Wicked Prey, by John Sandford

 In Sandford’s previous novel, Lucas Davenport was busy planning and coordinating security for the upcoming Republican National Convention, to be held in St. Paul.  Davenport, you’ll remember, is the top cop at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, a state agency that handles high profile and sensitive criminal cases. It’s now the end of summer in Sandford’s latest novel and the Republicans have come to town.  Unfortunately, also newly arrived in St. Paul are brutal Brutus Cohn and ruthless Rosie Cruz—both indeed wicked.  Cohn and Cruz usually specialize in bank and armored car robberies but they are in town, along with two other accomplices, to rob about a half dozen Republican ‘moneymen’ who are at the convention with suitcases of large amounts of questionable cash to distribute as needed.  Cohn and Cruz are hoping to walk away with at least five million dollars for a couple nights work—and the victims are unlikely to report the thefts of the money to the police.  Sounds like a sweet plan.  And, it just might work because Davenport is a little preoccupied with someone stalking his daughter.  The ‘Prey’ series has been consistently excellent and this is a very entertaining new installment.

The Increment, by David Ignatius

 It’s a fairly routine day at the CIA until an encrypted email arrives at the agency’s public website.  The message seems to have come from a nuclear scientist in Iran and it contains what appears to be vital information on Iran’s nuclear weapons program.  Dubbed a ‘virtual walk-in’ or VW, the unknown scientist is given the nickname Dr. Ali.  But, is Dr. Ali for real and, if so, what is his intent?  Tasked with finding those answers is Harry Pappas, chief of the CIA’s Persia House department.  After the death of his soldier son in Iraq, Harry had almost walked away from the agency but was persuaded to stay on with the Persia House assignment. With scant resources on the ground in Iran, Harry turns to Britain’s MI5, and a spy he knows, Adrian Winkler.  Together, Adrian and Harry will employ a super-secret shadowy British unit called The Increment to attempt a daring meeting and possible extraction of Dr. Ali.  This was a terrific page-turner—ignore the clunky title.  If you enjoy the international spy novels of Daniel Silva I think you will like this, too. 

The 8^th Confession, by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

 The Women’s Murder Club is still active in San Francisco and they are investigating the murders of several very rich and famous city residents.  Detective Lindsay Boxer is heading the investigation but she doesn’t have much to go on.  Fellow club member Claire Washburn, the coroner, has been unable to even determine what killed the victims.  At first, wealth seems to be the only common denominator but then the murders are linked to several unsolved cases from years ago—and Lindsay finally has a chance at cracking the cases.  This was just ok.

The Scarecrow, by Michael Connelly

 Jack MeEvoy, ace crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, is called in to his editor’s office and told he is being laid off in two weeks, just another victim of the sad state of the newspaper business these days.  To add insult to injury, he is asked to train his younger, cheaper, less experienced replacement, Angela Cook.  While mulling this turn of events, Jack receives a call from a woman claiming her grandson is innocent of the murder he has been charged with.  Yeah, right.  Jack is highly skeptical but decides to look into the case as one of his last assignments before he leaves and he enlists Angela to help him out.  Well, lo and behold, after they do some investigating it looks like the grandson might actually be innocent and the real killer might still be out there.  And, he seems to be a diabolical computer wiz.  Jack just might go out in a blaze of glory—if he can stay alive.  Wish I could say more but I don’t want to spoil any of the terrific plot twists and exciting action in this wonderfully suspenseful thriller.  Not to be missed!

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