Dodge and Burn by Ellen Crosby

 

First Line: When Monica Yablonski asked me if I'd drive out to Dulles Airport on what we both knew might be a wild goose chase, I said I'd go because she didn't ask me that often these days, and when she did, it was because she knew the story would be right up my alley: edgy, a bit risky, a challenge.

 

Thinking it's going to be a simple photography job, Sophie Medina agrees to work for billionaire philanthropist and art collector Robson Blake. However, when she goes to his house, she finds an open door, a state-of-the-art security system turned off... and her client dead. At first glance, it would appear to be a burglary gone wrong except for the fact that the alarm system was off. And why-- in a house filled with priceless Old Masters-- is the only thing missing a beautiful but insignificant Ukrainian religious icon?

 

Sophie soon finds herself to be the prime suspect, and as she works to clear her name, the plot thickens. She learns that she has a half-brother who might also be an international art thief... and he's very interested in Blake's collection.

 

~

 

I always enjoy Ellen Crosby's books for their strong female lead characters, their mysteries, and their intelligent writing. In Dodge and Burn, the characters shine once again. From Sophie herself to her newfound half-brother to her basketcase of a mother to the friends in her circle, I enjoy the time I spend with each and every one. (Well, maybe not so much Sophie's mother...)  

I don't know why, but I've always enjoyed plots that revolve around jewelry and art thefts, so I was wired to like this book from the start. The information Crosby shares on stolen art is fascinating. I rely on this author to teach me many new things without making me feel as though I'm sitting in a classroom, and she does it once again in Dodge and Burn.

As strong as the characters are and as fascinating as the world of stolen art is, I did feel as though the plotting in this latest book in the Sophie Medina series was a bit of a letdown, and I found the ending to be predictable. Is this going to stop me from reading future books in the series? Absolutely not, and it shouldn't stop you from becoming acquainted with Sophie. I suggest you begin with the first book in the series, Multiple Exposure.

Dodge and Burn by Ellen Crosby

eISBN: 9781448311606

Severn House © 2024

eBook, 299 pages

 

Investigative Journalist, #4 Sophie Medina

Rating: B+

Source: Net Galley

The Fraud by Brad Parks

First Line: It's the hypothetical question every parent considers at some point: Would you give your life for your kid?

There's a rash of carjackings in Newark, but no one considers it newsworthy until one such theft ends in the murder of a wealthy banking executive. When journalist Carter Ross is assigned to cover the story, he wants a different angle; he's tired of writing about victims of crime who happen to be rich and white. To balance out his story, he finds a Nigerian immigrant of more modest means who was also killed during a recent carjacking.

When Ross finds out the two victims knew each other, he digs deeper, uncovering a deadly band of car thieves. It's a discovery that puts his unborn child in harm's way-- and Ross will do anything it takes to protect his child.

Brad Parks' Carter Ross series is no stranger to my annual Best Reads list, and I've been delaying reading the last one because I didn't want my time with the wisecracking journalist to end. Unfortunately, I didn't find The Fraud to be nearly as satisfying as the other books in the series.

I always learn something new about Newark, New Jersey when I pick up a Carter Ross mystery, and this book was no exception, but the whole book had less zip than all the others. I put it down to Ross's impending fatherhood. Every time his phone rings he goes nuts, thinking it's time to make the dash to the hospital. Also, The Fraud is pretty much a solo gig for our intrepid journalist. Everyone from the newsroom makes only token appearances and the villains are mostly offstage as well. It's this interaction with the marvelous cast Parks has created that I really missed.

The one thing I did not miss was an excellent mystery. Every time I thought I had it figured out, it changed directions, and I love that. (It's also something that the author is quite skilled in doing.)

I'll miss having new Carter Ross mysteries to read, but I wish Brad Parks all the best with his domestic thrillers. He is a very talented writer.

The Fraud by Brad Parks

ISBN: 9781250064400

Minotaur Books © 2015

Hardcover, 352 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #6 Carter Ross mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen.

 

The Fragility of Bodies by Sergio Olguín

First Line: The building was at least eighty years old.

Journalist  Verónica Rosenthal smells a story when she hears about the suicide of a Buenos Aires train driver who left a note confessing to four mortal "accidents" on the tracks. For the police, the case is closed. Suicide is suicide after all. But for Verónica, her investigation leads her into an unfamiliar world of abject poverty, crime-infested neighborhoods, and train drivers on commuter lines haunted by the memory of bodies hit at speed by their locomotives in the middle of the night.

She receives help from a train driver, a junkie in rehab, and two street kids willing to risk everything for a can of Coke, and she soon learns that there is a group of men betting on these youngsters who have been convinced to play Russian roulette by seeing who can stand the longest in front of a fast-moving train.

I haven't had the best of luck in finding crime fiction written by South American writers that holds my attention. I don't know if my problem lies in the translations or some other factor. I'm happy to say that my luck has changed with Olguín's The Fragility of Bodies.

The story is a strong draw. I've read books and seen television and films that have someone hit by a train, but there's seldom ever any focus on the driver of the train. This book tells you what happens to the drivers when they hit a person on the tracks. I appreciated that; however, the entire storyline of betting on children playing railroad Russian roulette, who's behind it, who's grooming the children, who's betting on it-- this grabbed my attention and wouldn't let it go.

The point of view changes from Verónica to her train driver lover to two children being enticed to participate in the "game" to a junkie who's in the right place to see things, but it's really Verónica's show. She has an excellent nose for a story as well as a supportive boss, and her network of contacts from her cast-off lovers to her influential lawyer father aid in her investigation. Verónica is an independent woman who lives life her own way, and the portrayal of her character is unflinchingly honest. The author even has her looking for a tampon in one scene, and I don't think I've ever read that in any other mystery I've picked up before. It was a pleasant surprise.

The Fragility of Bodies is an excellent mystery set in Buenos Aires and peopled by interesting characters. Unfortunately, for me, it was marred by too much graphic sex that didn't really seem to have all that much to do with the story. Those scenes, although numerous, don't last long, but if you're the type of reader who likes to wipe the steam off your glasses while you read a good mystery, I think this book will be a complete winner.

The Fragility of Bodies by Sergio Olguín
Translated from the Spanish by Miranda France.

eISBN: 9781912242207

Bitter Lemon Press © 2019

eBook, 377 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #1 Verónica Rosenthal mystery

Rating: B-

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

 

Scrublands by Chris Hammer

First Lines: The day is still. The heat, having eased during the night, is building again; the sky is cloudless and unforgiving, the sun punishing.

A year ago, an isolated rural community plagued by endless drought faced the unthinkable: the local priest killed five parishioners before being killed himself. Now journalist Martin Scarsden is there to write a piece for his newspaper. How have the people of Riversend coped with the tragedy during the past year?

It doesn't take long for Martin to realize that the accepted conclusion made by police, media, and townspeople may be wrong. And just as he feels that he's making progress, the bodies of two backpackers-- missing since the shootings-- are discovered in a dam in the scrublands, a deserted backwoods marked by frequent brush fires. Once more, Riversend is buried alive with a heaving mass of representatives from every branch of the media, and Martin's job just got a whole lot harder. What was the real reason behind the priest's shooting spree, and does it connect to the backpacker murders? As strange things happen all around him, Martin finds himself risking everything he has to learn the truth-- even his life.

From the very beginning, Chris Hammer's Scrublands grabbed me by the throat and drew me right into the heart of the story. For one thing, I love reading books written by people with a literal as well as a poetic understanding of heat. Must be because I've lived in the Sonoran Desert for many years. But it was also the story itself that wouldn't turn me loose. Why would a young priest-- one who's well-liked by almost everyone in the community-- take a rifle and murder five people?

There are many things to ponder in Scrublands. Martin's own PTSD from an assignment in the Mideast. How PTSD has affected the entire area around Riversend for years (a section that contains some of the best writing in the entire book). And then there's the ambiguity of the town's name. Is it River Send or River's End? Yes, there are many things to think about, just as there's an excellent story to enjoy.

The solution to the murder of the backpackers came as more of a surprise than it should have, primarily because the priest's story took center stage. This book was racing full-out to my Best Reads of 2019 list when it faltered yards before the finish line. What happened? When the story was being wrapped up at the end, there were just too many people with too many motivations. I almost felt as though I needed a scorecard. Be that as it may, Scrublands is still a cracking good read that I certainly recommend. I look forward to other books by Chris Hammer.

Scrublands by Chris Hammer

eISBN: 9781501196768

Atria Books © 2019

eBook, 385 pages

Standalone, Investigative Journalist

Rating: A-

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

The Player by Brad Parks

First Lines: During seventy-seven years of scrupulous living, Edna Foster survived whooping cough, encephalitis, breast cancer, one breach pregnancy, and two husbands. She figured she could handle the flu, no problem.

When investigative reporter Carter Ross hears that the residents of a Newark neighborhood are getting sick-- and even dying-- from a mysterious disease, he jumps right into the story, so much so that he gets sick himself.

Tracking down the source of the disease leads him to a construction site, and just when Ross thinks he's getting somewhere, the project's developer is murdered and his mob ties come to light. Ross realizes that his story just became even more dangerous than just an environmental hazard.

But back in the newsroom, he's courting disaster even more deadly than tangling with the mob. He's dating a co-worker while doing a bit of on-the-job training with a new intern-- and his boss (and former girlfriend) has some news that's really going to be electrifying. I won't even mention that his mother is on the warpath over his sister's wedding. Poor Carter Ross may be looking for some shelter before this is all over!

With author Brad Parks now making his name writing domestic thrillers, I've been forcing myself to read his Carter Ross mysteries as slowly as possible because I love them so much. Now that I've read The Player, I've only got one left, and once that's gone, I may go into mourning. This fifth book in the Carter Ross series is fun reading, full of the twists, turns, heart, and humor that I've come to expect from this talented writer.

At the heart of this book is a very real concern: "questioning the wisdom of allowing government to outsource its responsibility to protect the health of its citizens." We live in a world where not only people avoid responsibility for their actions but government, too. And this is all wrapped up in a bit of the history of Newark and its environs and a fast-paced, tightly woven mystery that has a lovely twist at the end. I love being completely bamboozled, especially by Brad Parks.

Since the heart of the mystery is so deadly serious, Parks expertly lightens the mood with his fantastic sense of humor. Neesha (AKA "Pigeon"), the new intern Carter is training, has a tendency to be the comic relief because she's still trying to follow all the rules she learned about journalism in college. Carter tries to tell her that "human beings are too messy for spreadsheets," but it takes Neesha a while to learn the wisdom of that statement.

The one thing that makes this series so entertaining is the fact that Carter Ross is just a normal, red-blooded American smart aleck, a guy who doesn't "know Chanel from chenille." He gets himself into some incredible scrapes, he truly cares about the people he writes about, and when rescuing a litter of kittens from a burning building, all he'd say would be "Aw, shucks." Carter Ross is my kind of guy, and Brad Parks' series is some of my favorite reading. If you haven't, give him a try. The first book in the series is Faces of the Gone.

The Player by Brad Parks

ISBN: 9781250044082

Minotaur Books © 2014

Hardcover, 336 pages

Investigative Journalist, #5 Carter Ross mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Purchased from Book Outlet


 

The Good Cop by Brad Parks

First Line: The exchange started with nothing more sinister than an ad on Craigslist.

It's not normal for reporter Carter Ross to be rudely awakened at 8:38 AM by a phone call from his boss. He turns his stories in on deadline, so he's used to strolling into the newsroom at 10 or 11. But his boss learned that a local policeman has been killed, and Carter needs to get the story.

Carter goes to interview the policeman's widow, and he knows he's onto something, but he's barely out the door when the boss calls again. Forget the story; the cop committed suicide. From what he's just learned from the man's widow, suicide simply does not make sense. There is a good story here, and with Carter Ross's patented stubborn devotion, he's going to find out what it is... even if his boss is demanding he finish up a different (snorefest) of an article.

There must be something in the water in New Jersey because a lot of good writers come from there. It's my personal opinion that Brad Parks is at the top of the New Jersey list. Does that mean he drinks more of the water? I don't know. I do know however that I want him to keep writing. Every time I pick up a Carter Ross novel, I know I'm going to learn more about working in a newsroom, I'm going to be presented with a mystery that's tough to figure out, I'm going to want to hug the stuffing out of Carter Ross, I'm going to laugh, and I'm going to cry. 

One of the many things that's so great about Parks' Carter Ross books is his characterization. His characters are so finely drawn that you find yourself talking to them. Carter's immediate boss, Tina? I sincerely hope that woman's biological clock implodes.  She has some serious emotional issues. Then there's the other boss who only speaks in consonants. I'm scared because I can actually understand him without an interpreter. Then there are the interns. Tommy's got experience and Carter knows he can rely on Tommy for help with research... and putdowns about Carter's sense of style. In The Good Cop Carter has his hands full with another couple of interns, especially Ruthie. I like to see how he uses these bright-eyed, bushy-tailed young ones to work the system while giving them badly needed training and (when warranted) encouragement.

Random chapters told from the point of view of the Bad Guy keeps readers wondering how two different story lines are going to converge while Carter's list of underworld contacts just keeps growing (and making readers laugh while it does). Don't be fooled into thinking that Brad Parks plays everything for laughs. He does not. He can write action scenes that will have you mentally ducking and covering, other revelatory scenes that will have you quivering with rage over injustice, and then there are those scenes that will have tears running down your face. Sometimes those tears will be ones of sorrow; other times they will be tears of laughter. Carter Ross has more heart than just about any other character I know. These books are so good that I'm savoring them like fine wine. Yes, I could gulp them down one right after the other, but... I don't want them to end so I'm taking my time. 

If you haven't made the acquaintance of Carter Ross, I highly recommend that you do so. He is one fabulous guy.
  

The Good Cop by Brad Parks

ISBN: 9781250005526

Minotaur Books © 2013

Hardcover, 336 pages

Investigative Journalist, #4 Carter Ross mystery

Rating: A

Source: Paperback Swap 


 

Eyes of the Innocent by Brad Parks

First Line: The electrician patted his breast pocket for the tenth time and, once again, exhaled noisily: the envelope-- Primo's envelope-- was still there.

The latest tragedy to befall Newark, New Jersey is a fast-moving house fire that claims the lives of two small boys. Investigative journalist Carter Ross (saddled with the paper's newest intern whom everyone calls "Sweet Thang") finds the victims' mother, Akilah Harris, who tells the two of a mortgage rate reset that forced her to leave her boys home alone while she worked two jobs. Ross's story becomes a front-page feature, but when a Newark councilman goes missing and holes start appearing in Harris's story, Ross and Sweet Thang find themselves deep in the unsavory world of urban house flipping and political corruption.

I found Brad Parks' third Carter Ross book, The Girl Next Door, such a wonderful blend of mystery, humor, heart, and character that I went back to the beginning of the series so I wouldn't miss a thing. It's taking me entirely too long to catch up, but I'm enjoying every page that Parks writes.

Interpersed throughout the book are a few short chapters told from the bad guy's point of view, and although they're not entirely necessary, they do show readers just what Ross is up against. We also get a real feel for working in a newsroom, with an editor who's perfected speech without the use of vowels (should I worry that I seem able to understand the man so easily?), and a boss who has a thing about space heaters. The one and only thing about this series that I can do without is the presence of another editor, Tina, whose biological clock has convinced her that Carter is the one-and-only sperm donor for her. Her behavior has gotten very old, very quickly, and I'm secretly hoping her clock implodes.

One of the things I love best about this series is Carter Ross's heart. As he looks at a photograph and into the eyes of two little dead boys, he knows he's going to do whatever it takes to find justice for them-- even if he is armed only with a pair of nail clippers. Carter Ross treats everyone he meets with respect, and that has to have a great deal to do with the stories he manages to root out.

It is so much fun to watch Carter, Sweet Thang, and fellow reporter Tommy piece all the clues to this mystery together. Sweet Thang (perhaps I should call her by her name, Lauren!) isn't the bubble-headed, bodacious bimbo that everyone thinks she is, and she actually shows quite a bit of potential as a reporter. In the midst of heart-warming moments, laugh-out-loud funny lines, and downright scary scenes, we also get to learn quite a bit about corruption in the real estate market. If I didn't already have a house bought and paid for, I'd almost  be tempted to live in a lean-to out in the woods rather than buy a house now....

There must be something in the water in New Jersey because that state has turned out some mighty fine writers with just the right combination of smarts, compassion, and humor that keep me coming back for all their books. You want a name or two?  Chris Grabenstein. Jeff Cohen. Harlan Coben. And never, ever forget Brad Parks. If you don't already, you're going to love Carter Ross as much as I do.
 

Eyes of the Innocent by Brad Parks

ISBN: 9780312574789 

Minotaur Books © 2011

Hardcover, 304 pages

Investigative Journalist/Humorous Mystery, #2 Carter Ross mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased from Book Outlet 


 

Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks

First Line: With all the vacant lots in Newark, New Jersey-- and there were thousands of them-- the Director could afford to be picky.

Investigative reporter Carter Ross knows Newark, New Jersey, so when he hears that the police are saying four bodies shot execution-style and left in a vacant lot are revenge for a bar stickup, he knows the story doesn't make sense. It takes a bit of digging, but Carter learns that the four victims do share something in common, and once he knows that, the deeper he searches, the closer he gets to one very serious killer.

I came to Brad Parks' Carter Ross series by reading the third book first. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately got my hands on the first two books and have also purchased books four and five. It just took me way too long to get back to reading this series, which is a perfect blend of humor and deadly seriousness.

That perfect blend begins with Carter Ross himself. He's a man with good instincts for the telling detail. It also doesn't hurt that he's compassionate and a five-star smart aleck. (Insert a different-- four-letter-- "a" word for the aleck.) He's also surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast: Szanto, the boss that only speaks in consonants (much to the befuddlement of us all); Tommy the gay Cuban intern; city editor Tina Thompson, whose biological clock is ticking so loudly it will deafen you. And these three are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the supporting cast.

I knew I was firmly in Carter's corner when he automatically did something that the media and so many others weren't doing: he humanized the deceased. This guy isn't just doing a job; he truly cares. Not only can Brad Parks fascinate you with the inner workings of a newsroom, he can make you laugh out loud with what Carter does to get information from a dangerous gang, and then he goes and tugs on your heartstrings. No wonder Faces of the Gone won multiple awards.

It better not be another three years before I read the second book in this series. I enjoy Parks' writing too much!

Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks

ISBN: 9780312672805

Minotaur Books © 2011

Paperback, 336 pages

Investigative Journalist, #1 Carter Ross mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased from Book Outlet 

The Girl Next Door by Brad Parks

Title: The Girl Next Door
Author: Brad Parks
ISBN: 9780312667689
Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2012
Hardcover, 336 pages
Genre: Investigative Reporter, #3 Carter Ross
Rating: A-
Source: The author.

First Line: For three mornings, he merely observed.

Investigative reporter Carter Ross is my kind of guy. He knows that good news can be found in the obituaries, and that one sign of a well-led life is that a person has great stories to tell when it's over. Believe me, he's never going to be at a loss for great stories to tell in his golden years if The Girl Next Door is any indication!

In reading the obituaries in the Eagle-Examiner, Ross comes across that of Nancy Marino, a hard-working woman in her forties who was the victim of a hit-and-run when she was out delivering newspapers for the very paper for which Ross works. Ross knows that he has the opportunity to write a really nice piece about a well-liked everyday woman cut down in her prime, so he gets the go-ahead and heads to Marino's wake to gather quotes and anecdotes. It's the very last place that he expects to find controversy, but that's exactly what happens when one of Nancy's sisters hints that the accident may very well have been murder.

Back at the Eagle-Examiner, most people think Ross is nuts for wanting to follow up the murder angle. Who in the world would want to kill a woman who's almost universally described as "the girl next door"? Ross perseveres, and the more he learns, the more he realizes that Nancy may have made some enemies-- like her boss at the diner where she was a part-time waitress, and even the publisher of the Eagle-Examiner. This is one story that's proving to be too good to ignore.

If you like investigative reporters who consider getting stuck in a door to be just a great story to tell when they're old or giving up on a good story to be impossible, you're going to love Carter Ross. Ross, in one small scene in The Girl Next Door is single-handedly responsible for reminding me why I moved to the ultra-low humidity of the Sonoran Desert.

The characters and the humor are the stars of this book. Although I found the identity of the killer to be a bit transparent, the well-paced story meant that I thoroughly enjoyed watching all the clues being found and put together. Brad Parks is one talented writer, and now that I have firsthand knowledge of this fact, I fully intend to be around to read all of his well-told tales. Come join me!