Congratulations Cat S. (catscritch)!

Still Time by Jean Hegland

Winning Review by Cat S. (catscritch)

John is losing his mind. Or is he gaining insight into his past? This novel picks you up and drops you into a world most of us fear. Yet does it in such a way as to be entertaining, heartwarming, frustrating and wondrous, just as living serves us all. The beauty lies in his ability to fall back on his long love of Shakespeare although, all the studying, reading and teaching those tragedy/comedies have nothing on the final answers his quest to understand will bring. No one knows for sure what goes on in the mind of those who have lost all sense of time and current events, but Hegland makes if feels right. The ups and downs of memory loss are a maddening affair. Full of things unspoken, promises broken and love’s small tokens. I was hooked from the beginning and did not guess the ending. A wonderful tale to behold. I would recommend it to all as it surely expanded my attempts to understand from the inside. The characters are richly detailed and I was never as lost as John. I need to call all my family and tell them I love them. Right Now!
A preview book was supplied free for an honest review.

Congratulations jjares!

Suspect by Robert Crais

Winning Review by jjares

This is my first book by this author and I was wowed by the tight plot and excellent writing. This story grabbed me on the first page and didn’t let go. I certainly hope this is the beginning of a new series for Robert Crais.

The book opens with Maggie’s story; this German shepherd survived three tours in the Middle East sniffing explosives before her partner (handler) dies in a sniper attack. She’s been turned over to LAPD but they have found that her PSTD is too severe to use her.

LAPD cop Scott James is recovering from a night-time attack that killed his partner Stephanie and nearly ended his life. Because Scott was such a good cop, he has called in chips to work in the K-9 group (he could have been given a permanent medical retirement). When Scott goes to collect his K-9 partner, he demands the opportunity to work with Maggie. They are two lost souls that bond with each other; it’s interesting that Scott has more to learn than Maggie. The info about the training and commitment between a dog and his handler is fascinating and is woven skillfully into the story.

Nine months later, Stephanie’s death is still an open case and the new man investigating the case calls in Scott for his insights into the disaster. Before long, Scott isn’t just a side-liner; he and Maggie push buttons that bring new clues to light.

This is a masterful, tension-filled race to the finish. The relationship between Maggie and Scott is intense and emotional. This is a great story.