Mystery/Thriller Book Reviews

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L.A. Dead by Stuart Woods
Putnam, November 2000.
Hardcover, 338 pages.
ISBN: 0399146644.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.

L.A. Dead
by Stuart Woods

When we last saw ex-cop and current attorney Stone Barrington (See, Worst Fears Realized) he was about to jump into holy matrimony with Dolce the sexy (but totally wacko) daughter of infamous mafia don. After a civil ceremony in Venice, but before the all-important church wedding in St. Mark's Cathedral, Stone is called back to the U.S. when his ex-love Arrington's husband, movie star Vance Calder, is murdered and Arrington is the prime suspect. Of course, Stone believes she is innocent and immediately begins to wine, dine and seduce all of Vance's mistresses (and there are quite a few) in order to find out the truth. In the meantime, Dolce is determined to commit a few murders of her own in order to get back her straying husband, although it's far from clear whether the couple is actually married under Italian law.

This fifth entry in the popular Stone Barrington series features the smooth-talking attorney with the opulent lifestyle once again hip-deep in intrigue, court battles and fine dining. Although Stone manages to stay a likeable character, despite his somewhat ambiguous moral choices, in this book Arrington becomes as annoying as the psychotic Dolce is amusing, leading long-time fans to hope that Stone's long-running obsession for the self-centered Mrs. Calder is finally petering out. Woods' skewering of the Hollywood scene is extremely funny, and Stone's escapades are as entertaining as ever, making for another great, light-hearted read from the talented Stuart Woods.

Roses are Red by James Patterson
Little Brown, November 2000.
Hardcover, 320 pages.
ISBN: 0316693251.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.

Roses are Red
by James Patterson

Alex Cross is contacted when a series of shocking robbery-murders in D.C. have gotten everyone's attention. When the bank robbers enter a bank, they give a series of explicit demands. Meanwhile, they also have people at the bank manager's home and threaten kill the bank manager's family if their demands at the bank are not met. In one robbery, the criminals murdered the bank manager's husband, nanny and three-year old son at the manager's house, even though the bank was only thirty seconds late in meeting the robbers' demands. The criminal behind the bloody robberies, The Mastermind, remains elusive, and as Cross continues his attempts to catch him, he seems to be playing right into The Mastermind's plans.

Roses are Red is another breathtaking thriller from Patterson. Alex Cross, the forensic detective that Patterson's readers are familiar with from Kiss the Girls, Cat & Mouse and Jack & Jill, is back, and -- as usual -- there are sociopaths to deal with and put in prison. And, as usual, his high-demand job has a negative impact on his family and love life, which is usually the only part of Patterson's novels that is a little bit slow. However, the family interludes do serve as a respite between the vivid action and breathtaking suspense, of which there is plenty in Roses are Red.

Temple by Matt Reilly
St. Martin's Press, January 2001.
Hardcover, 384 pages.
ISBN: 0312266596.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.

Temple
by Matt Reilly

Professor and linguist William Race is shocked when armed soldiers meet him at the door to his classroom. Race is briefed and finds out he is needed on a top-secret mission, which will involve him translating an ancient manuscript and accompanying the team into the jungles of Peru on a mission to recover an Incan idol. The idol has to be recovered because it is made out of Thyrium-261, a substance from a meteorite that can be used to create an extraordinary dangerous weapon. The mission is urgent because a German terrorist organization headed by former Nazis is also after the idol. If the mission itself wasn't tense enough, Lauren O'Connor, Race's ex-love from college, is also on the mission.

Matt Reilly, a young Australian writer, has written three novels and several screenplays, and recently became more well-known with his New York Times bestseller, Ice Station. Temple also has elements of archaeology, science and and science fiction, which makes for a compelling story. Readers will be enthralled by the Rajas, the enormous and extremely deadly cat creatures the adventurers encounter. Some of the Reilly's best work is when he flashes back to the adventures of Renco Capac, an Indian Prince, and Alberto Luis Santiago, whose exploits are detailed in the ancient manuscript that describes an attempt to keep the Incan's treasured idol out of the hands of Hernando Pizarro, the Captain of the Spaniard's invading army. Matt Reilly also excels at writing action; some of the action scenes are simply amazing. Temple is a great read for anyone who loves an excitng thriller with lots of action, adventure, ancient relics and archaeology.

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Mystery/Thriller Book Reviews

L.A. Dead by Stuart Woods

Roses are Red by James Patterson

Temple by Matt Reilly