The Murderer’s Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman

Blurb:

A brilliant, deeply dedicated psychologist, Grace Blades has a gift for treating troubled souls and tormented psyches—perhaps because she bears her own invisible scars: Only five years old when she witnessed her parents' death in a bloody murder-suicide, Grace took refuge in her fierce intellect and found comfort in the loving couple who adopted her. But even as an adult with an accomplished professional life, Grace still has a dark, secret side. When her two worlds shockingly converge, Grace's harrowing past returns with a vengeance.

Both Grace and her newest patient are stunned when they recognize each other from a recent encounter. Haunted by his bleak past, mild-mannered Andrew Toner is desperate for Grace's renowned therapeutic expertise and more than willing to ignore their connection. And while Grace is tempted to explore his case, which seems to eerily echo her grim early years, she refuses—a decision she regrets when a homicide detective appears on her doorstep.

An evil she thought she'd outrun has reared its head again, but Grace fears that a police inquiry will expose her double life. Launching her own personal investigation leads her to a murderously manipulative foe, one whose warped craving for power forces Grace back into the chaos and madness she'd long ago fled.

About the Author:

Jonathan Kellerman is one of the world’s most popular authors. He has brought his expertise as a clinical psychologist to three dozen New York Times-bestselling crime novels, including the Alex Delaware series, The Butcher’s Theater, Billy Straight, The Conspiracy Club, Twisted, and True Detectives. With his wife, novelist Faye Kellerman, he also co-authored the bestsellers Double Homicide and Capital Crimes. He is the author of numerous essays, short stories, scientific articles, two children’s books, and three volumes of psychology, as well as the lavishly illustrated With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars. He has won the Goldwyn, Edgar, and Anthony Awards, and has been nominated for a Shamus Award. Jonathan and Faye Kellerman live in California, New Mexico, and New York City. Their four children include the novelists Jesse Kellerman and Aliza Kellerman.

Review by Rochelle:

I have been a long-time fan of Jonathan Kellerman. His books always keep me guessing and burning through the pages whether I’m reading a true whodunit or a Columbo-style mystery where we know who but not how or why. The Murderer’s daughter is a little of both. There’s some deep psychopathy going on in The Murderer’s Daughter—characters who have suffered major trauma in childhood and have dealt with it in very different ways. Sometimes, I wish I lived in a house instead of an apartment, as I like to read late at night and my outbursts must surely disturb my neighbors. I yelled a lot while I read The Murderer’s Daughter.  My neighbors heard a lot of “Oh my God!” “Oh no!” and “I can’t believe it!” I also missed a deadline or two reading all night when I should have put the book down and gone to sleep.

The reason I’m only giving The Murderer’s Daughter four roses is that it was full of comma splices. I realize the copy I read was an advanced review copy from Balantine that I received through Net Galley, but it seems many of today’s editors don’t know what a comma splice is. You’d think people working in New York for a major publisher would be able to afford to keep current with their subscription to The Chicago Manual of Style and look up such basic grammar issues. And one would think that someone Mr. Kellerman’s age would have learned about comma splices in elementary school back when they still taught grammar in all eight grades. Sorry for the rant, but the plethora of comma splices in modern fiction is one of my pet peeves.

Heat Rating:  R

Length: 385 Pages

Prices:

Hardcover: $19.01

Paperback: $20.21

Digital: $13.99

Audible: $26.95

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Murderers-Daughter-Novel-Jonathan-Kellerman/dp/0345545311/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446238123&sr=8-1&keywords=the+murderer

Author Web Site: http://www.jonathankellerman.com/

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

Author Amazon Page:

http://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Kellerman/e/B00MB9JKC2/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Thanks for visiting. Donna, Julie, & Rochelle

Crime in a Colorado Cave by Bob Schaller

Blurb:

Ashley and Adam are excited to be in Colorado where they can explore caves during their family vacation. While exploring the Cave of the Winds, they become enmeshed in a theft that involves half a million dollars' worth of gold crystals. Although Mom and Dad Arlington fear their children are in over their heads, the teenagers proceed to look for clues to the mystery. The reader follows them through several well-known spots in Colorado as they search for the thieves. When the police finally close in on the thieves, the Arlingtons think the mystery has been solved, but it has just begun.

Review by Rose Thornton:

Crime in a Colorado Cave  is light fiction; a mystery novel entailing burglary and fraud.  It was billed by the author, Bob Schaller, as a “young adult” level, which is one reason I chose it. I like to sample what young adults are reading from time to time, and I am usually pleasantly surprised.  While reading the book, however, I realized it was not what I would consider “young adult” level. I then discovered the site for buying the book had it labeled as “children’s literature.”  In my opinion, this book is somewhere in-between those two levels; I would suggest it as most appropriate for 7^th to 9^th grade readers. Although it was not really what I expected, it was well-written and interesting.  Schaller has a knack for tying together strings of non-credible, but intriguing, coincidences and making it work well for the overall plot. His technique was engaging and admirable.  I didn’t find this to be one of the greatest books overall, but I can recommend it as one I think the younger reader will find enjoyable.

Length:  126 Pages

Print Price: $7.69

Buy Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Crime-Colorado-Cave-X-Country-Adventures/dp/0801044537/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412974425&sr=8-1&keywords=Crime+in+a+Colorado+Cave

Thanks for visiting, Rose, Julie, Donna, & Rochelle

World’s Dumbest Crooks and Other True Tales of Bloopers, Botches & Blunders by Allan Zullo

Blurb:

It's unbelievable-some of the bird-brained things people have done. For example, there's the burglar who got caught-because he fell asleep on the job. The bank robbers who got arrested-because they accidentally locked themselves in the vault. The crook who broke into a glue factory-and was nabbed because he got glued to the floor. The man running for political office who lost by one vote-because he forgot to vote. This book is packed with stories that are ridiculous, outrageous-and true!

Review:

World’s Dumbest Crooks and Other True Tales of Bloopers, Botches & Blunders by Allan Zullo is a fun read I picked up for laughs. It’s important for me to do that once in a while because I generally read a variety of rather weighty materials. I especially enjoyed this book as an example of the humor found in real life situations. There is often no need for fabricated jokes when we can discover the comedy of odd human behaviors right around us. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants a light, easy read with lots of great laughs. It’s the kind of relaxing book you might read while sitting in the lobby of the doctor’s office—and if you tend to laugh out loud, you just might amuse others with your own human behavior.

Length:  96 Pages

Prices Print:  $3.99

Buy Link: 

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/worlds-dumbest-crooks#cart/cleanup

You’ll notice we always include the publisher’s buy link.  That’s because authors usually receive 40% of the cover price from the publisher.  Editors and cover artists usually receive about 5%.  When you buy a book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or another third-party vendor, they take a hefty cut and the author, editors and cover artists receive their royalties from what is left.  So, if a book costs $5.99 at Publisher.com and you buy from there, the author will receive about $2.40.  If you buy the book at Amazon, the author will receive about $0.83.

Thanks for visiting, Rose, Julie & Rochelle