The Search by Nora Roberts

Title: The Search

Author: Nora Roberts
My Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis: Fiona Bristow trains search and rescue dogs, and is the only survivor of the Red Scarf Killer. Now, just as her life has taken a new romantic turn with sexy wood artist, Simon Doyle, Fiona has become the target of her tormentor’s apprentice. Can she outwit this vicious murderer and save his latest victim, or will she perish in the attempt?

Review: Nora Roberts is a gifted storyteller and this is no exception. The witty banter between her characters is particularly enjoyable, although I must say that Simon’s brusqueness takes some getting used to. Nevertheless, his chemistry with Fiona is potent and their relationship develops in an engaging way.
The serial killer plot is where the tale takes a troublesome turn. To begin with, his identity is revealed far to early and I prefer following clues and figuring it out for myself. Second, his motivations are indistinct and poorly detailed, and finally, despite the excellent build up of tension throughout the book, the conclusion is disappointing and anti-climactic.

These faults reflect my own personal peeves and that said, this is a highly entertaining read for fans and newbies alike.

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Book Trailer Thursday: Arcane Society

Book Trailer Thursday is hosted on The Quill Cafe blog. 

To participate, on a Thursday you post an entry in your blog with an embedded book trailer of your choice (note: the trailer can be fan made but please no movie trailers of book adaptations) with your thoughts and comments underneath. It can be a book you have read, want to read or have never even come across before.

I only discovered book trailers recently and found myself intrigued by the concept.

So here is the first one I found interesting...

I am currently on book #3: Sizzle & Burn. I am enjoying the mythology underlying the series as well as the fact that the books take place in different time periods. The historical ones are written under the author's pseudonym, Amanda Quick, while the contemporary tales are written by Jayne Ann Krentz. 

I'd love to know what you think about the trailer and/or the books.

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The Dirty Secrets Club by Meg Gardiner

Title: The Dirty Secrets Club

Author: Meg Gardiner

Series: Jo Beckett (book #1)

Next in series: The Memory Collector

My Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis: As a forensic psychiatrist or "dead-shrinker", Dr. Jo Beckett works with the police on cases in which the manner of death (accident, homicide, suicide) is unclear. In this debut book, Jo is called in when an up-and-coming DA is killed in what appears to be a murder-suicide. Once Jo begins digging it becomes clear that the young attorney was involved in a sinister organization whose members of being targeted. Can Jo stop the conspirators before she becomes one of their victims?

Review: Well-written with a solid cast of characters including the lead, Jo Beckett, and an extremely eerie villain. Jo’s character is well-developed with the aid of some flash-back scenes that contribute to rather than detract from the progression of the plot. She has just the right mix of strength and vulnerability to engage the reader. The plot is interesting, has plenty of twists and turns, and comes to a compelling conclusion. Definitely not my last Jo Beckett book.

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At the Stroke of Madness by Alex Kava

Title: At the Stroke of Madness 

Author: Alex Kava 

Series: Maggie O’Dell (book #4) 

Previous in series: The Soul Catcher 

Next in series: A Necessary Evil 

My Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: Maggie is asked by her friend, Dr. Gwen Patterson, to look into the disappearance of a patient. At the same time, several bodies are found stuffed into barrels in a quarry near the patient’s last known location. Is she one of the corpses? Who killed them and why?

Review: The plot is enjoyable and well-paced. The new characters are easy to like, and the killer's motivation is unique as far as serial killer’s go. The problem is that I did not get that “can’t put it down” feeling that comes with really good books. In addition, I felt that Maggie's character was under-developed. She does not seem to be growing or learning from her mistakes. She keeps getting herself into the same situations with the different killers in the series. I am interested to see where the characters are going, especially Tully and Gwen, so I will keep on reading.

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Deadly Heat by Cynthia Eden

Title: Deadly Heat
Author: Cynthia Eden
Series: Deadly (book #2)
Previous in series: Deadly Fear
Next in series: Deadly Lies
My Rating: 3 Stars 
Warning: Contains sexually explicit scenes

My Synopsis: Seeking revenge after her lover dies as a result of arson, firefighter, Lora Spade, calls in the FBI. Agent Kenton Lake is sent to capture the serial arsonist labeled “The Phoenix” and finds himself drawn to Lora’s courage and passion. But as they grow closer so does the killer, and the two find themselves in a deadly game of cat and mouse with a sadist who enjoys burning his victims.

My Review: This is an enjoyable romantic thriller. The writing flows, the tension is tangible and the description true to life. I particularly enjoyed figuring out the villain's identity moments before he was revealed in the book. However, while the main characters are likable and easy to identify with, their chemistry is not as vibrant as that of the couple in the first book: Monica and Luke. Neither is the tension in their relationship sufficiently developed.

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