With a great play on words the title of this book takes us to the frigid conditions of Iceland and straight into the economic crisis that is afflicting global industry and banking in the twenty-first century.
Big business, corrupt government officials and bankrupt banks are in a head-on collision course; graft is rife and something just a little more sinister surfaces when the first body washes up on the shores of the small fishing village of Hvalvik. Recently widowed rural cop Gunnhildur, pursues the inquiry as a murder, against the better judgment of her commander, until the second body is discovered and a common link is found. Juggling her family and her inept colleagues, Gunnhildur is the force that stands between right and wrong—city mouse vs. country mouse.
Put in charge of the task force and expected to fail by her superiors, Gunnhildur turns Reykjavik upside down in an attempt to out-fox the foreign national who has disturbed the peace in the routine life of the gentle fi sherman of her Iceland. Along with juggling a novice journalist assigned to shadow her and reports from an anonymous blogger who seems to complicate matters by accusing the very offi cials she is tagging in her investigation, she sets out to bring peace to the district.
In his debut novel Bates gives us an insider’s view by exposing us to a world outside of our norm and at the same time shows us the very problems that exist in our country are shared to some degree globally. As the bodies stack up and Gunnhildur fi nally corners her man, be prepared for the final breath-taking chase that will leave you blinking in wonderment as the cat-and-mouse search boils over.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Murder in the Mangroves - A Review
The perfect little chic-lit for the beach and an easy quick read.
Mallie Monroe’s editor is on vacation and her replacement, the boss’ taskmaster of a twin sister, is pushing hard for a sensational story for the newspaper to boost sales. When the local mango queen is found dead, by none other than Mallie, she is assigned the story.
In the third tale of Coral Island Mysteries, we discover that Mallie is a bit of a body magnet. Th is is the third murder she has attempted to help solve. The Chief of Police, Nick Billie would have been fed up with her interference by now, except that he has cast an eye Mallie’s way romantically.
Now that a former boyfriend, surfer-boy Cole has shown up, a little island love-triangle is in the making.
As Mallie investigates the story for the island newspaper, will she help solve the crime or become the next body to be discovered?
Mallie Monroe’s editor is on vacation and her replacement, the boss’ taskmaster of a twin sister, is pushing hard for a sensational story for the newspaper to boost sales. When the local mango queen is found dead, by none other than Mallie, she is assigned the story.
In the third tale of Coral Island Mysteries, we discover that Mallie is a bit of a body magnet. Th is is the third murder she has attempted to help solve. The Chief of Police, Nick Billie would have been fed up with her interference by now, except that he has cast an eye Mallie’s way romantically.
Now that a former boyfriend, surfer-boy Cole has shown up, a little island love-triangle is in the making.
As Mallie investigates the story for the island newspaper, will she help solve the crime or become the next body to be discovered?
Haunting tale of the international sex-trade
While attending a medical seminar in Istanbul, Meredith Fitzgerald, an engaged, beautiful, blonde, young lady is duped by her taxi driver in the old, city bazaars. Intent on spending one last day exploring Istanbul before leaving for India, to sprinkle her father’s ashes in the Ganges, she allows her guard down in the market environment. Instead of engaging in a tourist-style adventure she finds her tea laced with choral hydrate. Having been slipped a Mickey she slips into unconsciousness. When she awakens she finds herself naked, imprisoned in a dark room and realizes she has been raped.
Her fears mount as she realizes she has been taken prisoner by a sex-trade trafficker who, along with his American companion and bodyguards, conspire to move her to Mumbai, India. Fitzgerald gives up hope of being found, knowing her fiancé, Paul, will be searching in Turkey, not across the border in India, for her.
By making herself personal physician to Mrs. Pawar, Fitzgerald tries to curry favor and to place her in a situation where she can escape, not just from the ritual daily raping from her immediate kidnapper, but from under the noses of her Indian task-masters.
An on-the edge-of-your-seat, unforgettable adventure that takes us to the edge of madness and back and shows that with perseverance, and a never-say-die attitude, even the most evil circumstances can be triumphed over
Her fears mount as she realizes she has been taken prisoner by a sex-trade trafficker who, along with his American companion and bodyguards, conspire to move her to Mumbai, India. Fitzgerald gives up hope of being found, knowing her fiancé, Paul, will be searching in Turkey, not across the border in India, for her.
By making herself personal physician to Mrs. Pawar, Fitzgerald tries to curry favor and to place her in a situation where she can escape, not just from the ritual daily raping from her immediate kidnapper, but from under the noses of her Indian task-masters.
An on-the edge-of-your-seat, unforgettable adventure that takes us to the edge of madness and back and shows that with perseverance, and a never-say-die attitude, even the most evil circumstances can be triumphed over
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Final Option – A Review
When Lindy Roller gets her orders from the Cartel bosses she heads back north to Tucson. The notorious professional killer has orders to rub out another dead-beat loser who is being used as an example by the Mexican drug-dealers.
That Lindy has a past in Tucson is no concern to her boss, Juan Pacheco, but it is to her. Having staged an escape from the Pima County jail before fleeing to Mexico Lindy has many people in Tucson that would be happy to see her back behind bars. From the attorney Larry Ross who she duped into hiring her while she was nothing more than a spy for the opposition, to the head of homicide, Greg Kelly who was unwittingly having a torrid affair with her while she was the most wanted felon in Pima County to poor old Jim Pierson the deputy she had at her beck and call sexually while she planned her escape, not to mention the two other murder complainants who had charges dropped as she was not there to testify after her getaway.
The dead-beat cocaine user she was to put on ice was a top orthopedic surgeon whose life was beginning to unravel after a nasty divorce and a suspension from the hospital. Dr. Jeff Young was also being sued by a patient that he had operated on and caused terrible harm to. Larry Ross, the attorney that Lindy used to work for, was chasing down the malpractice suit and attaching the hospital’s bond and so their lives became entangled again.
When Lindy is apprehended and brought to trial it looks like a slam dunk for law enforcement in Pima County. The whole circus performance is out to make big waves I the media with the trial and until the elevator in the courthouse gets stuck on the inevitable day the prisoner is being transported to the courtroom it looks like they will finally get all the charges previously dropped re-charged. With so many possible people wanting Lindy out of the way she will have to be on her toes to avoid having final judgment passed this time.
In his third legal thriller featuring attorney Larry Ross, Rockafellow pulls out all the stops to a whirlwind crescendo of a tropical storm blowing in from Mexico making you wonder who will have survived when the waters finally roll back. This one blows it all away.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Move Over Jack Reacher
Absolutely brilliant. Move over Jack Reacher, Steve Vail is now “The Man”.
When FBI, Deputy Assistant Director Kate Bannon reveals that she recognizes the behavioral traits of a missing hero, while watching the video of a botched bank robbery—botched, thanks to the intervention of one of the hostages—she is tasked with bringing the former renegade agent Steve Vail one last time.
The Bureau is being targeted, perhaps from within, by a domestic terrorist group who call themselves the Rubico Pentad and who have already targeted, kidnapped or killed several upstanding members of society and the FBI has been unable to put a stop to them. They are ready to do whatever it takes, even if it means bringing back Vail for a limited performance.
Heading out as a one-man destruction squad, Vail soon uncovers who is behind the destruction and innuendo that has handicapped the FBI. That it makes his former employers look bad is just a feather in his cap. Working on his own agenda, even after being dismissed by the officialdom whose judgment he made look inferior, he gets the job done right down to the bitter end.
When FBI, Deputy Assistant Director Kate Bannon reveals that she recognizes the behavioral traits of a missing hero, while watching the video of a botched bank robbery—botched, thanks to the intervention of one of the hostages—she is tasked with bringing the former renegade agent Steve Vail one last time.
The Bureau is being targeted, perhaps from within, by a domestic terrorist group who call themselves the Rubico Pentad and who have already targeted, kidnapped or killed several upstanding members of society and the FBI has been unable to put a stop to them. They are ready to do whatever it takes, even if it means bringing back Vail for a limited performance.
Heading out as a one-man destruction squad, Vail soon uncovers who is behind the destruction and innuendo that has handicapped the FBI. That it makes his former employers look bad is just a feather in his cap. Working on his own agenda, even after being dismissed by the officialdom whose judgment he made look inferior, he gets the job done right down to the bitter end.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Lessons on Life, Love and Marriage from the Appalachian Trail
From the very beginning I had to have a good laugh. Being the anal retentive planner that I am too I really appreciated the thought and planning that went into the initiation process of the hike of this married couple, Randy "Windstalker" Motz and Georgia "Mom" Harris. Laugh, because when I started on my Appalachian Trail trip I planned not one iota and discovered myself on the trail as if by accident; this pair planned for years, something I normally would have done. It felt good to know that I was not be the only one that would have approached the hike in this fashion.
My hike was as a newly single man escaping the harness of marriage but this couple happily embraced their already strong union and actually considered if this six-month sojourn would be good for their relationship before fully embracing the journey. They are to people of great faith, educated and given over to a strong set purpose in their life. They knew each others strengths and weaknesses and learned how best to support each other while having no-one but each other to depend on. They learned along the way to accept the familiarity of others, the giving nature of the AT, the "trail-magic" that resounds from this phenomenal place known as the Appalachian Trail and, for a pair of self-proclaimed introverts, quickly adapted to the large 'family' of thru-hikers that inhabit it.
This book is truly inspirational, part hiking journal, part crash-course in marriage counseling, Motz and Harris imbibe in all that read their magnificent journey a desire to have the type of relationship that kept them together through thick and thin, 'for better or for worse', not only hiking but in their every day life too.
My hike was as a newly single man escaping the harness of marriage but this couple happily embraced their already strong union and actually considered if this six-month sojourn would be good for their relationship before fully embracing the journey. They are to people of great faith, educated and given over to a strong set purpose in their life. They knew each others strengths and weaknesses and learned how best to support each other while having no-one but each other to depend on. They learned along the way to accept the familiarity of others, the giving nature of the AT, the "trail-magic" that resounds from this phenomenal place known as the Appalachian Trail and, for a pair of self-proclaimed introverts, quickly adapted to the large 'family' of thru-hikers that inhabit it.
This book is truly inspirational, part hiking journal, part crash-course in marriage counseling, Motz and Harris imbibe in all that read their magnificent journey a desire to have the type of relationship that kept them together through thick and thin, 'for better or for worse', not only hiking but in their every day life too.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Enrique's Journey
I have read umpteen books over the last six months on the subject on migrants leaving their Central American or Mexican homes for a shot at the dream of living in Ther United States. The ones that come here are predominantly wonderful loving parents ready to work hard and send the money they make back to the families so they can survive a little better than most of the people left behind to the abject poverty in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala etc.
Their stories are always tragic full of loneliness, abuse and death. The people attacking them are robbers, gang members and renegade police officers, each countries el migra, ready to put a hold on the dream A hold is all that it is. These people are determined to run away from the poverty their lives have given them, willing to risk life and limb to reach loved ones who have gone ahead. I have to highlight Enrique's Journey as the one most exceptional tale that I have read on this subject. Reviews of other books on thsi subject can be found on early entries in this blog for you to make your own judgment.
While other authors too have travelled with migrants to trace their stories and steps none have done it as efficiently, none have laid bare the awful tragedy or shown the determination of the people she followed so graphically than journalist and authorr, Sonia Nazario. Having met seventeen year-old Enrique's she goes about back-tracking, following up on every detail of his story from visiting his home town, interviewing his relatives, riding El Tran de la Muerte and witnessing for herself the terror of bandits on the roof of the train carriages, of people falling or being knocked from their perches to fall on the rails to perish or to lose a limb. She stopped and interviewed the priests that helped the migrants with food and shelter, the ones that stood in harms way to help strangers. In short everywhere Enrique went so did she.
The story she wrote is adapted from the news story she earned a Pulitzer prize for and takes the reader along on the torturous decisions that humans make to leave their small children to give them a better life and how those same separated children so often turn to drugs and crime before making the decision to travel to America to find their family. We feel the agony of the attacks on the physical bodies - Enrique was thwarted seven times before finally reaching the promised land - and we gather into our souls the love expressed by the folk that help those worse off from themselves as they throw food and clothes to the trainriders. For the priests and health-workers that administer spiritual and physical food Nazario shows a side of humans that I have not seen described in other border crossing tomes. She brings indignation, faith, a feeling of hopelessness that one cannot do more and intense feeling to her writing. I shed a tear or two in the dramatic tale of Enrique's Journey.
Their stories are always tragic full of loneliness, abuse and death. The people attacking them are robbers, gang members and renegade police officers, each countries el migra, ready to put a hold on the dream A hold is all that it is. These people are determined to run away from the poverty their lives have given them, willing to risk life and limb to reach loved ones who have gone ahead. I have to highlight Enrique's Journey as the one most exceptional tale that I have read on this subject. Reviews of other books on thsi subject can be found on early entries in this blog for you to make your own judgment.
While other authors too have travelled with migrants to trace their stories and steps none have done it as efficiently, none have laid bare the awful tragedy or shown the determination of the people she followed so graphically than journalist and authorr, Sonia Nazario. Having met seventeen year-old Enrique's she goes about back-tracking, following up on every detail of his story from visiting his home town, interviewing his relatives, riding El Tran de la Muerte and witnessing for herself the terror of bandits on the roof of the train carriages, of people falling or being knocked from their perches to fall on the rails to perish or to lose a limb. She stopped and interviewed the priests that helped the migrants with food and shelter, the ones that stood in harms way to help strangers. In short everywhere Enrique went so did she.
The story she wrote is adapted from the news story she earned a Pulitzer prize for and takes the reader along on the torturous decisions that humans make to leave their small children to give them a better life and how those same separated children so often turn to drugs and crime before making the decision to travel to America to find their family. We feel the agony of the attacks on the physical bodies - Enrique was thwarted seven times before finally reaching the promised land - and we gather into our souls the love expressed by the folk that help those worse off from themselves as they throw food and clothes to the trainriders. For the priests and health-workers that administer spiritual and physical food Nazario shows a side of humans that I have not seen described in other border crossing tomes. She brings indignation, faith, a feeling of hopelessness that one cannot do more and intense feeling to her writing. I shed a tear or two in the dramatic tale of Enrique's Journey.
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