Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Bitter Tea and Mystery: The Halloween Tree: Ray Bradbury
Bitter Tea and Mystery: The Halloween Tree: Ray Bradbury: I was alerted to this book by Scott Parker at Do Some Damage . And if you know how much I love skulls (and skeletons) on book covers, you wi...
Review: The Breakers: A Sharon McCone Mystery by Marcia Muller
It is early August as The Breakers: A Sharon McCone Mystery
by Marcia Muller begins. Michelle Curley or “Chelle” to her friends was
living and slowly rehabbing an old building known as The Breakers. Her parents,
Trish and Jim Curley, who are out of the country and very worried, can’t get
ahold of her. They got in touch with Sharon McCone and have asked her to check
on their daughter. McCone has known her as well as her parents for a number of
years and knows that the young lady is smart, level headed, and would not just
disappear on her own.
The building dates back to the Prohibition Era and
served a lot of functions over the years. These days it is a massive derelict and
will require a massive amount of work to restore. Among other strange things
inside the building, near where Chelle was sleeping is an area devoted to
serial killers and their crimes. A collage of sorts that seems to celebrate the
work of numerous serial killers in California. While all are famous in their
own macabre way, some are far more high profile than others. What that display
has to do with Chelle’s disappearance, if anything at all is unclear. McCone
already was disturbed by the building and the gruesome display makes it all much
worse. As she investigates, things become murkier and far more dangerous to all
involved in the case.
The latest in a long series, The Breakers: A Sharon McCone Mystery is
an average book at best. Author Marcia Muller pushes the thing along with a few
clues here and there and with her team doing most of the work. This is not a novel
of import to the series and easily could have been massively shortened into a
more compelling novella. Much of the book just sort of drifts along as the
author fulfills a contractual obligation to create a new book in the series.
While it is always best to read a series in order, in this case with
its frequent detailed allusions to past reads, The Breakers: A Sharon McCone
Mystery could easily be read by those new to the
series. Much of the context provided by the references are to events long ago
and is not earth shattering in the consideration of the overall series. They are
general information references as opposed to key points where the series
turned.
In short, The Breakers: A Sharon McCone Mystery is
an average read that scratches the McCone itch for some readers very familiar
with the series.
The Breakers: A Sharon McCone Mystery
Marcia Muller
Thorndike
Press
September
2018
ISBN#
978-1-4328-5398-3
Large
Print Hardback (also available in audio, eBook, and regular print hardback formats)
341
Pages
$33.85
Material
supplied by the good folks of the Dallas Public Library System.
Kevin
R. Tipple ©2018
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 32 Calls for Submissions in November 2018 - Paying...
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 32 Calls for Submissions in November 2018 - Paying...: Pxhere There are nearly three dozen calls for submissions in November. As always, anything you can think of is wanted - flash fiction, ...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Outsider by Stephen King
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Outsider by Stephen King: Reviewed by Kristin Stephen King is a master of intricately crafted horror novels. He is known for being an author who makes y...
Review: Shhhh…Murder! Editor Andrew MacRae
When I
was a kid, libraries were solemn and very quiet places. Noise was frowned upon.
Usually I got the frown right before being told, “Whisper, please.” Silence in
the library was a way of life and was expected whether it was the school
library or the Audelia
Road Branch of the Dallas Public Library. These days, as I am back in the
house I grew up in, the slightly closer branch is the Lochwood Branch of
the Dallas Public Library and the place is rarely quiet. As they did in recent
years out in Plano, even the librarians at Lochwood speak in a normal tone of
voice. They even laugh at my jokes.
These days whether
it is out in Frisco, at UTD, or somewhere else, every library I drag my cane or
walker into seems to be a noisy and rambunctious place even if it is not story
time for the kiddos. At least murders don’t happen in the libraries I frequent.
That can’t be said in Shhhh…Murder! where Cozy Crimes in Libraries occur
and it just might happen during the classic dark and stormy night. While a few
of the twenty-four tales are previously published ones, most of the short
stories presented here are new ones.
After a
short introduction by Editor Andrew MacRae, the book begins with “Wuthering Stacks”
by Deborah Lacy and Pat Hernas. Not only is this the first tale in the book, it
starts off a new planned series featuring Bronte Williams who is a librarian
and a solver of crimes. A member of her early morning shelving team is dead and
this sort of thing does not normally happen at Piermont College located two
hours from Sacramento. Greg is dead, the police need to be notified, the
presentation for that seriously annoying ego maniac known by the name of Janet
Myers has to be cancelled, among a number of other things has to be done.
Librarian Bronte Williams has her hands increasing full as the morning wears
on.
Michael
Bracken’s, “Mr. Sugarman Visits the Bookmobile” is next up. The setting is Quarryville
Texas. Mr. Graham Sugarman is, as those of us of a certain age would politely say
here in Texas, “a unique individual.” He does not adjust well to the change in
routine when the book mobile stops arriving every Tuesday at 9:00 am. Why it
stopped, what happened, and how he copes are small fascinating parts of this
engrossing tale.
“Elsinore
Noir” by Warren Bull brings Shakespeare to the current times. The patron knows
Dashiell, Hamlet and others, but has no idea at all about a crime fiction
master, William Shakespeare. Hamlet
is the subject of a lot of discussion in this amusing tale. After Mr. Bull is
through, you might just look at the Hamlet
in a total different way.
Finding
the right writing group can be a challenge. That is the problem facing Shelly
in “The Wrong Coffee Shop” by Sharon Marchisello. They used to meet at the DeKalb
Public library, but that was years ago. At least one member seems to be happy
to see her. Getting back into the writing groove by way of the Midtown Atlanta
Writers Circle should be fun.
The land behind the
circulation desk is an area where we regular mortals never get to tread. In “Ask
a Librarian” by Jaqueline Seewald, readers get to take a peek. In this tale, originally
published elsewhere in a slightly different form, newly hired librarian, Harold
Stevens, works in a private library. That private library was endowed by its
patrons and is very much off limits to the public rabble. There are secrets
everywhere. That includes the secret of what happened to Robert Weber who
Harold is replacing.
Funding
for libraries is always an issue. Sometimes a library must consider selling
prized items from its collection to survive. Such is the issue here in “The
Adam Miniatures” by Anne-Marie Sutton. Sometimes a murder will happen to in an
attempt to prevent such a sale.
Readers
are next taken to a library at the University of Sydney in Australia by way of
“Case Study on the Principals of Morals and Legislation” by Aislinn Batstone.
There is a man dead in the Fisher Library and Kate Moseby is involved in the
case. Somehow, after finding a very dead Silas Brown who was apparently involved
in some sort of drug deal, she is still supposed to go about her duties
including teaching her philosophy of law reading group.
Originally
published in an anthology back in 1988, “DDS 10752 Libra” is by John Lutz and
Josh Pachter. Somebody killed Dwight Stone and ransacked through his apartment
looking for something. Nudger found the body and is aware of Stone’s last case.
Detectives Byrnes and Allen are not thrilled that Nudger found the body nor are
they thrilled with his refusal to just go away after he tells all he knows. Private
investigators are difficult that way.
Next up
is “Clean Cup” by Jennie MacDonald where the library is about to host the annual
fundraiser. Things just need to be tidied up a little bit and that includes
shelving the last few returns from the book drop. That includes one book so old
it does not have the usual bar code on it. It will require special handling.
After a
person dies, especially a wealthy one who clearly loved books, various things
have to be done including dealing with the home library. Such is the case in “Different
Lights” by Gwenda R. Jensen. Good thing Martin has Lindsay to help as this home
library is a massive one.
What somebody is as
a child is often their nature as an adult. John Wessel was trouble as a kid. He
is trouble as an adult in “Drop Goes the Weasel” by LD Masteron. Considering
his nickname is “Johnny Weasel” the fact he is trouble isn’t surprising. The
fact that he suddenly has a library card and is checking out books is most
definitely surprising. He is up to something. Librarian Grace Pernell means to
find out exactly what he is doing as it can’t be good.
 |
| Lochwood Branch Library--Our Other Home |
It is a
dark and stormy November night and debut mystery author Francie Spencer isn’t
sure how many folks will show up for the book signing. Silverdale Public Library
Director Dale Swift has gone all out to make her feel welcome. Despite the foul
weather, folks are showing up. In “Gotcha Covered” by Kate Fellows, the stage
is set up for a classic locked room mystery. Is Francie Spencer up to it as
fiction becomes reality regarding a legendary rare book?
Librarian
Pricilla Mummert had known that Daphne Willow-Smythe, a frequent visitor in the
special collections area of the library, was up to no good. Now she has proof.
The library director better listen to her in “Map to Oblivion” by KM Rockwood.
Having a
brother who is a genius is rather stressful at times. But, it is clear that he
figured out how to make some things better so one puts up with what one has to
in order that the movie gets made. Tom van der Grimmen is in that situation as
“The Body in the Book Drop” by DA Critchley begins. A research trip down to the
Lockhaven Public Library is in order. Finding one of the librarians hysterical
and saying something about “blood” means his quick trip is no longer going to
be quick as he calls the local sheriff.
Inspector
Cosgrove is hard at work in “The Day the Librarian Checked Out” by Richard Lau.
Librarian Emily Wilson is dead after being stabbed by scissors. Apparently, the
brownies Mrs. Tuttle made were not the culprit. Considering her well known lack
of skills in the kitchen, it remains rather surprising Mrs. Tuttle has not been
arrested for murder by way of poisoning somebody. Since it happened before the
library opened and thus only five people were inside, besides the now very deceased
Emily Wilson, the pool of suspects is small in this locked room mystery.
It is January
1943 and librarian Emily Applegate is warm in the library despite the ongoing wintery
onslaught outside. In “The Vanishing Volume” by Janet Raye Stevens, Miss
Applegate deals with a lot including the motives of a certain policeman,
Sargent Duffy. The book drop and what it contains-- and does not-- is the
ongoing aspect of the tale that blends mystery with a touch of romance.
Librarians
are dangerous as they know things. The NSA must be vigilant. Even when their
surveillance subject is a sixty year old librarian in “Where Agents Go to Die”
by Michael Brandon. Agents Ellis and Strickland are on the case, but much
happens out of the sight of their car. They soon learn what happened and
why and it is not surprising. After all, as Agent Strickland points out early
on, “Libraries are a breeding ground of bitterness and disaffection.”
Next up
is the previously published story, “The Fortune Teller” by Edward Ahern. Deep
in the bowels of the Vatican Brother Willman seeks to find a pattern. He works
with ancient texts that are writings condemned by the church. His mission is to
find the links between the failings of the church in different points of time
in the past to discern where are the areas where the church will fail at in the
future. It has taken years of study, but a pattern of sorts is about to emerge.
Somebody
apparently is living in the old library in “Bookish Dreams” by Amy Ballard.
Theodora wants the police involved though Emma is reluctant to so as she does
not see any real need. Theodora is the boss so Theodora has her way on this and
many other issues.
Our
protagonist had a little too much fun last night. Part of the morning after
problem is what she consumed. Part of the morning after problem is that her ex
was involved. Then there is the call from her boss, Pam Sterno. Summoned to the
home of her boss, she is going to be assigned a mystery decades in the making
in “Havoc in the Library” by Barbara Schliching.
History
is also a major point of “The Lawrence Library Liquidation” by M. M. Elmendorf.
Miles Watson is a librarian and has plenty to do at the library as it is. Mrs.
Fischner, his boss, is not at all pleased with the world, the patrons who pass
through the library doors, or the fact that Mr. Watson has still not taken the
cart of resource books to the vault as she had instructed him to do so earlier
in the day. Taking that cart is going to turn into an adventure worthy of any
classic mystery.
The
death of a neighbor gets Elsa, a librarian, involved in a case that strikes very
close to home in the previously published story, “The Christmas Stalker” by Nupur
Tustin. Taylor is dead, her soon to be husband found her, and Elsa had slept
through it all until the cops pounded hard on her door. They had just recently moved
in and Taylor had quickly proven to be a bit difficult. The murder shocks the
small community of Greendale Village and Elsa, like many others, is scared to
be at home each night.
Author Albert
Tucher worked at the Newark Public Library for quite a number of years. He put
that inspiration to work in his short story, “The Patience of the Dead.” Set
before prohibition, the tale features Beatrice Winser, the real-life librarian
who oversaw the place for decades. The flu is rampant and the governor has
ordered the closure of places that people congregate at in large numbers. As
she sees the order, that includes libraries though others may disagree and do
so at their own peril. It has to be closed and no one knows for how long.
Everyone must be accounted for to make sure the library is empty before the
doors are locked and she relies on her head of security, Mr. Bradshaw to do
just that.
“Keeping
the Books” by Michael Guillebeau brings the anthology to a close. Liberians
Hammer, Doom, and Carter have a problem. Actually, they have more than one
problem considering the action by the library rat, Faulkner, which they just
witnessed. The latest budget crisis will hit hard and require drastic action.
The
twenty four tales in Shah… Murder! are all good ones
showcasing variety in the cozy spectrum. While some are a bit easier to predict
for seasoned mystery readers, every story in the anthology has several twists
and turns. A nice touch is the short introduction to each tale explaining the
author’s background and the context of the work. Shhhh… Murder! is a fun
read from start to finish and well worth your time.
Shhhh…Murder!
Editor Andrew MacRae
Darkhouse Books
September 2018
ISBN# 978-1-945467-15-8
eBook (also available in print format)
251 Pages
$2.99
Material was
purchased shortly after the publication date to read and review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2018
Monday, October 29, 2018
RTE Update: October 27th Issue of RTE
The October 27th issue of RTE is out and includes fifteen new reviews as well as a new interview:
http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com
Steven Axelrod in the 'Sixty Seconds with . . .' interview hot seat:
http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com/interviews.html?id=261
REVIEWS THIS WEEK:
TRANSCRIPTION Kate Atkinson Reviewed by Yvonne Klein
IN A HOUSE OF LIES Ian Rankin Reviewed by Jim Napier
WRECKED: An IQ Novel Joe Ide Reviewed by Susan Hoover
DESOLATION MOUNTAIN William Kent Krueger Reviewed by Sharon Mensing
FAULT LINES Doug Johnstone Reviewed by Anne Corey
BLACKOUT Ragnar Jónasson Reviewed by Yvonne Klein
MERCY'S CHASE Jess Lourey Reviewed by Lourdes Venard
ELEVEN MILES TO OSHKOSH Jim Guhl Reviewed by Cathy Downs
FLESH AND GOLD Ann Aptaker Reviewed by Meg Westely
ABANDONED Allison Brennan Reviewed by Ruth Castlebe
HAUNTED HAYRIDE WITH MURDER Auralee Wallace Reviewed by PJ Coldren
FOOL'S MOON Diane A.S. Stuckart Reviewed by Meredith Frazier
A LADY'S GUIDE TO
ETIQUETTE AND MURDER Dianne Freeman Reviewed by PJ Coldren
A GIFT OF BONES Carolyn Haines Reviewed by Meg Westley
CLASSIC AMERICAN CRIME
FICTION OF THE 1920s Leslie S. Klinger, ed. Reviewed by Yvonne Klein
We post more than 900 new reviews a year -- all of them are archived on the site -- as well as a new interview with a top author every issue.
Yvonne Klein
Editor: ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com
http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com
Steven Axelrod in the 'Sixty Seconds with . . .' interview hot seat:
http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com/interviews.html?id=261
REVIEWS THIS WEEK:
TRANSCRIPTION Kate Atkinson Reviewed by Yvonne Klein
IN A HOUSE OF LIES Ian Rankin Reviewed by Jim Napier
WRECKED: An IQ Novel Joe Ide Reviewed by Susan Hoover
DESOLATION MOUNTAIN William Kent Krueger Reviewed by Sharon Mensing
FAULT LINES Doug Johnstone Reviewed by Anne Corey
BLACKOUT Ragnar Jónasson Reviewed by Yvonne Klein
MERCY'S CHASE Jess Lourey Reviewed by Lourdes Venard
ELEVEN MILES TO OSHKOSH Jim Guhl Reviewed by Cathy Downs
FLESH AND GOLD Ann Aptaker Reviewed by Meg Westely
ABANDONED Allison Brennan Reviewed by Ruth Castlebe
HAUNTED HAYRIDE WITH MURDER Auralee Wallace Reviewed by PJ Coldren
FOOL'S MOON Diane A.S. Stuckart Reviewed by Meredith Frazier
A LADY'S GUIDE TO
ETIQUETTE AND MURDER Dianne Freeman Reviewed by PJ Coldren
A GIFT OF BONES Carolyn Haines Reviewed by Meg Westley
CLASSIC AMERICAN CRIME
FICTION OF THE 1920s Leslie S. Klinger, ed. Reviewed by Yvonne Klein
We post more than 900 new reviews a year -- all of them are archived on the site -- as well as a new interview with a top author every issue.
Yvonne Klein
Editor: ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com
Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: In a House of Lies by Ian Rankin
In
a House of Lies by Ian Rankin (Little, Brown and
Company, December 2018) is the 23rd book in the contemporary police
procedural series set in Edinburgh, Scotland, and featuring former Detective
Inspector John Rebus.
Rebus is long retired, reaching mandatory
retirement age a few books ago. (Rankin has often said that if he knew the
required retirement age of the Scotland police force at the time he started
writing this series, he would have made Rebus younger to give him more active
time on the police force.) Rankin has had to look for ways to keep him credibly
involved with the current undertakings of the local police. First he brought
him back as temporary staff to clear up a cold case backlog, and then he created
cases with some element of history that requires the investigating team to ask Rebus
to explain it.
This latest title involves the discovery of the
body of a private investigator who had been missing for about a dozen years.
What was once a missing persons case is now an established homicide, and all of
the original files must be reviewed. The original investigating team members,
including Rebus, are interviewed and their reports are re-evaluated. From the
beginning the family of the missing man filed complaint after complaint about the
police’s failure to locate their son, who was openly gay, and hints of police
homophobia, incompetence, and corruption hover over the re-opened case.
Siobhan Clark, former subordinate and wingman to
Rebus, is assigned to the project and serves as an information conduit to
Rebus. Matthew Fox comes back into the picture, after having been elsewhere for
a few books. Rebus as usual does his own looking under rocks and behind doors,
trying hard to pull his old frenemy Big Ger Cafferty into the frame. He has never
been successful in putting this old crime boss away, and it continues to gall
him. As usual in this series justice takes different shapes and colors in the
end.
I won a character name in
a Rebus book in a mystery conference charity auction years ago and this is the
book my name appears in. The forensic anthropologist is Aubrey Hamilton, who
makes a few appearances to work with the pathologist and the soils analytical
expert. It’s always entertaining to see how authors decide to use my name. In
this case I’m pleased to see it in a book that continues to uphold the high
standards of this bestselling series with well-realized characters and a
convoluted plot, in which everyone has something to hide.
·
Hardcover: 384 pages
·
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (December 31, 2018)
·
Language: English
·
ISBN-10: 0316479209
·
ISBN-13: 978-0316479202
Aubrey
Hamilton ©2018
Aubrey
Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and
reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Mystery Fanfare: MYSTERY BYTES: Interesting & Quirky Mystery-Relate...
Mystery Fanfare: MYSTERY BYTES: Interesting & Quirky Mystery-Relate...: Here's my weekly Round-Up of interesting and quirky mystery-related articles and postings on the Internet . Just wanted to share in...
The Southwest Armchair Traveler: A Spooky Tale from the Wild West for #Halloween
The Southwest Armchair Traveler: A Spooky Tale from the Wild West for #Halloween: The Old West is full of true stories of bandits, shootouts, and lost treasures. Many people attempt to divide historical figures into h...
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: A Season with the Witch: the Magic and Mayhem of ...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: A Season with the Witch: the Magic and Mayhem of ...: Reviewed by Christy J.W. Ocker likes to travel quite a bit. But his destinations are almost always weird – so much...
KRL This Week Update for 10/27/18
We are playing catch-up again in KRL and have reviews and giveaways of another big group of mysteries-"Treacherous Is the Night": A Verity Kent series by Anna Lee Huber, "In Want of a Knife": A Little Library Mystery by Elizabeth Buzzelli, "Read and Gone": A Haunted Library Mystery by Allison Brook, "Murder Flies the Coop": Beryl and Edwina Mystery by Jessica Ellicott, and "Silver Anniversary Murder": Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier http://kingsriverlife.com/10/27/end-of-october-mystery-catch-up-group/
And a review and giveaway of "Bells, Spells, and Murders" by Carol Perry http://kingsriverlife.com/10/27/bells-spells-and-murders-by-carol-j-perry/
Also a review and giveaway of "Seances are for Suckers" by Tamara Berry, along with an interesting interview with Tamara http://kingsriverlife.com/10/27/seances-are-for-suckers-by-tamara-berry/
We also have the latest mystery Coming Attractions by Sunny Frazier, and a chance to win books by Tina Kashian, Peggy Ehrhart and Cheryl Hollon
And for those who enjoy fantasy with their mystery, a review and giveaway of "Deadly Rising" A Booke of the Hidden Novel by Jeri Westerson, and an interesting guest post by Jeri about demons http://kingsriverlife.com/10/27/deadly-rising-by-jeri-westerson/
And we have reviews of 2 mystery TV shows streaming on BritBoxTV, "The Coroner" and "Gil Mayo Mysteries" http://kingsriverlife.com/10/27/the-coroner-gil-mayo-mysteries-streamingthe-way-of-the-future/
And another dark short story for your Halloween reading, this one by Nancy Brewka-Clark http://kingsriverlife.com/10/27/heir-of-innocence-by-nancy-brewka-clark-a-dark-short-story-for-halloween/
Up on KRL News & Reviews, a review and giveaway of "The Pint of No Return" by Ellie Alexander aka Kate Dyer-Seeley https://www.krlnews.com/2018/10/the-pint-of-no-return-by-ellie-alexander.html
And a review and giveaway of "Royally Dead" by Greta McKennan https://www.krlnews.com/2018/10/royally-dead-by-greta-mckennan.html
And a review and giveaway of "Blame It On Paris" by Lise McClendon
Happy Halloween!
Lorie
Saturdays With Kaye: Exposed by Lisa Scottoline
Exposed by Lisa Scottoline
In this, the fifth book in the Rosato & DiNunzio series, the story opens on Mary DiNunzio’s
father and his friends from their close-knit South Philly neighborhood calling
Mary in, in need of a lawyer.
The group of older men is great comic relief: her deaf father,
Matty, and three men named Tony. They are differentiated by their nicknames,
Tony “From-Down-the-Block,” Pigeon, and Feet. But the case Mary is called in on
is a serious one. A man from her childhood, Simon, has just been fired from his
job at OpenSpace, a company that makes cubicles. The reason for his firing was
obviously bogus and the timing is horrible. He has lost his insurance just when
his baby daughter, Rachel, desperately needs an expensive bone marrow transplant
for her ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia). Mary says that, of course, she will
help him sue OpenSpace.
That’s a problem, though, as her law colleague, the tough,
prickly Bennie Rosato, points out. She tells Mary that OpenSpace is owned by
Dumbarton, which is a client of their firm. Will Mary have to quit her job with
the firm to help the old family friend? Will this come between Mary and Bennie?
The latter believes she should not take the case.
There are lawsuits and countersuits that pile on to the complications.
Rachel’s illness causes ripples in every direction. As the reader is taken into
the sad world of childhood cancer, layers of guilt and deception are uncovered
on many levels, and both Bennie and Mary realize that the personal and
professional consequences are huge for both of them.
Reviewed by Kaye George, Editor
of Day
of the Dark: Eclipse Stories, for Suspense Magazine
Friday, October 26, 2018
Gravetapping: MIA HUNTER: L.A. GANG WAR by Stephen Mertz
Gravetapping: MIA HUNTER: L.A. GANG WAR by Stephen Mertz: A three-man strike force accustomed to rescuing prisoners of war in the jungles of Vietnam is stateside on a rogue mission in Los Angeles...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Mother of Rain, Mary's Monster, George ...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Mother of Rain, Mary's Monster, George ...: Reported by Jeanne Nevermore’s first book was Mother of Rain by Karen Spears Zacharias. As the book opens, a family tragedy h...
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 30 Writing Contests in November 2018 - No entry fe...
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 30 Writing Contests in November 2018 - No entry fe...: Pxhere - CC0 license There are more than two dozen writing contests in November, none of which charge entry fees. This month there are c...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Magic Cottage by James Herbert
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Magic Cottage by James Herbert: Reviewed by Jeanne This book was recommended to me by a patron who commented, “They say he’s a horror writer, but I don’t think ...
Crime Review Update: New Issue of Crime Review
We feature new 20 reviews in each issue of Crime Review (www.crimereview.co.uk), together with a top industry interview. This time it’s author John Lawton in the Countdown hot seat: http://crimereview.co.uk/page.php/interview/6698 We’re on Twitter at: Crime Review: @CrimeReviewUK Linda Wilson: @CrimeReviewer Sharon Wheeler: @lartonmedia This week’s reviews are: Lethal White by Robert Galbraith, reviewed by Linda Wilson
Private investigator Cormoran Strike and his partner Robin Ellacott have another mystery to solve, digging into a blackmail attempt on a Tory MP, as well as looking into the disturbing possibility that a distressed client really did witness the murder of a child many years ago. Mr Godley’s Phantom by Mal Peet, reviewed by John Cleal Martin
Heath is struggling to settle after the horrors of World War Two. When an old comrade tells of a position with elderly Harold Godley in a lonely part of Devon, he is plunged into a dark mystery. A Summer of Murder by Oliver Bottini, reviewed by Chris Roberts
Chief Inspector Louise Boni of the Freiburg Kripo is back on duty and immediately pitched into a major case involving the movement of weapons across Europe. Maigret’s Failure by George Simenon, reviewed by Arnold Taylor
Maigret is visited by a village school acquaintance he had never liked. He tells the detective that he has been receiving letters threatening to kill him and, reluctant as Maigret is to get involved with the man, he decides to make enquiries. Kill the Angel by Sandrone Dazieri, reviewed by Sylvia Maughan
A train from Milan pulls into Rome’s Termini station. No one emerges from the Top-Class coach – they are all dead. Deputy Chief Colomba Caselli is the person who discovers them and then sets out to find the culprit
Keeper by Johana Gustawsson, reviewed by John Barnbrook
Famous actress Julianne Bell is abducted in London in circumstances that are just like murders committed ten years earlier – a case that was believed to have been solved. Then a similar murder is reported in Sweden. Breathe by Dominick Donald, reviewed by John Cleal
Dick Bourton is not like other probationer policemen. He makes connections his superiors don’t want to see, linking a series of deaths as the fogs of the 1952 winter stop the city in its tracks. Cry To Dream Again by Jane Hawking, reviewed by Arnold Taylor
The Marlow family are on their annual holiday in the French village of Trémaincourt. Seventeen-year-old Shirley has an insatiable desire to become a ballet dancer. One obsession turns into two when, on the ferry journey home, she encounters a handsome young man named Alan.The Sinners by Ace Atkins, reviewed by Chris Roberts Sheriff Quinn Colson finds his wedding plans disrupted when two rival drug suppliers come into conflict and disturb the calm of Jericho and Tibbehah County. Betty Church and the Suffolk Vampire by MRC Kasasian, reviewed by John Cleal Partly disabled Met sergeant Betty Church avoids being invalided out when her godmother March Middleton arranges a transfer to the Suffolk force. She returns to the town where she grew up to find a police station in chaos and a murderer dubbed the Suffolk Vampire on the loose. The Friend by Teresa Driscoll, reviewed by Kati Barr-TaylorTwo boys are in hospital 200 miles away and one of them is Sophie’s son. But no one knows which child Ben is. The First Prehistoric Serial Killer and Other Stories by Teresa Solana, reviewed by Chris Roberts A collection of short stories set in or around Barcelona featuring a variety of characters, apparently respectable, who become involved in serious crime. The Bad Neighbour by David Tallerman, reviewed by Linda Wilson It doesn’t take Ollie Clay long to realise he’s made a mistake buying a rundown house in a squalid district of Leeds. But he’s made his bed, and now he has to lie on it. The Helicopter Heist by Jonas Bonnier, reviewed by John Cleal A gang sets out to commit Sweden’s biggest ever cash robbery. The Ways of Wolfe by James Carlos Blake, reviewed by Chris Roberts Axel Wolfe’s first attempt at robbery does not go well and he ends up doing a long stretch at a Texas state prison, feeling sore about the partner who left him behind Crook’s Hollow by Robert Parker, reviewed by Linda Wilson Someone wants Thor Loxley dead. But he doesn’t know who, or why. Murder at the Bayswater Bicycle Club by Linda Stratmann, reviewed by John Cleal Frances Doughty is asked by a mysterious government agency to keep an eye on goings-on at a posh West London cycle club and enters a world of corruption, murder, espionage and personal danger. A Darkness of Dragons by SA Patrick, reviewed by Linda Wilson The children of Hamelyn have never been found, but at least the man responsible for their disappearance is safely under lock and key. Until the dragons decide to take their revenge The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, reviewed by Ewa Sherman A mysterious Professor of Black Magic arrives with his bizarre entourage in Moscow to wreak havoc among the city’s intellectual elite and ordinary citizens. He soon becomes interested in the fate of the Master and his manuscript about Pontius Pilate. Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp, reviewed by Linda Wilson Corey’s best friend is dead, and Corey wants to know how and why that happened. Her questions don’t make her popular in an isolated Alaskan community. Best wishes Sharon www.crimereview.co.uk
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 23 Writing Conferences in November 2018
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 23 Writing Conferences in November 2018: There are nearly two dozen conferences, retreats, and festivals in November, spanning the country. Genre-specific conferences include medi...
FFB Review: WHISTLE UP THE DEVIL (1953) by Derek Smith Reviewed by Barry Ergang
As we
grind through October with rains and cooler weather here and snow flying from
time to time up in the Texas Panhandle proving winter is coming, Barry is back
today with another all new review. After you check out his work below, head on
over to Patti’s blog and see what
else is recommended.
WHISTLE UP
THE DEVIL (1953) by Derek Smith
I first learned about this novel when Patrick Ohl reviewed
it in December of 2011—see http://at-scene-of-crime.blogspot.com/2011/12/devil-take-hindmost.html. I was
immediately intrigued because of the way Patrick raved about the cleverness of
the story’s two impossible crimes, followed by immediate frustration over the
difficulty of finding a copy. At that time, original editions were scarce, and
nobody had yet done a reprint.
Then in July of 2012, TomCat reviewed it on his blog—see https://moonlight-detective.blogspot.com/2012/07/where-devil-slumbered.html—and, like
Patrick, he gave it a radiant recommendation. He had also clearly been able to
find a copy of what I assume, from the cover shown on his site, was one of the
original editions, either from John Gifford or the Thriller Book Club. From the
logo on the spine shown at Patrick’s site, my guess is the latter.
Barring stumbling upon a copy of one of the aforementioned
editions, or unless someone brought out a contemporary reprint, I had resigned myself
to never having the opportunity to read this one. But then a stumble occurred,
and I discovered that the publisher, Locked Room International, had reissued Whistle Up the Devil, along with
two other impossible crime novels and a previously unpublished short story, in The Derek Smith Omnibus, so I
snagged an electronic edition. I’ve so far only read the book under
consideration here, and there’s no point in my writing out a plot synopsis or
my take on it or other elements of the tale because my views would primarily
echo those of Patrick and TomCat. Thus, I recommend that you click on the links
supplied above and read their insightful reviews.
I have but one small nit to pick, which may or may not pertain to
Locked Room International’s both paperback and electronic editions—and with
regard to this specific novel in The
Derek Smith Omnibus—but the publisher could use a careful proofreader. Although
Whistle Up the
Devil doesn’t
teem with the kinds of mistakes many of us have seen in other electronic
publications, it does contain its share of punctuation (and paragraphing) errors,
along with sentences containing a few words missing letters that readers can
sometimes easily guess at, and perhaps a few sentences (or missing ones) that
provide no clues to their meanings.
Don’t let the nits dissuade you. (<--I may have just come up with a variation on a Ray Charles song
title.) It’s an eminently worthwhile read for fans of this kind of mystery
fiction. It has become a (kind of) classic by virtue of (its relative)
obscurity.
© 2018 Barry Ergang
Derringer Award-winner Barry
Ergang’s mystery novelette, “The Play of Light and Shadow,” is available at Amazon and Smashwords, along with some of his other work.
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