The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

After I finished this book, I had to go back and re-read the last 25 pages to make sure I understand what really happened! There are three different narrators and they don't necessarily know what the others have experienced. It all starts 50 years previously when a brother and sister (Danny & Poppy) are found murdered in their home. The main suspect is their brother (Vincent), although he and his mother have an alibi that was confirmed by a school teacher, Mr. Stewart. No arrests were made. Now in present day, Vincent is a highly successful author, but living alone. Lydia, his wife, left him and their daughter many years ago. When their daughter Olivia was 14 years old, Vincent sent her to boarding school since he traveled so much promoting his books. Vincent also developed a serious drinking problem, so he was far from a good dad anyway. Olivia was pretty much abandoned by Vincent at that point, so she was not a part of his life. Then she gets a call from his publisher. Vincent wants her to be the ghostwriter for his next book. Olivia was a highly successful ghostwriter until she publicly called out a fellow writer. He ended up suing her for defamation and winning his case against her. So, she owes him $500,000 and her lawyer $200,000 (?). A lot of money, regardless, which she certainly doesn't have. She doesn't want to have anything to do with her father, but desperate times....

Olivia goes to the house that Vincent still lives in (the one she left at 14). She finds out that he is seriously ill and can no longer write or read. She doesn't know whether he killed his siblings or not, but he wants her to ghostwrite his final book, a memoir. He said he finally wants to share the truth. He pretty much sends Olivia on a scavenger hunt for clues, just like he did when she was a young child. Olivia doesn't realize that right away. All she knows is that she doesn't trust him. The book reveals snippets of information from Olivia's, Vincent's and Poppy's experiences and this information is interwoven to tell the tale. We don't get Danny's perspective or personal experiences and it becomes apparent that he kept secrets from his family. Olivia works very hard to untangle the truth from the misinformation and lies. She does ultimately figure out what really happened that night - and who killed Poppy and Danny - but some of this truth will go to the grave instead of making an appearance in Vincent's well-received memoir that get's published around the time of his death, with the acknowledgement that Olivia was his ghostwriter. It's a good read!

Wendy's Rating: ****

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

I thought about this book for days after I finished reading it. I sincerely wish it didn't end the way it did, but I did like the book a lot. I love books where you see growth in all the main characters. This story is about a family (Dominic and his three children, Raff, Fen, and Orly) who live on a very small island near Antarctica called Shearwater. They were living on the island with a research team and the world's largest seed bank. The seeds stored on Shearwater were from every species of plant worldwide. Some were simply unique and exotic; others were seeds for growing food. The food seeds could save humanity if most of the population was wiped out.

One night a woman is washed up onto their beach with the seals. She is barely alive, but Fen discovers her and gets help. They manage to save her life and give her a home to heal. The woman's name is Rowan and she came from a boat (piloted by one man) that didn't survive the arrival to Shearwater. Dominic doesn't understand why she was coming to the island (she isn't exactly forthcoming with any answers) and he is suspicious of her. Meanwhile, Rowan doesn't trust Dominic because she was expecting to see the research team (including her husband!) when she arrived on the island and no one is on the island except the Salts (Dominic & kids). They tell Rowan that the research team had already left the island (since the severe weather and significant storms were sinking the island itself so it was no longer safe to be there.) Rowan doesn't believe this necessarily because she knows her husband, as the team leader, would never leave the seed bank.

As the reader, you know that everyone is keeping secrets, but you don't know what they are each hiding. Come to find out, they are each and every one hiding something important that impacts the events that occur. Very good storytelling. I really liked each of the characters, and yet I wondered about each of them. Can they really be trusted? As the story unfolds, understanding happens and the characters, who are each "broken", start healing. I very much enjoyed their journey to healing. As the island falls farther into the sea, and the storms grow fiercer, threatening all of their lives, the ship finally arrives to rescue them and what seeds they can save (a small pittance compared to how many were stored there.) I truly wanted a happy ending. I didn't get it, but it's a remarkable read.

Wendy's Rating: ****1/2

The Narrows by Michael Connelly

Harry Bosch #10; the sequel to The Poet. Michael Connelly delivers, as usual. He brings together Harry Bosch and Rachel Walling (disgraced FBI agent from The Poet.) Harry is a PI with none of the authority of the police department or the FBI. Rachel was sent to North Dakota, and then South Dakota, after the Backus debacle in The Poet. These are not desirable posts for a FBI agent! Harry and Rachel don't exactly trust each other, but they need each other to figure out how to finally take down Backus permanently. Backus has continued to murder people - both within the US and outside. Backus keeps bringing Rachel into it, although the FBI would like to keep her at a distance. Harry is brought in by Graciela, Terry McCaleb's wife, after Terry is found dead on his boat. She wants Harry to investigate Terry's death. Harry has to rely on Buddy, Terry's partner, for assistance, but he certainly doesn't trust him.

Connelly is excellent at weaving stories together. You never really know when events and people are going to start intersecting. These characters are all very intelligent and they don't always share what they know and/or think with each other because each of them have their own agenda. It makes for interesting reading. The one comment I'm going to make about this book though is that Connelly writes to an intelligent reader, but there were three to four times in this book that he "spelled out" something quite obvious that I didn't think needed to be. Maybe if I hadn't just read The Poet it wouldn't have been so obvious. So, there's that.

Harry is managing to co-parent Maddie with Eleanor Wish, although they don't really get along that well. Eleanor continues to play poker as her profession, which she does late at night. Maddie is left home with the nanny. Harry is allowed to visit at any time, and usually chooses after Eleanor has gone to work. Good choice. I continue to not be a fan of Eleanor, and now Harry is tied to her forever. Oh well. Eleanor refuses to move to LA and Harry refuses to move to Las Vegas, so that's part of the conflict.

This story is definitely a battle of wits. Who can outsmart the other kind of thing. Backus has been killing for so long - and has led people around for so long (8 years and counting) - that he is certainly a force to be reckoned with. Thank goodness Harry steps in to help out the FBI!

Wendy's Rating: ****

The Poet by Michael Connelly

This book is the prequel to Harry Bosch #10. We are introduced to Jack McEvoy, a reporter for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver. His specialty is reporting on the more sensationalized deaths (ie serial killers). He doesn't have the same deadlines as the regular reporters because his stories are more in depth. Jack has a twin brother, Sean, who is a homicide detective. One day his brother is found dead by apparent suicide. Sean had been investigating the brutal murder of a young boy and he kept hitting dead ends. Sean is found dead in his car by (presumably) a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. His car is parked at the lake where their sister had drowned years earlier. Jack has a really difficult time accepting that Sean would have killed himself. He asks for permission to write a story about cop suicide, which his editor gives his okay to.

It doesn't take long for Jack to decide that Sean was actually murdered. He asks to fly to Chicago to look into another homicide detective suicide that appears similar to his brother's. This other detective also (supposedly) killed himself after he was having a difficult time solving a brutal murder. Soon Jack is working hard (with assistance from the FBI) to find other cases that may be similar in nature, leading to the possibility of a serial killer.

The agents from the FBI include Rachel Walling (of Harry Bosch's world), her boss Bob Backus, and her ex-husband, Gordon Thorson (who is a complete jerk). Jack falls for Rachel (and they start sleeping together), detests Thorson (who seems to be sabotaging Jack's story) and respects Backus (who keeps sending Rachel away and forcing Jack to work with Thorson, who he doesn't trust). The FBI agents alternate between legitimately working with Jack - and shutting him out of the process. Jack continues to persevere regardless.

The last 100 pages of the book is a wild ride! It's very well plotted. I certainly didn't know who to trust. Very well written. I am eager to start the sequel (The Narrows) with Harry Bosch!

Wendy's Rating: ****

Silver Elite by Dani Francis

I have never thought of myself as a "Fantasy Reader", but I am changing my opinion, especially if there is a dystopian element (which I love). This is the first book (of a presumed trilogy?) about Wren Darlington. Wren lives in a divided world. Those who are Modified (like Wren) have psychic abilities, some of them quite powerful. The Command, who controls the Continent, is led by General Redden. The Command is run like the military and their enemies are the Mods. The Command personnel can kill a Mod on sight. So, the Mods keep their status secret - to the best of their ability. This can be tricky because when they communicate internally with each other, the veins in their arms pop up in a silverish color. If they are not wearing a long-sleeve shirt, this can mean death.

Wren's parent's died when she was five years old and she was taken away by Jim - who promised her parents he would protect her. She calls him Uncle Jim, although they are not related. He takes her to live in the Blacklands for the first three years. This a dark and dangerous place to live, but it gives him a chance to work with Wren as she begins to understand her abilities. Wren's parents were killed because they were a part of the Uprising to overthrow the Command. (Originally, it was the Modified that were in control of the Continent, but the Modified were overthrown by the Command a long time previously.) Wren doesn't remember her real name and she really doesn't remember her parents. When Jim & Wren leave the Blacklands, Jim asks for a home & land in a farming Ward.

Wren has two "best friends". One is Tana, who lives in her Ward. The other is Wolf, who she has befriended internally. She has never met Wolf, but they communicate in their heads and they have been since she was a young child. Wren's life turns upside down when she saves a young boy's life (using one of her abilities) and Jim is executed for being a part of the Uprising because the Command figures out who is really is (his real name). Wren pleads ignorance, saying she had no idea that Jim was a Mod. She is sent to the Command as a new recruit. Her superior is one of General Redden's sons, Cross Redden. Since she is now amongst the enemy, she downplays her skills because she has to hide her Modified status. Cross happened to see her save the young boy's life however, so he knows she is really talented at shooting, etc. He waits her out.

Wren is a very powerful Modified, with at least five abilities - one of which takes away a person's "free will". Living with the enemy, working for the rebellion, losing friends, being betrayed - this is all in a day for Wren. Some of the things that happen are predictable, but so be it. It still really enjoyed this new world! I am just sad that I have to wait a couple of years (so they say) to read the next installment.

Wendy's Rating: *****