Suspense Magazine July 2013

Inside the Pages
CLOSE TO THE BONE
By Stuart MacBride
MacBride is
still the king of grit;
every character, plot,
and murder scene
is dark and twisted.
Detective Inspector
Logan McRae of the
Aberdeen, Scotland
Police Department is the focus of
this tale, and although there are
quite a number of scenes to make
the suspense lover cringe, Logan
McRae also provides readers with
entertaining, humorous looks into
both his private and public life.
As the story begins, DI McRae
is on his way to a grisly murder
scene where the victim has been
strangled, stabbed, and set on fire.
Not only is the method of killing
beyond grotesque but the DI also is
confused as to what category the kill
falls into—gang issues or something
far worse.
But this is not the only crime.
Someone is busy leaving little piles
of bones outside McRae’s house. He
doesn’t know the reason why, but
because he has other more bloody
crimes to deal with, this takes a back
burner. With drug gangs fighting
mercilessly; a pair of teenagers who
are missing and could somehow be
attached to the strange executions;
a recent bestselling novel that
seems to be spelling out what will
happen next; and Asians being
found brutally attacked, this is one
detective that needs a very long
vacation.
The grisly is definitely provided,
but the entertainment comes along
with it in the form of a new Detective
Sergeant who seems to want nothing
more than to anger McRae.
Not for the squeamish, this is
one novel that provides the worst
of humanity, and is written so well
that readers will see each of these
hideous scenes in their mind’s eye.
But the banter between McRae
and his staff is hilarious at times,
and far more interesting than the
continuous line of CSIs, etc. that are
seen regularly on televisions across
the country.
Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author
of “The Sapphire Storm: Tallent &
Lowery Book Two” published by
Suspense Publishing, an imprint of
Suspense Magazine ■
Suspense Magazine Book Reviews
FIRST GRAVE PAST THE LIGHT
By Darynda Jones
There should be a 12-step program for addicts of Darynda Jones and the Charley Davidson
series. I could head up the local chapter and fans could commiserate about all of the day-today
goings on that we miss while trapped in the pages of her novels. It’s a pleasurable trap,
mind you, but as readers, we’re sucked in and those pesky things like work, dishes, and laundry
converge into something we don’t want to deal with until the last word.
Charley Davidson—grim reaper, police consultant, and investigator—has her hands full,
as always. An arson investigation, most likely tied to her on-again/off-again sexy neighbor Reyes Farrow, is
nagging at her for a solution…well, not the investigation, it’s her Uncle Bob who’s sure Charley knows more
than she’s saying.
With the possible consequences of another fire hanging over her head, she’s hoping to solve what should
be an easy case of adultery to lessen her load. Seriously, how hard could it be to catch a cheater in a busy bar
with tight, cleavage-bearing clothing Clearly more difficult than Charley planned and she makes an instant
enemy out of the man whose head she doesn’t turn. If that isn’t challenging enough, when the spirits of
women begin flocking to her home without the intent to crossover, Charley’s feeling the weight. It’s hard
enough to shower with the corporeal ghost of a full-grown Rottweiler, but when one distressed woman hides
in Charley’s shower, it gets to be too much and her humble home is in a word: crowded.
Sure, she can bunk with Reyes, but there are nighttime complications when you play house with the son
of Satan. Learning that the captain of the PD—Uncle Bob’s boss—has decided to shadow her to find out
exactly what her secrets are just about unhinges her.
Bad day at work Stressed out by the kids Darynda Jones and the Charley Davidson series is the solution.
Captivating and laugh-out-loud funny, this is one of the best series in print today.
Reviewed by Shannon Raab for Suspense Magazine ■
FOLLOW HER HOME
By Steph Cha
Cha is a debut author and she kept me reading until the very end. Using literary giant
Raymond Chandler’s character Philip Marlowe as her guide, Juniper Song becomes entangled
in a mystery that is sordid, harrowing, and very deadly. Song is not an investigator in any way,
but having read enough—at least she thinks—of Marlowe’s escapades, she attempts to draw on
those situations to finagle staying alive.
Her best friend Luke needs help in finding out if his father is cheating on his mother and
elicits Song to do some simple questioning. She agrees, but wishes she hadn’t. That simple task leads her to
be knocked unconscious, to find a dead body in the trunk of her car, and to be threatened. And that’s just the
beginning of her weekend.
While trying to uncover the truth of what is really going on, she realizes the case has similarities to her
personal past. She tries to resolve her issues while dodging bullets and dealing with death in both the covert
and well-known parts of Los Angeles. She ends up losing more than could have imagined.
Cha keeps you wanting to turn the pages with a need to know what is going on and cheering Song on to
help work through the pain from her past. A well-written and very intriguing book.
Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “The Other Side: Melinda’s Story” published by Suspense
Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■
ACCIDENTS HAPPEN
By Louise Millar
There are those in life who are accident-prone; it’s as if they picked up a bad penny when
they were little and Fate has followed them around ever since.
Kate Parker is one of those people. Her anxiety and worry is at the highest level when it
comes to her and her son’s protection. Having to deal with the tragic accident of her parents,
Kate then had to face the loss of her husband at the hands of a murderer. The added difficulties
of the always mean and sometimes brutal world makes Kate seem psychologically imbalanced.
Wanting nothing more than to open the door to a new, better life, Kate makes the decision to get away
from the past and journey to a new location. A man comes into the mix and Kate finally allows herself to start
smiling; she and Jack are happy and the positive things begin appearing.
Of course, what Kate doesn’t cling to is the fact that there are truly horrible people in the world who
own a sneer behind their smile. And when Jack is suddenly put in danger, Kate must struggle to get her head
on straight in order to save her son. But with the twists and turns that stand before her, her imagination may
just mix with real life and end in a tragic event.
Good psychological thrillers are difficult to find. Taking away all the paranormal and science fiction
overtones a book can have and stripping it bare, it is difficult to write a character that needs help inside their
own head. Kate is one of those women who you want to see survive, and you desperately hope her courage
will be unleashed so she can turn from victim to hero.
Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of “The Sapphire Storm: Tallent & Lowery Book Two” published by
Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■
32  Suspense Magazine July 2013 / Vol. 049