"Just One Look"

"Just One Look" is another great mystery from Harlan Coben.  Coben's story lines are so unique that I almost always find myself wondering where he gets his ideas!

Grace Lawson is a wife, artist,and mother of two who loves picking up her pictures from the local photo store -- none of that digital stuff for her.  This time she's in for a surprise, though, when a photo from at least twenty years ago ends up in the middle of photos of the latest film she's developed. One of the men in the photo looks like a younger version of her husband.  When she shows the picture to her husband, Jack, that evening,he is upset and leaves the room to make a phone call. A short time later he leaves the house without telling her he is going out.  Although it is not unusual for him to leave during the evening to pick up groceries, he usually lets her know he is going out.

When Jack doesn't return, Grace becomes worried and calls the police but they can't do anything.  After all he is an adult and may have decided to leave on his own for whatever reason.  As the days go by and she tries to investigate on her own. she finds herself calling on friends as well as acquaintances from her past for assistance, support, and protection for herself and her children.

The more Grace investigates the more she learns how much she didn't know about her husband as well as having to admit there are blank spots in her own memory of the past.  The path she follows is dark and twisting and force her to a confrontation with a surprising twist.

I cannot recommend this book enough if you like a good mystery.  I'm usually able to get enough clues when I read a mystery to figure out at least some of "whodunnit" but Coben always surprises me and perhaps that is why I love his mysteries.  pazt

"Seasons' End"

"Seasons' End," a novel by Will North, is the third novel I have read by this author and, although each is very different, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading them all.  I think my favorite is the first one I read, "The Long Walk Home" but all three have well developed characters with a depth that made me feel I was part of the lives that were being lived out in the story.  One challenge I did have with this book was an inability to keep up with all the characters.  Sometimes I had to flip back to see who was who and wished for a list with notes as to how they were connected.

In "Seasons' End" the central character is Colin Ryan, veterinarian on an island in Puget Sound.  Although he was raised on the East Coast, he met Tyler Strong when he was a student living in London.  Tyler convinced him that sharing a flat and expenses made sense for both of them. Charming Tyler easily persuaded Colin and from that Colin met Tyler's girlfriend, Martha "Pete" Peterson.

Tyler and Pete and another family had history together and spent the summer season at their family beach cottage compounds on the island where Colin now practices in Puget Sound and were gracious enough to include him.  However, he's almost an observer of their lives.

Although Pete did marry Tyler, their life has had its tragedies and Colin seems stuck having loved Pete from afar since he first met her.

This summer has been different -- full of jealousies, hot tempers, and passions.  On the last day of the season everything comes to a head and it changes all their lives forever.  pazt

"The Violets of March"

"The Violets of March" is the first novel by Sarah Jio, a Seattle author and journalist, but don't fear because she is already working on a second one!

I loved this book - not sure where I learned about it but I am so glad I read it!  It's set mostly on Bainbridge Island where Emily used to spend summers with her Aunt Bee.

Emily, who has written one bestselling book, is newly divorced and at loose ends in the New York home she shared with her husbnad, Joel.  Joel fell in love with someone else and her best friend, Annabelle, as well as her therapist encouraged Emily to take the month of March to spend time on Bainbridge Island with her Aunt Bee and recoup.

Bainbridge Island turns out to be just what Emily needs but it is not just recuperation.  She discovers a mystery from the past that she wants to unravel and, in doing so, discovers secrets from the past that impact her and her family.  This is a very well told story that unfolds beautifully!  pazt

"No Second Chance"

Harlan Coben's "No Second Chance" seemed very familiar as I was reading it so I know I've read it before but I forgot just enough to make it just as exciting a read as the first time!  What a story with plot twists!  Dr. Marc Seidman has been shot twice and his wife killed and their daughter kidnapped.  He goes from being a suspect to not being a suspect back to being a suspect - how is that possible when he was shot, too?!  Just when I thought I knew what was going on, everything changed!  If you love mysteries that keep you guessing till the end, read this!  pazt

"Threats At Three"

"Threats At Three" is the next novel in Ann Purser's Lois Meade Mysteries.  Although deaths do occur in this story, none are murders but there is plenty of sleuthing to be done and Lois Meade is just the one to take on the task with the help of her cleaning crew and Inspector Cowgill.

Derek, Lois' husband, is busy heading up the committee to raise money to "save our shed" for the community.  Lois (on the advice of her daughter,Josie) has taken on a new part-time cleaner, Paula Hickson.  Paula's husband has left her with a teenage son, younger twin boys, and a baby boy so she has her hands full but she wants to earn some extra money to support her family and has found child care so that she can work two days a week.  However, when her teenage son disappears, Lois puts all her efforts into discovering what happened.

Inspector Cowgill has a new assistant, Chris, and would probably retire if it didn't mean he'd see less of Lois.  If only his nephew would propose to Josie, he could become family and not need excuses to see her.

I found this story a little different than some of the other Lois Meade mysteries.  There are some characters with no redeeming features who are pressuring other characters to do their bidding.  Some characters I thought I'd have a hard time liking actually redeem themselves!  It's a good read and has enough suspense that it kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next so I didn't want to put it down!  pazt

"Insurgent" - The Divergent Series

We're on a roll in my household -- watched "Insurgent," the second DVD in The Divergent Series last night.  Some parts are reminiscent of the "Hunger Games" series but different twists.  I love that both have strong heroines.

Tris, her brother, Caleb, and Four are  hiding out with the Amity group until Jeanine sends searchers out to find them.  They make their escape but Jeanine is determined to find Tris to help her unlock secrets from the past.  However, the results are not what Jeanine expected and those results send Tris and Four on a different path.  I'm ready to watch the last movie in the series!  pazt

"Divergent"

"Divergent" - the DVD - No, I haven't read the book and because I have so many books to read, I think I'll just enjoy watching the movies.  My daughter gave her dad the third movie for his birthday but suggested we watch the first two before watching it.  So...we just watched the first movie, "Divergent."

This film is full of action from start to finish.  Society in this future world is divided into groups - the peacekeepers, the food growers, the governing body,the smart ones, etc. but our heroine,Tris, discovers she is an anomaly - a Divergent -- and Divergents have to keep their secret because they threaten the "stability" of this world.  When she trains to be a peacekeeper, she meets Four and a bond is formed.  However, being Divergent means always being on your guard and not knowing who you can trust.  I loved this movie and am ready to watch the next one!  pazt