Mystery Fanfare: Crime Fiction during the Days of Awe: Rosh Hashana...

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Guest Post: Jeanne and Treadmill Books: Witch City Mysteries by Carol J. Perry

Please welcome back Jeanne of the Bookblog of the Bristol Library as she is here with her latest review….

Treadmill Books:  Witch City Mysteries by Carol J. Perry

In Caught Dead Handed, Lee Barrett returns to Salem, the town where she grew up.  Now she’s a young widow in town for a job interview at the local TV station, much to the delight of her Aunt Ibby, a long time Salem resident who raised Lee after the deaths of her parents.  Lee realizes very quickly that she’s not going to be hired for the reporter’s job—that position is going to go to the shiny young man—but another job opportunity soon appears.  Ariel Constellation, a self-proclaimed psychic who hosts the weekly horror movie, is found dead (by Lee, of course) and the station manager takes Lee on a trial basis to fill in. 

It isn’t long before Lee has some unnerving encounters of her own, leading her to believe that Ariel’s killer might strike again.  Aided by reference librarian Aunt Ibby and O’Ryan, Ariel’s cat who seems to be more than an ordinary tabby, she sets out to unveil a murderer.

So goes the plot of Caught Dead Handed, the first in the Witch City Mystery series.  I was drawn in easily because of the likeable characters, especially Lee and Aunt Ibby.  Lee is an independent woman, capable of making her own decisions, which I like. While she inherited money from her parents and from her late husband, but doesn’t flaunt her wealth other than the odd extravagance; and she has a strong work ethic, which means that even though she doesn’t have to have a job, she wants to be employed.  She’s attracted to Pete, the local police detective but isn’t rushing into anything, nor does she pester him to reveal information he shouldn’t.  Pete, for his part, doesn’t continually admonish Lee to be careful or not to meddle.  Same for Aunt Ibby.  There’s just a lot of mutual respect between the characters, trusting each other to behave like adults. 

I also like the way the supernatural elements are handled.  Lee has experienced some things in the past that are inexplicable by rational standards, but she doesn’t immediately buy into the idea that, say, Ariel Constellation was anything but clever at reading people and giving plausible answers.  I like the balance between skeptic and believer, and feel that the author manages it well.  I confess I get tired of the lady protesting too much in some books; if it’s a supernatural mystery, then at some point, a character needs to buy into the idea and stop whining that it’s impossible.  I don’t mind a little resistance to the idea, but to have it go on book after book gets tiresome.  The supernatural clues that Lee gets are appropriately vague, giving Lee and the reader hints rather than solutions.  I expect that the supernatural elements will strength as the series continues.

Of course, one of my favorite parts is O’Ryan, Ariel’s cat who sometimes seems to point out clues.  He’s adorable and very cat-like (not all cozy mystery cats are).  He has a habit of sitting in front of the door just before someone comes, knowing either from supernatural means or very good hearing.  Some of my cats do the same thing. There are occasions when he goes beyond the expected, usually when Lee is in extreme danger but for the most part he seems like my orange cat—well, maybe not as Tommy isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer.  More like Flora whom I suspect of masterminding a good bit of the mischief around the house.

I also enjoy some of the behind the scenes sorts of things, such as how a TV station works or how to prepare for a job on camera.  Lee has an eye for vintage furniture and fast cars, and tidbits of information about both are dropped during various books.

Besides interesting, well developed characters, Perry gives us a good sense of place.  Some scenes in the series take place in an old fashioned department store which is being repurposed for a school.  The store layout is described in lovely detail, bringing back memories of one I remember—not the modern versions, but ones with their own lunch counters and styling salons, where large signs or cut outs proclaimed that the store was a purveyor of Buster Brown shoes or Evening in Paris perfume. The rest of the town also has a presence, depending on the book; I like when authors use unique settings to good advantage rather than the generic Everytown, U.S.A.

Finally, Aunt Ibby and Lee love old movies, so there’s always a sprinkling of nostalgic titles or quotations to make me smile. 

I’m in the middle of Look Both Ways, the third book in the series, and enjoying it as much as I did the first two.  If there’s a weakness in the books, it’s that Lee doesn’t always make connections that I think are fairly obvious or follow up on certain clues.  I give her a bit of a pass because most of this arises from the supernatural visions which she doesn’t trust. Failure to follow up on clues can be a pet peeve, but in this case Lee is otherwise so likeable and sensible that I find it doesn’t annoy me too much.

This series is a definite treadmill win! I’ve already bought copies of the rest of the series including the just-released Grave Errors. The sixth in the series is scheduled to be out in 2018.

In order:

1.      Caught Dead Handed

2.      Tails, You Lose

3.      Look Both Ways

4.      Murder Go Round

5.      Grave Errors

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Review: Dead, To Begin With: A Dan Rhodes Mystery by Bill Crider

After a problem at the nearby beauty shop resolved, Sheriff Dan Rhodes learns of a far more serious problem as Dead, To Begin With begins. Jake Marley has been found dead on the stage at the Clearview Opera House. The building dates back to the oil boom days in the early 1900s and, like the rest of the former bustling downtown area, has seen hard times and disrepair. That was going to change thanks to Jake Marley. 

Grandson of one of the local men that had gotten very rich during the oil boom all those decades ago, Jake Marley suddenly took an interest in the Clearview Opera House. Known as an eccentric recluse for years, he lived a life of isolation until he suddenly bought the place and started renovations. Suddenly, he was active in the community and that was a good thing, as his money would really help the town of Clearview and the surrounding area. Nobody wanted to ask him about his reasons or his plans as just about everybody was afraid he would change his mind and take his money away. All anyone has known these past few weeks is that he planned to restore the opera house to its full glory and establish some kind of community theater. The theater’s first performance was to be some sort of Texas based vision of the classic, A Christmas Carol.

What the death of Jake Marley means for the local economy is one thing and not something that Sheriff Rhodes can do anything about at all. Mr. Marley is very much dead and Sheriff Rhodes can’t change that either. What concerns Sheriff Rhodes is the fact that there are some signs that Mr. Marley had some help shuffling off this mortal coil.

Found by real estate agent Aubrey Hamilton, who had been summoned to a meeting by the deceased, she doesn’t know what happened or why he wanted her to come by this morning. She assumed it was a real estate issue of some type considering the nature of their business relationship. While the Sheriff has heard rumors about Jake and Aubrey, she denies all of it. According to her, beyond the age difference between the two of them that would be a huge hindrance, they were not even friends, and only had a business relationship.

Maybe he did just fall from the overhead grid deck above the stage. That obviously could have happened. However, if he did that, it would not explain every detail of the scene. Seepy Benton may believe the theater is haunted, but Rhodes does not think supernatural forces were involved either. Sheriff Rhodes has plenty of questions as his investigation begins in Dead, To Begin With.

The latest in the long running series featuring Sheriff Dan Rhodes and a host of characters is another good one. As usual, the secondary characters, the humor, the observations of small town life in Texas, are just part of an overarching mystery. Dead, To Begin With first and foremost is another solidly good mystery filled with plenty of misdirection, intrigue, and a few clues. Another very good read by Bill Crider who simply can’t write a weak book. If it isn’t already clear, Dead, To Begin With is a highly recommended read. 

Dead, To Begin With: A Dan Rhodes Mystery

Bill Crider

http://www.billcrider.com

A Thomas Dunne Book (Minotaur Books)

http://www.thomasdunnebooks.com

August 8, 2015

ISBN #978-1250078537

Hardback (also available in e-book form)

272 Pages

$25.99

ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2017

WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: Fleabag

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In Reference To Murder Blog: Media Murder for Monday 9/18/17

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Do Some Damage: Monday Review: SKULL MEAT by Tom Leins

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Sandi Update

Sandi is now back home after blood work at Texas Oncology that determined she absolutely had to have platelets today. We have been warned to expect to be the hospital into the evening after her doc and lab appointments on Thursday as they expect she will have to have another unit of platelets as well as two units of blood.

Other than that she is doing okay.

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: TEXAS LITERARY CALENDAR 9/18-24

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Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: A Dead Liberty by Catherine Aird

A Dead Liberty by Catherine Aird (Collins, 1986) is the 12^th book in the long-running British detective series featuring Inspector Christopher Dennis Sloan of the fictional Berebury CID department in West Calleshire, England. Known as “C.D.” which invariably is pronounced “Seedy”, Sloan is generally accompanied by a clueless constable named Crosby. Sloan reports to Superintendent Leeyes, who is irritable and often demanding. He frequents the local Adult Education classes and is prone to quoting odd bits of information from the latest class that may or may not be relevant to the subject at hand. 

In this outing what should have been an open-and-shut case turned out to be anything but. Lucy Durmast was accused of poisoning an employee of her father’s. He had just become engaged to his hometown girlfriend and jealousy was thought to be the motive for the murder. The meal she prepared for him was the only food he’d taken that day that wasn’t shared with others, making her the obvious and sole suspect. The first indication that things would not go as expected was when Lucy refused to speak at her arrest and interrogation. She declined to talk when the judge asked for her plea, and she wouldn’t say a word when she was consequently imprisoned for contempt of court. She politely listened to everything said to her but she would not respond. This extraordinary behavior puzzled and worried everyone, including her friends, the police, the prosecutor, and the judge.

Then the original investigating officer was injured in an accident and Inspector Sloan was assigned to wrap the case up for the prosecutor to present at trial. When the college friend of the victim disappeared and another person known to the accused was killed, Inspector Sloan started from the beginning and conducted a brand-new investigation to get to the bottom of a situation that everyone was beginning to see was not what it appeared to be.

Catherine Aird, who won the Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger Award in 2015, has been on my TBR list for years. Through Open Media’s Early Bird Books list of discounted Kindle titles I acquired three that I read in short order. While observing the conventions of the classic British detective story, Aird delivers original characters and innovative plots via immensely readable narratives.  I did not guess the perpetrator or the motive in any of the three, which is always a plus for me. These books are not long, they seem to run less than 250 pages, an advantage for anyone who binge reads and a big change from the current tendency toward doorstopper tomes. I am looking forward to finding the rest of the books in the series and reading them as fast as possible.

• ISBN-13: 9780002314978
• ISBN: 0002314975
• Print Length: 216 pages
• Publisher: Collins Crime Club
• Publication Date: 27 May 1986
• Book Type: Hardcover

Aubrey Hamilton © 2017
 

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

The Rap Sheet: Revue of Reviewers for 9/17/17

The Rap Sheet:  Revue of Reviewers for 9/17/17

Yet More Sunday Afternoon Humor

More Sunday Afternoon Humor

Sunday Afternoon Humor

Sunday Morning Humor

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: SMFS Members Published in EQMM: September/October 2017 ...

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: SMFS Members Published in EQMM: September/October ...: Josh Pachter, Paul D. Marks, and brand new member Laura Pigott have short stories published in the September/October 2017 of Ellery Queen My...

The Pot Is On

...as it is most mornings ....

Awake Far Too Early

Despite staying up and watching Texas eventually lose to USC (heck of a game) so I did not end up in bed until after midnight, I have been awake the last two hours. My mind seems to have locked on in warp drive. So, as lucky other folks slumber on here, I am up and not very willingly facing the day.

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: SMFS Members Published in Black Cat Mystery Magazi...

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Yet Still More Humor

Yet More Humor

More Humor

I came across the one below while working on a review of a gardening book that you will see late next week. I thought it was funny. I also notice now that it appears to have a decapitated head. Since a decapitated human head is a key fixture in the fist chapter of the book I am writing (at rare times) this deal seems even more appropriate.

KRL This Week Update for 9/16/17

Up in KRL this morning a review & giveaway of "Dog Dish of Doom" by E.j.
Copperman along with a fun pet related guest post by EJ
http://kingsriverlife.com/09/16/dog-dish-of-doom-by-e-j-copperman/



And a review & giveaway of "Gone Gull" by Donna Andrews along with an
interesting interview with Donna
http://kingsriverlife.com/09/16/gone-gull-by-donna-andrews/



Also a review & giveaway of "Hunting Hour" by Margaret Mizushima
http://kingsriverlife.com/09/16/hunting-hour-by-margaret-mizushima/



And an article about 3 of Dennis Palumbo's mysteries featuring Daniel
Rinaldi
http://kingsriverlife.com/09/16/dennis-palumbos-dr-daniel-rinaldi-a-good-man-to-have-on-your-side/



Also a review of the Seagrass Sweets Mystery series by Sandi Scott, along
with a giveaway of one of her books and an interesting interview with Sandi
http://kingsriverlife.com/09/16/seagrass-sweets-mystery-series-by-sandi-scott/



And a review & giveaway of "Oh, Fudge" by Nancy J Coco
http://kingsriverlife.com/09/16/oh-fudge-by-nancy-coco/



For those who enjoy fantasy with their mystery, a review & giveaway of
"Grave Ransom" by Kalayna Price
http://kingsriverlife.com/09/16/grave-ransom-by-kalayna-price/



And on KRL News & Reviews a review & giveaway of "On Her Majesty's
Frightfully Secret Service" by Rhys Bowen
http://www.krlnews.com/2017/09/on-her-majestys-frightfully-secret.html


Happy reading,
Lorie

Morning Funny by way of Barry Ergang

Mystery Fanfare: Harlan Coben's The Five on Netflix

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Conflict Makes the World Go Around by J. R. Lindermuth

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Smashwords: Smashwords Implements New Classifications for Erotic Fiction

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Lesa's Latest Contest: Agatha Christie Birthday Giveaway

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Lesa Holstine 

lesa.holstine@gmail.com 

http://www.lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com

Gravetapping: PROJECT JAEL by Aaron Fletcher

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FFB Review: Dice Angel by Brian Rouff

I know there have been lots of repeats for FFB these past few months and I am sorry about that. I am trying to keep things going on the blog as well as around here. That means repeats, like today as I run my review of Dice Angel by Brian Rouff again. Make sure you check out the full list over at Patti Abbott’s blog. Dice Angel is far more than a simple story off one man’s bad luck in Vegas. A good book worth your time.....

Finding a new author that is worth reading is a treat. No matter how good the storyline or plot setup is, if the characters don't come alive for the reader, then the book won't be that good. In this case, everything works across the board, which creates a very enjoyable debut novel by Brian Rouff.

As Dice Angel opens, Jimmy Delaney is on a rather bad roll of luck in life. Not only is his ex-wife Joy (who isn't) giving him a hard time, but burglars have broken into his supper club named Jimmy D's. The club is a legacy from his father who started it from nothing and lately it seems to be a target for every burglar in Las Vegas. This time they got the cash from the video poker machines, which adds up to quite a sum. But that loss seems rather small when he discovers that the IRS wants $50,000 for back taxes and penalties within days and his checks are bouncing all over town.

It appears that his ex brother in law who was his accountant and supposed to be handling all sorts of things, instead embezzled every last cent and took off, leaving behind his marriage and his very ill daughter. Jimmy turns to the usual sources as his world slowly collapses seeking funds to pay off the IRS and keep the club open. The quest for help goes nowhere and as he hits rock bottom, he has nowhere else to turn except to the mysterious lady known as Dice Angel. Supposedly through the means of mystical powers she can bring lady luck back into Jimmy's life so that he can save himself and those he cares so much about.

Beyond the storyline that suffers greatly in my telling, is the fact that this novel is full of interesting characters that actually come alive for the reader. Within a few pages the author pulls the reader into the Vegas he knows so well and the pull is simply irresistible. It is also fascinating to watch Jimmy D crash and resurrect himself and evolve as a character over the course of this 222-page novel. This fast read is over way too soon and hopefully there will be another following Jimmy D., his club, and his somewhat eccentric customers and staff. 

Kevin R. Tipple © 2003, 2011, 2017

New Issue of Crime Review

 We feature new 20 reviews in each issue of Crime Review (
www.crimereview.co.uk), together with a top industry interview. This time
it’s author Kate Griffin in the Countdown hot seat.



We’re on Twitter at:

Crime Review: @CrimeReviewUK

Linda Wilson: @CrimeReviewer

Sharon Wheeler: @lartonmedia



This week’s reviews are:

I Know a Secret by Tess Gerritsen, reviewed by Sylvia Wilson

Two bodies are found days apart in Boston, both drugged and both mutilated
after death, but otherwise seemingly unrelated.



The Dark Isle by Clare Carson, reviewed by John Cleal

Sam returns to the island of Hoy, scene of her childhood holidays, to
uncover the facts surrounding the death of her undercover policeman father.



Shadows and Sun by Dominique Sylvain, reviewed by Chris Roberts

Retired Paris policewoman Lola Jost and her friend Ingrid Diesel return in
a tale of murky political goings-on which threaten valued ex-colleagues.



Block 46 by Johana Gustawsson, reviewed by Arnold Taylor

Emily Roy, a Quantico-trained officer in the Canadian Royal Mounted Police,
currently working with Scotland Yard, becomes involved in a frantic search
for a serial killer operating in both England and Sweden.



The Last Place You Look by Kristen Lepionka, reviewed by Linda Wilson

PI Roxane Weary is hired to find a woman who went missing 15 years ago and
who may well hold the key to saving a man from Death Row.



Sweet After Death by Valentina Giambanco, reviewed by Kati Barr-Taylor

Detective Alice Madison is out of her comfort zone investigating a murder
in an isolated town in midwinter.



Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolito, reviewed by Ewa Sherman

Rich teenager Maja Norberg is accused of killing four students and a
teacher at school. As the trial starts, the prosecutor and the defender
battle to prove their points.



You Belong To Me by Colin Harrison, reviewed by Chris Roberts

New York immigration lawyer and map enthusiast Paul Reeves gets involved in
his neighbours’ marital friction, which generates a deadly struggle and an
opportunity.

 

The Breakdown by BA Paris, reviewed by Kati Barr-Taylor

Cass Anderson didn’t want to get out of her car that night in the storm.
Now the woman she saw is dead.



The Damselfly by SJI Holliday, reviewed by John Barnbrook

In a small town in Scotland, a gifted girl is found murdered. And the
townspeople are determined to take matters into their own hands.



You Can Run by Steve Mosby, reviewed by Linda Wilson

A stolen car crashes into a house, revealing an unexpected depth of horror.



Safe by Ryan Gattis, reviewed by Chris Roberts

Ricky ‘Ghost’ Mendoza cracks safes for the DEA, and when he opens a safe
full of cash decides to take it. Not for himself, but for others, in a last
chance for redemption.



Yesterday by Felicia Yap, reviewed by John Barnbrook

There are two types of people in an alternative reality: Monos, who can
only remember yesterday, and Duos, who can remember the last two days. In a
taboo marriage, Mono Claire marries the famous Duo author, Mark. When a
body is discovered in the River Cam, their life is torn apart by the
ensuing investigation.



Dark Asylum by ES Thomson, reviewed by John Cleal

The principal physician at Angel Meadow asylum is found brutally murdered.
The police concentrate on the inmates, but apothecary Jem Flockhart and
Will Quartermain believe it an act of vengeance.



Ruined Stones by Eric Reed, reviewed by Chris Roberts

Grace Baxter arrives in Newcastle in 1941 as a junior policewoman and is
immediately put to work investigating the death of a woman amongst the
remains of a Roman temple.



The Night Stalker by Clare Donoghue, reviewed by Linda Wilson

Met detectives Lockyer and Bennett are sent to Somerset to investigate a
suspicious fatal car accident and find themselves working in the shadow of
a 200-year-old murder.



The Coroner’s Daughter by Andrew Hughes, reviewed by John Cleal

A nursemaid conceals her pregnancy then murders her newborn, but before an
inquest can be held, she is found dead. Abigail Lawless, daughter of
Dublin’s coroner, investigates and is drawn into a world of zealotry and
danger.



The Warehouse by SS Mausoof, reviewed by Chris Roberts

A Pakistani insurance surveyor is tempted into a lucrative job in a very
dangerous part of the country, and is launched into a series of harrowing
adventures.



The Room by the Lake by Emma Dibdin, reviewed by Kati Barr-Taylor

Caitlin leaves behind her life in London and heads for New York in search
of a new start. Instead of a job in a coffee shop and a cheap apartment,
she finds herself drawn to the simplicity of life in a cult.



Genuine Fraud by E Lockhart, reviewed by Linda Wilson

Imogen has everything that Jule wants in life: she’s rich, spoilt and gets
everything she wants. Jule is determined to have a slice of Imogen’s cake.
Maybe even the whole cake …



Best wishes


Sharon

Finally Home

Sandi's blood work was okay today so, other than the white blood cell shot, they left her alone.

We go back Monday for blood work. If it is bad, there will have to be blood transfusions.

Whatever happens Monday, we go back Thursday for blood work and a doctor visit. If we get lucky and miss the blood transfusions on Monday, it is also a 100 percent guarantee that we will have to do it Thursday.

In the meantime, everything is relatively stable and she is doing okay.

Relevant History: Is the Traditional American Western Dead? by Mike Torreano

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