Crawlspace

The psychological torture in this book was too dark for me.

This is one of her better books. It holds your attention from beginning to end. I like the fact that more of the characters are coming into their own. There are lots of twists and turns that add to the suspense.

As a stand alone book, it was pretty darn good. But, I do like the earlier books in the series better. This series is getting less "cozy" with each successive book. My advice? If you liked the last book, read this one. If you hated the last book, skip this one, too. I did like getting to know Bella better.

A famous author of true crime stories named Carolyn Rathbone and her assistant, Chip Hahn, arrive in Eastport, Maine on the hunt for her next book topic. She is interested in the gruesome Dodd murders, a notorious event for the small town. Although the murderer, Randy Dodd, evidently drowned, she has reason to believe he is actually alive and that he will talk to her. As they stop at a restaurant, Carolyn gives poor Chip some unwelcome news. Her editor, breaking his confidence, revealed to her that Chip has a unique idea for a novel. Carolyn tells him that she is going to steal his idea. Since she's famous and he's not, she will have a better chance of actually publishing the book. Chip is infuriated. He had planned to quit working for Carolyn as he is the one doing all the research and much of the actual writing of the books for which she is famous. And as a thank you, Carolyn treats him like dirt. As their meal concludes, Carolyn has downed a considerable amount of booze --- and then heads to a nearby bar for even more, with Chip trailing behind and wincing as Carolyn brags about her books and attempts to pump the bartender for information on the Dodd case. But as angry as Chip is with Carolyn, he is devastated when the two of them leave the bar and she somehow vanishes. Chip happens to have a couple of friends in Eastport; he knew Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree and her son, Sam, when they lived in New York. Jake is now in the middle of one of her many house remodeling projects in her antique house. While working, she muses on her strained relationship with her housekeeper Bella, who has recently become Jake's stepmother. Her labors and thoughts are interrupted when Chip calls from the police department. When Jake meets up with Chip and hears of Carolyn's disappearance, she begins to worry about Sam, who has not come home at all during the night. Sam has had problems with alcohol and drugs in the past, but he's been clean for some time. It's unlike him to stay out all night, and Jake begins to think the worst has happened. Meanwhile, readers are privy to Carolyn's side of the story as she awakens, bound and gagged. When her captor carries her onto a surface that rocks gently, she realizes she is now on a boat, headed out onto the ocean. She is in pain and in despair, knowing that she will no doubt be killed soon...and that she's helpless to stop it. Back in Eastport, Jake and Chip have received some very bad news, and they can't ignore its ominous implications. They plan to team up, but things go awry when he vanishes into thin air just like Carolyn and Sam. As the plot twists and turns, author Sarah Graves ramps up the suspense to an almost unbearable level (readers should be warned that it may be well nigh impossible to close the book once they've reached the middle of the story). A particularly appealing subplot follows the relationship between Jake and Bella, Jake's new stepmother --- just one example of the satisfying ways in which characters

A surprise phone call from an old acquaintance pulls "Jake" Tiptree into a missing persons investigation. Jake's former Manhattan neighbor, Chip Hahn, had accompanied his boss, an obnoxious "True Crime" author, to Eastport to research her latest book. But shortly after enjoying one too many drinks at a local bar the young author, Carolyn Rathbone , disappears. Is her disappearance related to the unsolved murders of two local women or does Jake's friend Chip know more than he's saying? Things are about to take a very personal (and frightening) turn for Jake... I've always felt that this series was a little edgier than the typical "cozy" and this installment has a dark, tense feel. There are fewer domestic details, the home repair tips are sparse and the familiar Eastport characters make only cameo appearances. However, in their place is a nicely written, fast-paced story that works as a stand-alone novel. The story maintains a nice suspense level that hooked me early on and kept me flipping pages way past my bedtime! At times this book was tough to put down and I when I wasn't reading I found myself thinking about the storyline. One small complaint. There is a sequence towards the end of the book where Jake and Bella (her housekeeper/step mom) are getting into Jake's car which is parked in a somewhat remote location. The next time we see them they are hitching a ride...I'm assuming something happened to the car, but there wasn't any explanation (that I could find). The whole incident was rather odd and threw the timing of the story off a bit for me. If you are new to the series then you are on to a good thing. I would recommend starting at the beginning with `Dead Cat Bounce' to get the lowdown on Jake and how she came to occupy her beloved old house in down east Maine. No swearing and no sexual content; some violent scenes

Six years ago, everyone believed Randy Dodd died because there was plenty of evidence backing that belief. It also was assumed that Randy killed his wife Cornelia. His brother Roger, who was married to Cornelia's sister, lost his spouse in an accident so he grieves all the tragedies that has hammered at his soul. Nothing altered these convictions until true crime writer Carolyn Rathbone and her assistant Chip Hahn arrive in Eastport, Maine to research the tragedy of the Lang sisters for a book she is writing. Carolyn and Chip believe Randy is alive and is responsible for the deaths of both sisters as he wanted their inheritance. Randy is in town to access the money, but first kidnaps Carolyn with the intent to kill her because he simply enjoys murdering women. Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree awakens to the realism her son Sam failed to come home last night and later discovers he was seen and recognized Randy. Sam is also the killer's prisoner. Jake is determined to find out where Randy hides and rescue the writer and her offspring. With help from her step-brother, her best friend, her housekeeper and Chip, Jake begins her search. A clue from Roger assists them, but they remain ignorant that they are entering a trap until it is sprung. Crawlspace is much more violent than the usual Home Repair amateur sleuth tales due to the predator; rather than a cozy this tale is more a suspense thriller. Readers ironically know Randy lives from the onset when the residents of Eastport sleep serenely at night because they believe he is dead. The story line is terrific with a great finish that will stun the audience used to amateur sleuth superheroes as fans will salute Sarah Graves with a strong grim entry. Harriet Klausner