New and Older Books: Just Arrived

Here's what arrived in my mailbox:

A Cup of Jo (Maggy Thorsen Mysteries) by Sandra Balzo, an ARC to be published Oct. 1, 2010.  Coffeehouse owner Maggie Thorsen is a suspect in the death of her chief rival in a barista competition. She has to solve the mystery, clear her name, and "heat up her love life" at the same time.

Inside Out: A Novel by Barry Eisler, released June 29, 2010. "...the propulsive thriller that only former CIA operative turned bestselling novelist Barry Eisler could write." Jailed soldier Ben Treven will be released from prison if he accepts an assignment - find a rogue operator who has stolen torture tapes from the CIA and is using them to blackmail the U.S. government. Some heady stuff in this thriller!

And what I brought home from the library:

A Twist of Orchids: A Death in the Dordogne Mystery by Michelle Wan, 2008. I've read her previous orchid mysteries, Deadly Slipper, and The Orchid Shroud. The up and down  relationship between Julian Wood and Mara Dunn is tested when strange things start happening to their friends in the mountains of France. I enjoy botanical mysteries such as this series set in France among orchid lovers and plant finders.
 

TO SPEAK FOR THE DEAD (The Jake Lassiter Series) by Paul Levine, published 1991, introduced readers to linebacker-turned-lawyer Jake Lassiter.

PAUL LEVINE worked as a newspaper reporter, a law professor and a trial lawyer before becoming a full-time novelist. Two of his other books, Night Vision, and 9 Scorpions are also being made into e-books.

Fault Line by Barry Eisler, book review

Fault Line is a fast paced thriller with an intriguing plot and lots of action. Three people connected to a brand new computer security software, Obsidian, including the softward developer Richard Hilzoy, die suddenly, one after the other.

It begins to seem like a nasty conspiracy to Alex Treven, Hilzoy's lawyer, who gets so nervous he calls his estranged older brother Ben for help. Obsidian is being patented and is not yet on the market, but someone wants to make sure the software is never introduced to the public.

Ben works for a branch of the government in special operations, and is more capable of handling "bad guys" than the bookish Alex. Though they haven't been in touch for years, Ben flies in to San Francisco to help his brother, protecting him and his associate Sarah from the ruthless group out to destroy the Obsidian software and all the people who know about it.

The question is, why is this particular software so threatening, and to whom?

The personal relationship between the three main characters, Alex, Ben, and Sarah, adds to the interest in the book. Why is Alex and his brother Ben so antagonistic to each other and what has kept them estranged until now? Who has been the "better brother" in the family over the years? And who gets the girl in the end?

"The truth was, bad memories never died. No, at best they were quiescent, just waiting for the right circumstances to pop up like an evil jack-in-the-box and say, Miss me? Don't worry, I'm still here! And I'm not going anywhere, either. Never, ever."

This book will appeal to those who love lots of quick action, suspense, and a good plot. Eisler has also written a John Rain thriller series, one of which, Rain Fall, has been made into a movie just released in Japan.

Book provided by the publisher, for my objective review.