Here are the first two books we've read for our reading challenge: Wild Penance by Sandra Ault This is the fourth book in the series featuring Jamaica Wild, Bureau of Land Management agent. Jamaica Wild is looking for a killer who's tossed a body off the Rio Grande Gorge. We enjoyed the read because it was set during Easter, and as suspicion falls on Los Penitentes, readers are introduced to their beliefs & customs. Interesting for those unfamiliar with their practices, as we were! Blind Eye by Jan Coffey This novel of suspense will hook readers as the action moves back and forth between New Mexico and Connecticut. Scientist Marion Kagan is the sole survivor after assassins attack the underground facility where her team was working on a top secret project (so top secret, she doesn't even know where she is). Wounded and trapped in a collapsed building, Marion must stop radioactive test samples from leaking out and killing millions. We found the novel not so believable, but fun & interesting due to its local setting & references to WIPP. But shouldn't the characters have been flying out of Carlsbad (where U.S. Department of Energy's Field Office is) & not Roswell? Have you been reading for our 10 in '10 reading challenge? Let us know what you've read!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
10 in '10-Reading New Mexico
Here are the first two books we've read for our reading challenge: Wild Penance by Sandra Ault This is the fourth book in the series featuring Jamaica Wild, Bureau of Land Management agent. Jamaica Wild is looking for a killer who's tossed a body off the Rio Grande Gorge. We enjoyed the read because it was set during Easter, and as suspicion falls on Los Penitentes, readers are introduced to their beliefs & customs. Interesting for those unfamiliar with their practices, as we were! Blind Eye by Jan Coffey This novel of suspense will hook readers as the action moves back and forth between New Mexico and Connecticut. Scientist Marion Kagan is the sole survivor after assassins attack the underground facility where her team was working on a top secret project (so top secret, she doesn't even know where she is). Wounded and trapped in a collapsed building, Marion must stop radioactive test samples from leaking out and killing millions. We found the novel not so believable, but fun & interesting due to its local setting & references to WIPP. But shouldn't the characters have been flying out of Carlsbad (where U.S. Department of Energy's Field Office is) & not Roswell? Have you been reading for our 10 in '10 reading challenge? Let us know what you've read!
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#3 of 10 for me in the 10-in-'10 reading challenge is The Big Gamble, #7 in the Kevin Kerney series by Michael McGarrity. 2 bodies are found after a fire in an abandoned building, one from a missing person 'cold case'. Clayton Istee investigates and coordinates with Santa Fe police chief Kevin Kerney and federal agents, finding ties to a prominent politician and wealthy businessmen. A tale of solid investigative work following clues to gather evidence for arrests. Limited character development of the team. Istee has a chip on his shoulder making his interactions stiff, and Kerney is distracted from crime detection by health and homebuilding. A potentially suspenseful scene (Istee stalked by a killer) evaporates. The least rewarding installment so far in the series.”
book review also posted at: http://www.shelfari.com/susanz/shelf
My #5 in the 10 in '10 NM Reading Challenge is Honeymoons Can Be Murder (Charlie Parker #6) by Connie Shelton. Charlie Parker is an accountant in partnership with her brother in their private investigation company in Albuquerque. Charlie has recently wed Drake Langston, helicopter pilot from Hawaii. They decide to take a long winter honeymoon in Taos, where Drake will provide helicopter rides to skiers and tourists. When a new acquaintance in Taos is charged with a 5-year-old unsolved murder, Charlie agrees to investigate. She also agrees to check into the circumstances under which an heiress acquired a fortune and cut other relatives out of the inheritance. Charlie and Drake and her dog Rusty stay in a cabin in the woods above Taos, where Charlie discovers historic art. The story moves at a good pace, hard to put down, with plenty of clues uncovered by Charlie's actions. She works together with her brother and law enforcement, narrowly escaping danger at times, to bring the criminals to justice. Each book in this series leaves you feeling good at its ending, and looking forward to more of Charlie's adventures. Author Connie's love for New Mexico is evident as she incorporates the scenery and weather into her books.
Goal Accomplished! I have completed the 10th of 10. My review of Stealing Thunder by Peter Millar, a story of Los Alamos, is available on Shelfari at:
http://www.shelfari.com/books/2184571/Stealing-Thunder/reviews/2129958
In a nutshell: if you are a fan of conspiracy theory and a WWII history/military/political/spy buff, you might like it. I liked the first two-thirds of the story, and it could make a reasonably interesting thriller movie. Susan
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