Liberty, by Stephen Coonts

This latest from Stephen Coonts starts off with a terrorist group buying four nuclear bombs from a rogue Russian general.  Rear Admiral Jake Grafton gets word of the sale from a Russian contact he knows and the President promptly puts him in charge of finding the bombs—which are supposedly on their way to the United States.   Grafton quickly assembles a team of misfits skilled in computer hacking, spying, and breaking into buildings--and the breakneck search is on.  And, an exciting search it is as the team members globe hop around the world and manage to find three of the four bombs.  But, where is the fourth and will they find it in time?  This was a topical and enjoyable page-turner and a nice addition to the Jake Grafton series.
 

Small Town, by Lawrence Block

The small town is New York City and the time period is the first year following the events of September 11th.  Block has gathered a disparate (or maybe desperate) set of interesting characters grappling with a changed world.  Susan Pomerance owns an art gallery specializing in outsider art.  Francis Buckram, an ex-police commissioner, is trying to decide on a future run for mayor.  John Creighton is a once popular author struggling to get back in demand.  Maury Winters, a savvy defense attorney, is dealing with a fatal illness on his own terms.  The story leads off with Jerry Pankow, a recovering alcoholic, making his rounds cleaning several businesses and residences.  When he gets to the home of Marilyn Fairchild, he discovers her strangled to death in her bedroom.  Marilyn’s murder serves as the catalyst that ties all the characters together as they become involved in the search for a New Yorker who has gone mad with the loss of his family on September 11th.  This is one of Lawrence Block’s best books with a nicely interwoven story and terrific dialogue.
 

The Confessor, by Daniel Silva

Gabriel Allon, the art restorer and sometime Israeli agent, makes his third appearance in this latest international thriller by Silva.  In Munich, Benjamin Stern has been found murdered.  Stern, a friend of Gabriel’s from childhood, had been working on a book about the Vatican and World War II.  Ari Shamron, the former head of Israeli Intelligence, had raised Benjamin like his own son.  He asks Gabriel to take a break from his current art restoration in Venice to search for Benjamin’s killer.  Gabriel has very little to go on but one clue sends him to a small convent in northern Italy.  What he learns there will set him on a chase to capture an elusive assassin known as the Leopard—who has just been offered five million dollars to kill the Pope.  This is another winner in Silva’s terrific series.  There’s nothing I like more than a good cat and mouse thriller—especially one that jumps from one interesting locale to another in Europe.  Highly recommended.
 

The Crush, by Sandra Brown

Dr. Rennie Newton is a skilled surgeon who leads a very structured, calculated, solitary life.  That all changes when she is called to serve jury duty in the murder trial of contract killer Ricky Lozada.  Elected as jury foreman, Rennie persuades the jury to acquit Lozada because the evidence, in her opinion, has not proved his guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt.  She feels he is guilty but her precise way at looking at things will not allow her to vote to convict.  During the trial Lozada developed a crush on Rennie and when he gets out, he pursues her.  And, in a crazy attempt to win her favor, he uses his killer skills to murder a doctor who is up for the same job as Rennie.  Lozada has left no evidence linking him to the crime and the police focus on Rennie as their prime suspect.  So, now she has a contract killer and the police to contend with. So much for jury duty!  Fortunately, she also has Wick Threadgill on the case. He’s a police detective on leave from the force and he has a personal interest in nailing Lozada.  This is another enjoyable read from Brown with both suspense and romance nicely mixed.
 

Suspicion of Madness, by Barbara Parker

I think this is the seventh novel featuring Miami lawyers Gail Connor and Anthony Quintana.  Gail and Anthony are finally engaged to be married and their relationship seems to have smoothed out somewhat after several bumpy stretches.  When Anthony is called to the Florida Keys for a few days to assist Lois and Martin Greenwald, a couple with a son who might be a suspect in a murder, Gail decides to tag along.  The Greenwalds own a posh, exclusive resort on a small private island and Gail and Anthony will be their guests free of charge.  Anthony figures he’ll do a few hours of legal work assisting their son, Billy, when he is interviewed by the police and then he and Gail can have the rest of the time to themselves. Wrong!  When Gail and Anthony arrive they find that Billy has just tried to kill himself and has confessed to the murder.  But, an aging Hollywood actress living on the island claims that Billy was with her at the time of the crime.  A simple case has just gotten complicated and it will also become dangerous for Anthony and Gail as they try to sort things out.  This was one of the better books I’ve read in this series and I liked the setting in the Keys.
 
 
 
 

Back to the Library Home Page

Comments to Bill McCleary