Virtue Falls by Christina Dodd

The storyline is wonderful and very intriguing. I have to admit though that I almost did not finish the book because there were quite a few factors that really annoyed me. But before I go off tangent again let me briefly give you the gist of the novel. Elizabeth Banner is returning to Virtue Falls 23 years after her highly intelligent but dull-looking father allegedly kills her beautiful but adulterous mother.

I had read a lot of murders involving cheating spouses but the story glorified the wayward mother so much as if she was such an image of  beauty that of course she was allowed to stray from that old, unattractive husband of hers! The poor dad eventually got humiliated and tortured by the murder for 23 years even though there was not enough evidence to throw him in prison.

Then the author gives a description of Elizabeth Banner. She is absolutely drop dead gorgeous with huge breasts, a small waistline, huge hips, long legs and a sexual appetite (with her ex-husband) enough to rival a porn star. And wait! Not only is she goddess like beautiful like her mother, she also inherited the astute brain of her plain looking dad that has allowed her to excel both academically and professionally! Hence, every single straight male lusts for her while her cousins tortured her just like Cinderella got tortured by her ugly step sisters. The proverbial "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful!"

It was insinuated that her mother was killed by her lover but they don't know who he is! You see, every straight male wanted her mom so there was a big spectrum of potential lovers to choose from. The description of both women were like in an adult fairy tale. Both were beyond beautiful that all men went on an orgasmic trance just looking at them while all plain janes trembled at their sight. Okay! I'm exaggerating. But Ms. Dodd immediately immerses the reader with more fast paced events that I fell into the spell of reading the whole novel faster than my normal pace. It was good and suspenseful.

The Boy Who Drew Monsters by Keith Donohue

It's a chilling story about a boy named Jack Peter whose drawings of monsters came to life. These creatures not only haunt him but also starts to terrify his family and his best friend, Nick. An "accident" involving him and his friend Nick has caused him to develop a disorder that was later diagnosed as Asperger's syndrome. This is when the frantic drawing of monsters start . What started as a drawing "phase" eventually develops into a more malevolent exercise. I did not like the ending but just like "Pan's Labyrinth" it was necessary in order to explain the bizarre happenings and make the story more effective in creating an impact on the reader. 

Your Not Safe by Mary Burton

This is an excellent thriller. It's about former residents of an upscale mental health facility for suicidal patients who are gradually being killed off  several years after being released. It also manages to mix in a little romance that heightened the story line without evoking the cringe factor most romantic thrillers usually give. Being a regular murder mystery aficionado I managed to predict the murderer but more out of instinct rather than failure of the author to "deceive" the reader. She always manages to make you doubt every suspicion you have by always inserting some clues that would help mislead you until the very end. Mary Burton has definitely improved her writing style as I made a mistake of borrowing an earlier book after being impressed with this one. Very disappointing, I should say. Hence, I urge readers to stick to her later works .

The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh

This is an incredible book told through two time frames- the present and the time before the main character,Lucy, is born. It starts out with a brief description of the major characters involved, culminating into the horrifying death of Lucy's friend. Upset that no one appears to care about her friend's demise other than herself, she decides to investigate her friend's murder. As she searches for clues, she realizes that her friend's death appear to be connected to her mother's mysterious disappearance several years ago.  The story is voiced out by different characters, making the reader learn more about their backgrounds and slowly explaining why events have happened in the first place. Very well written.

Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

This is an amazing book that actually mixed the occult with murder and mystery without offering the standard story line people normally expect. All chapters were short but always ended either with an ominous tone or a suspenseful phrase that made the reader want to proceed to the next one. It also weaved the story of several families - a widow with 2 kids, a mother from a different century, a couple whose stash were found in the house, an artist and her photographer husband, an unstable woman and finally a "witch" whose presence have caused all the havoc that brought these lives together. Creepy but well told.

Under My Skin by Sabine Durrant

The start had the narrator mumbling some random thoughts that I believe tended to confuse rather than explain the main character's present situation. However, after the dead body is found during her walk, things pick up quickly. As the story progress, I start getting impatient with the lady for her lack of perception on what seems to be very obvious. And the trauma she had to endure! This is, however, explained at the very end. Everything falls right in place with the way a secondary character explains what has really happened . The beauty of it all was how the truth was clarified in print (Yes, folks! In print!) and how it actually paved the way for the success of "the master plan" ! Ah! Revenge is so sweet and to actually get away with it! Such bliss! To me - unscrupulous individuals just deserve death!

No Time to Say Goodbye by Barclay Linwood

25 years ago a very recalcitrant teen name Cynthia Bigge, comes home defiantly in a drunken stupor only to wake up to the surprise of her life. Her whole family vanishes without a trace ! Twenty-five years later she is now a married woman raising a daughter with her husband, Terrence Archer , who teaches in one of those undesirable schools . Her husband is so intrigued by what has transpired in the past that he took upon himself to contact a TV station to reopen the case and search for clues. This has then opened a can of worms and starts haunting Cynthia again.

The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

This  is a collection of novelettes made by famous writers with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as central characters. May I point out one well known author, Mr. Stephen King , who was included in this anthology. I owe Mr. King an apology when I thought he has copied another writer's story line with "The Doctor's Case". Fortunately one mystery enthusiast who frequented another mystery forum informed me that the reason it sounded familiar was because it was already published in King's other collection , "Nightmares and Dreamscapes".

The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard

Okay! Do not be thrown off by this pathetic title. This is actually an excellent murder mystery by Nancy Pickard. Though I wasn't  thrilled with her previous work, I have to admit I was pretty impressed with this one. The story starts in 1987 during a blizzard. While rounding up newborn calves , the sheriff of Small Plains and his teenage sons, Rex and Patrick, discover the naked frozen body of a beautiful teenage girl. Recognizing the dead girl and fearing that the killer is someone they know and need to "protect", they bash the girl's face with the help of the town's doctor and leave her in the snow to be later "discovered" by someone.

Murder on the Cliffs by Joanna Challis

This novel features a young Daphne Du Maurier in a fictionalized murder mystery. Her future husband is included in the storyline though a romantic atmosphere is not yet created. I suspect the author is planning a sequel which would gradually address their romantic relationship in future stories. But then again, that is only my opinion.