Monday, October 31, 2022
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Present Darkness by Malla Nunn
Malla Nunn is
an Australian film maker and author of young adult books and adult crime
fiction. She was born in Swaziland, now known as Eswatini. Her family emigrated
to Australia to escape apartheid. Her four mysteries about Detective Sergeant
Emanuel Cooper are set in the 1950s in South Africa, amid the cruelty and abuse
of the race-based apartheid laws, which existed from 1948 into the 1990s. Her
books have been shortlisted for the Edgar, the Barry, the Macavity, the
Anthony, and the Ned Kelly awards.
The most
recent one Present Darkness (Emily Bestler Books, 2014) finds Cooper in
Johannestown a few days before Christmas. Everyone is wrapping up their
assignments in anticipation of a long break. Instead all vacations are
cancelled when a white schoolteacher and his wife are found murdered in their
home and their traumatized daughter names two black students as the culprits.
One of them is the son of Zulu Detective Constable Samuel Shabalala, Cooper’s closest
friend and to whom Cooper is indebted for an earlier rescue. Once Shabalala’s
son is under arrest, Lieutenant Walter Mason insists on closing the case with
no real investigation. Cooper and Shabalala and Cooper’s friend Dr. Daniel
Zweigman work around Mason and his corrupt cronies at significant danger to
themselves to get to the truth of the killings.
A carefully considered and plotted police
procedural. What elevates it from good to outstanding is the reconstruction of
apartheid, an inhuman system of segregation in all areas of life based on skin
color and race. The degree to which the state could legally and did interfere
with the freedom of South African citizens is unimaginable. Readers from the
United States will automatically compare apartheid to the laws of the Jim Crow
South with good reason. The two were miserably similar, although I do not know
of an instance in which the police in the U.S. South were authorized to enter
homes at night to check on sleeping arrangements.
A very fine if depressing piece of historical
crime fiction. This book leaves a few threads in Cooper’s life loose; hopefully
another story is in development.
Starred review from Publishers Weekly.
·
Publisher: Emily Bestler
Books; Original edition (June 3, 2014)
·
Language: English
·
Paperback: 352 pages
·
ISBN-10: 1451616961
· ISBN-13: 978-1451616965
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2022
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, October 30, 2022
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Case of the Treble Twist (1958) by Christopher Bush
Saturday, October 29, 2022
KRL: Kings River Life Magazine for 10/29/2022
Up on KRL this morning a review and giveaway of another Halloween mystery, "The Plot and the Pendulum" by Jenn McKinlay https://kingsriverlife.com/10/29/the-plot-and-the-pendulum-by-jenn-mckinlay
And a review and ebook giveaway of "Duck for Cover & Other Tales" A Collection of short stories by Barbara Venkataraman https://kingsriverlife.com/10/29/duck-for-cover-other-tales-by-barbara-venkataraman/
We also have the latest mystery Coming Attractions from Sunny Frazier along with giveaways of books by Diane Kelly and Laurien Berenson https://kingsriverlife.com/10/29/november-coming-attractions-books-to-digest/
And our last Halloween short story of the season, this one by Chris Dreith https://kingsriverlife.com/10/29/halloween-short-story-phantom-whines/
Up this morning in honor of Halloween weekend we have another local ghost story from Sarah Peterson-Camacho https://kingsriverlife.com/10/29/lost-in-the-fog-the-hooded-phantom-of-ave-15/
Up during the week we posted another spooky short story by PM Raymond perfect for Halloween reading https://kingsriverlife.com/10/26/halloween-short-story-gotcha/
And another Halloween short story, this one by mystery author Pamela Ebel https://kingsriverlife.com/10/26/halloween-short-story-good-fences-make-good-neighbors/
Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and ebook giveaway of "Before There Were Skeletons" by Judy Penz Sheluk https://www.krlnews.com/2022/10/before-there-were-skeletons-by-judy.html
And a review and ebook giveaway of "Killer in the Kitchen" by Judy L Murray https://www.krlnews.com/2022/10/killer-in-kitchen-by-judy-murray.html
Happy Halloween
Lorie
Scott's Take: Strange Vol 1: I Belong to Death by Jed Mackay
Strange
Vol 1: I Belong to Death
by Jed Mackay picks up after The
Death of Doctor Strange. Doctor Strange is dead and his wife, Clea,
is heartbroken. She has agreed to become the Sorcerer Supreme and take his old
job. She has to deal with new threats that have arisen since the forces of evil
think its open season now that Doctor Strange is dead. She will be a different
kind of Sorcerer Supreme. She is more violent than her late husband and does
not have the ties to the hero community that her husband had. She was raised to
be a warlord and New York’s magical villains are about to learn what that
means. She also has another goal in mind---
to bring Doctor Strange back from the land of the dead. Not that death is going
to give up him without a fight.
Featuring great art and tons of action, this is a different kind of book. Clea is a rather different kind of character and it works well in this volume. I am looking forward to the second volume when they do release it. It is currently untitled and it is unknown when it will release.
My
reading copy came by way of the OverDrive/Libby app through the Dallas Public
Library System.
Scott
A. Tipple ©2022
Friday, October 28, 2022
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: She Kills Me: The True Stories of History’s Deadliest Women by Jennifer Wright
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: THE QUEST OF THE SACRED SLIPPER
FFB Review: A Werewolf Named Wayne by Bill Crider
Readers who have read A Vampire
Named Fred are well aware that Hermie and Al helped Fred and his
assistant, Carl, with a couple of issues. While Kermit felt it wasn’t easy
being green, being a vampire in these times of extreme prejudice caused by
bogus Hollywood movies isn’t easy. Not to mention the fact that cats don’t like
vampires and will come by the hundreds to the home and yowl in the yard.
Neighbors don’t like that sort of thing.
Thanks to Hermie and Al’s friendship and
efforts, things are far better for Fred and Carl these days. So much so they
are moving to Vegas and that means the house has been sold again. Al and Hermie
are really going to miss Fred and Carl. But, people as well as the creatures of
the night move on when circumstances change. Fred has made it clear to the new
owner how helpful the boys were and that is a good thing. The new owner is
Wayne and he is a werewolf. Good thing the boys are in 7th grade now as he
needs their help with a far more complicated problem than Fred ever had.
While not as humorous as the previous
book, this is another very good read that will appeal to both adults and kids
alike. Wayne’s issues are far different than Fred and his concerns are far
different. With characters and expectations firmly established in the preceding
book, A Werewolf Named Wayne focuses primarily on his unique situation and the
help he needs. The result is a very good fun read that keeps the adventure
going.
Material was picked up during a recent author promotion for my use in an objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014, 2022
Thursday, October 27, 2022
Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Beneath the Stains of Time: Invisible Green (1977) by John Sladek
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: We Carry Their Bones, The Woman in the Library, Miss Jane Pittman, No Better Friend
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 73 Calls for Submissions in November 2022 - Paying Markets
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: The Ghost of Opalina by Peggy Bacon
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: THE HAMMER HORROR FILM OMNIBUS
Short Story Wednesday Review: The Alabaster-Skinned Mule: A Noah Milano Novelett by Jochem Vandersteen
From the massively magnificent archive…
The young lady in security specialist
Noah Milano’s office is very thin with blonde hair. In her early twenties and
very pretty, Noah considers the fact that she could be an acrobat. The
alabaster skinned beauty’s name is Wendy Schultz and she has a big problem that
is far more down to earth.
Recently while in Mexico her car broke
down. After it was fixed, which took some time, she headed back to the border
to go home. Right before she got to the border she had a flat tire. She stopped
and checked the tire and discovered to her horror that it was full of cocaine.
In a panic she called a male friend who came down to help her. The two of them
discovered cocaine everywhere in the car and in all of the tires. Her and her
friend destroyed all of the drugs by flushing them down the toilet at a nearby
truck stop.
Eventually they got back across the
border without any problems. Since they were now back in the United States they
thought everything was over. Instead, some very scary guys have showed up at
her apartment looking for their drugs. When she didn’t have them they trashed
the place, put a gun to her head, and threatened her while they groped her.
Wendy is clearly terrified and Noah is sure he can help.
After arranging protection for Wendy,
Noah goes to work by contacting the garage where she had the work done. He
wants to scare the guys off of Wendy and end the problem before it gets any
worse. Maybe he should have body guarded the beautiful woman and sent the other
guy to talk to the garage guys.
Another good read in the Noah Milano series of books, this mystery has plenty of action and quite a few twists and turns. Published in 2011 making it one of the earlier reads in the series, The Alabaster Skinned Mule: A Noah Milano Novelette is a good one.
Material was picked up to read and review via funds in my Amazon Associate account.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2015, 2022
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Little Big Crimes Review: The Relentless Flow of the Amazon by Jonathan Stone
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 42 Writing Contests in November 2022 - No entry fees
Monday, October 24, 2022
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Unmask Alice: LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the World’s Most Notorious Diaries by Rick Emerson
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 13 Notable Writing Conferences and Workshops in November 2022
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Fifth Son by Barbara Fradkin
Her work has
been nominated repeatedly for awards and both Fifth
Son and Honour Among Men in the Inspector Green series were named
Arthur Ellis Best Novel for their respective years.
Fifth Son
(Napoleon
and Co.,
2004) is the fourth title about Green. The body of a man is found at the base
of an abandoned church in the small town of Ashford Landing, an apparent
suicide. The biggest mystery appeared to be the dead man’s name. After exhaustive
interviews, Green learned he was perhaps one of the Pettigrews, a family of
five brothers who all looked alike. The father was in a long-term care
facility, the mother dead. The only son still living in the area was the
youngest who hadn’t seen any of his brothers in years. One brother died young,
another was in a mental institution, the third living on the streets, and the
fourth in the United States somewhere. Follow-up yielded the information that the
brother who had been institutionalized was released and that he had missed his
most recent follow-up appointments. So Green began to search for three of the
brothers, assuming the dead man was one of them. In the back of his mind he kept
reviewing the scene where the body was found because he felt something was off.
This is a surprisingly complex story. What
appears to be a simple investigation of an unattended death effortlessly segues
into the study of the disintegration of a close family. Motivations for actions
taken long ago are thoroughly explored as is their impact on the present day. The
sadness of the family narrative is alleviated with amusing scenes about Green’s
frustrating home renovation, something any homeowner can understand, and his
attempts to establish a relationship with his teenage daughter.
The mechanics are well executed. The plot has no
extraneous elements, although that’s not always clear; all of the story threads
unfold in separate directions until near the end when they coalesce. Even the
minor characters, such as the chatty retired priest, are sketched thoroughly. Excellent
misdirection from the beginning when a case is made for one possible culprit
after another until the very end when the true one is revealed.
A thoughtful, nuanced piece of crime fiction with
unusual depth.
·
Publisher: Napoleon
and Co; 1st Edition (September 1, 2004)
·
Language: English
·
Paperback: 304
pages
·
ISBN-10: 1894917138
·
ISBN-13: 978-1894917131
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2022
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, October 23, 2022
Beneath the Stains of Time: Black Aura (1974) by John Sladek
Saturday, October 22, 2022
KRL: Kings River Life Magazine Update for 10/22/2022
Up on KRL this morning a review of "The Ghost and the Stolen Tears" by Cleo Coyle along with a guest post from Cleo about why they brought this series back, and an extra special giveaway! https://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/the-ghost-and-the-stolen-tears-by-cleo-coyle/
And a review and giveaway of "Six Feet Deep Dish" by Mindy Quigley along with an interesting interview with Mindy https://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/six-feet-deep-dish-by-mindy-quigley/
We also have a review and ebook giveaway of "Crime Wave 2: Women of a Certain Age" anthology put out by the Canada West Chapter of Sisters in Crime https://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/crime-wave-2/
And the latest Queer Mystery Coming Attractions from Matt Lubbers-Moore https://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/queer-mystery-coming-attractions-more-november/
For those who prefer to listen to Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast directly on KRL here we have the player for our latest episode featuring the mystery short story "The Artists of Chartres Street" by Ellen Byron read by local actor Amelia Ryan. This story is perfect for your Halloween listening! There is also a special giveaway! https://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/mysteryrats-maze-podcast-featuring-the-artists-of-chartres-street/
We also have another Halloween short story, this one by John R Clark https://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/halloween-short-story-when-a-prank-goes-bad/
And up during the week we posted another spooky mystery short story for your Halloween reading, this one by James Patrick Focarile https://kingsriverlife.com/10/19/halloween-short-story-forever-yours/
And another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery Author Sarah E. Burr about her new book "Too Much to Candle" and spending quality time with her main characters https://kingsriverlife.com/10/19/story-crafting-on-a-whim/
Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and giveaway of another mystery set at Halloween, "Kill Them With Canvas" by Bailee Abbott https://www.krlnews.com/2022/10/kill-them-with-canvas-by-bailee-abbott.html
And a review and ebook giveaway of "Memories are Murder" by Leslie Langtry https://www.krlnews.com/2022/10/memories-are-murder-by-leslie-langtry.html
Happy Halloween!
Lorie
Jerry's House of Everything: IT'S A TOSS-UP -- "WOMEN OUTLAWS" ? OR "CODY OF THE PONY EXPRESS" ? (SEPTEMBER 1950)
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Sense and Sensibility: Jane Austen
Scott’s Take: Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures #1
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Adventures #1
was written by Mathew K. Manning and has art by Jon Sommariva. This graphic
novel features Batman from the animated television series in the 1990s teaming
up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from the 2012 animated television
series. They unite with Bat Girl and Robin to face off against Shredder, Joker,
Poison Ivy, Scarecrow and others.
Along with the battles, this funny graphic
novel features various hijinks that happen while the heroes interact with each
other and deal with how different their worlds are. If you are a fan of either
group of characters you should find this most enjoyable. I found it worth
reading just to watch Batman eat pizza, which I found funny. The heroes learn
to respect each other and interact in the six issues collected in this graphic
novel. The “serious” Batman character having to play off the more fun-loving
turtles makes any interaction between the heroes groups entertaining.
Especially funny was Batgirl’s reaction to Splinter (a talking Ninja Rat) and
Ice Cream Kitty (a living kitty made out of ice cream) were especially goofy
and entertaining. I enjoyed it.
If you find this collection enjoyable, you
should also like Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Volume 1, Volume
2, and the upcoming Volume 3, which all feature different
versions of the characters crossing over. Those stories focus on versions of
the characters from the DC Rebirth and the current TMNT comic. Those stories are more mature and also added
more characters such as Bane, Alfred, Damian, and others. Having Alfred deal
with the Turtles and Batman at the same time made for some interesting
interactions.
Material was obtained from the Lochwood
Branch of the Dallas Public Library System. The Dallas System has a far more
extensive collection of graphic novels than what I was able to access in the
Plano Library System.
Scott Tipple ©2019, 2022
Friday, October 21, 2022
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Road Out of Winter by Alison Stine
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: DWELLERS IN THE MIRAGE
FFB Review: A Vampire Named Fred by Bill Crider
A seasonally appropriate reminder of a great
book from the massively magnificent archive…
The very run down house next door had
been on the market for about 15 years when it finally sold. Al, who is 12,
loved exploring the old place, but his mom worried about rotted out floors,
broken stairs, snakes in the basement, and the bugs and dirt. While his parents
would not buy the old place like he wanted them to, at least his Mom never
forbade him from going over there. He
had loved going over there and poking around as long as he could remember and
often his buddy Hermie went over there with him.
So, Al wasn’t exactly thrilled when the
house suddenly sold. Hermie was convinced nothing good for them would happen
with the new owners. Hermie was sure the new owners had to be a 100 or
something to want to live in that old place and he was sure they would not have
grandkids or anything. They probably even hate kids, according to Hermie.
Neither one of the boys counted on A Vampire Named Fred who needs
their help and friendship.
Originally published in print on 1990
and released in electronic format in 2011, this book aimed at the middle school
aged crowd is a very fun read. Not only does it play a bit with the vampire
legend which Hollywood movies got very wrong according to Fred, the book also
mixes in cultural references that will appeal to the adult reader. For example,
Elvis (or somebody doing one heck of an impersonation) works down at the local
Tastee Daree Freezee where they sell soft ice cream, burgers, and more. He still
sings a bit and dances in his blue suede shoes while filling orders. While
small things like that may fly by the kids, adults will get a chuckle or two
over that and quite a number of other items in this fun story that reminds all
readers that being a little different is okay.
A Vampire Named Fred is a fun read
for all ages by legendary author Bill Crider. It has a sequel titled A
Werewolf Named Wayne.
Material was picked up during a recent author promotion for my use in an objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014, 2022
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Witches Abroad, Agent Josephine, Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois, Family Upstairs
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Corpse That Never Was (1963) by Brett Halliday
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: BY THE GUNS FORGOT
Short Story Wednesday Review: Redemption: A Noah Milano Novelette by Jochem Vandersteen
Noah Milano, son of the most notorious
crime boss in Los Angeles, is willing to consider being Pratt’s bodyguard while
he is in town. That sort of thing is what Noah does these days as a security
specialist. Pratt is supposed to meet with Brady’s parents in the office of
psychologist Denny Sturgis. The meeting is supposed to help both sides heal at
least somewhat, but Pratt knows many would like to see him dead including
Brady’s parents, Martha and Frank Resnick. Milano agrees to be there as his
bodyguard in in Redemption: A Noah Milano Novelette.
Also part of this e-book is an excerpt
from Triage: A Thriller (Shell Series) as well as
synopses for several other Noah Milano series books.
A good compact story, the novelette is very focused on the case with little of Milano’s personal life. While the results of the initial set up are predictable, the rest of the read is not as it blends action, detective work, and twists in a page turning story. Action and detective work at a fast pace was also present in The Death Business: A Noah Milano Novella though in that book readers do get a little more of the background of security specialist Noah Milano. Like that book this read is another good one for fans of hardboiled pulp style stories.
Material purchased to read and review by way of funds in my Amazon Associate account.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2015, 2022
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Little Big Crimes Review: The Cost of Something Priceless by Elizabeth Zelvin
Criminal Minds: Shoutout to Debut Authors by Terry Shames
Monday, October 17, 2022
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Return by Rachel Harrison
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: The Left-Handed Twin: A Jane Whitefield Novel by Thomas Perry
Thomas Perry
feels no compulsion to rattle off one book after another featuring his series
characters. His award-winning books about hitman Michael Schaeffer span nearly
40 years, yet there are only four titles. So too with his books about Jane
Whitefield, a Seneca Native American in upstate New York who helps people in
trouble create new lives and disappear from the old ones. After publishing five
books about Whitefield in five years, starting in 1995, fans had to wait 10
more years to read about her again. The most recent adventure was released six
years after the previous one, a long hiatus for readers anxious to know who Whitefield
is assisting next and how she is doing it.
Whitefield
has acquired a husband since her first outing and he understandably objects to
her occasional disappearances as she sets someone up in a new life. She has all
but given it up when Sara Doughton from Los Angeles finds her. Sara’s boyfriend
killed a man in front of her and she turned states’ evidence to avoid charges.
The boyfriend walked out of the courtroom a free man and looking for Sara. Her
attorney sent her to Whitefield.
Sara is not
as easy to locate as her boyfriend expected and he asks a member of the Russian
mafia for help. The gang leader recognized Whitefield’s modus operandi, as some
of his prospective victims had disappeared over the years with her help. He is
eager to find Whitefield to force her to reveal their new identities and current
addresses. When Whitefield realizes the Russians are after her and not Sara,
she leaves Sara safely situated and takes her pursuers into the wilds of Maine
along the most dangerous part of the Appalachian Trail in a hair-raising chase.
This book has
many facets. The Native American traditions and lore that guide Whitefield’s
thinking and actions are an integral part of the story; fans of Tony
Hillerman’s books will be interested. In addition, the book can be read for
sheer suspense, of which there is an abundance. It can be used as a guide to
survival in the outdoors. And it can be viewed as a practical handbook on how
to disappear.
Whitefield
melds Native American mysticism with cold pragmatism. Her no-nonsense approach
forces Sara into facing her situation clearly and taking steps to deal with it.
Her resourcefulness appears to be bottomless. She is always one step ahead,
even when the situation seems hopeless.
While this is
the ninth Whitefield title, it offers enough backstory that a reader new to the
series will not miss anything important. I liked this one so much that I will
look for earlier books. Highly recommended.
Starred review from Booklist.
·
Publisher: Mysterious Press (November 16, 2021)
·
Language: English
·
Hardcover: 321 pages
·
ISBN-10: 1613162596
·
ISBN-13: 978-1613162590
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2022
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works
on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
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