The Hammer of God by Tom Avitabile

The Hammer of God. Tom Avitabile. The Fiction Studio. April 2012. 404 Pages. ISBN #: 9781936558384. 


Twenty-four small jars of cold cream are ready for shipment and it's a job well-done. So begins the innocuous journey that ends in a crushing accident and what seems to be deliberate end to this shipment, forever encapsulated in layers of concrete. Yet is that really the end? 


  The plot now shifts to a bunch of science geeks in the Bronx who do nothing that normal teenage kids do but are excused for their obsession with science and electronics because of their formidable intelligence. Although frequently separated by miles as they grow older, they remain bonded friends whose link may well one day save mankind! 


Again, another shift takes us to an opposite group of characters who believe the West is evil incarnate and who must be destroyed. Each member of this cast trains hard to ensure success in the ultimate question of total destruction. What does it involve and how will it be accomplished? 


A renowned scientist and his committee hold a secret about a global harmonic grid which other scientists and government person deem nonsense but which targets each member of the committee for assassination. Killed or otherwise,they disappear just when they are needed most. 


Meanwhile, the plot is thickening, with Bill Hiccock and his Quarterback Ops Group attempting to forecast and prevent a terrorist act or acts from killing thousands or millions of U. S. citizens. 


The Hammer of God is a tightly plotted, fear-filled and all-too-realistic thriller that is finely written, in fact the best this reviewer has read in a long time. It should be a best seller and will make the reader anxiously awaiting the third and final novel in this thriller trilogy! Great job, Tom Avitabile!!!

The Watchers by Jon Steele

The Watchers. Jon Steele. Blue Rider Press. May 2012. 592 pages. Available in Hardcover and E-Book. ISBN #: 9780399158742.

Marc Rochat is a disabled young man who takes care of the bells in Lausanne Cathedral. His mother who died long ago, told him he would save an angel of God. His only conversations are with the bells, the statues, and the dead in the Cathedral's crypt. Yes, he is a strange man with some obvious simple and harmless idiosyncrasies, hardly one who could save anyone. Yet there is something endearing about this pathetic, innocent creature who is dedicated to his job or mission as he sees it. Then his dreams and conversations begin to change as he becomes more of an observer of what is happening outside the Cathedral!

He sees two other characters in the story, Katherine Taylor and a man who looks like a spy. Katherine is oblivious to all, reveling in the life of a high paid "companion" and never realizing she is a slave subject to the whims of others. Her life will turn into a dramatic, spine-tingling horror, leaving her in an inhuman state one could never imagine.

Jay Harper is an International Olympic Committee employee, a simple man who loves the History Channel on TV but who also has uncanny private investigator skills that can be used by his employers. It seems that there is a secondary plot about a murdered Russian gentleman who was trying to contact Jay Harper to give him something of tremendous importance, which never happens.

All of a sudden the plot turns horrifically violent. Several characters die at the hands of an obviously sick, twisted killer. Up to here, everything makes sense and holds the reader. But then the hints connect to quotes from the banned Biblical Book of Enoch, references to the ancient Nephilim (giants briefly mentioned in the Genesis and Book of Enoch), and everything seems to flip into a speedy end where some will die, some will be left still unknowing, and one will have to be placed in protective custody.

The plot in The Watchers is credible to a point. The even pace of the first half of the novel turns frenetic in the second, with enough repetition to sink a ship and random thoughts as well as clues interspersed. It gets downright choppy. This story is good but loses steam because of the above problems, leaving the reader thrilled yet annoyed at the irrelevant twists and turns and lack of transition and smooth connection into this religious and/or evil development. Fascinating in some respects, not so in far too many other parts that need editing.

The House of Tyneford by Natasha Solomons

The House of Tyneford. Natasha Solomons. A Plume Book: The Penguin Group. December 2011. 368 pages. ISBN #: 9780452297647.

Elise Landau, a 19 year-old Viennese-born young lady, is forced to leave Austria due to the Nazi occupation.  A life of luxury, with a famous writer father and opera singer mother, is transformed into a world where Elise is now a servant in an upper class English country family.  Tyneford is a magical, fairy-tale land of beauty on land and the sea. Grievously homesick and missing the rest of her family, she waits for word from them while adapting to this new, difficult change in social status!

It turns out her sister and husband have made it to America but Julian and Anna have been unable to obtain a visa to leave Austria, but Elise doesn't know that. So at least Elise can hold onto hope while learning to adapt to the life of a maidservant. The novel fluctuates between her struggles to fit into this very different life and her finding peace as she gradually explores the beautiful land around her new home. Little by little, a normalcy develops until the son of her employer, Kit Rivers. They become friends who love the land and also love an occasional bout of unacceptable behavior that is quite harmless but shocks the daylights of both Mr. Rivers and Mr. Wrexham and Mrs. Ellsworth, the two who trained her in her hob duties. Wild and fun, these actions become the tie that draws them into a deeper closeness.

War changes everything and it's no different for Kit, Else, Mr. Rivers, the rest of the household staff, and the remaining fishers, farmers, and shepherds of Tyneford. The Germans begin to bomb Britain and the residents of Tyneford have their own secret defense force, helpless in a way to prevent the carnage of war but strong in a belief in their power to protect, a belief that ennobles all of Tyneford. Kit joins the military but quickly returns in a wounded state. Soon he will recover and leave, and from here the unbelievable happens. Relationships change in a way never anticipated by the reader and keep him or her rapidly turning pages to determine the possible, anticipated outcome. 

The House of Tyneford is a lovely book, soft and fierce in all the right places, and a tale that tells the wartime tale in so many different points of view, adding several subplots of care and love to warm the heart and elicit intrigue in all involved. Nicely done, Ms. Solomons!

When Dreams Come True by Cathy Maxwell

When Dreams Come True. Cathy Maxwell. Harper Collins Publishers: Avon Books. August 1998. 384 Pages. ISBN #: 9780380797097.

The Widow, with the help of several village woman, calls forth a spell to bring a future bride for their Cornish earl, a woman who will grant an heir to this noble family on whom everyone in the area depends. None who participate doubt the event will soon bring forth the promised bride!!!

Meanwhile, the "promised one" is in London hearing words meant to give her strength as she has been told she will embark on a trip to the Middle East to be one of many concubines to a rich Sultan. Eden's one and only friend says words that prove to be the core of this story, "I will pray that God gives you the courage to free yourself." So begins a journey for Eden in which she will draw on that courage to start a new life, one the reader is not sure she will initially survive.

Pierce, Lord Penhollow, has more people trying to arrange a wedding for him than he can stand. Yet he also wonders what would it be like to actually marry a woman for love? A friend warns him that's a dream that drastically changes after the "knot is tied," yet Pierce still dreams. Imagine his surprise on finding a shipwrecked woman whose first look at him with magical green eyes turns his life into a whirlwind of desire and dreams! It also inflames quite a few characters who had their own plans lined up for the Lord!

The plot continues with several challenges to Pierce and Eden's love because of the secret Eden holds to herself. But it turns out that there are many secrets waiting to be revealed and resolved in this well-told romance story. Every romance reader loves a passionate love story, but it's so much better when there is a tangible mystery story tied into it. When Dreams Come True is a tale with plenty of conflict, misunderstandings, and passion! Well done, Cathy Maxwell!

Abby Finds Her Calling: Home at Cedar Creek - Book One by Naomi King

Abby Finds Her Calling: Home at Cedar Creek - Book One. Naomi King. New American Library Trade Paperback, Penguin Group. March 2012. 320 Pages. ISBN #: 9780451235732.

Welcome to a new series about the Amish community in Cedar Creek, Missouri. It's a beautiful fall day which bridegroom James Graber is relishing as he watches the carriages of Amish from surrounding and far away communities converge on Cedar Creek for James's wedding that day.  Watching them arrive, James is contemplating his future wife, Zanna, whom he loves and is determined to cherish for the rest of their lives. Things seem to go completely awry a few minutes later when Zanna's sister, Abby, comes to tell James that Zanna is nowhere to be found.  What a disaster - embarrassment galore, shame, anger, fury, confusion and so much more are felt and expressed.  The Bishop who was to marry them decides they will worship and celebrate life in spite of the lack of a bride and groom.

So begins a story in which Zanna does reappear but in a condition that all blame her and James for, which was really caused by a secret other.  Because of her sin, Zanna is "banned" (or shunned) for six weeks by her community, but it takes a lot longer than that for the community to heal and begin to treat her civilly.  

During that time, secrets will be revealed.  A lost son will return through a terrible tragedy and the unexpected will happen to both Zanna and Abby, who has mentally nurtured a hidden love of her own she's had for eons it seems.    It may seem a bit stretched the way it all turns out, but that happens in a very nice way that the reader will definitely enjoy.  

Naomi King has a very unique gift of presenting a simple romance with a few twists and turns.  Her unique talent is making sure every possible point of view is expressed in a credible, real way that is quite edifying and electric with tension.  Not many authors who write this type of fiction have such a balanced perspective.  It's not a touchy, feel good book, just a very honest story about love and grace gone amiss and the honestly difficult but determined journey it takes to come truly "home."

Very nicely done, Ms. King!

The Way by Kristen Wolf

The Way. Kristen Wolf. Crown Publishing Group. July 2011. 368 Pages. ISBN #: 9780307717696.

The Earth is the Mother's and all that flows from there. Staying one with the Mother through meditation and respect for creation yields right relationships and blessings in the fruits of creation. These are some of the fundamental beliefs that the followers of the Way have followed for centuries, but now it is women who live these beliefs as the religion of men has grown in order to justify male domination. The latter is now determined to eradicate the Way and all of its followers by whatever means possible.

This is the world into which Anna is born. Her mother may have been a follower but is weakened by a domineering, abusive husband. After her mother bears a stillborn child and then dies herself, Anna's father sells her to traveling shepherds, but not before a wise woman protects Anna from worse.  A mysterious necklace is all Anna has to remind her of a sacred, healing power existing somewhere in the world. Anna, one realizes is a girl but has the facial features of a boy for which she is despised and feared as an emanation of something evil.

After she has learned the work of shepherding, she hears more of this Way briefly but is more preoccupied with the male role she is constantly living and making friends with the leader and another man, Peter, who has secret feelings for this young boy now known as Jesus. The story gradually changes to the point where Jesus is sent on a mission to get supplies and comes upon those women living in a cave in the secret area known as "The Narrows." Here Jesus' real identity is uncovered and she gradually becomes trusted enough to learn of the Way and the troubles that threaten its very existence.

Jesus begins to travel and the story unravels to the point where events occur that defy most readers' expectations on their own religious upbringing and education. Surprises and agonizing attacks and more loom on every page.

The Way is quite simply an astonishing story that is both credible and incredible. It stretches the imagination, one's doubts, wonder, beliefs over and over again, leaving one with questions and answers galore! Fascinating fiction!

Against the Night: The Raines of Wind Canyon by Kat Martin

Against the Night: The Raines of Wind Canyon. Kat Martin. Mira Books. February 2012. 400 Pages. ISBN #: 9780778313199.

Former Army Ranger and now Private Investigator, Johnnie Riggs is hanging out in a strip joint looking for a crook who's skipped his bail. But his attention is very distracted by a sexy gal who's an exotic pole dancer. Finally, he sees his prey and grabs him, but Johnnie returns to ask the dancer out. This is the first in a series of novels called The Raines of Wind Canyon, and it strikes a new pose for Kat Martin!

Angel is not the loose woman she appears to be; apparently, she's (Amy) come to the big city, Los Angeles, from Michigan to find her missing sister. She'd love to ask Johnnie to help her after she finds out who he really is, but she's sure she can never afford what she believes is probably an exorbitant fee. The sparks are definitely flying between these two and at first it takes all their inner strength not to fall into bed immediately. The story progresses when Johnnie at first is annoyed that she wants his help instead of just providing some action, but he just can't resist being with her!

Both the romance and the criminal side of the story rapidly progress with the search for Rachel, a beautiful woman as well who came to the city to become a star but got caught up with a creep making huge promises but with other nefarious ideas in mind for employing her. When Johnnie and Amy set out on their mission, they have no idea how their search will threaten their own lives and their passion as well!!!

Kat Martin has done a fine job again with this latest romance/crime thriller novel. The characters in this new first novel in a series are edgier in one sense, which gives them an air of unpredictability that adds to the suspense of the story. Trusting and love are sometimes part of a perilous journey, and Johnnie and Amy bring the form to the top of the game! Very nicely done, Kat Martin!