The Big Dark Sky by Dean Koontz (Goodreads Author)

The Big Dark Sky by Dean Koontz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Brilliant as always, this time earth is being threatened by an AI from another planet. The AI has gone bat shit crazy after being exposed to the mind of Asher Optime. He reaches out to JoJo (Joanna Chase) whose innocence as a child gave him hope that his creators who were slumbering in a spaceship hidden in the depths of the lake on her family's property could be awakened, but he is outraged to discover that JoJo has grown up and now "The Other" is determined to destroy her and all of mankind.

Jimmy Two Eyes who was often controlled by "The Other" and used to communicate with JoJo finds the strength and the will to overcome his disabilities and communicate with JoJo as himself so he can tell her "The Other's" secrets and location.

Mankinds only hope is Project Olivaw. Can Artimis Selene destroy "The Other" before it destroys mankind? Ganesh Patel believes she can and inspires hope in his friends hearts. Giving them the will to fight on and distract "The Other" for the precious seconds Artimis needs to locate and destroy "The Other".

In the aftermath Wyatt and Joanna grow closer and become guardians for Jimmy. Kenny Deetle and Leigh Ann realize that they are meant to be together, and Ganesh realizes he has feelings for Ophelia Poole.

If there is a sequel Ganesh's feeling for Ophelia are going to cause problems because (AI) Artimis Selene has become obsessed with Ganesh.


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The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden (Goodreads Author)

The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What really happened? Did Victoria have the perfect life with a loving husband. Are Adam's best selling horror stories closer to fact then fiction? Will Sylvia discover the truth before it's too late? These are just some of the questions that keep you turning the pages late into the night.

Sylvia takes a job caring for Victoria Barnett whose terrible "accident" left her unable to walk or feed herself. She soon falls for Victoria's husband Adam whose successful writing career and subsequent wealth makes him the perfect catch. Or is he, Victoria's diary tells a chilling story of a jealous control freak who basically kept her isolated in their remote home.

So who is Sylvia to believe Victoria who can barely speak or Adam whose glib tongue has an answer for every question.

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The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths (Goodreads Author)

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book, I have been looking for a series with an archeological theme since I finished the Amelia Peabody series Crocodile on the Sandbank. Alas I can't stand HUSBAND STEALING SLUT RUTH.

Apparently at some point in the past Peter was madly in love with her but she kicked him to the curb and he eventually married someone else and had a child. Now he is back and professing his undying love to Ruth. Alas Ruth isn't interested because she is sleeping with Nelson, the married police inspector and at the end of the book Ruth reveals that she is PG with his child. And why we had to put up with the drivel about Ruth and Shona's affairs with married men is beyond me as it added nothing to the plot.

Also a cat had it's cut throat which really didn't add anything to the plot either.

The plot revolves around two missing girls. The first Lucy has been missing 10 years, Ruth is called in to examine some bones found on the Saltmarsh, that Nelson thinks might be Lucy's remains. The bones turn out to be from a girl buried during the Iron Age another girl goes missing and Ruth discovers her remains at the site of the henge. Later she realized her friend and mentor Eric was the letter writer and mistakenly believing that he is also the killer she flees into the Saltmarsh to escape him and unbelievable stumbles upon Lucy's cell.

And this is the other problem with the story apparently Lucy was hidden in plain site for 10 years. During this exhaustive search of the area 10 years ago not one person thought to check the hide. And in ensuing years not one birdwatcher stumbled upon the hiding place. Also the book had very little to do with archaeology.

If anyone knows of a series in the Amelia Peabody vein please let me know.


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A Face to Die For by Iris Johansen (Goodreads Author)

A Face to Die For by Iris Johansen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you haven't read The Bullet this book won't make any sense.

Eve is hiding from the President of the U.S.(Madlock) in a village in Robaku, Maldara Smokescreen, when her friend Jill comes to call she wants Eve to help Riley Smith reconstruct the skull of Helen of Troy when Riley finds Helen's burial spot. In an effort to get to Eve and Riley the village is attacked by Dakar and many of the villagers are hurt/killed. Eve decides to help Riley and Novak ask Michael Cade (thankfully he is usually referred to as Cade) to partner with Riley and keep both women safe. Joe eventually leaves Michael in Seth and Jane's care and joins them

I wish they had told more about Helen of Troy and the myths surrounding her I really felt like her story could have been explored further, and that the addition of The Bullet plot detracted from Riley & Cade's story.

Predictably Riley finds Helen's tomb, Eve does the reconstruction and Dakar discovers where they are at when Eve and Riley are separated from Joe and Cade. Eve and Riley run for their lives with Helen's skull in tow. They are captured by Dakar and his men and Joe shows up in time to kill Dakar and his men with Riley making a daring rescue of Helen's skull.

Cade plots to kill Madlock in order to keep everyone safe. The book ends with Madlock's death and Helen of Troy being ensconced at Cade's London estate.

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The Silent Sister (Riley MacPherson, #1)

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Serious plot holes detracted from the enjoyment of the book. Really I am supposed to believe when their teenage daughter turned up pregnant her parents didn't bother to find out who the Father was? I am supposed to believe that a U.S. Marshal didn't notice his daughter was being abused by her music teacher? and I am supposed to believe that when his daughter shot the music teacher in their home he didn't bother to INVESTIGATE the circumstances? Then when he helps her fake her suicide I am supposed to believe he brought Tom into the picture. I mean really you go to the trouble of faking your daughters death so she can avoid prison and you bring someone unreliable into the plot?

Then there is this entire Lisa/Ann/Jade will go to prison for murder if anyone finds out she is alive. I really think a good lawyer could get her out on self defense and PTS. I mean really you expect me to believe that a jury would have convicted a 17 year old girl who shot the man who molested her as a child and raped her when she was 14 and who came into her home and threatened to take their daughter from her? I get Jade didn't want Riley to know her Father was a rapist, but...

And then there was the fact nobody bothered to tell Riley that she was adopted or that her sister had been accused of murder. Her Father had a secret life where he hung out with Jade and her family and nobody not even his girlfriend guessed?

And nobody noticed that the fiddle player for a blue grass band looked an awful lot like the violinist wanted for murder?

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Vixen 03 (Dirk Pitt, #5)

Vixen 03 by Clive Cussler
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It was OK, definitely written to appeal to a male audience. I can't imagine any woman walking around in the nude as much as the Congresswoman does in real life. And honestly Pitt's affair with the Congresswoman was totally unnecessary to the plot.

A devious man's bid for power leads him to massacre one man's family in order to get his cooperation with "Operation Wild Rose". Another man's greed leads to a missile carrying Quick Death "QD" to be sold for use in Operation Wild Rose. Unaware that two of the missiles he is lobbing at Washington DC contain QD Fawkes in already having second thoughts about the mission. With Pitt's help he will prevent the release of QD

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