Mrs. Poe
By Lynn Cullen
Gallery Books. $26 (Rating: Very Good)
The tumultuous life of Edgar Allan Poe continues to fascinate authors and provide fodder for new novels. Lynn Cullen is the latest person to fall under the spell of the famous American poet and writer. In this story Cullen focuses on Frances Osgood, a struggling poet and mother of two children, who falls under Poe’s spell.
Osgood meets the illustrious author of “The Raven” at a literary gathering and she is surprised that Poe has some knowledge of her work. A mild flirtation is followed by a seduction and then an illicit affair. As Osgood falls for her complicated, married lover, the situation becomes rather volatile as Virginia Poe, the frail wife of the writer, befriends Osgood.
At this point, the story becomes as bizarre and twisted as one of Poe’s famous short stories. With the fates of these two women now intertwined, the tale of this romantic triangle takes some unexpected and surprising turns.
In the “Author’s Note” at the back of the book Cullen writes that when she began writing this novel her intention was “not to write a shivery tale”. That may have been the plan but that’s not how things turned out. You’ll discover what I mean once you begin reading this gothic story of misguided love.
Cut to the Bone
By Jefferson Bass
William Morrow. $26.99 (Rating: Good)
Dr. Bill Brockton, the brilliant and ambitious head of the University of Tennessee’s Anthropology Department, is ready to open a new research facility that has certainly opened some eyes. The forensic research the lab will engage will be cutting edge (no pun intended), but it has made some folks in the community uneasy.
To complicate matters, a series of murders create some uncomfortable questions for Brockton since there seems to be a link to some of his past investigations. As the corpse count mounts, not only is time of the essence but it also appears there is a pattern here that points to some shattering revelations about Brockton.
The Body Farm series has both entertained and fascinated those readers interested in forensics. This comes as no surprise because not only have the novels been well plotted and the characters believable but the science behind the series has been quite accurate.
Of course, this is no surprise when you realize that Dr. Bill Bass, half of the writing team dubbed “Jefferson Bass,” is himself a world-renowned forensic anthropologist who founded the world’s first laboratory devoted to the study of human decomposition.
The Fallen Angel
By Daniel Silva
Harper. $9.99. (Rating: Excellent)
Art restorer and former covert agent Gabriel Allon is back again in this realistic thriller that forces this reluctant spy to return to the realm of international conspiracies.
After his last traumatic assignment that nearly spelled his end, Allon has taken refuge within the walls of the Vatican. He’s been asked to restore a Caravaggio masterpiece and is delighted to do so. But then one morning Allon is called from his conservation lab to the site of a tragedy at St. Peter’s Basilica.
The curator of the antiquities department is found dead beneath Michelangelo’s splendid dome. The police suspect suicide, but Monsignor Luigi Donati, the pope’s private secretary, isn’t so sure. Not wanting a public inquiry, the Monsignor enlists Allon’s assistance to quietly investigate the death.
What follows is a wild ride as Allon uncovers a global criminal ring that has been looting art treasures and selling them to the highest bidder. But the situation is more complicated than just theft. Behind the operation is a sinister individual who is planning an unthinkable act that will plunge the world into a conflict of apocalyptic proportions.
This novel, with its blend of art, intrigue and history, will, like its predecessors, keep the reader riveted to the page. As the story ricochets from the Vatican to St. Moritz, Berlin and Vienna you’ll find this a spellbinding read and one you’ll want to share with family and friends.
Spider Woman’s Daughter
By Anne Hillerman
Harper. $26.99 (Rating-Very Good)
Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee and Bernadette Manualito, the characters created by Tony Hillerman, were thought to be laid to rest when the prize winning mystery writer passed away in 2008. Not so! The author’s daughter has resurrected the series, set in Navajo Country.
The story opens with the retired Navajo Nation police lieutenant being gunned down after breakfast one morning in the parking lot of The Navajo Inn. Fighting for his life in the intensive care unit of a Santa Fe hospital, the legendary detective is totally incapacitated, so officers Chee and his wife Bernadette handle the investigation to apprehend the person responsible for the shooting.
Referencing some of the earlier stories and characters in the series, the key to unraveling this situation lies in the past. Like the shards of a newly discovered piece of native pottery, the couple must carefully reconstruct the private investigation Leaphorn was involved in before the shooting.
After a few blind alleys, Chee and Manualito finally find the right path that will allow them to piece together the days leading up to the attempt on their friend’s life and result in apprehending the killer.
Although it is not essential to enjoying this novel, being familiar with the previous stories in this series will be helpful. Not only does the author fill in the gaps for the first time reader but, like her father, she is also very knowledgeable of Navajo culture and adds the insights and local color that have made the earlier novels so special.
Long time Tony Hillerman fans will probably notice a few subtle differences in the narration but, overall, this is an auspicious start to the second round of Leaphorn & Chee novels.
With time, Anne Hillerman will become more comfortable in her role as the author of this series. There really isn’t a better person to continue the legacy passed down from her father. It should not take more than one or two more novels to make this a seamless transition.
The Widow’s Walk League
By Nancy Lynn Jarvis
Good reads Mysteries. $12,95 (Rating: Very Good)
It has been out a while, but if you missed the fourth installment of the Regan McHenry Real Estate Mystery series by this local author, you’ll want to purchase a copy.
Someone is eliminating the husbands of a group of women who gather for occasional walking outings. Santa Cruz real estate agent Regan McHenry knows some of the new widows and has been enlisted to sell their homes. As in the past, Regan can’t help but do a little sleuthing to figure out who is responsible for these seemingly connected murders.
With a few “red herrings” added to keep her reader guessing, Jarvis has again created a fast paced mystery filled with lots of local color. Santa Cruz County readers will not only love the cast of eccentric characters but also many familiar landmarks and events that are worked into the plot.