Month: September 2017

Enigma by Catherine Coulter

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, MysteryLeave a comment

Enigma (FBI Thriller, #21)Enigma by Catherine Coulter

Barbara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: FBI Thriller #21
Publication Date: 9/12/17

Be prepared for drama and action as the FBI’s CAU division deals with a medical megalomaniac and a mastermind killer who shows no mercy. The twenty-first book in the series is just as strong, thrilling, suspenseful and intriguing as the first twenty. These villains aren’t quite as twisted as some of them have been, but they still provide you with a shiver down the spine. Coulter chose not to use Savich’s ‘special’ gift in this book and I wonder if she’s decided to move away from that angle.

I love that you almost always get multiple cases in one book and this one has two. Both are interesting, but very different and the agents involved are also different and interesting.

Case 1 provides the name for the book – Enigma. When Dillon Savich’s friend, Dr. Janice Hudson, calls him to hurry over because she thinks her friend and neighbor is in trouble, he finds a mad man holding the neighbor hostage. The man has the neighbor, Kara Moody, duct taped to a chair and he’s raving about saving her from ‘them’ and screaming that he is an enigma. The madman ends up in a coma and Kara goes into labor. When Kara’s baby is stolen from the hospital and an attempt is made on the madman’s life the FBI goes into high gear trying to find the baby and figure out the connection between the madman, Kara and the baby. The answer will intrigue and astound you.

Case 2 has agents Cam Wittier and Jack Cabot tracking down an escaped robber and murderer, Liam Hennessey, aka Manta Ray. The escape was perfectly planned and executed, but how could the prisoner have possibly coordinated such a plan when he’d had no visitors except his lawyer? The answer to that leads you to blackmail at the highest levels of government as well as murder and intrigue. Hennessey escapes into a forest in Kentucky and then escapes the forest by helicopter. There must be someone rich and powerful helping Hennessey, but who can it be and why would they be interested in helping a robber and murderer escape?

Weaving back and forth between the two storylines, multiple intriguing characters and diverse locations will keep you turning pages as fast as you can to see what happens next. It is definitely a must read!

“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

About Catherine Coulter:
Catherine Coulter is the New York Times bestselling author of over 75 books. Her hugely popular FBI thrillers include The Cove, The Maze, The Target, The Edge, Riptide, Hemlock Bay, Eleventh House, Blindside, Blowout, Point Blank, Double Take, Tail Spin, Knockout, Whiplash, Split Second, Backfire, Bombshell, Power Play and Nemesis. She has a new international thriller series — A Brit in the FBI — co-written with JT Ellison. These include The Final Cut, The Lost Key and The End Game. Also now available is the first in her novella series, starring Grayson Sherbrooke (from the Sherbrooke historical romance series), titled The Strange Visitation at Wolffe Hall.

 

 

The Scotsman Who Saved Me by Hannah Howell

On By TracyIn American Historical, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

The Scotsman Who Saved Me (Seven Brides for Seven Scotsmen #1)The Scotsman Who Saved Me by Hannah Howell
Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Seven Brides for Seven Scotsmen, #1

Release Date: September 26, 2017

This was a good start to a new series, it has all the elements needed to make it an exciting and interesting read. It has likable characters combined with an unusual setting and a steamy love story – what’s not to like?

Iain MacEnroy is the oldest of the seven MacEnroy brothers, they are a family of displaced Scots that moved to America when their Laird’s wife threw them off their land. The incident has given the brothers a deep hatred/distrust for the gentry. They fled to America hoping to start a new life, but on the way to Arkansas Territory, their parents where killed and Iain was left to raise the brothers. Through hard work and sheer determination, they have succeeded in building a home and establishing themselves. Iain meets Emily Stanton when he comes upon her burning home and finds the bodies of her sister and brother in law. They bury the dead and realize that there were others in the house and follow the trail of blood to Emily and her young nephew.

Emily Stanton is on the run for her life and the life of her three year old nephew – she is the granddaughter of a Duke and by an unusual condition bestowed by Queen Elizabeth, the dukedom may be passed the son of daughter, making Neddy (the nephew) the heir to the duke. However, a distant cousin is determined to get rid of Emily and her nephew to ensure he inherits – he has already killed her parents and several other family members that tried to protect Emily and her sister, forcing them to flee England. But it seems that Albert has found them. Emily’s sister begged her to take Neddy and run when the attack began, the attack that killed them and left Emily grievously wounded. When Iain finds her, she knows that her family is dead and she has no place to go. When she passes out, Iain makes the decision to take them back to his home, even knowing that she is English.

Emily slowly heals and is grateful to the MacEnroy’s, she is not sure what will become of her and Neddy, but she feels safe for the first time in years. Iain knows there is more to Emily’s story than she is telling and he is torn between his growing attraction and admiration of her with his distain for the English/gentry. As they grow closer, Iain runs hot and cold with her, but when her life is threaten again, he does not hesitate to protect her.

The story is non-stop from the first page to the last, but it is on the violent side (the villain is relentless) and personally I found the final confrontation with the villain a bit underwhelming. I loved all the characters, the love scenes where steamy, the story flowed well and it focused entirely on Iain and Emily (vs. using this book to set up the series). It is an action-packed, emotional read that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next.

I would happily recommend this book and look forward to reading the other brother’s stories.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*