Death of a Valentine by M. C. Beaton  (Rating-4)

Grand Central Publishing
ISBN 978-0-44-54738-3
At the request of The Hachette Book Group, a HC copy was sent, at no cost to me for my honest review.
  Synopsis: (from the book’s jacket)
Amazing news has spread across the Scottish countryside. The most famous of highland bachelors, police sergeant Hamish Macbeth will be married at last. Everyone is the village of Lochdubh adores Josie McSween, Macbeth’s newest constable and blushing bride-to-be. While locals think Josie is quite a catch, Hamish has a case of prenuptial jitters. After all, if it weren’t for the recent murder of a beautiful woman in a neighbouring village, there wouldn’t be a wedding at all.
  My Thoughts: This was the first book that I read, of many that have been written, by this author. After getting past the Scottish dialect, I was pulled in and rooting for Sergeant Macbeth. A small town police sergeant who uses his common sense and gut instincts in solving crimes. A modern day Mayberry mystery.
  My Opinion and Rating: I gave this book a rating of 4. An enjoyable and fast read. Macbeth was a character that one could not help but like. The two page prologue, which introduced the setting of Macbeth’s wedding and his feelings on this memorable day, grabbed this reader in and wanting more. The plot of the Valentine murder had me turning the pages to find out who-done-it from the multiple list of characters. A recommended mystery read !!!

Doors Open by Ian Rankin  (Rating 0)

Published by Reagan Arthur Books/Little, Brown and Company
ISBN 978-0-316-02478-5
At the request of The Hachette Book Club, a HC copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review.
  Synopsis:  (From the book’s jacket) Three friends descend upon an art auction. Software mogul Mike Mackenzie wants something money can’t buy. Banker Allan Cruickshank is burdened by a painful divorce. And Robert Gissing, an art professor, is frustrated by paintings hidden away in private hands. In a conversation over drinks, the three seize on an impossible, unthinkable, suddenly inevitable idea: steal the art. There has to be a way.
  My opinion and rating: This is my opinion and my opinion only. I was unable to finish this book. I read close to 75 pages and nothing pulled me in to the storyline. I had to keep rereading paragraphs due to fact that I found it to be boring. I am used to reading mysteries and/or suspense where there is something gripping within the first few chapters and that wasn’t the case with this book. Mr. Rankin is a best selling author and I am sure that other’s will have a different opinion of Doors Open but for this reader, it was not something I enjoyed.  (Rating 0)

Doors Open by Ian Rankin  (Rating 0)

Published by Reagan Arthur Books/Little, Brown and Company
ISBN 978-0-316-02478-5
At the request of The Hachette Book Club, a HC copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review.
  Synopsis:  (From the book’s jacket) Three friends descend upon an art auction. Software mogul Mike Mackenzie wants something money can’t buy. Banker Allan Cruickshank is burdened by a painful divorce. And Robert Gissing, an art professor, is frustrated by paintings hidden away in private hands. In a conversation over drinks, the three seize on an impossible, unthinkable, suddenly inevitable idea: steal the art. There has to be a way.
  My opinion and rating: This is my opinion and my opinion only. I was unable to finish this book. I read close to 75 pages and nothing pulled me in to the storyline. I had to keep rereading paragraphs due to fact that I found it to be boring. I am used to reading mysteries and/or suspense where there is something gripping within the first few chapters and that wasn’t the case with this book. Mr. Rankin is a best selling author and I am sure that other’s will have a different opinion of Doors Open but for this reader, it was not something I enjoyed.  (Rating 0)

Among Thieves by David Hosp  (Rating 5)
Published by Grand Central Publishing
ISBN 978-0-446-58015-1
At the request of The Book Group, a HC was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review.
  Synopsis: Portion from the front jacket…In the early morning hours of March 18, 1990, two men dressed as police officers entered Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, tied up the guards, and escaped with 500 million dollars’ worth of paintings. The heist provoked a massive search for both the thieves and the lost masterpieces. But the paintings never surfaced and the mystery remained unsolved. Now, almost twenty years later, there case threatens to break wide open.
  My thoughts: Scott Finn, who has known the streets of Boston and the foster care system as a child, but was able to turn his life around and become an attorney. He is asked to take on a theft case from a former acquaintance of his earlier years. And accepting to defend Devon Malley, it thrusts Finn into a situation that is far from easy. Enter Boston’s “mob” associates, murders, having to become care taker to Malley’s 14 year old daughter, and a kidnapping. And how does this all tie into an unsolved 20 year cold case art heist?
  My opinion and rating:  (Rating 5) Once again, I was given the opportunity to read an extraordinary book. It was Grisham meets Parker. From the first chapter to the last page, the fast paced action never stopped, at times the reader forgets to breathe. The ending is a total surprise, one that this reader never saw coming. I could not put this one down. Bravo!!!!!

Among Thieves by David Hosp  (Rating 5)
Published by Grand Central Publishing
ISBN 978-0-446-58015-1
At the request of The Book Group, a HC was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review.
  Synopsis: Portion from the front jacket…In the early morning hours of March 18, 1990, two men dressed as police officers entered Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, tied up the guards, and escaped with 500 million dollars’ worth of paintings. The heist provoked a massive search for both the thieves and the lost masterpieces. But the paintings never surfaced and the mystery remained unsolved. Now, almost twenty years later, there case threatens to break wide open.
  My thoughts: Scott Finn, who has known the streets of Boston and the foster care system as a child, but was able to turn his life around and become an attorney. He is asked to take on a theft case from a former acquaintance of his earlier years. And accepting to defend Devon Malley, it thrusts Finn into a situation that is far from easy. Enter Boston’s “mob” associates, murders, having to become care taker to Malley’s 14 year old daughter, and a kidnapping. And how does this all tie into an unsolved 20 year cold case art heist?
  My opinion and rating:  (Rating 5) Once again, I was given the opportunity to read an extraordinary book. It was Grisham meets Parker. From the first chapter to the last page, the fast paced action never stopped, at times the reader forgets to breathe. The ending is a total surprise, one that this reader never saw coming. I could not put this one down. Bravo!!!!!

Original Sin by Allison Brennan (Rating–4.5)
Published by The Random House
ISBN 978-0-345-51167-6
At the request of The Book Trib, a PB copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review.
  Synopsis: Moira O’Donnell conceived, for the sole purpose to become a human sacrifice for the underworld, flees from her mother’s grasp.  She finds refuge in the hills of Ireland learning the ways to stop this demonic state that her mother controls. She also learns and now knows the danger that mankind will experience if her mother isn’t stopped  Moira spends seven years traveling the world to locate her mother.  There is only way to stop Fiona ODonnell, and that is murder.  Along her travels, she teams up with a demonologist and a trusting sheriff, in small town, USA.
  My Thoughts: I was very apprehensive when I first accepted this request as I have never read a book in the genre of paranormal. The author’s imagination and writing style is nothing less than believable and at times I was questioning if there was some truth to this work of fiction. Add to that a fast paced action, mystery, love story and the war between good and evil. This was the first book that I had read of this author’s but will not be my last.
  My Opinion and Rating: I gave this book a Level 4.5 rating. It took approximately 6 chapters for me to get involved with the characters and true basis of the story line. There was some disappointment with the ending. I am, however, aware that this is the first book in a series of seven deadly sins, and will hopefully have some of my questions answered in the next installment that I have already placed on my “to be read” list.

Original Sin by Allison Brennan (Rating–4.5)
Published by The Random House
ISBN 978-0-345-51167-6
At the request of The Book Trib, a PB copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review.
  Synopsis: Moira O’Donnell conceived, for the sole purpose to become a human sacrifice for the underworld, flees from her mother’s grasp.  She finds refuge in the hills of Ireland learning the ways to stop this demonic state that her mother controls. She also learns and now knows the danger that mankind will experience if her mother isn’t stopped  Moira spends seven years traveling the world to locate her mother.  There is only way to stop Fiona ODonnell, and that is murder.  Along her travels, she teams up with a demonologist and a trusting sheriff, in small town, USA.
  My Thoughts: I was very apprehensive when I first accepted this request as I have never read a book in the genre of paranormal. The author’s imagination and writing style is nothing less than believable and at times I was questioning if there was some truth to this work of fiction. Add to that a fast paced action, mystery, love story and the war between good and evil. This was the first book that I had read of this author’s but will not be my last.
  My Opinion and Rating: I gave this book a Level 4.5 rating. It took approximately 6 chapters for me to get involved with the characters and true basis of the story line. There was some disappointment with the ending. I am, however, aware that this is the first book in a series of seven deadly sins, and will hopefully have some of my questions answered in the next installment that I have already placed on my “to be read” list.

Invisible Boy by Cornelia Read (Rating–4)

Published by Grand Central Publishing (Hachette Book Group)
ISBN 978-0-44651134-6
At the request of Hachette Book Group, an ARC copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review
  Synopsis:  The year 1990, Madeline Dare, returns to New York City. Boarding school educated, self proclaimed liberal, liberated and very much opinionated. She accepts an invitation to help in the clean up and restoration of a historical family cemetery that is generations old and has been vandalized for years and not been tended to professionally. She comes upon skeletal remains in the tall grass and weeds and determines that the bones are of a child and freshly placed. Who is this child, who put him here and why here in this family plot? She has some misfortunate accidents or are they intentional?
  My Thoughts:  From page one, I was pulled in with the writing style and, at times, funny New Yorkese narrative. During her quest to find justice for this child, Teddy, Madeline also learns that there has been abuse in her own family. She is also trying to be honest and loyal to a long time friend from boarding school. Madeline has to deal with the dynamics of her relationships with family members, old and new friends, and a little boy she never knew.
  My Opinion and Rating:  I found the style and narrative unique and enjoyable. I gave this book a rating of 4 for the following reasons. Without giving anything away, I felt that there were two major traumatic incidents that should have been written with more of an in depth and detailed explanation. I also thought the same regarding the dynamics of the relationships that were involved.