God's Eye View/ Barry Eisler/ 374 pages

The God's Eye View by Barry Eisler demonstrates what could happen if 'big Brother' could watch as well as listen.  Evie works on a special project for the NSA.  She does a good job, maybe too good.  When she starts to make connections with the data she examines and sudden, unexpected deaths Evie takes her concerns to her boss.  NSA Director Anders is pleased that Evie has brought her concerns to him, but is not pleased that she has concerns.  Anders will stop at nothing to have things his way: all knowing, all seeing and all hearing of everyone.  Evie keeps looking, Anders keeps killing, terminating in a life and death chase.  This was a great read, full of suspense and thought provoking as well.

Irresistible Rogue / Valerie Bowman 340 p.

Irresistible Rogue / Valerie Bowman 340 p.

In this fourth in the Playful brides series, Lady Daphne Swift’s knowledge of the Russian language makes her valuable to the spy mission of Capt. Rafe Cavendish. Her late brother made her marry (in name only) the spy before the previous mission to give her protection. Now the Captain returns to force her to help with another mission by dangling the prospect an annulment to be granted by the Regent, an annulment she very much needs. Rafe hangs around making mischief, driving off her very proper suitor.

Based on Philip Barry’s The Philadelphia Story .

Transfer of Power / Vince Flynn/ 395 pages

Transfer of Power written by Vince Flynn presents a fight between American covert operators and a group of terrorists who have taken control of the White House.  While not as factually accurate as Tom Clancy, this book would be a good substitute for the reader who misses the Clancy action and adventure.  Flynn tells the story from the point of everyone doing their job with little  told about their lives outside of that.   The story will hold the reader's interest as they follow the ups and downs of the politics of saving the White House and it's occupants.  For more novels by Vince Flynn  and similar read a likes check out the SCCCLD website.

Otherwise Engaged / Amanda Quick / 352 pages / Romantic Suspense

Miss Amity Doncaster, intrepid world traveler and guidebook writer, is nothing if not self-sufficient. So when a serial killer known as the Bridegroom snatches Amity off the London streets in broad daylight, she fends him off with her lethal steel-bladed war fan and escapes. But the Bridegroom is not dead—and Amity quickly becomes the target of his insane fixation. As a safety measure, Amity agrees to a fake engagement with engineer and temporary Crown spy Benedict Stanbridge. They work to track down the killer, as their relationship deepens, taking a more passionate turn. VERDICT:   Intrigue and mystery abound in this witty, cleverly crafted tale that treats fans to a charming double romance and heralds Quick's return to nonparanormal, suspenseful historicals—at least for the moment.

Series:  Ladies of Lantern Street, Book 3

Shadow Woman: A Novel / Linda Howard / 8 disks / 336 pages

   Lizette Henry is going through her regular morning routine when she looks in the mirror and realizes she doesn't recognize the person looking back at her. Almost immediately she is violently ill and the strangest impulse comes over her: destroy her cell phone. And from that beginning Lizette realizes there is more than just two years missing from her life. It is quite possible there is someone out to kill her. Little does she know there has been someone watching out for her during those lost years. In fact two someones. As Lizette begins to put the pieces together those people come out of hiding and the hardest part is to figure out which one to trust, with her life.
   This was a recommendation from a patron and I have to admit this is a little out of my reading comfort zone. I do enjoy a good suspense plot but in this one, there is a lot of sex, a LOT of sex. Howard has a great plot here. She makes a convincing story of just what happened to Lizette and why it had to happen that way. I was aware of huge plot holes and the ending just had me rolling my eyes. Was it a nice and tidy ending? Yes. Did it neatly answer all the questions? No. I have a feeling there may be a sequel but I am not holding my breath. I enjoyed trying to figure out who the bad guy was but other than that, not much appeal for me to read another one by this author.

Six degrees of reading: Shiver by Karen Robards, River Road by Jayne Ann Krentz, The First Prophet by Kay Hooper.

Deception of the Emerald Ring / Lauren Willig / 11 disks / 400 pages

  The third in the Pink Carnation romance/adventure series. Eloise is still on her hunt for the identity of the Pink Carnation and her relationship with Colin Selwick is decidedly going nowhere. She has uncovered quite a tangled history with her Carnation and the notorious Black Tulip. But now Eloise isn't sure where to turn for the next chapter in her thesis. By chance she types a name into the library computer and comes up with a new lead. Will this be the answer Eloise is looking for?
  Letty Alsworthy tries to prevent her older sister from eloping and ruining the reputation of her family. Unfortunately the plan goes awry and she ends up marrying her sister's intended and being abandoned all within a few days. Letty isn't one to take this sitting down and she decides to follow her husband and set him straight on a few things. Little does she know this journey will turn into a trip of a lifetime.
   Willig still has quite a bit of fun in store for us with secret identities, historical Irish rebellions, and the Pink Carnation teaching Letty the ways to a husband's heart. What a joyful and laugh out loud romp through Georgian Ireland. There are still the usual plot points stretched a bit thin but Willig has excellent author notes telling the reader what was and wasn't changed historically. Still a fun recommendation.

Six degrees of reading: Better Quality of Murder by Ann Granger, Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen, Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal.

The Masque of the Black Tulip/Lauren Willing/ narrated by Kate Reading/CD 12 disks

  Are you looking for a laugh out loud romp, complete with corsets, wigs and proper chaperoning? This book is just perfect for you. Unbeknownst to me, I unwittingly started with the second in the series. And to my relief, it really doesn't matter. We follow the exploits of Eloise Kelly an American who is convinced there actually was a spy named the Pink Carnation who helped England in the conflict with France during Napoleon's reign. She has come to England to further her research but has met with a dead end. A chance acquaintance has her winging away through the countryside to a crumbling estate which may or may not have the answer to her list of questions.

   Eloise begins reading through the archives and the readers disappear with her into the world of Henrietta and Miles and their ton society. Henrietta is a young woman with ideas about how to find a spy all the while falling in love with her brother's best friend. Needless to say, the situations she gets herself into are hilarious and very dangerous. I had a smile on my face while listening to this book. The narrator is Kate Reading and she does an excellent job. The author has a clever mix of writing the action but also putting in asides the characters are saying in their heads. Very very droll and snortingly funny. Highly recommended for anyone looking for some comic relief for their day.

   Six Degrees: Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal; Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn; The Paris Affair (Malcolm & Suzanne Rannoch Historical Mysteries) by Teresa Grant. 

Secret History of the Pink Carnation / Lauren Willig 388 p.

Eloise, an American graduate student, is on the chase for the identity of the Purple Gentian, a English spy a la Scarlet Pimpernel during Napoleon's reign so she can finish her dissertation for Harvard.  The story alternates between the spying and romancing of Amy Balcourt and the Purple Gentian and Eloise's Colin--a roadblock to reading his aunt's archive of materials about her family--royal spies in the court of Napoleon.

1st in the Pink Carnation series.