Mercy Falls (Cork O’Connor #5) by William Kent Krueger

 Cork O’Connor finds himself the target of an ambush. While trying to find out who wants him dead, a mutilated corpse is found overlooking Mercy Falls. With two mysteries to solve before someone puts a bullet into him, this story races at blistering speed.

As with all of Krueger’s books, the writing is flawless with all the twists and action expected. This would have earned another five-star review, except the story is a cliff hanger which I personally can’t stand. Although I will definitely read all of his stories, I have never been a fan of stories that end with a cliffhanger.

Even my own thriller series has each book ending with a satisfying completion, therefore allowing the reader to decide whether to purchase the next book because they like the writing style vs. needing to find out the ending. Of course, this is a personal thing, so have at it.

The Willow Wren by Philipp Schott

 Seen through the eyes of a 10-year-old child, the author takes us through war-torn Germany. Ludwig Schott was a shy, introspective child whose father was a fervent Nazi, who was in charge of his region. Both he and his brother were given no choice but to attend a Nazi Youth camp until the Russians and Americans defeated Germany. With their father in prison, their mother kept the six children alive until they were able to escape to the west. This is the family’s story.

A fascinating story of perseverance and hope in the darkest days of the last century. The author is the son of Ludwig and uses his father’s memory and historical interviews to bring that time to life from a perspective rarely heard. Most stories are told by the conqueror, but this is told elegantly by a survivor.

An excellent tale.

Tough Customer by Sandra Brown

 When his daughter is attacked by a deranged serial killer, Dodge Hanley races to help the daughter he has never known because of guilt. The illusive killer bounces from one spot to another leaving devastation in his wake and Dodge scratching his head. This killer is not following any pattern.

With a ton of suspense and action, the story comes to an exciting conclusion.

This is my first book by Sandra Brown, and I must admit, I was disappointed. Not in the writing, but in the conclusion of the story. It felt like the author wrote herself into a corner and pulled a rabbit out of her hat. The rabbit has been around numerous times. It felt old.

Shangri-La by Christopher Cartwright (Sam Reilly #21)

 The story starts with a plane that is hit by lightning and goes down. The lone survivor finds his way to the mystical land of Shangri-La. As it happens, the survivor is the future author, James Hilton of Lost Horizon. Adventurer Sam Reilly is tasked to find the ancient sanctuary to save it from an ancient struggle that will determine the existence of mankind.

The story is fast-paced and wildly imaginative. It has a real Indiana Jones feel and deals with ancient mysteries. A ton of action and suspense.