Literary Scene

Three Riveting Novels to keep you on the edge of your seat

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

Seeking Hyde

By Thomas Reed

Seeking Hyde, the debut novel from Sarasota author Thomas Reed, tells the story behind Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous horror story, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which earned the author great fame and fortune. Seeking Hyde sticks quite closely to Stevenson’s biography, and Reed’s background—witness 20 years of exploring, teaching, and writing about the life and times of Stevenson—makes him the ideal person to engage in such a creative exploration.

What’s interesting to note is that while Stevenson intended his horror story to be an act of moral contrition, it has been accused of inspiring one of the bloodiest series of events in all of English history—the Jack the Ripper murders. Indeed, exploring that irony and its complexities is at the heart of this novel, admits Reed in the back matter of this book.

The cat-and-mouse ending between Stevenson and Jack will surely delight fans of the thriller genre. And those who love historical stories will doubtless find this well-researched account of Victorian England to be compelling and full of authenticity.

Rating: 4 out of 5

www.ThomasReedAuthor.com

Sky Without Stars: System Divine Book 1

By Jessica Brody &

Joanne Rendell

If you like Les Miserables, then this clever reimagining of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece might just be for you. It’s the story of three teens from wildly divergent backgrounds who deal with the looming threat of revolution on the French planet Laterre that’s full of seediness, darkness, and power plays.

That’s right, the “French planet,” because Sky Without Stars is a science fiction dystopian novel yet it somehow retains the sense of an old-world setting, too. Part of the charm of this book is how the multiple points of view keep the story from being too locked into a single aspect of the incredibly complex world these youths face. And after all, who doesn’t enjoy a bittersweet love triangle, even IF it’s set in space? Plus there are all sorts of themes in this hefty read beyond love, such as fate, injustice, and freedom.

Meet Chatine, the thief. Marcellus, an agent of the powerful Regime. And Alouette, who’s spent most of her life underground as part of a secret society of women committed to protecting the remnants of written language, which is largely forgotten by the world above. All have their own goals and aspirations, and together their destinies will shape the future of an entire planet.

Sky Without Stars is the first in the System Divine series, and let’s be clear—it’s a fine story and a grand setup for what promises to be an exciting larger tale about those who survived the fall of the First World and found a new home on twelve planets lit up by three suns. Though it’s a bit light on the science side, this book is highly recommended.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

www.JessicaBrody.com

www.JoanneRendell.com

Blood Oath

By Linda Fairstein

Fairstein’s work as head of the (largely male) sex crimes unit of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for more than two decades has informed her mystery novel series starring Manhattan sex crimes prosecutor Alexandra “Alex” Cooper. Fairstein’s 20th novel in the series, Blood Oath, continues to display her behind-the-curtains knowledge of the D.A.’s office and reveals her vast understanding of a host of compelling New York settings.

Blood Oath has two stories at its heart. One is a cold case about a woman who claims to have been raped a decade earlier by a prominent official during a big federal trial. The other is about a young defense attorney who’s attacked just steps from the courthouse. She’s rushed to the hospital only to disappear without a trace the very next day. It’s up to Alex to uncover the truth of both situations and find out how they might be connected.

Along with Martin Cruz Smith (author of Gorky Park), Fairstein was honored in April 2019 with a Grand Masters Award by the Mystery Writers of America, adding their names to a list that includes Alfred Hitchcock, Sue Grafton, Stephen King and Agatha Christie. That honor was rescinded two days later when numerous members of the organization criticized the choice because of her involvement in the “Central Park Five” case. (Just Google one of oodles of stories about that to learn more, if you’re so inclined.)

But the fact remains that Fairstein’s writing was deemed worthy of such an honor. If you’d like to determine for yourself how deserving her writing is—sixteen of the books in this series have debuted on the New York Times bestseller list, after all—check out Blood Oath and see.

Rating: 4 out of 5

www.LindaFairstein.com