Ground Zero

Rating:
Summary: An exciting and suspensful read for murder mystery lovers.
Review: Bonnie Ramthun's Ground Zero is a great read for those of us that enjoy mystery novels with technical and global consequences. The novel does an excellent job keeping the reader riveted to three or four subplots that are tied to the main mystery, the murder of the despicable and deceiptful Terry Guzman. The attention to detail and the insigths into the main characters psyches, desires, and fears is great. I would highly recommend this book to not only fans of technical and defense-related thrillers but also to readers that enjoy a good "whodoneit".

Rating:
Summary: Delightedly surprised
Review: I was introduced to Bonnie Ramthun through an interview I read in a local paper and checked with my neighborhood library to see what a Cheyenne girl knew about writing suspense novels. The further I read, the faster I read...and suddenly it was morning and I had finished the book. Far too many mystery writers get so tied up with flowery phrases that the reader loses track of the story. This lady just flat tells a story and tells it in such a way that you feel like you're a part of it. Today, I picked up her second book, and plan to spend the night with it. She said in her interview that it takes her about 2 years to write a book. Her third book is now on the shelves and I'm already looking forward to 2005.

Eileen Reed isn't quite Detective Bosh (Michael Connelly's chief protagonist), but she's close enough to keep me reading.

Rating:
Summary: Something for Everyone
Review: This is an accomplished first novel that deftly combines a "locked room" mystery, espionage, war games and intrigue. I came to this book in a dubious frame of mind 1) I'd just read a really bad "first" novel 2) I had doubts about a woman author doing espionage. 3) Spies can be boring. I was pleasantly surprised on all counts.

Ms. Ramthun uses a fast intercut method of whizzing us from D.C. to Colorado Springs to the Middle East and the wilds of Russia without dropping the ball or our interest. The characters are interesting, life-like and have recognizable human traits. The drop dead gorgeous girl is not a cardboard cut out; she is also pregnant, has morning sickness, and is becoming compulsive about beef jerky, Twinkies and moon pies.

In spite of the many threads in the story, it was easy to follow. My interest intensified as the plot developed, and I found I was in the "can't-put-it-down" mode. (My favorite reading stance). The war games are so well described; even this novice knew what was going on.

The book was a real pleasure and I am looking forward to Ms. Ramthun's next novel. I'd bookmark her if I could.