Nothing But the Truth

The Other Woman by Hank Philippi Ryan (Forge hardcover, 4 September 2012).

"Jane Ryland had thrown up after the verdict."

 That verdict had cost her her job, and some of her dignity, but not her integrity. 

She'd been going places as a television news reporter, until she was asked to reveal a source and refused.  But integrity didn't pay the bills, and after a few weeks of feeling sorry for herself, she'd accepted a job with the Boston Register, vowing to scoop her former employer.

Her first assignment was to interview Moira Lassiter, wife of a senate candidate and former governor.  Mrs. Lassiter seemed to have disappeared from view, and her staff was stonewalling attempts to talk to her.

Meanwhile, Jane's friend Jake Brogan, a homicide detective, was dealing with what appeared to be a series of murders near bridges around Boston.  After only two deaths, the media was already attributing them to the "Bridge Killer",  although Jake's instincts tell him they're not related.

When they meet tracking down a witness, Jane and Jake discover that their assignments are related and begin to compare notes.  It's difficult to provide more plot details without spoilers, but be warned that you won't be able to read "just one more chapter".  Don't start this book at bedtime!

Emmy-winning investigative reporter Ryan knows the news business firsthand, and writes about it with expertise.  Of course her skill as a suspense author (for which she's also won a number of awards) helps a great deal, as does her ability to create believable, multi-dimensional characters.

The attraction between reporter and detective creates a problem for someone who's trying to protect her professional integrity.  Although Jake understands this, he does realize the potential for a great relationship, and attempts to convince Jane that it's possible to pursue it without compromising that integrity.

This is just a great, well-told story that you won't want to put down.  Don't start it at bedtime.





Please visit Crime Fiction Collective, where Ms. Ryan is guest-blogging today.  Also, if you leave a comment over there, you'll be entered to win a first edition of The Other Woman.

Just finished reading...

The Perfect Suspect by Margaret Coel.*

Margaret Coel is well known for her Wind River mystery series (now numbering 15 titles), which take place on the real Wind River Reservation in central Wyoming, and feature sleuths Vicky Holden and Father John O'Malley.

The Perfect Suspect, however, is part of a completely different series featuring journalist Catherine McLeod, which takes place in Denver.

The story begins with Denver police detective Ryan Beckman facing off with her lover, David Mathews. They've been having an affair, we learn, which David has broken off. Ryan has gone to his home to ask him to reconsider. He refuses, and Ryan shoots him.

We learn this in the first sentence of the book, so this is not a plot spoiler.

What Beckman doesn't realize until she's leaving Mathews' house is that she's been seen, though she doesn't know by whom. Meanwhile, Catherine McLeod gets an anonymous phone call at the newspaper office naming the detective as the killer.

Knowing the identity of the killer at the beginning of the book doesn't make this book any less suspenseful or enjoyable. The plot becomes an elaborate game of cat-and-mouse between journalist and detective.

Of course, since it's a Catherine McLeod mystery, we must assume that Catherine wins the game. But we don't know for sure until the end of the book if Catherine succeeds in proving that Beckman is the killer. Nor do we know whether or not Beckman gets away with her crime.

This gripping mystery keeps the reader guessing all the way through, and the answer is not revealed until the very end. Catherine is a wonderful character, and it's to be hoped that there will be more books about her!


*FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher, who sent me a copy of the book for review purposes.

Knitting for Good - a review

I received this ARC through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. The subtitle says it all, really.
The book begins with an introduction to knitting (and by inference, other needle and fibre crafts) and it's re-emergence as a popular craft. The concept of knitting (etc.) as a link to one's ancestors is an important concept here.
Personally, I believe that knitting as an activity is inherently good: one is making warm garments or even toys to provide love and warmth to oneself or someone else. And then there is the psychological benefit to the knitter. Knitting is a proven stress reliever (my screams and curses when attempting to follow a difficult pattern notwithstanding).
Greer deals with this to some extent in the first section of the book, also citing the satisfaction of creating a tangible item, and the possibilities of earning a living through this creation.
In subsequent chapters, the focus is on knitting as a communal activity, which is evidenced by the number of recently formed knitting groups all over the world. The idea of knitting as a feminist craft rather than as old-fashioned "women's work" is dominant here.
The last section of the book focusses on knitting as an instrument of good on a global basis: knitting for charities outside one's immediate circle, such as those that send knitted toys to children in third-world countries.
Knitting is, without exaggeration, a respite from grief, war, and cold, as Greer makes clear in this book.
There are patterns included that are suitable for giving or sending to charities, as well as a list of knitting groups and knitting charities.

As this is an Advanced Reader's Copy, I'm hoping that the publisher chose not to print the personal narratives that appear throughout the book in white letters on gray background. It's just too difficult to read!

I didn't sit down with this book and become absorbed in it to the exclusion of everything around me, but that doesn't mean it's not valuable. It's chock-full of ideas and inspirations; perfect for dipping into when you're feeling purposeless or unmotivated.