Month: January 2016

When hardboiled CIA agent Nathan Colby meets museum curator Kate Tynan, sparks fly immediately in this outstanding 1980s vintage spy thriller. Human trafficking, Cold War-era Soviet operatives, and a mysterious murder add spice to the new, unlikely partnership of Colby and Ms. Tynan.

Not since John Wayne tussled on the village green with Maureen O’Hara in The Quiet Man has there been a more appealing pairing of characters. Only this time, the action takes place in and around York, England, and the barbs that are thrown back and forth between Nathan and Kate all take place in pursuit of the puzzle behind Varga’s Passage.

Throw in an ongoing running commentary of a momentous cricket Test Match between England and Australia, and you have the makings of a fascinating, offbeat tale that will keep you turning pages and wondering what in the world will happen next.

It all starts when Colby’s predecessor is found dead in a Leeds slum, and Colby, in pursuit of clues to the homicide, meets Kate in the museum there. He starts calling her “Honey,” and she reacts unfavorably to the brash, but handsome Yank. He feels an attraction to her as well. But you’d never know it to listen to their verbal sparring, which carries on even during the most harrowing chase scenes and calamitous situations that crop up as the plot progresses.

Plenty of colorful characters also emerge as Kate and Nathan go about their investigation. One, called Nasty Norman, has a tale of his own to tell about his house, which is a waystation for illegal Pakastani immigrants. And, a tweedy matron in York turns out to be anything but helpful in their quest, rendering a peaceful visit to the Minster into a life-and-death struggle.

Meanwhile, Soviet agents Pavel and Yevgeny, charged with the elimination of Colby, are having a devil of a time discharging their dastardly duty.

On and on the race continues across the Yorkshire moors and down to the seashore, as first one Russian hit man — er, person — after another tries to kill Colby. Kate chips in handily from time to time, also dispensing a wealth of Yorkshire lore along the way.

What’s the Endgame? Colby wonders. Why are all these people so intent on putting him out of commission — permanently? And, what does Varga’s Passage have to do with it?

Five stars to this imaginative spy thriller. You’ll be scratching your head as often as you hold your sides from laughing on the way to the novel’s surprising finish.

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Satanic rituals, a beautiful young woman, and a former NFL quarterback all come together to form the heart of this sensational mystery, carved out of the Florida Everglades and woven tightly with spellbinding suspense. This is an exceptional piece of first-class fiction, with a strong dose of Stephen King horror thrown in for good measure.

Jack Walker is just looking for a quiet restart to his life when he meets Sarah, a petite twenty-something who promises Jack a very good time if he can just accept one little thing about her — she’s a devil worshipper, a devout member of the Brotherhood of Set.

Jack doesn’t want to jeopardize his job working for a prominent state senator, but the flesh is oh-so-weak, and he winds up agreeing to deliver a packet stuffed with hundred-dollar bills to an old plantation house late one night.

What he finds there is a bloody knife, two dead bodies, and a frame-up custom-made to indict him. To make matters worse, his new girlfriend has disappeared, and he has to kill someone who is at her apartment waiting for him. The police quickly start pursuing Jack and, out of options, he flees to the Seminole reservation nearby, where he enlists the help of his family — native Americans with the ability to hide him in the trackless swamps.

Meanwhile, Jack’s luck is about to run out as both police and the Satanists begin closing in on him. The McFaddens — deranged good old boys in deep with the Devil worshippers — are seeking revenge for the brother who was killed when Jack fled Sarah’s apartment. They are the creepiest characters in the book and if they don’t produce at least one nightmare from you as you read this, you are either on high doses of Valium or not paying attention.

The author does an excellent job of ratcheting up the tension as one event after another spiral things out of control. A hundred-year-old witch named Henrietta LePley figures prominently in the growing and grisly death toll, and characters for whom you’ve developed a strong emotional attachment begin falling under her spell — and worse. Much, much worse.

The story builds inexorably from its well-drawn beginning to its heart-stopping finish. Indeed, the entire last one-third of the novel will keep you riveted to the action as blood-thirsty gators and ten-foot-long bull sharks join in a feeding frenzy with one terrible objective — the painful death of Jack Walker and anyone who helps him.

Five sterling stars to Devil In the Grass, a stunning debut novel by Christopher Bowron, a talented writer with tremendous authorial expertise. We look forward eagerly to the sequel, and perhaps an action-packed movie as well.

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In Sunborn Rising, author Aaron Safronoff has skillfully woven together an epic tale that at once combines riveting, world-building fantasy with colorful creatures who carry the narrative to new heights at every turn.

As this imaginative story opens, Barra Swiftspur is in the Middens, searching for answers — clues that might ultimately lead to the cause of her father’s disappearance.

Barra’s mother, Brace, has called a meeting of the Council to discuss an insidious threat to their arboreal world — a black, sticky substance called Creepervine. Barra, slipping into the mysterious Middens each day against her mother’s wishes, has most recently been chased by Kudmoths right to her doorstep, thus setting into motion the called Council meeting.

The Council is unconvinced there’s a real threat, so Barra and her two best friends, Plicks and Tory, set off to find the proof they need.

In a fast-moving frenzy of action, the young adventurers find the winged insect menace that chased Barra home the night before. But catching a few as evidence turns out to be harder than they thought. In fact, in their haste to escape a fresh onslaught of the dangerous Kudmoths, they make a series of wrong moves — and wind up in free fall, floating ever closer to the one place they’ve been warned about all their young lives — the Root at the bottom of their world.

This is a taut, well-paced YA thriller, set deep in an ancient forest and peopled with fascinating characters like Barra, whose long tail saves her from many a mishap in the leafy canopy.

The writing in the book is carefully crafted and cinematic, drawing the reader involuntarily into Barra’s dire predicaments:

“Thrashing the nearby foliage with her tail, Barra created a threatening rush of noise ten times bigger than she was. She whip-snapped the bough twice, announcing a challenge. The Kudmoths clicked back at her in a cascade of flipping wings. Knowing she had their collective attention, she bolted through the hole in the trap and ran. The shadowy pool rapidly sublimated into a dark sentient cloud that followed her.”

Grotesque and wondrous creatures await the three friends down at the Root — and the ocean beyond. Gelatinous, playful guardians called Nebules provide invaluable guidance and protection. An Aetherial — older than time — also allies herself with the trio of intrepid bups. And a terrifying foe stands firmly in their way as battle lines are drawn for Cerulean’s very existence.

Can they ever find their way back to their families? Will the Great Forest survive the onslaught of the Creepervine? And, can Barra, Plicks and Tory find a way to save the world as they know it from being overrun with vile creatures that should rightfully inhabit only nightmares?

You’ll spend hours immersed in this excellent fantasy landscape, where ultra-vivid scenes are lavishly illustrated with breathtaking panels showing the action taking place throughout the book. Indeed, they are so rich in color and aspect, they might easily be captured cells straight from a Disney animated film.

At its heart, this story celebrates heroic valor and the unyielding bonds of family and friends in the face of overwhelming odds and black treachery. But it’s also a vibrant action saga that invites the reader to ride along on an epic quest.

Five stars to Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall. This is a superb work of fantasy fiction that will stay with you long after you’ve closed the book. It’s a standout among all Young Adult entries in the literary marketplace.

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How many drunken salarymen does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Answer: three. One to screw it in and two to make sure his shirt is perfectly tucked.

If you don’t want to be taken for a common gaiijin (foreigner) when negotiating the byways of modern-day Tokyo, you’d best consult this excellent guide to the traditions, customs, and many charming quirks that a visitor to Japan’s largest city might encounter.

Written in an articulate style reminiscent of George Plimpton at his best, author Michael Pronko shares 43 insightful essays that reflect his unique observations as an American expatriate living and teaching in the largest city in the world.

In the essay “The Language Dance,” for example, Pronko discusses the proclivity of Tokyoites to be formal in just about every aspect of daily life. Even those who don’t work in the many high-rises seem always pressed and tidy — from construction workers to deliverymen.

One of the few times the Japanese get really casual, in fact, is when they’re speaking English:

“The Japanese can really loosen up in English. In English, the Japanese switch not just language, but cultural assumptions, body language and mindsets, and end up telling me more in English about themselves and their lives than they ever would in Japanese.”

Another valuable tip for optimum existence in Tokyo: learn how to skillfully negotiate the extensive train and subway system. When walking through an ultra-crowded station, you must be particularly adroit:

‘You have to be controlled to shoot at high speed through the crowd and out the narrow chutes of the train’s exit wickets. One misplaced step means a bruised knee or bruised hip, or, even worse, embarrassment. ”

In addition, Pronko relates, there seems to be a national obsession not just with cell phones, but the entire concept of doing many things at once. Even the TVs carry several information streams — all at once.

“The city itself seems built on multitasking, as if that has been the basic design principle. From any single point, you can find a hundred things to do, and imagine a hundred more. You can’t just walk through Tokyo; you have to deal with it — like an email inbox that never stops receiving new messages.”

There are dozens of erudite observations in this well-written and meticulously edited book. But perhaps one of the best passages, on the end of the annual cherry tree flowering, will resonate with you as it did with me:

“On days when the spring wind blows strong, the last blossoms release and dance through the air. The few late releasing petals seem more rare and more precious, floating alone through the warmer air of spring, like the last dancer pirouetting off the stage after a performance.”

This is a memoir to be savored like a fine red wine, crafted with supreme care by a man who clearly has fallen in love with his adopted city — and we are the beneficiaries of his lyrical reflections, making us want to visit and absorb the rich megalopolis of Tokyo for ourselves.

Five-plus stars to Motions and Moments, and to its warm and witty author Michael Pronko.

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