A Time of Torment by John Connolly

A Time of Torment by John Connolly - 480 pages
Book 13 in the Charlie Parker series

The last book in the series left private detective Charlie Parker a changed man.  No one can be clinically dead and brought back without being different.  Parker has always been able to see through a crack in the veil to the other side to communicate with his murdered daughter and wife but now the cracks are breaking open wider and he is becoming who he was always meant to be.

Parker is approached by a fallen hero whose life changed in an instant when he crossed paths with dark forces.   Once he takes the case then he is put in conflict with a reclusive community called The Cut and the Dead King they serve. 

The real world plot in these books has become secondary to the war occurring on the metaphysical plane with Parker and his allies Louis and Angel set against primal forces of evil.  This is very dark noir mystery with a paranormal layer working in parallel.  I love this series and the risks it takes with turning a traditional mystery on its ear.    

Private Berlin by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan

Private Berlin by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan, 432 pages

It seems like I just read Private London.  James Patterson is writing books faster then I can keep up with.  The current Private book is coauthored by Mark Sullivan.  I did not think the recent ones were as good as the first two Private books, maybe because the first two were the original Private office out of LA.  I liked this book because it is like all his other books, suspenseful, and I wanted to find out what happened to Chris Schneider, the superstar agent of Private Berlin.. I won't spoil the beginning, but I was surprised by how the book starts out.  Maddie, his ex girlfriend has to find out what happened to Chris and how his past is tied to the case.  Fast paced book with surprising twists.