In 1979 as the clock rolled over into 1980 I was 18, five months away from graduating at Bryan Adams High School, and totally unaware that a certain young woman was coming my way from the north. It would not be until September or October of 1980 at Richland Junior College before I met Sandi for the first time. By that new year, Sandi was my life and my world.
Every year, especially the last several years, I always thought things would get better. I thought Sandi would get well, we would be in a better way financially, and could relax to a certain extent and be able to go do things. She had such plans for the house. All I had in mind was to make her happy and be with her.
That was not to be. For the first time since 1979 I go into a new year without her in my life. This is not a happy new year for me. It is hell. Sandi is gone and my world is in flames. I miss her more than I can say. Nothing is ever going to be right again.
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Mystery Fanfare: CHAMPAGNE IN CRIME FICTION
Mystery Fanfare: CHAMPAGNE IN CRIME FICTION: If you follow this blog or if you know me in real time, you know that I'm a list maker . Yesterday I put together a New Year...
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 40 Writing Contests in January 2018 - No entry fee...
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 40 Writing Contests in January 2018 - No entry fee...: There are more than three dozen free writing contests in January 2018. As always, every form and genre is represented. There are prizes fo...
Saturday, December 30, 2017
THE FINAL HOURS of the Smashwords End of Year Sale
These are the final hours of the Smashwords End of Year Sale. 2017 has been a very bad year in so many ways. Go pick up a book and make the real world go away for a little while.
Weighted down by holding his Derringer Award in one hand
while he held his dog, Duncan, in the crook of his other arm and hand and thus
was only able to type with his nose, Barry Ergang put his books at a reduced price. This
includes his whodunit/howdunit “The Play of Light and Shadow” which,
surprisingly, is not about being strapped on a concrete floor in an abandoned Texas
warehouse while the August sun comes through the grimy windows and sombrero
wearing rats observe by way of lounging around on several wooden pallets. You can find his books at Smashwords.
For those who always said I was brainless I used an image
from one of my several MRIs back in 2010 for the cover of my short story
collection. Mind Slices: A Collection of New
and Previously Published Stories.
Most folks who have read it and seem to have a brain have liked it
though one person who didn’t was apparently so devastated by the experience he
never reviewed another book on Amazon. You can do better! The book is available for FREE during the Smashwords'
year-end sale from December 25th to January 1st. If you choose to pick it up
and read it, please review it as you see fit.
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Review: ALL AROUND US by Xelena González
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Review: ALL AROUND US by Xelena González: I reviewed All Around Us (Cinco Puntos Press) by Xelena González, illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia, for Lone Star Literary Life . This i...
Friday, December 29, 2017
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: PEEK INTO MY LATEST RELEASE
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: PEEK INTO MY LATEST RELEASE: Imagine you’re a very wealthy, though unhappy, woman who has always had a large staff of servants. Then, one day, your husband kills himsel...
FFB Review: Texas Vigilante (Ellie Taine Book Two) by Bill Crider
After
running again the double take review of OUTRAGE AT BLANCO last week, it seemed fitting that on
this final Friday of 2017, I run my 2014 review of the second book in the
series, TEXAS VIGILANTE. As I have
said before, Bill Crider is incapable of writing a bad book. Period.
As
a reader, I want to thank Bill for the many hours his books provided of reading
pleasure and sheer escapism in my life. Many a hour was spent reading works by
Bill while sitting in waiting rooms, doctor offices, by Sandi’s bedside as she
slept, etc., over the years and I always knew if I had a Bill Crider book with
me, I could escape reality for awhile.
I
also thank him for being a friend all these years while cancer wreaked havoc on
our lives. We shared so much and he was always a huge help to me as both the
occasional good news as well as the more frequently bad news came down the
pipeline. I hope I was able to return the favor.
For
the rest of this week’s reading suggestions, please head over to Patti Abbott’s
blog. You also ought to be reading her books too. Just saying. May your Friday
be a good one and please stay safe this holiday weekend.
Originally published in 1999 by Dell
Books, Texas Vigilante is a sequel to Outrage in Blanco. Some
of the events of the first book are mentioned in Texas Vigilante and, by
necessity, in this review so you have been warned.
It has been a few months since Ella
Taine took over Jonathan Crossland’s ranch after he died. These past months
have not been easy. Ranching in Texas is difficult things were such that she
had to go into debt to a bank in San Antonio. She didn’t like doing it, but she
had and so far things are holding together. She has good help and that includes
Lane Tolbert. She recently hired him as he was desperately in need of a job to
support his wife, Sue, and his very young daughter. Ellie cares about Lane and
his wife a lot, but she absolutely adores Lauire. That smart and beautiful
little girl is the daughter Ellie never had and her presence is almost like she
is her own child. One of the real pleasures is sitting down and reading with
her.
Mr. Crossland had an office with a
small library of books by authors such as Irving, Cooper, Melville, Hawthorne,
Shakespeare, and others. Laurie is not quite ready for Shakespeare, but the
other books she can handle. Their latest read features a skinny school teacher
by the name of Ichabod Crane and a certain headless horseman. Neither Ellie,
Laurie, or the others on the ranch have any idea that a real life horror is about
to be visited upon them thanks to a prison escape and a certain prisoner bent
on revenge.
Following the very good Outrage
at Blanco isn’t easy, but Bill Crider does it masterfully in Texas
Vigilante. Like in the preceding book, the theme of revenge is again a
major part of this western as are the choices folks make as they move through
life. Ellie is, by necessity, not as
much a part of everything as in the first book, but she makes herself well
known in a novel that cracks with a gunshot every few pages. A mighty good
western, Texas Vigilante is a good one and quite the sequel to Outrage
at Blanco.
Texas Vigilante (Ellie Taine Book Two)
Bill Crider
Brash Books
September 2014
ASIN:
B00KAJX6BQ
eBook (also available in paperback)
304 Pages
$2.99
Using funds in my Amazon Associate
account I picked this up to read and review awhile back.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014, 2017
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 6 Writing Conferences and Workshops in January 201...
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 6 Writing Conferences and Workshops in January 201...: In the dead of winter, writing conferences slow down. That being said, there are some noteworthy conferences in warmer climes during the m...
Mystery Fanfare: New Year's Crime Fiction and Movies
Mystery Fanfare: New Year's Crime Fiction and Movies: New Year's Mysteries! Mysteries, Crime Fiction, Thrillers and Movies that take place at the New Year. I wish you a safe, health...
SleuthSayers: A Better Way to Collect and Edit an Anthology
SleuthSayers: A Better Way to Collect and Edit an Anthology: by Brian Thornton Two weeks ago I talked about what NOT to do when collecting and editing an anthology . This week's entry deals with...
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: TAKING STOCK
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: TAKING STOCK: At the end of the year, many of us review to see where we can improve for the coming year. I confess 2017 was a difficult year for my family...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Graveyard Book, Alone, October Sky, Gl...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Graveyard Book, Alone, October Sky, Gl...: Reported by Ambrea We kicked Nevermore off with a review of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, which tells the story of an unus...
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
Mystery Fanfare: Boxing Day Crime Fiction
Mystery Fanfare: Boxing Day Crime Fiction: December 26 is Boxing Day . I've put together a list of over 1700 mysteries that take place at Christmas , and although I'm s...
Guest Post: Jeanne and Treadmill Books: Second Chance Cat Mysteries by Sofie Ryan
Jeanne
of the Bookblog of the Bristol Library is back today
with her latest review…
Treadmill
Books: Second Chance Cat Mysteries by
Sofie Ryan
North Harbor, Maine should be a sleepy little
village but it has had its share of murders, just like Cabot Cove. Or at least that’s been the case since Sarah
Grayson opened her used—er, repurposed items-- shop where she sells everything
from clothing to furniture to knickknacks.
In the opening book, Sarah was volunteered by her grandmother to teach a
class to a group of senior citizens at a local retirement home. She soon finds
the seniors to be a lot livelier and feistier than she had anticipated, but
that’s nothing next to the surprise she finds when she visits Maddie, one of
her grandmother’s friends, and finds a dead body in the backyard.
The situation only gets worse when it turns out that
the deceased made a habit of charming and then conning older ladies—including
Maddie.
Determined to prove Maddie innocent, Sarah begins to
investigate the crime only to have some of the senior citizens join her whether
she wants them to or not. Just when she
thinks her life can’t get any more complicated, she ends up with a formerly
stray cat dubbed Elvis who has some strong opinions and a knack for spotting a
lie.
Since I was already fond of the Magical Cat Mysteries which the author writes under the name Sofie
Kelly, I decided to give this second cat mystery series a try. As with most first books, The Whole Cat
and Caboodle was a bit slow in places as various characters were
introduced: Mac, Sarah’s associate at
the shop, a man with a shrewd eye for quality items and the handyman abilities
to turn junk into gold; Nick, an old high school flame now with the police
department; and senior citizen Mr. P., nude model turned computer hacker. Then
there are Rose, Liz, and Charlotte, the three older ladies who dub themselves
“Charlotte’s Angels” and begin their own investigations, much to the
consternation of Sarah and especially Nick—Charlotte is his mother.
The books have the same strong relationships that
Sofie portrayed in her other series along with realistic and often funny
dialog. One aspect that I particularly
enjoy is that inter-generational relationships are on an equal footing; Sarah
and Nick may worry about the Angels getting in too deep, but the older folks
are still shown as being resourceful, energetic, and even romantic. It’s also nice to have the younger characters
drawn into a situation by the older ones for a change.
There are currently four books in the series, with a
fifth scheduled to come out in February 2018.
1. The
Whole Cat and Caboodle
2. Buy
A Whisker
3. A
Whisker of Trouble
4. Telling
Tales
5. The
Fast and the Furriest
(Just an FYI, the author’s real name is Darlene Ryan and she has written books under that name as well.)
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: SANTA'S HOLIDAY
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: SANTA'S HOLIDAY: I hope you each had a wonderful Christmas or Hannukah or Kwanza or Winter Solstice--whatever you celebrate. My family celebrated Christ...
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: Texas Literary Calendar 12/25-31
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: Texas Literary Calendar 12/25-31: Bookish goings-on in Texas for the week of December 25-31, 2017: Ongoing Exhibits: Fact, Fiction, and the New World: The Role of Boo...
Review: Mystery Weekly Magazine: December 2017
The December 2017 issue of Mystery Weekly Magazine continues the tradition of this publication
giving readers great stories. But, if you are looking for a light issue in tune
with the holiday season you won’t find it here. Suspense rules this issue and
the themes are not light at all. In fact, the overall tone of the issue is
fairly dark though a couple of the stories are a little bit lighter than the
others.
“The Mechanical Rat” by Lawrence Buentello inspired
the cover art and opens the issue. It sets the overall issue tone with an intense
tale involving a mechanical genius named Yazzi who created a mechanical rat. Billy
Yazzi is a loner by every definition of the word and the neighbor of the
narrator, Stanley, who has known him since high school. His rat starts off
being more complex than the standard windup mouse. As the rat evolves over the
next days and weeks and becomes more and more capable of complex and
potentially violent activities, Stanley becomes more concerned about it as well
as Yazzi. Then the murders begin in a tale that rivals the best of the works by
Edgar Allan Poe.
Keeping the suspense going is the next story, “Ailanthus
On PatChin Place” by Claude Chabot. Our narrator might be crazy. Some think so
because Amanda hears voices. Especially a little girl who has been crying for
days now. The female narrator keeps to herself and lives the life of a recluse.
Her only visitor is a man she knows as Charlie. He might be able to help her
when he comes over soon for a visit.
Mrs. Walker does not like parties and especially does
not like Christmas parties. She has managed to deftly avoid Colonel Shipton’s Christmas
Bash the last two years, but this year there is no escape. She will go with Mr.
Miller to the big house at the top of the hill and endure it. At least Mr.
Miller and Mrs. Walker will have their personal flasks in “Mrs. Walker And The
Poisonous Punch” by Katie Ginger.
Being rich did not protect Elizabeth from being
kidnapped as “Not A Smart Way To Start A Negotiation” by Michael McGlade begins.
As the blindfold is removed and she looks around the room, she knows the
kidnappers intend a certain outcome that clearly would not be in her long term
best interest. She did not get to this position by being stupid and she won’t
be now.
She might be far younger than Elizabeth and far less wealthy,
but the Karen of the next story also has a plan and power over others. The guys
are just along for the ride in “Sammy” by Laura Gianino. She has them all
wrapped around her finger, but especially Hal. They have no choice as she got
them into this mess in the first place and now they have to get out.
“True Love” by Steve Schrott comes next where Jessica
has a thing for the new guy, Tim Leeson. She isn’t the only one. Time will tell
who is the victor in this one.
Each issue of Mystery Weekly Magazine has a “You Solve
It” puzzle. This issue features “The Family Feud” by Rhonda Howard.
Somebody has broken into the grave of Josie Horton at Gosford Lawn Cemetery. It
is up to Detective Frank Garvey to solve the case and keep the peace.
The issue concludes with the solution to the November
puzzle “The Mysterious Meatball Autopsy” by Peter DiChellis.
While it is not a light issue, Mystery Weekly Magazine: December 2017 is packed full of good and
often intense reading. Complicated characters, strange situations, and more
than one surprise are packed into these tales. All the stories in the issue are
good ones and well worth your time.
Mystery
Weekly Magazine: December 2017
ASIN:
B07856BX42
eBook
(available in print format)
97 Pages
$2.99
For quite
some time now I have been gifted a subscription by the publisher with no
expectation at all of a review. This month I made the decision to read and
review. I expect to do more of that going forward depending on my usual
personal time constraints.
Kevin R.
Tipple ©2017
Monday, December 25, 2017
It Has Begun!--Smashwords End Of Year Sale
You may have seen a post by me on social media regarding the
Smashwords End of Year sale that started today. If not, you missed my
promotional efforts the last couple of days. Not to worry, as the sale started today on Christmas Day and runs
through the end of the year.
Weighted down by holding his Derringer Award in one hand
while he held his dog, Duncan, in the crook of his other arm and hand and thus
was only able to type with his nose, Barry Ergang
put his books at a reduced price. This
includes his whodunit/howdunit “The Play of Light and Shadow” which, surprisingly,
is not about being strapped on a concrete floor in an abandoned Texas warehouse
while the August sun comes through the grimy windows and sombrero wearing rats
observe by way of lounging around on several wooden pallets. You can find his books at Smashwords.
For those who always said I was brainless I used an image
from one of my several MRIs back in 2010 for the cover of my short story
collection. Mind Slices: A Collection of
New and Previously Published Stories. Most folks who have read it and seem to have
a brain have liked it though one person who didn’t was apparently so devastated
by the experience he never reviewed another book on Amazon. You can do better! The book is available for FREE during the Smashwords' year-end sale from
December 25th to January 1st. If you choose to pick it up and read it, please
review it as you see fit.
Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan
Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan (John Long, 1949) is a
classic country house detective story with a gathering of ill-assorted
characters, a heavy snowfall, and an amateur detective in the person of
Mordecai Tremaine, a retired tobacconist. While this is the first book to
document his adventures, there are references here and there to previous
investigative achievements and embarrassingly glowing newspaper articles. The
letter from Benedict Grame’s secretary inviting him to Grame’s old country manor
for the Christmas holidays suggests Grame may want to consult him in this
capacity.
Tremaine is delighted with Denys Arden, the ward of Grame’s
good friend Jeremy Rainer, whom he meets soon after his arrival at the secluded
estate. He is pleased to see that she has found a prospective matrimonial match
in Roger Wynton, as his preferred reading material is a serial called Romantic
Stories and he is happy to see one playing out in front of him. The
course of true love is not running smoothly unfortunately, as Rainer has taken
a dislike to Wynton and has forbidden any talk of marriage. Other guests
include a politician with questionable ethics, an irritable scientist, an
outgoing brother with a reclusive sister, a married couple recently moved to
the area from London, and a neighbor who is known for his practical jokes.
After a visit from neighbors who have come a-caroling, everyone
retires for the night on Christmas Eve, giving Grame time to dress up as Father
Christmas and put gifts on the lavish Christmas tree. Well before morning
dawns, a scream awakens Tremaine and he, with others in the house, rush to the
drawing room to find the unsociable sister has discovered the body of Father
Christmas. Just why she was fully dressed and downstairs in the middle of the
night is only one of the questions that Tremaine tries to answer in the
following days while the police conduct their formal inquiries.
An excellent example of the Golden Age mystery that
uses a stock setting while incorporating enough plot twists to surprise me. Francis
Duncan is
the pseudonym for William Underhill, who was born in 1918 and lived most of his
life in Bristol. So far two of the books in this series have been reprinted. Vintage
re-published this book in paperback in 2015, and Sourcebooks released it in
digital format in 2017. This review is based on the Kindle edition.
·
File Size: 2818 KB
·
Print Length: 242 pages
·
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1784703451
·
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
(October 10, 2017)
·
Language: English
·
ASIN: B072JHLQ8L
Aubrey Hamilton © 2017
Aubrey Hamilton is a former
librarian who works on Federal IT projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Christmas Eve 2017
Today has been tough for Scott and I and no doubt tomorrow will be as well. But, the boy genius and I do wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!: Thank you to all who commented during my "Christmas Past and Christmas Presents" event. I hope you found new authors to read a...
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Friday Cozy Mystery Review: Stowed Away by Barbara Ross
Friday Cozy Mystery Review: Stowed Away by Barbara Ross: From the publisher: It’s June in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, and Julia Snowden and her family are working hard to get their authentic Maine ...
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 38 Google Plus Communities for Writers
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 38 Google Plus Communities for Writers: Google+ is a resource many writers overlook, in part because Facebook and Twitter were already established long before Google came along w...
The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: Guest Post: How An Anthology Chose Its Own Theme b...
The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: Guest Post: How An Anthology Chose Its Own Theme b...: Back last September, Elizabeth Zelvin announced the publication of a new anthology, Where Crime Never Sleeps: Murder New York Style 4 . No...
KRL This Week Update for 12/23/17
Up in KRL this morning reviews & giveaways of more food
mysteries for your holiday reading-"A Deadly Éclair": A French Bistro
Mystery by Daryl Wood Gerber aka Avery Aames, "Blackberry Burial": A
Berry Basket Mystery by Sharon Farrow, "Honey-Baked Homicide": A Down
South Café Mystery by Gayle Leeson, "Potions and Pastries": A Magical
Bakery Mystery by Bailey Cates, and "Running Out of Time": A Dodie
O’Dell Mystery by Suzanne Trauth
http://kingsriverlife.com/12/23/more-food-mysteries-for-your-christmas/
And a review & giveaway of "Ginger Snapped" by
Gail Oust
http://kingsriverlife.com/12/23/ginger-snapped-by-gail-oust/
Also a review & giveaway of "Another One Bites the
Crust" by H.Y. Hanna - Author
http://kingsriverlife.com/12/23/another-one-bites-the-crust-by-h-y-hanna/
And a review & giveaway of "Finding Justice"
by Kathi
Daley
http://kingsriverlife.com/12/23/finding-justice-by-kathi-daley/
We also have reviews & giveaways of 3 more mysteries by
Kensington authors-"The Persian Always Meows Twice": A Cat Groomer
Mystery by Eileen Watkins, "Dial Meow for Murder": A Lucky Paws
Petsitting Mystery by Bethany Blake, and Cremains of the Day: A Tallie Graver
Mystery by Misty Simon
http://kingsriverlife.com/12/23/kensington-mystery-catch-up/
And the latest mystery Coming Attractions by Sunny
Frazier http://kingsriverlife.com/12/23/january-coming-attractions-new-year-more-books/
And a review & giveaway of "Perilous Poetry"
by Kym
Roberts
We also have a review & giveaway of "The Killer
Wore Cranberry: A Fifth Course of Chaos" edited by J. Alan Hartman and
published by Untreed
Reads.
Also a review of the Hallmark Mystery Movies movie
"Darrow and Darrow"
http://kingsriverlife.com/12/23/darrow-and-darrow-on-hallmark-mysteries-movies-tv-review/
On KRL News & Reviews we have a review & giveaway of
"Mistletoe and Murder" by S.L. Smith
http://www.krlnews.com/2017/12/mistletoe-and-murder-by-sl-smith.html
And for those who enjoy fantasy with their mystery, a review & giveaway of "Ashes
Reborn" by Keri
Arthur http://www.krlnews.com/2017/12/ashes-reborn-by-keri-arthur.html
Merry Christmas,
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
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: SKYPE MAKES OURS A FAMILY CHRISTMAS
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: SKYPE MAKES OURS A FAMILY CHRISTMAS: Please welcome Judy Ann Davis, award winning author and member of the Smart Girls Read Romance blog as well as her own blog. Please remembe...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Man From the Train by Bill James and Rachel Ja...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Man From the Train by Bill James and Rachel Ja...: Reviewed by Jeanne (Note: while two authors are credited, Bill James’ is the dominant voice, so instead of trying to tease...
Friday, December 22, 2017
Smashwords: Smashwords End of Year Sale Starts December 25
Barry Ergang and I are both participating......
Smashwords: Smashwords End of Year Sale Starts December 25: Mark your calendar! On Christmas day we kick off our first annual Smashwords End of Year Sale . Already, 30,000 indie ebooks and nearly ...
Smashwords: Smashwords End of Year Sale Starts December 25: Mark your calendar! On Christmas day we kick off our first annual Smashwords End of Year Sale . Already, 30,000 indie ebooks and nearly ...
SleuthSayers: Money for Nothing by Thomas Pluck
SleuthSayers: Money for Nothing: by Thomas Pluck Anonymous said... Money, money money. If you don't enjoy writing for its own sake or to entertain others, then you...
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: MAKING WISHES COME TRUE
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: MAKING WISHES COME TRUE: Please welcome my long-time friend, Carra Copelin, who lives only about twenty minutes from me. Remember to leave a comment to be entered i...
Davy Crockett's Almanack of Mystery, Adventure and The Wild West: Forgotten Books: DEAD SOLDIERS by Bill Crider (200...
Davy Crockett's Almanack of Mystery, Adventure and The Wild West: Forgotten Books: DEAD SOLDIERS by Bill Crider (200...: The best thing about the Carl Burns series is that the hero is really Bill Crider himself. In "Professor Carl Burns" (note t...
Mystery Fanfare: Winter Solstice Crime Fiction
Mystery Fanfare: Winter Solstice Crime Fiction: I love the Winter Solstice. So glad the days will begin to lengthen. I'm big on light. I put together a huge list of Christmas Myste...
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Review: THE SHADOWS WE KNOW BY HEART by Jennifer P...
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Review: THE SHADOWS WE KNOW BY HEART by Jennifer P...: I reviewed The Shadows We Know by Heart (Simon Pulse) by East Texas's Jennifer Park for Lone Star Literary Life . It is pure magic; ...
FFB Double Take Review: Outrage at Blanco by Bill Crider
For this final Friday before Christmas
it seemed like a good idea to do another Double Take review. It also seemed a
good idea to keep the Bill Crider Appreciation Day started on Patti Abbott’s
blog last
week going. That idea has appealed to many folks as I continue to see additional
posts on Patti’s blog, on Facebook, and many other places. Bill is loved by so
many and it is very moving to see those posts and comments.
Today I am reposting our 2015 Double
Take review of OUTRAGE AT BLANCO. As
usual, Barry Ergang’s review will be first followed by mine. Make sure you
check out the other books suggested today at Patti’s blog. May your weekend and your
holidays be bright.
OUTRAGE AT BLANCO (1998) by Bill Crider
Reviewed by Barry Ergang
“Jink Howard sat in
the shade of a tree and ate tomatoes out of a can while Ben Atticks raped the
woman in the wagon bed.”
So opens this irresistibly readable
western novel by Bill Crider.
The nature of a crime
doesn’t matter to Jink and Ben; they’re equal-opportunity amorals. Once Ben is
finished with the woman, Jink takes over.
Waiting to meet up with Daniel O’Grady, with whom they served time in
prison and with whom they intend to rob the bank in the placid town of Blanco,
they encounter Ellie Taine not far from its outskirts and decide to have their
brutal way with her.
The subsequent
robbery doesn’t go anywhere close to as smoothly as intended, and Jink and Ben
add multiple murders to their list of crimes. The plunder is only a fraction of
what was promised, which results in some internecine warfare.
For their own
individual reasons, Ellie Taine and Jonathan Crossland set out in pursuit of
Jink and Ben. Crossland, an elderly tough-minded local rancher who has worked
hard and honestly for many years to attain his wealth, is a man afflicted with
a “wasting disease,” who knows his time is nearly up, but who doesn’t plan to
concede to his ne’er-do-well son Gerald—or anyone else, for that matter—that
he’s willing to die passively in bed.
To provide a broader
perspective, heighten tension and suspense, and add character depth, Crider
takes the reader into the minds and points of view of the principal characters.
Ellie Taine’s is the foremost, and her internal conflicts depict her as a woman
who wants both justice and revenge while at the same time seeking acceptance
and a kind of absolution.
Written in Crider’s
clear, uncluttered style, Outrage at
Blanco is a fast-moving novel packed with action and drama that is
genuinely hard to put down and that should appeal to most fans of westerns.
Strongly recommended.
© 2015 Barry Ergang
Derringer Award winner Barry Ergang's
own whodunit/howdunit, "The Play of Light and Shadow," along with
several of his other works, will be available at a reduced price during Smashwords'
year-end sale, which runs from December 25th to January 1st. His website is http://www.writetrack.yolasite.com/.
My review from March 2014…….
A trip to town and
back for Ellie Taine has gone very wrong as this western from author Bill
Crider begins. Just outside of the small Texas town of Blanco she had made the
mistake of stopping for the two men who seemed friendly. As it became clear
they had something else on their minds, she thought they only meant to rob
her. Unfortunately for Ellie, robbery
wasn’t what they wanted. Ben Atticks and Jink Howard wanted something much more
personal to Ellie than the few items she had purchased in town at Roger's
Mercantile.
When they were done
with her they left her alive. That was another mistake in a long line of
mistakes in their criminal careers. What happened to Ellie is just part of this
very good western from Texas author Bill Crider.
Originally published
in 1998 by Dell Books, Outrage at Blanco is now available
as an e-book. Reminiscent of The Baby Shark Series by Robert Fate
in that a rape spurs a woman to seek justice on her own, this western set in
the Hill Country of Texas features a number of interesting characters. A
complicated tale of vengeance and redemption for several characters results in
a book that moves forward at a rapid pace despite the many players and almost
as many agendas.
Outrage at Blanco (Ellie Taine)
Bill Crider
ASIN:B00KAJX6DE
June 2013
E-Book
240 Pages
$2.99
Material was picked up during the
author’s recent free book promotion for my use in an objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014, 2015, 2017
My book, Mind Slices: A Collection
of New and Previously Published Stories, will be available for FREE during the Smashwords' year-end sale
from December 25th to January 1st. If you choose to pick it up and read it,
please review it as you see fit.
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Wiley Cash, Astrophysics, Elly Griffith...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Wiley Cash, Astrophysics, Elly Griffith...: Reported by Kristin Nevermore began with some Appalachian flavor with The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash . Ella May Wiggins is li...
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: STRENGTH AND COMFORT!
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: STRENGTH AND COMFORT!: Please welcome Susan Sheehey. By now you know to leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for a Kindle Fire 7 on Christmas Eve. W...
Do Some Damage: That Writer
Do Some Damage: That Writer: by Thomas Pluck Are you one of those writers who shrinks like a salted slug when someone asks you about your writing? Let me put on my A...
Guest Post: Jeanne and Treadmill Books: The Witch’s Familiar Series by Delia James
Jeanne of the Bookblog of the Bristol
Library is back today with her latest review…
Treadmill Books: The Witch’s Familiar Series by Delia James
Annabelle Blessington Britton, an artist just coming off a
bad relationship, decides to take up her friend Martine’s invitation to visit
her in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where Martine is a chef. Annabelle quickly
discovers that her family has a past in Portsmouth that she knew nothing about,
that a strange grey cat seems to be following her, and that she herself is a
witch. On top of that, she finds that
the cat’s former owner has died in an apparent accident which may actually turn
out to have been murder.
Mysteries with cats and a touch of the supernatural are a
bit more common than one might think at first; I can think of at least four
other series that fit that description right off the bat. Five, if the cats
aren’t particularly active characters.
Anyway, the grey cat in question is Alastair who was the familiar of the
late Dorothy and has now adopted Annabelle as his witch. There’s quite a bit of convincing to be done,
but by the book’s end Annabelle has joined a coven and is starting to learn the
magical ropes.
Each book explores a bit more of the lore surrounding the Craft,
all during the course of investigating a murder which has some supernatural
overtones. Fortunately, one member of the
coven is a police officer, albeit a junior officer who has to keep her
activities out of the spotlight; still, it gives Annabelle some access to the
police process. There’s the standard
police officer who takes a dim view of Annabelle meddling, one or two possible
love interests (very chaste so far), a couple of good friends, and many
mentions of good cooking. I consider it
a cozy, but since there is no hard and fast definition of a cozy, some might disagree.
Annabelle is a likeable enough character, though she leans
toward the dramatic and her thought processes are a bit scattered. She can be flippant is often self-deprecating,
giving the books some non-magical levity.
She depends a lot on her “Vibe” to assess a person or situation, so
readers get character views filtered through Annabelle’s perceptions. Also, she
tends not to ask any questions that might clear up a lot of things too quickly
but that can make the plot drag a bit.
As for the supporting characters, they could be better
developed. We’re told about them, but not particularly shown; they tend to run
to type (for example, no nonsense police officer who is former military and has
PTSD; brusque police officer who doesn’t like “nosy parkers” meddling in his
cases; earth mother with a past;
incredibly patient understanding boyfriend; straight-laced and patrician coven
leader, etc.) Alastair the familiar is a
more vivid presence than most of the human characters and he makes up for a
lot. Also, Julia the coven leader has
two dachshunds who are more expressive than she is.
The plots are serviceable and can be somewhat topical. I particularly liked the story line in Familiar
Motives which involves a famous feline spokescat a la Grumpy Cat who goes
missing when her veterinarian is murdered. I won’t go into further details for
fear of spoilers but I liked the way the author handled the scenario.
Verdict: This is an
okay treadmill series. It’s enjoyable but early chapters are often rather slow
while Annabelle describes and dithers, giving new readers background
information. The books generally do pick
up momentum about half-way. In the meantime, I count on Alastair to keep me
entertained along with learning a little about how magic is viewed in Annabelle’s
world. (Except for some phrases and a blessing, there aren’t much in the way of
specifics about magic unlike, say, Juliet Blackwell’s Witchcraft Mystery series. Part of this is because Annabelle is new and
doesn’t ask questions, as noted above.)
There are three books in the series so far:
1.
A Familiar Tail
2.
By Familiar Means
3.
Familiar Motives
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY: Please welcome Lynn Winchester, and author and editor I met through our work in Montana Skies Kindle World. Lynn has the most gorgeous book...
Mystery Fanfare: Christmas Mysteries: Authors S-Z
Mystery Fanfare: Christmas Mysteries: Authors S-Z: Here is the final post of my Christmas Crime Fiction Lists. Christmas Mysteries: Authors S-Z. And, to all a Good Night! Here are...
Mystery Fanfare: Christmas Mysteries: Authors O-R
Mystery Fanfare: Christmas Mysteries: Authors O-R: Here's Part 4 of my list of Christmas Mysteries -- Authors O-R . Hope you're having fun with the titles and authors. Let me know...
Mystery Fanfare: CHRISTMAS MYSTERIES, AUTHORS I-N
Mystery Fanfare: CHRISTMAS MYSTERIES, AUTHORS I-N: Here's the Third installment of Crime for the Holidays: Christmas Mysteries, Authors I-N . What a long list. Makes for more r...
Mystery Fanfare: Christmas Mysteries: Authors E-H
Mystery Fanfare: Christmas Mysteries: Authors E-H: Today, I continue the Christmas Mystery/Crime Fiction list. It's amazing how many mysteries are set during the holidays, but...
Mystery Fanfare: Christmas Mysteries: Authors A-D
Mystery Fanfare: Christmas Mysteries: Authors A-D: Crime for the Holidays. Christmas time is a major time for murder! Every year I post a mystery list that's set during the Christmas h...
Monday, December 18, 2017
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the S...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the S...: Reviewed by Jeanne Are you a reader who really connects with your books? Do they feel as if they have personalities of the...
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: ONLY WONDERFUL HOLIDAYS
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: ONLY WONDERFUL HOLIDAYS: Please welcome USA Today and NYTimes bestselling author, Dr. Debra Holland. Remember to leave a comment to be eligible for the Kindle Fir...
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: TEXAS LITERARY CALENDAR 12/18-24
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: TEXAS LITERARY CALENDAR 12/18-24: Bookish goings-on in Texas for the week of December 18-24, 2017: Ongoing Exhibits: Fact, Fiction, and the New World: The Role of ...
Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod
Charlotte MacLeod (1922-2004) was the queen of the amusing cozy mystery. Between 1978 and 1996, during the time the cozy began to be recognized as a subgenre, she turned out more than 30 books in four series. In classic sitcom fashion her main characters were always reasonable people doing their best to cope with the eccentrics and screwballs that surrounded them.
The
Peter Shandy series of 10 books is set at a fictional small college in western
Massachusetts. These books take one light-hearted potshot after another at
academia while subtly expressing MacLeod’s concerns about the future of
family-owned farms and the natural environment. Rest You Merry is the first title, introducing Peter
Shandy as a tenured botany professor at Balaclava Agricultural College during
the Christmas season. The college is realistic about the financial status of
its students, most of whom are from small towns and farms, and encourages them
in entrepreneurial ventures. The main fundraiser of the year is in December,
when the campus hosts a winter fair called the Grand Illumination. The students
pull children in sleds, sell baked goods and hot chocolate, host games, and
generally do anything they can to generate a buck.
The college supports their efforts by decking every building on campus
in Christmas lights, ornaments, and greenery. Shandy is the resident Scrooge
who is happy the students are making money but doesn’t want to participate in
the annual extravaganza of over-the-top embellishment. Every year his house is
the only one without seasonal regalia. Every year the obnoxious chair of the
decorating committee badgers him about his failure to measure up. This year
Shandy reaches his breaking point. He hires a firm to hang lights, set to flash
around the clock, and sets up a tape deck with a loudspeaker to blare Christmas
songs in a never-ending loop. Satisfied with the lavish display of
singular tastelessness, he leaves to celebrate Christmas elsewhere.
After a couple of days he is conscience-stricken and returns
home to turn off the lights and music only to find the body of the committee
chair behind his sofa. The college is quick to term the death an accident but
Shandy is not so sure. His subsequent investigation revealed the victim had
antagonized a number of people, and he suspects at least one of them had been
goaded beyond endurance.
I first read these books for their wit but I return to them
because I enjoy the droll but not cruel depiction of oddball characters. I also
like to dissect the plots that appear to be effortlessly constructed but surely
were not. This is a fine book to read at any time but especially now, with a
couple of sugar cookies and a mug of something warm to drink.
·
Hardcover: 222 pages
·
Publisher: Otto Penzler Books (December 1, 1993) (Reprint)
·
ISBN-10: 1562870521
·
ISBN-13: 978-1562870522
Aubrey Hamilton © 2017
Aubrey Hamilton is a former
librarian who works on Federal IT projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
