Review: 2nd in Trilogy by Brenda Novak Requires a 5+ - Available TODAY!

Image by izumiflowers via FlickrBody Heat

By Brenda Novak

Mira Books
ISBN: 9780778328032
441 Pages





Roderick Guerrero had only been 15 when he had fell in love with Sophia St. Claire. They had both lived in Bordertown, but Rod was also the illegitimate son of an important man in town. Though his mother continued to work on his farm and Rod had grown up there, they had experienced the humiliation and hatred from his half-brothers and his father's wife. He never found out why Sophia had stood him up and gone to a school dance with somebody else.

Now 15 years later his father had called and asked that he come back to town to help solve a series of murders of undocumented aliens crossing the border into the United States. Rod had left home and had moved into a successful career and now was working with Department 6. But if he went home, it would be on his own time. The FBI had already been called in, but finally, he had decided to help. He didn't know that Sophia was the chief of police now...

Not only did Sophia not want his help, she was even too embarrassed to meet him again, after having treated him as she had done. But much had changed in Sophia's life since she had been so shallow. And she didn't need a reminder of that time!

But there were now 13 murders of unidentified alients, the last two a young married couple who had been hoping for a new life and Rod, once they had got together, made it quite clear that he was sure that contacts could be made to insist that he be permitted to offer help. With the town council already on Sophia to solve the crimes, she decided it wasn't worth the arguments. Besides, she was fairly certain she knew who was behind the murders. Sophia had been selected over a former police officer for the top job and she believed that he was doing everything possible to make her look bad, which indeed he was doing. But there were also a number of border farm owners who were losing money as their crops were ruined and animals stolen by those that crossed their lands.

Sophia is a gutsy lady, but probably heads out on her own too often. She crosses the border into Mexico and, while she succeeds in gathering important information, she almost doesn't make it back. She's following any and all leads and proves to be an effective chief as she follows the twists and trails being left. But when one of Rod's half-brothers is murdered, the pressure grows worse and Sophia is given a month's notice that she was being fired!

Novak keeps adding twists on top of twist until readers are wound up tight in this fantastic whodunit. Before the story ends, not only are the murders solved but much more corruption is discovered and personal connections to both Rod and Sophia are pulled in and part of those investigations. A thriller that keeps the suspense high and the atmosphere hot! Let's just say that the ending is edge of the seat, but the ending is great as, we all knew, Rod gets the girl! Not much romance, just enough to break the tension of the hunt! A very cool book! Best I've read from Novak, so far! At least in my opinion...

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G. A. Bixler

Harbor NOT to My Liking...

Harbor
By Lorraine Adams
Vintage Books
ISBN: 1400076889
292 Pages


Harbor is one of those books that you either love or hate. The New York Times Book Review said, “Captivating...Intricately plotted and beautifully written...A remarkable act of artistic empathy.”

I would agree that Harbor is wonderfully written and kudos must go to Lorraine Adams. It is her skills alone that provided a reason to keep reading, for as long as I could. I even violated my own principle and went to read the last chapter, but found nothing there that changed my opinion.

For, you see, I have to admit that I could not, as I usually would for a professional review, bypass my personal feelings—my responses to the book. While empathic, I could not find the sympathy sought in having young men leave a country in which they feared their life, only to come to America and lie, cheat, steal and murder. In my opinion, the problem with this kind of story is that it promulgates negative feelings rather than the potential positive ones that, perhaps, were expected.

Additionally, in this book and at least one other I have read, there are implications about American women, which, if stated sufficient times, only promulgates these perceptions.
Heather, for instance, is characterized as being seen by the men as someone who is a whore, and even is beaten by one of the men living in the apartment. Whether there is indeed a romantic relationship between Heather and one of the men, the author's overall description and treatment of Heather is the more telling characterization.

In fact, the concept of all women being readily available for sex and money is clearly stated:

There were the women, who, even if they were the lowest-paid of the lowest, made more than anyone in Algeria. They could be bedded and lived off, and during the day, when at work, there were other women and other things.” (p. 154)

Or

...with his head still bowed, he looked upward and met her eyes, just the moment that was needed. He saw the shift in her instantly. She was susceptible to him... (p. 150)

“You have a woman?”...
“...yes.”
“Free Boston ...[women] makes you forget Allah real quick.”
“Free. That is the thing. Free.” (p. 133)

Indeed Adams has correctly empathized...but do we really want to create this image as globally American! I for one do not find it beneficial. And resulted in totally pulling me out of her storyline!

I recognize that this is more an essay than a review. Actually, I really didn’t like the book, even without the issue that caused me to “hate” it. The book is hard to follow, it moves from site to site, but there is little to pull readers in after you realize that the men are just criminals from another country rather than from America. And even the main character, Aziz lies about his identity and gets a fellow countryman murdered. Sorry, I wouldn’t recommend this book except as a resource for any historical events which may be of interest to readers. It is well-written.