A Deadly Business by Lis Wiehl with April Henry

This is the second book in the Mia Quinn Mysteries. I enjoyed it very much. We learn more about how Mia's husband died and what he was up to before he died.

Charlie Carlson suggests to Mia that her husbands death was not an accident. Trying to balance her job and her home Mia now must also help Charlie investigate her husbands murder.

Mia is also feeling pressure from her boss who is running for re-election. When 3 teens dump a grocery cart off a bridge onto a woman's head Mia must decide whether they should be tried as juveniles or as adults. Her decision could ultimately lose the race for her boss.

Mia is under so much pressure with all of the situations going on that I found myself wondering how she didn't just break down.

The pace of the book moved along quickly. I was invested in the characters. I did find myself a little irritated at Mia's son Gabe. He has a bit of a rant at one point and I wanted to reach through the pages and shake him, but then had to realize that he too is going through a lot of stuff since his father died. I loved the suspense leading up to the conclusion of the book, I was definitely on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens. There is a bit of attraction going on between Charlie and Mia and another lawyer and Mia. I'm hoping that those will develop in future books. My vote is for Charlie even though he has been married 3 times before!

Check out my review of the first book A MATTER OF TRUST.

Thanks to the publisher Thomas Nelson for my copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own.

Dark Justice by Brandilyn Collins

Hannah and her mother have just spent a wonderful couple of days away and are now headed back to their home. Hannah decides to take a different way home. When they come upon an accident they pull over and try to help the old gentleman laying beside his car. He tries to tell them something before the ambulance arrives but all they understand is "don't tell anyone" and "Raleigh".

Hannah's mother is suffering from dementia and in her confused state has decided that the gentleman wants them to find his daughter in Raleigh. When Hannah and her mother arrive home Hannah finds a computer flash drive in her coat pocket that was not there earlier in the day. She decides to see what is on it. While looking at the images the doorbell rings. Two FBI men are there wanting to ask her questions. They make her very uncomfortable and she demands that they leave. When the local law enforcement asks her to come in to make a statement about the accident Hannah becomes paranoid finding that the FBI agents were not legitimate. Hannah doesn't know who to trust with a secret she barely knows anything about but that is so important someone would kill for it. Being pursued by people that will stop at nothing to find out what she knows Hannah takes her mother and tries to disappear in order to find anyone that she can trust.

Brandilyn Collins has written a scary tale of domestic terrorism that in reality can too easily be accomplished. DARK JUSTICE kept me on the edge of my seat and I believe I read it in one day! Hannah's quandary in whom she could trust along with her desire to keep her mother and daughter safe added to the tension of what was going on behind the scenes with the terrorists. I really liked that Hannah was strong enough to take care of "bad guys" and take care of her ailing mother who would have episodes of screaming fits that had me cringing even though I couldn't technically "hear" them. If you are a fan of suspense then I highly recommend DARK JUSTICE.

I received my copy of DARK JUSTICE from the publisher B&H through NetGalley. This is my honest opinion of the book.

W is for Wasted by Sue Grafton

Another addition to the Kinsey Millhone collection. This time we learn a bit more about Kinsey's family that she never knew existed. She gets to meet some cousins that she wishes she didn't have which makes for some funny/tense moments in the book. She gets to solve a couple of murders and have an old love interest turn up. It was fun to once again visit the 80's where Kinsey has been since the debut of A is for Alibi. Reading about her having to grab handfuls of change to make calls from a phone booth, having to leave her door open so she could hear the ringing of her telephone while she was outside, and a description of a Walkman all had me reminiscing about "the good old days"! With the way Kinsey likes to keep her life uncluttered I could not imagine her living in 2013. Being attached to all of our electronic gadgets would send her over the edge! Three more books to go in the alphabet and the series will be over. Considering that it takes Sue Grafton a couple of years to finish each book, by my calculation we have about 6 more years to wait for the end of the series. While I am impatient for each book to come out I have to admit that because the author is not churning out a book every 6 months the series is well researched and she manages to keep the character fresh while still keeping her in the 80's. W is for Wasted was a solid addition to the series but yeah, I'm looking forward to Z!

I borrowed this book from my local library and was not required to write a review for it.

The Shadow Man by Mark Murphy

About the Author:

During Dr. Mark Murphy's residency days at the University of north Carolina in Chapel Hill, he treated a sitcom star, a televangelist, a politician, and even a serial killer. Using their stories as inspiration, he poured himself into his first novel, to critical acclaim.

In The Shadow Man Murphy draws on his own life experiences to shape main character Malcolm King: a regular guy with a loving daughter and a thriving career as a doctor. The result is an utterly believable, likeable family. But unlike Murphy's real life, Malcolm and his family undergo severe psychological duress when Malcolm becomes the target of a serial killer framing him for a rash of murders.

Yet Malcolm almost plays second fiddle in comparison to Murphy's other main character: a living, breathing setting of Savannah, Georgia. In fact, a well-known landmark serves as the novel's cover: an atomospheric, black and white shot of the Forsyth Park fountain at night.

Murphy's creative writing career began in 2004 with the publication of the short story "The Funeral" in a collection of works entitled "O! Georgia!" Shortly after, he attended the Iowa Summer Writing Festival, where his creative spark and passion for short stories was re-ignited. Two years ago, the Savannah Morning News brought him on as a regular family columnist, where he shares reflective thoughts and gentle observations on life and family each week.

Murphy's distinguished medical career started at the University of Georgia, where he earned a B.S. in Zoology before going on to the Medical College of Georgia to receive his M. D. with honors. He has since founded a medical practice and served on the boards of several prominent medical associations, including the Georgia Medical Association.

In addition to a burgeoning writing career, he continues to practice medicine as a gastroenterologist and serves on the board for the Savannah Book Festival, where he lives with his family.

Learn more about Mark Murphy at: www.mark-e-murphy.com

My Thoughts:

The Shadow Man kept me turning pages late into the evening! It started out with a grisly murder and ended with heart-stopping drama. Throughout the story I was constantly trying to figure out what was up with The Shadow Man. Why was he bent on ruining Malcolm and his family? It was a quite twisted and entertaining story. While I liked the character of Billy, I wasn't a fan of the way the author tried to weave in some Indian legend supernatural stuff through Billy and some birds, but I'll let you read it and be the judge rather than give away anything else. For the most part The Shadow Man kept me on the edge of my seat, the author very adeptly portrayed the evilness that was The Shadow Man.

Warning:

For the most part I review Christian novels on my blog. This is in NO WAY a Christian novel. There is violence, there is cursing(including the f-word), and evil is portrayed very prominently. The characters were portrayed true-to-life, Malcolm and his family were not dysfunctional, and evil does not have victory, and that is how I was able to read this book...besides the fact I love a good scare-the-pants-off-of-you read!

Wounds by Alton Gansky

Ellis Poe is a shy and timid man. He also has a terrible secret that he has kept for almost 30 years. When one of his students is a murder victim Ellis is thrown back 30 years when the detective that comes to question him brings back all of the memories of one fateful night when he was just 17. 

Carmen Rainmondi is no stranger to murder. It is her job to find out who this latest killer is. Carmen has been working her sister’s murder for years. She is determined that someday she will find out who killed her sister and make him pay. 

When murdered victims start turning up Ellis and Carmen’s paths cross. Carmen and her team are baffled by what makes this killer tick. What are his motives for the bizarre killings? When Ellis, a professor at a local seminary, happens to see the murder board in an investigation room he is able to provide a fresh perspective on the killings. But will Ellis have the courage to confess to Carmen his part in her sister’s death or will he once again take flight?

I think WOUNDS was a great murder mystery! It kept me turning the pages to the final outcome. If a person is squeamish about blood and guts this is probably not the book for you. Each of the murders was gruesome in some way, shape or form and graphically portrayed to the point that I almost felt like I was seeing it for myself. I thought the ending was a bit abrupt and left me a little disappointed, but for the most part WOUNDS was a solid read.

A Matter of Trust by Lis Wiehl

Mia's husband has recently passed away. Before he died he was keeping secrets from Mia. After his death Mia is left with more bills than she can handle. Having quit work to raise her children, Mia is now going back to work as an attorney for the district attorney's office.

When she is on the phone with a co-worker and friend the unthinkable happens. Mia hears a gunshot and then her friend barely breathing. Mia leaves her son Gabe on the line to listen if Colleen says anything as Mia rushes to her house. Colleen slowly dies as Gabe is listening.

Mia's current case that she is investigating is a group of high school bullies who's threats and torment has led to a student committing suicide. When the DA asks Mia to investigate Colleen's murder she is reluctant to give up the bullying case and also reluctant to spend more time away from her kids. Mia doesn't know what else to do though in order to pay all of the bills that are coming in so she agrees to team up with Charlie from the local law enforcement office. Charlie has been married 3 times and gets on Mia's nerves but he is a good police officer even if he is a bit high-handed.

Mia and Charlie make a good team and are soon hot on the killer's trail. Mixed in with their investigation is Mia's home life that sometimes seems to be falling apart. Her son is 14 and trying to fit in to high school and her 4 year old daughter Brooke has been having screaming episodes in the middle of the night. Sometimes Mia barely feels like she is keeping her head above water. And then there is her father who seems to have had a change in his life. From being absent when Mia was a child he is now wanting to be there for her and his grandchildren. Claiming to have a changed life in Christ, Mia has a hard time trusting him from his past track record and she definitely doesn't know how she feels about his new interest in church.

I really enjoyed A MATTER OF TRUST. The mystery kept my attention along with all of Mia and Charlie's interactions together. There is a potential for a couple of romantic relationships in future novels. I believe this is the first book in the Mia Quinn Mystery series. There were a couple of times that I felt that I was missing part of the story. I felt like I was coming into the middle of something that the author thought I should already know. In my opinion it detracted a little bit from the story but I was able to catch up with what was going on eventually. Other than that, this was a solid mystery and I definitely will plan on reading the next book in the series. I reviewed The Triple Threat series by this author last year and really enjoyed those. If you like mysteries I definitely recommend A MATTER OF TRUST and The Triple Threat series.

I received my ecopy to review from Booksneeze.

Teardrop(7 Hours) by Travis Thrasher

From Goodreads:

In each installment of 7 Hours, a character is visited by the enigmatic Thomas Constant, who makes a heart-stopping statement: "You are about to die. But you may choose from one of three options: Live seven more hours, travel back in time and relive seven hours, or accept the inevitable and die now.

My Synopsis:

Former police officer Mike Harden's wife was brutally murdered 6 years ago. Now running a coffee house that is about to go under, Mike's only comfort seems to be his two Chihuahua's Payton and Butkus. Each morning Mike takes the dogs for a walk no matter what the weather. On this day when he is just about home he meets Thomas Constant. Trying to be nice to a stranger, yet wanting to get rid of him Mike offers to meet the persistent Constant at his coffee house and give him a free cup of coffee.  When Constant makes him his standard 7 hours offer once again Mike tries to blow him off. Thinking that it would be easier to just play along Mike tells Constant that he would like to go back in time to his wedding day. When Mike realizes that he has been transported back in time to that very day he has one goal in mind: to kill the man that murdered his wife! 

My Thoughts:

I really liked TEARDROP. I liked the fact that Mike was able to relive some moments from his and Ashley's wedding. To take the opportunity to tell her several times how much he loved her and how thankful he was to God for bringing them together. I liked the mature 41 year old man looking back on his 24 year old self willing to redeem some of his mistakes.  

 

The Pawn by Steven James

The first book in The Patrick Bowers Thriller series did not disappoint at all! If you like stories about serial killers and murder mysteries then you definitely have to pick this book up.

Patrick Bowers is called in when several girls have been found dead, the work of a serial killer with a signature of a chess pawn left behind. Patrick's wife has recently passed away from breast cancer and his 17 year old step-daughter Tessa is staying with his parents while Pat tries to help find the killer.

"The Illusionist" is what this serial killer calls himself. He prides himself on being one step ahead of the law. Part of the thrill he gets from the kill is the game. He's not interested in sexually assaulting the women he kills. The pain that he inflicts on them before they die is what he is interested in. When Patrick joins the team to find him the game becomes even more interesting.

Feeling guilty about his relationship with Tessa, Patrick insists that the FBI bring her to him so that he can make things "right" with her. Unfortunately this puts Tessa right in the sights of The Illusionist.

There are so many twists and turns in this book that it kept me on the edge of my seat! From government cover-ups, to the happenings in Jonestown(Jim Jones and the People's Temple Cult), to The Illusionists background, each story is interwoven together to make for an exciting read. There are definitely some graphic death scenes that would probably make some people cringe so I would recommend this book for a more mature audience. Tessa's character really got on my nerves. I wanted to reach through the pages and shake her. I found she acted more like a 12 year old than a 17 year old. My daughter had to remind me that after all Tessa had lost her mother recently and never had a father so therefore she wouldn't act like a "normal" 17 year old, but I still found her character annoying. As dysfunctional as Tessa and Pat's relationship is though, I found myself cheering for them when they did connect. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series to see that relationship develop.

The Sanctuary by Ted Dekker

Danny Hansen is a former priest serving a 50 year sentence for murder. Determined to serve his time and live his life in non-violence Danny is transferred to Basal Institute of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Basal is run by Warden Marshall Pape who’s philosophy is An Eye for an Eye. Pape sees his job as Warden of his Sanctuary to rehabilitate the members of Basal by using a rewards and punishment system. Danny has his first taste of punishment the first day he arrives-he is thrown naked into a cell with only concrete for a bed and fed only once a day. It doesn’t take long for Danny to understand that the Warden has a special reason for torturing him. Danny is determined to endure the punishments of Basal in order to keep his girlfriend Renee Gilmore safe on the outside. 

Renee Gilmore loves Danny Hansen with every fiber of her being. After all, he took the blame for the murder of 2 men that she committed. When she receives a severed finger in a shoebox she panics thinking it is Danny’s finger. This is the beginning of the game that a mysterious person that she labels as “Sicko” pulls her into. Afraid for Danny’s life and determined to help him in prison Renee enlists the help of a former lawyer named Keith. Together they must follow “Sicko’s” directions in order to save themselves and Danny. At what cost will they pay? And will they be able to save Danny before it is too late?

The Sanctuary is a companion novel to Ted Dekker’s novel The Priests Graveyard which I haven’t read. I don’t think it is necessary to have read The Priests Graveyard in order to follow the story of The Sanctuary. But I am definitely going to have to read it now that I have finished The Sanctuary. But first I need to read something a little less stressful! The Sanctuary is not for the faint of heart that is for sure. There is violence, there are uncomfortable scenes of torture and some crudity. Danny’s character was a former vigilante priest that performed multiple murders as an avenging angel of the weak. He has now turned to non-violence and is serving his time, but he is thrown into a situation where the Warden is now the avenging angel determined in his own twisted logic to punish Danny for his sins. The Sanctuary kept me on the edge of my seat and my fingers turning the pages late into the evening. Definitely The Sanctuary is a story that will stay with me for a long while.

Thanks to FaithWords for my copy of The Sanctuary to review. 

 

The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters

This is the first book in a planned trilogy. Hank Palace is a Detective for the police department. When an asteroid named 2011GV is discovered to soon hit earth many suicides around the world occur. When Hank is called out to investigate a body found at the local McDonalds he is sure that it is just another suicide. For some reason Hank has a feeling that this time it is not a suicide, but a murder. He starts an investigation even though the coroner rules suicide and his co-workers think he is crazy to pursue the death given the fact that the asteroid will hit in 6 months.

The more Hank investigates the more he is sure that the death was a murder. From his life being in danger to being directed down trails leading to nowhere Hank is determined to find justice for his victim even though there is no hope for the planet once the asteroid hits.

I liked Hanks character and the fact that he plodded along in a world that has given up hope and people’s work ethics have ceased to exist. Even with family problems of his own (his sister is married to a loser that is thrown in the brig for breaking into a military establishment), Hank is determined to see justice prevail. I thought this was a good start to the trilogy and am looking forward to the next books  to hopefully find out what Hanks sister is up to and also to find how devastating the asteroid will be(even though I am sensing some kind of government cover-up is going on). 

BOOK TRAILER:  

Thanks to the publishers at Quirk Books for my copy to review.

Eyes of Justice by Lis Wiehl

The Triple Threat Club consists of Allison who is a federal prosecutor, Nicole an FBI Special Agent and Cassidy a Channel four crime reporter. They all went to school together but didn't become friends until their 10 year reunion where they found that they were all in similar fields of work. They came up with The Triple Threat Club when they got together for dinner and decided to split the most decadent dessert on the menu, a Triple Threat Chocolate cake.

In this installment of The Triple Threat Club series one of these women is murdered and the other two are left to figure out who did it and why. Being thwarted at every turn they put their jobs on the line to find the killer. A new member is added to the group, Ophelia is a private investigator. Ophelia does well with her cats, but she has a hard time being around people. The first time she meets with the women the idea of sharing a dessert makes her wince with the idea of spreading germs.

Believing that the murder may be an inside job the women do not know whom they can trust. When their lives are also threatened will they be able to find the killer before another one of The Triple Threat Club is murdered?

Did you see that?! One of the main characters in the book is MURDERED! How can you kill off one of the main characters?! I was very shocked when I read that one of the women dies in this book. It kind of set me off for the whole book, I was sad and a little disappointed that the group dynamics now have to change. While Ophelia brings a new kind of quirky to the group I'm going to miss__________!


A thought that a commenter left on this post was that readers will probably want to read other books in the series first before diving into this one. If you start at the beginning then you develop an appreciation for the characters throughout. Here are the books in order linked to my reviews:

1. Face of Betrayal
2. Hand of Fate
3. Heart of Ice
4. Eyes of Justice

Heart of Ice by Lis Wiehl

Cassidy has joined a gym and is attending Boot Camp led by Elizabeth. Cassidy is desperately trying to keep a young figure in order to not be passed up by the new young intern at Channel 4. She is enamored with Elizabeth from the beginning. Elizabeth has such exciting stories to tell. Cassidy is anxious to count Elizabeth among her friends.

Allison's sister Lyndsay shows up desperate for a place to stay. Their mother is practicing "tough love" and refuses to allow Lyndsay back into the house. Allison and Marshall allow Lyndsay to stay with them. Lyndsay is working on staying clean and sober. She takes up baking which causes Allison to start having a bit of a stomach. Encouraged by Cassidy she attends the Boot Camp at the gym.

Nicole has been tentative about dating fellow FBI agent Lief, but they have been exploring a relationship between them. When devastating news hits Nicole she breaks off with Lief and refuses to share any reason with him. Nicole is a private person, but finds that she needs to share her news with her best friends Allison and Cassidy.

The Triple Threat Club once again comes through for each other when their lives are touched by the evil of one woman.

This 3rd installment in the Triple Threat series was a bit different than the other 2 novels. In those we didn't know who the killer was until the end. In this one we know who the killer is and how she orchestrates everyone in her life. It was interesting to read how all of the clues were finally brought together and the mystery solved when we already knew who the killer was. I think this was my favorite one so far. I have the next book Eyes of Justice sitting here ready for me to pick up.

Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl with April Henry

Katie Converse disappears while walking her dog one day. Katie is a 17 year old Senate Page home for vacation when she disappears. Everything seems perfect in her life until the FBI start looking into her last days.

Three professional women help investigate the crime. They laughingly call themselves The Triple Threat Club.

Allison is a federal prosecutor. It is her job to find enough evidence to indict the Senator who was Katie's mentor. Everything seems to point to him being the killer. Not only is Allison helping to investigate the case, but in her own personal life someone is threatening to kill her.

Nicole Hedges is a special agent with the FBI. She is the one chosen to make contact with the Converse family. She is a single mom who has sworn off men.

Cassidy Shaw is a television reporter. Scrambling to stay in the media spotlight, Katie's case may just be the career booster that Cassidy needs to make it to the top.

Each woman plays an integral part in solving what happened to Katie while dealing with things in their personal lives.

I really liked Face of Betrayal and look forward to reading more about the Triple Threat Club women. They are strong female characters that stick together and help each other in the good and the bad times. Face of Betrayal introduces the group and I'm looking forward to getting to know them more in the books to come. If you like a good suspense with strong female characters then this is for you!

The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

Nora, her best friend Chris, his girlfriend Adriane and Chris' best friend and roommate Max all  are working on a translation project for a professor. Nora is assigned to translating letters written by Elizabeth Weston over 400 years before. What she discovers is a recipe for a machine that is believed to open up channels to God.

This discovery leads to murder, secret brotherhoods and betrayal. When Chris is found murdered in his home, Adriane catatonic by his side in a pool of blood and Max the last person seen leaving the house, Nora is determined to prove Max's innocence in the murder and to put together the puzzle pieces of where Elizabeth hid the parts of the machine(Lumen Dei).

When Max contacts Nora she and Adriane sneak away from a class trip and head to Prague to meet Max. They are followed by Chris' cousin Eli who has family connections in Prague and also has family secrets he is unwilling to share with Nora. From the time they reach Prague they are faced with those trying to protect the Lumen Dei and others that are trying to find it for their own purposes. Nora soon finds that she doesn't know her friends as well as she thinks she does. Hers and Elizabeth's lives seem to mirror each others and betrayal is around the corner for her just as it was for Elizabeth.

My Thoughts:

I found myself comparing this book to a cross between The DaVinci Code and an Indiana Jones movie. It reminded me of The DaVinci Code with the secret sects protecting a spiritual being/object along with lots of supposedly spiritual connotations. It reminded me of Indiana Jones in the fact that once the object was acquired the greedy person seeking the power suffered a grizzly demise of supernatural dimensions. Not to say that being compared to these is a bad thing, but the fact that this is marketed as a Young Adult book had me scratching my head. The writing was fairly technical and also at times hard for me to slog through. If I had a hard time keeping my attention on the text I cannot imagine a teenager staying with it through to it's ending. I have to say though that I did become invested in the characters and continued to read on just to find out what happened at the end.

Pet Peeve:
Like I said, The Book of Blood and Shadow is marketed for 12 and up. I started seeing very early in the book that the author was peppering the story with words that were not common for most adults not to mention middle school grades or high schoolers. This was frustrating for me, but I began to write down each word that I either didn't know the meaning of or knew from the sentence what the author meant, but wasn't quite sure that a YA student would know the word. I then looked these words up after I finished the book. I probably should have looked them up while reading, but seriously, what Young Adult would stop reading during a story to look up a word? So here is my list of words:

Ameliorated-heard of it, but don't use it!

Iterations-never heard of it

Ensorcelled-huh?

Egalitarian-heard of

Disingenuous-heard of

Caesura-never heard

Karass-couldn't even find it when I looked it up

Vertiginous-heard of

Soporific-heard of

Ethos-heard of

Matrices-plural of matrix!

Defenestration-never heard

Inchoate-never heard

Those are just the words that stood out to me. There were other words such as detritus that I knew the meaning of, but is not really a common word. I understand an author wanting to enlighten and improve our vocabulary, but if I had to stop and look up every word then that to me would detract from the story.  And once again this is a Young Adult book, stick with what they know because the unfamiliar will lose them just as it almost lost me.

I received my copy as an ARC from ALA in January 2012. The Book of Blood and Shadow will be published and available for sale in April 2012.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

That's the teaser on the back of this book. Of course it had me hooked!

Jazz is no ordinary teen, although he knows how to act like one. But when you have been raised by the world's most horrific serial killer it is hard to be "normal". Especially when your dad has taught you everything he knows in order to groom you as his successor. 

"Dear Old Dad" is now behind bars. Jazz really is trying to lead a normal life now. He has a girlfriend, he's in the school play. But Jazz' life is anything but normal. He lives with his crazy gramma, trying to keep the child welfare people from sending him to a foster home, his best friend Howie is a hemophiliac, and he lives in fear of becoming just like his father.

When a woman is found dead in a field with 3 fingers missing Jazz knows right away that another serial killer is on the loose. Unfortunately he can't get the law enforcement to agree with him before another murder is committed. Jazz joins forces with the police to catch the murderer. Jazz knows how a serial killer thinks and he wants to prove to himself that he is not like "Dear Old Dad". But it's a fine line he is walking because he understands the cravings to see a person's last breath seep out of them.

This is one of those books where I wish I had half hearts to give out. I would have given this a three and a half rating. I vacillated between really liking it and "it was just okay". I really liked the suspense of the story and the not knowing who the killer was until almost the very end. I disliked that this is a YA book. The theme was pretty horrific and sometimes goes into some gory details about what the killer did to his victims. Surprisingly the author kept the language fairly tame. I was offended by his use of Jesus, and g** d*** but other than that there really wasn't a lot of language, maybe because the theme was harsh enough? 

I Hunt Killers is published by Little Brown and will be out for sale in April 2012- I received my ARC copy at ALA in January.