Review - Murder Off the Beaten Path

I reviewed the first book in this new series, Zero Degree Murder (click here) but surprisingly I have not  interviewed the author yet.  Even though autumn has descended in my neck of the woods, this book takes us to summer camp!

Author: M.L. Rowland

Copyright: October 2014 (Berkley) 304 pgs

Series: 2nd in Search and Rescue Mystery series

Sensuality: some swearing, sexual assault, R rated in parts

Mystery Sub-genre: Amateur Sleuth

Main Characters: Gracie Kinkaid -- volunteer search and rescue working at a residential summer camp 

Setting: modern day, mountains of southern California

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

The book opens as Search and Rescue are searching for a teen girl.  The search is sadly called off after a week.  We are then introduced to Gracie's new job working as a ropes and climbing instructor at a residential church summer camp.  It becomes clear that something isn't right at the camp, but when Jett McKenna's car goes over the side of a mountain after leaving a frantic call on Gracie's answering machine, it becomes critical to uncover just what is happening and who is involved.  Gracie begins to realize that she can't trust anybody at camp, not even the pastor director -- and especially not his wild brother.  The more Gracie digs into the dark activities at the camp, she discovers illegal activities, and is in the path of vicious criminals who target her.

Gracie seems to have more baggage this time around, or perhaps she is just terrible at relationships all around.  She makes some progress by acquiring a dog, Minnie, in this outing.  This time some of her actions seem erratic, though. She manages to hurt her dear friend Ralph Hunter. Ralph is a fellow Search and Rescue member and was introduced in the previous book.  Ralph would like to take care of Gracie, but seems to still cling to his deceased wife.  Rob Christian, the mega-star British actor that figured prominently in the last book, is back for a brief appearance in this book.  Jett is the Ponderosa Camp friend who dies when her car goes over the side of a mountain.  She is dark and troubled, trying to find her way.  Brothers Jay, who runs the camp, and Eddie are obviously up to no good, but is it just petty stuff or more serious?

Timber Creek County and Camp Ponderosa's rugged beauty are vibrantly described.  Rowland weaves the wilderness into the story as a character.  The plot is uncomplicated but rather dark, so be warned.  The pacing is inconsistent with a too slow parts then speedy sections.  The climatic showdown has some hair-raising moments that got my blood racing.  Kudos there.  The wrap-up is without cheer and adds more complications to her life.

If you like your suspense characters with a bit more edge and somewhat harder and a few more dark notes in the story telling, this is your book. 

Rating: Good - An intense read, but not suited for everybody. Maybe read an excerpt before buying. 

It is autumn, one of my favorite times of the year.  If you love pumpkin spice flavored coffee, here is a recipe to make your own syrup to flavor your coffee all season.  



Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Ingredients
1½ cups water
1½ cups sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
3 tbsp. pumpkin puree
**If you don't want to measure out all of the spices individually you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons of Pumpkin pie spice instead.

Directions
In a medium saucepan combine sugar and spices, whisking together to incorporate, add water and turn heat on to medium, stir occasionally until sugar is completely dissolved. Add cinnamon sticks and the pumpkin puree. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring often, but do not let the mixture boil. Turn down the heat if necessary. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes, then strain the syrup through a fine sieve or mesh strainer. If you do not have either, a funnel lined with a coffee filter works well.

Store in Fridge up to 30 days.

To make a delicious Pumpkin Spice Latte, mix a shot of hot espresso with 2 TBS of Pumpkin Spice Syrup and 4-6 oz of hot steamed milk. Top with whipped cream, a dash of pumpkin spice seasoning and a drizzle of caramel.

Recipe from Budget 101 (click here).

Review - Zero-Degree Murder

It may be the first stirrings of spring, but this book is in the depths of winter.  This is the first book in a new series focusing on Search and Rescue operations.  I read the book cover blurb and knew I had to read it.  Usually it takes me several days, sometimes a full week to read a book.  Not this one, 24 hours only because I just could not put it down. 

Copyright: January 2014 (Berkley) 304 pgs

Series: 1st in Search and Rescue Mystery

Sensuality: adult situations, some violence, language scatter throughout

Mystery Sub-genre: Thriller

Main Characters: Gracie Kinkaid -- rescue expert 

Setting: Modern day, San Rafael Wilderness

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

Gracie is a a volunteer for Timber Creek Search and Rescue.  It is the Thanksgiving holiday and she is one of only three to answer a rescue call.  There are four hikers missing in the San Rafael Wilderness of Southern California -- and one is a famous movie actor so there is intense pressure to find them.  Gracie is paired with a self-absorbed Search and Rescue volunteer, Cashman, who is more interested in getting an autograph when they find the famous actor than in finding all four.  Gracie is the experienced tracker, and she finds blood on the trail indicating something suspicious happened to the hikers.  They locate one hiker, the heart-throb actor Rob Christian, who is injured but has bits of memory involving an attack and blood.  But before they are able to locate any of the remaining lost hikers, an early blizzard settles in and Gracie is on her own to save any surviving hikers and hide from a killer while warding off hypothermia for both her and Rob.

There are a few sections told from the woman hiker as she hides from the killer, and a few from the killer as well.

Gracie Kinkaid has some emotional damage and isn't your typical woman.  She loves being out in the wilderness and surviving.  She comes with some baggage, but not too much.  Ralph Hunter is a senior Search and Rescue team member who reminds you of a traditional gentleman with modern ideas.  He is in the command trailer providing the rescue team's communication and support.  Steve Cashman is the blundering dolt who feels nobody respects him.  He is an enemy to the rescue efforts in his own right.  Rob Christian is the mega-star actor who will not be pampered in this rescue and he must toughen up.

Timber Creek County and San Rafael Wilderness area are vividly rendered highlighting the wild and dangerous alongside the breathtaking.  The wilderness is the primary setting for most of the book and it was so well done that I believe I got chilled. 

The plot is simple but quite effective with tension and suspense built upon as the story develops.  There aren't any slow spots and once you are a chapter in, you are hooked.  The climax was white knuckle excitement and the wrap up was bittersweet. 

This was an intense and riveting debut perfectly drawn and executed.  This should be a great series if this first offering is any indication. 

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.

Review - Undercurrents

I reviewed the first book in the series, Endangered (click here) and the second book, Bear Bait (click here) as well as interviewed the author (click here.)  I eagerly anticipate each new release and this is quickly becoming a favorite series.  For this installment, we travel to Ecuador for a suspenseful underwater adventure. 

Author: Pamela Beason

Copyright: April 2013 (Berkley) 336 pgs

Series: 3rd in Summer Westin Mysteries

Sensuality: n/a

Mystery Sub-genre: Suspense

Main Characters: Summer Westin, Wildlife biologist on short-term internet reporter job

Setting: Modern day, Galapagos Islands

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

Sam (Summer) jumps at a short term assignment that will pay her a healthy salary for a week of work in the historic Galapagos Islands. She has to quickly take scuba lessons, because her assignment is to cover a marine survey (accessing marine life numbers), take pictures and video, then write online posts from two different aspects.  It sounds like an easy way to make some good money, practically a vacation.  Well....

Sam barely lands and she is whisked out to sea to begin her assignment for "Out There" with Dr. Daniel Kazaki of the Natural Planet Foundation (NPF), diving amidst giant tortoises, marine iguanas, sea cucumbers, territorial sea lions, and schooling hammerheads.  But Dr. Kazaki's air supply was polluted with carbon monoxide that an inexperienced Sam is challenged to save him.  When they return from the near fatal first dive together, they are kicked out of their lodgings. Sam pushes until Dr. Kazaki admits that there is fierce resentment from the fishing industry against any environmental groups. He shrugs off the contaminated air and loss of rooms and finds them other arrangements on a large luxury yacht catering to a handful of tourists. But Sam soon feels that everyone on board has some ties to dangerous anti-environmentalists. 

Sam is required to make her internet posts as herself and also as a fictional identity of "Zing."  She posts a video of carnage to multitudes of sharks as Zing and quickly gets threatening messages in reply.  Apparently, sea cucumbers and shark fins are valuable commodities in the Asian market. She is glad to have a level of anonymity when locals are actually looking for Zing and threatening Sam. While Sam is experiencing her own drama, love interest Chase is undercover for the FBI to infiltrate an extremist hate group at the border.  He is close to death at every turn but his mind is on Summer's online posts and the danger he realizes she must be in.

Sam is stretched to her physical and psychological limits in this addition to the series. She finds herself isolated in a foreign country with no help, even from the embassy.  She is determined and reaches new heights of nerve and steel in the face of a murder that could easily have been her.  FBI agent Chase Perez struggles between his dangerous career and wanting a more picture-perfect life with Summer.  Will his mind being on Summer put his life in danger during this volatile sting operation? Dr. Daniel Kazaki is a break out character that the reader quickly grows fond of.  Dr. Juanita Jane (JJ) Bradley appears about two-thirds of the way into the book, but her mythic strength of character and sheer grit are memorable.  Maya, a troubled youth from the Bear Bait novel, is present in this book briefly.  I enjoy Maya's addition and look forward to her developing in the books as well.  Then there is Sam's task-master from "Out There", Tad Wyatt.  He is single-minded in gaining readers and what will profit "Out There", but in the end he comes through.

The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and the underwater menagerie are vividly portrayed.  Because of the plot revolving around preserving a historic region of wildlife versus opportunistic international fishing interests, the reader needed to experience the wonder of the marine life that is at stake.  The area is painted in its wonder and stark reality both. You felt like you were diving with Summer and marveling at the underwater mystery and glory along with her.  Kudos - particularly since I have such a fear of being trapped underwater that I questioned if I could stand to read an underwater adventure.  The portions that are following Chase in the harsh desert are equally well painted.

The plotting was tight and the pacing kept a steady tempo. It could be a bit jarring to swap from Summer to Chase, or vise versa.  But I also appreciated knowing what was happening on both fronts.  In the end, it added to the suspense with a cliff hanger about Chase that the reader doesn't know what happened until Summer finds out. 

The suspense steadily built up to the climax.  The reveal of the killer was unique and I felt very well done.  The wrap-up leaves the reader practically aching for more.

I have to say that each book seems to best the prior one.  This is the most outstanding one yet, and I loved the previous two.  This should be in hardback and promoted more, it is that good - in my opinion.

Rating: Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 



Here is a short video clip of diving in the Galapagos to set the scene for the book.

Review - Endangered

I was drawn to this book from the blurb on the cover and the wilderness setting in Utah, but I was very surprised by what I found.  Join me for a trip to Utah's beautiful wilds for a suspenseful tale.

Author: Pamela Beason

Copyright: December 2011 (Berkley) 320 pgs

Series: 1st in Summer Westin Mysteries

Sensuality: n/a

Mystery Sub-genre: Suspense

Main Characters: Summer Westin, Wildlife biologist for Save the Wilderness Fund

Setting: Modern day, Utah's Heritage National Monument

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

Summer (Sam) Westin, aka Wilderness Westin to her "Save the Wilderness Fund" website followers, is in Utah's  Heritage National Monument to do a follow-up on a previous story.  A cougar had been shot and SWF had rescued the cougar and her cubs, treated the wounds and released them back to the park.  Sam is hoping to get some photos of the cougars now to report their progress to SWF website.  She had worked at the park in the past and still knows some of the park rangers.  She is about to set off from the Ranger HQ to hike into the off-trail back country when she sees a little blond haired boy who wandered away from his camp.  Sam can hear the mother calling for Zack and  she is about to take the boy to his mother when Zack goes toddling off to a man approaching.  Everything appears as though this is Zack's father and she thinks nothing of it until she has set up camp hours later and calls into her park ranger friend Kent to find out everyone is searching for Zack.  Sam treks back into the Ranger HQ to join the search, feeling responsible not ensuring the little boy was really with his father.  It seems like a simple premise, but this book grabs the reader and won't let go until the last page. 

There are several elements at play in this story.  Sam and the SWF are getting stabbed in the back by an opportunist reporter who turns Zack's disappearance into a sensationalized tale of Cougars versus unsuspecting campers.  It doesn't help that Sam was dating said reporter.  This begins a chain reaction of "kill the cougars" frenzy spurred on by a local who resents not getting to hunt in the park.  Then the FBI join the mix which brings more exposure to the situation when it sorely needed less distractions from the search efforts.  There is a clock ticking to find Zack before the autumn temperatures get too cold at night, or a human slips out of the park with him, and before the cougars get hunters using helicopters to hunt and kill them.

Sam is a great character with a good mix of independent outdoors woman who is vulnerable yet daring and smart but headstrong.  She is passionate about the wilderness and animals while she dials her satellite phone to upload her story from a laptop complete with digital photos.  She is a modern woman who is very capable in the wilderness by herself but not afraid to show her softer side.  Chase (Starchaser) Perez, half Lakota FBI agent is a fascinating character too.  His cool FBI demeanor only hints at much deeper waters occasionally.  He enlists Sam to be his guide for checking spots in the park that are prime for hiding Zack and finds himself trying to keep up.  Repelling for the first time down slot canyons is but one challenge that Sam throws his way.  These two characters play well off each other in a natural believable way. 

The setting of Utah's wilderness and wildlife becomes a character in itself.  The author brings the coyotes yipping at night, the crisp autumn air, the wonder of ancient Anasazi ruins, and the magnificence of slot canyons vividly to the readers mind.  The cougars that Sam is following up on become a part of the story as you want the mother and her grown cubs to be innocent of any involvement with Zack's disappearance and ultimately left to live their lives.  I felt like I had been trekking the trails experiencing the sights and sounds with Sam.

The plot is very believable and gripping as it unfolds.  The pacing keeps the reader turning pages always wanting to read just a little further to find out the next thing.  This book is hard to put down even to eat a meal.  I warn you now.

The climax is white knuckle-edge-of-your-seat ride that has me holding my breath.  The wrap up is a resounding success that ensured my checking to see when the next book would be released.  Bear Bait is the next book and it is "coming soon" - not soon enough for me. 

If it seems like I am gushing, I just can't help it.  This was a fantastic suspense story with a plausible plot filled with suspense, characters who are compelling and exciting in their mission, with a luscious setting and a gripping climax.  

I love big cats and since the book is about rescued cougars, thought this video about Big Cat Rescue might interest some readers, particularly the first seven minutes.