Crimeucopia
- A Load Of Balls is a Murderous
Ink Press anthology featuring mystery and crime fiction tales involving various
sports. Pool and golf make multiple appearances, but other sports also make it
in here and there. It is a solidly good book that also scores with the reader.
(Referee Whistle)
Stadium
Announcer: Called for a double foul of combining a sports pun with
a dad joke. That is a Flagrant and One Foul.
Oh,
come on. You call that a foul? You can’t be serious! (Screaming the last in his
best John McEnroe at Wimbledon voice.)
(Referee glares, then makes an arm motion, play resumes.)
As
always, I read an anthology from front to back, so the list below of my personal
favorites is in the order of appearance. It is not a ranking. No, these are the
tales that resonated with this reader as he hit them over a several day period.
Those
that follow my reviews know I have a fondness for police procedurals. If Dallas
had not had a multi-year hiring freeze in the early and mid-eighties, I was
going to apply to the police academy. Instead, I went to work for a security guard
company and, a few months later, got myself shot one night just before 3 in the
morning, and that changed many things.
I
grew up watching my Dallas Cowboys playing Coach Bud Grant and his Vikings. We
had “The Man in the Hat.” The Vikings were “The Purple People Eaters.” Back
when the game was played outdoors, like it should be, and not all the frozen
tundra was in Green Bay. The stuff of legends all around. Some of that decades
ago glory you can still experience from NFL Films with their excellent soundtracks
and narration by legends all.
All
of the above probably played a major role in my liking “The Purple Figurine
Murders” by Arthur Vidro so much. A complex mystery that uses NFL history for
clues. A mighty good read.
The
career of DS Jim Cooper of the Norfolk Constabulary showed such promise back in
the day. That promise was never actualized. The discovery of a body in the here
and now in “Thank God for the Nineteenth Hole” by Dave Dempster might be a way
to put some shine back on him.
John
M. Floyd’s recurring character, Sheriff Lucy Valentine, makes a welcome appearance
here in “Rules of the Game.” So too does her mother, Frances, who is again
ready to help with a case surrounding a certain wrist watch.
He
had a plan when he walked into the bar. A bar that has pool tables in the
backroom. One of those tables is in use by his target. It slowly becomes clear
what he aims to do in “Side Pocket Bank Shot” by William Kitcher.
“You
May Already Be A Winner: A Vermont Radio Mystery” by Nikki Knight combines a lotto
drawing, a DJ, and some amateur sleuthing into a fast-moving enjoyable mystery
read. Not to mention an arson at a local business.
Fake
jerseys are an expensive and growing problem for all the leagues, especially the
NBA. A street hustler is selling them at the heart of “The Baby Lawyer” by Paul
R. Paradise. The bosses want him gone. Easier said than done.
Back
in the long ago, I was a pretty good bowler. I was known to frequent the nearby
Jupiter Lanes, every couple of weeks, where I rolled 220 to 245 or so without
much practice or effort. Sandi and I talked, more than once, about me trying
out for the Pro Bowler event over in Grand Prairie every year. But, being a new
dad and life, in general, meant we never got beyond the talking stage.
Bowling
is at the heart of “The Perfect Game” by Robert Petyo. If everybody would leave
him alone, Donnie might complete his quest for a perfect game. Nine frames in,
he has a very chance. Bowling leagues can be cut throat so he knows the
pressure is on in more ways than one.
Her
husband is still alive, but for all intents and purposes his wife, Marie, is a
golf widow in the Diane A. Hadac’s short story, “Golf Widow.” She is
increasingly fed-up with the situation and wants to travel like they talked
about and he promised. Ralph better pay attention at home instead of the
greens.
Jimmy
loves cars. Especially expensive fast cars. He also has skills being ex
miliary. He puts everything to work in “Fancy Car Lover” by Ed Teja. The
problem is that some of his choices to liberate from their owners are not the
best choices for others. That causes problems.
While
these are the stories I preferred, that is not to say the others are not good.
On the contrary. They are good. These just happen to be my personal favorites
for a variety of reasons. No doubt your choices for favorites in Crimeucopia
- A Load Of Balls anthology would vary.
Available
in print and eBook at this Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4eGr3LN
My
ARC reading copy came from Editor/Publisher John Connor of Murderous Ink Press back
in May with no expectation of a review.
Kevin
R. Tipple ©2025
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