June 2025's Burgoine and Pearl-Rule reviews

Author 'Nathan Burgoine posted this simple, direct method of not getting paralyzed by the prospect of having to write reviews. The Three-Sentence Review is, as he notes, very helpful and also simple to achieve. I get completely unmanned at the idea of saying something trenchant about each book I read, when there often just isn't that much to say...now I can use this structure to say what I think is the most important idea I took away from the read and not try to dig for more.

Think about using it yourselves!

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Knife Skills (Shadows of Chicago mysteries #1) by Wendy Church

Rating: 3.5* of five

The Publisher Says: "Dizzying . . . Audiences who wished the TV series The Bear had made room for Russian mobsters are in for a treat" Kirkus Reviews Starred Review

Sagarine Pfister is a great cook but has been blacklisted by almost every restaurant in Chicago. She gets her chance at Louie's, a below-average restaurant, the only place that will give her a job.

Things change when she finds head chef Louie Ferrar dead in the walk-in freezer of his restaurant. But instead of closing the place down, the owner, Russian gang boss Anatoly Morzov, not only offers her Louie's job, but also the position as his personal chef. Sagarine agrees, and while she knows she's playing with fire, the chance to turn out extraordinary food at both the restaurant and for Morzov's extravagant private parties is just too tempting.

While the Chicago P.D. searches for Louie's killer, the FBI pressures Sagarine to inform on the gang. She has no choice, but things take another dangerous turn when she falls for one of Morzov's lieutenants. As Sagarine becomes more deeply involved with the gang and with her lover, the FBI's demands put her at increased risk of discovery. She has to make a decision about where her loyalties lie as she finds herself running for her life.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Don't read it hungry! The beautiful food descriptions will send you to the fridge, the store, or the computer, there to drop a lot of money. The plot's familiar, the mob boss is a foodie so obviously Sagarine and I are infatuated with him...she picks Ekaterina (the only woman on his team...why? the mystery tempts Sagarine), though, where I'd be all over Anatoly. The murder victim comes under my heading of "some folk just need killin'" so the police solving the crime wasn't interesting to me.

Time with the FBI, exerting pressure on Sagarine to betray Anatoly (and Ekaterina) has her in a swivet. Maude, her sassy BFF/roommate, listens like we do...and there's a resolution, but I'm not tellin'.

Severn House (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link) wants $14.99 for an ebook. That's steep to me, but the story is tempting...maybe the library....

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Next to Heaven by James Frey

Rating: 2.5* of five

The Publisher Says: New Bethlehem, Connecticut is a town of picture-perfect lawns, manicured hedges, and multi-million-dollar homes, but beneath the designer yoga gear and country club memberships lies a darker reality.

In this world of excess Devon and Belle have it all—beauty, money, status—but they want something more. Something dangerous. Something that makes them feel alive. Their solution? A party—a meticulously curated gathering of New Bethlehem’s elite, from a desperate ex-NFL quarterback to a hockey coach with a penchant for married women to a ruthless Wall Street “closer” who wields his wealth like a weapon. One night. Multiple betrayals. And a murder that will shatter New Bethlehem’s carefully constructed facade.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: "New Bethlehem"'s bible-coded name explains the heteronormativity. The sulphrous waftings of Sodom are replaced by the brimstone bouquet of Gomorrah as straight people lie like rugs, cheat on their spouses, and steal in white-collar ways. Updike would be proud. No tinge of Cheever's erotic questioning, nor any humor like Peter deVries.

Comparisons to Fitzgerald are lèse-majesté. While sharp enough, Frey lacks pole position over the century-old tale of Gatsby. Tale as old as time, lacking beauty while having too many beasts.

Authors Equity (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link) requests a $29 donation to receive a hardcover.

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The Reflecting Pool (Marko Zorn #1) by Otho Eskin

Rating: 3.25* of five

The Publisher Says: Murder leads to the White House

Marko Zorn, a Washington, D.C. homicide detective with expensive tastes in art, classic cars, and women, must take on extra work—not always strictly legal, often unorthodox and usually dangerous—to supplement his income—work which requires his special combination of skill and steel nerves. Although he’s adept at navigating the corridors of law enforcement and the world of criminal gangs, he’d prefer to stay home and watch old movies, enjoy his art collection, and listen to cool jazz.

When Zorn discovers the body of a Secret Service agent—a supposed drowning victim—it leads him to a domestic terrorist group with tentacles in the White House—a White House that does not want this death investigated. As the demands of his professional life escalate, Zorn’s alternate career heats up, placing him in the middle of competing D.C. crime bosses feuding over a shipment of illegal arms—making Zorn the hunted and the hunter. He needs to avoid becoming the victim as he navigates the twin forces of evil closing in on him from his legitimate job—facing down political power—and his secret side job.

Perfect for Grisham and Patterson fans.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: The publisher's comps are precisely correct: You like the thrillers that pit one man against a corrupt system? You'll like this iteration of it. I did. Marko Zorn is a character blessed with the familiarity of long establishment, while offering the solid pleasures of the genre he inhabits.

I'm wearing thin on political thrillers. They don't appall me, but I don't necessarily want to read about the world I feel I'm living in quite this on-the-nose much.

Oceanview Publishing offers a trade paper edition but it's on backorder; there are used copies available from Bookshop.org (non-affiliate link above).

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Head Shot (Marko Zorn #2) by Otho Eskin

Rating: 3.25* of five

The Publisher Says: The Most Elusive Assassin in the World Versus D.C. Homicide Detective Marko Zorn

Washington, D.C. homicide detective Marko Zorn is investigating the murder of an actress—an old love—when he is assigned to protect the visiting prime minister of Montenegro, the beautiful Nina Voychek.

Political enemies are planning her assassination—this, he knows—but now it’s apparent that he, too, is a target. As he foils the initial attempts on his life, he pulls out all stops—deploying his sometimes nefarious resources—to hunt whoever is targeting him and prevent an international tragedy on American soil.

Decoded messages, Supermax prisoner interviews, mafia lawyers, and an ancient Black Mountain curse swirl among the icons of D.C. Marko and his young partner, Lucy, face down what may be multiple assassins with diverging agendas. Or are they facing one assassin—the deadliest and most elusive on the international stage?

Perfect for fans of David Baldacci and Daniel Silva.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: It tells you a lot that I read these back-to-back. I enjoyed more time with Marko Zorn that much; but as noted elsewhere, my thriller-reading time is steadily decreasing as my stress levels rise.

I quibble slightly with the comp to Daniel Silva's thrillers, as in my memory, those reads are closer to James Rollins technothrillers, and this story is light-years away from that.

Oceanview Publishing offers a trade paper edition but it's on backorder; there are used copies available from Bookshop.org (non-affiliate link above).

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Black Sun Rising (Marko Zorn #4) by Otho Eskin

Rating: 3.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A long-buried Nazi weapon resurfaces. America stands on the brink of destruction. One man must stop history's darkest nightmare from happening again.

When Washington, DC, homicide detective Marko Zorn's partner is murdered, his search for justice leads him deep into Black Sun, a violent neo-Nazi movement built from the ruins of WWII's most sinister forces. Their goal: unleash a catastrophic attack that will plunge the nation into chaos.

To stop them, Marko must outwit a woman known as the Bride of the Apocalypse, navigate the treacherous ambitions of two of the world's richest-and most ruthless-men, and confront a conspiracy stretching from Washington's corridors of power to the shadows of the city's underworld.

Can Marko save the country from annihilation?

A pulse-pounding thriller in the tradition of Baldacci, Clancy, and Patterson, Black Sun Rising delivers relentless suspense, razor-sharp political intrigue, and a chillingly timely story of unchecked hatred—and the one man willing to risk everything to stop it.

Black Sun Rising is the fourth Marko Zorn novel.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Somehow, in the shift between publishers, I missed book three in the series. The publisher assures you this is fine, that all the books can stand alone; inadvertently testing the hypothesis, I report success.

I'm already on record about thrillers and me needing some time apart. Nothing in this decently-executed example of the genre convinced me otherwise. Topical to a fault, I was unable to dismiss the feeling that Author Eskin has actually predicted the future. This story *will* unfold, and this way. That should disgust you.

Meridian Editions (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link) offers a trade paper edition for $19.95.

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A Novel Murder: A Mystery by E.C. Nevin

Rating: 3.3* of five

The Publisher Says: Welcome to the Killer Lines Crime Fiction Festival, the place for stars of the genre to meet their adoring fans . . . but be careful, this year the murders aren't just on the page.

Author Jane Hepburn is determined to make her time at the Killer Lines festival worthwhile. This is her chance to change her fortunes and make her fictional Detective Baker a household name. And if she has to resort to sneaking into the book tent after hours to rearrange some books so hers are front and center, so be it.

But when Jane encounters the dead body of renowned (and reviled) literary agent Carrie Marks, the festival takes on a decidedly different tone. Joined by Carrie's newest client, debut novelist Natasha Martez, and the agency's hapless intern, Daniel Thurston, Jane decides to put her fictional sleuthing skills to use in the real world—she's going to solve the murder. But the list of suspects is seemingly everyone at the festival has a motive to kill Carrie, and the more Jane and her new friends investigate, the closer they come to a dangerous truth—one that’s stranger than fiction.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Nice writing with a good balance of description and action. Fun, silly, cozy plot. Enough touches from the publishing world to make me feel a tiny wisp of nostalgic longing.

Slower pace than I prefer. Not really invested in the sleuth...she doesn't have "It" for me, whatever that "It" might be. Side characters just fine but pretty predictable.

Knopf (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link) asks you to spend $14.99 for an ebook. Might be worth it if you really enjoy books about books and publishing.

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The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten

Rating: 3* of five

The Publisher Says: Scream meets The Guest List in this wickedly compelling and compulsively page-turning thriller of friendship and murder from the author of The Lost Village, Camilla Sten.

On a remote island nestled off the coast of Sweden, four friends—Tilly, Anna, Linnea and Evelina—meet every year. Best friends since childhood, the idea is to drink beer, dance by the water, and shake off the weight of life's expectations. The location of the island is a secret to everyone but them. One night of reckless fun and secret-sharing, and then they return to their normal lives.

Ten Years Later. Ever since she was a teenager, Tessa Nilsson has been consumed by the story of four friends who disappeared. As her true crime fervor turned into a wildly popular podcast, Tessa covered Sweden’s most gruesome cases, but could never find the answers behind what happened to these women who disappeared. Now Tessa’s podcast has crashed and burned, any chance she had at uncovering the truth vanishing with it.

Anneliese is Tessa’s best friend, and before she walks down the aisle, she wants to have a bachelorette party. The destination: Baltic Vinyasa, a sleek, sophisticated yoga retreat on a small island off the coast—one with such similar characteristics to the tragedy years ago that it raises the hair on Tessa’s neck. The idea is to drink gallons of cava, do sunrise yoga, and get in their last chance to bond with the bride. Tessa will not pass this up. It’s her last chance to find out what happened to the four women, once and for all.

And it’s someone else’s last chance to get revenge.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: I really liked the first two books I read by this Swedish phenom, most especially the sense of place they so fully evoked for me. Still true...just no longer novel; talk about a victim of her own success...! It's also the case that this plot, girl-group grows up hiding secrets worth killing for, does not compel me as much as it once did.

“Sometimes there’s no such thing as okay. Sometimes all there is, is good enough.” It's prophetic that this line is in this book.

Minotaur Books (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link) wants $28.00 for a hardcover.

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Smile for the Cameras by Miranda Smith

Rating: 3.5* of five

The Publisher Says: An actress desperate to reclaim her fame must survive the real-life plot of the horror movie that made her famous in this psychologically twisted locked-room thriller influenced by '90s slasher films.

Twenty years ago, Ella Winters was the it girl. She made a name for herself in Hollywood and throughout America as the final survivor in the cult-classic slasher Grad Night. But the real horror is what happened when the cameras weren’t rolling—something terrible that Ella and her co-stars agreed never to speak of again. Shortly after the movie's premiere, Ella disappeared from the acting scene under the pretense of caring for her ailing mother, hoping for a quiet life out of the spotlight to ease her guilty mind.

Now, after her mother’s passing, Ella has decided to return to the silver screen. And with the cast and crew of Grad Night in the process of filming a reunion documentary, Ella has the perfect ticket back into Hollywood's good graces. Weighed down by the secret she’s been keeping all these years, Ella apprehensively makes the trip to the original set—a cabin in rural Tennessee—to reunite with her castmates for the first time in over a decade. But when the actors begin to meet the exact gruesome fates of the characters they originally played, falling victim to someone dressed as the Grad Night villain, it's clear their secret is out.

Now, the question is: Can the final girl survive one last nightmare?

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Really fun! In the Stephen Graham Jones territory of making slasher schlock interesting and enjoyable to those who didn't much like it back in the day, though this book is without the same panache. In fact, had I not read Author Stephen's work I would've passed this book by entirely.

The big downside for me was the unanswerable question, "what took you so long?" It dragged a four-star funfest down to a decent three-and-a-half I'm not sorry I read.

Bantam Books says "$13,99 please" for the ebook. I'd go to the library myownself.

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This space is dedicated to Nancy Pearl's Rule of 50, or "the Pearl Rule" as I've always called it. After realizing five times in December 2021 alone that I'd already Pearl-Ruled a book I picked up on a whim, I realized how close my Half-heimer's is getting to the full-on article. Hence my decision to track my Pearls!

As she says:

People frequently ask me how many pages they should give a book before they give up on it. In response to that question, I came up with my “rule of fifty,” which is based on the shortness of time and the immensity of the world of books. If you’re fifty years of age or younger, give a book fifty pages before you decide to commit to reading it or give it up. If you’re over fifty, which is when time gets even shorter, subtract your age from 100—the result is the number of pages you should read before making your decision to stay with it or quit.

So this space will be each month's listing of Pearl-Ruled books. Earlier Pearl-Rule posts will be linked below the current month's crop.

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The German Girl: A Novel by Armando Lucas Correa (33%)

Rating: 2.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A young girl flees Nazi-occupied Germany with her family and best friend, only to discover that the overseas refuge they had been promised is an illusion in this “engrossing and heartbreaking” (Library Journal, starred review) debut novel, perfect for fans of The Nightingale, Lilac Girls, and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

Berlin, 1939. Before everything changed, Hannah Rosenthal lived a charmed life. But now the streets of Berlin are draped in ominous flags; her family’s fine possessions are hauled away; and they are no longer welcome in the places they once considered home. A glimmer of hope appears in the shape of the St. Louis, a transatlantic ocean liner promising Jews safe passage to Cuba. At first, the liner feels like a luxury, but as they travel, the circumstances of war change, and the ship that was to be their salvation seems likely to become their doom.

New York, 2014. On her twelfth birthday, Anna Rosen receives a mysterious package from an unknown relative in Cuba, her great-aunt Hannah. Its contents inspire Anna and her mother to travel to Havana to learn the truth about their family’s mysterious and tragic past.

Weaving dual time frames, and based on a true story, The German Girl is a beautifully written and deeply poignant story about generations of exiles seeking a place to call home.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Between Grandma's Sèvres, Mama's perfume, and meditating on whether or not tulips grow in Cuba, I realized I am not the right reader for this book. I know it's a powerful story to some, a hymn to survival, a way of assuring themselves their identity politics are Right, but I'm really over...as in Over and Out, redundantly repeating myself for emphasis...with plucky Jewish girls escaping/surviving the the Holocaust. Most did not. Find something new to say about it or I'll ignore you henceforth.

Cue the religious nuts calling me either anti-semitic and/or misogynistic for good measure of my doneness with these stories.

Atria Books (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link) asks $12.99 for an ebook, if you're still looking for this kind of story. It's an okay iteration of it, not more.