THE LITIGATORS

by John Grisham

One morning David Zinc, a young, highly paid and overworked attorney, realizes he's tired; tired of the rat race of his high powered job and envisioning the bleak future in front of him.  He just can't face another day.  Despite imminent deadlines and to the astonishment of some of his co-workers, he literally dives into the elevator at his office building and leaves, heading for the nearest bar.  David isn't even a drinker but he spends the day getting plastered and finds himself at the offices of Oscar Finley and Wally Figg, a pair of ambulance chasers in a seedy section of Chicago.

Finley and Figg are barely eking out a living and what little they bring in, Wally manages to spend chasing rainbows and searching for that big lawsuit in the sky.  Putting David to work as his assistant, Wally thinks he's really found it this time.  It appears that people are dying of heart attacks after taking a drug to reduce their cholesterol.  Pounding the streets to find new victims of the drug, Wally ties the firm's wagon to a class action lawsuit that's bigger than anything the firm has ever dealt with before.

Happier than he's been in years, David, meanwhile, is trying to bring in work of his own before his dwindling savings disappear.  He's also come across a case that could have larger implications, but Finley and Figg won't even consider it, hoping that any settlement from the cholesterol drug case will make them financially vibrant.

This is the old John Grisham who kept us riveted to our books and it's a pleasure that he's back.  He's injected tension, mystery, great characters and courtroom drama into THE LITIGATORS, along with a heavy and healthy dose of humor, which makes his newest book a fun and delightful read.

Don't miss this one, it's definitely worth the money!

ISBN 978-0-385-53513-7
Pub. Date:  October 2011
400 pages
Hardcover and eBook

THE GOOD FATHER

by Noah Hawley - to be released March 2012

Dr. Paul Allen is the chief rheumatologist at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.  He spends his working days investigating patients' symptoms to discover their underlying illnesses.  

When his son Daniel is accused of killing a rising political star slated to be the next president of the United States, Allen is unable to believe that Daniel is guilty, and employs the same investigative skills to try to prove Daniel's innocence despite overwhelming evidence.

Told mostly through the viewpoint of the father, we follow Paul's determined path to love and support his son, the product of his first marriage.  His continued inability to accept even the possibility of Daniel's guilt puts incredible strain on his second family, even as his career is disintegrating.


THE GOOD FATHER is interspersed with flashbacks to real-life famous or infamous assassinations from the '60s to present day, as well as Daniel's journey leading up to the shooting.  Coupled with the love and guilt carried by the father, Hawley has written an emotional story that's not easily forgotten.


ISBN 978-0-385-53553-3
320 pages
Pub. Date:  March 2012
Hardcover and eBook

THE SNOWMAN - Insp. Harry Hole Series

by Jo Nesbo
Translated by Don Bartlett

One of the finest Scandinavian policemen, Harry Hole, is back is this new release from Nesbo. 

During the first snow of the season in Oslo, a young boy wakes up to find his mother has disappeared.  Outside of his window there is a new snowman wearing his mother's scarf.  Harry Hole and Katrine Bratt are investigating the disappearance when another woman goes missing during a new snowfall, and again, a snowman suddenly appears.  But this time, the killer has added part of the woman's body to his icy sculpture. 

Harry received a strange letter months earlier that made reference to snowmen and a serial killer from early in his career.  He realizes that the anonymous letter is connected to these new murders but he doesn't yet know what the connection is.  As the investigation and murders continue, it's apparent that the killer is taunting Harry personally.  With his bosses and the press breathing down his neck, the race is on to find the killer. 

Nesbo continues to paint Hole as an intelligent and intuitive investigator, but at the same time a lonely and damaged man.  Harry still struggles with his drinking problem and his relationship with Rakel is all but over.  She has moved on, but Harry is having trouble letting go, in part because of the sexual tension between them. 

Darker than Nesbo's previous novels, THE SNOWMAN is a stunning and complex mystery that deserves to go to the top of your reading list.

Pub. Date May 2011
ISBN 978-0-307-59586-7
400 pages
Available in hardcover and eBook

MISTERIOSO

by Arne Dahl - to be released July 11, 2011

The powers that be have decided to use Det. Paul Hjelm as a scapegoat following his handling of a hostage situation at the immigration office.  Although Hjelm diffused the situation, it wasn't by the book and he knows he's in trouble. 

Fully expecting to be unemployed, instead he is picked to be part of an elite team  of officers from across Sweden; hand picked because of their ability to think outside the box.  The six member team is led by Jan-Olov Hultin and has been assigned the task of trying to identify and catch the killer who has been executing Swedish businessmen.

With seven different egos to deal with, it takes the team a while to coalesce, but once they're up and running they're quickly immersed in their task.  Following the theme of many Scandinavian novels, the team's investigation finds them wading through ties to the Russian mafia as well as dealing with the national problem of the Swedish  fear and loathing of immigrants.

Ever since I read Stieg Larsson's wonderful trilogy I've discovered more authors from that chilly section of the globe.  Perhaps it's because of the long winters that force them indoors, or just that the Scandinavian publishing industry has decided to follow the coattails of Larsson's amazing success, but whatever the reason and lucky for us, intelligent and intricate Scandiavian mysteries have reached our shores in abundance.  Jo Nesbo of Norway, the writing duo of Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom from Sweden, as well as Arnaldur Indridson of Iceland have all produced solid and enjoyable mysteries and thrillers that have been translated for the English speaking market.  Award winning Swedish author Arne Dahl joins this esteemed group and MISTERIOSO is the first book in his crime trilogy. 

ISBN 978-0-375-42535-6
352 pages

THE CONFESSION

by John Grisham -available in bookstores or eBook

Almost everyone on Death Row proclaims their innocence and Donte Drumm is no exception.  Drumm is a young black man who is only days away from being executed for the rape and murder of a young white woman nine years earlier in Sloan, Texas.  Convinced of his innocence, Drumm's legal team is working around the clock appealing his case.

Rev. Keith Schroeder receives a visit from recent parolee Travis Boyette who is living in a halfway house near his church.  Seriously ill, Mr. Boyette confesses to the heinous crime in Texas and he has the physical evidence to prove it.  Convinced that Drumm is innocent, Schroeder tracks down Boyette and drives him to Texas to meet with Drumm's legal team. 

I've been a longtime fan of Grisham's novels, despite the fact that he seemed to be coasting in recent years.  THE CONFESSION is not only a well written story, it's also a serious look at the criminal justice system and a social commentary about the death penalty.  Grisham will have you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

THE NOBODIES ALBUM

by Carolyn Parkhurst - available in hardcover

Octavia Frost is a novelist who has decided to rewrite the endings of her previous bestselling novels. Many of her stories reflect the loss of her husband and daughter in a tragic accident years earlier. Currently estranged from her remaining child, Milo, a musician, she learns that he has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend.

Part mystery and part reflection on the mistakes Octavia made with her son, Carolyn Parkhurst weaves the novels of Octavia throughout the book as Octavia reaches out to Milo and begins to try to repair their relationship while helping him through this terrible time.

Ms. Parkhurst has written a lovely book about loss and love and THE NOBODIES ALBUM was a pleasure to read.