Borrowed Time by Robert Goddard

Borrowed Time by Robert Goddard

From the Publisher
It is a golden evening of high summer. Walking a ridge on the Welsh Borders, Robin Timariot meets by chance an elegant middle-aged woman who seems strangely out of place. They exchange only a few words, but those words prove to be unforgettable. A few days later Timariot learns from the newpapers that, just hours after their meeting, the woman was raped and murdered.

A man is swiftly charged and convicted of the crime, but a string of inexplicable events begins to convince Timariot that all is not what it seems. Fascinated by the dead woman's memory, he is sucked into the complex motives and tortured relationships of her family and friends, searching against his better judgemnt for the secret of what really happened the day she died.

The closer he gets to the truth, the more hideous and uncertain it seems to be. And far too late he realizes that anybody who uncovers it is unlikely to be allowed to live.

⇒ Via: BN.com

Robin Timarriot gets entangled in a web of lies and betrayal when he is unwittingly drawn into a murdered woman's family affairs.

American Outrage by Tim Green

American Outrage by Tim Green

From the Publisher
As an investigative journalist, Jake Carlson has made a career of digging up the truth. Award-winning work for the network news and NPR have led to a lucrative job as a correspondent for a popular television news show. But soon, his life and career are derailed when he loses his wife, leaving him to raise their adopted son Sam. Afraid of being left parentless, Sam yearns to find his biological mother. Using his investigative skills to find the truth for his son, Jake uncovers a horrifying ring of deceit and black market child trafficking that he could never have imagined. Worse, Jake is inextricably tied to this nefarious syndicate--it gave him Sam. When it's revealed that Sam's bloodline involves a complicated inheritance from a politically powerful New England family, Jake knows that it's no longer only his life that is at risk, but his son's as well.

⇒ Via: BN.com

Ivestigative TV journalist finds himself a target of Albanian mafia when he sets out to find biological mother at the request of his adopted son.

Red Cat by Peter Spiegelman

Red Cat by Peter Spiegelman

From the Publisher
Black Maps ("A stunner, a great debut roaring out of the gate" --Newsday) . . . Death’s Little Helpers ("Breaks new ground in detective fiction" --The Washington Post) . . . and now Red Cat, the third riveting installment in Peter Spiegelman’s thrilling series of novels featuring the brooding New York City private investigator John March.

With a troubled past and a job that attracts too much attention from the law, March has always been the black sheep of his staid merchant-banking family. Which makes the identity of his latest client all the more surprising: his smug older brother David.

David is desperate and deeply scared, and with good reason: a woman he met on the Internet, and then for several torrid sexual encounters, is stalking him. David knows her only as Wren, but she seems to know everything about him -- and she’s threatening to tell all to his wife and his colleagues. His marriage, his career, and his reputation at stake, David wants John to find this woman and warn her off. Reeling from these revelations, John begins the search for Wren, and what he discovers both alarms and fascinates him. Part actress, part playwright, part performance-artist and noir pornographer, Wren is a powerfully compelling mystery -- though no more so, John discovers, than his own brother.

But when a body surfaces in the East River, March suddenly finds he’s no longer searching for a stalker. Now he's hunting a killer -- and following a trail that leads ever closer to David's door. . . .

⇒ Via: BN.com

John March, PI is called upon by his brother David to investigate a woman who is balckmailing him with whom he had an affair. He gets dragged into deeper mystery when the woman turns up murdered and multiple suspects arise.

Play to the End by Robert Goddard

Play to the End by Robert Goddard

From the Publisher
Intricate, fascinating and deeply satisfying to the last page — another classic Robert Goddard mystery.

Actor Toby Flood, formerly of big and small screen but now seldom seen on either, arrives in Brighton with the other cast members of the Joe Orton play Lodger in the Throat. They have been on tour since September, but hopes of a West End transfer have been abandoned and they are all looking forward to the end of the run the following Saturday.

Flood is visited that night by his estranged wife, Jenny, now living with wealthy entrepreneur Roger Colborn. Jenny runs a shop in the Lanes and is worried about a strange man who is hanging around outside. Roger has dismissed her concerns but Jenny persuades Toby, for old times’ sake, to do something. The next day Flood trails the man and confronts him. Derek Oswin is an unemployed loner who blames Roger Colborn for his father’s death from cancer on account of dangerous practices at the now-closed plastics factory run by Roger and his late father, Sir Walter Colborn. However, Oswin is a fan of Flood’s and eventually he agrees to lay off. Then, Colborn gets wind of Flood’s contact with Jenny and tries to buy him off, but Flood sees only a longed-for opportunity to win Jenny back, and presses for answers to a host of questions surrounding the death of Sir Walter seven years earlier.

Before he fully understands the risks he is running, Flood finds himself entangled in the mysterious — and dangerous — relationship between the Oswins and the Colborns. The prospects of him surviving until the close of the play suddenly start to look far from good.

⇒ Via: BN.com

An actor who has seen better days finds himself drawn into a web of intrigue and murder after his touring company schedules his play in a town where his estranged wife lives.

The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs by Patricia B. McConnell

The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs by Patricia B. McConnell

From the Publisher
The Other End of the Leash shares a revolutionary, new perspective on our relationship with dogs, focusing on our behavior in comparison with that of dogs. An applied animal behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell looks at humans as just another interesting species, and muses about why we behave the way we do around our dogs, how dogs might interpret our behavior, and how to interact with our dogs in ways that bring out the best in our four-legged friends.

After all, although humans and dogs share a remarkable relationship that is unique in the animal world, we are still two entirely different species, each shaped by our individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (like wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation.

The Other End of the Leash demonstrates how even the slightest changes in your voice and the way you stand can help your dog understand what you want. Once you start to think about your own behavior from the perspective of your dog, you’ll understand why much of what appears to be doggy-disobedience is simply a case of miscommunication. Inside you will learn
• How to use your voice so that your dog is more likely to do what you ask.
• Why “getting dominance” over your dog is a bad idea.
• Why “rough and tumble primate play” can lead to trouble–and how to play with your dog in ways that are fun and keep him out of trouble.
• How dogs and humans share personality types–and why most dogs want tolive with benevolent leaders rather than “alphawannabees!”

In her own insightful, compelling style, Patricia McConnell combines wonderful true stories about people and dogs with a new, accessible scientific perspective on how they should behave around each other. This is a book that strives to help you make the most of life with your dog, and to prevent problems that might arise in that most rewarding of relationships.

⇒ Via: BN.com

Agood treatise by animal behaviorist on how to diagnose dog behavior and train the dogs. The author also delves into the primate-canine relationship and how the behavior contrasts between these two species. How human behavior can be interpreted differently by dogs as a result.

Adoptable Dog: Teaching Your Adopted Pet to Obey, Trust, and Love You by John Ross, Barbara McKinney

Adoptable Dog: Teaching Your Adopted Pet to Obey, Trust, and Love You by John Ross, Barbara McKinney

From the Publisher
Whether you are planning a trip to the shelter to adopt a dog or have been struggling with your pet's problems for many months or even years, Adoptable Dog: Teaching Your Adopted Pet to Obey, Trust, and Love You will guide you through all the challenges you might face. Written by John Ross and Barbara McKinney, leading dog-training experts and authors of the best-selling Puppy Preschool, Adoptable Dog is a comprehensive volume that covers common problems and provides realistic solutions Adoptable Dog is not only santial for anyone considering adopting a dog but also hugely helpful for anyone who already owns an adult dog. Unbelievably, there has never been a comprehensive training-and-care guide written for the adopted or "pre-owned" dog. Manuals abound for the puppy, even for the adult or mature dog, but Adoptable Dog promises to be the standard work for this exploding population. John Ross and Barbara McKinney provide invaluable advice for every kind of adoptable dog: the older puppy, the overactive or unhouse-broken adult dog, the shelter pooch, or even the mature canine in need of one last, loving home.
As people who already own dogs know, great intentions are not enough to make your new pet a well-loved, well-behaved part of your family. Your enthusiasm after rescuing a homeless dog can quickly turn sour when problems appear. After all, it's not unusual for adopted dogs to bring all sorts of behavioral baggage with them. In fact, their behavioral problems may have been the reason they were given up in the first place. Here, in one comprehensive volume, you will find an abundance of commonsense, canine advice -- everything to make your dog adoption an unqualified success. At the heart of Adoptable Dog is a pet-focused training program. In an easy-to-use, step-by-step style, Ross and McKinney show you how to overcome training challenges that are common to so many adopted dogs. You can teach your dog to behave, whether he is unruly on the leash, jumps all over guests, steals dessert, grabs the kids' toys, or struggles during a much-needed bath. No behavior is beyond the reach of Adoptable Dog training! It's good news for owners, but it's great news for an entire continent of previously unwanted pooches. At last, they have a real chance to have a successful and permanent home: yours.

⇒ Via: BN.com

Good advice on what to expect when adopting dogs and how to train them. Good and engaging read.

Con Ed by Matthew Klein

Con Ed by Matthew Klein

From the Publisher
"Keep in mind: This is a story about a con. In a con, everyone takes part in a play. And everyone knows it is a play, except for one man. The thing you want to make sure is that the man is not you..."

Here's the setup. A blonde in shades walks into a bar. Spots this hustler who's trying to stay out of the game. Tells him she has a slap-happy billionaire husband and a big score in her pretty little head. All the hustler has to do is what he does best: lie, cheat, fake, and steal - and watch both the money and the girl fall into his lap.

Trouble is, the hustler has pulled every con in the book, and he instinctively knows this: The blonde can't just be a beautiful blonde, the score can't just be a score, and the big bad husband has to have an angle of his own. Most of all, Kip Largo has serious suspicions about himself. After all, he's just gotten out of prison and isn't interested in going back.

But for a man who was born the son of a grifter and now lives in a Palo Alto apartment whose carpeting was last changed when Eisenhower was president, the blonde in the bar bit is starting to look too good to pass up. Then, as in any good con, the pot gets sweetened - and the incentives rise - when Kip's son shows up with a story about a big gambling debt to the Russian mob. Now Kip is going all-in, doubts and all. He'll call in old favors from everyone from a porn princess to a slightly bent computer nerd. All because that blonde, her husband's billions, and a strange racket called fatherhood have convinced Kip that he might just be smart, skilled, and lucky enough to walk away with a fortune. Or not.

⇒ Via: BN.com

Con man trying to go straight after spending time inside is reluctantly forced to go back to his old ways to save is his son from Russian mafia. A good debut novel by the author. Recommended.

Koehler Method of Dog Training by William R. Koehler, W. R. Koehler

Koehler Method of Dog Training by William R. Koehler, W. R. Koehler

From the Publisher
When a dog training book remains in print for more than three decades and sells a half million copies during that time, there must be good reasons. With "The Koehler Method of Dog Training," the reasons are the results—plain and simple. Over the years thousands of people have turned to the ingenious approach of William Koehler—the great innovator—and because they did, they knew the joy of ownership of a well-trained dog. This, the new edition of this celebrated classic, continues the same good instruction but also incorporates findings relating to canine behavior not generally known or in wide use by trainers and owners when The Koehler Method first appeared. It also addresses important societal issues relating to keeping and training companion dogs. The critically important section on correcting problem behavior, the one that has saved countless relationships and dogs' lives too, is carried over to this edition.

⇒ Via: BN.com

Archaic methods of dog training. These methods are obsolete. The author himself applied these methods and recommends to be used for dogs but this information is almost 30-40 years old. Dog training methods that were in vogue during second world war and 60-70s are no longer current. Also the language and the writing is not very readable. The narrative is very archaic and in a conversational format making for slow reading. Not recommended.

Damage Control by Robert Dugoni

Damage Control by Robert Dugoni

From the Publisher
A rising star at her prestigious Seattle law firm, Dana Hill knows all about stress. She pours herself into her work and family with all the energy she has. But her carefully balanced life is about to be turned upside down. First a frightening medical diagnosis forces her to reassess her roles as a lawyer, mother, and wife to a man she suddenly no longer trusts. Then her life is rocked further by the shocking and brutal murder of her twin brother.

With a smart, iconoclastic detective named Michael Logan as her only ally, Dana dives into the investigation, relentlessly seeking answers to who killed her brother and why. Logan cannot believe that the murder was anything more than a robbery gone terribly wrong. But when Dana uncovers a priceless handcrafted diamond earring in the debris of her twin's trashed home, the case becomes more sinister. Dana is sure the jewel is the key to her twin's secrets. And Logan becomes convinced it can help stop a string of cold-blooded murders that have followed in the wake of her brother's death.

As Dana and Logan chase the faint trail of evidence from Seattle to Maui, they threaten the reputation, career, and future of a powerful man who will stop at nothing to protect what he considers his. But for Dana, for whom time has a special meaning, nothing - not even her own life - is more important than finding the truth. She has moved beyond fear and beyond anyone's attempts at damage control.

⇒ Via: BN.com

Woman goes on a trail of a murderer when her brother is murdered by a jealous husband presidential hopeful.

Exact Revenge by Tim Green

Exact Revenge by Tim Green

From the Publisher
A promising attorney and political candidate, Raymond White was on the fast track when his life was suddenly derailed. Unexpectedly framed and convicted of murder, he is sentenced to solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison. Alone with his inner rage, Raymond methodically plots his revenge against those who schemed to ruin his career and take away his life. Now, after spending 18 years behind bars, Raymond makes his escape—and is ready to finally put his plan into action.

⇒ Via: BN.com

Upstanding and upward bound lawyer finds himself framed for murder by his rival and gets convicted, spending most of his life behind bars. In jail, he befriends a burglar who is enrolls him in his escape plan leading to boundless riches . They succeed and Raymond White goes after people responsible for his betrayal. Gripping thriller. Recommended.

Sight Unseen by Robert Goddard

Sight Unseen by Robert Goddard

From the Publisher
Another classic mystery from the “master of the clever twist.”

On a summer’s day in 1981, a two-year-old girl, Tamsin Hall, was abducted during a picnic at the famous prehistoric site of Avebury in Wiltshire. Her seven-year-old sister Miranda was knocked down and killed by the abductor’s van. The girls were in the care of their nanny, Sally Wilkinson.

One of the witnesses to this tragic event was David Umber, a Ph.D student who was waiting at the village pub to keep an appointment with a man called Griffith who claimed he could help Umber with his researches into the letters of “Junius,” the pseudonymous eighteenth century polemicist who was his Ph.D subject. But Griffin failed to show up, and Umber never heard from him again. The two-year-old, Tamsin Hall, was never seen again either. The Hall family fell apart under the strain. Sally Wilkinson, the nanny, wound up living with Umber, whom she had met at the inquiry. But she never recovered from the incident, suffered increasingly from depression, and eventually committed suicide.

In the spring of 2004, retired Chief Inspector George Sharp receives a letter signed “Junius” reproaching him for botching the 1981 investigation. Sharp confronts Umber, whose explanation for being at the scene of the tragedy has always seemed dubious. Obliged to accept Umber’s denial of authorship of the letter, he nonetheless forces him to join in a search for the real culprit — and hence the long-concealed truth about what happened 23 years previously. It is a quest that both will later regret having embarked upon. Too late they come to understand that some mysteries arebetter left unsolved.

⇒ Via: BN.com

Aman finds himself in the center of a murderous conspiracy arising when he witnessed an accident 23 years ago. He is reluctantly drawn into investigation when the retired chief inspector gets an anonymous letter indicating that there was more than just an accident that happened 23 years ago. Both the retired policeman try to backtrack the cold case from 23 years ago uncovering a conspiracy with international mobsters, high finance and betrayal.

Mask Market by Andrew Vachss

Mask Market by Andrew Vachss

From the Publisher
They meet in a no–name diner. A shadowy man hands Burke a CD dossier of someone he wants found. Minutes later, as Burke watches from an alley, his client is gunned down by a professional hunter–killer team. Burke slips away, unsure if he’s been spotted. Later, when he examines the dossier, he discovers that the missing woman is Beryl Preston, a girl he’d rescued from a brutal pimp twenty years earlier—when she was only thirteen—and returned to her father. Now he has to find her again—not only because she might be in danger, but also because he has to prove to himself that his rescue mission hadn’t been financed by a predator who wanted his “property” returned. His search will force him to confront a new kind of human ugliness and, finally, to practice the survivalist triage that has marked—and cursed—his life since childhood. In Mask Market, Burke the outlaw investigator finds himself searching for the truth: not only about a girl named Beryl, but also about himself.

This is classic Burke: dark, dangerous, and galvanizing, from the opening scene to the explosive climax.

⇒ Via: BN.com

Burke part vigilante and PI, who specializes in missing children, finds himself in crosshairs of murderers when he witnesses his client being killed. The case morphs into a case of long lost child who has now become a callgirl herself preying on victims. His search brings him in contact with russian mobsters and child abusers.