SKYRING WATER.....SLAMBANG GLOBAL THRILLS THAT TURN UP THE TEMP ON THE COLD WAR.....(****)

 Skyring Water by Louis L'Amour and Beau L'Amour (2026)

     For anyone who only associates Louis L'Amour's name with westerns, this book, revised, expanded, co-written and restored by his son Beau will come as a huge revelation.

     Often I felt overwhelmed reading this thrilling, exhaustively researched adventure. By the time I finished I felt like I'd plowed through enough geo-political chicanery, graduate level physics,, death defying, breathtaking escapes, battles and explosive violence that could fill over 50 books by Alistair MacLean, Clive Cussler, James Rollins and Frederick Forsythe. At times, this book just plain wore me out.

     We're back in 1961 where some remnants of World War II still simmer and fester and the new Cold War grows hotter by the minute. Surviving hardcore Nazis, still holding dreams of a Fourth Reich, have inserted themselves back into the society, politics and scientific communities of the many countries around the world.......awaiting to seize their opportunity to achieve world domination.

      Amid the perils of this new nuclear world, the expected clashes that come with the rise of emerging nations serve as the bread and butter of former OSS operative, expert diver and arms dealer Mike Fowler.. He's partnered with (and at times mentored by) former Nazi commander and scientist Anton Voss, a man with no end of secrets in his past. And now they're in hot pursuit of the greatest potential prize for soldiers-of-fortune such as themselves.......a hidden, sunken German U-Boat supposedly holding a cargo of 30 million dollars in stolen Nazi gold.......(try to imagine the value adjusted for 2026 inflation.....)

     But Fowler and Voss are far from alone in their quest. Hot on their heels come a host of enemy-rivals....... - the most vicious 'Fourth Reich' cabal imaginable along with Israeli Intelligence, Mafia thugs and a duplicitous CIA officer whom MIke Fowler has despised since their World War II experience together. The search for the gold laden Nazi sub finally leads all of them to the arctic waters at the southern tips of Chile and Argentina.......but there's way more than mere gold awaiting them.

     I have to admit there are more than a few times when the L'amours' staggering amount of research into history, weaponry international espionage and science threaten to bring the overall propulsive momentum of the book to a dead stop. But one thing nobody has to wait long for here........the rip-roaring, bloody gun battles and hand-t0-hand combat that erupt on a regular basis.

     Readers who loved and dearly miss those clock-is-ticking, global high adventures that dominated bestseller lists and films throughout the 1960's and 70's, 'Skyring Water' provides a one stop shopping bonanza. Top notch for this genre.

      4 stars (****).

 

MAN OF MY DREAMS......HOW DID HER FICTIONAL GUY TURN UP FOR REAL? AND WHO'S STALKING THE AUTHOR?......(****)

 Man of My Dreams by Olivia Worley (2026)

     I can always depend on a swiftly paced twist-filled read from author Olivia Worley. And this one not only delivers that well, but comes up with a wild wild triple-whammy of a final revelation.........which I had to stop and read extra carefully to make sure I was fully comprehending it after picking my jaw up from the floor.

     Romance writer Ivy Harcourt, currently basks in the success of her new bestseller, a modernized re-invention of "Wuthering Heights" (but with a happier ending that she'd wistfully dreamed for Heathcliff and Cathy.). Her new work-in-progress features a charming dreamboat architect named Liam. And, as the strangest of fates would have it, whom does she encounter one day in a meet cute but a charming dreamboat architect named.......well, do I even have say it out loud?

     So how is this far-fetched life-imitates-art coincidence even possible? How did this guy manage to literally walk right off of Ivy's rough-draft pages and into her real life, capturing her heart so quickly? All manner of suspicious, unsettling little things begin to pile up in her mind about too-perfect-to-be-true Liam and something even more anxiety inducing plagues Ivy. She's being stalked by someone with knowledge of her darkest long repressed family tragedy......someone who appears to know the terrible truth of that nightmarish moment she's managed to block out of her mind.

     Suspense, dread and surprises start quickly tumbling through the storyline, which made 'Man of My Dreams' a lightning fast one day read for me. And then topped off by that super Jumbo twist......which to be honest, requires you either go with it or stare at the book muttering "you gotta be kiddin' me, right? Seriously?"

     But personally, in a book like this, I'm not looking for hardcore, down-to-earth reality and I love it when thriller authors take a swing for the fences to come up with a finale to knock a reader upside and down and sideways.. So thank you, Ms. Worley for taking that grand slam swing that had me shaking my head for its sheer outrageous daring. Had a fine time with this one.

     4 stars (****).

ROAD TRIP......ROMANCE, MYSTERY SISTERLY BONDING AND GREEN, GREEN IRELAND......(****)

 Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews (2026)

     Mary Kay Andrews arrives just in time with a refreshing summer cooler of a book. It's a warmhearted cocktail mixed with budding new romances, mysteries to solve, even a slight touch of mayhem and all of it transpiring in a cozy Irish town right out of "The Quiet Man".

     We start back in Savannah Georgia, where estranged sisters Maeve and Therese Dunigan face a sea of troubles following the death of their beloved mother. On the eve of her tenure, Maeve's lost her position as a college professor., a cruel blow for someone who's spent her life as a strict rule follower. Therese, her complete opposite in outlook and personality lives her life as a freewheeling would-be actress almost always in a state of unemployment. The sisters discover their dementia-afflicted mom donated her life savings to a shady televangelist, forcing her take out an all new second mortgage on her house.......which neither of her daughters could ever hope to now pay. Their last hope lies in selling a forgotten, family heirloom potentially worth millions......a portrait by a distinguished, famed artist that somehow connects back the sisters' Irish roots.

     In their quest to authenticate the painting, the Dunigan sisters travel to Tarrytown Ireland to unravel the many mysteries surrounding their great-grandmother and the aristocratic family who accused her of murder after she'd been compelled to sail off to an adventurous new life in America.

     Though like oil and water together, Maeve and Therese rediscover their sisterly bond and make a formidable team, piecing together a tale of love, courage, brazen criminality and even murder most foul. And it surely doesn't hurt that Maeve's helped by Liam, that personable maker of Irish whiskey she's fallen for......and vice versa.

     Leave it to Mary Kay Andrews to smoothy weave all these characters and plot elements into one comforting and charming package, making the book as much of a scenic, heart-filled and eventful vacation for her readers as it is for Maeve and Therese. And who can resist an armchair trip through those lush green Irish hills and valleys?

      4 stars (****).

STORM WARNING......ONCE AGAIN, GLOBAL THUGS AND PSYCHOS GET DEZ-IMATED....(*****)

 Storm Warning by James Byrne (2026)

     Welcome back Dez Limerick, you incredible combination of James Bond, Jack Reacher, Jason Bourne and the Lucky Charms Leprechaun . We always need ye to take on mass quantities of international 'Black Ops' killers, save the Free World and cook up a few tasty meals and play guitar as well.

     Once again, Dez, built like Popeye after guzzling a gallon of spinach, is called upon for his particular skills as a 'Gatekeeper'.......someone who can find a way to break into any and all assorted doors, steel fortresses or similar barriers that supervillains may throw his way. The State Department and FBI are worried that in the snowy wilds of Canada, a multinational scientific facility (and community) has gone incommunicado and on lockdown. To put simply, the fertilizer's hit the ventilator and possibly really bad people need serious Dez-imating.

     In true Dez Limerick fashion, Dez and his hearty little band of allies soon find themselves trapped in the facility, outnumbered and out-gunned by multiple malignant forces. Outside there's a vicious, highly trained team of mercenaries employed by married oligarchs, both equally psychotic. Inside the facility, they're up against a band of heavily armed Russians, suspicious, frightened scientists and and angry townspeople who've fled into the lower levels of the building.

     If that isn't enough danger and tension in the air, there's more than one traitor among them and also along for the ride......a petite, beautiful but powerfully lethal assassin whose otherworldly combat skills leave even Dez in stunned awe. Furious action, sudden death and surprises await around every corner.......(and in this series, we wouldn't have it any other way)

     Author James Byrne knows well how keep the action popping all the way to the last page As always, there's no end of fun to be had as one by one, Dez's many formidable adversaries discover that behind that chatty, cheeky demeanor,, there's a core of steel they've underestimated.....big time.

     Those new to the series could still get into this one as a stand-alone, but I guarantee you'll then want to race to get your hands on the first three. right afterwards Already cannot wait for the next one, which holds the promise that Dez may have picked up either some future new friends or troubling new opponents....depending on how the plot goes. A surefire 5 star don't miss for high-adventure, action-suspense readers.

     5 stars (*****).

IN CASE I GO MISSING......A GIRL DETECTIVE'S BEST FRIENDS COURT DANGER SOLVING HER DISAPPEARANCE.....(****).

 In Case I Go Missing by R.N. Swann (2026)

     I stand fully impressed by this one. I never expected to end up so enthralled and engrossed by this Nancy Drew-ish YA mystery. I found it intricately plotted, jam packed with twists and turns and filled with well drawn characters (both teen and adult). And to my further surprise, some keen understanding of the enduring power, (sometimes good and sometimes hurtful) in friendships forged for life.

     And in a startling upending of expectations, the very person you thought would be front and center, ace girl detective Sarah Vincenty, has gone missing. To find out what's become of her, it's up to her two loyal, BFFs and Scooby Gang since childhood, 17 year olds Fenny and Sam. Now, instead of doing mere legwork for Sarah as she dug into and solved the town's various crimes, her dearest friends are tasked with actually cracking the case of her disappearance.

     If Sarah met with foul play, which seems more and more likely, there's no shortage of suspects in town among both teens and adults. Sarah's sleuthing sometimes uncovered adulterous affairs, which split lives asunder and she was also instrumental in getting Sam's abusive, bullying older brother Brian to flee town altogether.

     But Brian's back anyway, with a fiance in tow.. And Fenny and Sam discover Sarah's investigation delved into mysteries surrounding the town that go back through generations of its history.......some of it strange and violent. Not quite ancient history, though, since someone in the here and now is leaving anonymous threats and making very real attempts on Fenny and Sam's lives..

     There's no end of clues to untangle, including Sarah's surprising alliances with the most unlikely people. Fenny's troubling relationship with her mom and Sam's living his life under the thumb of his wealthy, entitled family and loathsome brother also deepen the story. And when the ongoing villainy is finally revealed, it makes for a properly thrilling finale.

     All in all, a terrific YA mystery that everyone should have fun with.

      4 stars (****).

BENEATH A BROKEN SKY.......A RAVAGED TOWN, SOME DAMAGED SOULS AND A SAVAGE CRIME....(***).

 Beneath A Broken Sky by Joshua Moehling (2026)

     While I was totally riveted by the first book in this series, this one was a mixed bag for me. I'm still fascinated and invested in police officer Ben Packard, a gay man investigating crimes in the small backwoods town of Sandy Lake, Minnesota......not an easy place to be or an easy job to hold in such a tight knit provincial community. And author Joshua Moehling fully brings him to life as a character to care about.

     I admired how this latest series entry has turned Sandy Lake into an especially terrible environment for Ben to exist in. A brutally hot summer, polluted with wildfire smoke, has settled on an already tornado ravaged Sandy Lake. Trees are down and houses, including Ben's, are either partially or totally torn apart. And in the midst of all this misery, a woman's been found stabbed to death, her body discovered by her horrified husband and two young sons.

     Ben's on the case sure enough, but the storyline becomes overburdened with subplots and a truckload of generally sketched out, uninteresting characters who start to make you wonder why the book's spending so much time with them. These include a ragtag, itinerant crew of storm chasers, picking up quick cash by repairing damaged roofs, barns and clearing away fallen trees. You can sense, of course, that somewhere down the line, their stories must at some point intersect with Ben's murder case, but the book can try a reader's patience as it takes its own sweet time getting there. Yet another subplot eating up the pages is Ben's attempts to befriend and aid the irascible but deeply hurting sister of the man Ben loved and tragically lost.

     There's more than enough drama going on here to fill up two books, but that weighs down and too often sidetracks the police procedural element. I really would have liked to see more of Ben's prickly, adversarial relationship with his boss who replaced him as the chief of police,. These finely tense moments, sorry to say, only get dished out in spoonfuls, which I thought of as a lost opportunity.

     Ben Packard's a lead character to admire, feel for and root for but no one should expect this latest case to become a swift, compelling page turning mystery. Thoughtful, but not one to keep you glued to it through the night.

     3 stars (***).

THE TUXEDO SOCIETY......THEY'RE SUAVE, ARMED, FABULOUS AND SAVING THE WORLD.....GAILY. (****)

 The Tuxedo Society by Paul Rudnick (2026)

     Paul Rudnick, a wickedly sharp gay humorist, can reel off so many rapid fire one-liners, pop culture gags and witticisms that he can hardly get out of his own way. He could barely contain himself in this secret agent spoof. It consists of pages and pages of lengthy paragraphs crammed with run on sentences, each one loaded up with multiple jokes, and absurd metaphors.

     And at long last, the LGTBIQ+ community gets not only one dressed-to-kill secret agent but an entire team of them.....globe trotting Bonds, fabulously outfitted in spiffy tuxes. Of course they have their very own 'Q' gadget master, equipping the boys (and a few sapphic girls) with loony lethal weapons that look left over from those ridiculous imitation 007 knock-offs that flourished in the 1960's.

     The book not only lovingly celebrates and mocks all those secret agent tropes and conventions, it also fully delves into Indiana Jones territory. The boys are tasked with securing and uniting three long lost precious, legendary gems, each one supposedly imbued with supernatural powers. And they're up against a host of international oligarchs and homegrown fanatics who covet the jewels for themselves.

     Yes, it's as crazy and laugh out funny as it sounds and we can all sleep safely at night knowing the Tuxedo Society will stand in strong defense of America, the Free World, the Tony Awards and Meryl Streep. I only wish it was a little easier to navigate through author Rudnick's dense forest of priceless zingers. At times, the book reads like its editor was busy elsewhere reading Tolstoy or taking phone calls.

     But I wouldn't let that put anyone off, though. In this day and age, you can never have enough books that keep you smiling, giggling, and slyly snickering all the way through, I'd certainly be the first in line to dive right into the boys' next mission to save civilization and Ralph Lauren fashions as we know it.

     4 stars (****).