Review: Assassin by Tara Moss [Jan]

Makedde Vanderwall went to Europe on a case in the last book and discovered a hit man after her, sent by the wealthy, powerful Cavanaugh family.  Now she’s missing, presumed dead by her loved ones and enemies.  She managed to kill the hit man and take over his life though.  Now she’s discovered a high price on her head and knows every hit man in Europe will be after her.  Besides, she has unfinished business with the Cavanaugh’s......

Andy Flynn, Mak’s former boyfriend, is heading up a criminal profiling unit and trying to adjust to life without her.  He’s chasing a sadistic murderer with similarities to the ‘Stiletto Killer’ and back in Sydney.  Then Mak reappears, with a laptop implicating the Cavanaugh’s in murder.  She’s determined to bring them down and needs Andy’s help.

Tightly plotted and with a lot of action, this book keeps you breathlessly reading in anticipation of finding out what happens next.  The ending was perfect.  Loved it.  It was a good ending to the series as well, with everything wrapped up nicely.  I had read the first in the Mak Vanderwall series but not the rest.  I was quickly able to follow the plot as Tara Moss gives enough back-story to enable you to understand what’s been happening, without causing the story to halt.


Title: Assassin
Author: Tara Moss
Published: HarperCollins, 2012
Series: Book 5 in Makedde Vanderwall
Reviewer: Jan

Review: Graham Henry - Final Word by Bob Howitt [Jan]

The autobiography of a remarkable man, this book gives us a look at the background and life of an interesting coach.  It begins with his schooling and how he became a PE teacher, and then charts his career coaching voluntarily until rugby turned professional.  He’s a man who does things his way and isn’t afraid to tell authority where to go.

This is a well written, enjoyable story of a remarkable man and a life t hat has been lived to the fullest.  An ordinary bloke, Graham Henry as given all to succeed and encouraged others to realise their dreams.  This is an intimate look at an inspiring man who tries his best and demands it of others.

It was really interesting to get a glimpse of the mentality of professional sportspeople and the best and worst aspects of games of rugby.  He doesn’t make excuses for losses, instead explaining why he thought they happened.  Not a rugby fan, I skimmed the rugby talk but enough stayed with me to prove interesting.  I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book.  Bob Howitt did a good job as co-writer and there were little snippets of dry humour throughout.


Title: Graham Henry: Final Word
Author: Bob Howitt
Published: HarperCollins, 2012
Reviewer: Jan

Review: Lost Voices by Christopher Koch [Jan]

Set in Tasmania this book has three parts, telling the stories of Hugh Dixon, a school boy in the 50’s; his great great grandfather Martin’s adventures with a notorious bushranger in the 1800’s; and a return to Hugh as he makes a life in the 70s.

The first part is rather slow, telling us about Hugh’s best friend, his desire to be an artist, and his meeting with his great uncle Walter, an acclaimed lawyer, in order to get a favour for his father.  Walter creates a bond with Hugh, encouraging him to follow his dream of being an artist and acting as a mentor, introducing him to literature and new ideas.  This lays the ground work for the next chapter in Hugh’s life and introduces Martin, a relative Walter has long admired.

Martin longs to be a writer, rebelling against his father’s wish he be a gentleman farmer.  The setting is Tasmania in the 1800s, when it served as a penal colony for British convicts.  Liam Dalton escapes his prison sentence and returns to the gang of his fellow bushranger, the legendary Luke Wilson.  On his way there, he meets Martin who persuades him to take him to Luke and see if he’ll let him write down his life story for a newspaper.  Martin stays for a while in the utopian paradise Luke Wilson has created before the actions of an evil person force him out.
Jumping forward in time, Hugh’s story resumes.  Having left school, he works as a photo retoucher for a newspaper.  He reconnects with his childhood best friend and they are on their way to achieving their dreams of being artists. Then an evil person appears to shatter those dreams.  Hugh asks another favour of Walter, to help his best friend.

After a slow start, the plot heats up and more action occurs.  I’m glad I didn’t give up reading as this is a good book.  The contrast of good and evils is shown, and interesting questions are raised, such as can there ever be a utopia?  A thought provoking book, much different from my usual reads!


Title: Lost Voices
Author: Christopher Koch
Published: HarperCollins, 2012
Reviewer: Jan

Review: The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes [Jan]

Kirby Mazrachi was gutted and left for dead, her dog died defending her; now she wants to find the others.  The other victims of the man who did this to her.  She enlists the help of Dan Velasquez a former homicide reporter now covering the sports beat.  Divorced and twice her age, he’s cynical and word weary but growing convinced of Kirby’s crazy theories.  The killer they’re tracking is Harper Curtis, who has a list of names on the wall and a House with a chilling secret.

A time-travelling serial killer.  This is a great concept I haven’t read before.  I wonder if it is based on actual events, it would explain why so many murderers are never caught.  Kirby is such a strong heroine, a survivor who doesn’t give up.  Dan contrasts with her well, someone who gave up but is willing to try once more.  The characters are lifelike and you get a view of what they are like through the glimpses of their lives before they encounter Harper for the last time.

The plot is carefully thought out and there’s a lot going on.  The story jumps around to different time periods and POVs of various characters in short chapters.  This is a story that’s chillingly addictive and fans of thrillers will enjoy it.  Lauren Beukes has written two previous books I must track down and she’s been added to my must read list.

*not strictly sf/f but a time-travelling serial killer is close enough


Title: The Shining Girls
Author: Lauren Beukes
Published: HarperCollins, 2013
Reviewer: Jan

Review: Siege by Simon Kernick [Jan]

A group of terrorists plot to take over a London hotel, using violence and bloodshed to control the hostages they have. Wolf is the leader of a group of fanatics and they have ensured the head of MI6 is one of the hostages.  The rest of the group are Fox’s men, and he has a slightly different agenda.  As bullets fly some guests hide while others try to escape.  The rest are rounded up and hope they live through the night.

Scope has just assassinated several people and is on his way out of the hotel when the hotel is taken hostage and he is trapped.  He comes across Abby and her son Ethan and rescues them from immediate death, then stays to protect them.  Elena is the newly engaged hotel manager, planning to move to Australia she was handing in her resignation that day.  Martin has terminal cancer and is planning to commit suicide in a hotel room that holds a special meaning for him.  When the bullets start to fly, he discovers he doesn’t want to die that day.  Michael, the MI6 man, know secrets people would kill for.  There’s an interesting subplot with the officer on the ground that’s in direct charge of the police forces response to this hostage situation.

The plot unfolds rapidly, with points of view of different characters giving a perfect view of what’s happening.  The story is told in short chapters, usually ending in cliff-hangers that are exciting and teasers to devour the book in one sitting!  The story has masterful suspense where you’re sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the next thing to happen.

I loved the ending!  The good guys win, bad guys lose, and the dodgy hero’s motivations are revealed.  Brilliant.  Off to find other books by Simon Kernick.

Title: Siege
Author: Simon Kernick
Published: Bantam Press, 2012
Reviewer: Jan

Review: One Pot Cooking by Richard Till [Jan]

There are over 60 easy recipes for busy people to throw together quickly after a busy day.  They use the minimum of pots and pans to cut down on mess and the dishes are easy to make with minimal effort while being tasty and nutritious.  The recipes are only base starting points to creating dishes; you are urged to add your own ingredients and touches to the dish.

The recipes are divided into sections, soup, beef, seafood, etc....., with most accompanied by stunning photos of the dish.  The layout of the recipes is attractively pleasing, with step by step instructions given.  I was confused by a word or two; I’m not sure if it was a mistake in proof-reading or because I’m a novice cook.  It’s an easy guide to follow though and I have tried quite a few already.

Instructions are given on how to make your own dough and dumplings instead of buying it, which may be handy for those with dietary requirements.  To make the Crayfish Cabbage Rolls though, instructions are given on how to properly kill a crayfish.  I’m sure there are many out there who wouldn’t turn a hair but I’m not one and I felt a little queasy.

It is a handy guide of quick, simple dishes and useful for anyone to have in their kitchen.  I recommend it for students or anyone who has just gone flatting.  It will build up cooking skills as it increases confidence in the kitchen.


Title: One Pot Cooking
Author: Richard Till
Published: HarperCollins, 2013
Reviewer: Jan

Review: NZ Rugby Kitchen by New Zealand Rugby Foundation [Jan]

A collection of recipes of the favourite dishes from some of New Zealand’s top rugby talent both present and past, this book is full of yummy goodness.  The players donated their cooking skills with royalties going to the NZ Rugby Foundation. The New Zealand Rugby Foundation is a charity that supports catastrophically injured rugby players, both financially and emotionally; and works with the New Zealand Rugby Union to communicate the message of safety first.

The recipes are simple and uncomplicated to make, while tasting great!  Easy to prepare, they are good for busy people who don’t have a lot of free time to prepare meals but enjoy food.  This book may inspire rugby mad kids to do the cooking, giving their parents a break!  The recipes are illustrated with stunning photographs of mouth watering food and there are candid shots of the rugby talent relaxing, preparing the dishes and enjoying them.

Some recipes are distinctly kiwi, like Buck Shelford’s Titi with Watercress and Kumara – Titi are muttonbirds, found in the lower South Island.  Other’s have a more international flavour, such as Adam Thomson’s Beef Fajitas and Smashed Guacamole.  Then there are the traditional staples, such as Victor Vito’s Beef Wellington or amole.  Then there are the traditional staples, such as Victor Vito’s Beef Wellington or Jason Emery’s Shepherd’s Pie.

NZ Rugby Kitchen has been chosen as a finalist in the Charity Fundraising category of the Gourmand World Cookbook awards.  The Gourmand awards are extremely prestigious and 154 countries participated in last year’s awards, entering books in 53 categories. All countries, authors and publishers — big and small — are given equal opportunity to enter.

Featured players include:
CRUSADERS
Mark Ranby, Management, Tom Donnelley, Ross Kennedy, Robert Fruean, Corey Flynn, Wyatt Crockett, Andrew Ellis

HIGHLANDERS
Jamie Joseph, Coach, Doug Tietjens, Nick Crosswell, Jarrad Hoeata, Jamie Mackintosh

BLUES
Charlie Faumauina, Albert Nikoro, Jerome Kaino, Anthony Boric

FORMER BLACK FERNS
Melodie Robinson, Anna Richards, Farah Palmer

FORMER ALL BLACKS
Sir Graham Henry, coach AB’s, 2011 RWC, BG Williams, Tane Norton, Waka Nathan, David Kirk, Marc Ellis, Buck Shelford, Sir Wilson Whineray, Buck Anderson, Jerry Collins, Chris Laidlaw, John Sturgeon, Sir John Graham, Pita Alatini, Rodney So’oialo

FORMER PROVINCIAL PLAYERS
Ben Castle, Ben Hurst, Jason Emery

REFEREE
Chris Pollock

CURRENT ALL BLACKS
Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Zac Guilford, Kieran Read, Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Israel Dagg, Sam Whitelock, Richard Kahui, Aaron Cruden, Conrad Smith, Victor Vito, Adam Thompson, Andrew Hore, Aaron Smith, Piri Weepu, Keven Mealamu

CHIEFS
Wayne Smith, assistant coach & previous assistant All Blacks coach, Alex Bradley

HURRICANES
Frae Wilson

Title: NZ Rugby Kitchen: Celebrating The Love Of Food, Family And Rugby
Author: New Zealand Rugby Foundation
Publisher: Random House, c2012
Reviewer: Jan

Review: Inferno by Dan Brown [Jan]

Robert Langdon wakes up in a hospital bed in Italy, shot and no memory of how or why it happened.  All he can remember is a beautiful woman sitting in a painting depicting Dante’s Gates of Hell, urging him to seek and find something.  A spiky haired woman tries to assassinate him and he flees for his life with the assistance of an attractive young doctor.

Sienna Brooks is a doctor, used to saving lives and being in control.  She saved a patient’s life and is now being pursued through the streets of Rome by the police, military, mercenaries, and an assassin.  The former child actor has a genius IQ and uncertain immigration status that means she does not want to be noticed.

Fast-paced and with plenty of action, the plot is tightly written with intriguing clues dropped throughout that reveal a clever but horrific plan.  As pieces began slotting together small pieces of the puzzle began to emerge but certain events remained a mystery and I couldn’t understand them, like the head of the WHO and the man she met.  Was she working with him or thwarting him?   There were a few shocks as people’s secrets were revealed and all the pieces came together right at the very end to display.  I did not guess what was coming before it unfolded and I wondered how I missed it.

Set in the exotic streets of Florence, medieval Italian literature and artworks are explored, as Dante’s Inferno is key to the plan.  History and art buffs will either enjoy this story or pick holes in the authenticity of the story.  Fans of a cleverly written thriller will be delighted with this book.  I thought the plan was grotesque and so wrong, but worryingly I can see the sensible side of it.

Read this latest masterpiece from Dan Brown.  It’s a gripping read.

Title: Inferno
Author: Dan Brown
Published: Bantam Press, 2013
Reviewer: Jan

Review: The Day She Cradled Me by Sacha De Bazin [Jan]

Minnie Dean was the only woman hanged in New Zealand, in the mid1890s.  A baby farmer who bought babies given up by their families before placing them with adoptive parents for a fee, she was accused of murdering children in her care and disposing of their bodies.

This book is based on facts gathered from trial transcripts, records, newspaper reports, etc, but tells the from Minnie’s point of view. In her version the babies and children accidently died and she panicked and buried the bodies in the garden.  This is plausible as the infant mortality rate was high in the 1890s and she was viewed with enough suspicion by the authorities that she would be in serious trouble.  Society in 1890 was male focused and anyone different was frowned upon.  By today’s standards there was reasonable doubt but things were different then.

This book is thought-provoking and very well written, showing another side to the story.  I knew of the crime growing up and always thought Minnie Dean was an evil monster who went around smothering babies and got what she deserved.  Now I think this is another David Bain case and you’ll never be sure of her guilt.  This is a good read though the historical facts are a bit dry and slow going.  I’m not sure how interesting the case will be to international readers but it does show how life was back then for pioneers.

Title: The Day She Cradled Me
Author: Sacha De Bazin
Published: Black Swan, 2012
Reviewer: Jan

Review: My Brother's Keeper by Donna Malane [Jan]

Missing person’s expert Diane Rowe is hired by Karen, an ex-P addict just released from prison, to find her daughter and ensure she is safe.  The crime Karen was imprisoned for was the attempted murder of her daughter.  Diane finds Karen’s daughter, Sunny, after a quick internet search which Karen could’ve done.  Suspicious of her client’s motives, Diane goes to check on Sunny’s safety.

At home in Wellington Diane’s boyfriend has bonded with her dog and her ex, her relationship has become serious, and her ex wants to sell the marital home.  Diane deals with this as her credit card balance dwindles and she keeps annoying police officers with her inability to keep her nose out of cases.  The adorable Wolf, Diane’s ex-police dog, appears throughout the book, as does the cute cop Robbie.

A strong, capable character, I’m impressed by Diane’s tenacity and her ability to have everything turn out ok in the end.  There where I few twists I didn’t see coming and the ending took be my surprise.  Set in Auckland and Wellington, the places were familiar and there were a few aspects unique to New Zealand.
I HAD to buy the second in the series as this series is so good!  Paperbacks are available from New Zealand websites only, but there is an e-book version.

Title: My Brother’s Keeper
Author: Donna Malane
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Book 2 in Diane Rowe
Reviewer: Jan

Review: Gun Machine by Warren Ellis

On playing back the 911 recording, it’d seem that Mrs. Stegman was more concerned that the man outside her apartment door was naked than that he had a big shotgun.

John Tallow’s partner has just been killed on the job as a police officer in New York City.  While examining the crime scene he discovers an apartment filled with hundreds of guns; on walls, on the floor, in every room.  Several guns are collected at random and test-fired, to reveal each gun had been used in an unsolved homicide in a 20 year span.  John is assigned the case and realises he will have to solve each shooting before he can find the killer.

Not a comic book fan I was a little dubious the author Warren Ellis would write a crime novel that would appeal to me.  I was totally wrong – this book is fantastic!  The opening sentence snagged my attention and never lost it.  The excellent storytelling tells a dramatic tale of the gritty world of policing and offers hope the good guys sometimes win.  The manipulations and reasons behind the murders are chilling once you figure it out.

The characters are so life like and interesting, with the CSU’s having so many quirks you’ve got to love them.  The killer is creepy, with the psychotic side of him becoming clearer as the story unfolds.  I saw the ending coming halfway through but on the journey there more sinister details emerged.

If you like psychological thrillers, read this book!

Title: Gun Machine
Author: Warren Ellis
Publisher: Mulholland Books, c2013
Reviewer: Jan

Review: An Extraordinary Land by Peter Hayden [Jan]

New scientific discoveries about wildlife unique to New Zealand are detailed in a collection of stories in this book.  Flowing together seamlessly and sensibly organized, some stories look at the unusual behaviour and strange life of animals, such as what nocturnal birds do at night and little blue penguins also do not like living in cold places.  Interesting knowledge is shared; did you know not only birds are responsible for pollination?  Lizards and bats also help plants pollinate.  The efforts of people and organizations battling to safe guard the future of New Zealand unique natural environment are noted and their dedication is amazing to hear about.

Written so the layman can easily understand it, the stories offer an up close view of the fascinating world and inhabitants of is natural New Zealand.  The writing is warm and friendly, sharing a glimpse into the personal experiences and memories of the writer and photographer.  The photography is splendid and seems to be alive on the page.  Rod Morris has been wildlife photographer for years and all the photos in this book are stunning.  The pages of this book are a high grade, glossy paper and it enhances the colour.

Anyone with an interested in nature or curious about New Zealand will love this book.  It will also appeal to anyone who likes a well written story enjoys stunning photos.  I highly recommend adding it to the collection on your shelf.

Title: An Extraordinary Land: Discoveries and Mysteries from Wild New Zealand
Author: Peter Hayden
Published: HarperCollins, 2013
Reviewer: Jan

Review: Anticipation by Tanya Moir [Jan]

Janine is a successful real estate agent who also buys derelict houses too do up and sell.  This time she buys an island to live on and while doing it up tells the story of her life, switching from her present life; to her childhood with her mother; to her recent past with her husband.  Her mother was obsessed with genealogy and finding out about her ancestor’s lives.  She used to tell Janine idealized stories of their lives, viewed though rose-coloured glasses.  Then she gets sick and Janine continues the search and recording their stories.

This is a very well written book with a tightly wound, fascinating plot that moved seamlessly between the different time periods.  You have to concentrate at first to keep everything straight but as the story continued, you got a better understanding of the story.  The character of Janine is strong and likeable, with minor character real and believable.  The stories told of ancestors are very realistic and enjoyable.  Buy this book and read it cover to cover.  It’s great.

The talented author is a New Zealander and the book is set in the Invercargill of the past and present-day Auckland.  Her second novel, this is a compelling read and raises the question of how much of our past and future we want to know.

Title: Anticipation
Author: Tanya Moir
Published: Vintage, 2013
Reviewer: Jan

Review: Surrender by Donna Malane [Jan]

Diane Rowe finds missing people.  Usually she works for the police finding identities of bodies found in crime scenes or washed up on the beach.  Then her little sister, Niki, was murdered.  Diane focused on pushing the police to find the killer forcefully.  Too hard, as it lost her credibility as she put it above all other cases.  It also caused the breakup of her marriage, as finding Niki’s killer became her only thought.  Her policeman ex-husband quickly found a replacement.

Then the main suspect, Snow,, turns up dead, murdered the same way Niki was and in the same place.  The new case turns up evidence of Niki’s seedy past and Diane learns things she’d rather not know.  She embarks on a journey to uncover the killer of her sister, as the police case is finished now Snow is dead.  At the same time she has been asked by the police to find the identity of a 30 year old skeleton found in the bush, her chance at regaining credibility and more work.

This story had a strong plot, believable characters, quite a bit of action, and a strong heroine who could look after herself.  Oh, and a cute but tough dog.  I really enjoyed this book, I was kept intrigued by the unfolding of the story, and it offered up a few twists I didn’t see coming.  Set in New Zealand, it won the 2010 New Zealand Society of Authors – Pindar Publishing Prize and has some glimpses of the breathtaking beauty of the bush.  The cover has an instantly recognizable picture of the lights on Wellington’s waterfront.  Definitely a must read and I plan to read more of the Diane Rowe series.

I received my copy as a paperback from HarperCollins and it seems to only be printed in New Zealand.  There is a kindle edition on Amazon.

Title: Surrender
Author: Donna Malane
Published: HarperCollins, c2010
Series: Book 1 in Diane Rowe
Reviewer: Jan

Review: Until You're Mine by Samantha Hayes

Claudia Morgan-Brown leads a privileged life in Edgbaston with her husband, James, and two stepsons.  Heavily pregnant, with a busy job and James at sea a lot, she needs help with the twins.  Their ad for a live in nanny is answered by Zoe, who has impeccable references and seems ideal.  Zoe has a secret though, and a deep desire for a baby of her own.

Lorraine Fisher is a Detective Sergeant currently hunting a killer who targets heavily pregnant women and cuts the baby from them.  She’s working with her husband Adam, another cop.  Their marriage is shaky and the gruesome crimes aren’t helping to restore it.

This is very well plotted and the characters come to life.  As the story unfolds you see how everything is interconnected and it s very clever.  There’s a real twist in the ending of this gripping thriller.  I was expecting one story and got another, better one.  I love being surprised at the ending as I did not expect how the story wound up.  The last line was chilling and I urge people to read it.  If you enjoy physiological thrillers and authors such as Tess Gerritson, Jilliane Hoffman, and Karin Slaughter, you’ll love this book.

Title: Until You're Mine
Author: Samantha Hayes
Publisher: Century, 2013
Reviewer: Jan

Review: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra [Jan]

In 2004 Chechnya was in the middle of a war with Russia for independence – and control of the oil supply.

After the Russians Feds come for Dokka in the middle of the night, his 8 yr old daughter Havaa hides to escape them.  Burning his home to the ground, they take him to the Landfill – a pace people don’t come back from.  His neighbour and friend Akhmid takes her to the only person he knows who might hide her, a doctor running the nearby hospital, Sonja.

Sonja left a fiancé and brilliant job in London to return to Chechnya. She’s searching for his sister Natasha, who disappeared from Chechnya after escaping a brothel in Italy.  Akhmid, a poorly trained doctor, bargains to help Sonja in the hospital if she helps to hide Havaa.  The Russian Feds are searching for her......

The story slowly unfolds, jumping from the present day to flashbacks explaining events leading up to now.  Each chapter is marked by the year and the story is told by different characters.  Glimpses of the future for random characters were also given.  The descriptions of living in a war zone are vivid and horrific; you can see the dust from the rubble and taste the desolation in the air.  The story fits together well and you eventually see how events intertwine.

I found this book slow at first and now know more about performing amputations than I want to.  The story was well written and compelling though; I had to read more to find out why.  I’m glad I did as most of the questions I had were answered.

Title: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
Author: Anthony Marra
Published: Hogarth, c2013
Reviewer: Jan

Review: One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern

Kitty Logan has made a huge mistake in her career as a journalist.  Now her mentor, Constance, lies dying of cancer.  She’s given Kitty a last story lead; a list of one hundred names.  Before Kitty can ask who the names are, Constance passes.  Kitty must figure out how the names are connected and write the story as a tribute to Constance.

Light, frothy, and fun to read, this book cheers you up while not being sickly.  There’s bad things happening but everything turns out right in the end.  There’s a positive theme throughout, with the message being one of hope and to follow your dreams.  There are multiple stories of people, and they’re all cleverly entwined at the ending.

The whole book there’s the undercurrent of the connection the names share and in the back of my mind I was trying to figure it out, while enjoying the story.  Then we were teased and told Kitty had figured it out and I still couldn’t find it, and can’t wait for it to be revealed.  Then the secret is uncovered and ‘of course!’  It’s perfect, very fitting with
who Constance was.  Read this, see if you can figure it out, but don’t forget to enjoy the story.

A really good book I hugely enjoyed and read in one sitting.  I just had to see what happened next!

Title: One Hundred Names
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Published: HarperCollins, 2012
Reviewer: Jan

Review: The Witness by Nora Roberts [Jan]

Elizabeth Fitch was raised by an emotionally remote mother to be a perfect daughter who never puts a foot wrong.  But one night she decides to rebel.  After forging fake ids, she and a friend, Julie, get into a trendy club to party and met he owners of the club, Ilya and Alexei.  The girls leave the club with Alexei, to go back to his place, with Ilya meeting up with them after he finished some business.  They two men are Russian mafia though and the business is Ilya killing Alexei.  Julie is caught in the crossfire and Elizabeth runs, contacting the police and agreeing to testify against the shooters.  Placed in the witness protection programme, she is betrayed before the trial and two FBI agents are killed defending her.  So she must run again.

Abigail Lowery is a mystery.  Buying a house in a small town in the Ozarks, she keeps to herself and rarely goes to town, causing the residents to be insanely curious about her.  She designs security software and by hacking, keeps tabs on the Russian mafia, FBI, US Marshals, and anyone connected with the Fitch case.  Oh, and she has a fierce guard dog called Bert who is adorable.  Brooks is the police chief of the town?? and interested in knowing more about Abigail.  The subplot involved the son of the town’s wealthiest man vandalising the property of a well liked family  The father was trying to buy the sons way out of trouble and it was interesting to view his frustration and escalation as he didn’t succeed.

The beginning was interesting but the middle dragged, with the last third of the book being interesting again.  I love the ending, though it would have been brilliant to see the reactions of the bad guys as justice found them!  I didn’t like how Brooks wouldn’t take no for an answer, pushing his way into Abigail’s house and life after being told no, because he ‘knew’ what she secretly wanted.  Things worked out ok because it’s a romance book, but no means no.  I also found his mother, Sunny, to be pushy and annoying; pushing her way into the house of a woman her son was interested in.  It worked out ok but you can see she’ll be interfering in the future.

This turned out to be a good read, perfect for a lazy day.

Title: The Witness
Author: Nora Roberts
Published: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2012
Reviewer: Jan

Review: A Kiwi Fisherman's Guide to Life by Ian Chapman and Mike Rendle [Jan]

From a Californian native to a celebrity psychic, this book interviews many people and asks why they enjoy fishing, as well as getting them to share tales, tall and otherwise!  This book has snapshots of people’s lives – specifically kiwi fishermen.  The look at their lives is fascinating and they all share a positive outlook on life, enjoying doing what makes them happy. There are some real characters out there and this book lets you view some of them.

Attractively laid out with stunning photos of the New Zealand coastline and rivers, this book looks good and is easy to read.  The format of short interviews with different people telling good stories let readers pick it up and put it down without losing the plot of the book.  You can dive in anywhere and be captivated by a story.

Preferring my fish to be already cooked and on a dinner plate when I see them, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.  This is a must read for the fisherman in your life and for anyone who enjoys a good yarn or two.  Anyone with an interest in New Zealand will enjoy the beautiful photos that accompany each story.

Title: A Kiwi Fisherman’s Guide To Life
Authors: Ian Chapman and Mike Rendle
Published: HarperCollins, 2012
Reviewer: Jan

Review: Petrolheads in Sheds by Steve Holmes [Jan]

Another awesome book with slices of Kiwi life!  This one features blokes who collect cars and motorbikes, and usually other things as well, such as tractors, Tiger Moths, Bren gun carriers, and model railways.  The author goes into shed and garages all over New Zealand as he talks to these owners and learns about their collection.  A couple of them have even opened up their collections as museums!

The stories are usually about a page and accompanied by a good number of photos.  Well composed and attractively laid out, it’s the contents of the photos that will make petrolheads drool.  A brief look at the contents of each garage has some interesting shots of some of the objects within.  These will delight motor enthusiasts everywhere.  There are some really unique people out there in New Zealand.  This book shows some really fascinating characters and the love they have for their passion.  A recommended read for anyone bitten by the motoring bug.

Title: Petrolheads in Sheds: Unique Kiwi Car Collections
Author: Steve Holmes
Published: HarperCollins, 2012
Reviewer: Jan