Book Reviews

The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller

The First Patient by Michael Palmer

In his latest book, "The First Patient" Michael Palmer has less medical action than in previous books. The First Patient is the president of the United States, Andrew Stoddard. After his personal physician disappears, the president asks his college friend, Gabe Singleton to take over as his physician. Gabe has been living on a ranch in Wyoming and practicing medicine there. Gabe agrees to come to Washington. After he arrives, it appears as if the President is going insane. Gabe deals with the presidents' health issues and also tries to find the physician who has disappeared. The book explores a futuristic science of nanotechnology, which is used as a part of the storyline.

"The First Patient" moved fast, had good characters and a plot that kept you guessing. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

Light of the Moon by Luanne Rice

"Light of the Moon" by Luanne Rice is a story of an anthropologist, Susannah Connolly who has recently lost her mother and broken up a relationship with a colleague. Her mother had told her about visiting the Camargue area of France, seeing white horses and a mysterious saint named Sarah. She decides to visit this area to see the caves and to honor her mother's dying wish.

Grey Dempsey is an American who is living in Camargue after he married a celebrated Romany horse rider. He has a daughter who is color blind as a result of a serious accident with a horse. His wife has left him to ride in a show in Las Vegas.

Susannah and Grey are thrown together by accident and a relationship develops. The book is their story, but it is also the story of the Romany tribe that has settled in the area and pays homage to a saint named Sara-la-Kali.

As a story of romance,"Light of the Moon" reads well. White horses, gypsies, and the story of Sara and the Saints Marys, Martha and Lazarus keeps the story flowing. A moon light ride adds to the story. As most romances seem to be, there are some predictable elements to the story, but the characters are unique and we get to know the main ones better. "Light of the Moon'" doesn't disappoint.

You've Been Warned by James Patterson

"You've been warned" was cowritten by James Patterson and Howard Roughan. This book has many of the same features in his books that Patterson is know for: short chapters with just the right ending to keep you turning the pages, plot twists and interesting characters. This book however is different from his others.

Kristin Burns loves to shoot pictures and while she waits to earn a living at photography, she works as a nanny for 2 children of a wealthy yuppie couple. She is in having an affair with a married man who she loves and who serves to distract her work. She searches through her camera for truth. Everything goes well until she starts having nightmares that end up with her screaming and waking the others who live in her apartment building.

Rumpole Misbehaves by John Mortimer

For those of you who are familiar with the television series "Rumpole of the Bailey," this book features the character, Horace Rumpole. Rumpole is a barrister in London who ends up with the ordinary cases that the "elite lawyers" don't want. He defends the lad who is charged with kicking a football in the street or loitering in a neighborhood, where he isn't welcome. In this tale he has taken to defending a man accused of murdering a prostitute. Along with trying to get his QC and a silk robe, which will please his wife, who has decided to read for the bar. Rumpole has his own legal problems to deal with. It seems his eating, drinking and smoking in his law office, have been seen as offensive to others and they have brought him up on charges. Rumpole has to defend his honor.

The story is fast moving and you will learn to love Rumpole for being himself. The book has a mystery element to it, which keeps one guessing who is involved or not. We get to see Rumpole defend himself in court as well. The character Rumpole makes the story. We can laugh at him, but who can't love his common faults and the way he conducts himself.

Death by Pantyhose by Laura Levine

"Death by Pantyhose" by Laura Levine is part of the Jaine Austen mystery series. Jaine Austen lives in Los Angeles and is trying to make a career of writing. Somehow she seems to get embroiled in murder and takes to try solving the crime. Her parents are retired and living in Florida. They email her with their problems regularly and send Jaine the latest QVC shopping find. Her father keeps getting kicked out of a club for his behavior. Her mother is concerned about Jaine's love life and the lack on a husband.

"Death by Pantyhose" features Jaine helping a comic who had just hired her to write for her comedy act. The women comic has been charged with the murder of another comic, who was strangled with a pair of pantyhose that belonged to the women comic, who used them in her act. A lineup of possible suspects are checked into before Jaine eventually finds the guilty party.

This mystery features Jaine as a loveable heroine who gets into all sorts of jams by not thinking. The mystery part is believable and the humor makes the book. I highly recommend this book for someone who needs a good read while they are waiting for the next Janet Evanovich book to come out. Who knows maybe after reading the book about Jaine Austen, you may decide that her next book is the one to wait for. You decide!

Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson

"Absolute Fear" by Lisa Jackson is the story of Eve Renner, who was nearly killed in a shooting, which left her friend, Roy dead. Her boyfriend, attorney, Cole Dennis was accused of the shooting. Eve has a scattered memory of the happening. Roy was cut on the throat and a tattoo of numbers imprinted on his forehead. Eve returns to New Orleans after some recuperation from her injury.

Shortly after her return, her adoptive father, a doctor is found dead in a fashion similar to the way Roy was found. Eve also receives some newspaper clippings about a women who was in a mental hospital where her father was the head psychiatrist at. This woman was also found dead with the word Live tattooed on her forehead. The police think that Eve may be a daughter of the woman and take a DNA sample. With being in the midst of everything happening, Eve begins to investigate what is happening. She gets back with Cole, who is helping her.

This book has a lot of plot action. There is a fair amount of bloody violence and sexual discussion in the book, but they are a big part of the story. At time characters get a bit confusing, but this confusion seems to clear itself up. As in most books, the killer is found out, but the twists in the plot leave you guessing until the killer is disclosed. The book is a good read and I recommend it to anyone who likes a good thriller. Reading the book, I found it hard to put down. I just wanted to keep reading the book.

Still Summer by Jacquelyn Mitchard

"Still Summer" by Jacquelyn Mitchard is the story of 4 high school friends, Tracy, Olivia, Holly and Janis. The four decide to get together and take a tropical cruise on a sailing ship. When Janis' husband has to have emergency surgery, Tracy takes her adopted daughter Cammie along. Cammie is in college and has had problems with her mother, but she has always gotten along with the other women, who have called themselves "the Godmothers."

Once on the sailing ship, they encounter problems, Holly is bitten by something and scratches her leg with becomes infected. Olivia, who was married to an Italian count has an attitude and wants to be waited on. On the ship are the captain and a handsome helper who has his eyes on Cammie.

They are barely beginning their adventure, when the captain and his helper are lost when the ship's raft cuts loose. They find the captain dead by the ship's engine. This leaves the 4 women to fend for themselves on a drifting sailing ship without power. They become involved in all sorts of adventures on the ship.

The book is a good read. We get into the depth of the main characters. There is plenty of action in the book, some love and some tragedy. Jacquelyn Mitchard has come up with another hit. Don't forget to pick up and read, "Still Summer" even if it is nearly winter.

Third Degree by Greg Ilse

Today's featured book is '"Third Degree"by Greg Iles. Iles is the author of "Turning Angel," "Blood Memory" and "True Evil." He again writes another thriller.This time with marriage as the focus.

"Third Degree" by Greg Iles is the story of medical doctor, Warren Shields and his wife Laurel, who is a teacher of special students. They have 2 school age children. Dr. Shields is grappling with problems with the IRS and his practice, which is a partnership with Kyle Auster. Kyle is a lady's man who has had numerous affairs including an ongoing affair with the office manager, Vida.

Laurel has problems of her own. She starts the day off with a positive reading on a pregnancy test. She has just ended an affair with a parent of one of her students a couple months back. The positive result puts her ill at ease as it is parent teacher conference day and she will be meeting with the wife of the man she had the affair with.

This is just the start of the novel that reads much like a soap opera. There is plenty of thrilling action, but the action bogs down at points. All of the characters in this novel are flawed, which makes them more seen more human. I was questioning their actions and motivation throughout the novel. The book is a good read, but not as good as "Turning Angel."

Breakdown Lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard

After hearing Jacquelyn Mitchard speak recently and reading one of her books for the Library's book talking discussion program, I decided to give another of her books a try. The Breakdown Lane seemed like a good choice for me to read after I discovered the characters surname was my maiden name and one of the characters had the same name as my father. The story also takes place in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

"The Breakdown Lane" by Jacquelyn Mitchard is the story of a newspaper advice columnist named Julieanne, her lawyer husband and her 3 children. Her husband, Leo decides to quit his job at the University in Sheboygan after the couple has had a third child. He then decides to leave and try and find himself. Meanwhile, Julieanne becomes ill and is diagnosed with MS. The 2 teenage children, Gabe and Caroline are left to take care of themselves, their baby sister and their mother. Gabe even takes over writing the column along with one of Julieanne's friends during her illness. their father does not leave contact information, so they are not able to contact him. The grandparents, who are Leo's parents, come in the picture and help out Julieanne and the children.

The story includes the 2 teenagers going out and searching for their father based on some emails he had send before he left. Caroline had found them in the computer and had figured out where he might be living. They travel to a commune in New York looking for their father. He isn't there, but they do find another clue and they continue on their journey. Their mother has no idea that they are doing this and thinks they are by her sister out East.

Eventually they do find their father, but this causes more turmoil in their lives. The book reads a bit like a soap opera with plenty of drama and interesting characters that you could love or hate depending upon what they are doing. The teenagers are portrayed very realistically. The story reads slowly because it includes a lot of character development and a plot that continues over many years. Despite the slowness of the story, it is one that you want to keep reading to find out what happens next.

White Wash by Alex Kava

"Whitewash" by Alex Kava is a thriller that centers around TCP (thermal conversion process) which is a process that converts refuse and other waste material into oil. The author uses this process to spin a tale of international proportions.

Sabrina Galloway is a scientist working at EchoEnergy, a company that has taken waste and made it into fuel. Her supervisor disappears at work and Sabrina makes a discovery that places her at risk. Her father, who was a brilliant scientist, is now in a nursing home for patients with mental problems. She visits her father regularly and is never sure if he is with it from the conversations. One time he talked about his son visiting. Sabrina does have a brother, but she hasn't seen him in many years and isn't even sure what he is doing or where he is living.

On another front Jason Brill is a congressional chief of staff preparing for an upcoming energy summit. His boss, Senator John Quincy Allen, is supporting EchoEnergy's bid to market its fuel. Jason gets tossed into the Senator's quest to have the bid go to EchoEnergy. He needs to get the support of other Senators and in his attempts to lobby their support, he becomes accused of the murder of one of their aides.

Both Sabrina and Jason have never met, but they become embroiled into a sinister plot that puts corporate greed and corruption above human life. This is a good read, but one that will make you think about all the politics involved in the energy business.

Hide by Lisa Gardner

"Hide" by Lisa Gardner is the story of a family of 3 that leaves Boston in fear of their young daughter's life. They continue to move from city to city across the United States over the years. Each move features a new name and identity. The mother dies and the father and daughter continue to move. They finally move back to Boston when the girl, now called Tanya Nelson, is an adult. Her father is killed in a traffic accident shortly after they return to Boston.

A mass grave with 6 mummified bodies is found. One of the victims has a necklace with the name that Tanya Nelson had used in Boston. She had given the necklace to the girl before she left Boston. A story about the discovery surfaces and Tanya goes to the police station to tell her story. The Police are investigating the possibility that there is a connection to another kidnapping years ago. The kidnapped victim is living in Arizona and surprisingly looks a lot like Tanya. Tanya and the police officers go to Arizona to interview the woman. Tanya and the women get along and while they are showing pictures, the women recognizes Tanya's father. She said he visited her and posed as an FBI agent. This visit leaves Tanya wondering about the real story about her father and their moves. She proceeds to do some investigating on her own.

The story is an intriguing story with plenty of plot twists. We eventually find out why Tanya needed to move all those years and what role her father had. The story moves fast and keeps one guessing what is going on. Anyone who enjoys a good thriller will enjoy "Hide" by Lisa Gardner. It is one of the better thrillers that I have read in a while.

Critical by Robin Cook

Robin Cook is a prolific writer who is also a medical doctor. He specializes in the medical thriller. This is a review of his latest book.

"Critical" by Robin Cook has the characters, medical examiners Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton return. Jack is scheduled for knee surgery at one of the Angels Healthcare Facilities. His wife Laurie is concerned after a number of individuals in the morgue who have died from staph-related infections contracted at the Angels Healthcare facilities. Angela Dawson is a medical doctor and the head of Angels Healthcare Facilities. Angels Healthcare is about to go public and any negative publicity will hurt this. Dawson struggles to keep things going while dealing with some of her past demons.

This book has lots of action and twists. Cook comes through with another good read. He has a lot of different characters involved in the story, which is a bit confusing at times. His medical examiner characters have been in previous books, but you don't need to have read them to enjoy the story.

As in most of Cook's books, he puts a question about health care in the minds of the public. In this story, a high priced care facility isn't able to treat infections and has to send the infected person to another facility, which often ends in death.

The Fourth Order by Stephen Frey

Thrillers seem to be the novel genre that I read the most. Today's review looks at another thriller, "The Fourth Order" by Stephen Frey. Frey uses the corporation as the background in most of his thrillers.

"The Fourth Order" by Stephen Frey has Michael Rose as a corporate CEO at Trafalgar Industries. Trafalgar, which is an energy conglomerate, is involved in a major acquisition of CIS, a global information technology company. There is much resistance from the Board and from CIS to the takeover proposal. Rose isn't aware that CIS is linked to a twisted governmental organization called the Order. Right before the Board meeting, Rose's wife is found dead in her smashed car. His relationship with his wife has been estranged and she had been having affairs on the side. When her death is ruled a murder, Rose becomes a suspect.

The book has short chapters, that keeps one reading. There is plenty of action and twists in the story. Board members are blackmailed to vote a particular way on the takeover using background information on the individual to coerce their vote. Bodies also fall in the book. The book has the makings of a future movie with plenty of action taking place around the country. On a more serious issue, one is made to think about what is going on to keep this country secure from terrorists. It becomes scary at times to thing these types of things could be happening.

Any one who enjoys a good thriller, should read "The Fourth Order" by Stephen Frey. It has everything you want in a thriller. If you like the corporate world, this has plenty of background on corporations but in a way that is entertaining.

The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer

The medical thriller is a genre that I enjoy reading. Authors Robin Cook and Michael Palmer are two of the most noted writers of the medical thriller. Today I take a look at Michael Palmer and his latest book, "The Fifth Vial."

"The Fifth Vial" by Michael Palmer is a novel about organ transplants. The title refers to the extra vial of blood taken when you give blood for medical tests. It seems that one company that takes blood uses this vial to collect data on its donors and has kept a national registry of blood types and factors. Author Palmer weaves 3 stories together in this novel.

Medical student Natalie Reyes is sent to Brazil to deliver a research paper for the doctor she has been doing research for. When she arrives in Brazil, the cab takes her to the slum section of Rio and she is attacked and shot and ends up losing a lung. After returning to Boston she is recuperating when the insurance company calls to question about her stay in the hospital. This leads Natalie to investigate here lung surgery in Brazil.

In a parallel story, a private investigator in Chicago is hired to check on the death of a man in Florida. The man had his bone marrow taken before an accident where he ran into a semi and was killed. The women who hired the private investigator is connected to an organization that deals with the prevention of illegal organ transplantation.

In the third story, a doctor is developing an important drug in Africa. He is close to finishing the research, but his health is interfering. He is a candidate for a transplant, which he ends up having. He wants to thank the family of the donor and is taken to India to meet them.

Palmer does a good job of weaving the stories together. There are twists and turns in the plot, that keeps it interesting and exciting. The story is written to make one think about medical research and medical records.

More Twisted by Jeffery Deaver

Jeffery Deaver is the author of the Lincoln Rhyme series of thrillers. He has also compiled a couple of collections of short stories that he has written into books. Our review today looks at one of these collections, "More Twisted."

Short stories have the advantage over a long novel in that they are short. They have interesting characters, dramatic action, scenery and background descriptions and most of the other elements that a good novel has. What I like about short stories is that you can finish a story quickly in a sitting and they are good fillers when you don't have time to continue reading a novel. With this in mind, I checked out Jeffery Deaver's "More Twisted."

"More Twisted" contains 16 different short stories. All of his stories have twists and turns in the plot. They keep you guessing until you reach the end of the story. Deaver has put together a good collection of stories. One of the longer stories, "Locard's Principle" uses his characters from the Lincoln Rhyme novels. If you have never read Deaver, these stories will give you a good introduction to his style of writing and maybe get you wanting to read the Lincoln Rhyme novels.

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark

Mary Higgins Clark has been one of my favorite authors for a number of years. She writes a fast paced thriller that leaves you guessing what will happen next. For this review, I read her latest book, "I Heard That Song Before."

"I Heard That Song Before" by Mary Higgins Clark has Kay Lansing, a librarian as the main character. Kay visits wealthy Peter Carrington to ask his help for a fundraiser. This starts a relationship with Carrington that leads to the two marrying. Carrington has a mysterious past that includes his wife dying in a drowning accident and a former high school girl friend disappearing. He was always considered a person of interest in both cases. Kay has a connection to the Carringtons in that her father used to be their gardener until he was fired. His firing let to his "suicide", although his body was never found.

The book is a quick read with Clark's trademark short chapters and page turning suspense. I found some confusion with the characters as several were introduced at first and trying to figure out who was who was a bit of a challenge. You do get to know the characters however as you read on. With her books the solution comes at the end, which makes guessing who did the crime all the more fun. I must admit that I guessed wrong. I guess that would leave the challenge to you, the reader to see if you can solve the crime.

When Madeline was Young by Jane Hamilton

Author Jane Hamilton is a Wisconsin author, who is probably best known for her Oprah book, "Map of the World." This review looks at her latest book, "When Madeline was Young."

Madeline is the young beautiful wife of Aaron Maciver, who suffers brain damage in a bike accident, that leaves her with the prowess of a 6 year old. Maciver has his marriage annulled and ends up marrying the nurse who has been caring for Madeline. Aaron and his new wife then proceed to care for Madeline as if she were their child. They also have 2 other children. The story is told through their son Mac. Mac talks about childhood memories with Madeline and his relatives and visits to their cottage in Wisconsin. His story continues with his marriage and his children and the goings on in their lives. Throughout his story we see Madeline staying as a young child, even as she ages. Madeline develops a friendship and love with a developmentally disabled man named Mikey.

The story gets confusing at times as Mac goes backward to the past in the story to tell incidents that happened. Madeline is the common thread that goes throughout the story. We see her age in years, but not in actions. As a story of families and relationships, this is a good yarn. But I don't feel that this is one of Jane Hamilton's better works.

To check out or reserve this book, stop in at the library during library hours or place a hold through the website at www.ci.brillion.wi.us/library_home.html

Truck: A Love Story by Michael Perry

This book review features Wisconsin author, Michael Perry's latest book, "Truck: a love story." Perry is the author of "Population 485, " a book about the town of New Auburn, Wisconsin, firefighting and being an EMT. He continues telling about his life in this book.

"Truck" is a 1951 International Harvester Company L-120 pickup truck that Perry has owned and run for years. The truck has now quit running and has been sitting in his driveway, rusting away and waiting to be restored some day. The someday has finally come! This book takes the restoration in the context of a year. Each chapter looks at not only the work being done by Perry and his brother-in-law to restore the truck but also at his life and thoughts during the particular month. He also uses a theme for each month such as organizing his cookbooks in January and planting his garden in May. Perry also has a date with a special woman, who might be the "love story" part of this tale. Or is the love story part just his love of a truck? You read and find out!

Perry does a good job of blending humor, reality and small town life in this tale. Anyone who has every had a love affair with a vehicle can appreciate this tale. But you don't have to care about a vehicle to enjoy Perry's tale. He talks about life that anyone who grew up in a small rural community can identify with. His descriptions make the story come to life. The use of the months for chapters is a clever way to tell his story. Being Wisconsin we can relate to the comings and goings of the month and laugh at his frustrations.

His book is an enjoyable read. I highly recommend it. You do not have to be a "Truck" person to appreciate the story! To check out or reserve the book, stop in during library hours and have a hold placed or go online through the website and place your own.

Dollar Daze by Karin Gillespie

Gillespie has written 3 books with the "Bottom Dollar Girls" characters. The Bottom Dollar Girls are a group of women who live in Cayboo Creek, South Carolina and who have the Bottom Dollar Emporium, a general store in common. The books feature their lives and the store.

"Dollar Daze" has the girls all falling in love. First 80 year old Attalee, the soda jerk at the Bottom Dollar Emporium, becomes engaged to marry. Mrs. Tobias, the wealthy matriarch has a beau of her own. Store owner, Mavis and the newspaper editor Birdie are both enthralled by the same man and end up at jealous odds. The story takes the characters through the motions of love in an often humorous manner. The characters are endearing and loveable even in their misfortunes.

If you haven't acquainted yourself with the Bottom Dollar Girls, why not take the time? The girls are a fun loving mix of characters of all ages. The books are fast, fun reading. As an added feature each chapter of the story starts with a humorous saying taken from a variety of sources or created to fit in the story. Just for these fun sayings is reason enough to read the book.

Book review is a weekly feature of the Library. The public is invited to contribute a brief review on a book they have read and think others might enjoy. The book review will be part of this section of news from the Library. If you are interesting in contributing a review, contact Chris at the Library.