The Secret by Lee Child and Andrew Child
The most irrepressible series going today returns with a literal bang, as Jack Reacher is back in “The Secret” (Delacorte) from the brother tandem of Lee and Andrew Child.
We’re treated to a “retro” Reacher this time, spiriting us all the way back to 1992 which was five years before the quintessential modern-day gunfighter was introduced to readers. But who better to investigate a rash of apparently accidental deaths from coast-to-coast, mostly of successful individuals who bear no apparent connection to each other? Notice I said apparent, because we know from the start that Reacher will solve the impossible mystery because that’s who he is and what he does, even if means making up own rules after being enlisted by the government types who write them to get to the bottom of the death wave.
This is among the shortest Child brothers takes on their now legendary myth Lee brilliantly created, which makes for a vibrant, steel-edged pace. The plot is terrific, the action is swift, and Reacher is his, literally, his old self. It’s not easy living up to the toughest standards in the industry but Child and Child have more than managed that once again.
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
Perennial bestselling author Tess Gerritsen enters the world of spy fiction to scintillatingly stellar results in “The Spy Coast” (Thomas & Mercer).
The spy in question is Maggie Bird, actually a former spy now living peacefully on the coast of Gerritsen’s own home state of Maine. She’s part of a sewing circle of former spies who call themselves the Martini Club, an apt metaphor to describe their retirement lifestyles. But it’s not long before Maggie’s old enemies come calling, leaving blood as their calling card. With no one else to turn to, mostly including the town’s novice sheriff, she turns to her former colleagues for help in forming a kind of retirement villa version of the Magnificent Seven with no choice but to return to their old ways.
“The Spy Coast” is storytelling of the highest order, a fresh take on a sub-genre that may never get tired but still feels worn at times. I mean, how many burned-out former male special operators do we need? Here’s hoping we see lots more of Maggie and the gang.
The Lost Tomb by Douglas Preston
As a fan of both Jon Krakauer and Sebastian Junger, I’m the first to admit that there’s no adventure or mystery like a real life one. So it should come as no surprise that it felt as if Douglas Preston’s “The Lost Tomb” (Grand Central) was written just for me.
The book actually packs thirteen tales, appropriately enough, between the covers. You name it, “The Lost Tomb” has it, from buried treasure, to an elusive serial killer, to missing skeletons, to never-explained deaths. My personal favorite was “The Mystery of Oak Island,” because it read at times like a real-life “Stand by Me” focusing on a quest undertaken by childhood friends.
It’s one thing to make up a great story from scratch, quite another to mine the very same effect from truth and/or reality, but Preston does that and more here. “The Lost Tomb” is a seminal work about things that really do go bump in the night that proceeds to show us exactly how that can be. An extraordinary achievement in all respects.
Code Red by Kyle Mills
Few authors have ever taken over a branded series as seamlessly as Kyle Mills did with the great Vince Flynn’s equally great Mitch Rapp character. Word is “Code Red” (Atria) will be his last effort managing the impossible, in which case I’m happy to report Mills is going out on top.
The thing that has always made Rapp special, in both authors’ steely hands, is the code he lives by. That code is sacrosanct and not to be violated under any circumstances. So when the world’s most dangerous crime boss, Damian Losa, calls in an old debt, Rapp is ready to honor his obligation. The favor he’s asked to do is to eradicate the suppliers of a new fentanyl-like narcotic that’s cutting into Losa’s business. Little does Rapp know that the Russians, of all villains, are behind the new drug for their own nefarious reasons which, not surprisingly, involve global chaos.
Mills never tried to make Mitch Rapp his own, content to do his level best to match the complex ambiguities with which Flynn originally defined him, and he is to be commended for the superlative job he did in that respect. “Code Red” is no exception, making the tried and true seen novel and new. Not to be missed by thriller fans one and all.
Home at Night by Paula Munier
Paula Munier’s Mercy Carr mysteries make up just about the most fun and original series going today, and “Home at Night” (Minotaur) proves to be no exception to that rule.
This time out, the Victorian manner setting visited by Mercy and her trusty former bomb-sniffing dog Elvis provides gothic tones for a tale that takes place almost entirely on the grounds of Grackle Tree Farm where she’s gone for some rest and relaxation. That is, until a murder occurs with more potentially in the offing, thanks to a legendary treasure that may or may not lie somewhere on the grounds. Amid the turning leaves and flickering Jack-O-lanterns, Mercy is charged with finding the killer before she becomes the next victim.
“Home at Night” reads like a cozy on steroids, striking the perfect tone between light and darkness. Munier writes like a modern-day Agatha Christie and her latest takes her storytelling acumen to a whole new level.
Call Me Hunter by Jim Shockey
Jim Shockey has fashioned a pulp classic in “Call Me Hunter” (Atria), a book that knows exactly where it wants to go and wastes no time, word, or page in getting there.
Shockey’s blisteringly original tale centers on a “Da Vinci Code”-like legion of killers who have made it their mission to possess the greatest works of art the world over. The legion relies on experts who are born, not made, children imbued with an ability to identify classic art for its purity as well as its beauty. Our hero Hunter is far from pure, and he will need all of his deadly skills to thwart efforts to save his daughter from the clutches of this secret society that call themselves Our World, in a redemptive quest to save his own humanity as well.
“Call Me Hunter” reads like the kind of book Richard Stark (aka Donald Westlake) would have written today and reminded me of “The Hunter” (the basis for the seminal film noir “Point Blank”) in all the right ways—dark, twisted, and uncompromising. Shockey stitches a brilliant tapestry that shines in every respect, regardless of the shadowy hues that define its tone.
Lights Out by Elise Hart Kipness
Speaking of original, debut author Elise Hart Kipness has hit a literary homerun in her first at-bat with “Lights Out” (Thomas & Mercer), offering a rare glimpse into the world behind the curtain of professional sports.
Kipness, a former sports reporter herself, has fashioned an apt doppelganger in Kate Green, who turns her talents toward the investigative side when her best friend is charged with killing her husband, who happens to be a NBA star. But Kate is roiled by her own personal problems and baggage as well, all of which must be overcome to save her friend and get to the bottom of who would want to kill a Sports Illustrated cover boy.
The unique backdrop seasons “Lights Out” with a novel crispness that shines a literal light on this masterful debut. Kipness proves remarkably adept at guiding us through a world she knows all too well, holding just enough back to leave the story unburdened by bulk.
