Monday, June 22, 2026
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Fear the Reaper: A McKenzie Novel by David Housewright
Fear the
Reaper by David Housewright (Minotaur, June 2026) is the newest of the
Rushmore McKenzie series. McKenzie is an unofficial private investigator who
does favors for friends and friends of his friends. His circle of friends is
ever-widening and they bring him some original problems which he cannot resist
trying to solve, often with the assistance of his childhood best friend, Bobby
Dunston who is a career cop.
Mac and his
wife Nina are visiting Bobby’s parents in their vacation home in upstate
Wisconsin. Mac and Bobby Dunston started as neighbors in St. Paul and became
inseparable from an early age. When Mac was 12 his mother died and Patty
Dunston stepped into the role, making the two men even closer. Patty is a huge
fan of a small winery near their Wisconsin home and the group of five visit one
Friday afternoon, where the popular place is nearly full. Bobby is the first to
see the man who enters the crowded room carrying an AR-15, and he and Mac
tackle him before he can fire a shot.
Unfortunately
Wisconsin is an open-carry state. Since he was stopped before he actually
injured someone, he was not breaking a law and the police could not press
charges. The sheriff was uneasy though. The security camera footage showed the
prospective gunman looking around the room, as if searching for a specific
target. He of course is not admitting to anything, so she asks Mac to find out
who the intended victim was to try to stop another attempt that might succeed. This
unenviable assignment required Mac to look into the lives of each person at the
winery that afternoon and find out if someone might benefit from their death. He
had no authority to interview anyone or to examine records but that never stops
Mac. Of course his questions upset a few people, revealing as they did some
details better left private.
Housewright
excels at creating believable characters and here he sketches a handful of them
in sharp outline with a quick snapshot of their lives. While relationship
trouble seemed inevitable for a number of the people present that Friday from
some of the things Mac learned, murder was a bit of a stretch for most of them.
Mac’s deep
attachment to his friends and family is a nice change from the alienated
anti-hero so common now. He’s genuinely a nice person, and the people he meets
in the course of his investigations recognize it. The solutions start with
Mac’s knowledge of human nature and, if not clearly clued, they align with the
facts as presented.
After 23
books, a mediocre read might be expected but I didn’t find it here. Another innovative
plot with familiar characters, devious misdirection, and more than competent
writing. I have no idea why readers do not rave about these books. They are one
of the best long-running series still in print. Anyone looking for a new series
to binge should look at this one. Recommended!
- Publisher: Minotaur Books
- Publication date: June 23, 2026
- Language: English
- Print length: 320 pages
- ISBN-10: 125036048X
- ISBN-13: 978-1250360489
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4xzOrnn
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2026
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal
It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Little Big Crimes: The Mystery of Sea and Sky, by Charles John Harper
Mystery Fanfare: INSPECTOR ELLIS: Season 2
Saturday, June 20, 2026
KRL Update
(Lorie Ham reported on Facebook way earlier today that her husband has had a stroke and is hospitalized. Early report is that he is awake and communicating and has some weakness in his left side. Please keep her husband, her, and their family in your thoughts and prayers.)
Up on KRL this week a review and giveaway of "Coastal Views to Die For" by Sam Lumley https://kingsriverlife.com/06/20/coastal-views-to-die-for-by-sam-lumley/
And a review and giveaway of "The Disaster Gay Detective Agency" by Lev AC Rosen, along with an interesting interview with Lev https://kingsriverlife.com/06/20/the-disaster-gay-detective-by-lev-ac-rosen/
And a review and giveaway of "Murder by Design" by Lee Goldberg, along with a brief review of the audiobook version as well https://kingsriverlife.com/06/20/murder-by-design-by-lee-goldberg/
We also have a mystery short story by Martha Reed https://kingsriverlife.com/06/20/mystery-short-story-duty-to-warn/
Up during the week we posted another special midweek guest post, this one by author Amy Pennza about how she came to write about vampires https://kingsriverlife.com/06/17/how-sleeping-beauty-led-me-straight-to-interview-with-the-vampire/
And another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author Simone Stier about her books and writing cozies https://kingsriverlife.com/06/17/small-towns-big-secrets-why-cozy-mysteries-feel-cozy/
Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and giveaway of "Secrets of the Abbey" By Jean-Luc Bannalec https://www.krlnews.com/2026/06/secrets-of-abbey-by-jean-luc-bannalec.html
And a review and giveaway of "51%" by Matt Witten https://www.krlnews.com/2026/06/51-by-matt-witten-reviewgiveaway.html
And a review of the fantasy anthology "Paranormal Payback" featuring authors like Jim Butcher and Faith Hunter https://www.krlnews.com/2026/06/paranormal-payback-edited-by-jim.html
Happy reading,
Lorie
SleuthSayers: Favorites, Genrewise
Scott's Take: Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong 2 by Brian Buccellato and Illustrator Christian Duce
Justice League vs Godzilla vs
Kong 2
by Brian Buccellato, illustrated by Christian Duce is the sequel to Justice
League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong. In this story, Amanda Waller has decided
to take the Suicide Squad to Legendary Earth (Godzilla and friends (King Kong,
Mothra, and others). She has come up with the brilliant idea to steal the DNA
of the Titans (giant monsters) and turn it into a serum. She then injects that
into super criminals making them giant
feral creatures to enforce her world.
Of course, the Justice League realizes
this is a really bad idea and decide to stop her. Unfortunately, the DC Universe
heroes are outmatched because two of their heaviest hitters, Supergirl and
Superman, do not get the solar power they need to be as strong as usual on this
planet. So, they may need the serum themselves to even the odds…
This is action packed adventure with
solid art work and decent character work. There is a lot of science fiction concepts
in this tale at work. If you want to see Batman piloting a giant mech or
Superman fighting Godzilla then this is the book for you.
I think the first one was better, but
this is still a fun read. There is setup for another book in the series, but we
will see if that happens, Part of the ending was deliberately vague, which was
very annoying, and that couple be the springboard for a new read.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Pz9vsK
I read the first 4 issues through DC Infinite App and
the last three through Hoopla by way of the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2026
Friday, June 19, 2026
In Reference to Murder: Friday's "Forgotten" Books: The Rising of the Moon
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Hit List: Top 10 Favorite Reprints from Rue Morgue Press
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Mystery Fanfare: FATHER'S DAY MYSTERIES // FATHER'S DAY CRIME FICTION
Bitter Tea and Mystery: The Ivy Tree: Mary Stewart
Jerry's House of Everything: MYSTERY IN THE AIR: THE BLACK CAT (SEPTEMBER 18, 1947)
Thursday Treats: June 6/18/2026
Some reading opportunities of interest this week….
Fellow SMFS list member Mike McHone
announced last week that his short story, The Suicide Disease, was published
online at Cold Caller. Mr. McHone stated that this is his 50th story
published. Read the tale for free here.
Mr. Margel is also in the new issue of the online publication, Yellow Mama #116. Along with Abe Margel (Exit Through the Back Door) are SMFS list members Elizabeth Dearborn (Who Knew?), Joan Leotta (My Child's New Friends: Poem), J. R. Lindermuth (The Choice), Joan Leotta (My Child's New Friends: Poem”), and Ed Teja (Clever is for Horses), among other works. As always, you can read the issue for free at the website.
Also now out is Thriller Magazine:
June 2026. The latest issue features five crime fiction tales. Available at
various vendors, you can also pick it up at Amazon. This magazine
is also part of their Kindle Unlimited program. During
the current ninety-day trial program, as an Amazon Prime member, you can read
for free.
Speaking of the Kindle Unlimited
program, while poking at the offerings, I discovered that the anthology, Streets
of Your Town: PI Stories, is coming out on June 27th. Per the
Amazon author listing, Frank Zafiro, Phillip Thompson, Meagan Lucas, Gary
Phillips, Craig McDonald, Douglas Corleone, Chris Bauer, Jo Ayker, Mark Newman,
and Sean O'Leary, all have stories in read. It will be part of the program at
release or you can preorder it at Amazon now
for $6.99.
By the way, and this is a pet peeve,
when something claims to be freaking UNLIMITED, it really should mean UNLIMITED.
The Kindle Unlimited program limits you to twenty titles at a time in
your “library.” When you are sharing your deal with an adult son who is really
into fantasy reads, you hit 20 titles very fast. You then discover that you are
very limited at Kindle Unlimited.
Back in early April
in a previous edition of this column, I told you that author Beau Johnson announced on Threads that his books, out
of print due to the demise last year of the previous publisher, were coming
back into print. Shotgun Honey released, A Better Kind of Hate: Stories, in both eBook and print format the day after that
column ran. The Big Machine Eats: Stories, part of the Bishop
Rider series, in both eBook and print formats is now available at the publisher and
Amazon.
Rock and a Hard Place
Press has announced they are publishing Curtis
Ippolito’s new crime fiction
read, Waves of Burden. Learn more at the publisher
with vendor links to pick it up in either print or eBook formats, or go to Amazon for the eBook only. It releases on June 24rth.
It is my current read via an ARC at the time I am writing this post. Look for
the review here soon.
By the way, if you like what we do here, please consider spreading the word of these posts. Also, if you can, please consider making a donation through the PayPal widget on the left side of the blog. I try not to talk about it, or beg, but the desperation is very real. The hits keep coming here and things are really bad.
Until next time….
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: SLAY RIDE TO ETERNITY
Little Big Crimes: A Regular Guy, by Chris L. Robinson
Short Story Wednesday Review: "Deliverables" by Frank Diamond (Thriller Magazine: February 2026)
“Deliverables” by Frank Diamond in Thriller
Magazine: February 2026 opens in an industrial park. February, cold, windy,
and the new guy just completed his ninety-day probationary period. Every new
person that gets through that ninety-day probationary period can get something
to celebrate the milestone.
Most don’t ask for anything. A few ask
for an extra day off. Max Reynolds has asked to accompany Charlie Cobb on the
visit to Conti’s Repair Center. Conti’s is where Boyle Communications
outsources their van repair and maintenance needs. Drivers tend to abuse the
vans on their delivery routes. Conti’s has worked out well as it was too
expensive to keep doing the repair and maintenance work inhouse.
About a decade back, Charlie Cobb made a
good deal with Rich Conti. Both have benefited. The deal is the deal and
honoring it matters.
A nice piece of crime fiction with some
surprises. It’s a good read.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4owW0XR
My digital reading copy came by way of
my ninety-day free Kindle Unlimited trial.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
The Rap Sheet: Revue of Reviewers: 6-15-26
The Rap Sheet: Revue of Reviewers: 6-15-26
COOL NOTE: Aubrey's recent review of Every Lie I Told by Hilary Davidson made the list as did Lesa's recent review of Rescue Me by Andrew Welsh-Huggins.
In Reference to Murder: Media Murder for Monday
Review: Shades of the Job: A Stanley Melvin P.I. Story by Frank Zafiro
Shades of the Job: A Stanley
Melvin P.I. Story
by Frank Zafiro is the second book in the series that started with Hallmarks of the Job: A Stanley Melvin P.I.
Story. I have yet to read that first book, so Shades of the
Job was my intro into the world of private investigator Stanley Martin.
This character reminds me a lot of the DS George Cross character and that is a
very good thing.
Stanley Melvin lives in an upstairs apartment in a building that was converted from a house to apartments. He
is climbing the stairs late one day with a grocery bag in hand when Violet
Szade and her very young daughter, Lettie, come out of their ground floor apartment
and get his attention.
The long and the short of it as Violet
makes clear, is that she would like to hire him. Two weeks ago, her apartment
was broken into and searched. Nothing was taken, but clearly, somebody went
through looking at everything. She contacted the police and they came out,
dusted for prints, filed a report, but have no clues as to who did it or why.
Then, yesterday, her ex-boyfriend, Geoff
Grey, contacted her by text to say he wanted to meet Lettie and that he had
changed. The same guy who, as soon as he realized he was going to be a dad,
left her before the baby was born, now wants back into their lives. He has not
done a thing to help as he had completely vanished. Now, he wants to see them.
If he really has changed, that is one
thing. If he has not, that is a far different thing. And she is bothered a lot
by the timing of events. She thinks the coincidence of the break in and his
sudden contact is way too strange and suspicious. They agree that Stanley will investigate
to ascertain what he has been up to while he has been gone from their lives,
other background information, and to make sure that he is safe to be around
Lettie.
A very detail orientated man who has
strong routines and practices to control his anxiety, he begins an investigation
that soon turns violent. In the course of his investigation, readers learn a
lot about Grey, Melvin, and the other people who populate the building and the
neighborhood.
A fast-moving read published by Code 4 Press, Shades of the Job: A
Stanley Melvin P.I. Story, is a highly entertaining novella. Rich in
character detail and atmosphere with flashes of humor, this is a solidly good
read, and one well worth your time.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4ovGJqg
My digital ARC came direct from the
author with no expectation of a review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
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