Faye Kellerman - Suspense Magazine

claim of innocence
by Laura Caldwell
A good story, “Claim of Innocence” was that, a very well-told tale of a courtroom murder
trial and a lawyer rediscovering herself on many professional and personal levels. It had all of the
layers: an edgy job, deep friendships, complicated family matters, and messy romances. Along
with all of that, it had those few tidbits, more strings I would say, thrown continually at the reader,
the hints of what is tying all of the plot lines together, what was really going on. All of these
elements together created the solid suspense that moved the story forward.
This novel had a lot of characters, and while told mainly in first person point of view of the main character,
Izzy MacNeil, there was a great depth to each of them. As a reader, I felt involved with each personality
surrounding Izzy to some degree, invested in each of them, even if it was to finally see them get what they had
coming. As well, there were a few characters that the author made me really think about, whether to feel sorry
for them or hate them, as Izzy was tugged by the same feelings. I became more and more aware of what a volatile
and slippery thing justice can be.
There were times, given the frequent changes in settings and brief changes in point of view, when the
questions seemed to outweigh the answers. But it only made me want to read faster…made the story that much
better. With many twists and turns and a few surprises waiting at the end, this story is especially worth the read
for court case, suspense fans.
Reviewed by Kiki Howell, author of “A Questionable Hero,” for Suspense Magazine
murder in the 11th house
by Mitchell Scott Lewis
The position of the Moon, Sun, and other planets can tell us so much more about people
than I realized. In this novel, Lewis uses laymen’s terms to depict an extraordinary way to solve
a murder.
Astrologer David Lowell is the father of Melinda, a smart, budding attorney who was given
a case that appears as if it’s an open and shut situation. She calls on her father and his expertise for
assistance. Johnny Colbert is accused of blowing up Farrah Winston, a federal judge. Johnny can be brash and
downright rude at times, but she’s also well-versed in bombs and becomes the number one suspect.
David and Melinda and a few other friends use astrology to help determine if Johnny’s innocent. When
David himself becomes a target, the question arises as to whether Johnny is behind the newest bomb scare.
Armed with not much more than suspects’ birthdates, David unearths corruption that leads to the untimely
death of Farrah.
You will be just as surprised as I was to find out who the guilty party is (or is that parties?). Besides the
who-dun-it in this story, Lewis fascinated me with how astrology can help solve a crime. A great read.
Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “Deadly Decisions,” published by Suspense Publishing, an
imprint of Suspense Magazine
trick of the dark
by Val McDermid
Val McDermid, known for her Tony Hill, Kate Brannigan, and Lindsay Gordon novels, is
back with a standalone mystery featuring Dr. Charlotte “Charlie” Flint. Flint, a psychiatrist who
works with the London police as a profiler, has had her career turned upside down. Recently,
her testimony set an innocent, but troubled, man free. Released from custody, he murdered four
women. While Flint awaits a ruling on her future as a practicing psychiatrist, lecturer, and expert
witness, she faces two problems.
Although happily involved with Maria for seven years, she’s falling in love with Lisa Kent,
famed self-help guru. On top of that, an old Oxford professor of hers wants Flint to look into her daughter
Magda’s current lover, Jay Stewart, who made it rich with travel websites and a memoir of her traumatic
childhood. The professor suspects Stewart murdered Magda’s husband on their wedding day, a murder for
which the husband’s business partners are the prime suspects. Both Flint and Stewart used to babysit the
professor’s children while students at Oxford.
This complex mystery and romantic drama unfolds primarily in third-person narration but also includes
lengthy excerpts from Stewart’s new memoir, a work-in-progress describing her adult years, gently working
around the number of people close to her who have died mysteriously...and always to her advantage. As Flint’s
encounters with Kent grow increasingly complicated, she continues her investigation of Stewart, hoping to find
redemption in solving a mystery the police may have gotten wrong.
Although the synopsis may make the story seem lurid, McDermid keeps the tone subdued, carefully
developing several intelligent and driven women whose paths recross under dramatic circumstances nearly two
decades after first meeting. That the characters happen to be lesbian is both integral to certain plot points while
also incidental to their lives at large; that is, they are neither token characters nor gratuitous.
The multilayered story draws the reader in while effectively negotiating a number of plot twists. Although
marred by an overlong exposition in the end as the mystery is solved and explained, “Trick of the Dark” is a
compelling read.
Reviewed by Scott Pearson, author of “Star Trek: Honor in the Night,” for Suspense Magazine
the evil inside
by Heather Graham
Book four in
the Krewe of Hunters
miniseries more
than lived up to my
expectations for this
fantastic series. I was
thrilled to see that
the setting for this book was Salem,
MA especially as deep into history
as this author tends to get. She did
not disappoint this time either.
I enjoyed the old Salem history
we all know, nicely meshed with
newer legends and events from the
author’s imagination. The characters
in the town were as complex and
intermixed as the real people during
the witch hunts.
Each book in this series has
enough commonalities to keep you
wanting to read the next one with
rich histories of the towns and great
paranormal elements. But also, each
story has been different enough
plot-wise to keep a reader anxiously
turning the pages. There is always a
list of suspects and the reader never
knows who to point the finger at
until close to the very end.
This series was obviously very
well thought out with a fantastic
premise. Graham has a gift for
building suspense with a side of
romance. You get to points where
you want to know more about the
case and yet you also want more of
the key couple in the story. The nice
thing about this series too is that the
older characters you have previously
gotten to know always show up again.
As well, the paranormal
moments are quite detailed, quite
realistic and believable. The ghostly
encounters never get too crazy. They
act as I would expect them to. Plus,
the author limits the abilities of the
Krewe of Hunters, they just can’t call
to a ghost, they have to work and
then wait to see them. This adds not
only to the reality of the situation,
but also to the dark mystery of it all.
I am definitely going to have
to look into more of Graham’s work
now and I would highly recommend
each book in this series to anyone.
Reviewed by Kiki Howell, Author
of “Torn Asunder” for Suspense
Magazine
46 Suspense Magazine September 2011/vol. 026