April Showers, Some Books to Check out

Just when it seemed like spring had arrived, we got socked with a winter storm blast the last weekend in March. At least I got in some quality reading time.

I just finished enjoying FLIPPING OUT (St. Martin’s Minotaur hardcover, 3/31/09), the third installment in Marshall Karp’s police procedural/crime fiction series starring LAPD detectives Mike Lomax and Terry Biggs. This time, the two are investigating the murders of fellow cops’ wives, who worked together in the LA real estate market flipping houses. Also involved with them, and now dead, was a very prominent mystery writer. What culminates in a too-easily closed case is anything but that easy to solve, especially for these two wisecracking detectives. I have to agree with reviewer Suan Wilson’s comments, “The back- and-forth bantering of the wisecracking Lomax and Biggs vastly entertains, while Mr. Karp delivers a first-rate plot with enough twist and turns at a record fast pace that guarantees to surprise readers.” Suan recommended this book to me, and now I do the same to you.

Now for some new titles to look for this month.

April 7, 2009 – some of the many books set to go on sale: RIDING ON INSTINCT (Berkley trade) by Jaci Burton is the third book in the Wild Riders series. Set on proving herself, Department of Justice agent Shadoe Grayson gladly accepts her first undercover job at a strip joint. She’s working with the Wild Riders, a government agency of bikers, in pursuit of a corrupt DEA agent. Her only problem is dealing with Spencer King, her new partner and one of the Wild Riders, who’s just too sexy for his own good (and hers!)

MURDER OF A ROYAL PAIN (Obsidian) is the 11th Scumble River mystery by Denise Swanson featuring school psychologist Skye Denison. When ex-prom queen and pushy Promfest Chairperson Annette Paine is found dead in the Haunted House at the Halloween fundraiser, Skye hopes solving the crime will take her mind off the trouble she’s having with the new, way-too-perfect social worker at school. And with her Police Chief boyfriend Wally Boyd out of town, the murder investigation is going nowhere.

ONE HOT MESS (Dell) by Lois Greiman finds cocktail waitress-turned-shrink Christina McMullen probing the wild streets of LA in search of a killer. The fifth book in this fun mystery series also finds Chrissy still trying to get some private loving time with on-again, off-again boyfriend LAPD Detective Jack Rivera. But it doesn’t look like it will happen anytime soon. Jack’s estranged father, Senator Rivera, asks Chrissy for a little favor, which soon has her involved in a political murder mystery that dates back to the start of the senator’s career. And Jack is not at all happy that his dad has once again drawn Chrissy into one of his messes.

TEMPTED AT MIDNIGHT (Berkley Sensation) by Jacquie D’Alessandro, the fourth installment of the Ladies Literary Society of London, tells of vampire romance novelist Lady Emily Stapleford, who stages nighttime vampire appearances to draw interest to her new book. Now that she has everyone excited with the sightings, she’s assured of success, if it wasn’t for mysterious Logan Jennsen, who’s onto her deception.

NOTORIOUSLY NEAT (Obsidian) is the third Grime Solvers cozy mystery by Suzanne Price featuring useful household cleaning tips in the storyline. Sky Taylor’s first date with sexy Police Chief Alejandro Vega at Pigeon Cove’s hottest new restaurant is interrupted when a bunch of dogs and cats comes running through the room. Sky and Vega are shocked to learn that Gail Pilsner, the Cove’s popular vet and one of Sky’s cleaning service customers, has been murdered in her clinic with the killer setting the animals free.

PERFECTLY CRIMINAL (Dell) by Celeste Marsella is the second book in her series starring four best friends and colleagues at the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office. Assistant AG Shannon Lynch knows it’s wrong, but she just can’t resist gorgeous Connecticut Senator Scott Boardman, even though the AG’s office is trying to prosecute him for the murder of his wife and his wife’s lover. While her friends work to convince their boss not to fire her, Shannon lands at the scene of another murder – only this time she’s the suspect. And the man she can’t resist has led her into this mess.

NEVER SAY STY (Berkley Prime Crime) by Linda O. Johnston is the seventh Kendra Ballantyne, Pet Sitter mystery. Working as a lawyer and a pet-sitter means Kendra has seen her share of wild and wacky clients – of both the animal and human varieties. Now she’s getting involved in a pet-themed reality-show called “Animal Auditions.” But things get even messier than the show’s pot-bellied pigs when her hot new producer is suspected of murder.

NAUTI INTENTIONS (Berkley Sensation trade) by Lora Leigh is the fourth book in this Nauti erotic romantic suspense series. After seeing Janey Mackay in her skimpy bikini, Major Alex Jansen is hot for her. But getting close to her could bring on the wrath of the Mackay men. Janey has lived in fear of the danger men represent. with her abusers dead, everyone thinks Janey is safe now. But when someone starts leaving chilling notes, Alex won’t rest until Janey is absolutely safe – and totally his.

TOO RICH AND TOO DEAD (Bantam) continues Cynthia Baxter’s Murder Packs a Suitcase mystery series featuring travel writer- turned-amateur sleuth Mallory Marlowe. When Mallory packs her bags and heads to Aspen on assignment for The Good Life travel magazine, she looks up an old high school classmate, Carly Berman, who runs a successful health food company and spa there. But when Carly is found dead, Mallory finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation – and the killer, who thinks Mallory has seen too much, is now after her.

April 14, 2009 – a few of the titles slated for release:
LIVING WITNESS (Minotaur hardcover) by Jane Haddam continues her lengthy suspense series featuring former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. In her 91 years, Ann-Victoria Hadley has often been the most hated person in Snow Hill, Pennsylvania. Now it’s worse than ever. After a new school board inserts “intelligent design” into the curriculum, they are sued by a coalition including Hadley, the one member of the board who wouldn’t go along with the rest. With the trial starting soon and the town a national laughingstock, Annie-Vic is found clubbed into unconsciousness and not expected to live. The local police chief, one of the school board members, can’t investigate it himself and doesn’t trust the state police. So he brings in Gregor Demarkian, who’s happy to help. Gregor’s wedding is coming up and he’s desperate for some time away from his too-involved neighbors in Philadelphia – even if it is to investigate a brutal crime in this powder-keg of a small town.

KILLER KEEPSAKES (Minotaur hardcover) is Jane K. Cleland’s latest Josie Prescott Antiques mystery. Antiques expert/amateur sleuth Josie faces a fresh whodunit when her trusty assistant Gretchen doesn’t show up for work one day – and then a dead body is found in Gretchen’s house, which makes her the prime suspect. Although realizing she knows very little about Gretchen’s past, Josie is sure that she is not capable of murder. With the police focusing on Gretchen and a number of baffling elements in the case, Josie sets out to prove her innocence.

LOOK AGAIN (St. Martin’s hardcover) by Lisa Scottoline is her newest thriller that’s both heart-stopping and heart-breaking. When reporter Ellen Gleeson gets a “Have You Seen This Child?” flyer in the mail, she almost tosses it. But something about it makes her look again, and her heart stops – the child in the photo is identical to her adopted son, Will. Every instinct tells her to deny the similarity between the boys, because she knows her adoption was lawful. But she’s a journalist and won’t be able to stop thinking about the photo until she ascertains the truth. And if Will rightfully belongs to someone else, should she keep him or give him up? She investigates, uncovering clues no one was meant to discover, and when she digs too deep, she risks not only losing her own life, but also that of the son she loves.

LIARS ANONYMOUS (Minotaur hardcover) by Louise Ure tells the story of tough, defiant, self-destructive Jessie Dancing, who has a history with the police. Having evaded serious jail time for a murder and finding herself on the wrong side of the law ever since, Jessie is trying to make a clean start in Phoenix as a Roadside Assistance Operator. While speaking on a phone with a man in Tucson who’s just had an accident, Jessie overhears what sounds like a killing. Not waiting to see what the police can find out, she starts her own investigation, one which leads to a woman trying to hide something and a young girl terrified someone is trying to silence her.

April 21, 2009 is the day DEADLOCK (St. Martin’s hardcover) by Iris Johansen goes on sale. It tells the suspenseful story of Emily Hudson, an archeologist who searches the world for priceless artifacts along with her best friend and partner, Joel Levy. Then one day, her entire crew is massacred and she and Joel are held captive by a horribly evil person. For weeks they try to survive, until Emily is the unwitting instrument in Joel’s demise. John Garrett works for whoever needs his specialized services. This time, the CIA wants him for a desperate mission: save Emily Hudson.

April 28, 2009 – this day there are numerous new books set to be released:
KILLER CRUISE (Kensington hardcover) by Laura Levine is the eighth hilarious mystery featuring writer-for- hire/amateur sleuth Jaine Austen. In this installment, Jaine has taken a teaching gig on a fancy cruise ship heading for the Mexican Riviera. On her first night, she meets wealthy 70-year-old Emily Pritchard, whose family does not like her budding relationship with the ship’s smooth-talking British dancer, Graham. After Emily announces her engagement to Graham, he’s found dead the next morning. Jaine’s relaxing cruise has now become a murder investigation and she’s totally involved.

THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR DEMON SLAYERS (Love Spell) by Angie Fox continues the antics of preschool teacher Lizzie Brown, who on her 30th birthday discovered she had demon-destroying powers and now is fated to face the devil’s top minion. Along for the fun are her rambunctious Jack Russell terrier, her Harley-riding granny and her sexy boyfriend Dimitri, a shape-shifting griffin. Since no one is able to tell Lizzie how to handle her newfound abilities, she decides to write her own manual, THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR DEMON SLAYERS. She attempts this while also dealing with the soul-stealing succubi trying to take over Las Vegas. Angie Fox has recently signed a deal with Dorchester for the third book in this delightful Demon Slayer series, tentatively titled A TALE OF TWO DEMON SLAYERS and scheduled for release in February 2010.

THE NAKED BARON (Zebra) is the fifth Naked book by Sally MacKenzie. New to London society, the rather awkward Lady Grace Belmont would rather hide than dance with a man she doesn't know. Baron Dawson is looking for a wife, so he’s not intimidated by Grace's shyness or remarkable height. In fact, he finds her quite sensual, so sets about a lusty seduction. Grace finds the Baron impossible to resist, and does not heed her beloved aunt’s advice to proceed with patience and caution.

THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE (Leisure) is the start of a new historical series by Jennifer Ashley called Highland Pleasures and featuring the rich, powerful, dangerous, eccentric Mackenzie family. The youngest brother, Ian, known as the Mad Mackenzie, spent most of his young life in an asylum, and everyone agrees he is decidedly odd. He's also hard, handsome and has a penchant for Ming pottery and beautiful women. Widow Beth Ackerley has recently come into a fortune and wants no more drama in her life. She wants to take her money and find peace, to sit back and fondly remember her brief but happy marriage to her late husband. Then Ian Mackenzie decides he wants her.

FORBIDDEN NIGHTS WITH A VAMPIRE (Avon) by Kerrelyn Sparks is the seventh book in her bestselling Love at Stakes series. As the owner of a hot nightclub, Vanda Barkowski is more unconventional than most of her fellow vampires. But after three former employees file complaints about her temper, Vanda is forced to attend an anger management class. When Phil Jones, the mortal forbidden to her, agrees to be her sponsor, she’s in more trouble than she knows. Because Phil’s true nature is wilder than anything she could imagine. He’s tamed the beast within and is the perfect person to help Vanda with her rage. Now, if he can just keep cool when she makes him so hot. But with rogue vamps on the loose, will they ever have their forbidden nights?

DOOMSDAY CAN WAIT (St. Martin’s) by Lori Handeland is the second Phoenix Chronicle novel following ANY GIVEN DOOMSDAY. It took the near annihilation of humanity for Liz Phoenix to understand the true meaning of her premonitions. She is one of the sacred few on earth who has psychic powers to fight the malevolent forces trying to wipe out the human race. She battled these beings once, thwarting Doomsday but losing most of her soldiers in the massacre. Now she must replenish her troops – because the war isn’t over. Can Liz afford to give in to the cravings burning inside her, with the next shot at Doomsday just around the corner?

ENCHANTING THE BEAST (Love Spell) is the third book in Kathryne Kennedy’s Victorian fantasy world of the Relics of Merlin. The books in this series are connected by the 13 magical jewels the sorcerer Merlin crafted – each of them holding a different spell of power. Grimspell Castle’s dark, imposing stone walls certainly look haunted. As a ghost-hunter, Lady Philomena is accustomed to restless spirits. But she finds the dark, imposing nature of the castle's owner far more haunting than any specter. London Society might not approve of shape-shifters such as Sir Nicodemus Wulfson, but Philomena rather enjoys the baronet's sudden interest in her. She'd even consider giving in to him if not for a murderer on the loose – a beast that might just be Nico himself.

DEAD BEFORE DARK (Zebra) by Wendy Corsi Staub is the thrilling, chilling sequel to DYING BREATH. After 35years in prison, the Night Watchman is free to commit the same twisted atrocities that once made him as notorious as the Zodiac Killer and Jack the Ripper. For renowned psychic Lucinda Sloan, fame is a double-edged sword. Through her TV appearances, she helps police capture America’s most elusive serial killers. Unfortunately, she catches the eye of the Night Watchman when he realizes that Lucinda “sees” murders after they’re committed. And the nightmare begins…

In anticipation of two brand-new stories coming in Sabrina Jeffries’ School for Heiresses series, Pocket is reissuing the first four books (NEVER SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL, ONLY A DUKE WILL DO, BEWARE A SCOT’S REVENGE and LET SLEEPING ROGUES LIE) on the 28th of April. The two new books in this popular Regency series will be DON’T BARGAIN WITH THE DEVIL (on sale May 26, 2009) where we find the future of Charlotte Harris’s finishing school in jeopardy when a charming Spaniard, world-famous magician Diego Montalvo, arrives to turn the bordering estate into a scandalous pleasure garden. Next is WED HIM BEFORE YOU BED HIM, slated for release June 23, 2009.

As always, there’s more to come next month, so stay tuned...Tanzey

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