The Hundredth Man by Jack Kerley

Jack Kerley's debut novel, The Hundredth Man, is the story of police detective Carson Ryder. Ryder and his partner Harry Nautilus are part of the Mobile, Alabama police force, and are called upon to hunt a killer that leaves cryptic messages on the corpses he disposes of .

As the body count rises, Ryder draws upon his own dark family past -- his brother, an imprisoned, violent, psychopath with a history of hideous crimes. In a manner similar to Silence of the Lambs, the brothers work quid pro quo, all the while Ryder keeping the source of his leads from his partner. With just enough suspense to keep you hooked, the story combines the investigation with Ryder's coming to terms with his own issues, twisting and turning until the very end.

Well written and excellent character development, The Hundredth Man will entertain and thrill. Kerley continues the story of Carson Ryder in The Death Collectors and A Garden of Vipers, both worth looking into.

JB

In An Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing by Lee and Bob Woodruff

In An Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing poignantly chronicles the days, weeks and months after the IED explosion that changed the lives of the Woodruff family. One moment Bob, recently named co-anchor for ABC's World News Tonight, was shooting footage while riding along in an Iraqi armored vehicle, the next he had been critically wounded. Meanwhile, his wife Lee was vacationing with their four children in Disney World. One call stopped all pretense of normalcy for the family.

The story is told by both Bob and Lee, including not only the emotions of this catastrophic event, but also many snapshots of their life together. Each gives a compelling viewpoint, written so well that one is riveted in the telling. In addition, the snapshots past and present give glimpses of who they were before the explosion, and how they got to where they are.

Stories of their meeting and early marriage, including leaving immediately after their wedding to work/teach in Beijing. Bob taught English to Law students , and "caught" the reporting bug after being in China during the historical events of Tienanmen Square. Interviewed as an American teacher of striking students, he then gained employment as an interpreter for the news teams. The future of the Woodruffs changed at that moment.

In An Instant is more than a survival story. It is an inside look into the world of military medical heroes working against a new era of head injuries. Bob and Lee have become crusaders for those injured serving our country, knowing that he should not have survived and recovered as completely as he has, and that so many others do not.

JB

Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella

Becky Brandon, shopaholic extraodinaire, is pregnant! And, of course, she is not going to settle for anything less than the best for her baby. So she sweet talks her way into an appointment with the preferred obstetrician to the stars, Venetia Carter. But, much to her surprise, Becky finds out Venetia is an ex-girlfriend of Luke’s and Venetia has designs on getting him back, married or not.

In Shopaholic and Baby, Sophie Kinsella once again brings to life bubbly, energetic, overly dramatic Becky Brandon in this hilarious addition to the Shopaholic series.

KSS

Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

What would you think if you saw someone dressed in a beaver costume walking down the road? Dean Robillard, quarterback for the Chicago Stars, doesn’t know what to think but he sure can’t let the most interesting thing he’s seen on this road trip go by without stopping. Enter Blue Bailey, a down-on-her-luck artist with no money and no ride, but in desperate need of both. As they set off for Dean’s country house in Tennessee, a simmering passion builds as they both try to come to terms with their troubled pasts.

Natural Born Charmer is another winner in Phillips’ Chicago Stars football series. With witty dialogue and likeable characters this is one you won’t want to miss.

KSS