Villa Triste
By Lucretia Grindle
Grand Central. $14.99 (Rating: Very Good)
Set in 1943 during the occupation of Italy and 2006, this suspense story switches back and forth between two sisters involved with the Partisan Movement against the Nazis during World War II and the recent deaths of some of the past heroes of the underground resistance.
During the war, two sisters, Isabella and Caterina Cammaccio, are caught up in the horror of the conflict and are forced to make some decisions and take some actions that will have long-lasting consequences. Capturing the moment, Caterina has kept a diary of the war years and the role she and her family played in the underground movement.
Decades later, police officer Alessandro Palliota, in charge of the department’s special investigations in Florence, is charged with finding who is responsible for the deaths of these former partisans. Caterina’s diary becomes an important tool that will not only help the detective understand what happened during the war years but also point him to the solution of the case.
A lengthy novel (627 pages), “Villa Triste” offers a fascinating tale of intrigue that features loyalty and betrayal as well as lost love and revenge.
Once into the story you’ll find the characters and plot are so mesmerizing that the pages will just melt away and you’ll be finished before you know it.
The Hit
By David Baldacci
Grand Central. $27.99 (Rating-Very Good)
Will Robie is a skilled assassin whom the U.S. government utilizes to eliminate the enemies of the state who are beyond the touch of the usual, more conventional channels.
When one of his colleagues in the special assassin’s unit goes rogue and turns against the agency, Robie is given the assignment of either capturing or eliminating the individual. Complicating the situation is the fact that Jessica Reel is not only a very accomplished assassin but she also has an interesting reason for betraying her former employer.
Her attacks on the agency conceal a much larger threat that will send shock waves not only throughout the country but around the world. Only a killer can catch another killer, but also there’s a lot more going on here that moves this thriller to another, more exciting level. David Baldacci is a very accomplished writer whose novels usually end up on the bestseller lists. “The Hit” is definitely headed for a top ten listing.
Into the Darkest Corner
By Elizabeth Haynes
Harper. $14.99 (Rating-Good)
Catherine Bailey is convinced that her new boyfriend is the catch of the century. Lee Brightman is handsome, attentive and ever so sexy. All her friends can’t believe how lucky Catherine is to find such a fabulous guy.
Unfortunately, if something seems to good to be true, it usually is. Soon Lee becomes possessive and overly secretive. Then the abuse begins. After a savage attack, Lee ends up in prison and Catherine thinks she is free of the disastrous relationship.
Four years later Catherine has slowly gotten her life back together, although she is still occasionally prone to panic attacks, nightmares and sleeplessness. She’s met a new man, a doctor, who befriends her and wants to assist her with the recovery from her past nightmare.
Then Lee is released from jail. Convinced her former lover will not stop until he finds her and exacts some form of revenge, Catherine steels herself for what will be an even more harrowing experience than the first go-around with Lee. At least she has someone new at her side that can help, but sometimes not even a person with the best of intentions can help one deal with a truly fearsome, deranged adversary.
Told in alternating chapters which switch back and forth in time, “Into the Darkest Hour” is a psychological suspense story that not only has the ring of truth to it but also an element that makes you want to close the book and set it aside. At the same time, you know you can’t stay away that long and soon you are back flipping the pages again and completely engrossed in this twisted thriller.
Enemy of Mine
By Brad Taylor
Dutton. $26.95 (Rating-Good)
This third thriller in the Pike Logan series finds the counterterrorist taskforce specialist and his partner, Jennifer Cahill, on the trail of an assassin in the Middle East who is intent disrupting a fragile peace between Israel and Palestine.
If the American envoy sent to solidify the agreement is eliminated, the whole plan will collapse and more violence will mar the area. Making sure the envoy remains safe and the planned attack is averted means running the assassin to ground before disaster strikes. As one would expect, nothing in this part of the world is ever easy and Logan and Cahill, although very capable, may be in over their heads in this one. Not only are there adversaries on the Arab side of the fence but also a few American are hiding things that could well destroy the whole operation and jeopardize the taskforce itself.
Plenty of action scenes and the usual twists readers expect from this type of fiction make “Enemy of Mine” an entertaining read. If this type of scenario works for you the team of Logan and Cahill will keep you reading until you reach page 385 and the emotionally satisfying conclusion of this novel.
A Bat in the Belfry
By Sarah Graves
Bantam. $26 (Rating-Excellent)
The fans of Sarah Graves’ “A Home Repair Is Homicide” mystery series won’t want to miss this latest installment. An epic nor’easter is heading directly towards Jacobia Tiptree’s Eastport, Maine, village and the island community is preparing for the worst.
With the weather service warning of heavy rain, 60-mile wind gusts and possible power outages, the tourists are being shuttled off the island and the locals are battening down the hatches. The local, 200-year-old Seaman’s Church and its steeple is of concern and everyone hopes it will weather the storm.
But, there’s even a greater concern about the landmark when it becomes a crime scene after a local teen girl is found murdered in the structure. An even bigger storm is brewing as one of Jake’s son’s friends is considered a suspect in the crime. Once again, the handy, amateur sleuth will have to set aside her tools and play detective again.
An added treat on this, the 16th novel in the series, is the introduction of a new character, Lizzie Snowe. Graves plans to spin her off into a new series next year so you’ll want to be sure to get in on the ground floor here and learn all about Lizzie!