THE LAST TEMPTATION - a Carl Brookins Review

Carl Brookins is one of my favorite reviewers; he gives books a thorough reading and honest reviews. I often post his reviews here, and I'm happy to be posting his review of my novel.

The Last Temptation
by Gerrie Ferris Finger
ISBN: 978-1-4328-2589-8
A 2012 hard cover release
from Five Star, Gale. 367 pages

Retired cop and owner of an investigative service called Child Trace, Moriah Dru, is an intriguing mix of highly aware, slightly cynical, and romantic at her core. She's in love with her ex-partner, a Lieutenant of Police in Atlanta, Georgia. She traces lost children. He, Lieutenant Richard Lake, traces murderers. When their cases intersect, mayhem sometimes ensues, sparks fly and the bad guys, if they're smart, go somewhere else.

Local brilliant academician, Bradley Whitney, has joint custody of his young daughter, Linley. Her mother, Whitney's ex-wife, is still struggling with addiction, but institutes proceedings for full custody. When the girl fails to turn up on a flight back to Atlanta from Palm Springs, the court hires Dru to find and retrieve her. In Palm Springs, Dru discovers that both the girl and her mother are missing. A lot of people seem to know parts of the story and aren't willing to talk to Dru. By this time there have been several brutal murders in Atlanta that have Lake's attention and Dru's old, Saab has been blown up. Connections? Not immediately apparent.

This is a tautly constructed, tightly written, punchy novel of horrific crime, family entanglements, love and sex, loss and reconnection. The protagonist is a fascinating, flawed, woman with substantial skills and attitudes. The story flows logically from a series of disparate violent events and the presentation of pieces of evidence that eventually all come together.Although the events described are mostly difficult, this is at its center, a life-affirming novel that will leave readers completely satisfied and waiting for the next story from this excellent writer.

Carl Brookins
www.carlbrookins.com http://agora2.blogspot.com
Case of the Great Train Robbery, Reunion, Red Sky

Thanks, Carl!

THE KINGDOM WHERE NOBODY DIES - A CARL BROOKINS REVIEW

THE KINGDOM WHERE NOBODY DIES

by Kathleen Hills

Poisoned Pen Press, January 2008

hard cover,316 pages

ISBN: 978-1-59058-476-7



The author of this novel has a strong background in rural America, particularly in the Upper Midwest. It shows in many of the nuances that affect the progress of this story. The novel is replete with icons of small towns, some of which are isolated from the mainstream.



The book is set in the tiny Upper Peninsula Michigan town of St. Adele where once again we ride along with one of the most reluctant and phlegmatic lawmen we are likely ever to encounter. His name is John McIntyre and he is the town constable. He didn't want the job in the first place and he can think of a hundred things he'd rather be doing and places he'd rather be than the sun-blasted hay field of former conscientious objector, Ruben Hofer.



Hofer has been murdered, that's plain to see. His head was blasted open by a rifle shot while he sat on his tractor raking hay. It is almost immediately clear that the man's family is one likely source of murderous intent. Hofer was not a nice man. He drove his two teen-aged sons in cruel and oppressive ways; and his eleven-year-old daughter, Claire, has already been pushed to warped and dangerous attitudes about life. His wife is morbidly over-weight and only the youngster, Joey, constantly playing with his make-believe farm in the yard outside the kitchen of the school-house-turned-family-home, seems almost normal.



Author Hills continues to invest her stories with an array of intriguing characters although I got a little tired of the sheriff's on-again-off-again almost incompetent investigation. Moreover, the two teen-agers do not become distinct characters in this book until very late, which I found to be a weakness.



Nevertheless, the story is informed by very real human emotions and conflicts and the author's handling of the religious, political and historical elements of the book tell us she has done careful research. The book is, as is true of all her books, well-written.



Carl Brookins

http://www.carlbrookins.com/, http://www.agora2.blogspot.com/

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