Saturday, June 06, 2026
SleuthSayers: Goldie Locke and the Three Barretts
SleuthSayers: Goldie Locke and the Three Barretts: There are several reasons for my post today. One was the release of a new crime anthology this past Tuesday; the second was a SleuthSayers ...
Scott's Take: The Eye of the Bedlam Bride (Dungeon Crawler Carl) by Matt Dinniman
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride:
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman is a weird book even for this
series. This is also the sixth book in a series that must be read in order.
So, the Crawlers are sent back to a copy
of Earth before Earth’s destruction. Our heroes are sent to Cuba. There is now
a new battle system in place based on cards. Donut, now as squad leader, must
use cards to battle the monsters on this copy of Earth. There are quite a few
new characters added to the squad on this level. That includes my favorite two new
characters -- Uzi Jesus and the Yule Cat.
On this copy of Earth, Crawlers can
defeat enemies, and flag them before they die in order to put them in their own
squads Pokémon style. Donut and Carl decide to recruit one of the most
dangerous creatures to help them. The Bedlam Bride, a Demigod Spider Woman sort
of thing, with her own plans and own motivations is the one they want. Of
course, things get worse for our heroes.
This is an action-packed adventure that
sees Donut and Carl traumatized even further.
This is even darker book than what has gone on before as there is drug
use, bestiality, child abuse, suicide, and more in this read. There is also plenty
of humor as there has been all along in the series.
The third act consists of twists upon
twists upon twists. While there are always twists upon twists, in this case it
was ridiculous. There are way too many twists in my opinion. Most of them are based
on information the readers do not have. That
was annoying.
I read parts of The Eye of the
Bedlam Bride: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman by way of the eBook
and parts by way of the physical hardback. By having the hardback arrive from
the library after I was more than halfway through the library eBook, I had access
to the bonus short story. A tale that I thought was awful, but also included yet
another twist, only included there, so it would be helpful to read for this
series.
The seventh book is in my library TBR pile
and it is titled, This Inevitable Ruin:
Dungeon Crawler Carl, where the Faction Wars have begun. So, its
armies vs armies now as the Crawlers have formed one faction and various alien
groups have formed factions of their own. The AI continues to go crazy. It now has
agreed to turn the safeties off for the alien leaders. That means that the alien
leaders can die just like Donut and the others. The result is a more level
playing field. Now it is kill or be killed for everyone. Can Warlord Donut and
friends win?
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4edRRVu
Entire Series Amazon Associate Purchase
Link:
While both formats came by way of the
Dallas Public Library System, my hardback reading copy came from the White Rock
Hills Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2026
Friday, June 05, 2026
In Reference to Murder: Friday's "Forgotten" Books: A Night at the Cemetery
In Reference to Murder: Friday's "Forgotten" Books: A Night at the Cemetery: A doctor by trade, although better known for his classic plays like The Seagull and Uncle Vanya , Anton Chekhov actually began his literary...
In Reference to Murder: Mystery Melange
In Reference to Murder: Mystery Melange: The Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance announced the winners of the annual Maine Literary Awards last week. The 2026 top spot in the Cri...
Thursday, June 04, 2026
Thursday Treats: June 6/4/2026
The latest reading opportunities…
Punk Noir has published, Champagne For My
Real Friends, Real Pain For My Sham Friends — Issue 4. This series of flash short stories are all
free to read online at their website. You can also read the first issue for
free here as well as the
second here and the third here.
Fellow SMFS list member Brandon
Barrows announced that he had gotten all right back after the previous
publisher closed and Sinners Ride was back in print. Published by
Full Speed Publishing, the read is available in both eBook and print formats at
Amazon. Additionally, he noted that the
“Paperback edition contains two bonus stories never before in print, including
the Derringer Award-nominated "The Right to Hang!"’
Fellow SMFS list member Richard Helms announced publication of his book, GREAT
WHITE: an Eamon Gold novel. He says this will be the final book of this
San Francisco based private investigator mystery series. Published by Barbadoes Hall Communications, you can pick it
up at Amazon in digital or print formats.
Editor John Connor of Murderous
Ink Press announced that his latest anthology, Crimeucopia - New Kids In
Da 'Hood, will be released on June 9th. Features 16 crime
fiction short story tales including ones by fellow SMFS list members Thomas F.
Gorham III (Classless Reunion) and L.C. Parfomak (Tuberose) It can be preordered at Amazon now.
On another list I am on, author Carole Shmurak announced that Buried
Under Books: A Susan Lombardi Mystery had been published. This fifth
book in the series is out in digital and print formats from Park Court Press.
You can pick up the read at Amazon..
I have a lot of author alerts set up on
Amazon. I have left them going, even when I am way, way, way behind in a
series. That was how I found out that author Ed Lynskey’s new book, Sister:
A P. I. Frank Johnson Mystery is releasing on June 20th.
Published by ECL Press, this
38th book in the long running series can be preordered here.
That is not all from this author either.
Mr. Lynskey’s book, Berried Clues: An Appalachian Farmers' Market Cozy
Mystery, was published on June 1st. Also from ECL Press,
this too can be picked up on Amazon here.
The latest issue of Black Cat Weekly
also came out. Black Cat Weekly #248 includes a short story by fellow
SMFS list member Dave Zeltserman (Sleeping Dogs) among other
works. You can pick up the latest issue of this weekly, multi genre, magazine here.
Until next time….
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Wednesday, June 03, 2026
Beneath the Stains of Time: Murder at the New York World's Fair (1938) by Phoebe Atwood Taylor (Writing as "Freeman Dana")
Beneath the Stains of Time: Murder at the New York World's Fair (1938) by Phoe...: Phoebe Atwood Taylor was an American mystery writer and creator of Asey Mayo, the Codfish Sherlock, who appeared in over twenty mysteries r...
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Stories from Murder and Other Acts of Literature
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Stories from Murder and Oth...: Murder and Other Acts of Literature is an anthology of 24 short stories that include a crime but are written by authors who are not crime f...
SleuthSayers: Fourth Wall Down
SleuthSayers: Fourth Wall Down: I have been reading Montalbano's First Case And Other Stories, (2016) Andrea Camilleri's collection of tales about a Sicilian polic...
Tuesday, June 02, 2026
SleuthSayers: And They Lived Happily Never After
SleuthSayers: And They Lived Happily Never After: When I was little, before I learned how to read, my dad used to read fables and fairy tales to me before I went to sleep. We had a big book,...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: New in June!
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: New in June!: Allen, Samantha Puck Andrews, Mary Kay Road Trip Arden, Katherine The Unicorn Hunters Benedict, Marie A Pair of Aces Benja...
In Reference to Murder: Media Murder for Monday
In Reference to Murder: Media Murder for Monday: It's the start of a new week and that means it's time for a brand-new roundup of crime drama news: THE BIG SCREEN/MOVIES Brian Gerag...
Publication Day Review: The Bookseller: A DS George Cross Mystery by Tim Sullivan
As the father of DS George Cross faces a
very hard medical diagnosis, he works the case of a murder inside Squire’s Rare
Books. Located in Bristol and owned by the Squire family, the bookstore has
been a fixture in Berkeley Square. The squires have been involved in the business
of rare books for decades, but world of bookselling has massively changed from
when Torquil Squire was a mere lad running books when he was a lad. The staff
that runs the place these days is having a hard time working together and
adjusting the business and there is friction.
Did that friction play a role or cause
the death of Edward Squire, son of Torquil, or not? A question that DS George
Cross and the rest of the team will have to answer in coming days along with a
host of other questions. A team that has a lot going on, professionally and
personally, as they deal with various matters including the repercussions of
recent events depicted in The Teacher.
Quite a lot is happening in The Bookseller:
A DS George Cross Mystery. This review deliberately skims the surface
of this intense police procedural. In my opinion, to reveal more would cause spoilers
and I won’t do that. Suffice it to say that this is a mighty good read in a
series that just keeps getting better and better.
As I have tried to make clear before,
each book in this series is well worth your time. The Bookseller: A DS George Cross
Mystery is as well.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4ctnvNP
I received a digital ARC from the
publisher, Atlantic Crime, imprint of Grove Atlantic, through NetGalley, with
no expectation of a positive review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Monday, June 01, 2026
Little Big Crimes: Strangers on a Train on a Train, by Paul Ryan O'Connor
Little Big Crimes: Strangers on a Train on a Train, by Paul Ryan O'Co...: "Strangers on a Train on a Train," by Paul Ryan O'Connor, in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, May/June 2026. This is...
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: The Butler by Clare Mackintosh
The Butler
by Clare Mackintosh (Podium Publishing, June 2026) is a stand-alone thriller
from the author of the DC Ffion Morgan and DS Leo Brady series. CWA
recently announced that Clare is shortlisted for the 2026 CWA Dagger in the
Library.
Baxter is a
butler who freelances for wealthy individuals in need of major domo services
for a short time. He’s been hired to prepare and run a villa in the hills above
Cannes for a house party of some half dozen individuals connected to the
industry during the film festival and the accompanying events. Alec Prescott is
the host, he and his ex-wife Sylvie Calloway are also celebrating the 21st
birthday of their only child Carter. Prescott arrives with his current much
younger girl friend Kaitlynn. Baxter is alarmed to learn that Kaitlynn doesn’t
know that Sylvie will be present and Sylvie doesn’t know about Kaitlynn. In
addition to this worrying trio, Prescott and his girlfriend Jade and Prescott’s
godparents Damian and Francesca Huxley, film producer and actress,
respectively, make up the rest of the party.
Damian loses
no time in trying to convince Alec to finance his next film, Alec declines and
tactlessly suggests Francesca is too old to play leading roles. Alec also calls
Prescott to task for not holding down a paying job, and Sylvie and Alec trade
jabs over his youthful girlfriend. The atmosphere is tense and Baxter is
required to supply vast quantities of alcoholic beverages to soothe tempers.
The first two or three days are consumed with cinema viewings and media events,
especially for Francesca who is promoting her newest film. The sniping
continues whenever two or three of the party are together, and dinner with
everyone is downright fractious.
Through it
all, Baxter and the couple he hired to help him stay busy. They plan, shop,
cook, and serve meals on time, clean all the rooms in the villa, change linen
and towels, and cater to the constant demands for booze.
Early one
morning Baxter finds Alec Prescott at the bottom of the swimming pool, quite
dead. Too many people were upset with Prescott for Baxter to believe it was
accidental. He decides to investigate on his own.
Readers
familiar with Agatha Christie’s 4:50 from Paddington APA What Mrs.
McGillicuddy Saw will immediately see the similarity of Baxter to Lucy Eyelesbarrow,
that very expensive but extremely capable housekeeper who worked for wealthy
households a few weeks at a time.
An original
and pleasant read. Mackintosh is a recent find whom I plan to follow more
closely. I particularly enjoyed the details of the job, which gave a strong Upstairs,
Downstairs feel to the narrative. This story has strong potential to become
a series.
·
Publisher: Podium Publishing
·
Publication date: June 16, 2026
·
Language: English
·
Print length: 208 pages
·
ISBN-13: 979-8347009268
Amazon Associate Purchase Link:
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2026
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
SleuthSayers: Twenty-Two and Counting
SleuthSayers: Twenty-Two and Counting: More than a few people have asked me why the cover image of CRIME SCENES , my recently published collection of stories from Level Best Books...
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Argosy Library: Four Corners, vol. 2 (2020) by Theodore Roscoe
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Argosy Library: Four Corners, vol. 2 (2020) by...: Theodore Roscoe was an American biographer, historian and one of the finest pulp writers of the day, known for his gripping tales of exotic...
Want To Be A Guest?
As we stare in the face of summer when
the flaming Sky God tries to kill us all, I thought I would remind you that I
welcome guest posts here. If you have read this kind of post before, and have
an interest, please read this updated post today as I have added a couple of
things.
Guests are more than welcome and very
much appreciated. Unlike some folks and their places, I don’t have a lot of
forms to fill out or hoops to jump through as I have made the process as easy
as possible. Most questions you are already answered here so please read the
post before reaching out.
First and foremost, No AI
for anything. Period.
With that out of the way…. Depending
on my reviews—Open days are currently Tuesdays and Sundays. Sometimes other
says are as well as I don’t read that fast anymore. I usually run excerpts from
published or about to be published works on Sundays as excerpts seem to work
best on those days.
Topic--pretty much anything goes.
While my blog is mainly aimed towards items of interest for readers and writers
of mystery and crime fiction, I am open to pretty much anything. I do ask that
folks avoid the topics of religion and politics unless either or both directly
relate to the work being discussed or promoted.
Please Note --- I am not going to run
anything that advocates big pharma is hiding the cure for cancer. Folks that
come up with that stuff deserve a special place in hell.
Before contacting me, please have an
actual idea in mind. I absolutely do not assign topics. That means I am NOT
going to tell you what to write about. This is your opportunity to write what
you want to write about. You know your books, your expertise in topics, etc. I
do not. Your idea does not have to be set in stone. It does need to have some
detail. Have something to say beyond the fact that you have a new book coming
out and you want to talk about it in a guest post. Have at least a
couple of things that you know you want to have in your piece and tell me that
in your pitch.
And, yes, book reviews are very
popular here. Several folks regularly contribute book reviews. I would love to
have more book reviews from guests.
Word Count: Totally up to you. I do
not set a maximum or a minimum word count.
When your piece is ready, you send it
to me by email and include a 100 words or fewer bio. Also send any pics that
you think should be included in the piece. While some guest posts are super
heavy in pictures, I think it works best to have two or so. While I can and do
lift author photos and book covers from Amazon and author websites, it is
easier if you just send it from the start as well as any other pics you believe
should be included.
Exclusivity: The period should be
original to my blog. I request that you allow me to be the exclusive home for
the piece for 90 days. This allows me to make multiple posts about your guest
post on social media and still bring in readers.
I have had folks write for me one
weekend and, within two weeks, ignore the exclusivity period, and run the exact
same piece elsewhere. Rather kills the point of my efforts to bring attention
to your post.
This is, as always, a nonpaying
opportunity. Yes, I absolutely value your work. I also have no income other
than SSD (and that is just a few hundred each month) and am supporting myself,
my adult son, and this old house on what little I inherited when my Mom passed.
The bank account is steadily shrinking and I am doing the best I can to hang in
here. Scott has been without work since mid April and that has made things
massively worse. Things are going downhill, rapidly, but as long as I can keep
this place going, I will.
While I have no funds to pay you, I
can promise to promote the heck out of your appearance. You will be seen. I
can’t promise a certain number of sales, but most guests do see a spike in
their sales. Guests who are on the blog on a semi regular basis do far better
than one off appearances, but everyone does see an impact.
Questions/ pitches should be sent to me at Kevinrtipple AT Verizon.net
I hope you choose to be a part of
things here. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2026
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