The Girl in the Spider's Web: by David Lagercrantz | Recap and Analysis


Instarecap - 2015
    It brings back two memorable characters from the blockbuster trilogy by the late Stieg Larsson; “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”, “The Girl Who Played with Fire”, and, “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” . Like the three books, “The Girl in the Spider’s Web” is translated from the original Swedish language, and most of the action happens in and around Stockholm. Lisbeth Salander, the brilliant anti-social hacker once again teams up with Michael Blomkvist, a relentless reporter, to help infiltrate a murderous technology organization with links to powerful corporations, law enforcement agencies, and nothing less than the the United States’ National Security Administration, or NSA. There appears to be a distinct difference in storytelling between the three Larsson books and Lagercrantz’s Spider, which can be attributed to the subject matter on hand or the writer’s style, and maybe even both. Larsson seemed to let events unfold slowly, since he did, after all, have three books to gradually introduce us to, and develop, the characters especially Lisbeth Salander. Some critics decry Lagercrantz’ narrative as fragmentary and confusing, with dozens of characters in a wide array of backgrounds: journalists, spies, hackers, law enforcement officers, scientists and of course killers, who at times seem to briefly emerge, vanish, and then turn up again. Then there is the sometimes arcane language of hacking, cryptography, physics, and artificial intelligence, where there are complicated moments when the characters discuss such prime-number factorization (PNF), self-teaching algorithms, singularity theory, black holes, prime-number factorization and black holes. Many of the characters are indeed geniuses and Lagercrantz mostly succeeds in allowing the science to be decipherable. The original trilogy’s anti-heroine, Lisbeth Salander, isn’t much seen in the first half of the book, but is quickly inserted into the action, and of course, turns into the main focus of events. Most of the characters from the original trilogy show up in the book, including the shadow of Lisbeth’s horrendous dead father, Zalachenko, and the traitorous Hans Faste. Two new compelling characters are introduced: Camilla Salander/Zalachenko, Lisbeth’s evil twin, and 8-year old August Balder, and autistic savant and mathematical genius, who shares most of the spotlight with Salander. The action is fast paced and the characters, many, and like the first three Larsson novels, may be a tough read to put down. Read more.... Download your copy today! for a limited time discount of only $2.99! Available on PC, Mac, smart phone, tablet or Kindle device. © 2015 All Rights Reserved by Unlimited Press Works, LLC

Tomb of the Lost


Julian Noyce - 2011
    In four parts.Tomb of the Lost is an action/adventure novel that spans 2300 years.Babylon, Persia 323bc.On a bed a man lays dying. Alexander the great, King, the Lion of Macedon has a mysterious fever. He became king at twenty, dying at thirty three, having conquered the known world. Following his death his General and friend Ptolemy takes the body and inters it into a magnificent tomb in Alexandria, Egypt. The very city Alexander founded.Two thousand three hundred years later and the leader of Germany Adolf Hitler who is a great collector of antiquities orders the sarcophagus, lost two thousand years before by Julius Caesar's legionaries, to be found and brought to Berlin.Hitler assigns a team of his Wehrmacht commanded by a General and his Colonel and a team of SS led by a fanatical Major to locate it.With their mission a success the Germans descend on the port town of Gabes, Tunisia just as the town is about to be over run by the British and as the battle for North Africa reaches its brutal climax the sarcophagus is lost once again leaving only one man alive to tell the tale.That man is Alfred Dennis.Nearly seventy years later and marine archaeologist Natalie Feltham and her team with the help of Peter Dennis, a journalist and grandson of Alfred Dennis, make the greatest discovery in modern archaeology.Now it's a race against time for Natalie and her team as dark powers from Germany's Nazi past try to take what is rightfully hers.

The Last Watchman Still Rides


Jonathan Watkins - 2013
    His history is stained with blood and violence. Released from prison after another man died under his fists, he's found some semblance of peace as a private detective. Sometimes he's hired to solve a problem. Sometimes he's hired to do something mean. He prefers the one, but he isn't above the other. When he's hired to locate a gorgeous banking executive's missing niece, Roarke suspects the case might be just another ugly custody fight between the girl's parents. A single gunshot aimed his way proves him wrong, and convinces him to give the missing girl his undivided attention. Soon, Roarke finds himself drawn away from his Detroit lair and into the northern wilderness where a group of heavily armed militiamen calling themselves the Sons of Michigan are holding the girl. Lead by a silver-tongued preacher and a remorseless killer called the Last Watchman, the Sons are waiting for him. They think they can bargain with him. They think he can be reasoned with. They're wrong.

Trifling 2


Jennifer Luckett - 2013
    Ontavious is all that she’s ever wanted with the good looks, great career, and a humble spirit. Unlike her ex, he’s the type of man that she believes can hold her down and remain faithful. After finding the man of her dreams, she’s suddenly faced with a situation that could cause her to lose everything she’s built with him. Because of Sparkle’s new secret she has to make a decision on whether she wants to continue moving on with her new man, or resolve the issues between she and her ex Sayveon. She’s faced with a number of problems that have her confused, but she thinks she can handle it. When her troubles overwhelm her, Sparkle tries to be strong and not fall weak, but it’s not easy.Stephanie, is the older sister of Sparkle and is proud to say that she’s drug free. After living on the horrible drug infested streets of Jackson, Mississippi, she’s now ready to start a new life and be the mother she hasn’t been to her two boys. Although she’s hyped about starting over and tries to run from her past, it chases her and test her strength. Stephanie has to deal with several issues that will make or break her. This survivor of drug- abuse finds herself put in a predicament where she’s fighting for her life, hopefully she’s strong enough to make it through.Sayveon, the Boss, is back and more trifling than ever. When his child’s mother, Sparkle walks away from the long relationship that they once shared leaving him to be a bachelor, he finds one groupie after another. Not only is his swag on a hundred but his nice looks are too which draws the women to him. He may be a magnet for the women, but an enemy is drawn to him too and isn’t backing down. Sayveon finds himself in a few deadly situations and the person after him is out with one mission, to body him. So he stays strapped and ready to go, but if he’s caught slipping he may be the next victim of the streets. The second installment of Trifling, finds these characters facing huge obstacles. Some will overcome their situation, but a few will be busted for being just plain ole’ Trifling!

A Chesapeake Shores Collection Volume 2: Driftwood Cottage / Moonlight Cove / Beach Lane / An O'Brien Family Christmas


Sherryl Woods - 2017
    The welcoming arms of the boisterous, loving O’Brien clan embrace her and her son, but accepting their support only seems to further alienate her son’s father, Connor O’Brien. Moonlight Cove Jess O’Brien has overcome a lot, including the near bankruptcy of her beloved Inn at Eagle Point. Now she’s ready to share the future with a man—but Will, her childhood friend, has already chosen the perfect man for Jess: himself. Beach Lane Susie O’Brien is thrilled when her friendship with Mack Franklin finally heats up. But just when happily-ever-after seems within reach, Mack loses the job he loves and Susie faces a devastating diagnosis. An O’Brien Family Christmas Dating Matthew O’Brien—a playboy and a younger man—cost Laila Riley her career and her parents’ respect. A high price, even for love—but will Laila discover that some risks are actually once-in-a-lifetime opportunities?

Abandoned


Lee Shepherd - 2015
    Drugged. Abandoned.A rural area in the north of England is put on edge as teenage girls start to go missing. The local authorities are stumped in their search for the one responsible.Charles Lee lives a very normal life, in stark contrast to his troubled past. Putting years of abuse, neglect and loss behind him, he has built a new life in the countryside with his beloved family and border collie. However, his past soon starts to haunt him as burned bridges are resurrected, old grievances resurface and a lust for revenge takes over.Will Detective Taylor and psychological profiler Georgina Riley suss out the clues and piece together the jigsaw in time to stop the disappearances?

Spider Silk (Sheriff Bud Blair Oregon Mystery Series Book 1)


Rod Collins - 2006
     A suspicious death leads to an investigation, a manhunt, and the capture of the self-confessed killer. But when Sheriff Henry "Bud" Blair reads the autopsy report, he begins to suspect that someone other than his prisoner is the actual murderer. Set in Oregon's high desert country, Spider Silk introduces you to a compelling cast of characters and sets you on a fast-paced, page-turning adventure to find out who is behind a string of (seemingly) unrelated murders. Moving from the backdrop story of a remote ranch and a lonely widower to the dark and pervasive reach of organized crime, Spider Silk is not only intriguing... it's an entirely believable saga. Surprising forensic evidence and sharp detective work keep your interest level high and the suspense palpable in this police procedural cliffhanger. Spider Silk is also a love story. Badly burned by divorce, Bud Blair steers shy of women. But his work makes it almost impossible to avoid contact with Nancy Sixkiller, the beautiful Yakima Indian woman who manages the Emergency Services Center in Lake County, Oregon. That contact is intensified when Bud is injured and Nancy takes on the role of caregiver. When you dive into this gripping western fiction tale, you'll enter the sparsely settled, high desert landscape blessed with the hot springs, big lakes, and timbered mountains Collins knows and loves.

The Final Proposition


Trevor Douglas - 2015
    Which would you choose? After being exonerated for a crime he didn’t commit, Adam Wells leaves prison as the only living person who knows the location of a hidden cash fortune. Desperate to help a young friend who will soon die without an expensive and risky operation, Adam must weigh up the risk as he learns the money belongs to a drug syndicate who will stop at nothing to get their money back.

Devlin's Ride


Carson McCloud - 2016
    A quiet spot to settle down. He's found the perfect place on the edge of Eastern Oregon's high desert. At the base of the rolling Ochoco Mountains there's a canyon with a steady spring called the Clearwater. Clearwater offers rich grazing for Nate's herd and room to grow. But perfection comes at a cost. Nate isn't the only one who has plans for the Clearwater. Rhett Baron and his crew of gunhands will stop at nothing to take the spring. Nate may have gotten to the water first, but can he keep it? In the tradition of Louis L'Amour and Zane Grey comes Devlin's Ride by Carson McCloud.

Hidden Thrones (Hidden Thrones, #1)


Russ Scalzo - 2015
    His coveted ability means he is the FBI’s newest hire, serving as a consultant for their new Paranormal Division. The government is convinced we are not alone in this world. With invisible forces all around, agencies are seeking how to harness that power for their own uses. The mystery swirling around the unseen and unknown has caused much speculation. Some suppose lost souls are wandering the earth, others believe deceased loved ones never truly moved on, and still there are those who are convinced that aliens have infiltrated our world. Jack Bennett knows better. He knows who and what these powers are. The ancient scriptures talk about a great evil that was conceived in the depths of eternity. There, a great war occurred in a place called Heaven. Lucifer, the ancient serpent, the evil dragon of folklore, was cast out and bound to the earth and confined to its surrounding atmosphere. Could it be that the evil we see is inspired by a dark kingdom, a demonic spiritual force at war with the human race? Could these princes and rulers of darkness be influencing our world today? Jack Bennett knows this is the truth. He knows because he encounters them every day. Follow Jack Bennett in the first of a five part series as he battles the realm of Hidden Thrones.

Reflections: The Sunday Times bestselling book of life lessons from superstar presenter Holly Willoughby


Holly Willoughby - 2021
    It feels so authentic . . . Encompassing and inclusive . . . Reads beautifully and fluidly and feels like having a chat with your best friend' - Elizabeth Day on HOW TO FAIL'The book is a triumph...an accessible insight into the woman behind the brand' Grazia________________________Have you ever found yourself in that moment where you just wonder - what's next? I could carry on as I am but there's a yearning for something else. That's where this book started for me...Presenter. Fashion icon. Wife. Mother. Holly Willoughby lights up the nation's TV screens every day but, like all of us, she has struggled with moments of self-doubt, feelings of guilt, anger and detachment. Here she shares how she has learned to reconnect with herself in order to face her fears head on. With her trademark warmth, Holly shows how listening to her inner voice and celebrating life's little moments of beauty and joy - like looking up at the moon or finding the perfect red lipstick - helped her feel whole again. Reflections is an empathetic, encouraging book that will inspire you to live your most beautiful, authentic life.WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:-'I rarely read and read this book in two days! Much of what Holly wrote about resonated with me and I've taken so much practical advice away with me.'-'Like little snippets of therapy'-'This book is brilliant. Holly addresses many things that we all face in life and gives her best advice on how to overcome them. Fantastic for anyone but mostly anyone who suffers any kind of anxieties or self consciousness. -'Amazing . . . Holly is just fabulous and I can't put it down, so nice to know we aren't in this journey alone' -'So beautifully written and relatable in lots of ways. It will be a book that I am sure I will keep taking off of my book shelf to keep going back to read for a long time'

Good Investigations


Ben Westerham - 2015
    She’s clever. She’s in his office. London based PI David Good doesn’t stand a chance. South London. The 1980s. David Good, a morally confused and womanising private investigator, is hired by a ridiculously beautiful blonde to help her fend off the attentions of a serial blackmailer. But he's barely got to grips with the woman's keen sense of self-interest when he stumbles on to something far more unsavoury. Never one to run a mile when a woman needs help, Good finds himself up to his neck in trouble, upsetting some unpleasant people with short fuses and their own self-interest to protect. This time his trade mark sense of humour might not be enough to see him safely out the other side, but the clock's ticking, so for once he ignores the obvious risk to his own carelessly maintained health and starts to unmask an illicit trade that's been causing a great deal of suffering. Join David Good as he seeks to simultaneously unravel both the crime and the woman. "Westerham’s writing is tight, smooth to read, carries great descriptions and all with a dry wit and wry humor." Amazon USA review of 'Good Girl Gone Bad'. This book is part of the David Good, private investigator series, which can be read in any order you like.

15 Short Stories


Isaac Asimov - 2016
    The stories originally appeared in magazines between 1940 and 1960. The book includes the following stories:Ring Around the Sun, Future Fiction, March 1940Darwinian Pool Room, Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1950Day of The Hunters, Future combined with Science Fiction Stories, November 1950Misbegotten Missionary, Galaxy Science Fiction, November 1950Everest, Universe Science Fiction, December 1953The Fun They Had, Boys' and Girls' Page, December 1951Youth, Space Science Fiction, May 1952Living Space, The Original Science Fiction Stories, May 1956Someday, Infinity Science Fiction August 1956The Jokester, Infinity Science Fiction, December 1956Lets Get Together, Infinity Science Fiction, February 1957Tale of The Pioneer (poem),Future Science Fiction, Summer 1957Oh That Lost Sense of Wonder (poem),The Original Science Fiction Stories, January 1958Silly Asses, Future Science Fiction, February 1958The Covenant, (with Poul Anderson, Robert Sheckley, Murray Leinster, and Robert Bloch), Fantastic Science Fiction Stories, July 1960Technical mistakes mentioned in a comment below is fixed.

Fear Nothing: (Detective D. D. Warren) by Lisa Gardner -- Sidekick


BookBuddy - 2014
    Warren series, Fear Nothing is a dark fusion of thriller and mystery. While on the hunt for a serial killer with a gruesome motif, D.D. sustains a rare and painful injury, one that puts her on the sidelines. Looking for some relief and a way to deal with the emotional turmoil that comes with being in constant pain, she starts seeing a pain therapist who herself can feel no pain. When the killer strikes again, D.D. finds herself drawn back into the chase, alongside her therapist, Dr. Adeline Glen, who has a dark connection to the events. In Fear Nothing, Gardner uses a mixture of first- and third-person perspective with a casual, engaging writing style. Let the chapter-by-chapter guide in this sidekick of Fear Nothing guide you through the twists and turns of the novel, and help you make sense of the major themes and character motivations. D.D. must learn to come to grips with the pain she feels, while Adeline is haunted by her biological family's grisly legacy, one that ties her to the killer in an intimate way. Who is really killing the women of Boston by skinning them? Fear Nothing brings up interesting notions about nature vs. nurture and the role pain plays in life. A fast-paced conclusion brings the story full circle and is sure to leave readers satisfied.

Knock, Knock, You're Dead


Diane M. Dickson - 2015
    Phillipa is a prim and proper matron figure with very high standards who doesn't like disorder on her ward. So when a very sickly womanly causes a mess she merely helps nature take its course. It's for the benefit of everyone after all. But like lies, one crime quickly leads to another, and in this case a shocking ending that may have the reader thinking Phillipa get's her just desserts. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MRS BOULTON? is a chilling story about how far one will go to hide a crime. Young couple Freddy and Marsha Samuels are pleased as punch to be moving into the vacant family cottage in Dorset. Yet with Freddy often at work, and Marsha on her own, she gets some unsavoury attention from the locals. When it becomes clear that they are interested in the house itself, a dream of living in the country turns into something of a nightmare. TAINTED ROSES is the story of a woman pushed to the edge who is prepared to defend herself against whatever is thrown at her. After working in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia for five years, nurse Fiona has returned to England and is settling into a cosy new home in a Surrey town. However her nights are disturbed, first by the trashing of her brand new garden furniture and then with an intruder in the house. Is she imagining these events? As her close friend Sharon tries to help, it becomes clear that Fiona is repressing a terrible memory that is now haunting her. The question is does that memory have a name, and a key to her home?