Officer Down

Officer Down is one intense crime thriller IMHO. It is no wonder this novel was the winner of the 2006 Edgar Award for best first novel. In fact, this is one reason I picked up this book, and I am not disappointed with it. And did I mention this is Theresa Schwegel's debut novel? I am totally impressed.

Samantha "Smack" Mack isn't your typical police officer. She works in Chicago's 23rd District, has a drinking problem and is involved with a married lover - Mason Imes, who is also her fellow officer. She has issues with Marko Trovic, a child molester which she vows to bring him to justice but fails.

Then one night, the Sarge asks her to fill in a co-worker's shift and she accepts it, because she thinks she owes him a favor; and so together with Fred, her partner and ex-lover, they follow Trovic's trail to a dark and rundown tenement house, whom they believe it is him they are chasing. They got split up inside the pitch dark house and later she hear gunshots. Then she finds Fred is shot. He dies later and Sam is called in by her superiors for some interrogations. Everyone thinks Sam shoots Fred by mistake although she claims she didn't and is positive Trovic probably hit her into unconsciousness because she wakes up with a nasty concussion. She is asked to put on administrative leave but she refuses to back down; telling herself she would investigate the case on her own after all no one is believing and supportive of her.

Mason says he will help her to close up the case, although she is still piss off that he doesn't leave his wife earlier when he told her his relationship with his wife doesn't work. Then someone begins to follow her and she is curious to find out the reason behind it. From there, the pace picks up quickly and I was anxious to find out who betrays Sam and why.

I like the way Sam is determined and her 'never give-up' attitude, although I don't agree with her drinking habits and why she wants to get involved with married men.

No Regrets

The heroine, Noelle Blanche is a cryptologist. She refuses to accept a grant from the military when they asks for her help in an operation, although it will cause her her job for she wouldn't want blood on her hands should her specialized field be used for violence. But things don't go well as she expects when she finds her house is raided and she has no choice but to seek for safety.

David Wolfe is a former Delta Force operative and he thinks he has finally lay the ugly terrors behind him after the Swarm, a terrorist organization had murdered his wife. But when his former superior seeks for his assistance to work on a mission, he isn't sure if he is able to do it again but when he hears the Swarm members are back, he accepts the mission for he wants to wipe them out this time round.

And the action begins when David and Noelle go on the run until they found a safe place where she can work on breaking the code. It is at this time when their feelings for each other begins to grow but David thinks it is too dangerous for Noelle to be with him and that he doesn't want her to follow in his ex-wife's path. But Noelle has her own thoughts and she has no fear nor regrets being with David.

I enjoyed reading the story and how it flows smoothly, as well as the characters. I am also awed by Noelle's intelligence, as well as her bravery. I will be checking out Shannon K. Butcher's upcoming releases.

The Dollmaker

Claire Doucett is devastated ever since her daughter, Ruby was abducted seven years ago in New Orleans. Dave, Claire's ex-husband works as a private investigator after he left the police force after that tragic incident and bury his sorrow by drinking. And his relationship with Claire worsen after he is involved with his former police peer Angelette Lapierre under the influence of his drinking, thus leading to a divorce by Claire but then she isn't entirely happy with her remarried life either (she is in the middle of a divorce).

Then Claire sees a doll in a shop window and is mersmerized by it, for it looked a lot like her missing daughter, with its frilly dress and all. Alex, her soon-to-be ex husband thinks she is obsessed with finding her daughter despite all the years, but she thinks otherwise and tells herself she would get to the bottom of it. So she approaches Dave whom is involved in an investigation when Angelette told him about Graydon Losier's missing daughter and asked if he could help. From then, the tension begins to build.

Readers will no doubt follow this taut suspense thriller, with the chapter begins with a thief stealing the doll. While reading this book, I really sympathize with Claire of losing her daughter, and not to mention I admire the way how she took it despite all the years and hasn't really given up hope... This is the first book I read by Amanda Stevens and it surely won't be my last.