Just Talking Books

Second Nature took me completely by surprise!!

What I liked: I thought the synopsis sounded very interesting and as it was a free Kindle deal, I thought why not?  Then I realized it was part of a series and you know me, I HAVE to start with the first book. I'm anal that way. Little did I realize that the two books would be so very different. Some of the same characters sure, but the whole premise of the stories are light years apart. 

The characters in Second Nature are strong, resilient and smart. I was in awe of the portrayal of Thalia. She had been through some pretty terrible things in her life but thankfully she didn't have the memory of all of them.  She is determined to obtain her revenge, even if it costs her life and she never veers from that goal no matter what happens around her or to her.

Grant is just completely bad ass. And he appeared in the previous book in this series, Second Chances, which I would have missed if I hadn't gone back and bought it. He's an assassin trying to drop out of all the craziness he was involved in. The first scene with Grant almost had me laughing out loud. Trying to live on a deserted island with only a crazy monkey for company was a brilliant inclusion in character development.

The interaction between Thalia, Grant, and Winston (the monkey) is fabulously written. Well, actually the whole story is a roller coaster ride. This is not your typical romance. Ms Roan's plotting of Second Nature is spot on. There is barely time to take a breath or go to the bathroom. I couldn't put it down. 

The storyline is heartbreaking but I've seen more and more books about human trafficking and realize it's more common than everyday people realize. Imagine all the victims being able to get their revenge!! That would be justice!! I felt like I was actually a part of this story with all the emotion it made me feel. 

What I didn't like: You read it and tell me what you think. I just loved it!!

Highly Recommended!!!!

I'm now to the point if I see a book with Ms Grant's named attached, I will buy it. I just bought a novella called Midnight Sun and I respect her writing so much that I bought a series she rated very highly on Goodreads!!

What I liked: Ms Grant doesn't take a chapter or two to get you hooked. In Covert Evidence, the action starts right away and it does not let up. I don't start reading a Rachel Grant book too late at night or I wouldn't sleep.

When reading a romantic suspense novel, I expect conflict, tension, attraction, miscues between the main couple and a bit of mystery to go along with the suspense. Covert Evidence includes all those attributes and more. More, you say, how can there be more? The writing is tight and clean; and you don't get distracted by plot holes or editing mistakes. 

The other thing you can tell by her writing is she has done her homework. By no means do I know a lot about archaeology but if something catches my attention in a novel, I might get on the internet to learn more. Several times I've checked different areas of archaeology mentioned in The Evidence Series on-line and the info there just added a bit to what Ms Grant was already writing about in her book. I also love the settings for her books as I love history. She includes a bit of history with the setting so as a reader, I feel involved and can picture what she's talking about.

Okay, about Covert Evidence....the main characters, Cressida Porter and Ian Boyd make a great pairing. Ian is a CIA case officer trying to follow a courier to the head of a dangerous group in the Middle East. Unknown to Cressida, she has been duped into becoming the courier. When I say duped, I don't intend to insinuate she's not smart. The opposite is more the case. But she does have some issues and Ian plays on those to get what he wants. And there's the tension, conflict and attraction all working together.

Another aspect I like about this series is I can never count on figuring out the twists the author includes. I think I have it but I only get a few pieces and not the whole story until the very end!

What I didn't like: I found Cressida to be a bit more needy than the previous heroines in the earlier books. Actually that made Covert Evidence seem more real as each heroine isn't a cardboard cut out but a character in there own right. So basically, there's nothing to not like.

I highly recommend Covert Evidence to all romantic suspense fans but start at the beginning of the series with Concrete Evidence.

What a surprising, gripping read!! Recommending The Martian audio version to all my friends!

What I liked: The first thing I need to make clear is although I do occasionally read Sci-Fi, it usually has a different twist on it than The Martian does. There might be hints of romance or a couple or something. Certainly I wouldn't expect to read a book with any kind of Math and like it. Well, I loved The Martian and the Math was not a deal breaker.

The Martian is a fairly short audio book but I felt like I was on Mars forever with all the action Mr. Weir packed into his book. Something was happening all the time and most of it was NOT GOOD! I couldn't understand how the book started off with supposedly the main character, Mark Watney, being killed on Mars. Well, yeah, he wasn't dead but he was alone on Mars with limited supplies and no way to tell anyone he was alive. Most people would give up, don't you think? I mean, who wants to die of starvation when to all intents and purposes, you're already dead?

While Watney is the main character, there is a cast around him that completely kept my interest. Their various personalities and different areas of expertise grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. Everyone's ingenuity to find a way to keep Mark alive until he could be rescued astounded me. It makes me wonder, would the U. S. or any country for that matter go the extra mile and risk more lives to save just one?

I have to admit, I'm a bit of a space nut. I watch any space launches and am totally fascinated by the Space X/Dragon program. But to listen to a book about space wasn't at the top of my list. I was literally badgered into listening to The Martian by Marcela (BookaholicCat) and Carmel and Melanie (Rabid Reads) and I trusted them enough to give it a try. I probably broke a record for me in how fast I listened to this book. I couldn't stop!

And this is the kicker....The Martian is an excellent book (movie version coming in November 2015, starring Matt Damon) but it is made into an outstanding book by the narrator, R. C. Bray. I actually think I would listen to most anything he narrates now just based on his performance in The Martian. I have a handful of narrators with 5 Star ratings and Mr Bray has joined that list.

What I didn't like: Yeah, I'm thinking very hard here and cannot find ONE thing I didn't like. Well, except it did give me a few nightmares thinking of the scenario where this situation might actually happen.

Highly Recommended for all readers but get the audio!!

While not my genre of choice, I read Second Chances, Volume 1 because I wanted to read Second Nature (technically When Seconds Count #3). I'm one of those readers that has to read my series books in order.

What I liked: Now there is a caveat on this whole review of Second Chances.  I skimmed the majority of the sex scenes and as it's already a short read, I read the whole thing very quickly. The synopsis is a true representative of what Second Chances is all about unlike some books that tease and don't live up to the blurb.  

You may be wondering how a romantic suspense can be combined with menage but Ms Roan marries the two genres very well. I was surprised by the absence of jealousy between the brothers as is the heroine, Claira. That's not to say there isn't a healthy competition between the brothers much to Claira's delight and enjoyment. 

Each of the brothers have a different personality and different areas of expertise (not only in the bedroom) in the running of their ranch.  I was afraid with three love interests, Ms Roan might not be able to do the characters justice....she more than met my expectations in her characters.  The whole history of Claira's hiding out in Montana isn't made very clear, you just know she's hiding but not necessarily from whom or why.  

Even with skimming so much of Second Chances, it more than held my attention because Ms Roan didn't throw all the clues at you at once and was able to throw in a few surprises I didn't see coming.

What I didn't like:  This is a big one for me. Neither Goodreads nor Amazon indicated how this series was divided up. It appears it starts as a serial with different volume numbers but there are also full length books with some of the volumes combined. This could be my fault, nah, but it was very confusing trying to not only find the reading order but not realizing it was a serial. This wasn't a big deal to me financially but it could be for some readers. I ended up buying volume's 1, 2, and 2.5 separately then saw they were offered all in one book. Very confusing and I'm usually pretty good at figuring this stuff out. 

Overall a good read IF you get Second Chances with 3 volumes in one. 

Recommend!!!

I really hate writing this review but I've stuck with the Leopard People series and feel I need to follow-up. I will be writing this review in reverse order from the way I usually review.

What I didn't like: While I know Ms Feehan writes hot and steamy stories, I felt a bit short-changed by Cat's Lair. I felt like I skimmed the majority of this book due to all the sex scenes. The first few I read but after that, nope, didn't need that info to progress the storyline.

The beginning was a bit slow but still kept me entertained enough to continue. There seemed to be a plot and that it was going somewhere. After that...all the sex you could ever want and then some. Cat's Lair came across to me more as a bit of teaching/training the heroine how to become and be a good submissive. Don't get me wrong, I've read all types of books including a complete series in BDSM and Cat's Lair was, to me, "BDSM light" sex wise but the hero is over the top domineering. 

Neither Cat nor Ridley/Eli struck a chord with me. I didn't feel invested in them or the storyline. The plot was so much in the background it almost didn't exist for me. I didn't even hate the bad guy. 

What I liked: This is harder...I enjoyed the secondary characters more than the main characters and it was nice to "visit" with characters from previous books. I actually can't wait for Elijah's story.

I've been hit or miss with this series. Some of the books I've really enjoyed but there have been a few I was just shaking my head. Cat's Lair was a head shaker for me. I do love the way Ms Feehan writes but the book just felt "blah".

Recommended for fans of the Leopard People series and fans of Ms Feehan's writing.

I absolutely can't believe this is book 25 in this wonderful series. I've it enjoyed so much and can't wait for.more!

What I liked: To me, this series is so character driven that I feel like I know each and every one of them. They feel like real, everyday people who just happen to work in law enforcement. Lucas Davenport is the center point of this series. I've seen Lucas grow and go through things in life that each and every one of us have had to deal with at one point or another. He just feels so real. 

Of course, to make the series and particularly Gathering Prey, even better is the supporting cast. There's all the politics involved with any high level job and Lucas is just about fed up with all of it. It provides an edge to Gathering Prey that kept me on my toes. I've always loved Letty. She is Lucas' and Winter's adopted daughter but more like Lucas than his biological children. She's smart, well, very smart, intelligence wise but her street smarts and life experiences have made her one exceptional young lady. 

The idea of "travelers" is a real one and Mr Sandford explains their lifestyle in a way that draws you in and makes you think of more innocent times. I could actually imagine some of my friends adopting this lifestyle but with our society the way it is today....it's mind boggling to think of individuals living this way. It's a recipe of disaster but I could understand people choosing to move from place to place and living in the moment. The thing I think Mr Sandford highlights is that people are just people and the majority are not problem makers or deranged killers. 

What I didn't like: This is my favorite thing is say when I get to this portion of the review....Nada! I liked everything!!

A great addition to the series and based on the end of Gathering of Prey, I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment!!!

A good start by Ms Mayer to another new series.

What I liked: I enjoy story lines based on the Fae.  While this is not exactly a Fae book, it is very similar. Basically, Elementals are just as heartless and conniving as the Fae. As a half-bastard, Larkspur was once loved but is now basically excluded from all things royal. The overriding reason for this is her lack of any real power. To survive in her world, you need power.

Unknown to Larkspur, she has plenty of power but for some reason she just can't use it without excruciating pain. Thank goodness, Ms Mayer explains the reasons for this in the beginning of Recurve, or else it would have driven me crazy.  Lark is a sympathetic character and I thought at first she came across as almost too weak but she hardens up as the story progresses.  I enjoyed how Ms Mayer plotted the story and worked the personal relationships into the whole of the book.  

This is more Urban Fantasy than anything but the Elemental politics and deviousness of the bad guys is fantastic.  Everything isn't instantly solved for Lark, she still has a long road to follow and I have a feeling it going to long and fraught with any number of problems.

The writing is very good and the story and the characters are moving forward and growing. They are also not all that they seem. Some of the bad guys took me very much by surprise, which I enjoy in the books I read.

What I didn't like: Recurve has the dreaded cliff hanger ending. I really see no other way Ms Mayer could have found a good stopping point.

Overall, I would recommend Recurve to UF fans. I highly enjoyed it!!

A quick, fun read.

What I liked: I do not read very many historical romance novels any longer except for a very few. Ms Quick (aka Jayne Ann Krentz, aka Jayne Castle) just happens to be on my short list. Here's why....Her characters are always inventive, likable, and have quirks that make them interesting. Her story settings while historical in nature have a fresh, current feel.

In Garden of Lies, the heroine, Mrs (widow) Ursula Kern has a few scandalous secrets but a thriving business in providing highly trained secretaries to those in need and who can pay the price. What I like about Ursula is she takes care of her employees and ensures her clients do not take advantage of her secretaries. While she is a widow, like most women of the time period, she seems a bit naive in certain instances.  Having said that, there are a few instances where I cracked up at the round about way some of the characters talked about sex and orgasms. Ms Quick can turn the language of the time period into an integral part of the storyline by providing unlimited humor. For example, quoted passage from a conversation between Ursula and Slater after making love for the first time.

[Ursula] "I believe I experienced what the doctors refer to as a paroxysm. A cathartic paroxysm.
[Slater] I'm not sure I could even spell paroxysm. What the devil is that?"
   She paused to glare at him. "You know what I mean. A physical...release."
   "Are you trying to tell me that you experienced a climax?"
   She raised her chin. "The medical profession calls it a paroxysm when it happens in women. I suppose they don't think it's possible that women are capable of actually experiencing pleasure in the way that men do so they give it label that makes it sound more like a case of shattered nerves."

(My Mom was very old fashioned about everything to do with the way the female body works. I could almost see the two of us having this conversation.) It's even funnier when Ursula and her secretary are talking about going to a doctor to get relief with the "vibration method". I about died laughing.

What I didn't like: Ms Quick's historical romances are pretty formulaic which might bother some readers but I always enjoy the characters and the conversations in these books.

Garden of Lies is a very quick read but tons of fun with some mystery and a dash of danger. I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn't expect anything less from Ms Quick!

Highly recommended!!!!

Boundary Crossed feels like a good start to a new series!!

What I liked: I know I've said this before but I thought there were only so many ways to write about the supernatural. Ms Olson has found another way to do it and do it up very nicely.

I already read one series, Scarlett Bernard, and thoroughly enjoy it. Now I can add another to my list. The synopsis is accurate on all accounts and Boundary Crossed more than lives up to the teaser. I found myself totally engrossed in the story and the time and pages just flew by.

Lex (aka Allison) Luther, yes there's an explanation for the nickname, is written extremely well. She a complicated character and a veteran with all the issues involved after surviving the war when so many of her fellow soldiers didn't.  She's still learning to deal with everyday life after the military.  By no means is she a shrinking violet and pretty much knows how to take care of herself and now, her niece.

Imagine Lex's surprise when she finds out there are all sorts of supernatural creatures in the world and she's one of them, so to speak. This is where the majority of the other characters come into the story. Lex needs training to learn how to use and control her witch powers and she needs the help of the local vampires to protect her niece, who is a null (no magic works around her at all). Lex works with the local vampire fixer, Quinn, to try and solve who is behind the kidnapping attempts on her niece.

Quinn is a former cop who was turned and surprisingly, he's not the super duper be all vampire enforcer. As a matter of fact, Quinn is pretty low on the totem pole power wise compared to the other vamps. That was different and interesting. He appears to be Lex's love interest in this series.

The worldbuilding was very good and easy to understand. Of course, with a first book, there's still a long way to go in this quarter. The characters are more than believable and not outrageous except for Lex. She's got some pretty serious powers and no one can figure out where they've come from. Lex and her sister, Sam, were adopted so there is that mystery hanging out there.

What I didn't like: The plot was a bit thin but with all the other information being provided, it didn't really detract from the story. I understand with a first book, the author has a heavy load to carry to attract the reader and keep them reading. The plot was secondary to the introduction of the characters and the worldbuilding which worked in this case.

Overall a fascinating page turner that more than grabbed and held my attention.

**As an Amazon Prime member I was able to receive Boundary Crossed a few weeks early.

Highly Recommended for UF readers!!!!

Thank goodness both these books were available when I started reading this series!!

What I liked: I've more or less been engrossed in this series since book 1, The President's Henchman, and have read them almost one behind the other.

Mr Flynn's political views are not my own but his storylines and characters are so good, when I would ordinarily scoff at some of the political machinations, I didn't. I kept reading because I like the characters Mr. Flynn introduced to me.  The storylines are interesting and the "what if" part of the novels keep me guessing. All those things make an extremely good series for me to get lost in.

The previous book, The K Street Killer, ended on a cliff hanger and boy was I glad I didn't have to wait for The Last Ballot.  While you can imagine what the story is about because of the title, it's more involved and I can understand why it needed two books to conclude the story.

These two novels are action packed and barely left me enough time to breathe. There are storylines following many characters in different situations. It's like a mini drama.

What I didn't like: These books won't be for everyone but they are certainly keeping me wholly engrossed in the characters' lives and the decisions they need to make.

Start at the beginning of this series and give it a chance and you will be hooked!

Recommended!!!!

And I'm hooked on yet another series. Dang it!!

What I liked: The Unleashing is my first book by Shelly Laurenton. I have, however read her Dragon Kin series, written under G.A. Aiken and await each release impatiently. This series looks to be loosely based on Norse mythology, in which I've always been interested. I love history, what can I say.

In order to become a Crow, the female has to die and Skuld offers them a second chance at life to serve her in battle. Yep, the Crows are good at killing. Kera, the protagonist in this first book, was a Marine and had served in battle in the Middle East, so she should understand killing, right? She's good at following rules and she's very good at organization, much to the dismay of her fellow Crows. They hate clipboards for some reason. (You'll have to read The Unleashing to find out about that remark).

Kera is having a bit of an adjustment problem and there is a face from her past life willing to help her learn the ropes. Vig has been captivated with Kera for a while and is instrumental in having her changed into a Crow. He's a part of the Ravens and they usually work with the Crows, at least in The Unleashing, they do. Since all the Ravens are male and all the Crows are female, it makes for some interesting by play. 

Ms Laurenston also introduces a number of other characters in The Unleashing that you can just imagine getting their own books. Not all are Crows either. As a first in the series, The Unleashing has much world building and character development to do, the author is more than capable of all those tasks while keeping you entertained with Kera and Vig's story. Of course, you can feel there is more to come. The ending leaves everything...plot, characters and bad guys...open for more.

What I didn't like: I got nothing for you! I enjoyed the whole book and inhaled each and every word.

Excellent opening to a new series by Ms Laurenston and in case you don't know, she does humor and snarky better than many. Wait until you meet Kera's dog!!

Highly Recommended!!!!!

I found Memory Man to be totally additive but different!

What I liked: You know how you read a book and all the characters are tall, willowy, good looking and fresh. Just about all the characters in Memory Man are just the opposite. Over weight, not too clean, jaded and very tired. That's what I mean by different and it had me hooked from the very beginning.

There was just something about Amos. He's a bit broken and going through the motions of living until a man confesses to killing Amos' wife and daughter. That wakes Amos up and he's not going to stop until he unravels the whole thing!

I'm a fan of Mr. Baldacci but recognize some of his books are better than others. Memory Man, to me is one of the better ones. A little because of the plot but again, it was the characters and what drove them that had my complete attention.There is one outstanding trait Amos has that most heroes don't. Due to an old football injury, he can't forget anything, some of his emotions are stunted and he's tortured by numbers. Sound good, doesn't it? Believe me, I thoroughly enjoyed it! 

Memory Man is a fast read and don't even try to follow all the twists and turns, there are many and some of them came out of left field. I had no idea who did what or why until Mr. Baldacci worked the answers into the story and let the characters tell it to you.

The writing is nice and tight, no plot holes and just an all round good, different kind of story.

What I didn't like: You always know a good book is going to end but this one felt a bit rushed. It worked but that's the only thing I didn't enjoy. I would like to know more about Amos in upcoming books but Memory Man is listed as a standalone. I want more Amos and the title says Amos Decker #1?????

Recommend for all thriller/suspense fans or just fan of Mr. Baldacci!!!!

Well, well...talk about suspense, A Deadly Web just left me on pins and needles!!

What I liked: I wasn't sure which direction this series was going in the first book,The First Prophet.  With the addition of A Deadly Web, I'm just more intrigued. There is so much maneuvering going on behind the main story that I felt a bit behind the eight ball. I am, however, used to the way Ms Hooper writes and there is always a method to her madness, so to speak.

We met Brodie in the first book and I was wondering if he was going to be alone through much of the series. When he and the heroine, Tasha, have a definite connection there is still more to come in the story. I really liked both Brodie and Tasha, especially Tasha. She's strong, intelligent and not much surprises her. Brodie on the hand is or was a darker personality with a sad back story. Tasha seems to lighten Brodie's grim thoughts. While this is technically Tasha and Brodie's story, it's much more involved.

Here's a bit more about the premise of the series. Brodie's group or cell is devoted to protecting psychics from being kidnapped. Once taken by "the other side", the psychic is never seen or heard from again. No one knows why the bad guys want the psychics or what they're doing with them.  Noah Bishop from Bishop/Special Crimes Unit and his wife, Miranda are now aware of the kidnappers as a few of the psychics Bishop has tried to help in the past have come up missing.

Then there are the characters of Murphy (she seems to be the leader of Brodie's cell) and Duran, the bad guy in charge of snatching the psychics. I can't tell you too much about either character without spoilers, so let me just say they are both very mysterious and conniving.  

What I didn't like: I read this book practically in one sitting. I just lost track of time, so imagine my surprise when I came to the end and I didn't feel like I had a resolution of the main characters. Again, I am used to this situation as I read many books by Ms Hooper but some readers may not like the ending. Just a caution. 

Overall, A Deadly Web moves the series along but in what direction I'm still not exactly sure. Those questions leave me on tender hooks waiting for the next book!

Recommended!!!! 

With each addition to the Jane Yellowrock series, Ms Hunter gets better and better. Absolutely one of my favorites series and worlds!! (I've included a couple of quotes and I tried to do it carefully so they wouldn't contain any spoilers).

What I liked: I guess you can tell by my opening how much I adore this series. I can pick up any book by Ms Hunter in this series and get completely lost for a day or two. I'm constantly amazed by the characters, the world building and the ever political plotting of the Vampires. I have no clue where this series is going and you know what, I don't care. I'll just ride along with Jane and Beast.

One thing I think added to my love of this series is the addition of the Younger brothers in Jane's life.  Not only as partners in her business, but friends, close friends, family even. Both Eli and Alex are absolutely devoted to Jane and she to them. I can't even imagine her life without them in it. They all completely understand each other and are able to communicate only in the ways of close friends and family. There for a while I was wondering if Eli would be another love interest for Jane. Ms Hunter did not take the easy route open to her in the storyline. Instead she built a core for Jane to draw strength and some laughter in her otherwise chaotic life. Alex (computer nerd extraordinaire) cracks me up. Here's Alex's response when Jane asks him if he can handle a house guest while she and Eli are gone....

"Alex lifed a shoulder. 'When I hear her coming, I'll throw the cat at her. If that doesn't work, look for a warty frog hopping on the keyboards when you get back. Find me a princess to kiss me. I want tongue'..."

When you start a Jane Yellowrock book, take a deep breath and don't forget to breathe. Yep, it's packed with action, a bit of sexy time for some of the characters, humor and the politics. And then there's Beast. She's such a special character. Strong, cunning, wants "mate" and she gets Jane into and out of some of the worse and funniest situations. I love her humor. For example here are her thoughts while hunting fish...

"Lay belly down in cool mud and put paw on catfish, holding fish in mud. Bit off fish head and chewed. Fish stopped fighting. Was dead. Was good cat-fish. Was good fish-meat. Ate and ate. Beast lay on side in cool mud and snorted with laughter. Would change here. Would let Jane wake in muddy place, stinking of dead fish. Snorted with laughter again........(Jane's thoughts upon changing)...I don't freaking believe it. Mud? Beast, you are dead meat!'..."

Now you might think I've not really talked about the plot/story in Dead Heir. You're right and there's a reason for that. It's very hard to talk about without spoilers. So let me whet your appetite.  There are some big revelations in Dark Heir and one directly affects Jane! She also learns so much more about Vampire history, probably more than she wants to know.

What I didn't like: Okay, this is a huge mark against Ms Hunter. Her books make me lose sleep and sometimes even interrupt my daily nap. Yeah, I have to nap because I stay up way too late reading and my internal alarm clock wakes me at 4 a.m. every morning. If I'm to make it through the day, I NEED that nap but If I didn't finish the book, I use my nap time to read!! It's horrible. It takes me two or three days to get back in my routine!! 

If you've not started this series yet, what are you waiting for?? I shouldn't be the only one completely addicted! Please join me.

Highest of Recommendations!!!!! 

This was another Kindle deal for me and as I was already hooked on the series. Thank goodness for the deals!

What I liked: Rylee is dealing with a bunch of crap. She's not sure what's going on with O'Shea, her best friend has turned into a raving lunatic and betrayed her and Giselle is fading. On top of that, Agent Valley wants Rylee to go to England to help find young terminally ill children who are missing.

So that is the premice in a nutshell without all the angst and chaotic happenings Rylee keeps getting into. So, like many reviewers, I found Rylee a bit harsh in this edition. Then I started thinking, I mean she has a lot on her plate and who wouldn't be bi*chy about everything that is happening in her life and not in a good way.  I felt this was more of a transitional book to introduce more characters and plot lines.

One thing I will say, Raising Innocence is action packed and kept my attention. I may not have liked how Rylee was acting but it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the world Ms Mayer continues to build. While the characters didn't all act the way I wanted them to, I couldn't stop reading.

What I didn't like: I was a bit unsure and not overly impressed with a few of the new characters. I couldn't figure out how they are going to fit into the story once Rylee goes back to America. I'm still not sure how that is going to work. It felt like those characters were just invented for this particular book. We'll see, I guess.

So, even though this wasn't my favorite book, it did serve it's purpose in moving the storyline along and introduced a few very interesting characters.

Recommended!!!

I am one of those readers who can't start a series at the second or third book. I have to read them in order if I know previous books in the series exist.  First Case was written after the first book in the McRyan mystery series but I hadn't discovered the author yet, so I started with the first short story.

What I liked: Since I had no expectations and short stories are well, short; I really enjoyed the background on the protaganist, Michael McRyan (known as "Mac"). I had never read any books by Mr. Stelljes and First Case gave me a sampling to see if I should continue.

All of this came about because the third book in the series came to my attention as a free Kindle deal, before I rush in to obtain a free book, I now do my homework. I went crazy with free offerings when I first received my Kindle and was very disappointed in some of my book deals. Now, I research before I click the "get it free" button.

Mac is written as a very idealistic character but extremely savvy. (He also has a law degree, which the book explains why he's not a lawyer.  He's extremely smart and picks up on the slightest clues. The thing I enjoyed most was the characters thought process and sense of fairness. In addition, Mac is a bulldog when he gets the bit between his teeth.

I also really enjoyed the secondary characters, Mac's partner, Richard Lich (Dick Lick) and the Police captain and commissioner are solidly behind their cops.

What I didn't like: It's hard to find something in such a short book not to like especially if the author is halfway decent writer. So, yeah, I just enjoyed the book.

I'm extremely glad I read First Case before starting the series as the background on Mac and his thought process is critical to the series.

Recommended - start with this one before the first full length novel, The St Paul Conspiracy.