Tuesday, June 26, 2012

POLITICAL THRILLER



Joe DeMarco, now this is a guy you come to love. I feel like I know him personally. He’s a guy that you can’t help but to like for when you need him he’ll come. Trouble seems to find him no fault of his own. Its drawn to him like a magnate. He doesn’t search for it; he doesn’t have to it is dropped right onto his lap and says “here I am”.
Joe was first introduced to me through a free e-book download The Inside Ring by Mike Lawson. My first impression of this guy is he’s not very smart. His father worked for the Mafia but his father protected him and didn’t want him to become part of the crime family.
Joe is somewhat street smart and to look at him you would not want to mess with him for he has an appearance of a Wise Guy. A good looking Italian with dark hair broad shoulders and great physique. But Joe’s looks precede him, he is kind, gentle, and loves his country. However, don’t let his looks fool you, he can take care of himself. He is an attorney but doesn’t practice law. Someone who knew someone got him a job at the Capital.
Joe looks into things. He is somewhat a negotiator, investigator, and a carrier. He does odd jobs for Congress. His boss is the Speaker of The House John Mahoney. And when John asks him to check into a situation he hesitantly does it with no questions asked, that is sometimes. No one knows who Joe works for; he doesn't appear to have a boss. He is lost in the paperwork in the accounting department with no direct link to any particular employer. No one checks it because his office is in the subbasement of the Capital building with no windows. An insignificant employee with a GS-13/14 pay rate and its directly deposited into his bank account. He lives in a moderate home in an average neighborhood and drives a Volvo. He is an insignificant employee! At least that is what everyone at Congress thinks.
Joe DeMarco’s first series opens with an attempted assassination to the President of the United States that goes array. General Andrew Banks, the Secretary of Homeland Security, had received a note that the President’s life was in danger and he didn’t do anything about it. He wasn’t sure if this was a hoax and/or if the Secret Service was aware of it. How could someone get so close to the President? And where were the Secret Service? It is their job to protect the President. In fact according to the video it looked as if the Secret Agent actually bowed low to let the bullet pass. It almost hits the President but instead it kills the writer Perry Montgomery. General Banks looking at the video is alarmed and does not know what to do so he calls the Speaker John Mahoney asking him to look into it as a favor but not to stir the pot. For this would look bad for General Banks and his Homeland Security team! So the Speaker calls Joe and wants him to check if the Secret Service were aware of this assassination attempt and what did they do about it. Just do some snooping no big deal…
Joe thinks that this is way out of his league. He investigates little stuff minor things not assassinations especially towards the President. That’s FBI matter and for him to begin snooping could get him into a lot of trouble even killed. Those politicians who don’t like the Speaker will begin to snoop and will find out that he’s on no one’s payroll. He could lose his job and where could he get a job? He’s the son of Mafioso, even though his father is dead by the hands of another organized family member, he’s  potential employers would frown at the thought. And he would not work for organized crime it’s too dangerous.
Joe finds himself in a middle of a cover up beyond his dreams and needs to seek the help from the mysterious Emma. Emma had worked for the government and though retired she is gone out of town for long periods of time. Emma knows a lot of influential people and some scary characters. And Joe knew from the early start of their relationship not to ask questions. He wasn’t interested in beginning a relationship with Emma for she is gay and has a partner. However, when Joe finds himself in a situation he can not control or dangerous he searches for Emma. Emma KNOWS people!!!
Joe’s life is never the same. His life is in danger getting way over his head and people are trying to kill him. Agency’s like the FBI, CIA, Homeland Security, and Secret Service do not like outsiders snooping into their affairs especially a punk like Joe DeMarco. But the Speaker pushes Joe and wants him to find out what is going on!!!!
Note: This is a great beginning to this series and each series gets better as you get to know this great character Joe DeMarco. 

The Inside Ring

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

212 A Novel by Alafair Burke


Tanya Abbott is a witness to a shooting. Detectives Ellie Hatcher and J.J. Rogan are asked to investigate. New York City is the venue and it’s described in much detail with its smells and sounds. There’s an escort service with unique clientele that includes a Judge and a high financier by the name of Sparks. The story slowly unfolds with everyone looking for Tanya the mystery woman who knows too much. Bodies are beginning to drop and Detective Hatcher is convinced Sparks is behind these murders. Ellie has a personal interest in this case.
Heather’s roommate Megan is brutally murdered and Detective Hatcher suspects Heather. After all, who else would have known the roommates personal life? Heathers’ life was detailed in a website for college students. And the details became graphic and threatened death. Megan’s parents sought help by the local police but there was nothing they could do; the postings were anonymous and the IP address untraceable. The police told them that this happens all the time but nothing serious really happens. The parents are not convinced and feared for their daughters life. But it arrives too late. Megan is murdered and Heather was attacked by the same killer. Or was she? Could she have committed the murder herself? Detective Hatcher soon finds out who Heather really is but now she too has gone missing.
Katie is a real estate agent who had a successful real estate agency. But since the  real estate market has spiraled down she finds herself in a predicament like everyone else in that type of business she needs to make money. Katie had become accustomed to her lifestyle, and her mother was in a nursing home. Expenses are very high! Escort service why not money is good and her clientele are prestigious business men or politicians. But now Katie is murdered and Detective Hatcher wants to know why.
Robert Robo Mancini, Sparks bodyguard is murdered at Sparks’ Penthouse suite at 212 Lafayette in Manhattan. Detective Hatcher questions Sam Sparks and has him handcuffed for contaminating a crime scene. However, when Detective Hatcher appears in front of Judge Bandon she is thrown in jail for contempt. How is Judge Bandon tied to this case and what is his interest in Sam Sparks?
Judge Bandon wants a Federal Judicial position. He has worked hard to get there and is determined that nothing is going to get in his way not even Detective Ellie Hatcher!
Sam Sparks is a real estate billionaire. He has connections in high places and is not going to allow a detective to spoil his plans.
Detectives Ellie Hatcher and J.J. Rogan are trying to put all these pieces together. Time is running out for Tanya Abbott. New York City is a big place and lots of places to hide. The Detectives find themselves running around New York City looking for answers. Even their boss Lieutenant Robin Tucker has come under their scrutiny.
Author Alafair Burke brings to light interesting subjects. The Craig Lists murder, a recent political scandal in New York City, and the websites that are used to harass college students.

Note: This is my first book from this author, though I found it somewhat lengthy with details it is a good mystery with twists and turns.

212 A Novel by Alafair Burke

Monday, June 18, 2012

Mystery Novels


How many of us really enjoy reading a good mystery novel? Ones that have you guessing; keeping you at the edge of your seat? A novel is like a road map leading you the way and on the way you come across obstacles that must be encountered for there is no way around it. These obstacles must be chipped away or blown wide open for someone's life depends on it.
To find a good novel you rely on recommendations by readers. One persons’ choice may not be yours but you figure oh well I will try it anyway…sometimes it pays and others times you think what??????
I've come across novels that I couldn’t even get into due to the long winded beginning of the storyboard; and you begin to wonder where is this author heading and what does it have to do with the murder committed? Those are the ones I find long drawn with too much information of each character and you wonder if this is going to get any better. So you continue to read and hope that the author hurries up and gets to the task at hand as to “who done it”.
Then there are authors who give so much detail of a person’s back ground describing on how the character’s roots (coming from a dark place ) made them who they are today…well some is ok…but some authors just go way overboard…you begin to lose interest and lay the book down…aghhhh…While others give too much historical and/or geographical descriptions that now you're really lost and lose all interest in the book which you just purchased by download and you can’t return….
Ah but a good author knows when to bring the characters to life…you feel like you're actually watching a movie…or one of those CSI or law enforcement series…or an Agatha Christi movie..visualizing which actor would be good for the part if it was made into a movie…
Rufus Swell..hmmmm “”Rufus Sewell”” yummy!!!
I have found those type of authors like Alan Jacobson, Mike Lawson, Lori G. Armstrong, John Lawton, to name a few, very interesting. Some of these authors have created a character and write series of that same character. This character now has become real to you. You know how that person thinks and feels…now that’s a good novel…
Other mystery novels are filled with real history mixed with fiction and you wonder hmmmm is this all true? It even causes you to do some research to check for its’ accuracy and surprisingly you actually learn real history….now that’s funny…realizing they never taught you that in school…
These are the kind of mystery novels that are worth reading…some I will be sharing  with you and if you have any to share please do so….be nice lets not get graphic…
NOTE: I have to the right deny and remove posts that I find questionable…this is for fun to give us another place to share book reading….so lets have some fun….it doesn’t have to be mystery novels it can be any book you have enjoyed reading and want to share…thank you