Thursday, March 31, 2022
The Reading Room: Widowland by C.J. Carey: Reading Room Review
Review: No Accident: A Posadas County Mystery by Steven F. Havill
No Accident: A Posadas County Mystery
by Steven F. Havill opens with Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman dealing with
the aftermath of a brutal bar fight at the Broken Spur Saloon. Johnny Rabke is
drunk and bleeding heavily, a tourist family of four is traumatized, and the
unconscious combatant on the floor is Pablo Ramirez. He had pulled out a knife
after exchanging insults, Johnny Rabke had swung a pool cue at least once, and had
also ended the fight by throwing a billiard ball and nailing Ramirez in the
right side of his head.
That fight and the charges and everything around all
that becomes secondary as does life in Posadas when she gets a midnight call
from her son, Francisco. Her first thought is that something has happened to
her grandson but she can hear him in the background and so she knows he is
okay. Instead, the call is about her other son, Carlos, and his wife, Tasha.
Francisco explains that Carlos and Tasha were on
their tandem bike out in California and were run down. Both have suffered
series injuries and are in the Temerly Trauma Treatment Center in Briones,
California. Tasha is doing a little bit better than Carlos who is still in
surgery and in a very bad way. Francisco and his family are headed to the
airport in New York to board their private jet. They plan to fly to Posadas and
pick up mom and dad, Estelle and her husband, Dr. Francis Guzman, and go to California
to be there for Carlos and Tasha.
Before long the entire group is on the ground in
California. As it happens, Eddie Mitchell is a captain with the Briones Police
Department and supervising the investigation as it is clear that this was no
simple hit and run. This was definitely attempted murder. Not only were they
run over once, the driver backed up and hit them a second time. Not only does
he want Estelle and the family to be fully supported as they await to see if
Carlos survives his life-threatening injuries, Mitchell is determined to find
the guilty party or parties and get them off the street and in custody.
To do that, he is going to walk a tightrope as he
wants Estelle’s help, but she has no authority in California. He also knows how
she is and does not want her independently pursuing her own lines of inquiry or
doing anything that could give a defense lawyer ammunition at trial. Things get
more complicated quickly as a body is found that could be tied into the case.
What follows is a complicated read that shifts back
and forth from the hospital and the patients to the actual investigation of the
crime. While there are the occasional brief contacts with the folks back home,
the vast majority of the novel takes place out in California. Along the way, the
author spends considerable time on family dynamics, the predatory behavior of
some men towards women, and other issues as the investigation moves forward on
multiple fronts. It is not until the last chapter and the final eight pages
that the initial event that started the book is resolved.
Overall, while not the best read in this long
running series, No Accident: A Posadas County Mystery was
entertaining and enjoyable. Though the tale was interesting, this reader missed
the New Mexico setting which is often so effectively used a character in its own
right. This reader was also frequently reminded of the idea that it is good to
have friends, but having plenty of money to deal with emergencies helps too. So
too does having your own doctor in the family.
My print reading copy came by way of Aubrey Nye Hamilton to sent it to me after she had read it. Yet another way Aubrey does wonderful things for me and this blog. Thank you, Aubrey. As always.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2022
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Beneath the Stains of Time: Reconstructive Nostalgia: Q.E.D. vol. 17-18 by Motohiro Katou
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Chasing History, Absolutely Remarkable Thing, Melungeon Winter, The Poison Squad
Do Some Damage: The Nick Kolakowski Interview
SleuthSayers: Unknowing What You Know by Rebecca K Jones
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten
Little Big Crimes Review: Crime Scene by Joseph S. Walker
Short Story Wednesday Review: To Serve, Protect, and Write: Cops Writing Crime Fiction Volume 1 Editor A. B. Patterson
To Serve, Protect, and
Write: Cops Writing Crime Fiction Volume 1 features
15 tales written by current or former members of law enforcement. While the preponderance
of the tales included here feature stories on the bob, many do not. This anthology
features an international assemblage of authors reflecting experience in law
enforcement around the globe as well as varied perspectives on crime fiction. The
result is an entertaining read.
After an introduction by Editor A. B. Patterson that
goes into considerable detail regarding the premise and the ground rules of the
anthology, it is on to the stories. The first one is a historical tale by
Christopher Allen titled, “All Good Things Must Begin.” Subtitled “The first
Frank DeGrae Case” the tale features an attempted theft, an officer involved
shooting, and possible police corruption.
The next tale is also a historical piece as the year
is 1936 and it is June in San Francisco. “Johnny Walker” by Thonie Hevron has Jack
and Captain Ronald Bertrand head out to a strangulation of a woman in the
Embarcadero area. Bertrand is not on the up and up and the fact that he is
actually leaving the office at the Kearney Street Hall of Justice means
something is going on more than this particular homicide.
“I Remember Who I Am” by Michael O’Keefe comes next where
our narrator is Robbie Meyer. A cop working in Dunson, Ohio. A cop whose faith,
family history, and legacy, will be tested on a call in the old north-east
section of town. How he handles that call as well as his actions afterwards are
part of the process of Robbie Meyer staying true to himself.
Readers go cross the pond to the Dublin
International airport as “Dublin to Liverpool” by Barry Lees begins. Detective
Constable Trevor Massingham has been on an undercover stakeout for four days
watching travelers. He has been sent from Liverpool to sit in the airport and
watch those who are passing through on their way elsewhere. The hope was that
he would be able to identify potential drug mules as they boarded aircraft. A
new batch of ecstasy has hit the streets of Liverpool in recent days and is
worse than the normal stuff.
Helen Mathews, literary agent, is sitting in front
of her fireplace in her farm house in Maine as “His First” by P. J. Bodnar
begins. As she rejects a submission, she tosses the pages into her fireplace,
making use of the hard work of others to heat her home. She is not alone.
Before long the police will be involved as life changes for several people this
night.
“Cold Comfort” by Desmond P. Ryan begins on a night
where a cold rain is falling. Despite the nastiness of the night, Detectives
Mike O’Shea and Ron Roberts had to go out and do something. Anything at all to
get out of the office for a little while. The plan was to go get a coffee. As
it happens, before they get there, they get a dispatch to go to their intended
coffeeshop to investigate a sudden death.
Deputy Rory Comeaux is dealing with all of the
complications of being a woman in full uniform and needing to use the restroom
as “The Ladysmith” by Pearson O’Meara begins. While she is dealing with the
lack of room for her and her gear in the bathroom stall, a killer lurks nearby.
A lot is change to happen in the next few minutes as well as the weeks to come
in this part of Southern Louisiana.
Corporal Seaton and his trainee, Officer Day, are
dispatched to the Bat Hovno Blazon Institution. While Corporal Seaton thought
the 911 call was possibly exaggerated in “Riot In The Mental Institution” by
Ryan Sayles, it is soon very clear the call was no exaggeration. There definitely
is a riot. It is going to be a very long call.
Since the arrest, Detective Bill Derbyshire has not
been feeling right. There is a reason for that as is slowly revealed in “The Snug”
by Keith Wright. His final shift as he takes retirement was the arrest of an
armed criminal. It is a good way to finish thirty years on the job.
It is a dark and nearly deserted road in Alabama
where she pulls over. An elderly woman, she thinks she saw something out of the
corner of her eye as she drove by the scene so she stops. Good thing she did in
“The Old Lady” by T. K. Thorne. Good thing also that she lives to talk about
what she saw that night.
“The Translator” by James Ellson features a family
on the run. They have to move yet again thanks to his job and security concerns.
There has been a breech, but nobody yet knows how damaging it is or if there is
a real security threat. Time will tell. In the meantime, the translator will do
his own investigation when he is not doing his assigned tasks.
Angel Castello is in town to do a job in the Saint
Louis Area. Darla has a deal going and needs to make an example of somebody
refusing to pay what is owed. Angelo is in the family business, but he does not
like it. He also has to make sure to get the job done right in “The Carpenter’s
Son” by Mark Atley. Unlike most of the tales in the book, law enforcement does
not have much presence in this solid crime fiction tale.
Our narrator has a lot to think about as she waits
to give court testimony in “Waiting” by Lisa Cutts. Especially in terms of Clive
and their last call on a recent shift.
Editor A. B. Patterson comes
next with “Rights and Wrongs” and reflects how law enforcement is changing. Harrington
has a new boss who clearly does not think much of him. The new boss has all the
touchy-feely tags on his resume that are trendy in policing, but nothing that
reflects actual police work. Thanks to a complaint being investigated by
internal affairs, the new boss is more than happy to confine Harrington to desk
duty. The Azalea Quinn case led to the complaint and is the subject of much of
this story.
Frank Zafiro takes a shot at predicting the future
of law enforcement in the short story that is the last one in the book. “The
Last Cop” is set a couple of decades in the future where officers no longer
carry guns, have to get court orders to talk to anyone, and banned words get a
person fined. Individual freedom has morphed into a strange new world where
cops use “compliance sticks” that give a mild shock and private security has
taken over law enforcement functions for those who can afford it. Officer Ramirez
is about to be shown the door under mandatory retirement and he just might be
the last officer with an actual gun. He will need it, no matter what the boss
thinks.
An acknowledgment section and extensive bios of the
authors involved in order of appearance bring the book to a close.
While this reviewer had his personal favorites, all of the authors involved weaved solidly good and complex tales. Most included a strong law enforcement presence in the tale. Not all of the cops are good guys and not all of the cops are bad guys. Instead, like real life, there is a lot of grey in To Serve, Protect, and Write: Cops Writing Crime Fiction Volume 1. Compiled, edited, and published by A. B. Patterson, the anthology is well worth your time.
I picked this up in eBook format back in early
February using funds in my Amazon Associate account.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2022
Tuesday, March 29, 2022
Criminal Minds: The Case of the New Criminal Mind by Stephen Mack Jones
SleuthSayers: You’re Only Famous When You Die by Michael Bracken
Review: Shadows Reel: A Joe Picket Novel by C. J. Box
Shadows Reel: A Joe Picket Novel
by C. J. Box begins the day before Thanksgiving. It has been a few weeks since
recent events (Dark
Sky: A Joe Pickett Novel) and Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett is still
recovering though he is back to work. He is feeling the aches and pains as his
body continues to heal as well as his age, but is glad to be out in the field
and doing his job. back at work He is looking forward to Thanksgiving and all
the company which will include Liv Romanowski and her baby daughter, Kestrel,
as Nate Romanowski is away and on the trail of the violent outlaw falconer, Axel
Soledad. That hunt and Nate’s POV becomes one of the three storylines in the
read and is slowly revealed.
But, at this point, that is all in the future as
Pickett and his dog, Daisy, head to business at hand. The destination is the
Crazy Z-Bar Ranch, where owner Lorne Trumley has reported a dead moose on his
property. The hunting season for moose ended a couple weeks ago so this is a
problem.
It soon becomes clear that a far bigger problem is
going on than a dead moose when he arrives in the general area. Something
smells like burned pork. Ravens are on top of the dark mound which is still
smoldering in spots as evidenced by the smoke/steam coming upwards on this
chilly morning. Pickett grabs his binoculars and looks at the mound and
suddenly everything is much clearer.
It is a body.
A body means investigation by the recently elected
Scott Tibbs. It also means that Sheriff Tibbs is not a fan of Joke Pickett and does
not appreciate the fact that Joe Picket has created a mess that has to be dealt
with at Thanksgiving. As if Joe Pickett scheduled and planned the events. Tibbs
does not want Pickett anywhere around, but of course Pickett is going to keep
his nose in the investigation as that is what he does.
He is not alone in that as his wife MaryBeth tends
to do the same thing with matters that his close to home. These days she is now
the director of the library and often comes to work before everyone else.
Pulling into her space at the library before dawn that same morning that soon
saw her husband looking at a smoldering dead body, she had witnessed somebody
leaving a package at the door of the building. The drop-off by the shadowy
figure was spooky as was the way the package appeared. It is only after she
takes some pictures of it and then unwraps the package does she realize that it
is some sort of detailed leatherbound photo album that dates back to the 1930s.
It documents a year in the life of a Nazi government official by the name
Julius Streicher. It is a legacy of nightmarish history.
It is also a book that some will kill for as Mary
Beth, Joe Pickett, and family and friends soon learn. They want it back and don’t
care what they have to do to get it.
Nate’s hunt for the violent outlaw falconer, MaryBeth’s
album, and the discovery of the body by Joe Pickett, are the three plot lines
that are the storytelling pillars of Shadows Reel: A Joe Pickett Novel
by C. J. Box. As befitting a book in a well-established series, there is not
really any character development here. Much of the read is from the perspective
of Mary Beth as she researches the book and comes to grips with the horrors it
represents as well as the current threat that exists. Because of that situation
as well as the hunt by Nate, much of this book has Joe Pickett regulated to the
sidelines. This reader prefers reads where he is front and center and not so much
on the periphery of various things. Still, while not the best work in the
series, this reader enjoyed the complicated tale.
My reading copy came from the Dallas Public Library
System by way of the OverDrive eBook app.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2022
Monday, March 28, 2022
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Visualizing The Beatles: A Complete Graphic History of the World's Favorite Band by John Pring and Rob Thomas
SleuthSayers: Looking For the Next Best Thing by Steve Liskow
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 95 Calls for Submissions in April 2022 - Paying Markets
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Family Money by Chad Zunker
Family Money by Chad
Zunker (Thomas & Mercer, 2022) is a stand-alone from the author of the
David Adams legal thrillers and the Sam Callahan series. This is a mix of a
domestic thriller and a legal thriller and a fine mix it is.
Alex Mahan is
leading a dream life in Austin, Texas. He is happily married to his high school
sweetheart Taylor, they have two beautiful children, and his new tech company
is growing beyond expectations. He has his supportive father-in-law to thank
for the latter. Joe Dobson was a successful lawyer who always backed Alex, even
before he married Joe’s only child. It was Joe who found the money to establish
Alex’s start-up and to market it properly.
On a family vacation
to Mexico, Joe is seized by three men in a busy marketplace and dragged to a
van in front of a crowd. The local police tell Alex that kidnappings are quite
common and to go home and wait for a ransom note. The note doesn’t come.
Instead the burned-out van with a charred body in it turns up. The body can’t
be identified but Joe’s wedding ring is in the ashes. The family is shattered.
Alex is the
executor of Joe’s estate and as he sorts through bank information, he finds no
records of the money Joe gave him for his company. Joe’s financial planner did
not know about the venture capital Joe invested and was startled to learn he
had that much money. Alex begins looking for the source of his company’s
funding and unexpectedly walks into a hornets’ nest.
This story reminded me of Linwood Barclay’s thrillers. An ordinary person goes about his basic boring life until everything suddenly turns sideways. Some of the plot elements are shiny from overuse but like a good cook faced with a refrigerator full of leftovers Zunker tosses them into his blender with some original ingredients and turns out a fresh and absorbing thriller. Recommended!
·
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
(March 1, 2022)
·
Language: English
·
Paperback: 239 pages
·
ISBN-10: 1542026164
·
ISBN-13: 978-1542026161
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2022
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, March 27, 2022
SleuthSayers: Me & Ol' Bobble Head by R. T. Lawton
Saturday, March 26, 2022
NOIR AT THE BAR: Dallas ---Thursday Evening
To the right is the revised reading lineup for Noir At
the Bar: Dallas this coming Thursday evening.
I plan on reading a tale that was published long ago.
It is not a suicide tale no matter what two editors thought at the time when
they rejected it for their respective publications. “Bars Of The Heart” is a
dark tale that was partially inspired by our plane flight home in June of 1985
after our wedding. We went through some scary things to get back on the ground
at DFW. Nearly two months later, much of the same stuff happened, and another
plane would not be so lucky. The nation and the world would see the sights, sounds,
and destruction of the Delta 191 crash at DFW.
KRL This Week Update for 3/26/2022
Up on KRL this morning a review and giveaway of "Murder at the CDC" by Jon Land https://kingsriverlife.com/03/26/margaret-trumans-murder-at-the-cdc-by-jon-land/
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Case of the Faithful Heart (1939) by Brian Flynn
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: DON'T LET THE BOOGEY MAN GET YOU!
Scott's Take: Batman: The Detective by Tom Taylor
Batman: The Detective
by Tom Taylor is an Elseworld’s tale that features a much older Batman. After a
series of grisly murders in Europe, Batman leaves Gotham and goes overseas to
find the culprits who are killing people that Batman has saved. They call
themselves “Equilibrium” and must be stopped. Along the way Batman will be
joined by some of his European allies.
This is an action-packed tale with plenty of
violence and character exploration. This version of Batman is older, even more
cynical, and worn down by life. If you are a Batman fan who is looking for a
tale that takes Batman far away from Gotham, then you should enjoy this. I
enjoyed Batman: The Detective by Tom Taylor.
My reading copy came via the Hoopla App and the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2022
Friday, March 25, 2022
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Claw and Disorder by Eileen Watkins
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 11 Dark Fiction and Horror Publications Open for Open for Submissions NOW - Paying markets
FFB Review: Back on Murder: A Roland March Mystery by J. Mark Bertrand
For some police
officers the dead body is the end of the case. The search for the living is
over and there is nothing left to do. For homicide detectives the body is the
start. The dead body is the door opening on a case waiting to be solved. For
Homicide Detective Ronald March, the results of a shootout in southwest Houston
are his ticket back to fully functioning in Homicide and ending his exile of
being farmed out on garbage details.
If he does not
screw it up.
Since that
fateful tragic day seven years ago, things have not been right personally or
professionally. What happens over the next few weeks and months in the summer
and fall of 2008 might be his last chance at everything.
A local loan
shark by the name of Octavio Morales is dead as are several of his criminal
associates. Detective March should not even be in the house surveying the
carnage as he has fallen out of favor with his bosses. But, a house full of
dead gang bangers brings out everyone and March couldn't stay away. It has been
far too long since he last worked a real murder case and he burns with the need
to work one. He surveys the scene and only March spots the evidence that
indicates that a hostage was there and now is gone.
Despite the fact
that he alone found the evidence, March is still locked into the bottom of the
pecking order and wasting his time with crummy assignments. Whether it is the
frequent sting operations enticing bad guys to show up and claim the cars they
won, the cop suicides he gets stuck with, or a number of others, the details
are garbage jobs. March has earned his bottom feeder status and he isn't going
anywhere. At least, until he spotted the evidence that no one else noticed and
changed the case from a routine killing to a missing hostage search. That earns
him a temporary reprieve and minor league status in the Morales case.
Assuming he
doesn't screw up.
But, he will. He
does. And yet, March also makes his own kind of twisted luck. It may be
tarnished luck but under all the slime there is luck and every now and then he
comes through in a strange way.
This debut
mystery by author J. Mark Bertrand features the usual stereotypical elements of
a burned out detective, a nearly destroyed marriage thanks to personal tragedy,
and a city that is little more than a cesspool with a population stirred up by
a hysterical media tracking a missing person's case. Usually these sorts of
books are set in Los Angeles. Instead, the former Texas resident set it in
Houston and also managed to weave in Hurricane Ike from a couple of years back
along the way.
Somehow, despite
beating the stereotype drum in nearly every area, J. Mark Bertrand makes it
work. Before long, one gets pulled in the noirish style world of Ronald March
where he frequently makes mistakes and yet survives against all the odds.
Psychology is a huge part of this novel and March quickly becomes not only your
friend but a guy you know that just seems to always have the deck stacked
against him. He can't play politics, goes his own way and does not fit in, and
yet manages to always get the job done.
The author's MFA
in creative writing from the University of Houston shows throughout the debut
novel as one gets the feeling every character trait and plot point is
orchestrated for effect in order to make a nice neat check mark on the master
list. At the same time, when he is actively working and on the chase,
occasional overwriting and stereotypical blemishes vanish as Mr. Bertrand
brings the scenes alive so well you can almost taste it. It is when the action
slows and March becomes contemplative about his life and what has happened that
the novel drifts a bit. That also means occasional errors in grammar, pacing,
the timeline of the novel, etc. are glaringly more present.
Just like in
real life, not everything in Back On Murder is tied up in a nice neat package.
While most plot lines are tied off well, one minor storyline involving a tenant
is cut off way too nice and neat. It comes to an abrupt dead stop and results
in a missed opportunity for further character development and secondary plot.
Considering how hard the storyline had been pushed up until the abrupt ending,
the reader is left to wonder why it just suddenly ended in that way.
Overall, the
novel is good, but not as great as it could be. This may be a case where
writers would be a bit harsher in their criticism of the book than the average
reader as we recognize the tricks being used to tell the tale. Still, the read
is full of mystery, political infighting, action, and no easy answers and
results in a 382 book that will keep you guessing most of the way through. J.
Mark Bertrand has a fairly decent foundation of a series to work from based on
this book. It will be interesting to see how it goes in the next novel in the
series, Pattern Of Wounds, scheduled to be published this July by Bethany
House.
Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple
©2011, 2022
Thursday, March 24, 2022
Blood-Red Pencil: Revisiting Writing Distractions and Old Manuscripts by Dani Greer
Joan Reeves: Book Spotlight: Vegetable Gardening from the Ground Up by Stephanie Suesan Smith
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 50 Writing Contests in April 2022 - No entry fees
Jeanne Reviews: Murder at St. Winifred’s Academy by J.D. Griffo
Tranquility, New Jersey hasn’t been all that tranquil. Good thing that Alberta Ferrara and her family are there to investigate and clear things up, in between trying flavors of vodka, eating Entenmann’s cakes and Italian dishes, and yelling at one another. This time around, Tranquility is all agog over the arrival of former child star Missy Michaels who is about to make her acting comeback on the town’s stage in a revival of “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Unfortunately, before she tread the boards, Missy is found dead backstage, clutching a bottle of arsenic. Is it a dramatic suicide—or murder?
This is the fifth in the series of the Ferrara Family Mystery series, and it pretty much follows the same
formulas as the others. Center stage is
Alberta, accompanied by her granddaughter Jinx, sister Helen (who really was a
Sister—as in nun), and sister-in-law Joyce, who will investigate and solve the
crimes that leave town cop Vinnie scratching his head. While formulaic, the
series does have its moments, especially in the dialog between Helen, Joyce,
and Alberta. I have laughed out loud at
some of the lines, and the author does do a really good job of creating a vivid
backstory and filmography for Missy Michaels.
I know that sounds a bit odd, but by taking bits and pieces from various
real film series, he describes a fictional series that seems so very familiar
that I was half tempted to look it up in imdb.com. (There’s a graphic novel, Child Star
by Box Brown, which does the same thing.
It’s excellent.) Griffo has a background in drama, including writing
screenplays, so he knows his way around a stage.
There are some clunky passages and occasionally the plot spins
a bit out of control. Also, characters
tend to yell, announce, scream, shriek, and shout. There’s an information dump
near the end. Some readers have felt that the Italian characters are too
stereotypical.
Personally, I had a lot of fun with these. I don’t worry too much about plot and just
enjoy the back and forth between the Alberta, Joyce, and Helen. Helen in particular is very opinionated and
not afraid to speak her mind. She also
has a strong sense of self-worth. I would pay money to have seen her in this
production of Arsenic and Old Lace, with
or without Missy Michaels.
Of course, there is a cat:
Lola, aka Gina Lollobrigida.
The books in the series are:
Murder on Memory Lake
Murder in Tranquility Park
Murder at Icicle Lodge
Murder at Veronica’s Diner
Murder at St. Winifred’s Academy
Murder at the Mistletoe Ball
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Do Some Damage: A conversation with Nikki Dolson
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 23 Awesome Writing Conferences in April 2022
Beneath the Stains of Time: Inspector De Klerck and the Dark Web (2022) by P. ...
Little Big Crimes Review: The Peculiar Affliction of Allison White by Jesse Bethea
Short Story Wednesday Review: Dirty Old Town And Other Stories by Nigel Bird
Featuring
nine stories by Edinburgh resident Nigel Bird, this short collection features
tales told by adults and juveniles dealing with dark days and even darker
thoughts. The characters often are not happy go lucky folks. These are people
trying to survive in a world stacked against them. As such, sometimes the
language is a bit coarse but life is not all tea and crumpets for these folks.
This short book opens with “Drinking Wine.” She has kids at home and needs a
break. If the babysitter hadn’t arrived wearing a tight mini skirt,
fishnets and a top that barely covered anything, maybe she wouldn’t have gotten
the idea and then went to the bar called “The Dog and Dude.” But, she did
in her own sexy outfit and now a fellow drinker is making her feel all tingly
with thoughts of Roger far from her mind. The night is young, the possibilities
are endless, and things are going to go sideways.
The
life of a janitor in a school is never an easy one. Especially when some
sort of stomach bug is going around in “Taking a Line for a Walk.” Duke
Earl has to quit painting the fence and go clean up the latest mess. He’s seen
a lot of things over the years and knows his time on this earth is running
out---one way or another.
In
“Dirty Old Town” a man named “Chalky Fish” awakes from a beating realizing that
not only does he massively hurt, but he lost a tooth and the sight out of one
eye. He also managed to lose a button off his favorite jacket. At least the
first punch had been good one because it knocked him out. The bad thing is the
next day is going to be worse on so many levels.
The
young boy is a long way from home in London every time he goes to visit his
Gran on the island of Skye. This trip is different because not only did they
have more stuff, but dad didn’t make the trip this time with him, his brother
Davey and mom. Along with telling readers what life is like for the eight year
old narration, author Nigel Bird weaves in just below the surface a bit of
dangerous undercurrent in “Sea Minor.” Something is at work on this island
where modern conveniences like television and computer aren’t possible.
Sometimes
somebody gets the idea that it is their job to clean the city or village
streets of what they think is human trash. The three women picked up by Brandon
and his friends might have different ideas about that in “Sisterhood.”
Like in
“Dirty Old Town” sport serves as a backdrop to “One hundred And Ten Per
Cent.” Vincent Love is trying to confine his running to the track. He
doesn’t want to go back to prison and run in the yard ever again. Getting a
good start whether or the track or running from the flashing lights of the cops
is everything. No matter how fast he runs, he can’t run from the past.
Craig
does not want to go down the chimney but dad insists he has to in “Merry
Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight).” After all, dad intends to make sure
the boy honors his promise to mom about getting her a pearl necklace. Too
bad the boy thought they would actually buy one.
“Three
Little Birds” tells readers what they instinctively know. Some kids have that
look in their eye of evil. Danny had it and proved on occasion growing
up. These days he is in adult, back in the area, and something needs to be
done.
The
pimp game has done okay for Brad in “Silver Street.” He may only be 17
but he has plans. Big plans. They include a certain young lady because they are
destined to be together.
This
collection of previously published fiction in a variety of markets shares a
common theme of loss and lament. Sometimes the situation is due to decisions
and actions that the primary character did in the past and the character is
struggling to turn things around despite the obstacles. Sometimes it
happens because not everything or everyone is as the primary character
believed.
Sacrifice and desperate scrambling to survive are present in all of these good stories. Dirty Old Town And Other Stories features dark works that take readers down the back ways, into seedy pubs, and places you may never have known about in merry old England. Tales of noir that pull you in quickly before spitting you back out like the loser you truly are at the very core of your being. These are not tales that make you feel good as many are truly at the end of their rope. No, these are tales that drag the ugly out into the light and make you look at it and identify with it on every level.
Author supplied a word document for this book for purposes of an objective review.
Kevin
R. Tipple © 2011, 2022
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