The Printed Page

• My rating: Good. When I first started The Inner Circle I was a little worried. It took 163 pages of slowing going before I got interested in continuing. Mr. Meltzer benefits this time from a long term writer/reader relationship. I gave him the benefit of our solid history, as I’ve read all his previous full length novels, believing that there would be a payoff if I stuck it out. There were more than a few instances when I wanted to call it quits. I wasn’t liking the characters nor enjoying the story line. I’d prefer if both were to my liking but one or the other can entice me to keep going. Finally there were signs that indeed a good political thriller was lurking just under the surface. The pace definitely kicks into high. Not all questions have answers and I’m betting we’ll be meeting up again with Beecher, Tot and Clemmie. Personally I’m looking forward to the next adventure now that we’ve gone through the somewhat awkward introductory stage.
• New-to-me author: No
• Would I read more from this author: Yes

Title: The Inner Circle

Author/web site: Brad Meltzer

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication date & page count: January ’11 & 454 pages

There are stories no one knows. Hidden stories. I love those stories. And since I work in the National Archives, I find those stories for a living.

So says Benjamin January, a young archivist who spends his days working with the most important documents of the U.S. government. When Clementine Kaye, his first childhood crush, shows up at the Archives asking for his help tracking down her long-lost father, Benjy tries to impress her by showing her the secret vault where the President of the United States privately reviews classified documents. It is also where Benjy and Clementine accidentally happen upon a priceless artifact-a 200-year-old dictionary that once belonged to George Washington-hidden inside a desk chair. Eager to discover why the President is hiding this important national treasure, the two soon find themselves entangled in a web of deception, conspiracy, and murder that will reveal the most well kept secret of the U.S. Presidency.

• My rating: Loved it. Ms. O’Brien makes very good use of what little is known about Anne Neville and weaves an engaging story. The Virgin Widow is a wonderful mix of love and history. With so little material to go on Ms. O’Brien gives Anne a voice and brings to life her story without skewing history. From Ms. O’Brien’s POV Anne’s life was never easy. The Virgin Widow is a story of strength and power filled with strife and major family upheaval. A young love denied for so very long, a first marriage solely for political gain and the mother-in-law from hell. Anne waited years and endured endless trials before finally finding happiness with Richard III. Initially I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy The Virgin Widow because I’m not overly familiar with these characters but I’m oh so glad I took the chance.
• New-to-me author: Yes
• Would I read more from this author: Yes

Title: The Virgin Widow

Author/web site: Anne O’Brien

Publisher: NAL

Publication date & page count: November ’10 & 409 pages

This title is about England’s forgotten Queen. England, 1469. A daughter of Warwick the Kingmaker, Anne Neville cannot dictate her own future. Her marriage will be political, made purely to advance her family’s interests. But at the age of fourteen, her father’s treason forces her into exile, and into an uneasy betrothal with Edward of Lancaster. Edward is changeable and completely controlled by his powerful mother, Margaret of Anjou. In a hostile, impoverished court, Anne finds herself at the mercy of other’s whims. On her wedding night, the audience assembled to witness her bedding instead witnesses a royal humiliation. At the point of consummation, Queen Margaret forbids the act. Anne went to her husband’s bed a virgin, and she will remain so. The battle for the crown of England rages, and Anne’s husband must fight for his cause. But he is foully done to death by Richard, Duke of Gloucester – a man who twice before has been betrothed to Anne. Anne must decide where her loyalties lie. And during the reign of King Edward, the wrong decision could mean death.

• My rating: OK. For all the reasons I loved Mr. Gore’s first book, Final Target, I was disappointed with Absolute Risk. After finishing Final Target I was very excited to start Absolute Risk because I thought I’d be in for another wild ride. Mr. Gore’s story lines give readers money trails, deceitful politicians and corrupt governments all twisted up and tangled. Its Graham Gage’s job as an international investigator to pull the strings that untie the knots. I felt Graham was much more vested in seeing justice done in Final Target as his closest friend is clinging to life in a hospital the target of a vast money laundering scheme involving the sale of advanced military technology. In Absolute Risk Graham Gage’s wife Faith plays a part in the whole messy affair but it doesn’t take center stage therefore the tension of having to be a knight in shining armour coming to save the day isn’t nearly as high pitched. And honestly Mr. Gore lost me a number of times when the story line came to economic theory. While Absolute Risk is very relevant given the current global economic crisis I don’t want to feel like I’m once again suffering through my college level economics classes. What I really want to be doing is racing around the globe chasing down the supremely bad guys in a high-stakes, fast-paced thriller. I have a feeling readers will be meeting up once again with Graham Gage in another international adventure so I’ll give him one more chance.
• New-to-me author: No
• Would I read more from this author: Probably

Title: Absolute Risk

Author/web site: Steven Gore

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Publication date & page count: September ’10 & 351 pages

An FBI Agent, disgraced and dead. A Muslim economist, deported from the US and tortured. The world’s largest hedge fund, secreted off shore. A Federal Reserve Chairman who suspects a dangerous connection among them. And private investigator Graham Gage, to whom he turns to learn the truth. From New York to Boston to Marseilles to Washington DC, Gage races to expose a economic terrorism conspiracy against the United States, his heart burdened and his work complicated by an uprising in western China in which his wife is caught, by an indecisive Acting US President under the influence of a politically powerful, but increasingly delusional evangelical minister, by ruthless and double dealing Chinese business leaders, and by a PLA general gripping the largest army in the world with one hand, and Gage’s wife in the other.

Underlying each plot turn are questions about the vulnerability of the debt burdened US economy, the use of mathematical financial models, market manipulation and insider trading, the use of rendition and torture, US corporate complicity in foreign corruption, and America’s commitment to its own values.

• My rating: OK. I found The Wolves of Andover slow and not really all that interesting. Once again Ms. Kent draws on family legend to craft her story. While it’s fine to draw on bits and pieces of family lore there must be more than scattered details to move a story along and The Wolves of Andover lacks a driving force. I think when an author hits it out of the ballpark with a debut novel, for Ms. Kent it was The Heretic’s Daughter, that a second novel will face higher expectations from readers. My expectations were high and The Wolves of Andover fell short.
• New-to-me author: No
• Would I read more from this author: Probably

Title: The Wolves of Andover

Author/web site: Kathleen Kent

Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books

Publication date & page count: November ’10 & 297 pages

In the harsh wilderness of colonial Massachusetts, Martha Allen works as a servant in her cousin’s household, taking charge and locking wills with everyone. Thomas Carrier labors for the family and is known both for his immense strength and size and mysterious past. The two begin a courtship that suits their independent natures, with Thomas slowly revealing the story of his part in the English Civil War. But in the rugged new world they inhabit, danger is ever present, whether it be from the assassins sent from London to kill the executioner of Charles I or the wolves-in many forms-who hunt for blood. A love story and a tale of courage, The Wolves of Andover confirms Kathleen Kent’s ability to craft powerful stories of family from colonial history.

• My rating: OK. I think this book suffers from the ‘sophomore slump.’  I found it very slow for the first half to two-thirds of the story line. And there are no surprises here. Not only had I easily figured out who the killer was Ms. Lange goes and reveals the identity. It lacks any sort of plot line imagination. And what action there is takes place almost at the very end. There wasn’t a lot here to hold my attention. I actually enjoyed the first book in the series, Damaged, much more than I did Indefensible. Here’s hoping book #3, Tattooed, offers more to a reader.
• New-to-me author: No
• Would I read more from this author: Willing to give book #3 a try before I call it quits

Title: Indefensible

Author/web site: Pamela Callow

Publisher: MIRA

Publication date & page count: December ’10 & 502 pages

When Elise Vanderzell plummets from her bedroom balcony one gorgeous summer night, her children awaken to a nightmare.

THEIR MOTHER IS DEAD. THEIR FATHER IS CHARGED WITH HER MURDER.

Lawyer Kate Lange knows all about nightmares. She’s survived the darkest period of her troubled life and the wounds are still raw. Now she’s been handed a case that seems utterly unwinnable: defending her boss, high-profile lawyer Randall Barrett. A prosecutor’s dream suspect, Randall is a man who was cuckolded by his ex-wife. A man who could not control his temper. A man who had argued bitterly with the victim the previous day in full view of the children.

With limited criminal law experience, Kate finds herself enmeshed in a family fractured by doubt. Randall’s teenage son is intent on killing him. His daughter wants only to feel safe again. And the entire legal community would like nothing better than to see Randall receive a public comeuppance. As Kate races to stay a step ahead of the prosecution, a silent predator is waiting for the perfect time to deal the final blow.

When I think of Mark Twain, which is just about never, I most certainly don’t go ‘oh yeah I remember him writing about Joan of Arc’. Really Mark Twain and Joan of Arc?! You’re kidding? Trying to pull a fast one on me. Whatever. I’m thinking more along the lines of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, Mississippi, long slow lazy southern days. Not some peasant girl leading the French Army to victory. Then again I can’t claim to know all the much about Mr. Twain’s writings simply because I’ve never read any. So when I was surfing Bing today for historical fiction I just about dropped my laptop when I came across this cover art. And straight from wikipedia is the explanation behind the Joan of Art recollections: Twain’s next venture was a work of straight fiction that he called Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc and dedicated to his wife. Twain had long said that this was the work of which he was most proud, despite the criticism he received for it. The book had been a dream of his since childhood; he claimed that he had found a manuscript detailing the life of Joan of Arcwhen he was an adolescent.[27] This was another piece which Twain was convinced would save his publishing company. His financial adviser, Henry Huttleston Rogers, squashed that idea and got Twain out of that business altogether, but the book was published nonetheless.. I’m very tempted to buy these works and give Mr. Twain’s writing a try. The cover art is exquisite.

• My rating: Loved it. Mr. Kaplan’s story transported me to another time and place. I’m not very familiar with the Spanish Inquisition with so I found By Fire, By Water especially interesting. And not being Jewish myself nor a student of Jewish history I have a vague awareness of the persecution Jews have suffered throughout history up to WWII but have never have given much thought to the extent of this persecution. Reading By Fire, By Water once again brings these horrific acts of hate to light. For whatever reason, which I won’t debate here, history continually repeats itself for the Jewish people and not for the better. And the most fascinating character for me in By Fire, By Water was Christopher Columbus. I remember from school quoting the poem about Christopher Columbus sailing the ocean blue and not much else. In Mr. Kaplan’s wonderful story telling I found Christopher Columbus to be more than just an sea armada’s captain.
• New-to-me author: Yes
• Would I read more from this author: Yes

Title: By Fire, By Water

Author/web site: Mitchell James Kaplan

Publisher: Other Press

Publication date & page count: May ’10 & 277 pages

Luis de Santángel, chancellor to the court and longtime friend of the lusty King Ferdinand, has had enough of the Spanish Inquisition. As the power of Inquisitor General Tomás de Torquemada grows, so does the brutality of the Spanish church and the suspicion and paranoia it inspires. When a dear friend’s demise brings the violence close to home, Santángel is enraged and takes retribution into his own hands. But he is from a family of conversos, and his Jewish heritage makes him an easy target. As Santángel witnesses the horrific persecution of his loved ones, he begins slowly to reconnect with the Jewish faith his family left behind. Feeding his curiosity about his past is his growing love for Judith Migdal, a clever and beautiful Jewish woman navigating the mounting tensions in Granada. While he struggles to decide what his reputation is worth and what he can sacrifice, one man offers him a chance he thought he’d lost.the chance to hope for a better world. Christopher Columbus has plans to discover a route to paradise, and only Luis de Santángel can help him.

Within the dramatic story lies a subtle, insightful examination of the crisis of faith at the heart of the Spanish Inquisition. Irresolvable conflict rages within the conversos in By Fire, By Water, torn between the religion they left behind and the conversion meant to ensure their safety. In this story of love, God, faith, and torture, fifteenth-century Spain comes to dazzling, engrossing life.

The beginning of August had me posting book #100 for year. Here it is 3 months later and I’m starting book #150. The question now is will I make book #175 before midnight 12/31/2010? I’m not betting it will happen but I do have a two vacation coming up and tend to read a book a day while enjoying white sand beaches and beautiful blue waters.

When Elise Vanderzell plummets from her bedroom balcony one gorgeous summer night, her children awaken to a nightmare.

THEIR MOTHER IS DEAD. THEIR FATHER IS CHARGED WITH HER MURDER.

Lawyer Kate Lange knows all about nightmares. She’s survived the darkest period of her troubled life and the wounds are still raw. Now she’s been handed a case that seems utterly unwinnable: defending her boss, high-profile lawyer Randall Barrett. A prosecutor’s dream suspect, Randall is a man who was cuckolded by his ex-wife. A man who could not control his temper. A man who had argued bitterly with the victim the previous day in full view of the children.

With limited criminal law experience, Kate finds herself enmeshed in a family fractured by doubt. Randall’s teenage son is intent on killing him. His daughter wants only to feel safe again. And the entire legal community would like nothing better than to see Randall receive a public comeuppance. As Kate races to stay a step ahead of the prosecution, a silent predator is waiting for the perfect time to deal the final blow.

Book cover links to story synopsis

Book cover links to story synopsis