Mr. Peanut, Adam Ross

David Pepin loves his wife Alice but he can’t help fantasizing in his writing about her death. Alice is convinced someone is trying to kill her and suddenly bang! Alice is dead and David’s the prime suspect.

Unwrapping this conjugal conundrum is a trio of NYPD homicide detectives. LB Jeffries, crippled in the line of duty, overshadowed by wife Lisa’s celebrity. Lars Thorwald, who thought he had a happy marriage until Anna decided to teach him a lesson. In charge of the investigation Detective Sam Sheppard a man whose first life was destroyed by infidelity and murder.

Who killed Alice? Only Mr Peanut knows the answer to that one.

(NB The Shepherd Case is a true story, a colleague of mine who read the arc already knew about the case - I came to it fresh - and while she enjoyed the book she didn't love it because of that.)

Private, James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

When you can afford the best, you go ‘Private’. Run by former Marine pilot Jack Morgan, these gifted investigators aren’t bound by the rules of law enforcement. Despite their top-notch methods and equipment Private doesn’t take every case that comes their way. Right now the team are juggling serial murder, a scandal that could rock the NFL if it ever got out and the investigation into the death of one of Jack’s closest friends.

These stories play out against the backdrop of Hollywood glitz, political ambitions, mafia, coke dealers, rehab centers and an evil twin brother thrown in and Jack keeps being pulled from his nightmares by a voice on the phone telling him ‘you’re dead, Jack.’

But he’s not dead – not yet.

The Ice Princess, Camilla Läckberg

As ten year olds living in the tiny seaside town of Fjallbacka Alex and Erica were closer than sisters but Alex became withdrawn and the pair drifted apart.

By thirty five Erica is a single successful author of biographies and Alex is a married gallery owner, dead in a frozen bathtub, wrists slashed.

Alex’s parents refuse to believe she would take her own life and Erica and local detective Patrik Hedstrom start asking questions. Something in the Ice Princess’ past holds the key to her death. Once the pieces start to come together Hedstrom uncovers a long-held secret so deeply disturbing that it continues to poison the lives of everyone involved. Read this in one sitting - with the lights on.

Crashers, Dana Haynes

Cascade Air 818 left Portland on a routine flight to Los Angeles, it never arrived. Now pieces of 818 litter the Oregon countryside, and this was just a dress rehearsal.

In LA a group of Irishmen have blipped the FBI’s radar, they’ve also drawn the attention of a retired Mosad agent because they seem to know a lot about demise of flight 818.

Back in Portland the NTSB go team swings into action, unaware that there’s only 72 hours left until a ruthless opportunist crashes another plane to order. Fast, topical and downright scary, this is also a fascinating glimpse into how any airplane crash is investigated.

Crackers coming in June

Finished Poet Prince last night - Kathleen McGowan sheds a whole new light on the Medici family. I want to go to the Uffizi to experience those paintings the same way her characters do and she has an interesting take on religious fanaticism ie it's bad whoever your God is.

As I will be laptop only for the next couple of days here's a selection of new books coming in June, Crashers, Ice Princess and even a James Patterson! Enjoy.

Poet Prince and Bandit Love

The third in the Madgalen Line series, Poet Prince, no arc so this one's on loan. Bandit Love is an arc due out in October which I thought would be set in Mexico but it takes place in Italy. Still finding my feet with Authonomy I've got 21 books watchlisted!

Forget Monday!

Yesterday could've been Friday the 13th as far as my luck goes. Managed to finish The Passage, very post-apocalyptic. The washing machine died on me (getting a new pump motor) and my laptop froze up and then wouldn't turn off, in the end I pulled the battery out which reset the bios (who knew) So this is the start of the week as far as I'm concerned.

Malice and Passages

Finished Beautiful Malice, a creepy psychological thriller set in Australia, will review it here when it comes out in September.

I'm reading the arc of Passages by Justin Cronin at the moment, it's huge which frankly scared me but I'm several chapters in now and it's shaping up nicely.

My virtual book

The blog may have been quiet for the last couple of days but the book went live on Authonomy yesterday and I've been getting some great feedback. Click on the link above or here
http://www.authonomy.com/ViewBook.aspx?bookid=21600 if you want to read it.

Oh and I'm not reversing my position on e-readers, you can't download books from the site on kindle/nook or Ipad you have to read them electronically from your laptop. You have to sign up to comment or to back a book but it's free and as you'll see there's a world of talent out there that's just waiting to be discovered.

If you can keep your head while all around are losing theirs and blaming it on you...

Finished Running Dark, pulls faster towards the end, very topical with the Somali pirates angle, coming in July. Boom by Mark Haddon is middle reader about a couple of little English kids who discover two of their teachers are well - a little odd. Beautiful Malice by Rebecca Richards and The Glass Room by Mawer I'm in the middle of right now. The reason for all this doubling up? I have - as usual - bitten off far more than I can chew. I'm working on a short story for the Waterstones competition and since signing up to Authonomy I've put two books on my official shelf - both incomplete and I'm getting ready to upload my first one to the site next week - it's a good way to get feedback from complete strangers. Oh yeah and the mystery menu I've been working on - see 'Linking Series Together post from Feb' is now in its second draft so that has to be edited. Still better busy than bored.

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - the movie

Last night I went to see The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo at the Broadway. All I can say is - go and see it. Who cares that the whole thing is in Swedish that's what subtitles are for. It's as close to the book as you can get in 2hrs 30mins. The cast were outstanding (Lisbeth and Blomkvist especially) and although certain scenes had me squirming in my seat - yes they kept those in - all I can say is that the coming US version has some huge shoes to fill....

5/12 No no no!! IMDB has Brad Pitt down to play Blomkvist. Oi Pitt No!!!

Thoughts on Good Thief's Guide to Vegas

One of my favourite handsells at the store is the Good Thief's Guide series and I was lucky enough to get a preview copy of the new one. Think of it as a trip to Vegas without shelling out for the air fare and the gambling kitty. Charlie manages to get himself into some old school Vegas trouble and Victoria's hiding a secret which isn't going to help his case. Fast, funny and packed with colourful characters and Charlie's tradecraft. Comes out in August - full review then.

I'm officially up for anything this week

No routines, no plans, ask and you'll probably receive - read 'Boom' by Mark Haddon? - I'm all over it. Sign up to Authonomy and put 5 books on my watchlist - done. 3day Canadian novel competition in September (and not actually in Canada), sign me up! Short story competition in UK yes - but I'm checking how eligible I am for that one. I'm still reading "Running Dark" - which shares some of "Private's" DNA and the arc of Good Thief's Guide to Vegas is on it's way from Minotaur and this is only Tuesday.