Phantom Prey - John Sandford

Lucas Davenport gets thrust into the middle of series of murders he would rather have nothing to do with. At the same time he is on the team trying to get the Twin Cities ready for the republican convention. Preparing for security of the participants and crowd control with a limited police staff is quite a daunting task in and of itself.

The daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur goes missing and presumed dead. Shortly afterward, her friends begin to show up murdered. After Weather runs into the mother at their gym, she convinces Lucas to get involved in the investigation.

Sandford uses this story to explore the world of Goth. Lucas meets and talks with a number of different people within this subculture and we get some insight into who they are and how they think. And just like most groups, they have their factions and clicks and competing philosophies. Sandford is taking his art to a new level. He is no longer just telling a suspenseful tale. He exploring the sociological aspects of society. In the decades to come, Sandford may well be required reading in many universities and high schools.

Dead Money - Rudy Stegemoeller

I first started this book some years ago when it was being presented in a condensed version as a series in Card Player magazine. I missed the beginning and I missed the end. I also missed several parts in between. I wasn't a subscriber to the magazine so I only got to read it when I could find a copy laying around my local card room. Needless to say, when I saw it on the shelf at the library, I added to my stack.

When I started reading, it was at once familiar. And also clearly not the same. The original story I read took place during a marathon session at his local casino playing in a $30 - $60 game. This story is set during a fairly large tournament. The plot line is the same. A very strong player that most of the poker world is less than fond of is found dead in the parking lot.

Mark Newcomb is a talented amateur poker player. He does well in the cash games when he isn't working in the public defenders office. His wife is less than thrilled with the time he spends playing cards but, she isn't making any ultimatums. Not yet.

The tournament trail is filled with a class of unique individuals and we are introduced to several. People from all walks of life. A multi-millionaire who plays only for the hope of victory to an immigrant who arrived in the country without a cent to his name. Rudy does a good job of fleshing out the characters. We can see whole people, not just cardboard cutouts. More impressively, he does this without slowing the pace or development of the story.

This murder mystery is surprisingly well written. Poker is the backdrop on which the story is told, not the centerpiece. The story itself is compelling and well thought out. Even if you have no interest in poker, this is a great read for any mystery buff.

Chameleon - Mark Burnell

Here is the plot. Woman quits her job and runs away from herself and everyone who knew her. She is found by her former employer who convinces her to take one more assignment. Of course her line of work is not nursing or teaching but killing.

OK. So this is a pretty popular plot line told by numerous different authors and retold in any number of movies. The real question is, can Mark retell this story in a unique and compelling way? The short answer is no.

The cold war produced a thriving market for the spy and assasin thriller genre. In the post cold war writings in this vein are struggling. The KGB are all now powerful criminals and businessmen. MI-6 is still doing their thing but, it just doesn't have the glamour it used to. The CIA? Chasing drug lords and terrorists now that the Soviet Union has crumbled. Never-the-less, Burnell tries to keep suspense alive with an smart, attractive and recently scrupled heroine.

Stephanie is trying to live a simple life on a farm in France. She has been on the run for several years now. Initially she went indipendant. Taking the same jobs that used be assignments. Eventually the killing became to much for her and she stopped. Found a boyfriend and lived a simple life.

Until her former employer paid her a visit. And thus we begin the predictable adventure. Reacquainting with former co-workers. A few months spent training. Getting back into shape and enjoying some sexual tension with the trainer. Agreeing to complete one last assignment in order to be free forever.

If this is your niche, you may want to pick this book up. If you are just passing through, there are better told stories invest your time in. I recomend The Teeth of the Tiger by Tom Clancy for good post cold war spy reading.

Pacific Vortex - Clive Cussler

Sometimes I just want to read something that is loosely tied the world I live in. Something filled with cliches, moves at a breakneck pace and requires minimal processing on my part. I guess that is what pulp fiction is all about. A way to relax and enjoy a few moments without worrying about whether everything makes sense.

I am glad I can turn to Dirk Pitt at those times. A handsome, charismatic hero who always knows what to do and how to do it. There is never any doubt as to whether he will get the girl and save the world but, watching him do it is always fun.

Dirk is on vacation in Hawaii relaxing on a beach when he spots something bobbing in the waves. Little does he know that swimming out and collecting the flotsam will propel him into the center of the Pacific Vortex.

The equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle, the Pacific Vortex is a place where ships disappear without a trace. But, is just a freakish coincidence that ships disappear when they enter the vortex or there something more sinister going on?