Reviews
Truth Be Told –
The BOLO Books Review
Somewhere around the third book in a series, things start to grow comfortable for both the author and the reader. Authors know that they have a loyal audience and have a sense of what it is they are trying to accomplish with the novels. Readers, on the other hand,...
The Monogram Murders –
The BOLO Books Review
Years from now, people will still be arguing over the Agatha Christie Estate’s decision to authorize the writing of a new Hercule Poirot novel, but regardless of your stance on that choice, what really matters in the end is the quality of the work. In the case of The...
Some 2014 Anthony Award Nomination Reviews
From the Booking Desk: Bouchercon 2014 in Long Beach is roughly a month and a half away. Since the Anthony Awards will be presented at the conference, I thought it might be a good idea to re-run my reviews of those nominated titles which have been highlighted here on...
You – The BOLO Books Review
Ideally, reading a novel will be an engaging and engrossing experience – an escape from the real world, and yet, still a stimulating reflection upon that world. It is less common, but even more thrilling, to discover a book that becomes all-consuming – a book that...
Rage Against the Dying –
The BOLO Books Review
Last year, Becky Masterman released her debut thriller – Rage Against the Dying. Since then, praise and award-nominations have flourished for this novel which features an unusual heroine, a gritty plot, and a deep understanding of human nature – not to mention, a few...
Broken Monsters –
The BOLO Books Review
Last year, Lauren Beukes burst onto the playing field of crime fiction with her novel, The Shining Girls. While that work was by no means her debut, it was the first that could be classified (predominantly) as a tale of crime – in that book’s case, the story of a...
Made For You –
The BOLO Books Review
Near the beginning of Melissa Marr’s new novel, Made For You, Eva Tilling wakes up after being the victim in a pedestrian-involved hit-and-run accident only to find that she suddenly has a new ability - an ability which is much more of a curse than it is a gift....
The Killer Next Door –
The BOLO Books Review
(UK Edition)
If you live in an apartment, condominium, townhouse, duplex or any other multi-family dwelling, you may want to think twice before reading the new Alex Marwood novel, The Killer Next Door. That said, if you don’t read it, you will be missing out on a hell of a story....
The Long Way Home –
The BOLO Books Review
“…You grew up and you moved away Across a foreign sea And what was left was what was kept Was what you gave to me You thought you’d left it all behind You thought you’d up and gone But all you did was figure out How to take the long way home...” Rosanne Cash - The...
The Dead Will Tell –
The BOLO Books Review
There are quite a few authors who write mystery series set within the Amish community. Without question, Linda Castillo is one of the best and most popular. It just takes reading one of her books to see why. The latest novel in Castillo’s Kate Burkholder series is...
Queen of Hearts –
The BOLO Books Review
Are you looking for a leisurely way to pass a summer evening? Then scope out your most comfortable reading chair, pour yourself a favorite libation, surround yourself with a variety of hors d'oeuvres, crack open Queen of Hearts – the latest novel from Rhys Bowen – and...
The Black Hour –
The BOLO Books Review
With the increase in occurrences of school-related shootings, it was only a matter of time before the crime fiction genre began to address the issue head-on. Recently, with novels like The Competition by Marcia Clark and now Lori Rader-Day’s debut novel, The Black...
Runner –
The BOLO Books Review
Runner is the newest thriller from Patrick Lee. Like Lee’s previous works, this novel blends elements from various genres to create a unique style and storyline. This time out, we have everything from mind-reading and government experimentation to corporate greed...
The Good Girl –
The BOLO Books Review
Mary Kubica’s debut suspense novel, The Good Girl, is often compared to last year’s smash success story, Gone Girl. Regardless of your feelings towards that Gillian Flynn novel, don’t let The Good Girl pass you by. There are some similarities, but The Good Girl is...
Invisible City –
The BOLO Books Review
Reading can give you access to people and places once thought to be inaccessible. In the case of Julia Dahl’s debut novel, Invisible City, readers are granted entry to the fascinating world of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Borough Park, Brooklyn. Invisible...
The Competition –
The BOLO Books Review
In her latest novel, The Competition, Marcia Clark confronts the current crisis involving school shootings head-on. While touching on all the most controversial aspects of these investigations, Clark still manages to avoid any sensationalism. The Competition is an...
The Prime Minister’s Secret Agent – The BOLO Books Review
Everyone knows that writing a novel is not easy, but every time I read historical fiction, I am always amazed at the level of research that is required. With a non-historical book, the author can typically alter things to fit the needs of the story. However, when...
Someone Else’s Skin –
The BOLO Books Review
Someone Else’s Skin by Sarah Hilary is a debut novel, but you would never know it from the reading experience. When picking up a book by an unknown author, there really is no way to know if you are going to enjoy it. Certainly, you can read reviews, get...
All Day and A Night –
The BOLO Books Review
Alafair Burke is the type of writer who knows how to tap into the collective societal psyche and pluck out just the right hot-button topic around which to build a thrilling crime procedural. She has done it time and time again and things are no different with her...
Bittersweet –
The BOLO Books Review
The Oxford dictionary definition of bittersweet is “arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain.” This would also be an apt description of one’s experience reading Miranda Beverly-Whittemore‘s Bittersweet. Of course, I mean that in only the best possible sense....