The Murderer’s Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman

If you are one of those readers who enjoyed the Alex Delaware series by bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman, it’s time to switch gears and head over to the other side of his creative resourcefulness for what he has in store for his fans. And it won’t disappoint, that I can assure you, for Kellerman’s protagonist is a strong female, of the femme fatale type, yet susceptible with demons of her own, and with strong ties to Alex Delaware. You've never met anyone like her before!

The Murderer’s Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman is about a young psychologist Grace Blades who was once a student of Alex Delaware. Grace is no ordinary mortal. She witnessed the brutal and horrific death of her parents. All the goodness in her were instilled by her foster parents. Yet, there runs a voracious and insatiable streak contrary to her ordinary life which has brought to the fore Kellerman’s expertise as a clinical psychologist. Like fish to water, writing a psychological thriller comes naturally to Kellerman.

The fulcrum of Kellerman’s The Murderer’s Daughter is the “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” personality of its main protagonist, Grace Blades. Dedicated, brilliant, caring, young and lively, Grace is a supremely fantastic character, finely etched, and fits her job as a psychologist perfectly. But Grace’s other personality is inconceivable for those who knows her as the competent psychologist that she is during day time. When night comes, Grace ventures out seeking for excitement and adventure, ostensibly to relieve herself from the stress of her job and the nightmares of her childhood. She does crazy things. You’ve to find out what happens next after a person with whom she had a tryst comes barging into her office and is soon found dead.

The Murderer’s Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman is a hugely entertaining read with Alex Delaware making a brief appearance. Riveting and suspenseful, Kellerman has crafted a superbly well-paced story with a hard-nosed protagonist in control. Though she lives her life on the edge of civility, it is impossible not to root for her. Delving into the deepest recesses of the human capacity for good and evil, Jonathan Kellerman's masterful latest novel will captivate readers from start to finish.

Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel

There are various approaches to a story. While the vast majority of the books that we have in the market are geared towards the entertainment and pleasure of its readers, there are some books which are designed to engage the readers, stimulate one to action and evoke a sense of duty, awareness and self-discovery as a result of its reading. And it is into that latter category that Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel belongs.

A suspenseful contemporary mystery thriller, Crooked Little Lies follows the events surrounding the mysterious disappearance of Bo Laughlin, a quirky character familiar to most residents of the small Texas town of Hardys Walk. Bo is also the step-brother of Annie Beauchamp, a young woman who works in the café in town, and they both have lost their mothers. It is also the story of Lauren Wilder, an old-fashioned suburban wife and mother of two adolescents - Drew, 14, and Kenzie, 11 – and how her life unchangeably intertwined with Bo’s disappearance.

Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel is an absorbing and captivating story that is strung with elements of mystery and suspense. What emphatically sets apart this particular story is how the author sets the stage for the story to fold up and the underlying refrain of how an incident can affect an individual, family or an entire community. Author Barbara Taylor Sissel's eclectic cast of characters in the form of Cooper Grant, Lauren’s her husband Jeff, Lauren’s sister Tara and drug-addict boyfriend Greg, and other secondary players make it a satisfying read. Though the ending did not come as a surprise, the mastery with which it was build up makes for an exciting read.

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