Hot Money (Published in 1987) - Authored by Dick Francis - Fighting to save his father

In case you were wondering about the origin of the name of the book, Short term money flowing between financial markets is referred to as hot money. The equestrian loving Dick Francis makes an unexpected foray into the world of finance with his 1987 novel Hot Money. The Pembrooke family is as bizarre as you get ‘em - the patriarch Malcolm has raked in the moolah from trading gold, he is pleasant natured, supposedly lucky and much married (five wives!!). He has kids, they have kids and the kids have kids - so that makes for a huge extended family! In all there are NINE kids, and the ‘witches’ - as he calls his wives.
Wife no. four is Coochie, she seems the best of the lot, and no. five is Moira - deceased, rather murdered. The killer or killers seem to be after the money that Malcolm has amassed over the years, making both him and his series of spouses – easy targets. Aggravating the situation is the fact that Malcolm stubbornly resists increasing the allowances of his exes and seven kids - they are obviously heckled and are waiting in the wings for him to kick the bucket. The usual family drama ensues - mums poisoning the children’s impressionable minds given their vantage position of maternity.
The spouses and offspring are up in arms when Malcolm starts to donate his wealth to charity, and spends an alarming amount of millions on horseracing and buying colts! An attempt is made on Malcolm’s life as well - this sets alarm bells ringing as he is faced with the raw facts of his mortality. Whom can he trust and turn to for help in his brood of nine? Ian Pembrooke- assistant horse trainer and amateur jockey. He is also Malcolm’s weapon of choice against the unseen enemy, although estranged for three years, yet the father relies on his son’s solid principles and ethics to garner support in his hour of difficulty.




The father - son duo set about to track down all possible enemies (and there is a list, mind you!), amidst sorting out differences in their own relationship. Ian decides that the only way he can save his father is to find the enemy, agreeing to be his bodyguard. Ian advises his father to remain out of sight, and in the meanwhile, he interviews members of the Pembrooke family to try and find out the motive behind the killing of Moira, and the bomb blast in the mansion where both his father and Ian were present, that could have killed them instantly.
A story that highlights the crumbling relations of a family against the dark backdrop of avarice, conspiracy and ensuing violence. The surviving wives and their kids are suspect; the spouses of the kids aren’t to be let off the hook either, so they too are implicated in the conspiracy theory.
Ian Pembrooke is hallmark Francis - he is dependable, principled, high on values and ethics - making the stark contrast with the villains in the novel - he is clearly a favorite from the beginning. Although some critics believe that this constancy and homogeneity in most of his characters is also a cause for boredom of the reader - yet, the popularity of Francis has not waned in all the years that he had been known to churn out stories, even after his tragic passing in 2010, his son took upon himself the mantle to keep the legacy from dying out.

Over the edge (published in 1987) - A psychological thriller written by Jonathan Kellerman

Two books old, Alex Delaware, former practicing child psychologist, currently forensic big wig with the LAPD – has another sticky case to solve. Although he needn’t work, considering that Lou Cestare, his ‘money handler’ makes sure he’s raking in the moolah through sound investments, he lends his expertise to the Department. However, he makes sure he has time to sit by his very own Koi pond and de-stress after a hard day’s work solving  less than savory  cases.
Revenge, money, power - the underlying motives for murders, and the recurring themes in mystery novel, set the pace of the story beginning with the very first chapter, and as the story progresses, one is sucked into the past - when two buddies, Black Jack and Souza fell for the same girl -Antoinette. Swept off her feet by Black Jack’s winning charm and charismatic persona, the lady makes her choice clear from the start, leaving Souza out in the cold.
Although he plays the best buddy to the T, Souza burns with jealousy and anger – from jilted lover to a face in the crowd at the wedding, from best pal to silent spectator of Jack's successes after another - he chooses to hit low and destroy his friend’s entire life. When Jack and Antoinette die tragically young, their three year old – Jamey Cadmus, scion and heir- is left in the care of his uncle and aunt.
An intelligent and exceptionally gifted child, Jamey was part of a UCLA study - Project 160, since he had a brilliant IQ of over 160. The aim of the study was to prove that there is no ‘streak of madness’ in geniuses, however, Jamey started to display troubled behavioral traits - a possibility that the psychosis that plagued his family, has come to haunt him as well.



This disapproves the premise the study is founded on; and Jamey seeks treatment with Alex Delaware - but drop out of it at sixteen, without any explanation. The doctor tries to get in touch with the child’s guardian, his uncle, but hears nothing from either of them. And then five years later, in the mid of night, Alex receives a frantic call from Jamey, obviously psychotic, begging for help. As the boy jabbers incoherently and rambles, Alex learns he is at the Canyon Oaks Mental Hospital; when Delaware drives to meet him - the boy goes missing again.
Milo Sturgis, Delaware’s friend and LAPD detective is, on the other hand, investigating a series of killings, called the Lavender Slasher Murders - he has been assigned the case based on the fact that involves the murder of young male prostitutes; the consequence of  bias he has to face since he  himself is homosexual.
Milo enquires whether Alex has heard of Jamey, this the doctor confirms. Later, he is informed by Souza (who is incidentally the Cadmus’ family lawyer ) that the boy has been found, in an extremely compromising situation - smeared with blood, clutching a knife midst two mutilated corpses. Charged with murder, Jamey is sent to the County Jail, where Alex is given access to the boy.
In all studies, psychologists agree that schizophrenics are harmless, and there is hardly any evidence to prove that they may become serial killers, and even though two of the kids on Project 160, went off it (the other being a boy called Gary, whom Jamey befriends) - there is no reason to link there psychosis to the murders.
In Kellerman’s own words, “As a psychologist, I’ve always been intrigued by the genius/insanity myth. The truth is most highly gifted individuals are pretty well-adjusted. But what if…it’s all about the what-if.” A great read, touching and sentimental, ruthless and coldblooded, thrilling and frightening, another masterpiece, much like When the Bough Breaks.

The Celestial bed (Published in 1987) - Written by Irving Wallace

Irving Wallace was born in Chicago, to Jewish parents,Bessie and Alexander Wallace Who had emigrated from Russia. He completed his studies in California and started out as a journalist at a tender age of 15. He studied creative writing at the Williams Institute in Berkley and from the mid-30s he worked as a free-lance correspondent. In 1941 he married Sylvia Kahn; they had two children. Irving Wallace served in the air force during world war two and later collaborated in several movies as a writer. His first book "Sins of Peter Fleming" did not attract much attention. But his second book influenced by the Kinsey report was a best seller. He has been a prolific churner of best sellers and his books have been adapted as major movies. He died on June 29, 1990.
Irving Wallace novels have graphic sex scenes and he is accused of pandering to the readers fantasies. But no one can deny his passion for issues like racism, gender equality, freedom of expression etc which reverberates even in today's world. In the Celestial bed he confronts the big “o” itself, Sex. The novel brings in the new sex therapy tool of sex surrogacy in to the limelight. Sex surrogacy is a therapy tool where the therapist treat patients with sexual problems like fear, premature ejaculation, painful intercourse by actually performing the act with the patient. Some moralist treat sex surrogacy as a form of legalized prostitution and this is the very question dealt in the Celestial Bed.



Doctor Arnold Free-burg uses the sex surrogates during the therapy sessions with his patients. He feels that this is more useful in solving sexual problems as talk therapy never works. But his clinic is vandalized and he is run out of his home state of Arizona. His lawyer friend encourages him to open a clinic in California and assures him that Californians are more accepting. So with his sex therapist Gayle miller he opens a new clinic and hires a male surrogate Paul and four other girls. They are given intensive training before handling of patients.
Soon success stories tumble out and the clinic becomes popular. Soon new patients like Nan, the local Mafia Don's girl friend who suffer from vaginismus enter the clinic. The clinic receptionist encourages her boyfriend Chet to seek help for his problem of premature ejaculation. Chet, budding journalist looking for the ultimate scoop calls a religious leader and informs him about his intention of exposing the clinic activities. He joins hands with the moralist who want to bring down Doctor Freed-burg. But soon Chet's indignation evaporates as he finds he is being cured and feels guilty for taking part int eh expose.
So does the moralist and the Mafia don who suspect his girl friend bring down the clinic? Do Gayle and Paul rise above their petty quarrels about professionalism and consummate their relationship? These are deftly handled by Wallace who electrify the reader with his view. Well my only complaint is that the book is too hot to handle and is not for teenagers. You need mental and emotional maturity to absorb the views and the language. Read it if you are above eighteen.