Blue Water Hues: an Ashley Grant Mystery by Vicki Delany

written by Vicki Delany
A Rapid Reads Orca Book, advance reading copy (ARC) 

Well, this book certainly starts with an attention-getter! A very new, very high class inn is up in smoke. That got my attention. What is going on with this beautiful resort in such an amazing location? It's a good thing the newly located Canadian, Ashley Grant, is a paramedic and already on the job. Ashley has just moved from Toronto, Ontario to Victoria and Albert Islands in the Caribbean, what an adjustment! Fortunately the country is outfitted with a firefighter, an ambulance driver and a police office, in other words, your standard very small country or county town service people, because they are going to be utilizing all three in this book. In the meantime, though discovered to be arson, the fire was quickly contained, mostly smoke, and the resort is mostly open. Yet, why arson? What could be the reason, or the attempt in the first place. Is there yet more going on in this the story?

This is the second Ashley Grant Mystery, I'll sure try to read the first, I suspect it would be quite different. But back to the Caribbean and the fire, it doesn't take long for Ashley to be asking questions with a death from the fire and a puzzling second death that evening, which oddly appears related...or is it? Will there be more? Well, maybe a near-miss, possibly attempted murder.

I enjoy the interactions with the local people especially in small locations. Often there will be some opinionated, some caring, some murderous. It surprises me that Ashley has so many phobias yet goes to live where she will find herself trying to avoid them. Perhaps that is one of the reasons for her move, to get past her phobias. I enjoyed this book, so descriptive, making me long for a trip to the Caribbean.

One Hot Murder - a Victoria Square Mystery by Lorraine Bartlett

A Berkley Prime Crime publication
Review based on Advance Reading Copy (ARC)
 Third in the Victoria Square Mystery Series, this book does not disappoint, in fact if anything, it surpasses with a mysterious fire and death in Artisans Alley. As Katie's mind races between one suspect and another, one victim and another, the reader is hard put to try and outguess the protagonist. With her keen sense of intuition, she needs to talk her ideas out with someone. What a time for Detective Davenport to retire! So many loose threads, but who is holding the winning one, the one with the right answers? Why did two men disappear at the same time, with one body left behind at Artisans Alley? Katie has two many suspects and too many victims. But Detective Davenport does not go lightly into the sunset but is actively hoping to solve this last case before his official retirement date and time. Who died in the Wood U fire?

Another thorn in Katie's side, she has once again seen her dreams of owning the Webster Mansion to a new buyer. Turning to Seth, her lawyer friend, she finds no answers but more questions, but on meeting the new owners, she finds that they have a lot of ideas similar to her own, and even better, she really likes them. But can she part with all her stored treasures she bought in anticipation of turning the house into the English Ivy Inn?

In this sizzling early summer heat, tempers flare, strange things are happening at the Alley, and the air conditioner is ill-equipped for both the extreme temperatures and the size of the building. Going home at the end of the day to her room over the pizza parlor is no better. Emotions run high, and dealing with Ida's frustrating personality has driven her to remove her from the Alley. A decision that will come back to haunt her.

Once more Lorraine Bartlett has given us a very hot mystery to keep us guessing. A large part of the charm of the Victoria Square Mystery Series is the camaraderie shared by so many mainstays in the series, and that charm continues. Well-written as always, introducing new characters and perhaps a new direction, this book will certainly keep our brain cells cooking! With Katie's mind going in so many directions, there are twists and turns galore. Recipes included.

Incendiary by Chris Redding

Published by Imajin Books

Sometimes trial and tribulation make us stronger in character. Sometimes too much power and wealth make us weaker. This story shows us both sides of the coin.

Chelsea has inherited her father's voluntary rescue company. Her brother is the town's fire chief. They are often at odds at home but are dedicated to their work which sometimes requires both fire and rescue. An arsonist is at work in the town and resembles completely the work of an arsonist several years before. The person suspected of the earlier arsons happened to be Chelsea's boyfriend and her brother Chad's best friend, Jake. But Jake moved away years ago, so who is setting these copycat fires?

Another friend of Chelsea, Brad and Jake, is Tim, head of the bank that holds the mortgage on the rescue building and equipment, and coincidentally has the hots for Chelsea, even to the point of trying to get to her through her adopted son Max.

When Jake comes back a decade later to clear his name, his return coincides with the new arsons. Is Jake setting these fires? Is he really back to clear his name? Or is he back to reclaim Chelsea's broken heart? Rumors begin once again and nobody knows who to trust.

Chris Redding has delivered a different twist of a mystery, a well-written scenario of did he - didn't he? Will she - won't she? Overcoming the past, saving lives, murder, secrets and rumor. Switching from loss and distrust to fear and desperation, with comfort, humor and love between, this book dishes up several flavors throughout to keep the reader spellbound. I found myself getting more immersed the more I read. Informative and captivating, compassion and greed, all wrapped up in one exciting package.

Divine Intervention by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Published by Trafford Publishing

When Cheryl Kaye Tardif writes a book you know it will grip you right from the beginning and take you on an intense and fascinating ride. This book is no exception, but readers should keep in mind this book was written in 2004 as a futuristic techno-psi-thriller and has now almost caught up with itself. I loved this book, even though it may be a little dated futuristically. In fact, that was part of its allure for me, it takes place in British Columbia and references some of the past I know. I feel connected to this story. It's curious to see what might have been, technically speaking, in 2012 and where we actually are (to the best of our limited knowledge) in 2011. As the average reader knows, when it comes to technology and psychic resources for certain areas of our lives, we are definitely left out of the loop be it governmental, military, or even local policing.

Regardless, this is fun, intense, serious, futuristic fiction done up with great characterizations, full of futuristic tools. I say tools because these are the good guys, no bombs here. They are police, firemen, and secret law enforcement agents under the recently formed CFBI, a Canadian counterpart to the FBI. In "Divine Intervention" this group has just taken charge of two cases from different parts of British Columbia after evidence in both cases points to a serial arsonist murderer. What is different in this group is the covert Psi factor.

The group we follow is part of the PSI division, Psychic Skills Investigators, secreted in an underground complex under the direction of Matthew Divine. Very specialized in different areas, this close-knit group is comprised of Agent Jasmine McLellan, leader, profiler Ben Roberts, and Natassia Prushenko. Jasmine, Jasi to her friends, is a Pyro-Psychic who "reads" fires, her psychic ability to see through a killer's eyes and mind is drawn out by the smell of fires. Ben is a Psychometric Empath, able to read thoughts and emotions by touch. Natassia is a Victim Empath, touching a cadaver, she "relives" the victim's last sights and thoughts. Is the high profile but insufferable Premier of B.C. a suspect or a victim? What is the real reason his father was murdered? Who would have any reason to kill a foster mother and 4 year old child? How do these all fit together? These are the questions they must find answers to, and there is every reason to believe the murderer will claim another victim very quickly. There is one clue only when the team starts its investigation.

This book is exceptionally well-written, interesting in its handling of unusual circumstances, and equally unusual characters. It is taut, cohesive, yet personal. I enjoyed the thoughts going through Jasi's mind when she wasn't working, and "hearing" her read seems like a jolt of reality, this girl is definitely seeing through the killer's eyes and speaking his/her thoughts and words. The author has a way of creating reality from paranormal or psychic abilities and puts the words in her characters' mouths. I was completely glued to the book. I heartily recommend Cheryl Kaye's books, no matter the subject. I have the feeling she could write about any subject and makes us want more.

The Spider Bites by Medora Sale

Publisher: Raven Books

This book is referred to as a "Rapid Read" book, short, with a little larger print. These books are easy to read and would be great for invalids, anyone with a shorter attention span, a commuter, or anyone who enjoys a quick break with a book.

Medora Sale has authored a great story with all the traditional and exciting elements of mystery held within a smaller package. As a shorter story, "The Spider Bites" lost none of its edge of mystery.

This full-fledged story begins with Rick Montoya, a suspended police officer under investigation for corruption. His nickname is the Spider, and he is innocent but does not expect to be accepted by his fellows even if cleared. He has spent the summer working on a farm and is just returning home.

The corruption frame is only part of what happens in this book. His former life is in chaos and the house his apartment is in goes up in suspicious flames. The action is crisp, the reader learns a surprising amount about his former life, his friends, his wife. There is a strong sense of more than one thing going on. Two people died in the fire, one of them in his apartment, which changes the core of the story... or does it? Are the murders related to the corruption charge? Is there something else going on?

This book will hold your attention to a satisfying close, regardless of being a faster than usual read. I really enjoyed the story-line and read it all in one day, not something I'm usually able to do. Quite frankly, I want to read more from this Canadian author.