The Intercept by Dick Wolf

*************I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher, this in no way impacts my review of this book*************************

Goodreads Summary:

Dick Wolf makes his literary debut with this tense, driving thriller reminiscent of the classic The Day of the Jackal, an extraordinary tale filled with the ingenious twists and high-wire suspense we have come to expect from this master storyteller.

Days before the July Fourth holiday and the dedication of One World Trade Center at Ground Zero, an incident aboard a commercial jet over the Atlantic Ocean reminds everyone that vigilance is not a task to be taken lightly. But for iconoclastic New York Police detective Jeremy Fisk, it may also be a signal that there is much more to this case than the easy answer: that this is just the work of another lone terrorist.

Fisk—from the department’s Intelligence Division, a well-funded anti-terror unit modeled upon the CIA—suspects that the event might also be a warning sign that another, potentially more extraordinary scheme has been set in motion. Fluent in Arabic and the ways of his opponents, Fisk is a rule breaker who follows his gut—even if it means defying those above him in the department’s food chain. So when a passenger from the same plane, a Saudi Arabian national, disappears into the crowds of Manhattan, it’s up to Fisk and his partner Krina Gersten to find him before the celebrations begin.

Watching each new lead fizzle, chasing shadows to dead ends, Fisk and Gersten quickly realize that their opponents are smarter and more agile than any they have ever faced. Extremely clever and seemingly invisible, they are able to exploit any security weakness and anticipate Fisk’s every move. And time is running out.

My thoughts:

I know Dick Wolf from the credits of Law and Order. This is his first novel that I am aware of and it is actually pretty good. I am definitely not the demographic this book is aimed toward, but I won't hold that against the book. I think my Dad is likely who they want to pick this book up. 

Dick Wolf's character development is pretty great, but that isn't shocking when you look at what he is famous for. I would say I was drawn into this story pretty quickly and really wanted to know what would happen next. I liked that each character had a distinct voice and they never got confusing. Even later in the book when someone new was introduced everything flowed really well. There are a lot of twists and turns in this book, so it becomes really hard to put down in the middle of a chapter or section. I stayed up late a couple times trying to get to a good stopping point. 

**SPOILER ALERT**

I was disappointed that Fisk's love interest was killed by the final terrorist. I think she played off of Fisk rather well and I liked the balance that was there with her. I hope in the next books there are characters that balance out Fisk's very heterosexual male stereotype. That is actually the only complaint that I have about the character Jeremy Fisk, he is a little too much what you expect an Intel officer from NYC to be, there were not any surprises to his character. I like a little quirkiness or oddball behavior from someone so stereotypical, to mix things up a little bit. Perhaps that is my lack of love for the genre coming out a little bit.

I would recommend this book to Older Dudes and Younger Dudes who like Grisham or Clancy. I would say this is a good read for women as well, just be aware it wasn't really written with anyone other than Straight White Men in mind.

While writing this review I was listening to Madonna.

Cemetery Girl by David Bell

Goodreads Summary:

Four years after Tom and Abby's 12-year-old daughter vanishes, she is found alive but strangely calm. When the teen refuses to testify against the man connected to her disappearance, Tom decides to investigate the traumatizing case on his own. Nothing can prepare him for what he is about to discover.

My Thoughts:

This book reminded me a lot of the Elizabeth Smart story. I am from Utah so that story is a part of my history here. This book left me with the same feeling as that true story. I am sad and sickened by what people can do to one another and call it "love" or "faith." I found myself rooting for Tom. He never gave up hope that his daughter was alive. It destroyed him and broke his already weak marriage. I remember many times seeing Elizabeth Smart's Father on TV never giving up hope that he daughter would be found. I can only imagine the strain something like this puts on someone.

David Bell is an engrossing writer. I was sucked in from the start and wanted to know everything, even the dark and disturbing parts of this story. I hated the kidnapper but also wanted to understand what a 16 year old girl saw in him to be so devoted to her abuser. Tom's daughter definitely suffers from Stockholm syndrome. You always think that when a missing child is found that the story ends happily ever after, but this book shows you how terrible it is and how hard it is to watch a stranger who was once family.

I would recommend this to mystery fans or fiction fans in general. Some of the things that happen to Tom's daughter are pretty disturbing so if you are sensitive to that I would pick this book up with caution.

While writing this review I was listening to Euphondisson.

The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon

***I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way affects how I review this book.***

Goodreads Summary:

Bestselling author Jennifer McMahon is back with a gut-wrenching mystery about an architect whose troubled mother has been found 25 years after being kidnapped-by a killer who is still on the loose.

"One of the brightest new stars of literary suspense."
-Los Angeles Times

The summer of 1985 changed Reggie's life. Thirteen, awkward, and without a father, she finds herself mixed up with her school's outcasts-Charlie, the local detective's son, and Tara, a goth kid who has a mental hold over Reggie and harbors a dark secret. That same summer a serial killer called Neptune begins kidnapping women. He leaves their severed hands on the police department steps and, five days later, displays their bodies around town. Just when Reggie needs her mother Vera-an ex-model with many "boyfriends" and a thirst for gin-the most, Vera's hand is found on the steps. But after five days, there's no body and Neptune disappears.

Now a successful architect who left her hometown behind after that horrific summer, Reggie doesn't trust anyone and lives with few attachments. But when she gets a call from a homeless shelter saying that her mother has been found alive, Reggie must confront the ghosts of her past and find Neptune before he kills again.

With her signature style, Jennifer McMahon portrays the dark side of adolescent friendship and introduces characters who haunt the imagination, along with a disturbing web of secrets, betrayals, and murder.

My Thoughts:

I am not normally big on mystery novels. I have been reading a lot lately so I am starting to get a feel for the genre. I would say this is the best one I have read yet. I wouldn't say I couldn't put it down, but it was pretty close to that. I felt the character development was awesome. I really got to know and understand Reggie through the flashback chapters and present day chapters. At first I liked that every other chapter was either flashback or present day, but about 3/4 of the way in it started to grate on me a little. This is likely because I wanted to hurry up and find out who Neptune was!


****SPOILER ALERT****SPOILER ALERT ***********


Throughout the read I kept guessing and was wrong each time who the killer was. Obviously that is the point of mysteries, who done it? I never saw the twist of George being both Reggie's Bio-Dad and Neptune. Looking back on the book I can see all the signs that pointed to George but when I was think in the reading I didn't see it coming. George played the Daddy role for Reggie her whole life, but she never suspected so I never suspected him either.

I found the relationship between Reggie and Tara really hard to take; only because Tara reminded me so much of too many girls I hung out with in high school. Tara the cutter, Tara the dark and gothic, it was all unfortunately familiar to me. Tara eventually got her shit together which is a nice part of this story. I did find it a little too convenient that she was taken by Neptune as his newest/ last victim. I understand why the author chose this path, but it was really the only part that I didn't like. Tara ha already been through enough as a character so I didn't like seeing her further punished by losing a hand.

I would recommend this book to fans of mystery. I think if you don't like mystery very much you should stay away from this one, the flipping between time tables might bother the average non mystery reader.

While writing this review I was listening to my dog snore and the pond bubble outside my back door. Can I just say I am super swell excited that Fall has finally come to Utah?!?