Thursday, July 31, 2014
Meeting: MWASW Dallas-- Chief Frank Spills All on Saturday, August 2
As posted elsewhere.....
As those of you who have heard Chief Frank speak in the past know, the phrase, "variety of assignments" opens the door to all the fun. Want to know how he tested police officers who asked to get into undercover narcotics? Come ask him. How to get money launderers to give up all their partners? He will tell you. In fact, in his previous visits, there's only been one question he didn't answer, and that's because it was an ongoing case that made headlines a few months ago. So let's ask him about that case on Saturday, August 2.
--
James E. Gaskin
http://www.gaskin.com
Writer / Consultant / Speaker
Latest book: Email From a Dead Friend (Kindle)
Saturday, August 2, 2014 - Chief Frank
Frank G. McElligott is the Police Chief of the Hutchins Police Department, Hutchins, Texas. Chief McElligott has a diverse law enforcement background with over thirty years of Law Enforcement experience. Chief McElligott started his career as a police officer with the Greece Police Department in upstate New York. He also served over twenty eight years with the Plano Police Department where he held a variety of assignments.As those of you who have heard Chief Frank speak in the past know, the phrase, "variety of assignments" opens the door to all the fun. Want to know how he tested police officers who asked to get into undercover narcotics? Come ask him. How to get money launderers to give up all their partners? He will tell you. In fact, in his previous visits, there's only been one question he didn't answer, and that's because it was an ongoing case that made headlines a few months ago. So let's ask him about that case on Saturday, August 2.
Location:
The Dallas MWASW group meets the first Saturday of each month at Texas Land & Cattle, 812 South Central Expressway, Richardson, TX 75080. Meeting time is 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. There is a $5.00 door fee, cash only (correct change greatly appreciated). All who attend are invited to remain for lunch. Contact info: james@gaskin.com--
James E. Gaskin
http://www.gaskin.com
Writer / Consultant / Speaker
Latest book: Email From a Dead Friend (Kindle)
Via Rough Edges: New From Rough Edges Press: A Skinning War - David...
Rough Edges: New From Rough Edges Press: A Skinning War - David...: In the days following the Civil War, Clint Gordon returns to his home in a devastated Texas to find himself facing another war, this time...
Review: "The Adventures of Summer McPhee of Ocracoke Island: The Pink Lady" by Douglas Quinn
The latest in the series The Adventures
of Summer McPhee of Ocracoke Island: The Pink Lady finds Summer happily
enjoying what she calls “The Big Break.” It is the summer time and with no
school she can sleep late or get up early and go fishing on and around the
outer banks. In fact, she can do about anything including spending some time
feeding the ducks out at Silver Lake Harbor.
That was her plan for this
day until, as she rode her bike past him, she was flagged down by Sheriff
Caswell. He seems to be a nice enough guy though he is dating her widowed mom
and Summer isn't sure just yet what she thinks about that. It is a little weird
though he does seem to make her mom happy. It is also a bit weird what Sheriff
Caswell wants her to do instead of feeding the ducks. He wants her to watch a
certain boat at one of the docks. He wants her to watch it for the next three
hours and keep track of who is on board and what they are doing. If she agrees
to help him out Sheriff Caswell will pay her 21 bucks and call her mom to let
her know what is going on. Summer has
something in mind for the money so she is quite eager to do the job.
Watching a boat where absolutely
nothing is going on is boring---even if the boat is painted a very bright pink.
Everything seems boringly normal and then Ellie Antonelli shows up. She lives
on the boat as the girls get to talking it doesn't take long for Summer to
realize Ellie is in some kind of trouble and needs help. Not just because
Hurricane Angela is headed toward Ocracoke Island as Ellie's mom and step-dad
are not the best parents in the world by a long shot.
As in earlier books in this
very well done series, interspersed with the mystery are lessons about caring
about others and doing the right thing. The nuances with both are subtle and the
characters involved don't preach--- they show by action what it means to be a
responsible caring person. The mystery is also well done as Summer works to
help Ellie while the adults in her life work to not only protect Summer and
Ellie, but to make things safer for all. It’s another good read from the
talented author Douglas Quinn and, like the others from this author, a good book
you can allow your child to read without worrying about the content or language
issues.
The Adventures of Summer McPhee of
Ocracoke Island: The Pink Lady
Douglas Quinn
AAS White Heron Press
June 2014
ISBN# 13-978-1499746235
Paperback
132 Pages
Material supplied by the
author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Via MWA-- New Books by MWA Members – August 2014
So far I have read and reviewed the ones by Box, Crider and Jance ......
Via WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: San Diego Comic-Con Catch-Up
WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: San Diego Comic-Con Catch-Up: Yeah, I realize it's all over, and no one's really talking about this year's San Diego Comic-Con any more, but I've been ...
Senior News Newspaper Book Review Column--July 2014
For
my monthly newspaper book review column in the Senior News Newspaper, I try to make sure to choose one fiction and
one nonfiction book in the hopes of interesting more readers. Since it was
Texas based, I went with Cold In July
as my mystery offering and an outdoors resource book for my nonfiction
offering. Longer reviews of both are available on the blog. Included below are
the relevant book covers for my July 2014 column…
Cold In July
Joe R. Lansdale
Tachyon Publications
ISBN# 978-1-61696-161-9
Trade Paperback (e-book available)
288 Pages
Crime just doesn't happen in the small east Texas town of LaBorde. It certainly doesn't happen to respectable people like Richard Dane and his family. Until that July night, Richard's toughest job was dealing with his young toddler son and his penchant for always spilling his milk. Then, that one night, he killed a man and everything changed.
For the police it is an open
and shut case of self-defense. For the local residents who learn of the
shooting in the coming hours the event is open to discussion and speculation.
The shooting of an intruder is the biggest thing to happen in the area in quite
some time. While Richard feels incredible guilt and remorse other folks can’t
shut up about it. Things are about to get much worse. For Ben Russel, an ex-con
and Freddy's absentee father, the death of his son is an injustice that will be
avenged.
Originally published in
1989, the book is now published by Tachyon Publishing as a tie in to the movie
starring Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard, and Don Johnson. The read is incredibly
good. If the movie closely follows the book, and one gets the idea it will from
the forward written by film director Jim Mickle and the afterword from the
author, it should be one heck of a movie. Cold In July is one heck of a read
and very much worthy of your time.
The Total Outdoorsman Manual:
Updated & Expanded (10th Anniversary Edition)
T.
Edward Nickens and the Editors of Field & Stream Magazine
Weldon
Owen Inc. (division of Bonnier as is Field &Stream Magazine)
ISBN#
978-1-61628-639-2
Hardback
320
Pages
The Total Outdoorsman Manual: Updated & Expanded by T. Edwards Nickens and the Editors of Field & Stream Magazine is designed to be a one stop resource for the outdoorsman whether he be a novice or experienced. Developed from publishing the magazine for decades, the information contained in this hardback book covers just about everything one would need for any outdoor endeavor. The detailed color coded sections of this book cover camping, fishing, hunting, survival skills, and are designed for folks that want to go to the backcountry far from people and assistance.
A four page index along with
information on the magazine, credits and acknowledgments bring this book to a
close. The clear and concise information and illustrations, as well as the many
photographs, make the book worth your time and an important resource for you
and others on your next trip to the great outdoors.
Kevin R Tipple ©2014
Author of Mind
Slices and
contributor to the Carpathian Shadows,
Volume II Anthology
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Review: "The Dead Will Tell: A Kate Burkholder Novel" by Linda Castillo
The past is never truly buried. As any mystery
reader knows, the past often comes back with a vengeance leaving a trail of
bodies and carnage in its wake. Such is the case here in The Dead Will Tell: A Kate
Burkholder Novel by Linda Castillo. The author once again takes readers
to the Amish country she has made familiar in another tale where the past is almost
as big a character as the actual characters themselves.
The latest in this very good series begins in early
March 1979 with a home invasion/robbery. Things go very wrong almost from the start
and the night ends with a massacre and a family tragedy. Billy Hochstetler, a
fourteen year old boy, was the sole survivor of a night of terror that took the
lives of everyone else in his family. A horrific crime that remains unsolved
today 35 years later.
But, somebody knows what happened that night and has
begun sending notes to those involved. The notes are ominous reminders of their
crimes and the promise that justice is coming for them all. Whether it is justice
or not, one by one people are definitely being murdered in the Painter’s Mill area of Ohio. Who is doing the killing is
just one of the many questions Police Chief Kate Burkholder will have to solve
in this intense read.
With The Dead Will Tell author Linda
Castillo may have penned the best book in the series that started with Sworn
To Silence. Not that any of the succeeding books have been slouches by
any means, but this one ratchets up the intensity from start to finish. Not
just in the professional storyline of Kate Burkholder and her department trying
to stop a determined killer, but in the ongoing storyline regarding the
relationship between her and John Tomasetti.
The
Dead Will Tell: A Kate Burkholder Novel by Linda
Castillio is an intense and exceptionally good read. Like many complicated
series that are so much better when read in order, you should begin with Sworn To Silence and work your way forward. It will be well worth it as The
Dead Will Tell is an incredible book and very strongly recommended.
The Dead Will Tell: A Kate Burkholder Novel
Linda
Castillo
July
2014
ISBN#
978-1-250-02957-7
Hardback
(also available as an e-book)
320
Pages
$25.99
ARC
by way of the wonderful Lesa Holstine who sent her copy so that I did not have
to wait months on my library hold list. Lesa also reviewed the book here.
Kevin
R. Tipple ©2014
Monday, July 28, 2014
Via Denise Weeks, Mystery Author: REMINDER: Book Event August 9 11-1 at Lucky Dog B...
Jenny Milchman and the crew are doing this again this year to help raise funds for Sandi's cancer treatemnt. When you have cancer, insurance does not cover lots of things. We are in debt to thousands of dollars and on payment plans to everyone but the dog catcher. We are very grateful for everyone's efforts to help us. If Sandi is physically strong enough she plans to attend .....
Denise Weeks, Mystery Author: REMINDER: Book Event August 9 11-1 at Lucky Dog B...: REMINDER to all DFW denizens! The Jenny Milchman World Book Tour stops in Dallas on August 9th from 11 AM to 1 PM at Lucky Dog Books, Lochwood...
Denise Weeks, Mystery Author: REMINDER: Book Event August 9 11-1 at Lucky Dog B...: REMINDER to all DFW denizens! The Jenny Milchman World Book Tour stops in Dallas on August 9th from 11 AM to 1 PM at Lucky Dog Books, Lochwood...
Crime Review Update-- New issue of Crime Review
As posted elsewhere earlier....
In our new edition of Crime Review (www.crimereview.co.uk) this week we have sixteen reviews, together with Brian McGilloway in the Countdown interview hot seat: Crime Review can be followed on Twitter: @CrimeReviewUK Linda Wilson can be followed on Twitter: @CrimeReviewer Sharon Wheeler can be followed on Twitter: @lartonmedia This week’s reviews are: DARKNESS, DARKNESS by John Harvey, reviewed by Sharon Wheeler. Charlie Resnick comes out of virtual retirement to help investigate the murder of a woman during the miners’ strike 30 years ago. THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR by Joel Dicker, reviewed by John Cleal. Best-selling young author Marcus Goldman turns to his former professor to overcome a bad case of writer’s block only to discover that his mentor has been hiding an affair with a 15-year-old girl for more than 30 years. When the girl’s remains are found, Goldman, with the help of a determined detective, sets out to investigate. CHILDREN OF WAR by Martin Walker, reviewed by Linda Wilson. Inspector Bruno Courrèges has to juggle an investigation into the brutal death of an undercover French cop with the clandestine return to France of Sami, a young Muslim man who appears to have been involved in terrorist activities in Afghanistan. A FEW DROPS OF BLOOD by Jan Merete Weiss, reviewed by Chris Roberts. Captain Natalia Monte is assigned the case of two men found murdered and posed in a private garden. Several people have a motive but the trail is cold. A DARK AND TWISTED TIDE by Sharon Bolton, reviewed by Linda Wilson. Lacey Flint has had enough of being a detective. A transfer to the Marine Unit suits her very nicely, but trouble seems to follow Lacey around no matter where she goes, and when bodies start to turn up in her beloved river, she can’t just sit on the sidelines. SPEEDY DEATH by Gladys Mitchell, reviewed by Sylvia Maughan. A member of a house party does not appear for dinner. A search of the house uncovers a body in the bath. Mrs Bradley is intrigued and begins to investigate. HOLLOW MOUNTAIN by Thomas Mogford, reviewed by Chris Roberts. When his legal partner is injured in a hit-and-run, Spike Sanguinetti takes over a marine salvage case where the principals are playing for very high stakes. REVENGER by Tom Cain, reviewed by John Cleal. When ex-marine Samuel Carver finds himself in the middle of a riot in South London he has to fall back on his instincts and years of training as the riot turns into a battleground THE COUNTERFEIT AGENT by Alex Berenson, reviewed by Arnold Taylor. The CIA deputy head of the Istanbul Station receives information from a mysterious man who claims to belong to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard that two Israeli embassies are to be attacked. When the attack is followed by a prediction that a station chief is to be assassinated it has to be taken very seriously. THE ABOMINATION by Jonathan Holt, reviewed by Sylvia Wilson. A murdered woman in priest’s robes is washed up on the steps of a Venetian church. As Capitano Katerina Tapo investigates, she is drawn into a world of international conspiracy with shocking consequences. THEFT OF LIFE by Imogen Robertson, reviewed by John Cleal. A former West Indies slaver is found dead in the grounds of St Paul’s Cathedral. Gabriel Crowther and Harriet Westerman find themselves investigating wealthy and influential traders in human misery who will do anything to protect their trade and their profits. NO REGRETS, COYOTE by John Dufresne, reviewed by Chris Roberts. Wylie ‘Coyote’ Melville is called in as a consultant to the scene of an apparent double death, but his doubts lead him into trouble with the local police. DEAD OF WINTER by Elizabeth Corley, reviewed by Sharon Wheeler. A schoolgirl disappears from a private school, and police seem one step behind as freezing weather closes in. HARD KILL by JB Turner, reviewed by Linda Wilson. When an American diplomat goes missing, ex-Special Forces soldier Jon Reznick is asked to join the team charged with finding him. THE CURSE OF BABYLON by Richard Blake, reviewed by John Cleal. Amid the plotting, revolts and wild hedonism of the remains of the Roman empire at the beginning of the seventh century, English adventurer Aelric faces his hardest challenge as he tries to stop a Persian invasion – and deal with a determined and dangerous woman. TIDE by Daniela Sacerdoti, reviewed by Linda Wilson. Sarah Midnight is a demon hunter, caught up in a deadly war and not knowing who to trust: Sean, who’s already lied to her, or the mysterious Nicholas who she knows almost nothing about. If she makes the wrong choice, she could die. Best wishes Sharon
Via The Passing Tramp: Some Wicked and Wounded Women: The Lethal Sex (195...
The Passing Tramp: Some Wicked and Wounded Women: The Lethal Sex (195...: ....As you read each [story], keep in mind that a woman wrote it, and try to imagine what special qualities inhabit the mind and heart an...
Review: "Crochet: The Complete Step-By-Step Guide" by DK Editors
Billed as a resource book
for crocheters at all levels, Crochet: The Complete Step-By-Step Guide
features the basics and over 80 patterns at all skill levels. Visually stunning
thanks to the well done photographs, the book showcases quite a number of possibilities
for gifts, home use, and more.
After a section on the basics of tools, various types of yarn, stitches, and more the book goes on to projects. Some are simple such as “Beaded Necklace” (pages 28-29) or “Cell Phone Covers” (pages 36-37) to the far more complex “Baby Blanket” (pages 148-149) and “Flower Pin Cushion” (pages 184-185) and others. Each of the more than eighty projects has detailed instructions, a recommended skill level, pictures of the finished project, and often a tip to make the item more useful or easier to make.
A two page glossary, an
eight page index, and a one page acknowledgment/ author bio bring this over 300
page book to a close.
While a comprehensive and
interesting book Crochet: The Complete Step-By-Step Guidet suffers from
organization issues. Many of the projects seem to have little rhyme or reason
as to why they are placed here or there and the table of contents is a bit
scattered. The result is a good book that is made more difficult to use than it
should be.
Crochet: The Complete Step-By-Step Guide
DK Editors
DK Publishing
February 2014
ISBN# 978-1-4654-1591-2
Hardback
320 Pages
$40.00
Material
supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System. The annual
book sale is scheduled this year for August 8-10. More details are at the Friends of the Plano Public Library website.
Kevin R.
Tipple ©2014
Sunday, July 27, 2014
EuroCrime Update-- New Reviews on Euro Crime: Fossum, Goddard, Hall, Kerr, Magson. Oswald, Ridpath, Smith, Stiastny
As posted elsewhere earlier today....
Here are nine reviews which have been added to the Euro Crime website today, two have appeared on the blog over the last week and seven are completely new.
NB. You can keep up to date with 'Euro Crime' by following the blog and/or liking the Euro Crime Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/eurocrimewebsite).
New Reviews:
Laura Root reviews Karin Fossum's 'The Murder of Harriet Krohn' tr. James Anderson, the seventh in the Inspector Sejer series and which completes the set of one to ten in English; however it appears, pleasingly, that there are a couple more, newer, Sejers to be translated;
Geoff Jones reviews Robert Goddard's 'The Corners of the Globe', which is now the middle part of a trilogy;
Michelle Peckham reviews 'The Burning' by M R Hall, the latest in the Jenny Cooper, Coroner series;
Terry Halligan reviews a standalone by Philip Kerr - 'Research';
Lynn Harvey reviews Adrian Magson's 'Death at the Clos du Lac', the fourth in the Inspector Lucas Rocco series set in 1960s France;
'Dead Men's Bones' is the fourth in James Oswald's Inspector McLean series set in Edinburgh, reviewed here by Terry;
Lynn also reviews 'Meltwater' by Michael Ridpath, the third in his Icelandic series;
Amanda Gillies reviews Anna Smith's 'Betrayed', the fourth in the Glasgow reporter Rosie Gilmour series
and Susan reviews Terry Stiastny's debut 'Acts of Omission'.
Previous reviews can be found in the review archive.
Forthcoming titles can be found by author or date or by category, here along with releases by year.
http://www.eurocrime.co.uk/review_list.html or via the blog: http://eurocrime.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/new-reviews-fossum-goddard-hall-kerr.html.
Forthcoming titles can be found by author or date or by category, here (http://eurocrime.co.uk/future_releases.html) along with releases by year.
best wishes,
Karen M
@eurocrime
Here are nine reviews which have been added to the Euro Crime website today, two have appeared on the blog over the last week and seven are completely new.
NB. You can keep up to date with 'Euro Crime' by following the blog and/or liking the Euro Crime Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/eurocrimewebsite).
New Reviews:
Laura Root reviews Karin Fossum's 'The Murder of Harriet Krohn' tr. James Anderson, the seventh in the Inspector Sejer series and which completes the set of one to ten in English; however it appears, pleasingly, that there are a couple more, newer, Sejers to be translated;
Geoff Jones reviews Robert Goddard's 'The Corners of the Globe', which is now the middle part of a trilogy;
Michelle Peckham reviews 'The Burning' by M R Hall, the latest in the Jenny Cooper, Coroner series;
Terry Halligan reviews a standalone by Philip Kerr - 'Research';
Lynn Harvey reviews Adrian Magson's 'Death at the Clos du Lac', the fourth in the Inspector Lucas Rocco series set in 1960s France;
'Dead Men's Bones' is the fourth in James Oswald's Inspector McLean series set in Edinburgh, reviewed here by Terry;
Lynn also reviews 'Meltwater' by Michael Ridpath, the third in his Icelandic series;
Amanda Gillies reviews Anna Smith's 'Betrayed', the fourth in the Glasgow reporter Rosie Gilmour series
and Susan reviews Terry Stiastny's debut 'Acts of Omission'.
Previous reviews can be found in the review archive.
Forthcoming titles can be found by author or date or by category, here along with releases by year.
http://www.eurocrime.co.uk/review_list.html or via the blog: http://eurocrime.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/new-reviews-fossum-goddard-hall-kerr.html.
Forthcoming titles can be found by author or date or by category, here (http://eurocrime.co.uk/future_releases.html) along with releases by year.
best wishes,
Karen M
@eurocrime
Meeting: Dallas MWASW -- Reminder: Chief Frank on Saturday, August 2nd
As posted elsehwere:
Saturday, August 2, 2014 - Chief Frank
James
--
James E. Gaskin
http://www.gaskin.com
Writer / Consultant / Speaker
Latest book: Email From a Dead Friend (Kindle)
Saturday, August 2, 2014 - Chief Frank
Frank G. McElligott is the Police Chief of the
Hutchins Police Department, Hutchins, Texas. Chief McElligott has a
diverse law enforcement background with over thirty years of Law
Enforcement experience. Chief McElligott started his career as a
police officer with the Greece Police Department in upstate New
York. He also served over twenty eight years with the Plano Police
Department where he held a variety of assignments.
As those of you who have heard Chief Frank speak
in the past know, the phrase, "variety of assignments" opens the
door to all the fun. Want to know how he tested police officers who
asked to get into undercover narcotics? Come ask him. How to get
money launderers to give up all their partners? He will tell you. In
fact, in his previous visits, there's only been one question he
didn't answer, and that's because it was an ongoing case that made
headlines a few months ago. So let's ask him about that case on
Saturday, August 2.
Location:
The Dallas MWASW group meets the first Saturday of each month at Texas Land & Cattle, 812 South Central Expressway, Richardson, TX 75080. Meeting time is 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. There is a $5.00 door fee, cash only (correct change greatly appreciated). All who attend are invited to remain for lunch. Contact info: james@gaskin.com--
James E. Gaskin
http://www.gaskin.com
Writer / Consultant / Speaker
Latest book: Email From a Dead Friend (Kindle)
Via Jacqueline Seewald: Valuable Resources for Writers by Jacqueline Seewa...
Jacqueline Seewald: Valuable Resources for Writers by Jacqueline Seewa...: The internet offers loads of writer's publications and newsletters, many of which are free. Surf the internet for writer's web si...
Review: "The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics" by Dean Fearing with Judith Choate and Eric Dreyer
The latest in a long line of
cook books from Dean Fearing is another that expresses love for the Lone Star
state. The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics is
designed to be a one stop resource for the cook. This cookbook co-written with
Judith Choate and Eric Dreyer works well if you have the skills, the hours of
cooking time, and are feeding folks with no dietary restrictions.
After an introduction that
explains Dean Fearing's history if you are unaware of it, it is on to
“Fearing's Texas Pantry.” This section runs 33 pages and takes readers through
beans, herbs, dried spices, rubs, gravies and sauces, dressings and vinaigrettes,
and more. These are the recipes that provide the cornerstone of his dishes.
The meals start with Chapter
One “Breakfast and Brunch” and lead off with “Eggs Ranchero” on pages 48-49.
Also in this section is “Breakfast Burritos with Charred Tomato Salsa and Smoky
Black Beans “(page 53) and “Jaxson and Campbell-Style Pancakes” (page 59) among
others. Each recipe has detailed instructions, a serving suggestion or how many
of the item it will make, and sometimes a picture of the finished dish. There
is no dietary information of any kind so those who have to deal with dietary
restrictions of any type are ignored. This same format continues throughout the
book.
“Starters and Soups” come
next with recipes for “Modern Buffalo Tacos with Blue Cheese Dressing and
Smoked Chile Aioli” (pages 66-67), “Smoked Chicken Nachos” (pages 72-73) and
“Fourth-of-July Deviled Eggs” (page 83) among others. The deviled eggs have a
kick to them as they include as much as you want of Tabasco Chipotle sauce before
being topped off with “Fearing’s Barbecue Spice Blend” (page 39) as
garnish.
Chapter Three is on “Salads”
and begins on page 92. Here is where you find his “Red Chile Caesar Salad with
Grilled Radicchio and Romaine Hearts” (pages 96-97), “Firecracker Slaw” (page
101) or “Lucian's Crab Salad” (page 107) among others.
“Main Courses” is next and
at the heart of the book. Along with various pork and chicken recipes there are
ones for “Barbecue Spiced Beef Tenderloin” (page 121) and “Tex-Mex Baked potato
Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce” (page 153). Variety is very present in this
section and the entire cookbook, but it is a little surprising there isn't one
steak recipe in the section.
“Texas-Style Chili” on page
158 leads off chapter 5 titled “Chillies, Braises, and Stews.” Also included
here is “East Texas Seafood Jambalaya” (page 162-163), “Panhandle Vegetable
Stew” (page 169) among others.
Chapter Six “Working the
Smoker and the Grill” begins with a general explanation of smoking technique
and an ode to the legendary Sonny Bryan's on Inwood on Dallas. Here is where
you find “Robert Del Grande's Grilled Rib Eye Steaks with Backyard Steak Sauce”
on page 186-187 and a few other recipes for outdoor cooking. This is also a
very short section of the book.
“Sides” comes next with
various recipes for beans, corn, dressings, grits, and other things. Along with
“Campfire Barbecue Beans” on page 193 there is his recipe for “Crispy Sweet
Onion Rings” (page 201), “Avocado Fries” (page 203) and “Fried Green Tomatoes”
(page 208).
“Breads and Rolls” are the
subject of Chapter Eight and begin on page 212 with “Bacon-Jalapeno Biscuits.”
Also here are recipes for “Spicy Cheese Crackers” (page 216) and “Navajo Fry
Bread” (page 220) among others in this very short chapter.
“Desserts” come next and
feature “Brown Sugar Peaches with Pistachio Ice Cream” (page 228), “Chocolate Shiner
Bock Cake” (page 235) and “Texas Chess Pie” (page 237) among others.
The book closes with a
sources page, an acknowledgment page, a ten page index and two pages of author
bios.
The Texas Food Bible: From
Legendary Dishes To New Classics is an interesting cookbook. Totally
absent in terms of nutritional or dietary information, the book has numerous
recipes for various situations in terms of daily meals as well as when guests
come over. Heavily geared towards those with extensive culinary skills it may
not work as well for the average cook at home.
The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary
Dishes To New Classics
Dean Fearing with Judith Choate and
Eric Dreyer
Photographs by Dave Carlin
Grand Central Life & Style
(Hachette Book Group)
April 2014
ISBN# 978-1-4555-7430-8
Hardback
$30.00
260 Pages
Material supplied by the good folks
of the Plano Texas Public Library
System. The annual book sale is scheduled for August 8-10. More details are
at the Friends
of the Plano Public Library website.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014
Shop Amazon - Hot New Releases in Kitchen & Dining
Saturday, July 26, 2014
KRL Update This Week-- Mystery short story by Ben Solomon and much more in KRL this week
As seen elsewhere earlier today....
--
Up this morning in Kings River Life Magazine reviews &
giveaways of 5 mysteries from Penguin authors: "Ill-Gotten Panes" by
Jennifer McAndrews, "Silence of the Lambs Wool" by Betty Hechtman, "Tailing
a Tabby" by Laurie Cass, "Grace Against the Clock" By Julie Hyzy,
and "Some Enchanted Éclair" by Bailey Cates http://kingsriverlife.com/07/26/a-batch-of-july-mysteries-from-penguin/
Also up, an interesting article by Terry Ambrose about
mystery series that have been carried on by other writers http://kingsriverlife.com/07/26/mystery-series-taken-over-by-other-writers/
We also have an interesting interview with mystery author
Marcia Muller http://kingsriverlife.com/07/26/interview-with-mystery-author-marcia-muller/
And we have a mystery short story by Ben Solomon http://kingsriverlife.com/07/26/the-hard-boiled-detective-the-kid-mystery-short-story/
You can also enjoy the latest mystery Coming Attractions
column by Sunny Frazier, featuring authors like Kelli Stanley, LJ Sellers, and
William Krueger http://kingsriverlife.com/07/26/coming-attractions-end-of-summer-edition/
Lastly, for those who enjoy some fantasy with their mystery,
a review & giveaway of "Magic
City: Recent Spells," an
anthology that has short stories by writers like Jim Butcher and Patricia
Briggs http://kingsriverlife.com/07/26/magic-city-recent-spells-an-urban-fantasy-anthology/
As always, you can also find all of these by going to our home page and scrolling down http://KingsRiverLife.com
Happy reading,
Lorie
--
KRL is now selling advertising & we have special discounts for
mystery authors & bookstores! Ask me about it!
Mystery section in Kings River Life http://KingsRiverLife.com
Check out my own blog at http://mysteryratscloset.blogspot.com/
mystery authors & bookstores! Ask me about it!
Mystery section in Kings River Life http://KingsRiverLife.com
Via MAKE MINE MYSTERY: Guest: Jan Christensen with TRICKS OF THE TRADE
MAKE MINE MYSTERY: Guest: Jan Christensen with TRICKS OF THE TRADE: I'm delighted to host my old friend, Jan Christensen today! She not OLD, we've just known each other in cyberspace for quite a fe...
Via SleuthSayers: Stranded Again
The Strand Magazine is one of those top tier markets I have tried to get into in the past without success. For me to take another crack at them I have to get writing again. Meanwhile John M. Floyd pulled it off again.....
SleuthSayers: Stranded Again: by John M. Floyd As I was trying to decide what to write for today, it dawned on me that some of the columns I have enjoyed the most ...
SleuthSayers: Stranded Again: by John M. Floyd As I was trying to decide what to write for today, it dawned on me that some of the columns I have enjoyed the most ...
Morons On Parade
A couple of folks have been drinking some HATERAID this morning and commenting here at Amazon on my review from six years ago of THE LAST QUARRY. Probably one sad pathetic person hiding behind two faked names since the comments came in within minutes of each other.
Meeting: Sisters In Crime North Dallas Chapter Sunday, July 27, 2014 2-4 PM
The next meeting of the Sisters In Crime North Dallas Chapter will be held at the Frisco Public Library in Frisco, Texas from 2 to 4 pm Sunday. Larry Enmon, retired Secret Service Agent and Thriller Writer is the scheduled speaker. More details are available on the Sister In Crime North Dallas Chapter website.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Becuase Its Funny
Sent by my good friend Lisa.....
In a dark and hazy room, peering into a crystal ball, the fortune teller delivered grave news:
In a dark and hazy room, peering into a crystal ball, the fortune teller delivered grave news:
"There's
no easy way to tell you this, so I'll just be blunt. Prepare yourself
to be a widow. Your husband will die a violent and horrible death this
year.”
Visibly shaken, the young woman stared
back at the old woman's lined face, then at the single
flickering candle, then down at her shaking hands. She took a few deep breaths to compose herself. Her mind raced.
A question forced its way out... she simply had to know.
She met the Fortune Teller’s gaze, tried to steady her voice and asked, "Will I be acquitted?"
Back Home
Back home and the news was pretty much the usual--some things went up a little and others went down a little. Because Sandi's blood sugars are way to high and she seems to be breathing okay, they have decided that it is time to try again to cut back her steroids a bit. I'm very worried about this as each time it has been done it has massively backfired and she has been forced to go back on steroids to an even higher dose.
Having played this cutback game four or five times now the idea of trying again very much worries me. At the same time, the steroids have massive consequences long term and the blood sugars deal is just one small part of that. We do know the early warning signs of worsening breathing issues from the pneumonitis so if that starts happening again we will be talking to them asap.
Assuming everything remains stable her next appointment down at Texas Oncology will be in a month and will be for another blood work/ doc/ IVIG infusion.
Having played this cutback game four or five times now the idea of trying again very much worries me. At the same time, the steroids have massive consequences long term and the blood sugars deal is just one small part of that. We do know the early warning signs of worsening breathing issues from the pneumonitis so if that starts happening again we will be talking to them asap.
Assuming everything remains stable her next appointment down at Texas Oncology will be in a month and will be for another blood work/ doc/ IVIG infusion.
FFB Review: "The Death of Laurence Vining" by Alan Thomas (Patrick Ohl)
Patrick Ohl is back this week for
Friday's Forgotten Books. Patti is taking the next two weeks off so Todd Mason
is filling in for her and collecting the links. This also works nicely as a reminder
that you should be reading his Sweet
Freedom blog. Make sure you check out the list of suggested reads later
today.
Laurence Vining was not a particularly
pleasant man. He was a genius, of course, and the police appreciated his help
on the odd occasion where they found themselves out of their depth. In fact,
just recently, Vining helped to put a murderer behind bars when the police were
quite stumped, solving the mystery of the “Shop Murder”. He solves these cases
with the help of his very own Watson, Dr. Benjamin Willing.
But despite Vining’s ingenuity, he’s a
callous, cold-hearted man who manages to surround himself with enemies. Yet
it’s something of a shock when Vining is murdered in a tube station under
seemingly impossible circumstances! He gets into a lift by himself, and the
operator sends him down— but at the lower level, when the doors are opened,
Laurence Vining tumbles out of the lift dead— a knife plunged into his back.
(The knife is a curious Oriental dagger, as a matter of course.)
The police detective in charge of the
case is Inspector Widgeon, a competent, no-nonsense sort who will use
unorthodox and somewhat unpleasant methods to get results at times. Dr. Willing
is eager to help solve his friend’s murder and thus the investigation is
launched. Things are complicated when Vining’s Malayan servant disappears, as
does his ne’er-do-well nephew. His secretary begins to act fishy. The extremely
racist housekeeper also has something up her sleeve. And then there’s one
Colonel Robinson…
The
Death of Laurence Vining has a reputation as a
minor masterpiece of the impossible crime subgenre, and I have to say it does deliver on that front! I tumbled to
about half the solution, which is extremely ingenious and well-clued. (I do
admit, however, that at one point I got very worried when the author began tossing
around potential solutions that defied the laws of probability, physics, and
reason all at once.) But author Alan Thomas manages to pull the caper off, and
delivers an even better performance explaining the contingency plans. He isn’t
satisfied with giving you just the solution; he gives you all the possible
things that could have gone wrong with the plan. The murderer (let’s just call
the killer Didit and assume he’s male) makes meticulous plans for all these
possible scenarios. I think that that is arguably the most fascinating bit of
the book, as we get to see excerpts from Didit’s journals chronicling the
entire crime.
You might assume based on the
description I’ve given that this book is a parody. Well, although it does poke
fun at some of the genre’s conventions, especially at the beginning, it isn’t a
parody— the crime and its investigation is deathly serious. I think this is the
only thing that the book could really have improved on. While the characters
aren’t terrible, they aren’t particularly revolutionary or memorable, and a
layer of parody could have helped this problem. The book has excellent comic
potential—a Philo-Vance-like amateur sleuth is killed, his “Watson” has to try
solving it himself, etc. I was thinking along the lines of Philo Vance being
murdered by the publisher for being so bloomin’ pedantic! But instead, we focus
a lot more on the investigation that on what an annoying fellow the victim
could be. The Watson character fades into the background after the opening,
popping up intermittently to submit an outlandish solution We’ve seen the
ne’er-do-well nephew and his romantic interest before under many names. The
only remotely interesting characters are the police inspector and the Malayan
servant, Suleiman. (The housekeeper’s unapologetic racism is also
interesting—while she’s a nice person in general, her racism is extremely
repellent and I can’t help but feel that was the author’s intent.) So although
the book’s plot is fine, it tends to sag in the second act when we go through routine
with same-old-same-old characters—and while there is some satire, it’s largely
confined to the beginning of the book and isn’t the laugh-out-loud type of
parody.
But all things considered, despite the
somewhat static second act, The Death of
Laurence Vining certainly lives up to its reputation as a minor
masterpiece. The impossible crime is a genuine delight and even better than the
crime itself are the plans Didit makes in case anything goes wrong. Was it
worth seeking out? Undoubtedly! I enjoyed myself and if you go for these kinds
of books, I think you’ll enjoy it as well. The only problem? It’s not an easy
book to find!
Patrick Ohl ©2014
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Update
Tomorrow is another very long day at Medical City Dallas Hospital as Sandi has an IVIG infusion that will take the majority of the day even if things go smoothly. She is doing okay. her blood sugars are still too high and I suspect that the endocrinologist will be increasing her insulin doses even more when she is back in about two weeks. In the meantime, they will do the usual blood work deal tomorrow, meet with the doc, and then do the infusion thing.
If you have been around this blog a bit you may have noticed that there have not been very many posts and no reviews at all. I don't like talking about me, but the plain truth is I am having a very hard time of it. I took one of my tumbles Sunday morning and banged myself up pretty good. The Texas heat certainly does not help me. But, overall I am getting worse and that is not good for so many reasons.
It is all so frustrating. I simply would not wish any of this on my worst enemy.
If you have been around this blog a bit you may have noticed that there have not been very many posts and no reviews at all. I don't like talking about me, but the plain truth is I am having a very hard time of it. I took one of my tumbles Sunday morning and banged myself up pretty good. The Texas heat certainly does not help me. But, overall I am getting worse and that is not good for so many reasons.
It is all so frustrating. I simply would not wish any of this on my worst enemy.
Via WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: The Strain
My man Glenn Walker offers some thoughts on a series I absolutely knew we would not be watching halfway through the first advertisement for it....
WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: The Strain: Currently airing on FX, "The Strain" is based on three novels by horror and fantasy writer/director Guillermo del Toro and crim...
WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: The Strain: Currently airing on FX, "The Strain" is based on three novels by horror and fantasy writer/director Guillermo del Toro and crim...
Gila Monsters
Growing up I watched a lot of those old science fiction movies and learned that really big creatures were often very dangerous. One of those was the Gila Monster. I recently got to write about Gila Monsters for the Tapir and Friends Animal Store.
Via CrimeFictionWriter: Convention appearance
CrimeFictionWriter: Convention appearance: I’ll be at ArmadilloCon in Austin, Texas, this weekend (July 25-27), participating in three panels about writing: Sa1000E Watch Out for th...
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Via Smashwords: Is Kindle Unlimited Bad for Authors?
Full Disclosure---My work is not in the KDP Select program as I have been trying to reach as many readers as possible. My sales are fairly equal between all the platforms so the business decison for me is to stay the course. Others will feel differently .......
mashwords: Is Kindle Unlimited Bad for Authors?: Amazon today unveiled Kindle Unlimited, following in the footsteps of Smashwords partners Scribd and Oyster. When I first heard of Kindl...
mashwords: Is Kindle Unlimited Bad for Authors?: Amazon today unveiled Kindle Unlimited, following in the footsteps of Smashwords partners Scribd and Oyster. When I first heard of Kindl...
Monday, July 21, 2014
Via Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Mist in the Mirror by Susan Hill
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Mist in the Mirror by Susan Hill: Reviewed by Jeanne A young man in a Gentlemen’s Club in England makes the acquaintance of Sir James Monmouth, an older member...
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Review: "The Shamus Sampler 2" Edited by Jochem Vandersteen
Editor Jochem Vandersteen
crafted a very good read with The
Shamus Sampler and does it again with The Shamus Sampler II.
The 13 stories in the book are all good ones though they go about things in
very different ways. By doing so the authors show in very practical terms the
argument put forth by author Timothy Hallinan in the introduction that the
private investigator comes in many different flavors and those mean streets can
be just about anywhere and may not always be all that mean.
The book opens with “Bobby's
Bar” by Graham Smith. Having your office near the bar you frequent can be a
good things as well as a nuisance. In this case it is a bit of both though the
dead woman in the bar's office is most definitely having the worse day. Bobby
needs help and Leonard Peters isn't about to say no.
“Brain Mistrust- A Vic
Valentine Vignette” by Will Viharo follows with private investigator Vic
Valentine. He should be in San Francisco as that is his home address according
to his PI license in his wallet. But, the view out the window indicates Chicago
as does the folded newspaper on the nightstand, and he has no idea how he got
there. He seems to have lost a few days as well as picked up a bedroom
companion that is very naked, but also thankfully alive. Hopefully when she
wakes up she will have some idea what is going on as he is pretty much
clueless.
Likes Graham Smith, Peter DiChellis
is back in The Shamus Sampler II. This time it is an art case in a tale
titled “With Cunning Wickedness.” Mr. Wellington Cathcart has had some
paintings stolen out of his 200 year old family mansion. Carthcart has a
suspect in mind and wants the private investigator to get them back in a tale
that is sequel to the previous story.
It has been two years and
Dale Burnett has gotten away with murder. He didn't do the crime himself, but
hired a well-known criminal idiot, Tommy Kane, to do the deed of killing Dale's
wife, Brenda. Her father Bob Allen just wants justice and is paying more than
money in “Exceptions to the Rule” by Phillip Thompson. It is a complicated case
with many moving parts and reminiscent of a Mike Hammer style tale.
Mark Troy in next with his
tale “IFHC” set in Hawaii. Ava Rome (The
Splintered Paddle” and the novella The Rules) hates Christmas with a
passion. The holiday has brought her nothing but grief over the years so she
helps others who want a day off to spend with family. A private investigator
who is perfectly willing to tend bar or wait tables is a rarity in the islands.
Irene Ao, manager of the Long Board Beach Shack, is willing to give Ava an
opportunity to work. The bar has a history, but then again so does Ava. A
robbery Christmas evening and the aftermath will add legend to both.
The story is set in England
and the missing medal is from long ago soccer glory, but the tale is one that
will strike a chord in all readers. Jimmy Jazz (a Joe Geraghty story) by Nick
Quantrill is about family legacy and pain as well as much more. A medal needs
to come back home and some family dynamic issues need straightening out one way
or another.
It is a dingy office in a
dingy strip mall two blocks away from the jail on the day before Thanksgiving.
The name of the P. I.is Jake Roberts though everybody calls him “Jake the Snake”
for some wrestler. Rebecca, the spoiled daughter of a wealthy man named Charles
Faulkner needs help and her brother is willing to pay to get it in “The Season
OF Brotherly Love” by Michael Koenig. Fancy lawyers can't do anything but maybe
a down on his luck P. I. who rents a desk from a local bail bondsman can. If
not, Rebecca could be in prison for a long time.
“Burned Down to the Heart”
by Gareth Spark comes next in a tale where the father of a female friend wants
a guy found. A wife of a guy named Rick died and Rick needs to be found so he
can be told. He knows the guy is 40, that his full name is Rick Saltmarsh, and
that he is English. The hunt begins in a very complicated tale.
Mr. Simeon Von Runck is
clearly an oddball from the get go in “The Hard Boiled Detective No 3: Simon
Von Ruck” by Ben Solomon. It isn't just because he keeps asking if you have ever
planned a murder? Discussing it at a party seems odd, but the strange Mr. Runck
has his reasons.
“The First Time He Smelled Fresh
Death” by Michael W. Clark does double duty in this book as a short story as well
as being an excerpt from The Ambivalence of Good and Evil.
Marlow is still recovering from recently being shot which resulted in his
having to get a new Kevlar vest. While working out his mind drifts back to the
first bloody crime scene he had seen years earlier while teaching.
Jet keeps hearing
threatening voices every morning at precisely 2:30 am. He wants his old police
partner to figure out what is going on in “Voices” by Nick Andreychuk. Internal
affairs knows that Jim “The Jet” Jenkins was a crooked cop. His partner knew
too though he never took a dime of the money. If Jets wants to help for old
time sake he is going to pay.
Nick Forte has little
patience for fools in “Zero Tolerance” by Dana King. He is also a father and
what upsets his daughter upsets him. Some folks just need a reality check.
Editor Jochem Vandersteen
comes next with a tale that does not feature Noah Milano. Instead, this tale
features a roady who works at the private investigator thing as a hobby. When
in town Lenny Parker works out of a Thai restaurant and that is where his
latest client, Howard Bagley, meets him. Howard has a daughter who is showing
up with lots of new stuff she can't afford. The answers she gives are bogus and
he knows it. Howard is worrying about how she is paying for these things and
wants Lenny to discreetly find out the real truth in “Girl Gone Wild.”
As in the first book, the
tales of The Shamus Sampler II are complicated with plenty of back story,
competing agendas, and folks often at their worst. The stories here feature
characters full of nuance where nothing is as it appears and everyone involved
has an agenda in a read that moves around the world. In a number of cases the
private investigator is never named while in others the tales are linked to
series featuring the private investigator. Regardless of the setup, all the
tales are executed very well resulting in a very good read well worth your
time.
The Shamus Sampler II
Edited by Jochem Vandersteen
Sons Of Spade Publisher
June 2014
ASIN: B00KQFYV4A
E-Book
168 Pages (estimated)
$2.99
Word file submitted by the
editor in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014
Amazon.com - Read eBooks using the FREE Kindle Reading App on Most Devices
Saturday, July 19, 2014
KRL This Week Update-- Marcia Muller, Andrew MacRae, Gerrie Ferris Finger, short story, giveaways, TV & more in KRL
As posted elsewhere earlier today....
Happy reading,
Lorie
--
Up this morning in Kings River Life Magazine a review &
giveaway of Marcia Muller's new mystery "Night Searchers" http://kingsriverlife.com/07/19/night-searchers-by-marcia-muller/
Also up, a review & giveaway of Andrew MacRae's new
mystery "Murder Miscalculated" http://kingsriverlife.com/07/19/murder-miscalculated-by-andrew-macrae/
We also have a fun look by Deborah Harter Williams at some
TV mysteries from Down Under http://kingsriverlife.com/07/19/tv-mysteries-from-down-under/
And we have a mystery short story by Ilene Schneider http://kingsriverlife.com/07/19/miami-snow-mystery-short-story/
And a review & giveaway of "Murmurs of Insanity"
by Gerrie Ferris-Finger http://kingsriverlife.com/07/19/murmurs-of-insanity-by-gerrie-ferris-fingers/
And for my fantasy/horror loving friends, a recap and review
of "Supernatural" http://kingsriverlife.com/07/19/supernatural-recap-and-review/
Over on KRL Lite we have a review of "Games Creatures
Play", featuring stories by the likes of Charlaine Harris and Toni L P
Kelner http://kingsriverlife.blogspot.com/2014/07/games-creatures-play-anthology.html
As always you also can find all of these (except the KRL
Lite one) and much more by going to our home page and scrolling down
http://KingsRiverLife.com
Lorie
--
KRL is now selling advertising & we have special discounts for
mystery authors & bookstores! Ask me about it!
Mystery section in Kings River Life http://KingsRiverLife.com
Check out my own blog at http://mysteryratscloset.blogspot.com/ mystery authors & bookstores! Ask me about it!
Mystery section in Kings River Life http://KingsRiverLife.com
Blue Sharks and the Tapir And Friends Animal Store
Back in High School when just about everything seemed possible I seriously thought about pursuing a degree in marine biology. Life had a different plan so that didn't happen. Even though I am very much land locked these days and there is no way I can ever learn to scuba dive like I always wanted to, I'm still very interested in marine life. One of the fun things about doing the freelance writing for Tapir and Friends Animal Store is that every so often I get to write about stuff that really interests me.
Such is the case here with blue sharks.
Such is the case here with blue sharks.
Review: "The Untreed Detectives" edited by J. Alan Hartman
After a short introduction
to the book by, publisher J. Alan Hartman, it is on to the twelve short
stories. Some are written by names you may recognize. Others by names that are
unfamiliar to you. All authors involved have weaved a complex tale very worthy
of their inclusion in The Untreed Detectives anthology
released last year.
Kara L. Barney leads things
off with “A Knife in the Dark.” This story is set in the time before Sherlock
became legendary. Watson has been injured by a killer as this story opens and
Mrs. Hudson is urgently needed to save his life. She will also need to do far
more then stitch Watson's stab wounds in order to bring this case to be a
successful conclusion.
Paula and Mitexi run the
uniquely named PMS Private Investigations in “Angus Wants a Peanut” by Amber
Rochelle Gillet. According to Mitexi, the two have to be in Lilli Pad Park at 11m
by the statue of the bull frog to meet a Mr. Ryan Majors. He insists on meeting
there and won't discuss what he requires until that time. After the very
serious previous story, this occasionally amusing tale is nice chance of pace.
Mr. Ryan as well as his case are quite surprise.
Jessie Schroeder has moved
back to her small town of Riverport in the wake of a brutal divorce. She has
resumed writing while moving on with her life. In “Breathing Under Water” by
Janet Majerus, Jessie has traveled to La Cumbre, New Mexico, to teach a writing
workshop for her friend Sharon. Fortunately for her she won’t be the only
instructor. The small workshop of ten students in this mountainous location in
northern New Mexico is going to be interesting. She had needed a break from
home on many levels, but this is not what she had intended at all in this
serious story.
“Dessie's Jaded Past” by
Lesley A. Diehl comes next. Like Jessie in the story before this one, Kaitlin
Singer is starting over after her divorce. She has come home to the Catskill Mountains
to write children's books and get on with life. Her plans for solitude have
been interrupted as Mary Jane and her son, Jeremy, have moved in with her. So
too has their potbellied pig, Desdemona. She has helped capture the killer of
the newspaper's advice columnist and will play a vital role again in this tale.
Known for his book In
Dog We Trust and others, author Neil Plakcy contributes “Dog Is in the Details”
next. Rochester, a two year old Golden Retriever, helps Steve Levitan not only
find his father's sport jacket, but how to deal with some painful aspects of the
past.
Halloween in Philadelphia is
the setting for “Faint Heart” by Gillian Roberts. For Amanda Pepper, a teacher who
should be working on the essays of her seniors, she is instead thinking about
how the magic of Halloween isn't around anymore. That is until Rosalie Tucker,
new to the faculty, comes into the lounge talking about the scary gorilla
outside in the square across the street. Something may have been out there, but
it is Halloween and there are private school students to teach. Soon there will
be a murder case to solve.
Imogene Duckworthy has been
solving cases since she was a child. We see a little bit of that childhood here
in “Immy Goes to the Dogs” by Kaye George. It began near her home of Saltlick,
Texas when she pet sat Mrs. Yarbrough's two Cocker Spaniels. It is the summer
and Immy is supposed to let out Sweetums and Tweetums so they can do their
business and get them back into the house. Should have been a simple deal, but
there were complications.
If you don't like clowns you
probably won't like a story where clowns are an actual species. In “Scandalous
Silence” by Whit Howland, not only are clowns a species they bleed makeup and
not blood. Cheating happens on that world just like they do here and Huey Dusk’s
latest case is about somebody cheating on somebody. It is a dark and twisted
world and Huey travels the mean streets of Kermisberg doing what he needs to do
to make a buck. At least the clown gangs and mime syndicates don't exist
anymore and one can get Bubble Gum Whiskey.
Diana Andrews is being asked
by Detective Breitwieser if she knows anything about a certain guy as “Split
the Difference” by Albert Tucher begins. She does not know him, but she knows
of him. As a prostitute she knows to stay well away from the man known as “The
Baker.” The detective wants her help and she really has no choice.
Instead of sitting in a car
conducting surveillance on a cheater, P. I. Nathaniel P. Osgood III works cases
involving nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters. In “The Cinderella Caper” by
Herschel Cozine we learn the real truth about that tramp Cinderella and lots of
other things in this occasionally amusing tale.
P. I. Guillermo Lombardo is
at work in “The Wrong Move” by Rodolfo Pena. Chess, a complicated case, and
Mexico City combine well here in a tale that is part mystery and part thriller.
Not all chess games are on boards.
“The Trident Caper” by Wade
J. McMahan is the final story and features private detective Richard Dick in a mystery
tale that has paranormal elements as well as fantasy elements. Interrupting
Dick's chess game with Percy (a ghost) she walked into his Chicago office.
Great body, great legs, but the hair is green. She says her name is “Coral” and
has no last name as the merpeople don't have them. Coral is a mermaid who is on
a long trip from home looking for more than her father's treasure chest. The
chest does not matter for her, but they also took her father's golden trident
and she wants that back.
A section of author bios
brings the book to a close.
This is an interesting
anthology of twelve stories where each one contains a mystery of some type. Not
all mysteries have a murder case and several that do not are contained here in The
Untreed Detectives. The stories fluctuate widely in tone as some are
light hearted and even playful while others are far more serious. Most of the
tales here are short stories featuring series characters from novels which
gives readers an excellent way to sample various author's works. It is an
interesting smorgasbord of cases that will provide plenty of good reading.
The Untreed Detectives
Edited by J. Alan Hartman
Untreed Reads Publishing
December 2013
ASIN: B00HEXNVAW
E-Book
160 Pages
$5.99
Material was supplied in the
form of a PDF by the editor some time ago in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014
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