Tuesday Book Review

Four-star review for Cloak of Darkness by Helen MacInnes

I hadn’t read any of the authors espionage thrillers for many years, although they used to be favorites of mine. It was like the proverbial old shoe, fitting me and my current mood. I would have rated this higher, just for the way she creates suspense, but it’s dated in so many ways, mainly because it’s set in the late 1970’s. Still, I enjoyed reading about Robert Renwick again and seeing what he was up to this time. When he’s told his name is on the Minus List, he travels to New York. For Claudel, the story starts in Djibouti. After Robert stows his young wife away in a safe place in Virginia, he and Claudel meet up in the Swiss and French alps in pursuit of a previous foe and a new one.

Tuesday Book Review

5-star review of The Interspecies Poker Tournament: The Roshaven Case Files No. 27 by Claire Buss

Another fun read about thief-catcher Ned Spinks and his assistant Jenni the sprite. This time, they’re after a mustachioed shape-shifter who take the form of each kind of fae creature before he kills one of them. Jenni’s loyalty is torn between Ned and Momma K, the highest authority of all the fae, who has tasked her with finding the murderer. We learn more about each of the fae communities along the way, and a get a quick lesson on Texas Hold’em. If you’re looking for a quick and delightful read, this is the book for you.

Tuesday Book Review

4 star review of Nemesis Games by James S. A. Corey

The crew of the Roci are back from the Ring and the discoveries on the other side, but they’re separated. Amos is on Earth, Alex on Mars, Naomi trying to reunite with her son, and Jim waiting on repairs to his ship on Tycho Station. With alternating chapters about each of them, their various stories combine to tell their stories, not just their present, but their pasts. Nemesis Games takes us back mainly to the inner planets.