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In the aftermath of a horrific murder in which an entire family has been attacked, the only survivor at the scene is a young boy who is covered with stab wounds. Detective Joona Linna insists that the attending physician call in a doctor, who in the past has specialized in hypnosis. This is a last ditch effort to try and reach out to the boy, who may soon succumb to his wounds. Dr. Erik Maria Bark has not used hypnotism as medical tool for years because of a promise he made. With the boy's life hanging by a thread, Dr. Bark reluctantly agrees to try hypnosis to get the boy to recount what happened to his family and possibly describe the murderer. What emerges is a tale that sounds as though it was the boy who murdered his family. The repercussions of Dr. Bark's hypnosis of the boy are far reaching. Did the boy actually kill the family members in his house? Is his older sister, who was not at home at the time of the murder, also a target? Is someone else out to kill all the members of this family and why? Dr. Bark is professionally and personally rebuked for using hypnosis on this young boy, even though the child was teetering between life and death. His wife chooses this time to leave him. In the midst of this fallout, Dr. Bark's son, who has a life threatening blood disorder, is kidnapped. Dr. Bark is haunted by the loss of his wife and son as well as by mistakes he has make in the past while using hypnosis. Is the kidnapping related to the murders? Are Bark and his family now targets of the murder? Detective Linna has his hands full trying to solve the murders and find the doctor's son. This book has great depth both in plot and characters. The authors masterfully blend various subplots to bring the story to a satisfactory end. The characters are rich and full bodied. Swedish Detective Joona Linna is like a Canadian Mountie, who is determined to always get his man. When he does, however, he wants, no, needs to hear that he was right. Even the secondary characters are imbued with small quirks and nuances to give them life. For those of you who say, "What, another Swedish thriller?", I say if they are all as good as this one, keep them coming. This book was provided for review by the well read folks at Sarah Crichton Books/Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Do you believe in a Book of Days? A book that lists the past, present, and future of everyone on Earth. Cameron Vaux doesn't, but he is starting to experience lapses of memory. His dad had died eight years ago after a devastating bout with dementia. His last conversation with Cameron had centered around the idea of a book that showed the future, which his father had seen. His dad believed it would be Cameron's salvation when he also would start to loose his memories. Cameron was not a religious man as his father had been. He finds it extremely hard to believe in a book from God that held all the answers. When his father's prediction starts to come true, Cameron has to search to find the answers to his father's riddle. Would a Book of Days be a curse or a blessing to those who find it? Is our future written down so that it cannot be changed? Are all our actions and their consequences predetermined before we are even aware of them. Do we have a choice? Can we change what is written? Some intriguing concepts presented in a mildly suspenseful story with interesting characters.

This is the story of John Holdsworth, a down and out bookseller in late eighteenth century England, who has recently lost his young son to a drowning accident. This is soon followed by the suicide by drowning of his despondent wife. He had written a book entitled, "The Anatomy of Ghosts" to try and shake his wife free of the belief that she could communicate with her dead son through a charlatan medium. John's attempt to bring her back to reality only exacerbated the problem and may have driven her over the edge. The first third of this novel thus moves at a somber pace. Things begin to look up for John and us when he is saved from a downward spiral, by the request of a Lady Anne Oldershaw to catalog her deceased husband's library in preparation for donating it to Cambridge University. There is a catch, however. Lady Anne's son, Frank, who had been attending Jerusalem College, has suddenly insisted that he has seen a ghost, had a breakdown and has been committed to a doctor's care. As Holdsworth seems to be an expert on debunking ghosts, Lady Anne wants him to bring her son back to her and cure him of these foolish and dangerous thoughts. Here the story switches to the life in the college and mystery surrounding Frank's encounter with his ghost. The author sets the scene and mood of the story nicely with a myriad of details of late eighteenth century English life in the cities and colleges of the time. The pace of the book is slow at first, but picks up as the cast of characters and story unfold. There are a number of interesting plot lines and twists to keep our interest until the grand denouement. I found the book a bit long. It would perhaps have benefited from some tighter plotting, but overall was an enjoyable read with enough tragedy, romance, mystery, and intrigue for everyone. This book was provided for review by the good folks at Hyperion books.

Who would have thought a book dictated by the author over 100 years ago would hit home with readers today and end up on the best seller lists.

The Radleys are a vampire family trying to live a normal life in a small town in England. Well, Peter and his wife Helen haven't actually told their teenage children, Rowan and Clara they are vampires. The sunblock they constantly apply hasn't prevented Rowan from getting severe skin rashes. He is finding it increasingly hard to sleep at night. His sister, Clara has decided to go vegan with predictably dire gastronomic results. Yet, their parents are reluctant to reveal the truth, as they long ago pledged to each other to fight their urges and try to live normal human lives. An assault on Clara by a drunk, overly amorous classmate leads to predictable results, with her first taste of blood. In a panic, Peter calls out to his estranged brother, Will, for help. This could prove to be a major mistake, as Will is a fully practicing, nearly out of control, vampire. This story is an interesting take on the vampire mystique. I found it a bit staid, nothing over the top. The story flows smoothly and is an easy read.

If you have ever had a loved one touched by the cruel hand of dementia, you need to read this book. It will help you understand some of the torment and struggle that are endured by those afflicted by this disease. If you haven't witnessed the suffering, you may well ask if a person would bargain their time that is left them for a few days or weeks of clarity and sound judgment. I know I would. So did Mr Ptolemy Grey,a ninety-one year old, black man, whose life and dignity are being sucked out of him by dementia. He continues to live by himself in squalid surroundings since the death of his wife many years ago. He has a vague idea that he needs to leave a legacy; to make a difference for some of his remaining family and to Robyn, a beautiful, caring, eighteen year old girl, who has brought a freshness and new life to Mr. Ptolemy Grey. He must decide whether to live a life in which he is afraid to go out on the street or to open his door to relatives or neighbors, lest they beat and rob him or take the devil's medicine that may give him a last chance to fulfill his dream. The book is full of good characterizations and is very insightful in how we treat ourselves and others.

I enjoyed this thriller, mystery which takes place in the frozen land of northern Sweden. Annika Bengtzon is an investigative reporter. She has two young children and an inattentive husband who is starting to stray. She is only barely recovering from being kidnapped and terrorized by a mad serial killer connected with a story she had broken last year. As she tries to readjust to her job and family, she finds herself questioning the usefulness of one and the stability of the other. A small town reporter, whom she was supposed to meet for a lead on a story about a terrorist attack on an air base many years ago, is killed in a suspicious hit and run. In the face of her editor's protestations to the contrary, Annika's instincts tell her there is much more to this story. As she begins to delve into the connection between the dead reporter and the old terrorist incident, she follows threads leading to a murderous terrorist and political corruption linking the past and the present. She finds she has to fight on her own for her life and her family. Annika is a complicated character. She has her strengths and her weaknesses. Although she does not always do the right thing, she is at least always trying to make a difference and not giving up. A good story in an exotic locale.

Do you like a good mystery? Would you like to search for gold coins? Aiden Farmer, is a young girl who's life is turned upside down after the unexpected death of her father. Aiden and her mother must give up their life on the farm and return to the city,to find work and to live with her mother's brother, who is an opera singer. Aiden feels totally out of place and thinks only of finding a way to return to her friends and life on the farm. When she hears of the lost twenty gold falcons hidden in the Ingle Building, where her uncle performs, she determines to find them and return to the farm. Along the trail of the missing coins, she finds new friends, new hopes and new family. As well as a better understanding of what things are truly important in life. A well told tale, that all ages will enjoy.

I enjoyed this book with it's unusually creepy serial killer. The thought of turning his victims into works of art mirroring those of Michelangelo was very disquieting. The characters were very engaging. The Sculptor was a very complex character, his many layers gradually peeled back for the reader as the story progresses. The heroes, Sam Markham, the FBI behavioral analyst and Dr. Catherine Hildebrant, whose book on Michelangelo has inspired the Sculptor's "art", are a bit less complicated, but none the less strong characterizations. Why is it that villainy seems to require higher (or is it lower) degree of depth of character? Perhaps we have more fun and freedom when we create in the dark zone. The detail given to Michelangelo's works and the interpretation of his art is very enlightening. It contributes to the story, while not slowing down the suspense. I was a little disappointed with the ending, as I could see it coming and it had what I felt was a familiar feel about it. This was in contrast to the originality of the villain and his gruesome acts. Highly readable and very entertaining.

This is a great adventure book for kids and their parents who are not too old to still enjoy a rollicking yarn filled with pirates, George Washington and the American revolution, Sopwith Camels, and spying against the Nazis in World War II. How exactly, I'm sure you are asking, can you fit all that into one book. Well it helps if you have a working model of Leonardo da Vinci's, Tempus Machina, a time machine. Nick McIver, our twelve year old hero, is game to try anything. He probably gets this trait from his dad, who was a heroic flying ace in the RAF during the First World War. Along with his sister Kate, his friend Gunner, who had served in the Navy and some other help along the way, Nick leads us from one hair breath escape to another in a continuous romp that will leave you asking for more. This is book two of Nick McIver's adventures in time. Hopefully not the last.

Did you know the President had his own private vampire, sworn by a blood oath, to follow the presidents lawful orders and to protect him against all threats? Well, Nathaniel Cade, the President's vampire, has been doing just that for 140 years. You thought Washington couldn't keep any secrets! Cade, given the choice of death or eternal service to the President, accepts and with the spell of a blood oath, administered by a mysterious Creole woman, he turns his newly acquired powers over to the government. We learn snippets of his history as he takes on both a new case and a new handler in present day Washington D.C. In this first of a series, Cade takes on an old enemy who is literally piecing together an unstoppable army to take out Cade and the President. This is a very interesting take on the vampire legend, with new twists and plenty of action. The characters are well developed and varied. Once you've taken a bite of this one, you won't be able to put it down until you have drained it dry.

There are a few books that you feel you have to rush through to see what will happen next. Then when you have finished, you wish that it could have continued. This is one of those books. Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, was a traveler, merchant and gem trader extraordinaire. In the mid 1600's, he left his native France to travel to Persia, India, and the Far East to search for the world's rarest gems. During his six voyages, that spanned over thirty-six years, he met and traded with kings, princes, shahs, and, potentates. Among them Cardinal Richelieu, ministers Mazarin, and Colbert of France, The Great Mogul of India, Shah Jahan, of India, who built the Taj Mahal to honor his deceased wife, also the Shah of Persia, and of course, Louis XIV, the Sun King, of France. Jean sold to Louis XIV, the rarest gem in the world, The French Blue. A blue diamond weighing over 112 carats, uncut. Over the years this gem would be cut twice, eventually becoming what is now known as the Hope Diamond. Add in adventure and excitement in foreign lands and a smattering of romance that spans two continents and you have a perfect summer read. A welcome addition to any collection.

A #1 international best seller for her first fiction book, speaks wonders of the talent of Ms Reichs. If you enjoy a suspenseful summer read to keep you turning pages, this is the book for you. Tempe Brennan, a forensic anthropologist,working in Quebec, is up to her elbows in victims of a serial killer. If you enjoy the television show, "Bones," which is loosely based on Ms Reichs' novels, you will you will roll over and sit up for the opportunity to dissect this fully fleshed out tale.

Morley has given us a story of love, not only for books , but also for our fellow man. The real importance of this tale, is the call for all humanity to end the absurd use of war to try and settle the ills of mankind. The author calls out to us, through his kindly bookseller, to free the knowledge and wisdom of generations. Sealed within the pages of books are the truths and answers, if only we will open our minds. Written after the "war to end all wars," it was a plea for for just that, an end to war.