From
the archive…
Texas
author Mark Troy brings together in this collection titled GAME FACE
eight short stories featuring his signature character Val Lyon. A tough talking
wise cracking private investigator that brooks no interference when there is a
case to be solved. This former military brat calls Hawaii home. Along with plenty of the sights, sounds, and
history of the islands, readers get strong well written stories featuring
complex cases and the always present search for justice.
After
a forward that explains some of the history behind the character, the book
opens with “Teed Off.” Glenn Floeck owns a line of golf shops under the name
“Teed Off.” He plans to expand his company to the islands. That means he and
his bodyguard, Frodo Baggins, need a car and a driver. Val Lyon can provide
both along with plenty of attitude and investigative skills. By working
undercover and getting close to him she can get the answers she needs. The
answers will come one way or another in this very good story.
Val
Lyon is an athlete so there is a sports angle to every story in some way. In
“Home Wreckers” star Julie Storm is dead and Coach Sherri Costello, head coach
of the Tropical Storm, wants her help.
The players of the women’s Professional Basketball League are not
supposed to be dead. But, Julie Storm is very dead and the team, as well as Val
Lyon, is in huge trouble.
Next
up is “Kill Leader” when Val Lyon has to protect Paula Evangelista from a
killer. Paula is something else when she is playing beach volleyball and
seemingly scoring at will. She scores off the beach too with a clothing line, a
generous sponsor, and work as a model. For somebody, all that is too much and
he or she wants her dead.
Val
Lyon is at Memorial Arena on the campus of U. C. Santa Christa and back on the
court she once played far too many games to count in “The Big Dance With
Death.” Head coach of the female
basketball team, Carol Onofrido, needs her help and Val is more than ready to
help. Even if it means the legendary Val
Lyon has to go undercover as an assistant coach to stop what appears at first
to be stalking while the team works to stay in the tournament.
“Wahine
O Ka Hoe” opens with a tragedy in the sea surrounding the island of Oahu.
Something went wrong aboard the canoe and now fellow teammate Nani is dead. The
medical examiner thinks it was an accident caused by a rogue wave. Was it? Did someone take advantage of the
chaos at sea to kill one of the “Women of The Paddle” or was it an accident?
Readers
go from the sea to the air in “Drop Dead Zone.” A constant need in Val Lyon’s
life is her need for adrenaline. Because of that, she is onboard a Cessna
airplane preparing to make a parachute jump as this story opens. All the hard
work of learning how to skydive is about to pay off as she and three others
leave the safety of the airplane and begin their fall to earth. Not everyone
lands via parachute. Was it an accident or was it murder?
Somebody
is swiping the sperm from award winning bulls and owner Doyle Gillispie wants
it stopped in “Horns.” He doesn’t know who is the stealing his championship
bull sperm, but he knows it is happening and makes it very clear he wants Val
Lyon to stop it. The last thing Val wants is this case or this client. But, you do what you have to do when you need
to make the car payment. The championship bulls Gillispie owns and his possible
suspect will be at the upcoming rodeo in Maui. So too will be private investigator
Val Lyon.
The
bites on the surf board Alana Nichols was using indicate a serious shark attack
in “Ripper.” There is blood on the remnants of the surf board, most likely
blood from Alana Nichols, but there is no body. Terry, Alana’s mother, is
convinced she is alive and not a victim of a shark attack. She has questions, such as what happened to
Alana’s computer, and wants Val’s help in finding her daughter.
After
eight very good stories, the book closes with Chapter One of the novel Pilikia
Is My Business. Pilikia means “trouble” in Hawaiian and public defender
Brian Magruder has quite the job for her. I have reviewed the novel before and
it is a good one without question.
Val
Lyon is an interesting character and one can see how she changes through the
years in these previously published stories. Now available as a collection of
the single short stories, GAME FACE, not only brings them
together, it also includes the cover art work from each single. A nice touch
that works well in the collection. Filled with plenty of action, interesting
cases, and difficult situations this book is a solidly good read. The book also
serves to what the reader appetite for the novel Pilikia Is My Business.
One
hopes there will be many more Val Lyon stories as well as a novel or two in the
future.
Amazon
Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4tW7SUA
Material
supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin
R. Tipple © 2012, 2017, 2022, 2026
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