CLIFF WALK - Liam Mulligan Series No. 2

by Bruce DeSilva

Liam Mulligan, a seasoned investigative reporter with the Providence Dispatch Newspaper, is back in this new mystery from Bruce DeSilva.  The second in the Mulligan series deals with legalized prostitution and pornography, specifically child pornography and murder in Providence, Rhode Island.

As I've mentioned in earlier reviews, I don't enjoy fiction that deals with heinous crimes against children. Especially when the story involves body parts.  To be honest, I would have stopped before I started if I hadn't read Mr. DeSilva's first book, ROGUE ISLAND, and thoroughly enjoyed not only his writing style but also his portrayal of graft and corruption in Rhode Island.

Mulligan is a likeable man who is dealing with the demise of the newspaper business, as well as with Dorcas, his shrill and angry soon-to-be ex-wife. Mulligan is joined once again in his investigations by Thanks-Dad, his nickname for the son of the newspaper's publisher.  Attilla-the-nun, State Police Capt. Steve Parisi, and a host of other intriguing and fun protagonists add to the author's smooth writing style and tongue-in-cheek dialogue.

But best of all, and lucky for the reader, the plot of CLIFF WALK is secondary to his scathing portrayal of the city of Providence; terrific fun if you don't happen to live in Rhode Island.  Being from New Jersey, which is very often portrayed as a mob-infested, crime-riddled state, it's refreshing to let another state take the rap for a change!

If you can get past the subject matter, this newest Liam Mulligan mystery is a good read and very entertaining.

ISBN 978-0-76533-237-0
Pub. Date:  May 22, 2012
320 Pages
Hardcover and eBook 

ROGUE ISLAND

by Bruce DeSilva

Someone has been setting fires in the Mount Hope section of Providence.  People are dying and the police and arson investigators aren't making any progress in catching the firebug.

Investigative reporter Liam Mulligan is devastated by the senseless death and destruction in his childhood neighborhood.  It starts to become personal when people he cares about are seriously injured.  Despite threats to his own safety, Mulligan is spending his time following the paper trail of just who benefits from the fires, a long and arduous road that takes him through the underbelly of Providence's mobsters and crooked politicians.

Mulligan (as he prefers to be called) is a busy man.  His ulcer is acting up.  He's been assigned the task of taking the publisher's son Mason under his wing, and he's not thrilled.  He's also cultivating a romantic relationship with fellow reporter Veronica Tang, while still dealing with his crazy, soon to be ex-wife.

Mr. DeSilva has created a likable character in Mulligan and I hope we'll be seeing more books featuring this ace reporter.  The grittiness of Rhode Island's long history of political corruption serves as the perfect backdrop for this terrific debut mystery.

Pub. Date June 2011
ISBN 978-0-7653-2981-3
304 pages
Paperback and eBook

THE FUND

by H.T. Narea - to be released May 2011

In this near-future thriller, Narea takes us on a journey of Islamic terrorists plotting numerous assaults on the United States and the West with the use of dirty bombs in an attempt to change global economics forever. Frighteningly realistic, THE FUND follows the money trail of funding for these assaults. 

Kate Molares, a U.S. Defense intelligence operative, is assigned to follow the money.  Kate is working with all of her government contacts to piece together what the large money exchanges represent, trying to discover how the money is being used. Using her resources, she stumbles upon a serum being tested in Cuba that's designed to create super warriors willing to die for their causes. 

Molares is reunited with her college lover, Nebibi Hasehm, neither realizing just how much on opposite sides they are.  Hasehm is on a quest to create an Islamic money fund that will provide the necessary funding for the terrorists' plans.  The countries backing these terrorist acts include Cuba and Venezuela, as well as Muslim extremists. 

In this race against time, Narea's sweeping novel keeps the reader on the edge of the seat wondering if all of the pieces of this puzzle will fit together before the world is changed forever.  Intricate and exciting, THE FUND is going to be the beach read of 2011!

ISBN 978-0-7653-2890-8 464 pages