The Doomsday Key (Sigma Force #6)

The Doomsday Key is the sixth Sigma Force novel by James Rollins.

Sigma Force is a group of special forces military people who have been sent back to school and trained in some field of science, technology, medicine, or engineering. Together they can solve any problem.

The latest problem begins with a bioengineering strain of corn being tested in Africa. Someone has attacked the village and the researchers and burned it to the ground with the crop.

A symbol found at the scene ties the attack to a murder in Italy. Could it be an eco-terrorist group?

Sigma is assigned to investigate.

All of Rollins' books are non-stop action mixed with the latest science headlines. He is one of my favorite authors and this latest Sigma Force novel lives up to his usual level of intensity.

Rollins, James. (2009). The Doomsday Key. New York: William Morrow.

In the Belly of the Bloodhound (Bloody Jack #4)

In the Belly of the Bloodhound: Being the Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber is the fourth Bloody Jack book by L.A. Meyer.



Jacky is back in the States. There is a bounty out on her head in England. Jacky thinks she can hide out at the Lawson Peabody School for Girls in Boston while things cool off.

But, of course, nothing goes according to plan. The girls of the school are kidnapped by a slave trader during a field trip. They are forced onto a ship and headed for Africa.

I love this series about a young woman who is determined and will allow nothing to get in her way. Meyer's books are historically accurate - except where Jacky causes some of the events we remember beginning differently - but he does it in plausible, entertaining ways.

Meyer, L.A. (2008). In the Belly of the Bloodhound. New York: Harcourt.

Flight #116 is Down!

Flight #116 is Down! by Caroline B. Cooney is the story of a plane crash is rural Connecticut.

Told from the points of view of many characters, Flight #116 chronicles the life altering experience of a plane crash.

Carly is on the plane - going home for the first time in over a year. Her twin sister is planning on meeting her at the airport. Daniel and Tuck are flying to their father's wedding. Teddie is flying alone for the first time from her grandparent's house home.

Heidi has just moved home and is lonely. Her parents travel for work and she is at home with only the housekeeper. They live way out of town in an old mansion. She never thought that having company over would happen in such a way.

Cooney, Caroline B. (1992). Flight #116 is Down! New York: Scholastic.

Under the Jolly Roger (Bloody Jack #3)

Under the Jolly Roger: Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber is the third book in the Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer.

After Jacky left the school for girls in Boston she landed a job on a whaler ship that was eventually bound for London. Her main focus was getting back to Jaimy.

But once in London, mistaken for a man due to her clothing, she is captured by a press gang and taken to one of the ships of the royal Navy. Back in the service again, the captain of this ship does not care that she is female.

The captain has taken on more than he can handle when he forced Jacky to stay. By the end of the book, M.J. Faber Shipping may have a whole fleet!

Meyer, L.A. (2005). Under the Jolly Roger. New York: Harcourt.

The Silent Man (John Wells #3)

The Silent Man by Alex Berenson is the third book featuring John Wells.

US intelligence agencies are in a race against time - and most of them don't even know what they are looking for.

A small group of jihadis has a plan to steal a couple of nuclear weapons from Russia. Authorities believe that without the launch codes the weapons are safe. Authorities outside of Russia don't even know what is missing.

Meanwhile, a man who John Wells kidnapped to find answers in an earlier book is after revenge. John, who would like to retire from the spy business, is pulled back in when the woman he loves is injured in an attempt on his life.

Now John will stop at nothing to get his revenge - or will he? Would John set aside his anger at what happened to Exley to save the US from a possible nuclear attack?

Berenson, Alex. (2009). The Silent Man. New York: Putnam.

Blind Fall

Blind Fall by Christopher Rice is the story two Marines.

John Houck is a Marine. He served in Iraq where his captain, Mike Bowers saved his life - and lost an eye. John fells guilty that he caused the injury because he did not let Mike know his state of mind going into the situation. He had just received an email informing him that his younger brother was dead.

Now John and Mike have been discharged and both live in California. John still feels guilty. When he finally gets up the courage to go to Mike's house, he is confronted with his murder and a man running from the house.

Rice sets up this murder mystery (although early in the book you know who done it) but then spends most of the book seemingly trying to explain why gays are okay. Mike was gay and living with his partner Alex. John's brother was gay but John couldn't face it.

The thing is, anyone who wasn't already okay with gays would put the book down after a couple of chapters. Readers who keep reading, and are likely okay with gays, get bombarded with a story that is about one man overcoming his homophobia and facing reality - to the point that it detracts from the main plot of the story.

Rice, Christopher. (2008). Blind Fall. New York: Pocket Books.

Destiny (Rogue Angel #1)

Destiny is the first book in the Rogue Angel series by Alex Archer. Fans of the television show Witchblade (2001) will love this series.

Annja Creed is an archaeologist and explorer. But archeology doesn't pay all that well. So, on the side she works for the TV show Chasing History's Monsters - a show that is more sensation than fact. But unlike other hosts on the show, Annja tries to find facts to support legends of boogie monsters. And the show pays well enough that she can go on digs when she wants.

Annja is on her way to France to research the legend of the Beast of Gevaudan - a creature who is said to have killed almost 100 people in the Cevennes Mountains. What she doesn't know is that an artifact is waiting for her to discover it - an artifact that will tie her to Joan of Arc or that there is a religious order still living in the mountains that wants the truth about the Beast to remain unsolved.

Archer, Alex. (2006). Destiny. New York: Worldwide.

The Ghost War (John Wells #2)

The Ghost War is the second book by Alex Berenson in the John Wells series.

John Wells is a spy. He was undercover with Al Queda for so long that his handlers thought he had switched sides. But now that he is back in the US, he is restless. He takes risks for no reason and may be blowing his chance with the woman he loves. What he needs is a new assignment.

In his new assignment he will travel to Iraq, Long Island and China in a quest to find out who is trying to start a war between China and the US.

Berenson is a captivating writer who has created they type of character I hope is really working in espionage - on our side.

Berenson, Alex. (2008). The Ghost War. New York: Jove Books.

Bloodhound (Beka Cooper #2)

Bloodhound is the second Beka Cooper book by Tamora Pierce. This series is part of the Tortall collection, which now includes 16 titles.

Beka has completed her police training and is now a full-fledged Dog. She has been having trouble keeping a partner - they are either crooked or lazy.

Corus, the capital or Tortall, seems to have a counterfeiter problem. Someone is passing fake coins in the gambling houses. The hunt will take Beka and her mentor, Goodwin, to the neighboring city of Port Caynn to track down the forger.

Once again, Pierce has created a story that fans will devour. Beka is a strong young woman who readers will follow far into the future (hint, hint - we want more books!)

Pierce, Tamora. (2009). Bloodhound. New York: Random House.