Nifty Novels and More from Maryelizabeth

Eliza Benedict has built a safe and secure life for herself, a mostly tranquil one, where she has time to worry about her increasingly distanced teenage daughter and the quarrels between her children. Her husband’s work, which previously took them abroad, has brought them back to the environs of Baltimore – the area where she grew up, and the area where 25 years ago, she was kidnapped and held hostage for six weeks by a serial rapist and killer. When Eliza unexpectedly receives a missive from Walter Bowman, her kidnapper, bearing the fateful title words, she must revisit her memories of that traumatic time and determine what responsibility, if any, she bears for Walter’s final victim, taken and killed while Eliza was with him. Eliza must also deal with her husband, parents’ and siblings response to Walter’s reemergence in her life, as well as her decision to conceal the events of her past from her children, while asking herself why Walter let her live. Another thoughtful and suspenseful winner from Laura. --MeH

Anna Pigeon is officially on leave from the National Park Service, after the traumatic events of Borderline. She chooses to recover in Louisiana, staying with her friend, a ranger and performer at the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. She is separated from her newlywed husband,  Paul, whose duties as sheriff preclude him from joining her; the independent-minded Anna rather enjoys missing him. Then a convergence of events, including a poorly concealed pigeon that is clearly the work of a voodoo practitioner, a friendly dog and its mentally unbalanced owner, and a gang of  child sex slave traders turns Anna’s quiet retreat into an incredibly dangerous situation, where she must choose between what’s legal and what’s right. Another compelling heart-racing entry in one of my favorite series. --MeH

Amber turns her hand to a ghost story for middle graders with this just scary enough tale. Noleen-Anne Harris Morgan Maypother, better known as Noh, is a very self-reliant preteen. Her mother died in childbirth, and her naturalist father is often away from home. Noh finds herself at the New Newbridge Academy, a private school that draws special children, during the last days of summer, when no one should be on the grounds but a skeleton staff, including her Aunt Sarah, an instructor. But if Noh is the only student, who are the other children she keeps meeting in the deserted West Wing? And why do they keep insisting she must be a ghost? And what is the secret of the evil eye stone she was given in the cemetery, and where are all of the Academy’s ants being drawn to? --MeH

Fans of FBI thrillers have a new protagonist / team to cheer for. Steve Vail was an FBI agent who took a semi-involuntary early retirement after being caught in an untenable situation. Now he’s a self-employed bricklayer, finding satisfaction in a job well done where he’s his own boss. But when the FBI is targeted by extortionists, making the investigators the victims, and it appears that there’s a leak inside the organization, Vail is brought out of retirement to provide his expertise in an under-the-radar, mostly off-the-books capacity. The apparent insider knowledge of operations makes the Rubaco Pentad a wily intelligent opponent, and it’s to Boyd’s credit that while Vail’s sometimes “cowboy” methodology is important to the solution, it’s not at the expense of the other FBI agents, including his main contact, deputy assistant director Kate Bannon. Vail is a loner, but not a borderline sociopath, like some of his contemporaries. A fast-paced and engaging start to a new series – recommended to fans of Lee Child, P.J. Tracy, or John Sandford. Signed copies available while supplies last -- MeH & sd

Jim Hines’ Princess series (The Stepsister Scheme) continues with a high seas adventure that has more in common with the original tragic tale by Hans Christian Andersen than Disney’s recent update. (Note: I am a fan of both.) Princess Danielle Whiteshore (AKA Cinderella) is learning to expand her royal responsibilities, as well as be a loving wife, mother, and daughter-in-law. She and her friends, Princesses Talia (Sleeping Beauty) and Snow (White), accompany Queen Beatrice on her voyage to present gifts to the undine during their migratory return to the local waters of Lorindar. When the merfolk unexpectedly attack, the Queen’s soul and the future of the country are at stake, and it’s up to the princesses to work with a number of unusual allies, --including the adolescent sister of the mad mermaid princess, and a dryad who is the captain of the vehicle carved from her tree -- to save the day. Jim’s characters have charm and flaws, from seasickness to overambition, that make them have real resonance with the reader, even in their fantastic setting. --MeH

If you're the kind of reader who can appreciate a line like, "If an autopsy couldn't stop me from thinking about sex with a demon, nothing could," then Mark of the Demon is for you. Louisiana detective and demon summoner Kara Fillian is competent, caring, smart and snarky. She has a chance to prove herself to her local force when a local serial killer, The Symbol Man, seems to have ended his hiatus, and her familiarity with the cold case files makes her the best qualified to be lead detective on the case. And, unknown to most folks except for her aunt who raised her, the fact Kara is a demon summoner and can see traces of the arcane on the victims, indicating The Symbol Man is using their deaths as stepping stones towards a significant demonic summoning , also makes her the most qualified officer. I particularly appreciate the clarity of Diana's storytelling, as well as the nice details from her own background in law enforcement. -- MeH