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A Cat on the Case by Clea Simon
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Friday, January 15, 2021
Crime Watch: Review: STILL MISSING by Chevy Stevens
Crime Watch: Review: STILL MISSING: STILL MISSING by Chevy Stevens (Allen & Unwin, 2010) Reviewed by Craig Sisterson On the day she was abducted, Annie O'Sullivan, a 32...
FFB Review: The Adventures of the Quinn Higgins Boy Detective: The Case of the Lost U-Boat by Douglas Quinn
I don’t know about you, but reading for me has been hard these past few days. It seemed like a good idea to remind you of a great series for kids. Today I am running my repeat review of The Adventures of the Quinn Higgins Boy Detective: The Case of the Lost U-Boat by Douglas Quinn. This is just one of a number of great books in this series. Make sure you check out the reading suggestions from Patti Abbott and Aubrey Hamilton. Have a great weekend!
Reggie, Vaughn, Demian, and the Boy Detective, Quinn
Higgins, like to pal around at school and at home. They call themselves “Quinn
and the Three Musketeers.” Thanks to Demian they learn that there is a new kid
in school. The 11-year-old boy is from Chicago and just got to North Carolina
and that means that Demian can happily give up his title of the “new kid.”
The new kid is Frederick Cullen and he is living
with his grandfather out on Big Flatty Creek.
Word is that his mom is dead and his father died fighting in
Afghanistan. Since Frederick wants to learn how to fish and Quinn is good at it
that becomes a natural way to start talking to Frederick. The plan is to make
friends with Frederick and bring him into the group.
When Quinn and the others aren’t making instruments
for the upcoming talent show the boys try to figure out ways to help Frederick
as his rather rude grandfather makes it clear that no one is welcome at their
home. The boys, who have been on more than one adventure, suspect that the
elderly man is hiding something. It could be something very important and may
have links back to World War II. A secret that boy detective Quinn Higgins is
determined to discover in The Adventures of the Quinn Higgins Boy Detective:
The Case of the Lost U-Boat.
From the first book The Case of the Missing Homework
through this, the fifth book in the series, readers have been treated to Quinn
Higgins, a fun-loving kid growing up in North Carolina. An active kid who would
rather spend time with his friends outdoors than inside playing video games,
Quinn has an innate curiosity which can put him in sticky situations such as in
this book. For us readers of a certain age, these books are very reminiscent of
the classic Encyclopedia Brown series.
This read is fast moving, solidly good, and engages
the interest of kids and adults as do the other books of the series. While a
mystery is at the core of the book, the read is also about exploring one’s own
talents as well as helping others as relationships matter. Sometimes things
don’t work out exactly as expected and this life lesson comes through clearly
at the end of the story. This is a series that works for kids and parents.
This latest good book in the series is also
complimented by four pages at the end of the book detailing how the instruments
are made that the boys use in their talent show. The four instruments are
things for the kid in all of us to consider making.
The Adventures
of the Quinn Higgins Boy Detective: The Case of the Lost U-Boat
Douglas Quinn
AAS White Heron
Press (Via CreateSpace)
ISBN
#978-1492974215
November 2013
Paperback
132 Pages
$7.95
Material supplied by the author in exchange for my
objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2013, 2021
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Beneath the Stains of Time: A Shot at Nothing (1993) by Roger Ormerod
Beneath the Stains of Time: A Shot at Nothing (1993) by Roger Ormerod: Over the past few years, I've read four novels by Roger Ormerod , a jack-of-all-trades and second-string mystery writer, who evidently t...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Children's book author?
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Children's book author?: Ian Fleming was best known as the creator of Bond—James Bond, the quintessential sophisticated spy who was also known as Agent 007 and...
Crime Watch: Reincarnated theosophists and falling pianos: an interview with Sulari Gentill
Crime Watch: Reincarnated theosophists and falling pianos: an i...: Kia ora and haere mai, welcome to the second instalment of our 9mm interview series for 2021 - we're back on a regular track now after...
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL: The Hidden Story by Jeff Noon
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL: The Hidden Story by Jeff Noon: I have been writing science fiction for all of my career. However, I have always loved the crime genre as a reader. I am especially drawn to...
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Final Hours To Vote In The Annual Critters Readers' Poll
These are the final hours to support Kevin’s Corner for consideration as Best Review Site. This year, we attempt to defend our crown as the Best Review Site. As always, we are up against a lot of sites that have teams of reviewers and are active in many genres across multiple forms of media. Most of them host book giveaways and other events as well. This site remains an underdog as always as we do not have all the bells and whistles use on a daily and weekly basis.
If you think we are worthy of your vote, please go
cast your vote today. Remember, you have to respond to the confirmation email
for your vote to count.
On behalf of Aubrey Hamilton, Barry Ergang, Jeanne of
the BPL, and the numerous guests that have visited the blog during 2020, and myself,
thank you for your support.
https://critters.org/predpoll/reviewsite.shtml
While I am not sure how much longer I am going to keep
the blog going, I can assure you that this is the final year for me to enter
the blog in this contest. So, let’s go out on top with a back to back crown as
number one! Please and thank you.
Western Fictioneers: Dodge City by Tom Clavin
Western Fictioneers: Dodge City by Tom Clavin: This review originally appeared at Macmillan's Criminal Element. The Wyatt Earp myth is spent, taking its place alongside Bingham’s Wash...
Crime Watch: Review: HEADHUNTERS by Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett
Crime Watch: Review: HEADHUNTERS: HEADHUNTERS by Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett (Harvill Secker, 2011) Reviewed by Craig Sisterson Lie. Roger Brown has it all. Clever ...
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Stories from Home Schooling...
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Stories from Home Schooling...: I honestly don't know how I happened upon this book, except that I always have an eye open for books by Canadian authors. This one seeme...
Blood-Red Pencil: 2021 Workshops and Conferences January to March
Blood-Red Pencil: 2021 Workshops and Conferences January to March: Whether a one day session, one week conference, or a month-long writing workshop, writing related events are a good way to commune with ot...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Kendi, Ozeki, George, Malerich
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Kendi, Ozeki, George, Malerich: The first book discussed in Nevermore was How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. Our reader was impressed with Kendi’s intellectu...
Short Story Wednesday Review: Thriller Shots: Murder Mystery Suspense by M. J. Newman
Thriller Shots: Murder Mystery Suspense
by M. J. Newman is a collection of five short noir style tales and a sample of Violence
In The Blood and offers of other books by the author. This read was
originally published as 1054 Suburbia in 2016 and republished
last year. The short tales make up a little more than half of the total page
count making this a very fast read as this reader skips samples.
Thriller Shots 1 is subtitled “A Random Act” and is
about a narrator who is out on parole. He saw her and it was clear she needed
his help. So, he took her home and set her up with an IV. She is sleeping and
he has time to think about how he got here and more.
Thriller Shots 2 titled “Let Him Go” revolves around
the fact that the cop knows the guy did it. He has zero doubt. The evidence he
has gathered is burned into his brain and he knows the guy did it. The CPS
(Crown Prosecution Service) says the evidence is circumstantial at best and to
cut him loose. That cannot be how this case ends with this guy walking free and
out there to do it and more again.
Thriller Shots 3 is subtitled “Long Time Coming” and
is also is a tale of seeking justice. Kyle has it coming. The narrator has
waited a long time to get his man. An evening in the pub will be part of the
setup.
Thriller Shots 4 subtitled “The Homecoming” is also
a tale of having to wait a long time. In this case, the narrator has been gone
from home for fourteen years. Prison was the reason, but he is back home in
Arizona and scores need to be settled.
Thriller Shots 5 subtitled “The Night Before” is
about that night and the repercussions beyond the next day. He has planned to
pace himself at the pub. Once the alcohol started flowing, the plan went out at
the window. Now there is the aftermath.
The book concludes with a sample from Violence in The Blood: Crime Syndicate Book One and offers and info about various other books by the author. The author is a UK crime fiction writer and his tales feature that perspective even when set here in the states. An enjoyable read if you like noir or dark crime fiction as this is not a read where many good things happen unless you count getting even with folks who did you wrong and had it coming for a long time.
Thriller Shots:
Murder Mystery Suspense
M. J. Newman
Self-Published
July 2020
ASIN: B08DM515LR
eBook
53 Pages
I picked this up earlier this month to read and
review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2021
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Do Some Damage: Rattlesnake Rodeo by Nick Kolakowski
Do Some Damage: Rattlesnake Rodeo by Nick Kolakowski: Whenever I read a Nick Kolakowski book, I know a few things going in. The action will be fast and furious, the humor (and there will be a g...
Crime Watch: Review: STILL LIFE by Val McDermid
Crime Watch: Review: STILL LIFE: STILL LIFE by Val McDermid (Little, Brown, 2020) Reviewed by Craig Sisterson On a freezing winter morning, fishermen pull a body from the se...
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 5 Paying Markets for Historical Fiction and Western Short Stories ...
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 5 Paying Markets for Historical Fiction and Wester...: Westerns were all the rage in the 1920s and 30s. Zane Grey and Louis L’Amour wrote dozens of books featuring rugged gun slinging cowboys. Mo...
Review: The Law of Innocence: A Lincoln Lawyer Novel by Michael Connelly
It should have been a great day in the life of attorney Mickey Haller. He had truly had a television Perry Mason style moment that had destroyed a witness and ultimately won his case. The celebration at the Redwood on Second Street had been a fun time for all in attendance.
It was on to
the drive home that things started to go wrong. First it was the traffic stop.
Within a few minutes it was the handcuffs. Then it was the fluid dripping from
the trunk. Then it was the clearly visible dead body inside the trunk.
Halloween 2019 seemingly has come a couple of days early and Mickey Haller is
in for quite a terror filled ride as his entire life is on the line.
Arrested for
a murder he did not commit; Mickey Haller is incarcerated at the Twin Towers Correctional
Facility. To get out of a nearly perfect frame job he is going to not only have
to stay alive in the facility where he has few friends among inmates or staff,
he has to build a credible -- somebody else did it -- style defense. Figuring
out who he knows that could have done this will take time. Something he is in
short supply of since he faces a looming trial and multiple threats including COVID-19.
The
Law of Innocence: A Lincoln Lawyer Novel by Michael Connelly brings together nearly every character currently
and previously present in this series. Haller’s defense that is ultimately
presented in court as COVID-19 begins to draw public attention in early 2020
has numerous links to previous cases. This reader occasionally struggled to
remember those cases before deciding to just read on and focus on the current
story. The resulting read is complicated, intense, and pretty good. Because of
the links in this book will invalidate pretty much any reason to read the
earlier books, I suggest reading your way forward in the series to get to here.
It will be worth it.
The Law of Innocence: A Lincoln Lawyer Novel
Michael Connelly
Little, Brown and Company (Hatchett Book Group)
https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/michael-connelly/the-law-of-innocence/9780316498029/
November 2020
ISBN# 978-0-316-49802-9
eBook (also available in audio, hardback, and large print
paperback)
433 Pages
My reading
copy came in eBook format via the Dallas Library and the LibbyApp and the
technical assistance of my son, Scott, who did some sort of magic to make
things work.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2021
Monday, January 11, 2021
Mystery Fanfare: LUPIN on Netflix
Mystery Fanfare: LUPIN on Netflix: When I was in 10th grade, we read Arsène Lupin in my Advanced French II class. I loved the stories because they were mysteries about a Gen...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison: Reviewed by Jeanne After Evie's husband Robert dies suddenly, she discovers they were in deep financial difficulty. Even her ho...
Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
I decided to
read Ruth Ware’s earlier psychological thrillers so I started with her second one
over the holidays, The Woman in Cabin 10 (Gallery/Scout Press, 2016). It
is everything the reviews claim it to be. Laura Blacklock awakens in the night
to realize someone is in her apartment. The invader locks her in the bedroom.
Her phone is in another room and she has no way to call someone. It takes hours
to pry the lock loose. Dealing with the police and the damage to her apartment
is so consuming that she forgets she is due to leave on a primo job assignment
in two days, filling in for another journalist on a luxury ship cruise.
She manages
to pack and meet the boarding deadline but she’s exhausted from little sleep
and distraught over the break-in and has not prepared for the trip as she
should have. She interacts briefly with the woman in the cabin across from her while
scrambling to put herself together to rush to the main deck, where she is
supposed to be reporting on the new opulent liner and its fabulously wealthy
owners. Champagne flows freely as the yacht gets under way and Laura is more
than a little drunk when she returns to her cabin.
When she’s
awakened in the night by a scream and a loud splash, she realizes the noise
came from next door and she reports it, fearing a passenger has fallen
overboard. The security chief assures her no one is staying in that cabin but Laura
knows better. Laura is steadfast in her conviction of what she saw and heard
while the yacht personnel do their best to undermine her confidence and her
credibility with the other passengers.
The suspense
builds slowly in this book until the last third when it is positively
nail-biting. Ware has a gift for creating tense and anxiety-provoking
situations. Some scenes will trigger anyone with the slightest tendency to
claustrophobia. Don’t try to read this at night when you are alone.
Starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal.
·
Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press; First Edition (July 19,
2016)
·
Language: English
·
Hardcover: 352 pages
·
ISBN-10: 1501132938
·
ISBN-13: 978-150113293
Aubrey Hamilton ©2021
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works
on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, January 10, 2021
Crime Watch: Review: HINTON HOLLOW DEATH TRIP by by Will Carver
Crime Watch: Review: HINTON HOLLOW DEATH TRIP: HINTON HOLLOW DEATH TRIP by Will Carver (Orenda Books, 2019) Reviewed by Craig Sisterson Narrated by Evil itself, Hinton Hollow Death Trip...
Crime Watch: Review: OVER MY DEAD BODY by Dave Warner
Crime Watch: Review: OVER MY DEAD BODY: OVER MY DEAD BODY by Dave Warner (Fremantle Press, 2020) Reviewed by Karen Chisholm Cryogenicist Dr Georgette Watson has mastered the art of...
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Cabinda Affair (1949) by Matthew Head
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Cabinda Affair (1949) by Matthew Head: John Canaday was a World War II veteran, educator and had a two-decade long career as the leading art critic for The New York Times , but m...
Saturday, January 09, 2021
Western Fictioneers: 500 Hundred Manuscripts - Interview with Charlie Steel
Western Fictioneers: 500 Hundred Manuscripts - Interview with Charlie S...: This time around Western Fictioneers is interviewing Charlie Steel. What an interesting perspective Charlie has given on writing, research, ...
KRL This Week Update for 1/9/2021
Up in KRL this morning a review and giveaway of "A Big Fat Greek Murder" by Kate Collins https://kingsriverlife.com/01/09/a-big-fat-greek-murder-by-kate-collins/
And a review and giveaway of "Fields' Guide to Dirty Money" by Julie Mulhern along with a fun guest post from Julie about armchair travel https://kingsriverlife.com/01/09/fields-guide-to-dirty-money-by-julie-mulhern/
We also have a review and giveaway of "Twice the Crime This Time" by Maggie Pill along with an interesting interview with Maggie https://kingsriverlife.com/01/09/twice-the-crime-this-time-by-maggie-pill/
And a review of the mystery TV show New Tricks streaming on BritBoxTV https://kingsriverlife.com/01/09/new-tricks-on-britbox-streaming/
Also up this morning KRL writer Sharon Tucker takes a look at a mystery scifi series of books by Martha Wells https://kingsriverlife.com/01/09/martha-wells-mysterious-murderbot/
Up during the week another special midweek guest post by mystery author Claire A. Murray about the mystery anthology "Peace, Love, and Crime." You can also enter to win a copy of the book https://kingsriverlife.com/01/06/peace-love-and-crime/
And another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author Kelly Brakenhoff and you can enter to win an ebook copy of her latest book "Dead of Winter Break"
https://kingsriverlife.com/01/06/writing-can-a-dog-change-everything-for-a-main-character/
Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and giveaway of "The Sea Glass Murders" by Timothy Cole https://www.krlnews.com/2021/01/the-sea-glass-murders-by-timothy-cole.html
And a review and ebook giveaway of "Deadly Bond" by Gemma Halliday https://www.krlnews.com/2021/01/deadly-bond-by-gemma-halliday.html
Happy reading,
Lorie
Scott's Take: Titan’s Shade (The Carter Archives Book 2) by Dan Stout
Titan’s Day
by Dan Stout is the second book in the series that began with Titanshade.
This book continues The Carter Archives which features Carter and
Ajax who are a human and alien crime fighting duo that investigate murders on
Titan. After the events of the first book, things should be way better for the
locals. Except things are never as simple as they should be. Set six weeks
after the first book Carter and Ajax have finally gotten off desk duty and back
to work. Carter is still dealing with lingering problems thanks to events in
the first book while there is a growing anti federal movement.
A young girl is murdered in an alley and her body is
then horribly mutilated. It is up to Ajax and Carter to figure out who killed
her while facing constant interference by the media, politics, and bureaucracy.
Everyone has an agenda in this novel. The only ones who seem to care that a
girl was murdered is Ajax and Carter. Everyone else seems to want to use the
fact that Ajax and Carter are now considered heroes for their own uses and
seemingly do not care about the murder. The city is on edge and Titan’s
Day is coming up which is the biggest holiday for everyone on Titan.
One of the best parts of this book is that everything
good about the first book continues here and is built upon in this read. There
are connections between the first book and this one that cover big things as
well as little things. Because so much is going on here based on events of the
first book, it makes going into detail here problematic without creating
spoilers. Suffice it to say, Carter is fundamentally changed by the first book
and he is not the only one as characters evolve and relationships change. What
remains constant across the series is the fact that there is plenty of action,
humor, and mystery.
The third book in the series is titled Titan’s
Day and is scheduled for publication on April 6, 2021.
Titan’s Shade (The Carter Archives Book 2)
Dan Stout
Daw Books
(Penguin Random House)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/588910/titans-day-by-dan-stout/9780756414894
April 2020
ISBN#
978-0-7564-1489-4
Hardback
432 Pages (also
available in eBook and paperback formats)
Material supplied by the good folks of our branch, Lochwood Library, of the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2020
Friday, January 08, 2021
Crime Watch Review: THE FORGER AND THE THIEF by Kirsten McKenzie
Crime Watch: Review: THE FORGER AND THE THIEF: THE FORGER AND THE THIEF by Kirsten McKenzie (Squabbling Sparrows Press, 2020) Reviewed by Craig Sisterson FIVE STRANGERS IN FLORENCE, EACH...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Reviewed by ChristyCursed Objects: Strange but T...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library:
Reviewed by ChristyCursed Objects: Strange but T...: Reviewed by Christy Cursed Objects: Strange but True Stories of the World’s Most Infamous Items by J.W. Ocker Author J.W. O...
Crime Watch Review: THE MURDER CLUB by Nikki Crutchley
Crime Watch: Review: THE MURDER CLUB: THE MURDER CLUB by Nikki Crutchley (Oak House Press, 2020) Reviewed by Alyson Baker When the first letter arrives saying that ‘tonight it be...
Bitter Tea and Mystery Review: The Hollow by Agatha Christie
Bitter Tea and Mystery: The Hollow: Agatha Christie: As I read more of the Poirot books, I find more to add to my favorite Christie novels. This one may be in my top ten, if I ever try to list ...
FFB Review: The Troubleshooter by Austin S. Camacho
After a break for the holidays, Friday’s Forgotten Books returns today with a repeat review. Today I am running my repeat review of The Troubleshooter by Austin Camacho. I am way behind on my reading of this very good series now billed as thrillers. The good news here is that unlike his short story I reviewed earlier this week, this read is still available in a variety of formats. Make sure you check out the reading suggestions from Patti Abbott and Aubrey Hamilton. Have a great weekend!
While third in the series featuring Hannibal Jones, the events depicted in The Troubleshooter predate the novels Blood And Bone and Collateral Damage. As such, it serves as a perfect introduction to the series for new readers and for those fans familiar with the series, explains how it all began.
Displaced by a fire in his apartment complex, Hannibal needs a new home, at
least temporarily. With his new struggling business open less than six months
and all records destroyed in the fire along with everything else he owns,
Hannibal is devastated and contemplating a bleak future. Thanks to Cindy
Santiago, daughter of his friend, Ray Santiago, he may get a new place fast.
Cindy works in a small law firm and one of the partners, Mr. Dan Baylor, has
recently branched out into real estate as a developer. Cindy is sure that she
can set up a meeting and Mr. Baylor will help Hannibal get a new place. They do
meet and after Baylor checks with his staff, he informs Hannibal that nothing
is currently available. The only possible exception and one that he is very
reluctant to reveal, is in a building across the river in Anacostia. Infested
with squatters and drug dealers, Mr. Baylor has been unable to get them out of
his building despite repeated requests to the Police. The property, which he
bought from the government and is intended to be developed for low-income
housing, is costing Baylor serious money every month and thanks to the
squatters and drug dealers, he can't recoup his investment.
A deal is struck for Hannibal to clean out the building and provide security so
that repair crews can go to work. Former government agent and now
"troubleshooter" Hannibal Jones figures he has the bases covered and
can have the building emptied permanently in less than a week. But, he is very
wrong and quickly puts himself and those he cares about in great danger as the
war for control between a neighborhood and the mob heats up.
Unlike the earlier two novels of the series, this novel is more of a character study and less a mystery. Little detective work is actually done since the dealers and other bad guys are quickly identified. As such, this novel shifts more into a vigilante style of justice work with Hannibal forced to repeatedly do battle at considerable cost to clear the building. Over the course of the siege, not only do we see how Hannibal came into being through insights into his character but we also see the beginnings of the romance between himself and Cindy Santiago. Several other recurring characters from the other novels make their introduction as well, explaining the tight bonds that exist.
Like the others in this series, this very enjoyable novel features tight writing, plenty of action, and intriguing characters. However, in so doing, some reviewers have mistakenly compared this author with Tom Clancy. Please do not be misled as this book and the others in the series have nothing in common with Tom Clancy novels. Both authors are writing books that do not share connections of style, character development, plotting, pacing, or anything else in common other than the fact they both release books printed on paper. Since Tom Clancy writes detailed techno thrillers making such comparisons meaningless and absurd, a better comparison might be made between Hannibal Jones to the "Lucas Davenport" character in the early books of the Prey series by John Sandford if comparisons must be made. Much like Lucas, Hannibal is an intense loner by his very nature and is very selective in his personal entanglements, romantic or otherwise. Much like Lucas, Hannibal does not tolerate evil in its many forms and is often conflicted as to the results and consequences regarding such confrontations. Much like Lucas, Hannibal is often pitted against forces that devalue human life at great personal cost.
Hannibal is fast becoming an old friend that this reader regularly looks
forward to every time a new novel is released. This author and his three
mystery novels to date are well worth the read and worthy of a place on your
bookshelf.
The Troubleshooter
Austin S. Camacho
http://www.ascamacho.com
Intrigue Books
http://www.publishinggold.com
August 2004
ISBN # 1-890158-63-1
Large Trade Hardback
If memory serves me correctly all these years later, the read was provided by the author at that time with no expectation of a review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2004, 2012, 2021
Thursday, January 07, 2021
Beneath the Stains of Time: Give Up the Ghost: Q.E.D, vol. 11 by Motohiro Katou
Beneath the Stains of Time: Give Up the Ghost: Q.E.D, vol. 11 by Motohiro Katou: On January 19, 2020, I reviewed volume 4 of Motohiro Katou 's Q.E.D. series and intended to reach volume 10 before the end of the yea...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: King, Hodgman, Winters, Scwalbe, Butig...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: King, Hodgman, Winters, Scwalbe, Butig...: Nevermore opened with comments about Stephen King’s The Dead Zone . The story revolves around one John Smith who has been in a coma and ...
Crime Watch: Ambitious publishers and generous crime writers: a...
Crime Watch: Ambitious publishers and generous crime writers: a...: Kia ora and haere mai, welcome to the first instalment of our 9mm interview series for the New Year - and the first in almost an entire ye...
Wednesday, January 06, 2021
Crime Watch: Review: THE DEVIL AND THE DARK WATER by Stuart Turton
Crime Watch: Review: THE DEVIL AND THE DARK WATER: THE DEVIL AND THE DARK WATER by Stuart Turton (Bloomsbury, 2020) Reviewed by Craig Sisterson A murder on the high seas. A detective duo. A d...
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Two Stories from OxCrimes
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Two Stories from OxCrimes: I have had OxCrimes , edited by Mark Ellingham and Peter Florence, for several years and previously had only read six stories from that an...
Short Story Wednesday Review: Smoke and Mirrors: A Hannibal Jones Mystery Short Story by Austin S. Camacho
Again this week things have gotten away from me so I am running a repeat of a previous short story review. In this case, my review from January 2016 of Smoke and Mirrors: A Hannibal Jones Mystery Short Story by Austin S. Camacho. Unfortunately, it also seems to be out of print these days.
A Hannibal Jones short story is a treat and Smoke
and Mirrors proves to be no exception. The wildfires in southern California
have done a real number on the area. Hannibal Jones knows that after seeing the
destruction from the air as his plane headed into San Diego.
What he didn’t know was arson was apparently
involved. According to his friend, Mike Weaver, at least one fire was arson and
that led to a death which is why he paid for private investigator Hannibal
Jones to fly out from Washington. The two men have known each other for years
and Weaver had no one else to turn too when local law enforcement turned him
down. While Weaver things it was murder, local cops say it was just an accident
thanks to shifting winds.
That would not explain why Gina Young died in a fire
so intense that there is nothing left of her body. That wind issue would also
not explain why Weaver found traces of accelerant in the debris. It also does
not explain how her live in housekeeper, Elaine Chavez, escaped a fire that was
going before the rest of the neighborhood evacuated. Nearly 1800 families lost everything in
nearly seven counties so Weaver’s questions about one death are being lost in
the aftermath.
With Weaver guiding him, Hannibal works the case in Smoke and Mirrors. A case that stretches far and wide with a number of suspects and witnesses. The result is a fast moving short story and another very good tale featuring Hannibal Jones.
Smoke and
Mirrors: A Hannibal Jones Mystery Short Story
Austin S.
Camacho
Intrigue
Publishing
http://www.intriguepublishing.com
November 2014
ASIN: B00PL1BSIG
E-Book
13 Pages
According to Amazon, I “purchased” this read back in
November. I don’t know now if I did by way of funds in my Amazon Associate
account or I got this by way of a publicized freebie offer by the author.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2016, 2021
Tuesday, January 05, 2021
Crime Watch: Review: WONDER VALLEY by Ivy Pochoda
Crime Watch: Review: WONDER VALLEY: WONDER VALLEY by Ivy Pochoda (Indigo Press, 2018) Reviewed by Craig Sisterson When a teenager runs away from his father’s mysterious c...
Monday, January 04, 2021
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Chocolate Cobweb by Charlotte Armstrong
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Chocolate Cobweb by Charlotte Armstrong: Reviewed by Jeanne Amanda “Mandy” Garth is a charming young woman with artistic talent, something she apparently didn’t inherit from eit...
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Resurrection Fireplace (2011) by Hiroko Minagawa
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Resurrection Fireplace (2011) by Hiroko Minagawa: Hiroko Minagawa is a Japanese writer of fantasy, horror and mystery fiction whose Hirakasete itadaki k ō ei desu ( I'm Honored to Open...
Dying for Chocolate: COOKIES AND CREAM MICKEY CUPCAKES: The Unofficial ...
Dying for Chocolate: COOKIES AND CREAM MICKEY CUPCAKES: The Unofficial ...: If you're a Walt Disney Parks fan , you're probably lamenting the fact that you've been unable to go this past year, at least he...
Crime Watch: Review: THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR by Rose Carlyle
Crime Watch: Review: THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR: THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR by Rose Carlyle (Allen & Unwin, 2020) Reviewed by Craig Sisterson Beautiful twin sisters Iris and Summer are s...
Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: Bluff by Jane Stanton Hitchcock
Jane Stanton Hitchcock was initially a
playwright and screenwriter, and then she turned to crime fiction writing. She
is also an avid poker player who competes in the World Poker Tour and the World
Series of Poker. Her expertise in poker has a prominent place in her sixth
crime story, Bluff (Poisoned Pen Press, 2019).
Maud Warner,
born in New York to a wealthy family, wants revenge on the man who stole her
mother’s fortune and left her destitute. She complained about Burt Sklar for
years, while Burt refuted her accusations with calm condescension. He claimed
Maud’s mother made bad decisions that he couldn’t talk her out of. Maud knew
better but couldn’t prove it. The millions left by her stepfather simply
vanished under Sklar’s skillful manipulation, leaving the family penniless. It
was then that Maud discovered she had a knack for poker, and she made a steady
income from outbluffing players who underestimated her.
Maud decides
she will never bring Sklar to justice through legal means. She dresses in a
Saint Laurent suit with designer heels, walks into The Four Seasons restaurant
in Manhattan, and fires the pistol she carried in her tote at the man and his
lunch companion. She drops the gun and calmly leaves. No one thinks to stop her
and once on the street she takes the train to Baltimore, where she goes into
hiding with a poker buddy. Because no one notices older women, she moved around
as if she were invisible. The police could not find a trace of her.
From there
the story offers one surprise after another. Bigamy, fraud, and murder all
surface against the backdrop of frenetic New York society and gossip. This book
initially reminded me of the Miss Melville series by Evelyn E. Smith from the
1980s, but this narrative is far more complex than those entertaining tales and
just as rewarding.
There’s more
than a whiff of autobiography in this book. Hitchcock not only plays poker as
does her protagonist, but she also successfully brought legal action against an
accountant who defrauded her mother of her inheritance. She starred in an episode of American
Greed which shows how she alerted authorities to the larceny of
the celebrity accountant Kenneth Ira Starr. Starr was subsequently convicted
and served time in a federal prison in New York.
Winner of the 2019 Dashiell Hammett Prize for Literary Excellence in Crime Writing.
·
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press (April
2, 2019)
·
Language: English
·
Hardcover: 264 pages
·
ISBN-10: 1464210675
· ISBN-13: 978-1464210679
Aubrey Hamilton ©2021
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on
Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, January 03, 2021
Crime Watch: Review: DOOM CREEK by Alan Carter
Crime Watch: Review: DOOM CREEK: DOOM CREEK by Alan Carter (Fremantle Press, 2020) Reviewed by Karen Chisholm Sergeant Nick Chester has dodged the Geordie gangsters he once ...
Do Some Damage: New Year, New Book b y Claire Booth
Do Some Damage: New Year, New Book: I’m interrupting our regularly scheduled holiday hiatus today to do some blatant self-promotion. My next book comes out Tuesday. I, like...
Saturday, January 02, 2021
KRL This Week Update for 1/2/2021
Up in KRL this morning reviews and giveaways of 3 more fun mystery novels for your new year's reading-"A Deadly Edition": A Blue Ridge Library Mystery by Victoria Gilbert, "A Death Long Overdue": A Lighthouse Library Mystery by Eva Gates, and "Death by French Roast": A Bookstore Café Mystery by Alex Erickson https://kingsriverlife.com/01/02/mystery-catch-up-group-for-your-new-year-reading/
And a review and giveaway of "Murder is a Must" by Marty Wingate, along with an interesting interview with Marty and some special bonus content from our reviewer Kathleen Costa
We also a review of "Cold Conviction" by Daryl Wood Gerber along with a giveaway of winner's choice of either this book, or one of the other 2 books in the series
And a review and ebook giveaway of "Ropes, Riddles & Robberies" by Tonya Kappes
And a mystery short story by Merrilee Robson
Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and ebook giveaway of "Blackbird Broken" by Keri Arthur
And a review and ebook giveaway of "Rhubard Pie Before You Die" by Gin Jones
And a review and giveaway of "Saddled with Murder" by Eileen Brady
Happy new year!
Lorie
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