Ink and Bone

Tuesday, 7 June 2016

Author: Lisa Unger

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (Australia)

Edition: Paperback

ISBN 9781471150487

Source: NetGalley

3 STARS

Missing child, desperate mother, a private detective who uses a psychic to help his investigations. The cool looking student who can only quieten her head by riding her Harley at high speed.

Review

A paranormal mystery which tiptoes in to the world of darkness and horror. Finlay lives with her grandmother, a world renowned psychic. Finlay is learning to deal with her own psychic abilities as well as her studies, her grandmother is her mentor. Apart from her unusual abilities, Finlay is typical of many young women who are trying to establish an identity, they get themselves a cool look. She has the usual multi coloured hair and tattood skin but she is luckier than most as she has a parent wealthy enough to buy her a Harley motorcycle.

Finlay and her Gran become involved in an investigation instigated by the Gleasons, Merri can't accept that she will never see her daughter again. She and her husband Wolf are having marital problems ......

Though I quite enjoyed parts of the book there are far too many characters and some didn't really contribute much of any interest. For me a good story doesn't need quite so many tangents.

I'd recommend this book to a younger reader

ARC provided by NetGally and Simon & Schuster (Australia) in return for an honest review

Torch Ginger

Friday, 4 March 2016

Written by: Toby Neil

Narrated: by Sara Malia Hatfield

Length: 9 hours 6 minutes

Series: Lei Crime Book 2

Unabridged Audiobook

Published by Audible Studios

Release date: 11/11/14

Available from Audible

5 STAR REVIEW

Publishers Summary

If J.D. Robb's In Death series went on location with Kaui Hart Hemmings's The Descendants, you'd have Toby Neal's Torch Ginger.

The island of Kaua'i is remote jungle, golden beaches, and ancient culture - but transients are disappearing in paradise, and only Detective Lei Texeira notices. Lei transfers to the island of Kaua'i, where she uncovers a pattern of disappearances that may be related to a bizarre cult - or is it just one madman at work? In Lei's world, everyone is guilty until proven innocent. In the midst of the biggest case sleepy Kaua'i has ever seen, Lei must also untangle the mysteries of her heart and discover who she loves.

My Review

I didn't read the first in the series, "Blood Orchids" but there is enough back story in "Torch Ginger" to ensure the reader doesn't feel bewildered by how and why Lei finds herself now working on Kaua'i.

Lei is the new girl, low in the pecking order and as such, gets all the boring jobs. She is working hard to fit in but after only two months on an island described as "a jungle paradise of secretive people and strange spiritual forces" Lei is finding life to be "slow and boring".

It's while plodding her way through one of her dull cases that Lei is asked to talk to Kelly Waterson, Kelly reports her boyfriend Jay as missing. It has only been 24 hours since she last spoke to him by 'phone, but the circumstances catch Leis attention. When a worried Kelly flew in and visited Pine Trees, the unofficial camp site, she discovered Jays belongings dumped in the rubbish bin. His wallet still held his credit cards and also some strange origami shapes, three stones were left on his shoe.

Now the story really begins! During the course of her investigation she meets many strange and intriguing characters and she becomes convinced that the disappearances aren't merely people who have simply taken themselves off the grid. Getting others to take her convictions seriously is a hard task.

There are so many threads to this story, yet they are woven skilfully to produce a story that is difficult to put down. The characters are all so well described that they seem totally believable, even the more way out types.

Mystery and intrigue abound, there is, in some characters, a sense of other worldliness which is at odds with Leis own world view.

I thought the reunion of Lei and her father beautifully written, his gentleness and his love for his daughter so sensitively described.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a mystery set in a lush and exotic location and with many intriguing extras. I for one shall be reading more of Toby Neil's work.

Narrator

This is the first book I have listened to narrated by Sara Malia Hatfield, and what a wonderful voice she has. Sara has all the attributes of a good narrator, but, for this book, it took a special person to pull it off. Born and raised in Hawaii, she was the perfect choice to perform those subtle differences in accents. The more I listened the more fascinated I became by both her voice and the pidgin speak, just wonderful! I look forward to more.

Just a word about the Audible sample, should you listen to it, it in no way does justice to the audiobook, for some reason, the sample seems of lesser quality.

This audiobook was provided, without condition, by the representative of the author.

Elective Procedures: Elle Harrison

Monday, 18 January 2016

Written by: Merry Jones
Narrated by: Cindy Piller
Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:10-22-15

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Audible

3 Star Review

Publishers Summary

Elle Harrison is back! She and her pals Jen, Becky, and Susan travel to Mexico where Jen has arranged cosmetic surgery, after which she will recover in a plush hotel suite. But more is going on at the hotel than tummy tucks. Soon after they arrive, Elle sees the woman in the suite next door fall from her sixth floor balcony. When the room is later occupied by another patient, Elle finds her brutally mutilated body on that same balcony. Police question Elle as the last person to see these women alive. Their doctor also takes an interest in Elle; a woman staying at the hotel asks Elle to help her fend off a creepy stalker; a veiled woman sneaks into Elle's suite at night; and her late husband, Charlie, reappears (or Elle imagines that he does) when Elle gets pushed under water in the ocean and nearly drowns. As dangers swirl and intensify, Elle is forced to face her unresolved issues with Charlie, even as she races to find the connections between killings before more patients - including Jen - can be murdered. And before she herself becomes prey.

©2014 Merry Jones (P)2015 Oceanview Publishing

My Review

The story begins in Mexico where we discover Elle in a very dangerous, perilous predicament, we then flash back to several days prior to the trip, Becky and Elle are on their way to a girls night out, Becky has the hankering to consult with a fortune teller who tells her she is about to meet her special man. Against her better judgement, Elle was persuaded to also have a reading where she was given a strange but vague forecast:

"If you are wise, you will protect yourself", Elle immediately assumes the fortune teller is referring to the dead.
"You are stronger than you think, this is why they come to you"

Back to Mexico, where, as the blurb tells us, Jen has undergone her plastic surgery, despite having a private nurse to attend her, she constantly calls upon her friends to pander to her real and imagined needs. Jen is a bit of a fool, or else her surgeon omitted to gain an informed consent because she seems to have had no idea that undergoing invasive surgery, by its very nature, involves a degree of post operative discomfort. She does not suffer it well and there are some amusing passages involving her petulant demands and the begrudging responses of her friends!

The scenario set, the story then takes us back to the opening passage of the book, which, as it turns out, is Elles' attempt to save the life of the female stranger in the adjoining hotel room, a failed attempt. The woman's death quickly turns in to a police inquiry, where Elles explanation of the sequence of events is viewed as being an unlikely story by the investigating officer. Many strange occurrences follow, she can't help but recall the fortune tellers prediction. Sometimes it seems easy to believe that Elle is, indeed, quite mad, she has conversations with her dead ex husband (who is, as it happens, quite the voice of reason). She reports some strange goings on, both to her friends and to the police,which are always disproved or discredited to the point where even she wonders what is real.

Amidst all the mystery, Elle finds herself attracted to a very handsome fella, Jens' surgeon, and he gives every indication that she is very special to him, yet Elles' lack of self esteem prevents her from believing his feelings are genuine. Meanwhile, Becky, having found her dream man is getting on everyone's nerves by vacillating between her euphoria and her fears of losing him.

This story has many layers, many threads, A little humour, a nod to the paranormal, romance, moments of trepidation and, of course, mystery. I didn't, however, feel much affinity for Elle, some of her actions seemed out of sync with her character as I understood it. She certainly made some unexpected, not to say slightly improbable moves, to be truthful, I'm not sure I really liked her all that much. The group of girls worked well I thought, with their differing characteristics and, despite their little squabbles, all came through for each other, just as friends do. I'd be happy to read more of their adventures.

Narrator

Read by Cindy Pillar who I have previously had the pleasure of listening to. I said "read" but Cindy is more than a reader, she knows how to tell a tale and, as such, does any author the huge favour of making the best of the characters. She has a pleasing, easy to listen to voice, excellent characterisations, I particularly enjoyed our petulant patient, Jen. Cindy does a good creepy and chilling too!

This audiobook was provided by the publisher, author or narrator in return for an honest review

Dead, Sometimes

Saturday, 2 May 2015

Dead, Sometimes: Jason Callahan Psychic Detective, Book 2

Written by: Patricia Lee Macomber
Narrated by: Steven Jay Cohen
Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins
- Series: Jason Callahan, Book 2
Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:04-14-15

Publisher: Crossroad Press

Audible.com

3 STAR REVIEW

Publishers Summary

Jason Callahan, private investigator, and his psychic partner Trina Dane return in the second installment of the Jason Callahan Mysteries.
Chloe Marsh is found dead at the scene of an accident and pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Half an hour later, as she is being taken to the morgue, Chloe suddenly sits up. But this isn't the first time Chloe has died, and it certainly won't be the last.
Enter Trina and Jason. They've worked on cases together before, but nothing like this. Investigator Jason Callahan doesn't believe for a minute that Chloe has special powers, but psychic Trina Dane does, and she thinks she knows why. But what of the other people across the country who have had the same experiences? How did they really die? And how did one boy (and Chloe) manage to survive? Only Trina and Jason can find the answers, but they must do so before Chloe runs out of lives.
©2014 Patricia Lee Macomber (P)2015 David N. Wilson
My Review
This is the second book in the Jason Callahan series, in the first book, during the course of an investigation he meets the beautiful, flamboyant and psychic Trina Dane and together they solve the case. In this, their second case, Trina approaches Jason, asking him to go with her to Florida to look in to the strange story of Chloe Marsh. Chloe had been killed in an accident, yet seemingly miraculously came back to life. She undergoes some very strange changes and develops supernatural powers that nobody can account for.

The story revolves around the efforts of Trina and Jason to discover how to rid Chloe of what they believe is a spirit, they discover that others who had fallen victim to this spirit had eventually died .... except one. They must discover how and why he survived so that they might learn how to save Chloe from a certain death.

I had thoroughly enjoyed the first book, which was, in my opinion a 5 star read with huge potential for a cracking good series, sorry to say, but I don't feel this one lives up to that potential. What on earth has happened to Trina and Jason? It was like reading about two different characters, apart from a brief mention early in the book, gone was the flamboyance and wonderful personality of Trina. Jason lost his witty dry wisecracking personality, there was no spark between them at all, they were dull. Chloe was for me, the star of the show, I thought her character was the most enjoyable of the story.

Narrator

I alway enjoy listening to Steven Jay Cohen, he does the job so well, characters are clearly and consistently defined. It's always a risk, I think, when a narrator takes over a series, and it's not something I am keen on, however, that's just my opinion.

This audiobook was gifted via Audioblast in return for this review