City of the Lost

City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong


Hidden deep in the rugged Yukon Territory, there's a little town of 200 residents called Rockton. It's a place where people with questionable pasts pay the right amount of money to disappear.

The newest citizens are homicide detective Casey Duncan and her best friend Diana Berry. One of these women got away with killing a man in cold blood, the other is running away from an abusive ex-husband she can't seem to shake. After much soul-searching, they decide to seize the opportunity to flee, putting their dubious lives behind them. It won't take long to discover that being one of the chosen ones comes at a very high price indeed.

Casey soon finds out that this mysterious town isn't a safe haven after all. It's clear that sheriff Eric Dalton needs her investigative skills in solving several gruesome murders from an unknown predator, Who or what is luring inhabitants to their untimely deaths? In this land where true identities are masked with lies, it's hard to know whom to trust. Casey learns that this "commune of lost souls" is far more dangerous than the world she left behind.

Fantasy writer Kelley Armstrong ventures into crime fiction with her latest release, weaving her trademark eerie, almost supernatural flavor into a captivating tale. The sinister setting, along with well-developed characters combine to tell a very unpredictable story.

Addictive and compelling to the very end, this one takes suspense to a whole new level.

Most Wanted

Most Wanted by Lisa Scottoline


What would you do if you thought the precious child you are carrying could be the product of a deranged serial killer? Would you choose to end the pregnancy or choose to follow your heart and bring a wanted child into this world, fully knowing that the baby might inherit those hideous genes?

That's the premise of Lisa Scottoline's latest novel, and once again, this talented writer hooks her readers from the beginning with a relevant story that examines a moral dilemma.

Christine and Marcus Nilsson are madly in love, never dreaming that starting a family would lead to frustration and disappointment.  After fertility tests confirm that Marcus cannot father a child, the couple decide to use a sperm donor to make their family complete.

 Christine is two months pregnant when she retires from the teaching job she dearly loves to concentrate on preparing for her new role as a loving mother. By chance, she sees television coverage about the arrest of a handsome young man for a series of gruesome murders who happens to bear an uncanny resemblance to Donor 3319, a number forever etched in the Nilsson's minds. When Christine confronts Marcus with the unlikely scenario of being impregnated by a killer, he dismisses the idea as foolish and impossible. However, Christine can't let go of her gut feeling. She begins her persistent journey to the scene of the crimes to confront her worst fears. Marcus, angry and disgusted, drifts farther and farther away, unable to accept what could be a terrifying reality.

 Christine eventually hunts down and comes face-to-face with prisoner Zachary Jeffcoat, better know at the Homestead Bank as Donor 3319. Shrewd and persuasive, he soon has Christine believing in his innocence. In a matter of time, she's volunteering as a paralegal for a gruff criminal defense lawyer that agrees to take the case.  As Christine digs deeper and deeper into the slayings, she finds that her detective skills are putting her and the baby in grave danger. Zachary's been lying about so many things. Maybe he's a killer after all.

The research behind Scottoline's novels is always superb. Not only is this a gripping, fast-paced story, it offers pertinent information about fertility clinics and the struggles many couples face today. As always, I find the author's legal expertise a welcome addition to her subject matter.

Provocative food for thought for your Mother's Day celebration.