Cheeseland
Randy Richardson
Eckhartz Press, May 2012
ISBN No. 97-0-9848049-2-4
Trade Paperback
It is graduation time and Daniel McAllister’s parents have a big party planned but the guest of honor will not be attending. Daniel’s friend Lance Parker talks him into a road trip to Wisconsin to celebrate the end of high school. It was supposed to be three friends celebrating but Marty Torlikson, the third member of the group, had committed suicide. Daniel and Lance were still reeling from their friend’s funeral.
Against his better judgment, Daniel agrees to gas up his car known as “The Bomb” and the two head out of town with the music blasting. Somehow, the subject of Marty comes up and Lance reveals that he knows the reason behind Marty’s death and that he is responsible. Lance told Marty a secret about Marty’s father and Marty could not cope with the knowledge. The two continue on their trip and get in one scrape after another but manage to keep going and even have a little fun as well as a whole lot of trouble. Eventually they meet Clinton G. Buckner, known as Buck. Buck turns out to be a real friend to the two although the true extent of his friendship isn’t revealed until later in the novel.
Daniel and Lance manage to finally make it back home and go on with their lives. The two connect again some years later after they both are married. Daniel is a successful attorney while Lance hasn’t met with much success. The secret revealed by Lance on their road trip has bothered both men over the years but more so with Lance than with Daniel. Lance’s marriage is on the rocks and his life is not going smooth. The story of the friends reconnecting and yet another road trip is told in the second part of the book.
Cheeseland is a great story of true friendship and a look inside the minds of two young men ready to step out into the world. The author, Randy Richardson, is donating $1.00 from each sale of this book to Elyssa’s Mission, a local suicide prevention program.
Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, August 2012.
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Bone Shadows
A John Santana Novel
Christopher Valen
Conquill Press, October 2012
ISBN No. 978-0-9800017-5-4
Trade Paperback
John Santana is a homicide detective in St. Paul, Minnesota and is very good at his job. However, there is a lot more to Santana than just his job. Born in Columbia, Santana lives under a cloud knowing that at any time his deeds in Colombia prior to fleeing the country can come back to haunt him and seek revenge.
When the body of Scott Rafferty, age 23, is recovered from the Mississippi river, the initial reaction is death by suicide. Santana is not immediately buying into the fact that Rafferty’s death is a suicide. Santana’s past experience with suicide by drowning has been that of an orderly scene with the victims clothes removed and neatly folded. This is not the case with Rafferty’s body.
Rafferty’s father, Hank Rafferty, is a police officer and his wife, Rachel Hardin, is a Ramsey County Judge. Hank informs Santana that a drowning simply does not make sense. Hank states that Scott saw his mother drown and Scott has never liked water. Rachel Hardin, Scott’s stepmother, explained that Scott was seeing a psychiatrist. Hank explained that the doctor was treating Scott for PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Hank said that Kimberly Dalton, Scott’s girlfriend, had contacted him a few nights ago concerned that she had not heard from Scott. Hank suggested that she file a missing persons report.
As Santana is attempting to determine how to proceed with the investigation, he is approached by Jack Brody. Brody is a freelance journalist. Brody was once an award-winning reporter but he hasn’t had a good story for awhile. He offers Santana a theory that there is a serial killer operating along the I-94 corridor. Jordan Parrish, a private investigator, hired by the parents of another victim tells Santana that she is in agreement with Brody.
The case becomes even more confusing when Santana is approached by Ed Kincaid of the FBI.
Kincaid tells Santana it would be best if he closed the Rafferty case as a suicide by drowning. In order to back up his suggestion he begins questioning Santana regarding Santana’s last trip to Colombia. Santana is having none of Kincaid’s veiled threats and makes no bones about telling Kincaid.
As Santana digs deeper into not only the death of Rafferty but also other deaths by drowning, he discovers the story gets more exciting and complicated. Bone Shadows is an exceptionally good read and a great addition to the John Santana series. The series can be read out of order without a problem but to really get to know Santana it is best to start at the beginning.
Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, October 2012.
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Say You’re Sorry
Michael Robotham
Mulholland Books, October 2012
ISBN No. 978-0-316-22124-5
Hardcover
Say You’re Sorry is a gripping story of two young girls who became known to the public as the “Bingham Girls”. Bingham is a small English village and the girls had attended a local funfair the night of their disappearance. There are rumors that Piper Hadley and Tash McBain ran away. Although hundreds of people were searching for Piper and Tash it seemed as though the girls just vanished into thin air. Eventually the public eye moved on to other news.
Piper Hadley tells the girls’ side of the story. Piper reveals to the reader the horrors faced by the two girls, as they are held captive in an unknown location. The horrors suffered by the girls are so bad it is a wonder that they were able to hold onto their sanity. They are convinced that working together at least one of the girls can escape and bring help back for the one left behind.
Three years later, after a blizzard hits the town, a husband and wife are found murdered in a farmhouse. The farmhouse is where Tash McBain had lived at the time of her disappearance. Her family had moved away and the murder victims had no connection to Tash other than the fact that they lived in Tash’s former home.
When Joe O’Loughlin, clinical psychologist, is asked by the police to help in solving this double murder he gets the feeling that the murders are connected in some way to the missing girls. Joe and ex-cop Vincent Ruiz persuade the police to reopen the investigation into the disappearance of the two girls.
The book skips back and forth between the current investigation and the thoughts of Piper Hadley still being held captive. The characters are strong, the story moves swiftly, and keeps the reader’s interest every step of the way. I can’t wait to read more books by Michael Robotham.
Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, November 2012.
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