Tahoe Fear by Todd Borg

 

First Line: Kyle Fosbek felt the skin on the back of his neck prickle with fear as Bo Andrew sat down on the bench next to him.

When 90-year-old Hazel Fosbeck's grandson, Kyle, disappears, she asks private detective Owen McKenna to investigate. The elderly woman, who likes to live off the grid and drives a 1943 Willys, is afraid that Kyle has run afoul of the Andrews brothers, vicious brutes who are the latest in the Andrews family who have feuded with the Fosbecks for a hundred years.

Each time McKenna finds someone who may have information as to Kyle's whereabouts, that person dies-- tied to a concrete block and dropped into Lake Tahoe's icy water.

McKenna has to move fast. With the help of his Great Dane, Spot, and his buddy Sergeant Diamond Martinez, Owen plans a showdown with the killers. The stakes are high, but McKenna is determined to win.

~

As a long-time fan of Todd Borg's Owen McKenna books, I'm constantly amazed by his ability to work so much history of the Lake Tahoe area into his stories-- and by how he can create so many memorable characters.

In Tahoe Fear, Borg really ratchets up the adrenaline. There are two kidnappings in the book, and the first really had me biting my nails. Not that the second one didn't concern me. It did. But I knew nothing was going to happen to the person (or there would be dire consequences from readers). The first one, though, actually raised my heart rate. I'm normally not easily affected, but the feeling of danger was palpable.

90-year-old Hazel Fosbeck was an excellent addition to the cast of characters. She's a law unto herself, and although I thought my husband was the best driver of off-road vehicles, Hazel and her 1943 Willys left him in her dust.

The mystery in Tahoe Fear was multi-layered with plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing. As always, the characters shone brightly, and the dog lovers will enjoy Spot and the added information about canine scenting abilities. 

If you haven't made Owen McKenna's acquaintance yet, you really should-- especially if you love character-driven stories with plenty of action. Normally, I would advise first-timers to begin at the beginning, but I can understand why some people would hesitate to do that with a (so far) 24-book series. The important thing is to meet these characters and to experience the Lake Tahoe setting. If you're hooked (as I'm sure you will be), you can always go back to the other books. You'll have lots of good reading waiting for you.

Tahoe Fear by Todd Borg

ISBN: 9781931296342

Thriller Press © 2026

Paperback, 320 pages

Thriller/Private Investigator, #24 Owen McKenna

Rating: A

Source: the author

Tahoe Speed by Todd Borg

 

First Line: Lake Tahoe skier Colin Burns stood at the top of the speed-skiing course in Vars, France, a ski resort south of Mont Blanc, Europe's tallest mountain.

When restaurateur Genevieve Laurent fell in love with speed skier Colin Burns, she began to believe in dreams, just like Colin. However, when Colin died on a speed course in France, her world was upended. 

Some things about Colin's death did not make sense to her, so Genevieve contacted Tahoe private detective Owen McKenna for help. When he did try to help her, tragedy struck, and, feeling responsible, McKenna vowed to find answers, find a killer, and put Genevieve's life back together.

~

Author Todd Borg always knows how to involve his private detective in some fascinating subjects, and Tahoe Speed is no exception. This time, it's speed skiing, which I simultaneously found interesting and frightening. (Sorry, speed skiers, Franz Klammer winning the downhill in the 1976 Olympics is as fast as I want to go.)

Little did private investigator Owen McKenna know that, when he agreed to help Colin's soulmate, Genevieve Laurent, he would become involved in a world of fine dining, insurance policies, protection rackets, and strange weaponry. As always, the mystery is intriguing, and it drew me right in, but the main reason why I will continue to come back for more is the wonderful family Borg has created around his main character. 

Of course, there's his sidekick, Spot, a Harlequin Great Dane, as well as the love of his life, insect expert Street, and her adopted deaf daughter, Camille. And he couldn't get by without all his friends in the local police. I'm also hoping that two new characters in Tahoe Speed-- restaurateur Genevieve Laurent and police rookie Hattie Foster-- will make future appearances.

Even if I don't meet Genevieve and Hattie again, I will always perk up when I know there's a new Owen McKenna mystery available. I'm addicted to this series' fascinating, fast-paced mysteries and their unforgettable characters. Hurry up, Mr. Borg, I'm ready for the next one!

Tahoe Speed by Todd Borg

ISBN: 9781931296335

Thriller Press © 2025

Paperback, 320 pages

Thriller/Private Investigator, #23 Owen McKenna

Rating: A

Source: the author

Tahoe Rescue by Todd Borg

 

First Line: Georgia Byron Connor's first thought as she rocketed off the switchback at Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, wasn't about the make or color of the pickup truck that nearly hit her pearlescent orange sports car head-on.

 

Livvy Paar had begun to think that fairy tales really can come true. From working as a waiter and sidewalk busker in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she became the personal secretary of cosmetics tycoon, Georgia Connor. Livvy even worked and lived in Georgia's mansion on the shore of Lake Tahoe.

But that life was shattered when Georgia died in a car accident. Georgia's children immediately began bickering over their inheritance and told Livvy she had to move immediately. Livvy would've done as she'd been ordered if she wasn't so suspicious that Georgia's car accident had been rigged and that Georgia was murdered. Her suspicions led her to private investigator Owen McKenna's door.

 

Much to his surprise, McKenna found himself involved in a mystery involving modern-day pirates who were after a multi-million dollar painting-- a painting so valuable that they were willing to kill anyone who got in their way.

 

But they didn't realize what would happen when they went up against Owen McKenna and his Great Dane, Spot. 

~

Todd Borg's Owen McKenna series never disappoints. When you pick up one of these books-- like the latest Tahoe Rescue-- you're going to find yourself learning nuggets of local history about one of the most beautiful places on the face of the Earth as well as traveling all around Lake Tahoe itself. You're also going to find yourself immersed in a fast-paced mystery that keeps you guessing, and worrying, about one of the best casts of characters in crime fiction.

Todd Borg's characters have all been about diversity before diversity became cool. Owen McKenna is a former San Francisco homicide detective, and he has friends in local law enforcement. He is deeply in love with a scientist named Street and is willing to have their relationship be on her terms. Street is in the process of adopting a deaf child, and readers can become acquainted with life with the hearing impaired as a result. 

 

In Tahoe Rescue, Livvy Paar is a young woman who is all too familiar with depression. She also has one leg shorter than the other and is a strong believer in yoga to help strengthen her muscles. She feels small and powerless, but she's not. Owen discovers that she's really a little steamroller when he takes on her case against his first impressions. 

If I've made this partial cast of characters sound like a poster for diversity, it's not my intention. Through the course of this series, these characters have become a fictional family. It's only when finishing a book like Tahoe Rescue that I realize that, although Livvy had an odd walk and sometimes behaved strangely, none of Owen's friends treated her differently. It is so refreshing to spend time with nice people!

 

Of course, spending time with nice people (and wonderful dogs) isn't the only reason why I love this series. In Tahoe Rescue, I had an interesting mystery involving stolen art to solve and a thrilling escape from the bad guys through the mountains to experience. I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series because Owen has a bit of a personal awakening as he helps Livvy Paar. Unfortunately, I have an entire year to wait to see what happens next.

Tahoe Rescue by Todd Borg

ISBN: ‎ 9781931296328

Thriller Press © 2024

Paperback, 320 pages

 

Private Investigator, #22 Owen McKenna

Rating: A-

Source: The author.

Tahoe Flight by Todd Borg

 

First Line: On a chilly evening in November, Avery Kingsley strolled along the sidewalk on the boulevard in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe's northwest shore.

 

When Owen McKenna was a rookie on the San Francisco police force, he helped catch the killer of Benito Diaz's mother. Young Benito's testimony put the killer, Tucker Dopple, in prison. Twenty years later, McKenna is a private investigator in Lake Tahoe and Benito Diaz is an oncologist attending a doctors' reunion. Unfortunately, Tucker Dopple has been paroled and is determined to kill both McKenna and Diaz. 

But the two men have more problems than a murderous ex-con. The doctors and previous medical school classmates have scores to settle, and when McKenna gets in the way, he and his Great Dane, Spot, are kidnapped.

~

With Street Casey in the process of adopting a nine-year-old deaf girl, Owen becomes part of a family, and this new phase of his life leads to a more sedate pace in Todd Borg's Tahoe Flight. This slower pace makes perfect sense because the author just can't put Owen's girlfriend, a little deaf girl, and dogs Blondie and Spot in jeopardy over and over again. Well, he could, but readers like me certainly wouldn't be very happy about it!

As always, Borg managed to astound me with a new way criminals have devised to make money-- one involving being able to fly in and out of less visible (and accessible) areas surrounding gorgeous Lake Tahoe. I do have to admit that the aviation logistics proved to be a bit too much and kept me away from one of the things I enjoy so much about this series: the characters.

Borg has a knack for creating intelligent characters that readers would love to make a part of their own families. Now there are children in the cast, and I'm enjoying their addition, too. Nine-year-old Camille shows readers how Street and Owen are adapting to life with a deaf child, and I really liked Benito Diaz's nephew, Damen. In fact, I'm hoping Damen will appear in a future book or two.

The pace may be slower in Tahoe Flight, but there's a barn burner of an ending when Owen and Spot are kidnapped, forced onto a plane, and taken over Lake Tahoe. I knew that nothing horrible was going to happen to Owen and Spot, but I certainly couldn't figure out how in the world they were going to get out of that mess!

I've loved this series from the beginning for its intelligent cast, its exciting mysteries, and its drop-dead beautiful setting. Chances are, if you're new to these books, you'll enjoy them for the exact same reasons.

Tahoe Flight by Todd Borg

ISBN: 9781931296311

Thriller Press © 2023

Paperback, 320 pages

Private Investigator, #21 Owen McKenna mystery

Rating: B

Source: the author

Tahoe Moon by Todd Borg

 

First Line: The chainsaw screamed as it chewed through the trunk of a Jeffrey pine.

 

When private investigator Owen McKenna arrives at a Lake Tahoe resort to talk about a job as a security consultant, he sees a little girl in the parking lot. Something about her bothers him, so when he comes back out from the short meeting, he looks for her.

She is eight-year-old Camille Dexter, and she is deaf. Her grandfather left her while he went to finish a job, but he's disappeared. McKenna calls a local police officer, and it's not long before they learn that Camille's grandfather is dead, crushed by a recently-cut tree. At first, Charlie Dexter's death is considered a work suicide, but the facts don't add up for McKenna. In fact, when he begins checking, he learns of other suspicious suicides in the area.

McKenna discovers a common thread tying all these suicides together, and they all have one thing in common: Camille, the only person in the group who's still alive. McKenna thinks he knows the killer's identity, but before he can find him, Camille is kidnapped, and the clock is ticking.

~

When you've got your hands on a new Owen McKenna thriller, you know you're in for a few hours of sheer reading pleasure. Author Todd Borg has taken one of the most beautiful places on Planet Earth-- Lake Tahoe-- and peopled it with one of the best casts of characters in all of crime fiction. When you read Tahoe Moon and watch Owen McKenna being interviewed by a company that wants to brand a line of fashion guns and accessories because their marketing experts know how much Americans love their Second Amendment, you may not know what to expect. Long-time fans of Owen McKenna know exactly what is going to happen, and they couldn't agree with him more.

I always learn something when I read one of Borg's books. (Well, usually it's more than one something.) Tahoe Moon has "forensic tree cutting", animal intelligence, the Great Pyramid of Cholula, the Mexican poet, Natalia Toledo Paz, and ghost writers. But no matter how much I learn or how much I enjoy Borg's fast-paced mysteries, it's the characters who always bring me back for more.

Once again, childless, single Owen McKenna shows he has a knack for dealing with children, and in this book we see that his (also childless) girlfriend, Street, does, too. Borg's adult characters are excellent and why I am a devoted follower of this series, but there have been some remarkable child characters as well, and Camille Dexter is one of the best. Readers' hearts immediately go out to this young deaf girl, and it soon becomes clear how gifted she is. Yes, folks, she is kidnapped, and if you find yourself becoming incensed over the topic of child endangerment, you can calm down a bit. I don't think I've ever seen an author handle a child abduction scene better than Todd Borg.

If I had my way, we'd all be Todd Borg fans, the author would be a multi-millionaire, and he'd write about Owen and Street and Spot forever. So if I am to have my way, I need you all to get your hands on these books. I would suggest starting at the beginning with Tahoe Deathfall, but if beginning a (so far) twenty-volume series makes your eyes bug out, get Tahoe Moon and give it a try. If I'm to be successful in my quest, I know that it all starts with baby steps.

Tahoe Moon by Todd Borg

ISBN: 9781931296304

Thriller Press © 2022

Paperback, 352 pages

Private Investigator, #20 Owen McKenna mystery

Rating: A

Source: the author

Tahoe Jade by Todd Borg

First Lines: October 5th, 1861. Buckland Pony Express Station Silver Springs, Nevada. "You the new kid?" the stock tender said to Jimmy Wilson as he helped Jimmy saddle up his mount.

 

Jade Jaso's life has been filled with tragedy lately. A firefighter, she was maimed in a warehouse fire from which she barely escaped, and shortly afterward her beloved father died in a fall. If that weren't enough, she's convinced that someone wants to kill her, and she asks private investigator Owen McKenna for help.

When a new  client's first words are "I'm not crazy!", it really doesn't make McKenna want to rush to take the case, but he does agree to meet with Jade. He finds Jade to be a strong, decidedly eccentric woman, and he agrees to look into her concerns (although he doesn't expect it to come to anything). But Jade's words turn eerily prophetic when she and her three horses disappear a few days later. 

When McKenna searches for clues, he finds a letter written by Abraham Lincoln in the papers of Jade's father. The letter contains a coded message mentioning some sort of treasure to the letter's recipient, Governor-Elect Leland Stanford. Further investigation uncovers the fact that Jade's father did talk about the letter to others. It's beginning to look like Jade has been kidnapped by a violent, unscrupulous man who will do anything it takes to uncover the treasure, and McKenna is running out of time to find her.

~

August isn't August without a new Owen McKenna mystery, and I'm beginning to think that Todd Borg is a genius when it comes to uncovering fascinating bits of Lake Tahoe history. Five years ago, my husband and I drove to Lake Tahoe and stayed for a few days for two reasons. One, I wanted to see if the place lived up to my memories of a visit there when I was ten, and two, to familiarize myself with the area because of Borg's books. Lake Tahoe lived up to my memories, and I enjoy being able to visualize McKenna's travels with his Great Dane, Spot, in his Jeep.

Tahoe Jade is a smorgasbord of historical delights. The Pony Express, the Lincoln letter, a Leland Stanford mini-exposé, and some facts about jade. Readers find out about Basque shepherds and their use of what are now called arborglyphs. And if that isn't enough, there's hidden treasure and a white-knuckle chase through the mountains as well. I love how Borg weaves all these things together seamlessly into a story that grabs me by the throat and won't let go.

I've loved this series from the outset, not just for the stories, but for the marvelous cast of characters. Owen McKenna is a former San Francisco homicide detective, and he's made friends with several local law enforcement officers. He's got a seriously cool sidekick in Spot, his Great Dane, who can do just about anything he puts his mind to "when he's awake." Spot's not going to spell H-E-L-P in the mashed potatoes, but he's saved the day more than once. Street Casey is a brilliant entomologist. Strong, intelligent, and with her own set of quirks, she completes McKenna, and Owen is happy to accept her and love her on her own terms--something that not many men would do.

Fantastic stories, wonderful characters... what's next? How about the occasional flash of humor that can have a reader laughing out loud? This may not mean anything to people who haven't had anything to do with terriers, but it struck a chord with me: "Amy says walking a terrier is like having a nuclear reactor on a leash. Energy about to explode in every direction." (I used to walk two wire-haired fox terriers every evening.) Or how about the new forensics person who "can find a human eyelash on a shaggy dog"? This occasional light touch is needed because Tahoe Jade is often deadly serious.

Tahoe Jade isn't just a treasure hunt. It isn't just about chasing a bad guy in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's also about scientist Street Casey, former firefighter Jade Jaso, Sacramento archivist Brady Harper, and a woman who prefers to be called Vette. A band of women who are all survivors of abuse, and who are all determined to succeed on their own terms.

 

Read Tahoe Jade for the treasure. Read it for the chase and rescue. Whatever you do, read it. It's the latest entry in one of my absolute favorite series, and if you're a lover of wonderful characters, nail-biting action, strong mysteries, and a drop-dead gorgeous setting, you're going to become a fan, too. There's no time like the present to get started.

Tahoe Jade by Todd Borg

ISBN: 9781931296298

Thriller Press © 2021

Paperback, 350 pages

Private Investigator, #19 Owen McKenna mystery

Rating: A

Source: the author

Dead Woman Driving: Dead in the Desert by Sue Ann Jaffarian

First Line: Even before she opened her eyes, Hope Callahan sensed she was moving.

Hope Callahan is no stranger to living a rough life. She ran away from home as a teen and has often found herself on the wrong side of the law. Her latest boyfriend had dreams of becoming a drug lord, and as a result, Hope is badly beaten and left for dead in the Sonoran Desert south of Tucson. Fortunately, she's found by Ozzie Byrd, a scruffy-looking old guy traveling in an RV with his three-legged dog named Punch. Ozzie has his own criminal past, but he does give Hope a chance at a new life. The question is: will she grab this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, or run from it, trying to stay alive on her own?

I'm no stranger to Sue Ann Jaffarian's writing, in particular her Odelia Grey mysteries. I've been following her on Facebook and vicariously enjoying her life. You see, Jaffarian retired from being a paralegal, bought an RV, and has been traveling the country, sharing her adventures in photos and prose along the way. When she mentioned her new serial novel Dead Woman Driving, I knew I had to read it.

I certainly wasn't disappointed. I was so engrossed in the story that the thirty-two pages flew by. Hope is going to be an interesting character.  She's a good person, but since she's a graduate of the School of Hard Knocks, readers are never going to know what skills she has in her repertoire to confront anything her travels throw at her. Ozzie and his three-legged dog Punch were perfect companions for Hope.

Dead Woman Driving is going to be just the thing for readers who only have short periods of time in which to read. If each installment is around thirty pages, Jaffarian's intriguing storylines and well-developed characters are going to suck readers in and leave them waiting impatiently for the next installment. I know I am.

Dead Woman Driving: Dead in the Desert

by Sue Ann Jaffarian

ASIN: B08HR9JL4V

The Novel RV © 2020

eBook, 32 pages

 

Contemporary Fiction, #1 Dead Woman Driving

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

Tahoe Hit by Todd Borg

 

 

First Line: It was an ideal gathering for murder.

 

Private investigator Owen McKenna is hired by millionaire hedge fund specialist Carston Kraytower to investigate the deaths of two of his colleagues who have died under inexplicable circumstances in the Lake Tahoe area. As McKenna begins to unravel the secrets Kraytower has worked so hard to hide, Kraytower's son is kidnapped. Now it's a race against time to save the teenager.

August just isn't August without a new Owen McKenna thriller, and Tahoe Hit, the eighteenth addition to this marvelous series, was just what I needed. I'm addicted to Todd Borg's intricate, fast-paced mysteries every bit as much as I'm addicted to the beautiful setting of Lake Tahoe and to his marvelous characters.

In Tahoe Hit, millionaire Carston Kraytower really kept me off-balance; I never knew which way that man was going to jump. When you've got a character like that, solving the mystery gives your little grey cells a workout. Even when McKenna starts uncovering secret after secret, it still took me some time to figure everything out-- and I still missed some of the twists. I like that.

But this book (and this series) isn't just about the mystery. It has one of my all-time favorite casts of characters in crime fiction. Being an ex-cop, Owen McKenna has gone out of his way to forge good relationships with police officers in the Lake Tahoe area, and those relationships lead to much of the humor in the books. McKenna is also very observant whether it be man or beast that is the focus of his attention. He takes the time to discover how gifted young Joshua Kraytower is, and he's willing to do something about it. He also is highly observant when it comes to his sidekick, his harlequin Great Dane, Spot. McKenna knows his dog, what his dog's reactions will be, what his dog's capabilities are. When Spot can help him with an investigation, he does. But if there's a strong possibility that Spot will be in danger, you can take it to the bank that he won't be tagging along. Another plus in McKenna's favor? His relationship with entomologist Street Casey. She's brilliant, she's unconventional, and she's still dealing with trauma from her past. Many other men wouldn't, but Owen accepts their relationship on her terms. Owen, Spot, Street, and the rest of the regular cast make this series something very special.

But wait-- there's more! A fantastic Lake Tahoe setting? Check. A mystery that keeps you guessing? Check. A multi-faceted cast of characters that becomes just like family? Check. What else is there? It's the added extras that Todd Borg weaves into his narrative. Learning about a small town settled by Chinese immigrants who were brought over to build the railroad. Indian residential schools. The naturalist Aldo Leopold who believed we should leave blank spots on the map. Even a little philosophy that leads to the question "Is the life of a really bad man automatically more important than the life of a really good dog?"

Tahoe Hit-- and this entire series-- is the perfect blend of mystery, action, setting, and characterization. Tahoe Hit stands alone well, if you're worried about taking on a series with eighteen books, and I urge all of you to give it a try. Just don't be surprised if you find yourself looking for more. Owen and Spot are impossible to resist!

 

Tahoe Hit by Todd Borg

ISBN: 9781931296281

Thriller Press © 2020

Paperback, 352 pages

 

Private Investigator, #18 Owen McKenna mystery

Rating: A

Source: the author

 

The Distant Dead by Heather Young

First Line: The boy shouldn't have been in the cave.

A small Nevada town is stunned when a young boy stumbles into a fire station to report finding a burned body out in the desert. When the body is identified as local math teacher Adam Merkel, his colleague is left searching for answers.

I always classify the books I review because I realize that people like to know what genre the book belongs to. I call The Distant Dead a "literary mystery" for the simple reason that it transcends the genre.

There are two main voices in this story: a middle school social studies teacher named Nora Wheaton, and Sal Prentiss, the lonely boy who found Adam Merkel's body as he was walking through the desert to the school bus stop. As we slowly begin to learn what really happened to Merkel, one thing becomes crystal clear: author Heather Young has created some rare and brilliant character studies. Why are they rare? Because they have you feel empathy for all the characters-- even the ones you don't like.

There's a reason why this small Nevada town is called Lovelock ("Lock your love in Lovelock!" as the billboard proclaims): all the people we come to know are locked in the town because of love, and that's not necessarily a good thing. Of them all, Nora Wheaton resonated the most with me, probably because we both have wanderlust and know what it's like to feel trapped: "...but when she saw the WELCOME TO IDAHO sign something inside her opened. She loved that they would go somewhere else the next summer, and the summer after that, every trip widening the world a little more."

The Distant Dead is a compelling mystery-- I had to know what really happened to Adam Merkel and what would happen to Nora and the young boy Sal-- but it's such a sad tale that I had to read it a bit at a time, letting one section be absorbed into my system before continuing to the next. But although my pace was slow, it was sure. This is a story that stuck with me even when I wasn't reading it. I kept finding myself thinking about the characters Young created, and I always returned to the book with the hope that, somehow, someway, things would go right. I highly recommend this sad, extraordinary tale.

The Distant Dead by Heather Young

ISBN: 9780062690814

William Morrow © 2020

Hardcover, 352 pages

Literary Mystery, Standalone

Rating: A+

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen.

November Road by Lou Berney

First Line: Behold! The Big Easy in all its wicked splendor!

It took a while but wiseguy Frank Guidry, a loyal lieutenant for New Orleans crime boss Carlos Marcellos, has finally learned that everyone is expendable. How? He knows too much about the crime of the century: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Within hours after the assassination, people with ties to Marcello start turning up dead, and Guidry knows he's next. He hits the road for Las Vegas to see an old associate who hates Marcello enough to help Guidry vanish. When he sees a young woman with two little girls standing by a broken down car on the side of the road, he figures they'll be good cover. Marcellos' men will be looking for a man alone.

For Charlotte, Guidry's promise of help in getting a new car in Las Vegas is all-important. That car is her escape from a stifling life in small-town Oklahoma with a hopeless drunk of a husband. What's unexpected is that these two people find each other on their journey. But they're breaking an unspoken rule: a road isn't just a road, it's a trail, and ruthless killers are closing in on Guidry... and Charlotte and her two little daughters.

With writing like "...the towel could have sanded the faces off Mount Rushmore", Lou Berney certainly knows how to turn a phrase, but that's just icing on the cake of November Road. He also is no stranger to crafting a fast-paced, spellbinding story populated with fully-fleshed, memorable characters. The story is told in three voices: Frank's and Charlotte's, the two people on the run, and a hitman most refer to simply as Barone.

The circumstances revolving around the assassination of JFK are more than plausible, and some of the scenes brought back a childhood memory or two, as well as Guidry's escape route along Route 66. The cat-and-mouse chase can make your heart pump a little faster as first we learn where Guidry and Charlotte are before switching to Barone who's rapidly closing the distance between them. Part of me wanted a fairy-tale ending for Frank and Charlotte, who begin to fall in love the closer they get to Las Vegas, but the other part of me was still in the real world. Berney proved to be skilled at leading me on.

No matter how strong the story and the writing are-- and they are-- it's the characters who make November Road something special. Theodore, a black teenager who finds himself traveling with a hitman. Charlotte, in despair over her life and the life she's giving her children, changes as she makes her escape from her sot of a husband, and her two daughters, Joan and Rosemary, are easily capable of stealing the show from time to time-- a necessary lightening of the tension that builds throughout the book. But those two children are also strong characters in their own right without becoming cloying caricatures. Even Guidry, who's spent his life living in the moment for whatever pleasure he feels like experiencing, undergoes a transformation when he comes into Charlotte's orbit.

Did I get my fairy-tale ending? That's for you to find out. November Road is a marvelous book, in turn nerve-wracking, funny, heartbreaking, and almost impossible to put down. It's going to be a long time before I forget characters like Charlotte and Theodore, and it goes without saying that I'm on the lookout for more books by Lou Berney.

November Road by Lou Berney

eISBN: 9780062663870

William Morrow © 2018

eBook, 320 pages

Historical Thriller, Standalone

Rating: A+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

 

Tahoe Deep by Todd Borg

First Line: "How wrong could it be to murder a murderer?" the young man asked.

When ninety-five-year-old Daniel Callahan's house is broken into and he is badly beaten, the old man is asked repeatedly about a secret that went down with the SS Tahoe Steamer, the grandest ship ever to sail Lake Tahoe. In 1940 as a legally blind teenager, Daniel witnessed the scuttling of the ship, and this unscrupulous treasure hunter is convinced that he knows something about the rumored treasure resting four hundred feet down in the icy cold water of the lake.

Daniel's friend and tenant, Mae O'Sullivan, is frightened for the old man and enlists the help of private investigator Owen McKenna to see if he can find out what's going on before Daniel can be hurt again or even killed. However, once McKenna begins to investigate, he puts Daniel, Mae, himself, and others in deadly danger. McKenna has to smoke out this treasure hunter and put him behind bars before someone is killed.

Summer isn't summer without a new Owen McKenna mystery, and Tahoe Deep satisfies on so many levels. I always learn something when I read one of Todd Borg's books. This time it was the SS Tahoe Steamer, which was a vital method of transportation for the folks living around Lake Tahoe in the decades before decent roads circled the lake. Not satisfied with that, Borg also gave me information about freediving-- something I didn't realize I did a lot of when I was a kid. I even taught myself many of the proper breathing techniques. (What's freediving? Diving with only the breath you can hold in your lungs. No air tanks allowed.) The fun thing about the information about freediving is that I knew it would figure into the story sooner or later-- and it did. Wow...

Daniel Callahan is a feisty curmudgeon, and it takes all of McKenna's people skills to get the old man to cooperate in saving his own life. Borg has a knack for creating characters that I really come to care for, and Daniel is no exception. For those of you who are already fans of this wonderful series, don't worry. Spot the harlequin Great Dane has his share of the action. (I am so glad that this series takes place in its own dimension of time because huge dogs do not have long life spans. This series would be crippled without Spot.)

Having been a homicide detective in San Francisco for many years, I really appreciate how McKenna has excellent working relationships with area law enforcement. Another thing I love about McKenna? Whenever I think of him, first and foremost I think of his relationship with a brilliant entomologist named Street. Street has her special quirks that most men would not be able to accept. It always warms my heart that McKenna is completely comfortable with accepting women-- especially strong women-- on their own terms. I wish he would teach classes.

Tahoe Deep has a strong mystery, a cast of memorable characters who have become my friends, and fantastic underwater action sequences. Now that I've savored this book, I know that the Summer of 2019 is proceeding exactly the way it should.

Tahoe Deep by Todd Borg

ISBN: 9781931296274

Thriller Press © 2019

Paperback, 352 pages

Private Investigator, #17 Owen McKenna mystery

Rating: A

Source: the author

Excellent reading for pool time!

Tahoe Skydrop by Todd Borg

First Line: As Yardley LaMotte looked out the open door of the helicopter, he knew he wasn't a natural predator.

Yardley LaMotte had a vision for the future and created the software that could make that vision come true. Greedy killers had a vision of making billions of dollars and stole LaMotte's software. Now all they need is the key to unlock the code. When they learn that a child attending one of LaMotte's school visits can probably break the code, the killers kidnap the child. The father contacts Tahoe detective Owen McKenna.

McKenna learns where the kidnappers are holding the child and plans a daring rescue using a paraglider to drop out of the sky at night. But the plan goes very wrong, and it's up to Owen and his Great Dane Spot to save the child before the kidnappers can carry out their threats.

Author Todd Borg has come through with the goods once again-- this time by paraglider. Tahoe Skydrop is another fast-paced story with plenty of great action sequences, but-- as usual-- this isn't a run-of-the-mill thriller. While you're trying to figure out how in the world Owen McKenna is going to save the day this time, you're also effortlessly learning fascinating facts about the software business, venture capitalists, and bitcoin. If that's not enough for you, there's the breathtaking beauty of Lake Tahoe that Borg describes so well. And if that's not enough for you, I saved the best for last.

Todd Borg has created one of the best casts of characters in crime fiction. Owen McKenna is a former San Francisco homicide detective who has an excellent working relationship with the various law enforcement jurisdictions in and around Lake Tahoe. In each book of this series, you learn more and more about what a good guy he is. (If he were real, I'd be tempted to fight his girlfriend Street for him.) You can see he's a good guy by the way he treats everyone, but in particular Street, an intelligent, fiercely independent woman who has definite ideas about how she wants to live her life. In this book, you can see what a good guy he is by the way he treats a dog that's trying its best to tear him limb from limb.

The people involved in the investigation also come to life. Yardley LaMotte, the man who thought he had the world by the tail until he came face to face with Job's Sister. Yardley's wife, who knew her husband didn't have a good grip on anything. He-Man Vince Cooper is the kidnapped child's father, and there's nothing he won't do to save Jonni. Jonni is the kidnap victim and is yet more proof that Todd Borg has a knack for portraying smart children. Then... there are the characters you assume you can take at face value... but don't. More than one of these characters have surprises up their sleeves.

And I haven't even extolled the virtues of my favorite Harlequin Great Dane, Spot. Spot isn't written as Super Dog. He's not faster than a speeding bullet, and he's not going to come racing into the kitchen to spell h-e-l-p in the mashed potatoes. He's just a very large dog that's very well trained and has an unbreakable bond with a good guy named Owen McKenna. Never underestimate what these two can accomplish.

If I still haven't persuaded any of you new-to-Borg readers to give Owen and Spot a try, I'm just going to have to keep at it because if you haven't read Todd Borg, you're missing out on some wonderful books. You have been warned!

Tahoe Skydrop by Todd Borg

ISBN: 9781931296267

Thriller Press © 2018

Paperback, 352 pages

Private Investigator, #16 Owen McKenna mystery

Rating: A

Source: the author 

Tahoe Payback by Todd Borg

First Line: The person with the gun said," Get out of the boat."

When told that a man's girlfriend has disappeared, private detective Owen McKenna wonders if she got cold feet and ran away. After all, the man spouts poetry, is very awkward both physically and emotionally, and he dresses funny. When the woman turns up dead on Fannette Island out in Lake Tahoe, McKenna learns that she had a scam charity that stole millions of dollars from the donors. When two more victims are found, the private detective suspects that they ran phony charities, too.

While he's out investigating, his girlfriend Street Casey has reason to believe that her ex-con father who's jumped parole will show up at any time to exact revenge for her testimony that put him in prison.

Torn between finding a vigilante killer and wanting to protect Street from a very real danger, Owen McKenna has his hands full.

I love summer, and one of the things about the season that makes me smile is the fact that there will be a new Owen McKenna mystery to read. McKenna is a retired San Francisco homicide detective who doesn't own a gun. He enjoys art, loves the breathtakingly gorgeous area called Lake Tahoe, has a wonder dog named Spot, and is willing to love and accept his girlfriend, Street, on her own terms. The fact that he's fantastic at catching bad guys is just icing on the cake. 

If you love dogs, you're going to love Spot the harlequin Great Dane. The bond between Spot and Owen is unbreakable, and although I called him a wonder dog, Spot is just a dog-- a dog who's been cared for and trained by a man who isn't really complete without him. McKenna's close observation of his constant companion means that Spot is not only excellent company and a fine guard dog, he could double as a therapy dog or a tracking dog. I could be facetious and say that he could probably deliver the mail or be governor, too, but that wouldn't be right. Spot is never portrayed as anything other than a well-trained dog with loads of personality. That's what makes him such a wonderful character.

Borg always shares a bit of Tahoe history with readers as well as the beauty that can be found all around, but the story is always important in an Owen McKenna mystery. This time Borg takes a very large shovel and digs up the unsavory facts about charities. Charities rake in a cool $1 billion per day. (No, that's not a typo.) So many legal loopholes exist that the unscrupulous think nothing of forming phony charities to fleece unsuspecting people who only want their hard-earned dollars to do good. There's not even any real watch dog agency to winnow out these fakes.  The author takes these facts and builds them into a story that will fill readers with dismay-- and anger. However, readers will also find common sense tips on how to choose charities wisely.

If there's any weakness at all in Tahoe Payback, it's that the story was a bit top heavy with charity information at the expense of Street's being stalked by her (very scary) father. I usually rave about Owen and Spot and neglect to say much about Street, but I love her, too. She's strong and smart and knows what is best for her own well being (as well as Owen's and Spot's). She's also full of common sense, taking appropriate measures when she learns that Daddy Dearest has jumped parole. Owen wouldn't be quite the man he is without her. Theirs is one of my favorite fictional relationships.

I loved Tahoe Payback. Once again, this talented writer has given readers a fast-paced, absorbing, and memorable story. When I have a new Owen McKenna mystery in my hands, I always want to start reading and not stop until I've turned the last page. This is one of my favorite series, and I highly recommend it to all of you.

Tahoe Payback by Todd Borg

ISBN: 9781931296250

Thriller Press © 2017

Paperback, 352 pages

Thriller, #15 Owen McKenna mystery

Rating: A

Source: the author

Tahoe Dark by Todd Borg

First Line: "We got your son Jonas," a voice on the phone said.

In a kidnap-gone-wrong, David Montrop pays the ransom for his son, but is then murdered. Since he followed instructions and did not tell law enforcement, the police are unaware that Jonas's life is at stake. The very next day an armored truck loaded with money for a local casino is robbed. The company's boss puts P.I. Owen McKenna in charge of finding the four robbers.

When McKenna finds two of the thieves brutally murdered, he also uncovers evidence that links one woman to all three deaths. Evan Rosen worked for David Montrop, and she had a powerful motive for wanting the robbers dead.  When Evan is arrested and charged with murder, Owen goes into overdrive. Why? Because he's convinced that Evan had nothing to do with the murders, and he's got to work fast to prove her innocence.

I would say that Todd Borg cranks out one marvelous book after another, but that would give you the impression that each Owen McKenna mystery is thrown together on an assembly line. Nothing could be further from the truth. Tahoe Dark-- like the other books in this series-- is tightly plotted and well-paced, with a mystery that keeps you guessing, and a cast of characters that many other writers would kill for. Throw in the breathtaking scenery of Lake Tahoe, and you've got a little slice of heaven between the covers of a book.

There's a lot going on in Tahoe Dark: kidnapping, multiple murders, an armored car heist, skullduggery out on the lake, skulking around buildings in the dead of night... but none of it is confusing, and all of it makes you work at coming up with the right solution. Speaking of that solution, it's going to be difficult because Borg throws in some excellent misdirection. 

Some of you are going to see the word "thriller" being used to describe this book (and the entire series), and you're going to turn up your noses. Don't. Yes, the plots are fast-paced thrillers with hair-raising action. Yes, Owen McKenna is a private investigator. Yes, damsels in distress-- like Evan Rosen-- turn up from time to time. But McKenna isn't your typical gumshoe who gets beat up regularly, has a love affair with his gun, speaks in terse gumshoe, and thinks women are only good for one-night stands. He's the type of man most women would sell their eye teeth to get their hands on. He doesn't shoot first and ask questions later. He doesn't talk like Sam Spade. He has a good working relationship with the various law enforcement agencies in the area. He likes art and music and the outdoors, and he is in a committed relationship with a brilliant entomologist. (For those of you who don't care for romance in your books, don't you turn up your noses either. Owen's relationship with Street is done so well it should make almost everyone happy.)

Outside of Owen, my two favorite characters in Tahoe Dark are Evan Rosen and Owen's sidekick. Evan Rosen is an intelligent, loving, hard-working young woman who's never caught a break her entire life. Borg makes you see past her tough exterior and into her deep despair and longing. You want-- more than anything-- for McKenna to prove her innocence. And that sidekick? Spot is probably the best four-legged partner in the thriller biz. This Harlequin Great Dane is not only good at subduing stubborn bad guys, he comes in handy when victims need reassurance and reluctant witnesses need softening up. He's also a master at eating:

He lunged. It was fast and probably painless for the hotdog. I know Spot bit down at least once, and he had to have swallowed at least once, unless he'd developed a new food-vac technique that I hadn't yet witnessed. But I wouldn't swear that there was more than one bite or swallow.

 All this and humor, too. Plus the fact that Spot is just a dog. A well-trained dog, but not Super K-9.

Tahoe Dark ends with a hint of possible danger for Street, which makes me rue the fact that Borg's books only come out once a year. I can't recommend this series highly enough. I love it, and I sincerely hope you'll get your hands on an Owen McKenna mystery. Where should you start? Anywhere actually because Borg does an excellent job of providing just the right amount of backstory to keep you grounded. But don't be surprised if you read one and start looking for all the rest of the books in the series. They. Are. That. Good.
    

Tahoe Dark by Todd Borg

ISBN: 9781931296243

Thriller Press © 2016

Paperback, 351 pages

P.I./Thriller, #14 Owen McKenna mystery

Rating: A

Source: the author