Friday, May 9, 2008

Dying Breath by Wendy Corsi Staub

As I have mentioned numerous times, Wendy Corsi Staub is one of my favorite authors. She also writes under the name Wendy Markham and I am a huge fan of her chick-lit books through Red Dress Ink of the Slightly series. So I am always on the lookout for her new books and know that Wendy's latest suspense books come out around my birthday which is a gift all of itself. (My birthday was Tuesday... but I feel like I am getting old and we are watching our money right now since I may not work during the summer, so it wasn't much of a celebration). I got Dying Breath the day it came out and finally picked it up on Monday. It was again another wonderful book and I rate it an A-.

From Amazon:
It's summer on the Jersey Shore. Children play on the beach. Husbands are off working in the city. And the surf echoes in the night. Here, in this perfect place, a serial killer has no worries in the world- except choosing the next victim...
Cam Hastings has come to Long Beach Island with her teenage daughter and the hope that maybe she can save her failed marriage. Cam has never stopped loving her husband Mike nor has she been able to outrun her flaws and demons- a vanished mother, a lost sister, and the ugly visions she has of missing children...
Now Cam is about to step over the edge. For once, she will act on one of her visions- and then face the consequences. For a killer has just struck again. And for Cam, and the people she loves most, fear has come home for good...

Ms. Staub's books always hit home for me and are always a wonderful read. The suspense is high and the characters are really welcoming and you really care about what happens to them. She has managed to write several suspense books with similar characters but completely different story lines and plots. I thought I had the whodunit solved but was completely wrong. There was good reason for my guess, so that just goes to show that she can write a great suspense book with enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing. The only reason why this book didn't get an A is because of the psychic visions in the book. I am really not into all of the paranormal books, but if I do read a paranormal it will only be about psychics. I do not like all of the vampires and ghosts types of paranormal books and I guess I am kind of upset that she decided to go with a paranormal book. She has another series that is spun off of one of her previous suspense novels featuring psychics that is written for young adults and I wish she hadn't jumped on the bandwagon and just sticked with straight suspense.

Up next is something from the TBR shelves. I think I am leaning towards another book by John Lutz. I picked up one of his older ones at Borders when I went for my birthday. Borders also sent me a birthday coupon for 25% off and then one for 30% on a $10.00 purchase. I still have gift cards, so I think two trips may be in order for me this upcoming weekend/week. I really hope my reading begins to pick up. Normally I speed through Ms. Staub's books, but this week I had something going on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and then the Wings finally started again last night. But for tonight, I plan on getting in at least another half hour of reading time in before bed. I think I need to make reading more of a priority. I have been hooked on Bejeweled lately so I need to slow done playing it. lol.

Well, I hope everyone is having a great start to the weekend and Happy Reading!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

UGH! I need another author to read like I need another hole in my head, but your review...booger. I'm adding it to the list.

Heidi said...

Happy belated birthday. I need to move this book up on the reading mountain.

Barbara

Kristie said...

I can't recommend her enough j.kaye. I would send you this one, but I gave it to my mom. I can't stop spreading the news about this author.

Thanks Barbara for the birthday wishes. I am still in denial about getting older though.

Heidi said...

Kristie,

Your not old.

Barbara