Mystery/Thriller Book Reviews

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Louisiana Hotshot by Julie Smith
Forge, May 2001.
Hardcover, 320 pages.
ISBN: 0765300583.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.

Louisiana Hotshot
by Julie Smith

By day, Talba Willis is a hip young African American computer expert. By night, she becomes the Baroness de Portalba, a rising star in the New Orleans poetry scene. One day, Talba answers an ad from a private investigator who needs an assistant, and after some quick computer research and a sassy interview she lands a job as an apprentice p.i. with Eddie Valentino, an aging, grumpy private investigator that can't quite get rid of his preconceived notions of how women ought to behave. The oddball couple have more in common than you might think, however. They both have strained relationships with their families, are outspoken, and at heart are good people. The two investigate a case of child molestation against a man who is only known as "Toes". Soon the investigation leads to a famous rapper and his posse, and to extreme danger for both Talba and Eddie.

We first met the vibrant Talba in 82 Desire, one of the books in the popular Skip Langdon series. Now Talba has a compelling new series of her own. At the same time that Talba is investigating the the mysterious Toes, she also is investigating some very disturbing memories which are surfacing from her past. Talba's mother, Miz Clara (who is eccentric, funny and despairs of Talba ever becoming something respectable, like president of the U.S.) absolutely refuses to talk about Talba's father, who left them years ago. Set against the colorful and rich culture of New Orleans, Louisiana Hotshot is a fast-paced, captivating mystery with absolutely delightful characters that readers are sure to want to see more of.

--Claire E. White

Stabbing Stephanie by Evan Marshall
Kensington, May 2001.
Hardcover, 295 pages.
ISBN: 157566657X.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.

Stabbing Stephanie
by Evan Marshall

Literary agent Jane Stuart is just getting back on her feet. A widow for the past three years, she has her hands full raising her son, keeping her literary agency afloat, and solving the occasional murder. With things finally on track financially, Jane decides it's time for a vacation. But before she can pack her bag, she gets a call from her late husband's cousin Stephanie. It seems that the pretentious and blatantly racist Stephanie is actually moving to Shady Hills, New Jersey to take a job at an upscale boutique publisher, Carson & Hart, Inc., which is run by Faith Hart, a Grace Kelly-like celebrity who was once married to a foreign prince. Stephanie notices that something is not quite right at Carson & Hart, and when murder ensues, Jane goes undercover as an editor to investigate. With the help of her cat Winky, Jane is set to track down a killer, before the killer decides to eliminate her first.

Stabbing Stephanie is the third entry in the delightful cozy series starring Jane Stuart and her cat Winky (See, Missing Marlene and Hanging Hannah). Evan Marshall has a deft hand with dialogue, and his inside look at the life of agents and editors makes for very entertaining reading, indeed. Jane herself is charming, as are her somewhat eccentric neighbors. The small town ambience adds to the intimate feel of the book, and you'll be rooting for Jane every step of the way. If you haven't yet made the acquaintance of Jane, Winky and the inhabitants of Shady Hills, New Jersey, by all means do so. You won't be disappointed.

--Claire E. White

The Syndrome by John Case
Ballantine Books, May 2001.
Hardcover, 455 pages.
ISBN: 0345433084.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.

The Syndrome
by John Case

Attorney Adrienne Cope blames psychologist Dr. Jeff Duran for the death of her sister, Nico. Cope's unstable sister killed herself, and Cope accuses Duran of filling her sister's head with untrue and harmful stories about her childhood. To make things worse, Duran himself may be quite ill; he truly believes that he is a psychologist, even when a licensed investigator presents him with hard evidence that his name and medical diplomas are fakes. Eventually, Duran begins to doubt his own background, and he invites Cope and Eddie over to see the files he kept on Nico. But all Duran has to show them are empty files, which he cannot explain. Suddenly, two thugs arrive at the apartment posing as police and soon shots are exchanged between Eddie and the thugs. Eddie is killed and so is one of the thugs. Cope and Duran go to the police, but when the apartment is checked out by the police it is empty with no evidence of bodies or even blood stains. Forced to go on the run to avoid more potential killers, Duran and Cope are determined to find Duran's true identity and why someone was trying to kill them.

The Syndrome is a wonderful suspense novel from author John Case -- whose identity is no longer keeping readers in suspese. Case is actually husband and wife team Jim and Carolyn Hougan. The Hougans are known for crafting cunning suspense novels intertwined with scientific knowledge and technologic breakthroughs (See, The Genesis Code and The First Horseman). In The Syndrome we get a look at psychology, mind-control experiments and methods for measuring and studying the brain. The two main characters, Adrienne Cope and Jeff Duran are both appealing. Duran, the man who sincerely believes he is a psychologist, (although he isn't even aware of his own real name) is especially interesting. Cope, the determined lawyer, torn away on an exciting adventure is also just as appealing. Another fact-paced, exciting thriller from the Hougans (John Case).

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Mystery/Thriller Book Reviews

Louisiana Hotshot by Julie Smith

Stabbing Stephanie by Evan Marshall

The Syndrome by John Case