#bookreader – Page 13 – Rosepoint Publishing

The Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper #BookReview #ConspiracyThrillers

The Last Conclave - Amazon banner — The Last Conclave banner courtesy Amazon sale page

A gripping Vatican mystery of power, secrecy, and betrayal

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

A vanished conclave. An empty Sistine Chapel. And a secret buried for eight centuries.

From internationally bestselling author Glenn Cooper comes a gripping Vatican conspiracy thriller that has already topped the charts in Italy.

When Pope John XXIV is found dead in his bed just two years after his election, the world braces for a new conclave. But as the cardinal electors are sealed inside the Sistine Chapel, something unthinkable happens.

Hours pass. No smoke rises. No vote is announced.

And when Vatican Secretary of State Elisabetta Celestino breaks protocol to open the doors—she finds the chapel empty. The cardinals have vanished without a trace.

CNN religion expert Cal Donovan is on-site to cover the conclave, but soon finds himself swept into a global investigation. As panic spreads and theories abound, Cal uncovers a chilling trail leading back to a centuries-old order—one that has waited in the shadows to cleanse the sins of the Church… with blood.

Ancient secrets. Ruthless power. And a final reckoning that will shake the foundations of faith.

His Review:

The recent conclave of Cardinals elected Pope Leo XIV. It was done fairly quickly after the death of John Paul II. (Apparently, he was being groomed by the former Pope in his final years.) All Roman Catholics know that the Pope is elected by a conclave of Cardinals under 80 years of age that meets in the Sistine Chapel to elect the successor. This story examines that tradition from a unique perspective.

Why has there never been a female head of the church? Tradition has it that there will never be a female pope. One of Christ’s closest confidants was Mary Magdalene. She certainly helped continue His teachings after His death. Catholic schools teach religion and a majority of the teachers are nuns. Then why are there no female priests? Other Protestant religions certainly have female church leaders!

This book delves into a mythical event in which all of the Cardinals are captured and taken away to a secret place in France. The world is in an uproar and many police and investigative organizations are searching for them! The master minds of this undertaking are a group of very rich people who wish to “right” history.

The fascinating portion of the story to me is the discussion of the Cathars. This was a religious group in the thirteenth century that believed in everything the church in Rome believes but did not believe that the church should be so rich and all powerful. They also believed that women should be equal to men and be allowed into the priesthood…and still do.

This is a very fascinating fiction thriller interwoven with historical events! 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Conspiracy Thrillers, Historical Thrillers, Historical Mystery Thriller & Suspense Fiction
Publisher: Lascaux Media
ASIN: B0F8C5N5K6
Print Length: 312 pages
Publication Date: May 19, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: Glenn Cooper is an internationally published thriller writer with over eight million copies sold in thirty languages. Many of his twenty novels have reached the top ten bestsellers list. Cooper holds a degree in archaeology from Harvard College and a medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. He practiced internal medicine and infectious diseases before transitioning to biomedical research and becoming a biotech CEO. Additionally, he has written numerous screenplays and produced three feature films. He draws on his experiences and studies to craft fast-paced thrillers that explore historical, philosophical, religious, and scientific themes.

Have a good week!

Two Audiobooks Mini-Reviews – Never Lie by Freida McFadden and Women of War by Suzanne Cope

Well, dang, so easy to listen to audiobooks and I’ve gotten woefully behind on reviews, so I’m posting shortened versions. (Links on individual covers are to Amazon.)

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

Best of #BookTok
Hollywood Upstairs Press
November 8, 2022
Narrator: Leslie Howard

Three Stars

No, no, and no. Too many problems for me here to more than okay the book. Okay…the equivalent of a C or 3 stars. So, I get the unreliable narrator, but as the twists began heaping upon twists, it was making less and less sense. I hate feeling like I have a ring in my nose and am being led on a road that won’t particularly go anywhere.

The newlyweds are searching for a home and are supposed to meet their agent with an impending snowstorm. It’s a walloping big house with a history and has been vacant for some time, cold, dirty, but if I remember right has utilities on? Supposed to set the chill-raising stage.

Who is really worse, Tricia or Ethan? I couldn’t engage in either, but then Tricia finds hidden tapes of a previous (psychiatrist) owner and begins listening and, yeah, I listened.

Things are pushing disbelief, twists that leave the reader trying to reconcile with previous hints. Salient plot points are repeated—we got it the first time. Some of the dialogue had you wondering if the characters actually listened to each other—a little disjointed. And I wasn’t crazy about the ending. Another I breathed a sigh of relief that it was over.

Women of War: The Italian Assassins, Spies, and Couriers Who Fought the Nazis by Suzanne Cope

Penguin Audio
April 29, 2025
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld

Three Stars

It’s obvious a ton of research went into this book which features four women of the Italian resistance, Carla, Bianca, Teresa, and Anita.

It helps that the chapters were kept fairly short, but also created confusion as they alternated between the main characters. There were times I lost track which life was currently being told. While each woman was amazing in their own right, it read much like a history book, not a novel, and became too easy for me to tune out.

I’ve read a number of books regarding the huge strides made by women during the war, pushing abilities far beyond the kitchen and astounding most with their successful exploits. Those were encapsulated in thrilling fiction storylines. This is the first I’ve read regarding their Italian counterparts and I must say was quite eye-opening but read more like a document.

I’m aware there were many more women equally engaged risking their lives for the cause, for which I’m grateful and awe struck as I have a hard time trying to imagine if I could have been that brave.

This book was narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Ms. Maarleveld, who is capable of switching languages back and forth with the blink of an eye. She is always a pleasure to listen to but couldn’t quite make a text type book into a suspenseful novel.

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to these books. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

#Audiobooks

Folded Corners: The Knocknashee Series-Book 5 by Jean Grainger #BookReview #HistoricalIrishFiction

Book 5 of 6: The Knocknashee Story

#1 New Release in Historical Irish

Book Blurb:

The winter of 1942 casts a long shadow over pen-friends Richard and Grace. The world is teetering on the brink of destruction as war consumes continent after continent.

When a letter arrives for Grace from a distant land she can scarcely place on a map, it brings news so shocking it reverberates through the entire village, with everyone offering conflicting advice.

Meanwhile in bomb-scarred London, Richard is presented with the journalistic opportunity of a lifetime. The potential for career-defining reporting is immense, but so too are the dangers that shadow every step.

Yet his professional dilemma pales beside the turmoil in his heart. Logic and longing wage their own private war within him, and the battlefield offers no refuge.

Folded Corners is the captivating fifth instalment in the beloved Knocknashee Story series, weaving together threads of loyalty, courage, and impossible love against the darkest chapter of the twentieth century.

My Review:

From the pen of the master storyteller Jean Grainger, the continuing story of Richard and Grace has us now thoroughly hooked like a string of trout.

Realistically, if this is Book 5 of 6, then something has to give and give soon. I suspect, however, the author has a few more little twists you won’t see coming.

From the latest revelation by Richard to a letter that sets off another crisis of Catholic proportions, Grace must wrestle with another predictament with the church and Irish attitudes. In the meantime, Richard is grappling with his own inherent fear and a career opportunity he can’t pass up.

There is never a dull moment in Knocknashee, nor in a series that weaves such an intricate tale that keeps you coming back for more. As complex as the novels are, teaching history, Irish politics, and religious faith, the author uses compelling and sympathetic characters you’ve come to care about.

You can try to second guess this series but there is always a magic trick pulled out of another hat and she does just that with this episode. I almost chuckled when I thought I’d figured out how this will come together.

Brilliant!

But we’ll just have to wait and see. I suspect Ms Grainger is still holding out a card or two.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book from the author that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts. It’s a mesmerizing series, one that keeps the reader anxious for the next installment. This is a good one, but I’d recommend starting with Book 1.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Irish Fiction, Historical British & Irish Literature, Friendship Fiction
ISBN: 978-1917732154
ASIN: B0F4JRDMNG
Print Length: 303 pages
Publication Date: June 30, 2025
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: Jean Grainger is a USA Today bestselling author with over 100,000 5* reviews of historical and contemporary Irish fiction. She is acclaimed for her authentic portrayal of Irish life and history. Born in Cork, she draws from her experience as a history lecturer, teacher, and tour guide to craft characters that feel like friends, and sometimes foes. Grainger’s works span multiple series and standalone novels, covering significant periods in recent Irish history, but told from the perspective of families, the humans behind the headlines. Her stories often intertwine historical events with personal journeys, exploring themes of family, friendship, and human resilience. Grainger’s writing style, characterized by its warmth and authenticity, has earned her comparisons to renowned Irish authors like Maeve Binchy. Her dedication to research and character development has resulted in a loyal readership who feel deeply connected to her stories and characters.

#TuesdayBookBlog

A Body at the Book Fair by Ellie Alexander #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

A Secret Bookcase Mystery

Book Blurb:

In the gripping conclusion to The Secret Bookcase series, Annie Murray races to untangle the ultimate plot twist…

Life is good for Annie: she’s found healing at the Secret Bookcase, her beloved Agatha Christie-themed mystery bookstore in the cozy town of Redwood Grove, and is on the brink of launching her very own detective agency. But she’s still haunted by one unsolved case: the murder of her best friend Scarlet ten years ago.

When Annie heads to Santa Clara for their annual book fair, she’s looking forward to meeting fellow booklovers. And she’s also got a secret mission: she’ll be close to Silicon Summit Partners, the powerful investment firm she just knows had a hand in Scarlet’s death. But when an industry colleague is murdered at the book fair, Annie is first on the scene to investigate. The suspect list reads like a book lover’s who’s who: a celebrity author with a suspicious agenda, a rival with a grudge, and even a kindly grandmother pursuing her lifelong dream of owning a bookstore.

With her fellow bookseller and crime-fighting partner Fletcher playing Watson to her Holmes, can Annie catch the killer before they strike again? And will it distract her from her mission to finally bring her best friend Scarlet’s murderer to justice?

This fun-filled and clean cozy mystery will keep you guessing until the very end. Perfect for fans of Lauren Elliott, Merryn Allingham and M.C. Beaton, and book lovers everywhere.

My Review:

I’ve been a fan of this author for some time. She can weave a great cozy mystery at the same time as infusing the storyline with engaging atmospherics.

“A hint of a strong antiseptic cleaner hung in the air, mingled with the distinct scent of corruption.”

Annie Murray has been looking forward to this book fair for some time, not just because she’ll hook up with industry colleagues, but it will give her access to the Silicon Summit Partners, who Annie has long suspected was instrumental in the death of her best friend, Scarlet, who was soon to be her partner in their new detective agency, Novel Detectives.

It’s not like Annie hasn’t gained some experience in the latter and, fortunately, she has a close associate, Fletcher Hughes, who’ll have her back at the book fair and at the investment firm she’ll investigate while there.

While Annie is attending the book fair and learning about virtual reality reading, there is a suspicious death. The victim was pushing his virtual reality reading device heavily surrounded by contentious activity. Was it the motive for murder?

Perhaps the headset wasn’t fully ready for market? Annie is working, unofficially, with the slightly green detective on the case while she proceeds with plans to secure evidence from the investment firm.

It looks like Annie has a strong set of support characters for her work with her new agency as well as backup for her bookstore, the Secret Bookcase. This series culminated with the exposure of Scarlet’s killer, so while this might have been the final episode of this series, the spin-off, Novel Detectives is slated to start early in 2026. It’s looking to be a good one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Craft & Hobby Mysteries, Cozy Animal Mysteries, Amateur Sleuths
Publisher: Storm Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-1805089919
ASIN: B0DVZDJ13Q
Print Length: 238 pages

Publication Date: June 16, 2025 Just Released!

Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble

The Author: ELLIE ALEXANDER is a voracious storyteller, a lover of words and all things bookish. She believes that stories have the ability to transport and transform us. With over thirty published novels and counting, her goal is to tell stories that provide points of connection, escape, and understanding.

She loves inhabiting someone else’s skin through the pages of a book and is passionate about helping writers find their unique storytelling lens. As a writing teacher and coach, she guides writers in crafting the story they’ve always wanted to tell while navigating the path to publication that’s right for them.

Find out more about Ellie, her books, and writing courses by visiting her online:

Website: https://www.elliealexander.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellie_alexander

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/elliealexanderauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliealexanderauthor

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elliealexanderauthor

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ellielovesbooks

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/elliealexanderauthor

Cozy Summer Reading — AI generated graphic courtesy Gemini Flash 2.5

Body of Evidence by Stephen Penner #BookReview #legalthriller

A Rain City Legal Thriller Book 6

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

She was murdered ten years ago. Now she has a story to tell.

Seattle Attorney Daniel Raine is hired by one Jim Carpenter who has been charged with a cold case murder.

A body has been discovered, buried under Carpenter’s business. When the remains are identified as a missing girl who was responsible for the DUI death of his own daughter, he instantly becomes the prime suspect.

It’s a clear case of a grief-stricken father out for revenge.

Believing Carpenter’s vehement protestations of innocence, Raine sets out to find out what really happened on that fateful day ten years ago.

But the case gets increasingly difficult as Raine finds himself battling a power-hungry prosecutor with an eye on higher office.

Even worse, all the witnesses seem to have something to hide, and as he digs for the truth, Raine has to fight through a tangled web of secrets and lies.

A web that will soon turn deadly…

His Review:

Attorney J. Daniel Raine enjoys his role as a Prosecuting Attorney. He is noted for his ruthlessness in getting criminals off the street. They are wards of the courts, usually for their remaining lives. However, he is assigned the task of being a defense attorney trying to keep a lovely mid-thirties defendant out of a life sentence. She is very pretty and is like a lost puppy needing rescuing.

Raine is up against a very seasoned prosecuting attorney who really wants to see him fail at his new role in defense. The judge does not allow him a motion to free him from this task. His attitude is “if I am the defense attorney then she is not guilty!” He finds every loophole possible and ignores evidence that implicates his client.

C E Williams This is a very interesting book and is engaging and interesting. I can thoroughly recommend to any who enjoy a solid legal thriller! 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Legal Thrillers, Murder, Murder Thrillers
Publisher: Inkubator Books
ASIN: B0FB9LNVXQ
Print Length: 295 pages
Publication Date: June 8, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: Stephen Penner is an author, artist, and attorney from Seattle, Washington. He has written more than 30 novels and specializes in courtroom thrillers known for their unexpected twists and candid portrayal of the justice system. He draws on his extensive experience as a criminal trial attorney to infuse his writing with realism and insight.

Stephen is the bestselling author of several top-rated legal thriller series. The RAIN CITY LEGAL THRILLERS deliver the adventures of Seattle attorney Daniel Raine and his unlikely partner Rebecca Sommers. The DAVID BRUNELLE LEGAL THRILLERS feature Seattle homicide D.A. David Brunelle and a recurring cast of cops, defense attorneys, and forensic experts. And the TALON WINTER LEGAL THRILLERS showcase tough-as-nails Tacoma criminal defense attorney Talon Winter and her closest allies. Stephen is also the author of the MAGGIE DEVEREAUX PARANORMAL MYSTERIES, recounting the exploits of an American graduate student in the magical Highlands of Scotland, and several other stand-alone works.

In his spare time, Stephen enjoys painting, drawing, and spending time with his family.

Sunday reading — AI generated graphic courtesy Gemini flash 2.5

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave: A Novel by Elle Cosimano #AudiobookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

Best Books of the Year So Far 2025

Book Blurb:

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. At first a suspect, Mrs. Haggerty is cleared by the police, but her house remains an active crime scene. She has nowhere to go . . . except Finlay’s house, right across the street.

Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case—or sacrificing either of their bedrooms. After all, they’ve dealt with enough murders over the last four months to last a lifetime and they both would much rather share their beds with someone else.

When the focus of the investigation widens to include Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven, though, Finlay and Vero are left with little choice but to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty and uncover her secrets . . . before the police start digging up theirs. But who will solve the mystery first?

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

My Review:

It’s been a year since I read Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice and now here we are with Book 5 of the quirky, irreverent series featuring a writer (Finlay) who’s hit the wall and is usually frantically trying to stall her New Jersey(?) editor while she comes up with something. Her best friend, Vero, has a dubious background and often times comes up with slightly illegal solutions to Finlay’s current problems.

And Finlay seems to have them. Usually of her own making.

She has two little ones and miraculously manages all the mischief-making without involving the young and innocent.

Finlay and Vero (who was originally supposed to help her manage the babies, the house, and be a quasi-assistant), are of similar age and persuasion. They are young, smart, and independent. Their dialogue is fast, snarky, and very contemporary.

I was hooked by the first installment and read each one since. I found a few over the top for me but came back for more anyway. This one includes an old lady (good old Mrs. Haggerty—the neighbor—save me from the narrator’s switch in voice—so annoying).

The plot, however, is clever, twisty, and humorous and I found it fast and fun. Just the right amount of romance (Finlay has a hot cop boyfriend and Vero also a new love interest), sexual innuendo, and trash talk. For the most part, the narrator does a credible job with the switch in voices and situation. Gotta run to keep up!

Enjoy something modern, engaging, and entertaining? If you haven’t already, might try this one.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Humorous Fiction & Satire, Women Sleuth Mysteries, Humorous Fiction
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B0D3622PF1
Listening Length: 9 hrs 11 mins
Narrator: Angela Dawe
Publication Date: March 4, 2025
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Elle Cosimano is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Award winner, and an Edgar® Award nominee. Her acclaimed young adult novels include Nearly Gone, Holding Smoke, The Suffering Tree, and Seasons of the Storm. Elle’s debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series, which was a PEOPLE Magazine Pick and one of New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2021. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and Time. Elle lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia. You can learn more about her at her website: http://www.ElleCosimano.com.

Photo courtesy of Holly Virginia Photography

Happy Listening!

Four eBooks, Three Genres – Mini-reviews Dogged Pursuit, Fatal Verdict, Smoke on the Water, What We Left Behind

During the time I took a quick blog sabbatical, we continued to read or, in my case, listen to audiobooks. Woefully behind on reviews, I’m posting shortened versions of some of the novels we enjoyed during the hiatus. (Links on individual covers are to Goodreads.)

His Thoughts:

Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt

Minotaur Books
July 1, 2025

Car bombs are a very hands-off way to kill someone. No looking at the victim or victims, just a simple explosion and the deed is committed. The killer never has to look the victims in the eye. However, there are certain skill sets that are required to use this method of killing.

Ryan Tierney is arrested and placed into prison despite the fact that he was not involved in the crime. Andy Carpenter is hired to defend him. The evidence points to Ryan, including a car with his license plates witnessed at the scene of the crime by two police officers. The case seems open and shut.

David Rosenfelt writes a very entertaining novel with many twists and turns. He has been hired to defend this potential killer and is unfamiliar with the client he is defending. The dialogue is very entertaining between Andy and the various characters in this novel. It harkens back to some of the old Sam Spade novels I read as a teenager. I recommend this book as a fast-moving thriller. 5 stars – CE Williams

Note: This is a prequel to the popular Andy Carpenter mysteries and explains how he came to quit working as a prosecutor and opened his own practice as a defense attorney. It is also an introduction to his connection with Tara (his rescue dog).

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Fatal Verdict by Peter O’Mahoney

Thomas & Mercer
July 1, 2025

Sammy is not the brightest individual in any room, but a stroke of luck makes him an instant five times millionaire. He cannot believe his luck. Friends who had seemed to write him off years ago are suddenly back wanting to spend time with him. A lovely young lady named Haley has confessed undying love. The world is looking very positive for Sammy.

Sammy rewrites his will and five days later Sammy is discovered in the shallows with a bullet in his head. His most recent fling is now a suspect in his murder, but his brother Ken is brought in for questioning. Ken swears that he had nothing to do with the killing but that the money rightfully belongs to him. Sure, Sammy bought the winning lottery ticket but Ken felt that Sammy should never have actually got the proceeds. Ken has worked his whole life and why shouldn’t he have those winnings. Adding insult to injury, Sammy paid off some of Ken’s debts; but would not give Ken any money! Ken is a habitual drug user.

Haley is a beautiful and vivacious thirty something who discovered Sammy’s fortune and immediately latched on to him. A new will had been drafted five days before Sammy’s death and all of the money was left to Haley. Ken is livid and threatens Haley feeling the money was his rightful inheritance! He has a solid alibi.

This story features a prosecuting attorney who has been hired to defend Haley. He puts together a great defense team and the climax is very entertaining. Enjoy! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

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Smoke on the Water by Jack Bartley

Koehler Books
April 15, 2025

One of the ways to pay for college was to join the service during the Vietnam War. Tuition was paid and after graduation, the rank of Ensign was given. However, there was a price to be paid. Usually, sea duty followed graduation after a short introduction to military discipline. Following his graduation, the main character Lieutenant Junior Grade Jason Conley finds himself stationed on a destroyer escort off the coast of South Vietnam.

Support fire for the ground troops was supplied by the USS Everett stationed about one mile off the coast. Flashes from shore were followed by large water spouts which often times marched towards the ships on picket. The Everett only had a five-inch gun which was used to protect their position. The Vietnamese would go onto the sandy shore with the guns mounted on truck beds and try to sink the ship. The pucker factor was extreme.

The description of life in the U.S. Navy during the war is well-developed by this author. The young sailors were usually stationed out of Hawaii and to a much lesser extent Guam. The duty stations were usually for four to six months and life aboard ship was close at best. Naval tradition usually keeps the officers and enlisted men separated. This story tells the relationship between men aboard a smaller ship with fewer men. Jason made friends with a number of enlisted men and this is frowned upon by his superior officers.

The relationships between the crew members are vital to the overall mission and working together breeds comradeship and brotherhood. The story illuminates the problems that some of the crews on smaller ships faced. The antics and relationships with shore-based personnel, particularly nurses, are similar to my experience in the Navy. This book is riveting and well documents the extreme highs and lows of the period. It is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or wishes to become familiar with Naval participation in the early 1970’s. 5 stars – CE Williams

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What We Left Behind by Luisa A Jones

Storm Publishing
May 30, 2025

War is on the horizon and the bombing of London is expected to commence soon. Children are assembled and sent to the country with the anticipated bombing of London close at hand. Many of the parents are poor working class and the feeling is that they are dependent upon the charity of others. The children are torn from their homes and sent miles away to the Welch countryside.

The attitude of the men living in England was one of patriotism or shame that they are not fit for military service. Looked upon as less than manly, their favorite escapism is beating their wives and children. Some of the boys emulate their fathers and treat the girls and their younger brothers and sisters with contempt.

The volunteers who take these children in are burdened with more mouths to feed than anticipated. The shy and withdrawn children are usually picked on by their older siblings and other kids. Letters from home are very important to help the children adapt but they are often misplaced or not sent at all during this tumultuous time.

This story visits the nightmares that were endured by both the caregiving volunteers and the children they were trying to help. The author is very adept at providing a look into this very tumultuous time in history. The story is both heart-wrenching and engaging at the same time. Enjoy! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review these books. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

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Blackout: A Thriller by David Rosenfelt #AudiobookReview #ThrowbackThursday

Doug Brock #1

Book Blurb:

New Jersey state police officer Doug Brock has been after infamous criminal Nicholas Bennett for years. When Bennett kills someone close to Doug, Doug’s investigation – and his life – start spiraling out of control. He’s placed on indefinite suspension from the police force and breaks things off with his fiancée, but he can’t let the case go, and he continues an off-the-books investigation on his own.

When Doug’s former partner on the force, Nate Alvarez, receives a call from Doug saying he’s discovered something big, something terrifying, something they need to call in the FBI to handle, Nate is furious that Doug has still been working the case. But when the call ends abruptly, and shortly afterward Doug is found in a hotel room, shot and in critical condition, Nate’s anger turns to fear.

When Doug finally awakens from his coma, however, he has no memory of the case or even the last several years of his life. But the pull of what he might have discovered is too strong, and he finds himself immersed in a desperate search for truth once again, regardless of the danger.

My Review:

I discovered the Andy Carpenter books just around installment 14 (2016) and have read or listened to most every succeeding book since. When The K Team splintered off of the Carpenter books, I started reading all those. So, yes, I’m a die-hard fan of David Rosenfelt, but it was surely the dogs in the Carpenter books that caught my attention.

Of course, if I found another series that Rosenfelt wrote, I dived into those. And, I hate to admit it, but his narrator for the Carpenter books, Grover Gardner, has in no small part cemented my love of the series, ergo, the author.

Still, although there is a sense of the signature wit and snark of Rosenfelt in his other series, it’s the Carpenter books that keep me coming back.

This particular time, I found Book 1 of the Doug Brock series (2016) (not sure there was ever a Doug Brock #4), and listened to it. Yes, I’d previously listened to both Books 2 and 3 back in 2020. Hey—they’re good. Short, well-paced, intelligent. A detective with a life-changing injury is left with amnesia but can’t help working on a case that was plaguing him before he got hurt.

The thing about Rosenfelt’s characters is that while they may not be wholly sympathetic, they are engaging. His plots look simple on the surface then submerge to layers of twists, turns, and red herrings and the chemistry between main character and support characters is electric with natural dialogue that conveys their emotional connection.

I enjoyed this book but I’ve been spoiled by Andy Carpenter. The narrator just slightly misses the mark for me as well. Okay, I’m just spoiled all around by the lawyer, his dogs, his support characters, and the narrator.

Apparently, you can’t beat that combination.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedural Mysteries, Crime Thrillers
Publisher: Listen & Live Audio, Inc.
ASIN: B01D083OCO
Listening Length: 7 hrs 21 mins
Narrator: Jeff Steitzer
Publication Date: March 15, 2016
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Amazon-US

The Author: David Rosenfelt, a native of Paterson, New Jersey, is a graduate of NYU. He was the former marketing president for Tri-Star Pictures before becoming a writer of novels and screenplays. “Open And Shut” was his first novel; “First Degree,” his second novel, was named a best book of 2003 by Publishers Weekly. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and 35 dogs.