Senior News Newspaper--December

For some time now I have been writing a monthly book review column for the Senior News newspaper. The Senior News is aimed to the over 50 crowd with news relevant to seniors regarding various issues, humor pieces, and my review column among other things. The newspaper is a giveaway at doctor offices, stores, etc. and can be received by via a paid subscription.

My column every month focuses on books of interest to the Texas audience. Therefore books selected for the column, fiction or non-fiction, are written by Texas residents, feature Texans in some way, or would have some other connection to the Texas based readership. At least two books are covered each month in the short space I am given.

Below is/was my December column with the addition here of the relevant book covers……

Pattern Of Wounds: A Roland March Mystery

J. Mark Bertrand

Bethany House

ISBN# 978-0-7642-0638-2

Trade Paperback

368 Pages 

Friday, December 4^th it snowed in Houston. That was yesterday and this is now on a Saturday night. While the rain falls on the city of Houston, a body lays half in and half out of the heated swimming pool behind a posh home. The young woman is dead and the wounds across her back tell part of the story. Too perfect, too neat, the stab wounds aren’t what killed 24 old Simon Walker. Something else is at work in the crime too, a possible link to a ten year old murder case, though others involved don’t see it that way at all.

What Detective Roland March does know for sure is that he is on the hunt for a killer in the sequel to “Back on Murder.” This novel builds on that book while showing an author whose writing style has improved significantly. Filled with complex characters, a twisting case, and plenty of nuance and action, “Pattern Of Wounds” by former Houstonian J. Mark Bertrand is a good book in the series and well worth your time.

The Wild Hog Murders: A Dan Rhodes Mystery

Bill Crider

A Thomas Dunne Book (Minotaur Books)

ISBN# 978-0-312-64149-8

Hardback

264 Pages

Feral hogs have been running wild in Texas for years. The feral hog issue is the backdrop in the latest Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery, “The Wild Hog Murders.” There are some in the county that want the hogs hunted down until the very last one is dead. There are others who save everything. Somebody is dumping hog body parts at the recue wildlife center making the owners, the Chandlers, pretty upset.

That investigation has to take a backseat to an ongoing murder investigation where the feral hogs are innocent unless the hogs have figured out how to shoot guns. If that wasn’t bad enough, Sheriff Rhodes also has to deal with the return of the notorious Rapper and Nellie and their signature motorcycles. Rhodes really does not like hogs, living or machine, and for very good reason.

The 18^th in this series written by legendary Texas Author Bill Crider is another comfortable cozy style read set in the woods of East Texas. Everyone is back in this well established series. The focus, as always, is on the current case, personal relationships, and daily life in this small Texas county.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2011