Friday, November 15, 2019
FFB Review: Grace: A Willie Black Mystery by Howard Owen
FFB
Review returns today with a series that I am enjoying very much. Grace: A Willie Black Mystery by Howard
Owen is the fifth book in a great series that started with Oregon Hill. This is a series that should be read in order. For more reading
suggestions, make sure you head over to Todd Mason’s Sweet Freedom blog.
The fifth in the series, Grace:
A Willie Black Mystery, opens early in December 2014 a few months after
the preceding novel, The Bottom. Kids have been vanishing
for years from Richmond’s East End. Nobody has been doing much about it because
of racism, the fact that kids come from poor families, or for some other
reason. The bottom line is that young black kids have been disappearing for
years now and Artesian Cole is the latest young boy to vanish.
But, this time is different as they
have the child’s body. Despite being bagged and weighed down with rocks,
Artesian Cole surfaced in the waters of a lake over in Bryon Park. In the fifth
grade, he also attended an afternoon tutoring program at the “Children of God.”
Local legend Sam McNish has been running the program for many years despite
some opposition in the neighborhood who would rather see the property put to a
better use as they see it.
The death of Artesian Cole soon causes
the arrest of Sam McNish by the local cops. Not only is he subsequently blamed for
the murder of Artesian Cole, he is publicly blamed for the disappearances of
other children as well. A fact that does not sit at all well with Willie Black.
Reporter Willie Black is well aware
that the evidence against McNish is barely better than fence line gossip.
Having worked the police beat for many years he is also aware that often the
local cops have it all wrong. Both these two factors push him to start investigating
and digging into the case. As usual, his digging causes issues with local law
enforcement as well as his bosses at the paper who would prefer him to accept
the official line.
Grace: A Willie Black Mystery by Howard Owen
builds on the previous books in the series. Along with the occasional references
to previous books in the series, characters in this read continue to evolve and
change. While one could read this one as the starting point, one could also go
jump off the roof if one wanted to do so. It would be far better to avoid roof
jumping as well as to start this very good series from the beginning, Oregon
Hill.
The Series to this point and my
Reviews
Oregon
Hill (June 14, 2019)
The
Philadelphia Quarry (July 19, 2019)
Parker
Field (September 2019)
The
Bottom (October 4, 2019)
Grace: A Willie Black Mystery
Howard Owen
The Permanent Press
October 2016
ISBN# 978-1-57962-434-7
Hardback (also available in audio and digital formats)
245 Pages
My reading copy came from the Central Downtown Branch of the Dallas
Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Flying Boat Mystery (1935) by Franco Vailati
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Bitter Tea and Mystery Review: Death After Breakfast by Hugh Pentecost
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Death After Breakfast: Hugh Pentecost: I read the Pierre Chambrun novels by Hugh Pentecost years ago, and remember them fondly. Chambrun is the manager of a luxury hotel in New Yo...
Do Some Damage: The Joy of Quitting by David Nemeth
Do Some Damage: The Joy of Quitting: By David Nemeth Americans don't quit enough, a writer may have told me. It might have been, "Americans don't like quitt...
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Keller, Blaedel, Mrs. Sherlock Holmes,...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Keller, Blaedel, Mrs. Sherlock Holmes,...: Reported by Kristin Nevermore began with laughter, as one reader exclaimed that she really did not enjoy A Killing in the Hills...
Beneath the Stains of Time: A Twisted Fairy Tale: "The Too-Perfect Alibi" (194...
Beneath the Stains of Time: A Twisted Fairy Tale: "The Too-Perfect Alibi" (194...: " Dark theaters are best for dark deeds ." Previously, I reviewed Christopher St. John Sprigg's The Perfect Alibi...
Jeanne Reviews: Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert
Please
welcome back Jeanne of the BPL with her latest review …
Past
Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert
As with many small towns, Taylorsford, Virginia is
looking for a festival to act as a draw for tourists. The mayor thinks a
revival of the traditional May Day festivities might be just the ticket, and a
college professor and her class are gathering information on local folklore and
customs to add weight. Things go awry when one of the students goes
missing. The search turns up the
student, injured but alive.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the person found with her. .
. and just like that, librarian Amy
Webber finds herself trying to solve a murder.
This is the third in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, and it is an enjoyable entry. I
confess I had my doubts early on, as Amy’s significant other Richard Muir is
considered a suspect and Amy fears that Richard’s affections may be
waning. One thing I had particularly
appreciated in the series was the relationship between the two characters which
I found refreshing for the lack of
drama. I’m happy to say that issue was
resolved relatively early on in the book, letting the mystery take over.
The small town Blue Ridge setting is well done, and
I especially like the folklore aspect.
Since I live near the region depicted in the books, I found much that
rang true: the old May Day festivals,
the ghosts, hidden treasure, etc. all sounded very familiar.
The plot featured some good twists and turns, red
herrings, and an interesting solution.
Gilbert is good about playing fair with the clues, which I appreciate in
an author.
In short, this is a solid mystery that will
entertain the cozy aficionado. While reading the two prior books in the series
would illuminate character, this can be read as a standalone.
The other books in the series are A Murder for
the Books and Shelved Under Murder.
However, keep in mind that the solution to the first mystery spoiled in
the second. The fourth book in the series, Bound for Murder, is due out
in January 2020.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Do Some Damage: Maxine Unleashes Doomsday
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Monday, November 11, 2019
Matt Paust's Crime Time : EASY ERRORS by Steven F. Havill
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Beneath the Stains of Time: The Perfect Alibi (1934) by Christopher St. John S...
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Bitter Tea and Mystery Review: The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
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Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End...: Reviewed by Jeanne Modern medicine has had an enormous impact on society, and not just in the form of longer lifespans. Ther...
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: Texas Literary Calendar Nov. 11-17...
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Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: Wyatt by Garry Disher
The anti-hero
always has a place in my crime fiction reading. I happily collected all of the Parker
books, was tickled to discover Canada’s equivalent in Wilson, and now I find Wyatt.
Wyatt by Garry Disher (Soho Crime, 2011) is the seventh book in this
series about a professional thief in Melbourne but the first one published in
the U.S. Wyatt
is being driven out of his livelihood by technology. Few people carry enough
cash these days to attract his attention, since they use their credit and debit
cards instead. He lacks the skills to bypass the high-end security systems
protecting large amounts worth the risk. Stealing art is not as easy as taking
cash, and disposing of jewelry can be difficult. He’s begun taking on partners,
which he really doesn’t like to do; they can be unreliable and create another
item to be managed.
Eddie
Oberin, a middleman in the underworld who passes information on for a fee,
approaches Wyatt about the potential of a jewelry heist Eddie’s ex-wife Lydia told
him about. A French courier visits a Melbourne jewelry designer periodically,
bringing gems and watches he’s pinched in Europe. The Melbourne jeweler spreads
the stolen goods among his many retail clients, who in turn market them as
estate wares. The geographic distance between the theft site and the place the
valuables re-appear almost guarantees they won’t be traced.
Wyatt is
reluctant to work with Eddie and Lydia but really has no choice, it’s her score
to begin with. They’ve included him because they need his experience and
planning ability. He and Eddie smoothly steal the van the Melbourne jeweler
uses to transport the stolen loot. They make their way to the park where they
are supposed to remove the gems, leave the van, and meet Lydia, but the gig
goes sideways at that point and Wyatt has to improvise madly.
The story
is like a semi-tractor truck with failed brakes going downhill from there on.
Wyatt struggles to escape capture, contain the fallout, and determine what went
wrong. The plot is complicated, and Wyatt is a great character, smart,
quick-witted, and decisive. The repeated references to how technology has
changed the life of the ordinary thief are thought-provoking. I am adding the
earlier books in the series to my TBR list.
2010 Ned Kelly Award for Crime
Writing, Best Novel. Starred reviews from Booklist, Library
Journal, and Publishers Weekly.
·
Hardcover: 288 pages
·
Publisher: Soho Crime; 1
edition (August 9, 2011)
·
Language: English
·
ISBN-10: 1569479623
·
ISBN-13: 978-1569479629
Aubrey Hamilton ©2019
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on
Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Thoughts of Bouchercon 2019
I don’t know that the world needs another recap of
Bouchercon 2019. But, I had a blast and do have some pictures to share thanks
to Scott. This was my only Boucheron so it was a once in a lifetime experience.
It was also something I never would have done if not for the fact that, for
some insane reason, Carol Puckett arranged things so I was comped for
everything outside of meals and drinks.
Why she did it I have no idea. I also have no idea why so
many folks came up to me and thanked me for what I do. Not just on behalf of
the SMFS, but what I do here with this blog and in general regarding mysteries,
books, and such. Quite honestly, I don’t see it as I feel that no one would
notice if I quietly folded the blog bay doors and called it a day. To have so many tell me that I make an impact
was stunning and overwhelming.
Which was my feeling most of the five days. To meet Reed
Farrel Coleman, Joe Landsdale, Lawrence Block, and many others who actually
knew who the heck I was, was just incredible. Most of the time I was able to
avoid mental vapor lock and actually string a few words together in a sentence or
two that made sense. To finally meet Lesa Holstine and Angela Crider Neary in
person was an incredible treat. To present the Derringer Awards on behalf of
the SMFS, which is as close as I will ever get to that award, was a nerve
wracking and incredible experience.
In short, it was all awesome.
Below are a few pictures of me and others at Bouchercon.
 |
| Lesa Holstine |
 |
| Legendary Dallas QB Roger Staubach |
 |
| Hanging out with Johnny Wesner |
Do Some Damage: A Rock Drummer Amateur PI, by Jonathan Brown
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The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: Derringer Award Presentation 2019
The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: Derringer Award Presentation 2019: During Bouchercon 2019 held at the Hyatt Hotel in Dallas, SMFS President Kevin R. Tipple presented the Derringer Medals to the winners prese...
Saturday, November 09, 2019
SleuthSayers: My Rules of Mystery by Stephen Ross
SleuthSayers: My Rules of Mystery: Many writers have drafted up a set of "rules" for how to write and, specifically, how to write mysteries. I thought now would be a...
KRL Update: KRL This Week for 11/9/19
Up in KRL
this morning a review and giveaway of "Silent Night, Deadly Night" by
Vicki Delany
And a
review and giveaway of "Murder Double or Nothing" by Lida Sideris
We also
have a review and giveaway of "Stain on the Soul" by Michele Drier along
with an interesting interview with Michele
And a
review and ebook giveaway of "Make Believe Murder" by Leslie Langtry,
published by Gemma Halliday Publishing
And a
review of the "Father Brown" TV shows on BritBoxTV, including a look at
the latest season, season 7
We also
have a profile on The Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Arizona
For those
who prefer to listen to Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast directly on KRL, you can find
the player here for the latest episode, "Fig Newtons and Heavy Bags"
written by Earl Staggs and read by local actor Donna Beavers
Up on KRL
News and Reviews this week we have a review and giveaway of "A Curio
Killing" by Mary Ellen Hughes
And a
review and giveaway of "Skin in the Game" by DP Lyle
And a
review and ebook giveaway of "Thanksgiving in Paradise" by Kathi
Daley
Happy
reading,
Lorie
Scott's Take: Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire: Illustrated Edition by J. K. Rowling Illustrator Jim Kay
Harry Potter And The
Goblet of Fire: Illustrated Edition by J. K. Rowling with illustrations
by Jim Kay. This is the 4th book of Harry Potter series and the
fourth to come out with illustrated edition by Jim Kay. The same team is
supposed to be adapting the fifth book which should be coming out in a few
years. Most people who are interested in this series have probably read the original
books and the plot remains the same. What is different here is the text is
accompanied by large illustrations that change the pace of the book.
The original book
is longer than earlier books in the series and that changed how the illustrations
are handled here. There are fewer illustrations in this book and they are not
placed in such a way on the sides of a page to wrap around to the next as was done
before in the previous illustrated volumes.
As in the earlier books in the series, the illustrations here are great
and really add to the story. One of the cooler parts of the book is that the
illustrations are based on how the book depicts characters and scenes rather
than how the movies did it. That makes the illustrations true to the text as
opposed to the Hollywood version we were given.
The book
illustrations are more stylized and more fantasy orientated than the more
realist oriented movie version. There are major changes such as with Victor
Krum who is back to being more emo and somewhat ugly as opposed to the Russian
style pretty boy jock of the movie. The camp preceding the Quidditch World Cup
is illustrated as a whimsical and fun place that clearly showcases how
different the Wizarding World Muggle World. Then there are the more subtle
illustrative changes such as Harry Potter’s eyes are again green and Voldemort
is again red eyed. Both of which were very different for the movie.
These illustrated editions are a lot of fun and really are cool as they depict things as author J. K. Rowling originally intended. I highly recommend this book as well as the other editions in the illustrated series for fellow Harry Potter type fans.
Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire: Illustrated Edition
J. K.
Rowling
Illustrator
Jim Kay
Arthur E.
Levine Books Scholastic Inc.
October 2019
ISBN #978-0-545-79142-7
Coffee Table
Hardback
464 Pages
Material supplied by the Grauwyler Park Branch of the Dallas
Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2019
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