Monday, October 28, 2024

Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Junker Blues by Chris Kelsey


Junker Blues by Chris Kelsey (Black Rose, 2022) is set in southwest Oklahoma during the Middle Eastern oil embargo of 1974. While the crisis meant economic disaster for much of the country, the overlooked oil reserves in Oklahoma suddenly received more attention than anyone ever expected. The small town of Burr was inundated with strangers brought in to work the oil fields and an influx of crime accompanied them. Police Chief Emmett Hardy juggles his limited staff and barely keeps up with everything that is happening in his town.

When a disabled young man is shot at the local drive-in and his best friend disappears, Hardy is outraged and determined to return his territory to the peaceful town it used to be. While the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation assumed control of the case from the start, Hardy still actively pursued leads and interviewed witnesses. Agent Isabel Cruickshank of the OSBI is in charge of the investigation. She and Hardy have worked together before and Hardy has no difficulty taking direction from a female.

I have to wonder how realistic this arrangement is for the time and the place. Law enforcement is historically misogynistic and Oklahoma is not a forward-thinking state.

The characters are convincingly original, and Hardy is a fine protagonist. I am more than a bit tired of reading about alcoholics, though, and I hope he sees the need to change in future books. Putting Hardy’s wife on the staff of the police department adds an interesting wrinkle to the story, as she doesn’t have to ask how his day went, she is part of it. Again, I don’t know how chronologically accurate this personnel decision is. Certainly it would be considered nepotism now. Of course small towns operate differently from cities, no matter what the year.

This is an excellent small town police procedural, well written with a solid plot that offers smooth pacing and dizzying misdirection. The resolution was completely unexpected. All five mysteries in the Hardy series are highly rated on Amazon, which suggests unusual consistency. This series is a must-read for fans of southwestern crime fiction, and readers of police procedurals will want to add it to their TBR lists. Recommended.


·         Publisher: Black Rose Writing (May 25, 2022)

·         Language: English

·         Paperback: 235 pages

·         ISBN-10: 1684339545

·         ISBN-13: 978-1684339549



Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3ApZrL0


Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2024

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.

Sunday, October 27, 2024

Kathleen Marple Kalb's Blog: So You Wrote the Book, Now What?: A Humble Request

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Last Editor Standing:   Does Preordering an eBook Make Any Sense? No, bu...

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SleuthSayers: Is That a New Derringer in Your Pocket?

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Dru's Book Musings: New Releases Coming Soon ~ November 2024

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Beneath the Stains of Time: Deathwatch: "The Oblong Room" (1967) by Edward D. ...

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My Reading At Dallas Noir at the Bar Sunday 11/3


Next Sunday, I and a group of far more talented writers, will be reading at the Dallas Noir at the Bar at The Wild Detectives. Things kick off at 7:30 PM. If you are in the Dallas area, I hope you come on out and see us.

For my part, I will be reading an excerpt from my short story, The Hospital Boomerang, published in the anthology, Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense. Published by Superior Shores Press, edited by Judy Penz Sheluk, the read is available in both print and digital formats at Amazon and other vendors.

My short story is a Texas based crime fiction tale set in a small town. Our narrator is a bit bitter and has gone through some things over the years. He also has a bit of a sarcastic streak as he narrates the story.

If you can’t make it out, or just want to whet your appetite for it, I posted an excerpt from it earlier this year here on my blog.

I also discussed the story and what I was trying to do in it at Art Taylor’s The First Two Pages back in June. You can read that piece here.

Folks that have read it, seemed to like the story, as it has gotten positive praise. That includes author Rob Lopresti who reviewed it on his Little Big Crimes blog.

I hope to see you there.

Saturday, October 26, 2024

Cardiology Visit


Those who pay attention to things here may have noticed I was not around Thursday. It was time for my annual visit to my cardiologist out in Plano. We had some test results to go over as well. 


Bottom line--- the tests went as well as they could have. I remain  on the borderline between stage 2 and stage 3 of congestive heart failure. Actual heart enlargement remains unchanged so that is not getting worse. He sees some things of concern and wants the PCP to help keep an eye on them. But, overall, he thinks I am a relatively stable cardiac patient with nothing imminently of concern.


Which is about as good as things can be these days. 



Dru's Book Musings New Releases ~ Week of October 27, 2024

 Dru's Book Musings New Releases ~ Week of October 27, 2024 

KRL Update 10/26/2024

Up on KRL this weel we have a review and giveaway of one more Halloween mystery, "Death at the Dinner Party" by Ellie Alexander https://kingsriverlife.com/10/26/death-at-the-dinner-party-by-ellie-alexander/ 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "Study Guide for Murder" by Lori Robbins along with an interesting interview with Lori https://kingsriverlife.com/10/26/study-guide-for-murder-by-lori-robbins/

 

And a review and giveaway of the latest Vera mystery, "The Dark Wives" by Ann Cleeves https://kingsriverlife.com/10/26/the-dark-wives-by-ann-cleeves/

 

We also have one last Halloween short story for the season, "Scared Straight" by Vinnie Hansen https://kingsriverlife.com/10/26/scared-straight-by-vinnie-hansen-a-halloween-short-story/

 

And the latest Mystery Coming Attractions, this one by our new columnist Victoria Fair https://kingsriverlife.com/10/26/mystery-coming-attractions-november-2024/

 

And part 2 of a local true crime/ghost story by Sarah Peterson-Camacho  https://kingsriverlife.com/10/26/murrietas-midnight-ride-the-legend-of-californias-headless-horseman-part-2/

 

For those who prefer to listen to Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast directly on KRL, you can find the player here for our new episode which is a Halloween mystery short story called "Floating Past the Grave" written by Pamela Ebel and read by actor Theodore Fox https://kingsriverlife.com/10/26/new-mysteryrats-maze-podcast-featuring-floating-past-the-grave/

 

Up during the week we posted another special midweek guest post, this one by author Diana R Chambers about her new book "The Secret War of Julia Child" https://kingsriverlife.com/10/23/the-secret-war-of-julia-child/

 

And another Halloween mystery short story, this one by mystery author Shari Held https://kingsriverlife.com/10/23/the-mystery-of-the-mirror-a-halloween-mystery-short-story-by-shari-held/

 

Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have the latest Crime Writers of Color Coming Attractions https://www.krlnews.com/2024/10/crime-writers-of-color-coming.html

 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "Diners, Drive-ins and Lies" by Misty Simon https://www.krlnews.com/2024/10/diners-drive-ins-and-lies-by-misty.html

 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "Panic in the Panhandle" by J.C. Kenney https://www.krlnews.com/2024/10/panic-in-panhandle-by-jc-kenney.html

 

And a review and giveaway of "All God's Sparrows and Other Short Stories" by Leslie Budewitz https://www.krlnews.com/2024/10/all-gods-sparrows-and-other-stories-by.html

 

If you are looking for a mystery with a supernatural twist, we have a review and giveaway of "The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society" By C.M. Waggoner https://www.krlnews.com/2024/10/the-village-library-demon-hunting.html

 
Happy reading and Happy Halloween!
Lorie

Scott's Take: Jay Garrick: The Flash by Jeremy Adams, Illustrated by Diego Olortegui


Jay Garrick: The Flash by Jeremy Adams and illustrated by Diego Olortegui is a highly entertaining graphic novel. For those who do not know, Jay Garrick is the first Flash. Despite being less famous than his successors, he was the original. He fought Nazis in World War II alongside the Justice Society and though he is elderly now, continues to operate in the present day. He has slowed, as has his super speed, but is in incredible shape for his age. He is mostly a mentor to the next generation now and still frequently operate in the field.

 

Recently he learned that he had a daughter who was erased from time and held for decades. With his daughter returned to him and that triggered long forgotten memories of her and their time together. She did not age while she was gone, somehow, and that means he is trying to connect with a teen who was gone from some time in the 1950s to the present day. Judy knows and remembers what life was like then as well as what went on for her while she was gone and realizes how much everything has changed. That results in a huge culture shock for her and is traumatic.

 

As a side effect of the kidnapping back then, Jay Garrick’s knowledge of one of his foes was also erased from his mind. Dr. Elemental, his forgotten foe, has returned and this time he is targeting the Flash’s daughter. Daughter and Dad must uncover the past while trying to reconnect as a family. Throw in some mad science, a robotic bear, and a lot more, and spin quite the action-packed miniseries.

 

There are some titles listed through the read that one could read for backstory, but none of them are a major miss if one does not read those. Jay Garrick: The Flash is self-explanatory. The art has a nice cartoony style to it. This is a fun read that helps flesh out the revelations in other books. Some guest stars include Mister Terrific, who is dealing with the fact that he also has a child that was abducted that he did not know about, as well as Stargirl, who befriend Judy (the Flash’s daughter) during the rescue of Judy, and others.

 

Jeremy Adams is an acclaimed comic book writer known for his fun and light hearted read which he once again does here. I enjoyed this miniseries and would like another.

 


Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4dTCSfm 

 

My reading copy came via Hoopla and the Dallas Public Library System. 

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2024

Friday, October 25, 2024

The First Two Pages: The First Two Pages: “The Trouble With Saving The World” by Robert Lopresti

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Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 45 Writing Contests in November 2024 - No entry fees

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Lesa's Book Critiques: The Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni

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Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Day of the Dead: More than 24 Projects that Celebrate Dia de Los Muertos by Kerry Arquette, Andrea Zocchi & Jerry Vigil

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Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: SOON SHE WILL BE GONE

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Patricia Abbott: FFB-BRIAN, Jeremy Cooper

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Lesa's Book Critiques: What Are You Reading?

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Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Lesa's Book Critiques: Death at a Scottish Christmas by Lucy Connelly

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Beneath the Stains of Time: The Casebook of Jonas P. Jonas and Other Mysteries (2012) by E.X. Ferrars

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Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 18 Notable Writing Conferences and Workshops in November 2024

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Patricia Abbott: Short Story Wednesday "You're Ugly, Too" Lorrie Moore from the Best American Short Stories of the Century

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Short Story Wednesday Review: The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank


With Jay Hartman’s recent Facebook announcement and I quote, “From now through November 30th, 100% of the net royalties of paperback and ebook sales through our store will be donated to Second Harvest Food Banks located in NW North Carolina where some of the worst damage was done from Hurricane Helene. Folks there still need your help!,” it seemed a good time to remind folks of this enjoyable read. Besides, we are about a month out from Thanksgiving, so there is that too. If you pick it up at the publisher, the Misti Media Bookstore, you can save a little bit and make your purchase dollars go further.

 

Edited by J. Alan Hartman, the recently released Misti Media anthology, The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, is a highly entertaining read. This is especially true if you like puns and slap stick humor. The book also includes four Thanksgiving related recipes offered by Jay’s sister, Lisa Lynn.

After a short introduction by Jay explaining why he did a charity anthology and how it will help give back in many locations, it is on to the stories.

“The Thanksgiving Parade” by Sandra Murphy begins where two people are working undercover in a holiday parade. Both are very much undercover as one is costumed as a baked potato with fixings and the other as jellied cranberry sauce. They are not the only ones dressed as food items. They also may not be the only ones Arlo in a certain bank, the First Federal Bank of Orlo.

The Finley Family Thanksgivings are a notorious deal going back many years. It is happening again in “The Vic Wore Yams” by Heidi Hunter. The kitchen fire had caused a delay in meal prep. Then the narrator’s dad lacerated the heck out of a finger as he tried to carve the turkey. The dog got the meat the blood hit. But, the death at the table, and the resulting family commotion really brought things to a halt.

Janet saw the stumbling man from her third-floor window as “A Regular Harvest Moon Blowout” by Daniel Sohn begins. It is only as he gets closer to her apartment building in Columbia, Missouri, she realizes he is bleeding. She goes to help and he has been stabbed. Stanley Tiller appreciates the help. He also just wants to get back to his hotel room where he is supposed to be hosting the annual holiday dinner. She agrees to give him a ride and things get even more interesting.

“A Diverse Thanksgiving” by Debra H. Goldstein comes next where Warden Oscar P. Weiner is just trying to make it through his final two weeks to retirement without any problems. That includes never having to deal with inmate Joshua Randall ever again. While on paper he is an absolute model prisoner, Randall is always stealing from his office as he negotiates on behalf of his fellow inmates. This year, the annual thanksgiving dinner is not enough as he wants more than the usual fare. The latest round of negotiations is soon underway with Warden Weiner doing his best to control the damage and the outcome.

The rich tradition of hobos riding the rails is the background of “Hobo Hannah and the Great Pumpkin Heist” by Lesley A. Diehl. Hanna, her friend, Lily, and their Maine coon cat, T-rex, gave up the hobo life to go to home to where Hannah came from all those years ago. They did. Soon after, Hannah was elected sheriff and replaced the high school bully and sheriff, Hiram Noggins. The guy is still a bully and did not take losing well. He has made threats to expose her for being incompetent. Now pumpkins are vanishing from fields right before harvest and pumpkin products are being stolen from stores. The loss of everything pumpkin related could ruin Thanksgiving for everyone miles around.

The first two stories that specifically reference Texas author Earl Staggs come next with and begin with Barry’s Ergang’s groaner filled tale, “Buffet, the Umpire Slayer.” Normally, Hardy Boyle stays home on Thanksgiving eating tacos, drinking beer, and watching football. But, he was recently involved in the hunt for and rescue of the daughters of the managing partners of the talent agency, Binthair-Dunthat. Second rate actor, Macdonald Adamia, took them in misguided attempt to get acting jobs. Hardy Boyle solved the case and got the daughters rescued and back home. Now, one of the partners, Lucas Binthair, is having a holiday meal and celebration at a closed public restaurant and Hardy Boyle is in attendance. Good thing as when death strikes, Boyle’s friend, Detective Lieutenant Paul Ohnius handles the case at the Belladonna. An entertaining mystery that is packed full of groaners which is why Earl frequently referred to the author as the “Guru of Groaners.”

Bennet is less than thrilled to be in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He isn’t surprised his new son-in-law has screwed up and there is no turkey in “The Last Turkey in Tulsa” by Jim Fusilli. His daughter, Cammy, is quite upset. With her being married to a man that never even asked for her hand in marriage, Bennet thinks her new husband, Owen, should deal with it. Bennet’s wife, Charlene, thinks Daddy (Bennet) should help. So, like many a smarty married man before him, after some grumbling, Bennett sets out trying to help by trying to find a turkey for the holiday dinner. Far easier said than done at this late hour.

Dinner at Ann Marie’s is clearly going to be problematic and not just because the sister-in-law is not at all hygienic in “The Chile Pumpkin Pie Rebellion” by Linda Kay Hardie. Though that is now going to help our narrator deal with her verbally abusive husband, Jamie. How she goes about it, and all that she has to deal with to make things happen, is the crux of this short story that also references the late Texas author, Earl Staggs.

Every year Aunt Sadie makes pumpkin whoopie pies. The things are horrible because she substitutes ingredients at random giving them a horrible taste. In “Making Woopie” by Shari Held, it is that time of year again. The newest member of the family, Trevor, is about to experience the annual nightmare Hopefully this year great-great Aunt Sadie has not decided to substitute pickle chunks for pecans again or use salt instead of sugar. Something is coming and once again everybody assembled will just have to deal with it.

The final story is “Pie à la Poison: A Vermont Radio Mystery” by Nikki Knight and one with a far more serious tone and subtle humor. Jaye Jordan is divorced, a single mom, and back home in Vermont at the radio station, WSV. She first started out there just after college, and when everything went so wrong in NYC, she came back home and bought the station. With her daughter with her dad and his family on this Thanksgiving night, she is alone in the station and handling everything including the request line. The same phone line where an elderly woman has confessed to setting up a double murder. The question is whether Jaye Jordan can get authorities involved in enough time to stop it in this very good mystery tale.

One final recipe and the often extensively detailed bios of the authors brings this entertaining holiday anthology to a close. If you read the previous holiday anthologies edited by Jay Hartman and you liked them, you will definitely like this one. Many of the same authors are involved as are the usual elements of puns and slapstick humor. As always, the recipes are a nice touch for those cooking at home.

The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank is a fun and entertaining quick read. It features plenty of humor, action, and mystery, and thus leaves the reader well fed at the end.

 

Amazon Associates Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/48eP4Gq

 

My review copy came from the publisher, Misti Media, with no expectation of a review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2023, 2024

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Lesa's Book Critiques: The Arizona Triangle by Sydney Graves

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Little Big Crimes: Under Hard Rock, by Ed Teja

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In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday 10/21/2024

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Markets and Jobs for Writers 10/21/2024

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Monday, October 21, 2024

Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Cold Tuscan Stone by David P. Wagner


Cold Tuscan Stone by David P. Wagner is the first of a series of what is now eight books. Originally published in 2013, Poisoned Pen Press re-issued it in 2021. Rick Montoya, son of an American Foreign Service father and a Roman mother, is comfortable in either of his parents’ worlds. He decides to move to Rome from his home in New Mexico and take up translating and interpreting to capitalize on his bilingual ability. He is settled in there when an old school friend, now an official in the Italian Ministry of Culture, suggests meeting. Rick quickly learns that more than a reunion is on his friend’s agenda. Since Rick is known as an American, he is well placed to make inquiries about sources of high-end Etruscan replica statuary and stoneware, ostensibly on behalf of a friend in New Mexico who runs an upscale gift shop. What he is really supposed to be seeking is information about the stolen burial artifacts that have entered the market around Tuscany.

He's given the names of three firms who have come to the attention of the authorities, and he seeks them out to drop hints about his willingness to purchase illegal artifacts. One of the employees dies from a fall soon after meeting with Rick, which brings Rick under suspicion by the local police, complicating Rick’s research and making a lot of people interested in Rick’s activities.

The resolution to the mystery is unexpectedly complicated, while the information about the food, architecture, and landscape of Tuscany and the illicit trade in valuable artifacts is seamlessly woven into a smoothly told introduction to an original amateur sleuth.

All eight of the books in the series are highly rated on Amazon by reviewers, which speaks volumes for their quality. Starred review from Library Journal.

 



·         Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press (January 26, 2021)

·         Language: English

·         Paperback: 288 pages

·         ISBN-10[KT1] : 1464214646

·         ISBN-13: 978-1464214646

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: ] https://amzn.to/3YqEFV0


Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2024

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.