Sons of Fortune, by Jeffrey Archer

It’s the late 1940s and two pregnant women enter the hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, hours apart on the same day.  Susan Cartwright gives birth to non-identical twins and Ruth Davenport, the wife of a millionaire, has a son who does not survive the night, her second unsuccessful pregnancy.  Ruth’s nurse, who has been helping her through the pregnancy, cannot bear to have Ruth lose another baby and she switches Ruth’s dead son for one of Susan’s twin boys.  Susan is told that one of her twins has died.  Baby Nat goes home with the Cartwrights and a middle class future while his twin brother, Fletcher, has a life of privilege ahead of him as a Davenport.  The novel follows the two boys through the 50s to the 90s as they grow up and move into their careers, with one becoming a lawyer and the other a banker.  Born on the same day and living in the same area, they are marginally aware of each other but have gone to different schools and have never been friends.  But, they both share an attraction to politics and this interest will set in motion events that will finally bring them together for the first time.  I’ve always liked Jeffrey Archer’s books but this wasn’t his best.  Perhaps the starchy prison food he’s been eating has left him a bit lethargic and it’s rubbed off on his writing.  This could have used a little more snap.   Still, not bad.
 

Skyhook, by John J. Nance

Above the Gulf of Alaska, computer whiz Ben Cole is flying on a Gulfstream jet testing a super secret new system he has invented for the U.S. government to remotely control an airplane and bring it in for a safe landing.  Things are going swell until a computer glitch occurs that sends the plane into a dive that nobody can control.  Fortunately, the plane levels off at fifty feet above the water but what went wrong?  And, did the out of control plane contribute to the crash of another plane in the vicinity that same night?  Captain Arlie Rosen and his wife Rachel were on the seaplane that crashed and a vindictive FAA investigator immediately revokes Rosen’s pilot license.  Rosen’s daughter, April, and her lawyer friend, Gracie, decide to get involved in the case and find out what really happened. Their snooping will put all of their lives in peril and raise more questions.  This was a nice mix of aviation suspense and legal drama with likable, interesting characters.
 

Death of a Stranger, by Anne Perry

Perry’s latest novel featuring William and Hester Monk finds nurse Hester running a free health clinic for prostitutes.  Private investigator William, meanwhile, has been hired by Katrina Harcus, a young lady engaged to be married, to look into the conduct of her fiancé, Michael Dalgarno.  Katrina suspects that Michael has been involved in fraudulent activities with the company he works for, Baltimore and Sons, which is in the railroad business.  She has overheard Michael speaking of a huge profit about to be made that must be kept secret.  Nolan Baltimore, the head of the company, turns up beaten to death at a house of prostitution down the street from Hester’s clinic, his killer unknown.  While William is investigating Michael’s activities and those of the company, Hester decides to assist him by trying to find Nolan Baltimore’s killer, thinking his death may be linked to the illegal activities of the company.  William’s investigation will be harrowing for him because he must confront events from his past that emerge for the first time since he lost his memory in a train wreck fourteen years ago.  For followers of this series, this is an important addition that fills in details of William’s shadowy past.
 

Naked Prey, by John Sandford

Rose Marie Roux, the former Minneapolis chief of police, has moved up (down?) into state government as the new Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner and she has taken her top cop, Lucas Davenport, with her.  Lucas is now the director of the Office of Regional Studies—whatever that is—but what he really does is put out fires for the governor.  Lucas and his sidekick Del have been given jobs as troubleshooters—supervising local law enforcement with criminal cases that are politically sensitive or very complicated.  Their very first case involves the double murder of a white woman and a black man--who have been found lynched and naked outside a small town in northern Minnesota.   With the media all over the story, the governor wants a quick solution to the crime.  Unfortunately, it’s not readily apparent why the two were murdered—in a sleepy town that hadn’t had a murder in fifteen years.  Enter Letty West, a preteen Annie Oakley who carries a .22, takes care of her alcoholic mother, and traps muskrats to earn some extra money.  With Letty’s help, Lucas and Del discover the town isn’t so sleepy after all—and it will be plenty dangerous for all three of them.  This was another great read from Sandford and Letty is a terrific new character you’ll enjoy meeting.
 

Reversible Errors, by Scott Turow

The time is 2001 and the place is fictional Kindle County, which stands in for Cook County, Illinois.  Ten years ago, three people were murdered at Paradise restaurant, including the owner, Gus Leonidis.  Rommy “Squirrel” Gandolph confessed to the murders, was convicted, and sentenced to death.  Now, nearing his execution date, he has recanted his confession and claims he is innocent.  In flashbacks to 1991, we see how the murders were investigated and Gandolph nabbed as the murderer.   Arthur Raven, a new partner in a prestigious law firm, is assigned to handle Gandolph’s final appeal.  As he researches the case, he will encounter Larry Starczek, the detective who broke the case, Muriel Wynn, the original prosecutor who will also be opposing Gandolph’s appeal, and Gillian Sullivan, the judge in the trial.  All three of these people made errors back in 1991 in both their personal and professional lives.  As you read this engrossing book, you’ll find out if the errors are reversible and if Gandolph is innocent or guilty.  Terrific.
 
 
 

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