The Guest Cottage by Nancy Thayer

Over the years, I've reviewed many of this author's boooks- if not all!  This falls right in line with this author's other titles for it is a gentle story about two people who meet for the first time and share a guest house on the island of Nantucket.

Sophie Anderson is estranged from her husband.  Along with her two children, she agrees to rent a guest house for the summer months.  Trevor Black, father of one and widowed also agrees to rent the same guest house for the same length of time.  Unfortunately, neither one realizes that the other has rented the same house until it is too late to back out of it.

The story surrounds the lives of Sophie and Trevor and their children.  Trevor's son is Autistic which adds another element to the story line.  It is interesting to see how everyone deals with Leo's unpredictable behavior.

This is not a deep story in the true sense of the word but it does explore relationships among all the characters.

Ladybookbug!

Alert by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

I guess you could say I'm still hooked on James Patterson, even though I think his best novels are the ones he writes on his own.  Still, I do like the character of Michael Bennett and he is featured in this book.

The storyline surrounds the city of New York.  Someone is blowing up buildings and creating havoc in the city.  Lt. Bennett, along with his fellow officers, needs to get to the bottom of what or who is causing the destructtion and put an end to it.

Like so many of Patterson's books, the chapters in this one are short. Personally, I think this technique helps in moving the reader right along.

For those of  you who are incureable romantics, you will be pleased to know that Mary Catherine makes a profound appearance in this latest entry.

Ladybookbug!

The Secrets of Lake Road by Karen Katchur

A first novel by this author. I would give it a B+.  It was a well-plotted novel and the characters were well-developed.  The storyline was plausible.  If I have any reservations about it, I would say I would have liked a more conclusive ending.

The story's setting is a vacation spot in the Pocono Mountains where families return year after year to reconnect with old friends and enjoy a respite.  It begins with the disappearance of a seven-year old girl who is presumed to have drowned in the lake.  A massive search effort begins as participants scour the lake to locate her body. Vactioners begin to recollect other drownings that have occurred in the past.

A drowing that connects many of the characters happened sixteen years ago.The "players" in that drowing have harbored a secret for all those years.  The current drowning acts as a catalyst and the secrets that have been kept begin to be revealed.

The author has a real handle on the thoughts and actions of a twelve year old girl which goes a long way toward making this story interesting.  While the conclusion is not necessarily unchartered territory, it was something I didn't fully anticipate.

I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Ladybookbug!

 

The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark

Another "tried an true" author who has penned thirty-four suspense novels.  I still recall reading her very first novel entitled "Where Are the Children".  Her mysteries are devoid of graphic sexual depictions and while there is some violence in them, it is subtle.

In this story, we are introduced to Parker Bennett, a disreputable finance manager who has bilked his clients of millions of dollars and retreated to the island of St. Thomas under an assumed name.  Only one person knows of his whereabouts and that is his long-time lover "The Countess".  She is blackmailing him to keep his location secret.

Parker's wife and son have not escaped scrutiny by the local police and FBI as officials attempt to connect the relatives to the conspiracy surrounding Parker's disappearance and the missing money.

The Countess is in the process of re-decorating her apartment using the blackmail money.  Her decorator is suspicious and agrees to work with law enforcement to unravel the scheme.  The decorator's assistant becomes enamored of the advances of Parker's son, Eric and the FBI is subtly encouraging her not to venture further into the relationship.

All the characters play a part in making this "light" mystery come to a satisfactory conclusion.

Ladybookbug!