The Irish Politician

I'm not sure how I came across this author. Probably looking for a good mystery and I saw it was a Irish mystery. And like my son says "Of Course". 

Starting at the beginning, story was a little hard to get into. More descriptive than I would like. There were too many characters. But I just concentrated on the main ones and the characters came together. Goes without saying that the detective Peter McGarr was a favorite along with his wife Noreen. She had a knack  for getting into Det. McGarr's mysteries ah.. cases I mean. 

I liked the idea that the story was also humorous too. What's an Irish mystery (story) without bringing  up the troubles that Ireland was having.

Death to an Irish Politician? A Politician that negotiated with oil companies. Making sure his family would be taken care of.

A plan that tried to protect a special person. Thats where more characters come into play. And a mystery comes to life.

McGarr has his hands full. When someone/something is trying to frame you, you find a way to get answers. Even if there is little to no proof.

I give The Death Of An Irish Politician 4

I heard Bartholomew Gill has passed away. 

He left 15 more Peter McGarr mysteries for me to catch up on :-)

 

Deal Breaker

 

I have read a couple books from this author before. Sadly I didn't connect, until now. The character Myron Bolitar and his side kick Win Lockwood were not as expected. Myron took what was done to him as an athlete to make it better for others. For awhile wasn't sure why a sport agent was investigating a crime? Nor Win Lockwood. Until I read that they were FBI at one time. Of course not any ordinary FBI. Myron's secretary, Esperanza Diaz is what you expect. Someone who keeps things running and organized. And doesn't mind telling what's on her mind. And with that she is Myron's closest friend. Of course Myron's old girlfriend Jessica Culver shows up. Has a job for Myron.

The case that Myron and company worked on was a very interesting one. You have blackmail, murder (or 2)? and revenge . All between Kathy Culver, her star athlete boyfriend Christian Steele, her father Adam,  mother and Paul Dungan (cop).

The story read like an old detective show. Don't see many of them anymore. Myron and Win had to fight off thugs "in the business". As Myron takes to things in humor. Sometimes it gets him places. And sometimes it gets him in trouble.

As for Win always on the lookout,  always skeptical. 

Old fashioned detective work has Myron getting his guy at the end. Which wasn't revealed to end.

I give Deal Breaker 5

I look forward to moving on and read the next Myron Bolitar book

 

Palm Trees in the Snow

Although a very long read, at least for me. It was a good story. I looked up some of the history of Spain and Africa. And even though the characters were fiction. The struggles were not. Interesting indeed.

Palm Trees in the snow, are hardy, withstand a lot of weather, and are resilient. Palm trees in warmer weather, plantation was home for Kilian. The heart wants what it wants. Verses the cold in the mountains with snow.

Spain and parts of Africa the story of struggle with politics, race, and yes romance.

Same as it is today for this country only amplified.

Sadly the struggles never come to a stop. There seems to be always and underlying thing that awaits.

To keep a secret between two brothers Jacobo and Kilian was a deed. The life that Anton (father), Jacobo, and Kilian lived was a world of its own.

Where a brother found peace among the people and of course love for Kilian to call home. As was for Jacobo a job, a way to be far from what awaits him in Pasolobino. 

But nothing ever last. 

It was good to read that Jacobo's daughter Clarence had an interest in the past, even though she found clues unexpectedly. Her path led to those secrets that were finally exposed to both the cousins and (boy) friends. After Kilian's death, Kilian's daughter Daniela wanted to put the past in the past and live her future with her husband Laha and kids. Where Clarence will be the storyteller and keep the history alive so her niece and nephew will know their family history along with history of the country.

In part of book my question of this was confusing.

 Bisila was raped by three people. But I guess for the sake of the story it was just known that Bisila knew who the father of the unborn child she was carrying was. For that the storyline is as follows...

I give Palm Trees in the Snow 4 

Good story but long......

Update: I seen the movie after reading book. Naturally 

the movie was different needing to fit storyline in a format of time. The movie answers some questions that book never mentioned. Especially about Bisila.
 

Dear Wife

 

I've been reading mysteries for as long as I can remember.  And it's been a while that I read a mystery that when I took a pause I couldn't wait to get back to it. Dear Wife was this book.

As I started to read I soon found this was a story of abuse. Where it took me was a surprise. One women, though I thought. Sabine/Emma/Beth go through to think what you will say.

You have three moods lately, offensive, enraged, or violent.

You are the cocaine they slip the dogs that patrol the cars at the border.

All along I was thinking that this woman has a plan. And this plan is tight. She knows exactly what she wants to do.

While this was going on we see a husband that doesn't know what happened to his wife. A detective, Marcus comes on the scene and gets answers. We find out that the wife has a boyfriend and a baby on the way.

What I find interesting that as we go through Beth's plan she talks in her head, I hear nothing about her boyfriend or the baby.

She goes from state to state and lands in Atlanta Georgia. My husband and I went there on vacation. My daughter and I would call it Hot-lanta. But not because of the heat ;) And she booked us a stay @ the Westin. Love the round restaurant.

One thing I read that stuck with me is what Beth said. For a city of six million souls, Atlanta has an astonishing lack of beds for abused or homeless women. Now that is sad. If true or not there is too much of this in real time.

So we see what the husband Jeffery is all about. Sad another abusive person. But I thought odd is how Marcus, the detective was handling this case. Odd how he would latch on to just one-two people. Or how he forced his way of not having doors close on him. He would put his foot in the door. Old school detective.

When Marcus found the missing woman and called her a bitch. That's when I said Whaaat?! The story came together for me. Now that I knew what was going on it still left me in a surprise. Excellent how the characters are weaved together. Although at the end I would've liked to see Beth in a different situation.

Loved the story! I give Dear Wife 5-->

Can't wait to read more of Kimberly Belle

November 9

Not the story I was expecting. This was not my cup of tea. To look at it, it looks like a nice romance between Ben and Fallon. But the more I read it became unbelievable. Kids of that age, age 18 usually don't have that deep of understanding for love. 

Ben and Fallon came together from a fire that happened @ Fallon's dad's house. And in Ben's life he lost a mother. And copes on his own with his brothers. They both had something tragic happen. Fallon wore her scars outside. Where Ben wore his inside.

The concept of this story was interesting. Where they were to meet same day each year. Like a Grace Kelly movie.November 9 was a date that was bad became good. Both Ben and Fallon lived their lives. Fallon to go on with her acting. Ben writing a novel. Each finding their own way and trying to get back to each other. Being on the mature side for Fallon. But there was just something that became creepy with Ben. His drive to force Fallon physically and emotionally to bend what he wanted was a bit too much. I just don't see in real time that 18 year old kids think on that deep of a level. Ben tried to keep her from her friends. Even though he didn't say so much about Fallon's father. There was lost time with those two.

Toward the end a twist. Interesting. Now how would Ben know about the fire Fallon was in? If what Fallon's mother read about from Ben's novel, why would she be so emotional about it? And why did Fallon's father visit Ben's mother's grave?

The positive I find is that Ben and Fallon did lean on each other. They did in their way help. Fallon did have some relationship with her dad. And Ben now needs to be able to be the person that his nephew can look up too.

I give November 9 

                                     3 

Just not for me. Reminds me of a mixed up YA book. I hear good things from her other book. Maybe I'll try that.