Tuesday, March 18, 1 p.m.

Sworn to Silence

by Linda Castillo

Sworn to Silence is a fast-paced thriller with detailed descriptions of life among the Amish and English residents in rural Ohio.  Readers agreed that the book kept their interest and was a page turner. The characters and incidents in characters’ past that motivated their present situations were believable.

A few experienced mystery genre readers solved the identity of the serial killer early on. Most readers were waylaid by the author’s red herrings. But all were satisfied with the story despite the graphic and disturbing nature of the crimes.

The character of Kate, the Chief of Police, and how she went about her job were very interesting. She was well liked and respected by her police force which included Mona Kurtz, third-shift dispatcher by choice, and officers Pickles and Glock. Kate’s story about her experience of a terrible crime a young girl and the aftermath touched everyone. Readers wondered about Kate and whether there would have been a different resolution if she had not been raised in the Amish religion.

Agent John Tomasetti from the Ohio Board of Criminal Identification and Investigation was not portrayed sympathetically at first, but as his story was revealed readers began to understand him and his relationship with Kate.  When the identity of the psychopathic serial killer was revealed, the story came to a satisfying conclusion.

This book prompted a lot of discussion about the subject of blaming women victims for their crime. Members were passionate when they spoke about how real crimes were reported by the news media. The snowy and cold setting perfectly reflected our February and early March Massachusetts weather, which added extra chills for Holmes Mystery Book Club readers.

Sworn to Silence was a favorite among all the books the club has read this year! Have you read it? Please add your voice to the discussion in the comments! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

What We Thought: Suspect by Michael Robotham

Suspect by Michael Robotham

Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2015

Suspect is a psychological thriller with a story within a story about a psychologist who becomes the suspect in a criminal investigation. He keeps secrets which could implicate him in the crimes or clear his name. He waits until it is almost too late to reveal these details to his family and the detective who suspects him early on. 

The psychological insights and the recent diagnosis of psychologist Joe O’Loughlin’s Parkinson’s disease are right on. Readers appreciated the details of both story lines and said they that the author had done quite a bit of research to enhance the credibility of characters. Readers commented about one of the criminals who was revealed late in the story. They wanted more information about his background and what ultimately happened to him. It was thought that perhaps he may appear in a sequel.

 The discussion about self-mutilation being the result of child abuse raised questions of why the mutilation continued into adult life and why only some people suffer from it. The psychological impact of how parents influence children and can result in different behaviors of siblings in the same family was also noted. This topic drew readers to question the characterization of Lenny, the father of one of the original suspects. Some doubted that he killed himself and others wondered who could have killed him. Members thought the premise of the story would have changed if Lenny had not died. 

Readers agreed that the book kept their interest with the plot twists and turns. There were plenty of surprises to keep them turning pages to the breathtaking conclusion, leaving some wanting more.

What do you think? Do you agree with the group? Please tell us your thoughts in the comments!

This Month's Selection: Suspect by Michael Robotham

Mystery Readers Book Club

 

Suspect 

by Michael Robotham

 

Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2 p.m.

“A gripping first novel…taut and fast-moving.” —Washington Post

From the publisher:

The renowned psychologist Joseph O’Loughlin has it all—a thriving practice, a devoted, beautiful, fiercely intelligent wife, and a lovely young daughter. But when he’s diagnosed with Parkinson’s, O’Loughlin begins to dread the way his exceptional mind has been shackled to a failing body, and the cracks in his perfect existence start to show.

At first, O’Loughlin is delighted to be called in to a high-profile murder investigation, hoping his extraordinary abilities at perception will help bring a killer to justice. But when O’Loughlin recognizes the victim as one of his former patients, an emotionally disturbed young woman who nearly brought ruin upon him, he hesitates—a fateful decision that soon makes O’Loughlin a target of both a bullish detective and a diabolical killer.

Pick up a copy of this month's selection at the library or any library near you. Whether you're in the group or not, you will make us happy if you use the comments to join the discussion!

What We Thought: Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger

Beautiful Lies

by Lisa Unger

November 13, 2014

Beautiful Lies is a character driven fast paced psychological thriller with a storyline about how the consequences of a good deed reveals the sad truth of  the early life of Ridley Jones, the main character. Ridley’s story is revealed with the help of a new neighbor, Jake. He enters her life at a time when she has questions about a long term relationship with a former boyfriend and family friend, Zack

The focus of the story is about child abuse and rescue, adoption, and the unintended consequences of good intentions gone badly. Family secrets spiral out of control to reveal concealed truths about parents, siblings, her Uncle Max, family friends, biological and adoptive parents, and lost children. Events in the story are realistic and readers said that the family dynamics of adoption likely could have happened. Ridley was not close to her mother but was indulged by her rich Uncle Max. Her father was supportive of her and her brother Ace was a lost soul addicted to drugs.

Another theme was that of choice and how important freedom was to Ridley. She was determined to uncover the true relationships of her adoptive and biological families and her place in both. Upstairs neighbor Jake is determined to find out about his early life and how both of them are connected to each other.

Readers liked the conversational style of the story along with the first-person narration. Book club members agreed that issues about adoption raised in the story were less likely to be the same in the younger generation today. This led to a discussion of how readers raised their own children. Children are raised in a more permissive society, and secrecy -- although it surely exists -- is not as prevalent as in previous generations. Open adoption and the Safe Haven law were discussed as examples.

Readers are ready to read Sliver of Truth, the next book in the Ridley Jones series.

This Month's Selection: Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger

Holmes Mystery Readers

Beautiful Lies
by Lisa Unger

Tues., Nov. 19
2:00 p.m.

What if your family was a lie? What if your name was a lie? 

 What if your whole life was just a pack of Beautiful Lies?

If Ridley Jones had slept ten minutes later or had taken the subway instead of waiting for a cab, she would still be living the lie she used to call her perfect life. Instead, she’s in the wrong place at the right time to unleash a chain of events that begins with a mysterious package on her doorstep. A package that informs her that her entire world is just an illusion. Forced to question everything she knows about herself, Ridley wanders into dark territory, where everyone is hiding something.

First in the Ridley Jones series.

What We Thought: Vanished by Joseph Finder

Mystery Readers Book Club

October 16, 2014

Vanished by Joseph Finder

Vanished is an action-packed story of suspense full of mysterious plot twists leaving readers wondering what was going on and who were the good guys. How could we know if the characters were actually good or bad? The readers had to come to their own conclusions, and not everyone agreed.

Several readers did think that the story was written more for guys because of the action and associations with guns and military activities. To appeal more to these traditional female readers, the author may want to tone down the technical details of his stories and add some romantic scenes in future books.

The character of Gabe, nephew of hero Nick Heller, was well drawn. He was accurately portrayed as a typical adolescent and added flavor to the drama of the intense characters and their secret, malevolent agendas. Nick’s sister-in-law Lauren was not a sympathetic character as the story went along and most readers didn’t like her. Of course her husband Roger, Nick’s brother was totally portrayed as a soulless psychopath. It is a good thing that Gabe is his stepson and most likely will end up going into business with his Uncle Nick.

This book prompted a lot of discussion about the background stories of the characters, both major and minor, and their connections to each other. Also, were these people sincere or just playing around with people for their own benefit? Dysfunctional relationships; family, business and criminal were definitely themes that drove the characters in their desire for wealth and power.

Even at the conclusion of the book questions remained. Who was Candi Dupont? Readers will have to look at Joseph Finder’s second Nick Heller book, Buried Secrets, for more answers to what makes Nick Heller tick.

Have you read Vanished? Do you agree or disagree with the group's  opinion? Feel free to add your voice in the comments and become a virtual member of the monthly Mystery Readers Book Club!