The Second Deadly Sin by Asa Larsson

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The Second Deadly Sin

by Asa Larsson

 

 

I cannot tell you how close I was to putting this book down; and I am so glad that I didn't.  Once I got used to the pace and the Swedish names, the story was so engrossing that I couldn't put it down!

 

Rebecka Martinsson is a smart and beautiful (aren't they all?!) prosecutor who has moved back to her small town and gone to work for the local police department.  When she is kicked off a murder investigation, she does some digging on her own.  What she finds doesn't add up and she is determined to find some answers even if that means losing her job.

 

The story of the present murder is told amid flashbacks of another murder that happened at the turn of the 20th century, involving another smart and beautiful young lady.  Although the story told in flashback does not hold the same depth of character, each story unfolds in it's own time to come together at the end of the book.

 

In the end, what is lost in translation in this story is not as important as the actual story itself.  Although you will figure out part of the mystery before the last pages, there is enough left unsolved to keep you intrigued.  If you enjoy a good  mystery, you will find it in the pages of The Second Deadly Sin.



The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier

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Sam is a young woman who has quit her day job to focus on her writing.  She has previously written two true crime novels and is in the process of writing the third.  This book that she is writing chronicles "the Butcher", a serial killer who preyed on young women in the Pacific Northwest.  But Sam has a personal interest in the Butcher, she believes that he killed her mother.

Matthew is Sam's boyfriend.  He is the brains and chef behind a very successful line of food trucks and a restaurant called Adobo.  Sam also has a personal connection to the Butcher, his grandfather was the police officer who shot and killed the man that was thought to be the Butcher, two years before Sam's mother was killed.  

They share one other detail, both their mothers died when they were young.  As Sam researches the Butcher and Matthew learns more about his family history, their stories intertwine in other ways as well.  

Hillier explores the nature vs. nurture question while simultaneously drawing the reader into a twisting look at whether your family history predetermines who you will be.  Hillier has created a suspenseful and well paced story that will surprise you in the end.  I highly recommend The Butcher to any reader who appreciates a good mystery!

The Forever Man by Pierre Ouellette

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The Forever Man is a frightening look at the future where youth is the prize and violence rules the streets.  What would you be willing to do to not just live forever, but be young forever?  The Anslow brothers have two distinct viewpoints on that question.  Lane, the contract cop, reminisces about the days of his youth; a cabin on the lake, a small rowboat, brotherhood.  Johnny, the brilliant scientist, on the other hand, has never grown up.  When Johnny goes missing, the older brother Lane will stop at nothing to get him back.  But does Johnny want to be found?  Is Lane willing to lose everything for a chance of reliving those sweet summers of his youth?  Read The Forever Man to find out!

Caged Warrior by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

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Caged Warrior is the kind of book that my students are going to line up to read! McCutcheon is a tough guy with a sensitive side. He's the man of the house and does what needs to be done to ensure that his sister Gemma has a coat on her back and food in her belly. Sometimes he doesn't like what has to be done. Under the watch of his abusive father, and the local gang that he belongs to, McCutcheon fights his way to the top of the circuit. Only there's a snag; his appropriately named science teacher, Mr. Freedman, realizes that McCutcheon has strength in intellect and not just his fists. The battle between brawn and brains that ensues is suspenseful and heart-wrenching, but it's the ending that will knock you out (pun intended!). I give Caged Warrior two thumbs up, especially for the urban teen-aged crowd.

Sky Jumpers by Peggy Eddleman

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Sky Jumpers 

by Peggy Eddleman

Sky Jumpers is a dystopian lite novel; for those who might not like their future so bleak.  Hope lives in the town of White Rock, after WWIII.  The 'green bombs' of the war have wiped out all modern technology and the town is dependent on it's citizens reinventing the conveniences of the past.  Hope is terrible at inventing, but great at finding adventure.

Her love of 'sky jumping', jumping into deadly clouds left behind by the 'green bombs', usually would get her into trouble.  But when a couple of crooks come to town after their medicine, Hope's talent proves just as useful, if not more so, than inventing.  

The future of this town and the society built around adapting after war hangs on Hope and her friends.  Will they work together to save their town?  Read Sky Jumpers to find out! 

The Heavens Rise by Christopher Rice

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The Heavens Rise

by Christopher Rice

 

 

The Heavens Rise is a story about a young couple who in a fit of passion take a dip in the wrong pool.  Infested by a parasite, both discover a newfound power.  While Nikki uses her power for good, Marshall is intent on ruining everyone he feels has wronged him.

 

Although the story is both compelling and frightening, the narrative is often disjointed.  During many of the action scenes, I felt myself becoming lost as to what was happening.  It could be that I was reading too fast, or maybe I was unable to picture things as they unfolded.

 

Told from the perspective of the different characters, The Heavens Rise is set in New Orleans.  The story starts pre-Katrina and the post-Katrina landscape is as much a character as Ben and Marissa. 

 

The science fiction/fantasy aspect will appeal to a broad range of readers.  I think both boys and girls will appreciate this book.  Because of some graphic sexual scenes, I would keep this book in the High School library. 

 

 



Mr. Max: The Book of Lost Things by Cynthia Voigt

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Mr. Max: The book of lost things
by Cynthia Voigt


Although the premise of this book is far-fetched, I found Mr. Max to be quite a charming character.  Abandoned by his parents, Max is determined that he is going to be independent.  Supported by his grandmother and eventually by a boarder, Max finds his way toward that independence.

Not quite a detective, nor a private investigator, Max does solve the townspeople's problems while also trying to unearth the biggest mystery of all, what happened to his parents?

If you can get over the unlikelihood of parents leaving their 12 year old to fend for himself, you will find the adventures of Mr. Max to be delightful.  The characters that we meet along the way are well-developed and interesting.  The writing is engaging and when I finished the last page, I found myself wanting more!

This story is young enough to have in either an elementary or middle school library but adventurous enough to attract the older student.  Mr. Max is scheduled to be a trilogy and I'm looking forward to reading more of Max's exploits!