Odd Hours
Dean Koontz
Bantam, May 2008, $27.00
ISBN: 9780553807059

Odd sees the dead, has prophetic visions and dreams, and has saved many lives because he chose to do good deeds with his gift. After leaving the monastery, his plan was to go home to Pico Mundo to return to his former job as a short order cook. His plan is put on hold when he has visions of turbulent events and a woman floating over a red ocean. Odd somehow knows something dangerous is happening near the seaside town of Magic Beach where he goes.

He gets a job as a cook for a noted retired actor and children’s book author. He meets Annamarie who was the woman in his vision who talks in cryptic words, but has no information to give to him. When the local sheriff picks him up assuming Odd is an indigent, they shake hands and in both their minds they see the Red Tide. The sheriff thinks Odd knows more than he is telling. If he passes a lie detector test he will free him and pay him to keep quiet about what he supposedly knows. Odd escapes and learns what his visions mean; he will do anything to prevent this calamity from happening; failure or inaction means America will cease to exist.

Dean Koontz has created a character who wins the hearts of mostly everyone including readers who adore his innocence and courage. His innocence combined with his ability to challenge evil make him a special and aptly named person. In this tale he knows he cannot go to the authorities with his knowledge as a small cabal inside the sheriff’s office and the harbor patrol are part of what is coming. ODD HOURS is a special supernatural thriller because besides the save America plot, the hero who travels and lives off the land his way has a ghost dog named Boo for a pet and the shade of Frank Sinatra who appears to Odd. The hero wants to help him move on.

Harriet Klausner

Personal Demons
Stacia Kane
Juno, Apr 2008
ISBN: 9780809572557

Dr. Megan Chase hosts the popular radio call in show Personal Demons. She counsels her listeners by pledging to help them to “slay their personal demons”. Her loyal followers fully believe in her abilities to do exactly what she says; so do others who are not exactly fans of Dr. Megan.

Megan is a unique human; perhaps the only Homo Sapiens without a demon. That and her growing notoriety make her a threat to the demon-kind and an adversary from her past the Accuser wants her dead. While the demons compete for her allegiance or her death, Megan and her overly protective lover fire demon Greyson Dante become involved in the seemingly inane but potentially dangerous Fearbusters meetings while a reporter trying to make a name digs into Megan’s involvement in a murder fifteen years ago.

This engaging paranormal thriller will have readers believing in psychic powers and personal demons while wondering when we take a shower do we have a peeping demon and would sex mean a ménage a quatre? Readers will enjoy this lighthearted entertaining urban fantasy as Dr. Megan radio counselor finds out the hard way that there are some creatures out there who literally interpret her motto as a direct threat to their well being.

Harriet Klausner

The Shadow Isle
Katherine Kerr
Daw, May 2008, $24.95
ISBN: 9780756404765

The island of Haen Marn has been located off the coast of Albe for years. Its inhabitants have been waiting for it to move through the dimensional barrier once again and into the world of Deverry and the Westfolks. This happens as Angmar’s eldest son Enj gives the ruined trumpet to the dragon Rori who gives it to a powerful dweomor user. Valanrdorio appeals to the spirit of the Lady of the North upon Earth to fix it which she does. Enj blows it and the island returns home.

Their world is a different place than the one Argmar left. Her husband Jori is a dragon who secures the inhabitants’ lands to make sure the Horsekin don’t lay seige to the populated towns in their religious zeal to convert everyone to the cult of the goddess Alshandra. Jori isn’t sure he wants to be turned into a human and since the Horsekin plan to invade, the rulers can use an ally like him in his dragon form. People are fleeing their homes because they are not safe from Horsekin raids. The islanders wonder what will become of them in this new world with its war strategies, new alliances and the threat of the Horsekin invading their lands.

The third Silver Wyrm tale has many more subplots than written above as almost every character has something going on, which can overwhelm the reader with switching perspectives. Laz the thief is the most fascinating of the vast cast as he landed on the island to escape punishment for stealing magical gems. He has one chance left to make amends by righting wrongs and eliminating much of the bad karma he caused over several lifetimes. His chance for redemption depends on the choices he makes; readers will wonder which way he goes as Jori and the people of Haen Marn return home in THE SHADOW ISLE. Katherine Kerr has written a great epic fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

The Born Queen
Greg Keyes
Del Rey, Mar 25 2008, $26.00
ISBN: 9780345440693

Following the murder of her father and incarceration of her mother by her undead Uncle Robert, all looked lost for self-exiled Princess Anne Dare and her Kingdom of Crotheny especially since the demonic race abetted by Robert has returned to overrun the land. Yet perseverance, strong allies, and inner strength prevail with Anne, a descendent of the great Queen Virgenya Dare who has succeeded in taking the throne.

However winning the throne is not the same as ruling. She needs time to learn how to be a queen to all her subjects while learning to use her eldritch skills, but time is not what she has. Enemies still plot to replace the independent tyro with a puppet Briar King while she remains inexperienced and assumed weak. Allies in a common cause against the same enemy are no longer friends and cannot be depended upon for help. Worse the Church leader Hespero manipulating prophecy sanctions a holy war that allows the powerful neighboring Hansa to invade; at the same time the Sarnwood Witch plots to replace the Dare with a new Briar King by ordering the holter Aspar White to do his job or else suffer for failing in his geas to her. Queen Anne’s only hope for her people rests with finding the lost journal of her ancestor as Robert remains at large and the Kept Skashoi Lord survived his recent defeat and has a scheme to destroy her too as the veil between life and death continues to be shredded.

The final The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone fantasy thriller (see THE BRIAR KING, THE BLOOD KNIGHT and THE CHARNEL PRINCE) is an exciting ending that ties the major loose ends into an engaging finish. There are numerous subplots as plotters work to destroy THE BORN QUEEN with none concerned with secondary consequences that will devastate a world. Although the characters and the setting are out of the quest fantasy guidebook, sub-genre fans will still acknowledge that Greg Keyes has written a great ending to a strong tale.

Harriet Klausner

The Ghost and the Femme Fatale
Alice Kimberly
Berkley, May 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780425218389

Penelope Thornton-McClure (and her Aunt Sadie) owns Buy the Book bookstore in Quindicott, Rhode Island in which the ghost of murdered in 1949 detective Jack Shepard resides. Penelope is the only person who can hear Jack, who is confined to the bookstore; except when Penelope carries his buffalo nickel on her, which enables him to go where she goes.

The local theatre has been closed for years, but recently was renovated with the grand re-opening this weekend. The owners are putting on a Film Noir Festival with guests from a decades-old crime. The biggest draws are Hedda Geist and her former boyfriend actor Pierce Armstrong. Jack was at the restaurant in 1948 following a cheating husband when he saw Pierce get into a fight with Hedda’s married lover studio owner Irvin Vreen. Pierce shoved Irvin onto a knife Hedda was holding killing Vreen. He received five years for manslaughter.

In the present several people connected to the crime are killed; while the police assume they are accidents, Penelope and Jack think it is murder. They investigate and find several suspects, but none seemingly with a motive.

The hard boiled detective who is a ghost meets the bookstore owner in her dreams for a bit of romancing, which adds an esoteric whimsical spice to this wonderful cozy. Whereas the heroine would like to hide inside a good book, Jack shows her life needs to be lived; he proves to good a teacher as she makes him nervous when she takes chances while sleuthing. The mystery is cleverly designed so that most readers will need to stay till the last reel to figure out who the culprit is and why. Alice Kimberly’s latest “The Ghost and the Femme Fatale” is a charming whodunit for fans that prefer no explicit violence in their mysteries.

Harriet Klausner

A World Too Near
Kay Kenyon
Pyr, Mar 2008, $25.00
ISBN 9781591026426

The Tarig constructed the concentric circles Fortress Ahnenhoon to protect the engine that uses the Rose universe as its prime power source to provide energy to sustain the Entire universe. In the Rose universe, sentient beings on planet earth realize the power draining caused by the Ahnenhoon will suck life out of this universe.

Pilot Titus Quinn knows the only way to save earth’s universe is to destroy the Ahnenhoon engine although that could result in destroying the rival universe where his wife and daughter reside. However, scientist Helice Maki insists humanity cannot trust Quinn to do his job as he has a motive to keep the Entire functioning. Maki believes Quinn will try to skip the Rose for the Entire to find his wife Johanna abducted by the Tarig over a decade ago and probably incarcerated inside Fortress Ahnenhoon; and once he rescues her they will search for their missing daughter, Sydney. Maki is sent to accompany Quinn on his mission, but the scientist has a scheme to use the nano-technological weapon to take control of the Ahnenhoon engine and from there usurp the Tarig as the power of two universes fight for survival.

The sequel to BRIGHT OF THE SKY is much more complex than described above as the two “dueling” universes contain convoluted relationships; thus plenty of twists and spins await readers who accompany Titus on his quest. The story line is action-packed, but also further describes the two universes especially the Entire while key characters like beleaguered Quinn and ambitious Maki are fully developed. With two universes on the brink of mass destruction, science fiction fans will want to join Quinn on mission.

Harriet Klausner

Night Life
Caitlin Kittredge
St. Martin’s, Mar 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780312948290

Nocturne City Police Detective Luna Wilder, a werewolf, leads the investigation into the mutilated murder of a prostitute. Luna knows no one besides her cares about some lowlife Jane Doe hooker even though dark magic was involved. After learning the victim’s name is Lilia, Luna finds clues leading to were-biker Dmitri Sandovsky as the killer.

When a second murder occurs similar to the first with dark magic again, Luna is stunned to find the son of the District Attorney at the crime scene. He being an untouchable and she being a werewolf leads to her suspension. However, a forced leave of absence does not prevent Luna from investigating because she knows the killer is not finished as there is more to these homicides than meets the eye. At the same time alpha werewolf Dmitri is fuming as he knew both dead females and he plans to kill their predator. He and Luna team up trying to track down the culprit.

NIGHT LIFE is a tense gritty police procedural urban fantasy that grips the audience from the onset by insuring the paranormal species seem genuine; part of achieving this is an X-Man like prejudice that Luna receives from mortals. The investigation is entertaining as it provides the duality of chasing after a serial killer while also taking the reader on a tour of Nocturne City. Caitlin Kittredge provides a dark crime caper set in an urban center in which humans and supernaturals distrusting co-exist side by side.

Harriet Klausner

In the Earth Abides the Flame
Russell Kirkpatrick
Orbit, Feb 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780316003421

In Faltha, the Company led by teens Hal and Leith completed their quest, rescuing their parents Mahnum and Indrett from the Bhrudwons who snatched them to keep their invasion plan secret (see ACROSS THE FACE OF THE WORLD). However, the group still grieve their losses and the survivors recover from their wounds; but wary they realize a new mission has surfaced as the Bhrudwons were right to want to silent Mahnum, who knows their insidious scheme. The Company needs to inform the ruling Council of Faltha that their neighbor led by the Destroyer plans to invade so the country can prepare.

The heroes travel to the capital Instruere where they soon find themselves mostly ridiculed by the Council members; as some are corrupt and already bought by the Bhrudons while others disbelieve such an assault is imminent and all fear the at hand religious threat from within. Frustrated Hal and Leith realize the only hope to unite the country resides with finding the legendary Jugom Ark that most people believe never existed. The second quest has begun.

Like its predecessor this quest tale differs from fantasy sagas as most of the plot occurs on the mundane plane rather than the otherworldly realm; this enables the audience to feel they are part of the Company with a deep taste of geography and history. However, after the harrowing escapades of their previous rescue adventure, the relationship between the siblings feels off as it seems static rather than having changed, which makes them feel less developed than in the previous book. Still this is an entertaining save the world from evil entry although it behooves new fans to read the previous entry first.

Harriet Klausner

Kindred Spirits
Jocelyn Kelley
Signet, Mar 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780451223449

In the North Yorkshire Moors of England, sisters China, Jade, and Sian Nethercott mourn the loss of their father, who recently passed away. However, the middle sibling Jade has moved on since meeting the ghost of murdered Sir Mitchell Renshaw and her soulmate Lord Gideon Bannatyne (see LOST IN SHADOW). China affectionately remembers how he believed in ghosts although she has never seen an apparition. That is until China meets Roman era spirit Quintus Valerius.

The centurion explains to China that he is cursed to wander the earth until he rescues one of his descendents from being killed; since almost two millennia have past since he died, Quintus knows failure. However, his plan this time differs than in the past when he tried to intercede directly. Quintus plans to injure Major Alexander, Lord Braddock, who was admitted into the Order of the Bath for his courage during the Napoleonic Wars. That will mean he is forced to stay home to heal and ergo prevent his murderer from succeeding. China tries to help Alex heal, but the war hero cannot sit still even as they fall in love while Quintus omitted the rest of the story that China’s future is tied Alexander in life or death.

KINDRED SPIRITS is a terrific, lighthearted, paranormal Regency romance that will have everyone believing in ghosts. China is a courageous heroine who rescues Alexander and brings him back to her isolated home Nethercott Castle to heal. Fast-paced, fans will wonder whether the love between them will end the curse with a happily ever after in this life or eternity together in the afterlife (it is a romance). Jocelyn Kelley provides a delightful charmer filled with subtly like setting the time frame ten years after Napoleon claims emperorship, her devoted readers will look forward for Sian’s encounter.

Harriet Klausner

Kill Whitey
Brian Keene
Cemetery Dance, Apr 2008, $25.00
ISBN: 9781587671784

Globe Package Service employee Larry Gibson is a loner who does not have much of a life. He works four hours a day at sixteen dollars an hour with health benefits before taxes. He has no close friends, but occasionally hangs out with co-workers Darryl, Jesse and Yul. They go to the Odessa, a popular strip joint owned by Whitey where Larry sees Sondra dancing and immediately lusts for her.

He goes back with and without his co-workers as often as he can afford to as she is always there. One night she fails to appear; the owner sends people for her. Larry accompanied by Darryl finds Sondra hiding under his car. The trio goes to Larry’s apartment where she explains that she is pregnant and the father Whitney wants her to abort the fetus. Jesse who stayed at Odessa is tortured into revealing where Larry lives. They kill Darryl and hit Larry, but he escapes with Sondra. Whitey survives due to being a descendent of Rasputin. No matter how many bullets Larry put in Whitey he refuses to die. Larry knows he must rescue Sondra, but is clueless how to do it.

This supernatural thriller would make a fantastic horror movie as everything seems normal until a spin into Kreuger-Jason territory as there is a lot of violence that is appropriate to the fast-paced story line. Readers will pity Larry whose “significant other” is Webster the cat until he meets Sondra. Brian Keene provides a strong horror thriller that will please his fans.

Harriet Klausner