Best Crime Fiction
Surrounded by quirky, fascinating characters as dedicated to one another as they are to their new partner, Harmony must learn to trust her team—and a new romantic interest—on a dangerous and deadly mission that conjures up memories she’d much rather forget. Craig Schaefer’s books have taken readers to the seamy edge of a criminal underworld drenched in shadow through the Daniel Faust series; to a world torn by war, poison, and witchcraft by way of the Revanche Cycle series; and across a modern America mired in occult mysteries and a conspiracy of lies in the new Harmony Black series.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"“Harmony Black” is set in the same universe as the Faust series and there are major spoilers for that series in the first chapter. So I’ll start by saying if you want to read or haven’t finished the Faust series, do that before reading this. I think that he was quite successful- I liked her a lot even though she clearly harbors some misconceptions about Faust :) I’ll probably still read the rest of the Faust books- I think that one of the “spoilers’ is misleading- but I definitely look forward to reading more about Harmony. But although Harmony can definitely be read as a standalone- and a separate series- I still wish that I had read all of the Faust series first."
"I had never heard of Craig Schaefer before, but now I will be seeking out more of his books. Before today, there were only two books I ever found so captivating that I read them straight through, cover-to-cover, in one go."
"The novel is written like a normal crime story, except the bad guys are demons and the agent is a witch. In a nutshell, about every 30 years 6 children disappear from their cribs in a small town called Talbot Cove, Michigan. The team who is assigned to hunting down "Hostile Enemy 17" include Harmony, the witch; Jessie, a half-breed, female "Big Bad Wolf';" April, an older lady in a wheel chair; and Keith, a computer hacker. Sounds crazy, but this combination works to make this a great story about chasing down Hostile Enemy 17, aka the "Boogey Man.""
"And although there are occult elements in this novel, don't let that put you off if you happen to dislike such reads; the supernatural portions are so successfully integrated into the storyline that after you've finished reading, all you will be aware of is a darned good crime novel with a dedicated, yet whacky cast of characters. Normally I would add more insights and impressions about such a fine book, but I'm afraid I'm practically jumping out of my skin to read more by this author, having already downloaded another of his books!!"
![Good Behavior [Kindle in Motion]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41GZpBSnosL._SS600_.jpg)
Good Behavior comprises three interlinked novellas ( The Pain of Others , Sunset Key , and Grab ), which together form a novel-length portrait of Blake Crouch’s all-time favorite character creation, Letty Dobesh. With Chad Hodge, he also created Good Behavior , the TNT television show starring Michelle Dockery, based on his Letty Dobesh novellas.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I know these were written individually, at separate times, but I would have liked some sort of lead-in added to the second and third story to give a better sense of Letty's evolution (or devolution) as a character. At the end of each story, Blake Crouch shares his experience with turning Letty into a lead character on her own TV series. Be aware though, that these segments are fairly long, so the page count is not necessarily a good reflection of story length. *I was provided with an advance copy by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review."
"This is fun ride into the dark world of Letty Dobesh."
"Great, suspensful, intriguing read."
"I enjoyed the author's discussions at the ends."
"Love Blake Crouch...now watching the series."
"Good book, well written enjoyed reading it."
"Was a bit confusing in the beginning."
Since he last set foot in Harper, Minnesota, Jake's whole life has changed beyond recognition, but the place seems just as he left it. Betrayed at every turn and unsure whom to trust, Jake's quest for the truth rekindles old rivalries and rouses ghosts that should never have been disturbed. Houghton writes with heart and packs in the twists and turns, before delivering a final knockout blow.” —Paul Pilkington. To read more about Keith Houghton and his writing, please visit www.keithhoughton.com.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A story line that was immediately compelling and a the main character was complex and engaging. The main characters bring with them the emotions and responses that we all would feel in the similar situations. The story has some surprises, some plot complications and some characters who will tug at your emotions."
"Mr. Houghton has always been one of my favorite, sought-after authors, simply because he has a special way of bringing his characters to vibrant life... so much so that they've become friends (or enemies) by the end of each book. Jake, free at 35 after spending half his life in prison falsely accused of murdering his girlfriend Jenna at age 17, is back in his hometown of Harper, Minnesota, searching for answers. This is a rocky, emotional journey of one lost man, looking to find meaning in a life full of unanswered questions."
"I really can't decide if I liked it or hated it!"
"A great story but with the most unseen twist."
"Great book."
"I found myself engrossed from start to finish; every twist and turn revealing secrets I didn't quite expect through to the bitter end."
"It was a good mystery and I couldn't figure it out until the end, but then I realized that there was a surprise ending."
"This was excellent, suspenseful, surprising, a winner."
Best Thrillers
Twenty years before, amid strange staff disappearances and allegations of fraud, panicked investors sold Cleveland’s largest bank in the middle of the night, locking out customers and employees, and thwarting a looming federal investigation. Iris, a young engineer working her first job out of the office, finds herself assigned to map out a floor plan for the bank building which has been empty for two decades. Just as Beatrice did 20 years before her, Iris quickly recognizes that there’s something not quite right at the bank and she soon learns that the building is not as empty as everyone thinks.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"When I was a regular shopper at my local bookstores, my initial selection was based off thickness (how I discovered Robert Jordon and Terry Goodkind and others of that epic length writing). THE DEAD KEY, however, is largely one single, long wind-up, the pacing not really picking up till well past the last quarter. moments rolling, the suspense tight with wonderment and discovery, simply an exquisite plotline that has made the game a cult classic. And the ending... well, a completion within the same emotional level as Arturo Pérez-Reverte's 1993 novel, THE CLUB DUMAS had concluded with (the novel may be recognized by more as the later movie, THE NINTH GATE). All in all, enjoyable, yet I do have to wonder how even more fantastic these elements would be if the book was the same 477 pages but made tauter in pacing, richer in action, and, yes, even more deeply layered."
"All-in-all, I found it a worthwhile read although I do wish the end of the book would have provided a bit more insight into how the characters from the earlier period fared."
"It was a complicated story line but worth reading as I did want to find out the mystery behind the key and what happened to the two main characters."
"Her use of two major characters in different times yet in the same location brings new meaning to "Hot in Cleveland"."
"The story concept is interesting: an important bank mysteriously closes overnight. When I was about 1/3 into the story it seemed that n.o.t.h.i.n.g. Reading the early reviews, I was sure I was reading a different book. For example, in most instances, we don't read about the secretary's workday, we read about her thinking about her workday or thinking about the personalities of the people she works with, or wondering where her friend is, or wondering about the significance of papers she sees. For example, the engineer meets her boss at the building and explains to him some of the work she has done, but (from the reader perspective) this is merely retelling what the engineer already mused about in the previous pages: she went to the eighth floor, to the room on the left; it was dusty; she made some measurements; she went to the next room; she saw papers on the floor; she wondered why the papers were left behind; she made some measurements; she looked at some of the papers; she wondered what the papers meant; she decided to take some of the papers with her to look at later; she went to the next room; she made some measurements. I second that thought."
Best Suspense
Twenty years before, amid strange staff disappearances and allegations of fraud, panicked investors sold Cleveland’s largest bank in the middle of the night, locking out customers and employees, and thwarting a looming federal investigation. Iris, a young engineer working her first job out of the office, finds herself assigned to map out a floor plan for the bank building which has been empty for two decades. Just as Beatrice did 20 years before her, Iris quickly recognizes that there’s something not quite right at the bank and she soon learns that the building is not as empty as everyone thinks.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"When I was a regular shopper at my local bookstores, my initial selection was based off thickness (how I discovered Robert Jordon and Terry Goodkind and others of that epic length writing). THE DEAD KEY, however, is largely one single, long wind-up, the pacing not really picking up till well past the last quarter. moments rolling, the suspense tight with wonderment and discovery, simply an exquisite plotline that has made the game a cult classic. And the ending... well, a completion within the same emotional level as Arturo Pérez-Reverte's 1993 novel, THE CLUB DUMAS had concluded with (the novel may be recognized by more as the later movie, THE NINTH GATE). All in all, enjoyable, yet I do have to wonder how even more fantastic these elements would be if the book was the same 477 pages but made tauter in pacing, richer in action, and, yes, even more deeply layered."
"I left off one star because the main characters are too much alike, in fact all the women especially but the men as well seemed like slight variations of the same personality."
"Several low-level female employees at the bank discover that something is awry (in both time periods), and their attempts to solve the mystery puts them in serious danger."
"The story concept is interesting: an important bank mysteriously closes overnight. When I was about 1/3 into the story it seemed that n.o.t.h.i.n.g. Reading the early reviews, I was sure I was reading a different book. For example, in most instances, we don't read about the secretary's workday, we read about her thinking about her workday or thinking about the personalities of the people she works with, or wondering where her friend is, or wondering about the significance of papers she sees. For example, the engineer meets her boss at the building and explains to him some of the work she has done, but (from the reader perspective) this is merely retelling what the engineer already mused about in the previous pages: she went to the eighth floor, to the room on the left; it was dusty; she made some measurements; she went to the next room; she saw papers on the floor; she wondered why the papers were left behind; she made some measurements; she looked at some of the papers; she wondered what the papers meant; she decided to take some of the papers with her to look at later; she went to the next room; she made some measurements. I second that thought."
Best Mystery
Twenty years before, amid strange staff disappearances and allegations of fraud, panicked investors sold Cleveland’s largest bank in the middle of the night, locking out customers and employees, and thwarting a looming federal investigation. Iris, a young engineer working her first job out of the office, finds herself assigned to map out a floor plan for the bank building which has been empty for two decades. Just as Beatrice did 20 years before her, Iris quickly recognizes that there’s something not quite right at the bank and she soon learns that the building is not as empty as everyone thinks.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"When I was a regular shopper at my local bookstores, my initial selection was based off thickness (how I discovered Robert Jordon and Terry Goodkind and others of that epic length writing). THE DEAD KEY, however, is largely one single, long wind-up, the pacing not really picking up till well past the last quarter. moments rolling, the suspense tight with wonderment and discovery, simply an exquisite plotline that has made the game a cult classic. And the ending... well, a completion within the same emotional level as Arturo Pérez-Reverte's 1993 novel, THE CLUB DUMAS had concluded with (the novel may be recognized by more as the later movie, THE NINTH GATE). All in all, enjoyable, yet I do have to wonder how even more fantastic these elements would be if the book was the same 477 pages but made tauter in pacing, richer in action, and, yes, even more deeply layered."
"I left off one star because the main characters are too much alike, in fact all the women especially but the men as well seemed like slight variations of the same personality."
"Several low-level female employees at the bank discover that something is awry (in both time periods), and their attempts to solve the mystery puts them in serious danger."
"The story concept is interesting: an important bank mysteriously closes overnight. When I was about 1/3 into the story it seemed that n.o.t.h.i.n.g. Reading the early reviews, I was sure I was reading a different book. For example, in most instances, we don't read about the secretary's workday, we read about her thinking about her workday or thinking about the personalities of the people she works with, or wondering where her friend is, or wondering about the significance of papers she sees. For example, the engineer meets her boss at the building and explains to him some of the work she has done, but (from the reader perspective) this is merely retelling what the engineer already mused about in the previous pages: she went to the eighth floor, to the room on the left; it was dusty; she made some measurements; she went to the next room; she saw papers on the floor; she wondered why the papers were left behind; she made some measurements; she looked at some of the papers; she wondered what the papers meant; she decided to take some of the papers with her to look at later; she went to the next room; she made some measurements. I second that thought."