Kathleen Marple Kalb's Blog: So You Wrote the Book, Now What?: REJECTION REMINDER
Sunday, June 30, 2024
Little Big Crimes: Golden Parachute, by Travis Richardson
Little Big Crimes: Golden Parachute, by Travis Richardson: "Golden Parachute," by Travis Richardson, in Murder, Neat, edited by Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman, Level Short Books, 2024 ...
Beneath the Stains of Time: Welcome to the Wünderkammer: C.M.B. vol. 1-2 by Motohiro Katou
Beneath the Stains of Time: Welcome to the Wünderkammer: C.M.B. vol. 1-2 by Mo...: Motohiro Katou's C.M.B. is a companion to his Q.E.D. series starring Sou Touma's younger cousin, Sakaki Shinra, who's an orpha...
SleuthSayers: ShortCon and the Long Haul
SleuthSayers: ShortCon and the Long Haul: Subtle clue I got on the correct plane As I write this, I've just returned from the very first ShortCon, an ambitious new conference sp...
Saturday, June 29, 2024
SleuthSayers: I'll Have a History/Mystery, Please–with a Twist
SleuthSayers: I'll Have a History/Mystery, Please–with a Twist: Lately I've been writing a good many historical stories--most of them crime stories--and I'm only sorry I didn't start doing it...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo: Reviewed by Christy In Chinese mythology, the fox spirit can take many forms and, depending on the story, can be benevolen...
Scott's Take: Ultimate Invasion by Jonathan Hickman and Bryan Hitch
Ultimate
Invasion by Jonathan Hickman and Bryan Hitch is the first book set to
relaunch the new line of various Ultimate books in different series from Marvel.
The Ultimate line of books is a line of books set in a different
universe from the normal or main universe where there are substantial changes
to the character. In this case, this new line has very little to do with the
old Ultimate Universe except for The Maker (an evil Reed Richards aka Mister
Fantastic who calls himself the Maker now) being a survivor from that universe.
This new
universe is created by The Maker, who survived the destruction of Universe 1610,
which was the original Ultimate Universe. He creates his own, 6160, where heroes such as
Spider-Man and others will be prevented from ever being heroes in the first
place. He has escaped from what is now 616, the main universe, and has decided
to form a group to control this new Earth in 6160, the new universe he created
and controls.
This group is
formed after The Maker has killed most heroes that are commonly found in the 616
Universe as well as captured other heroes and prevented the empowering of many others. Most of the general public is unaware of how
controlled their world is as they have no idea it is all rigged. Anthony Stark
Senior is our main POV character showing how this world has been broken.
Someone from
the future is sending various clones of several of the heroes to stop The Maker.
One of the few heroes that the Maker was not able to either capture, kill, or
depower, is Captain America. Several Captain America clones, as well as other multiple
clones of various super heroes come to fight The Maker in the various storylines
that make up this book. At the same time, The Maker has new villain assistance
by way of a Monk Hulk, Iron Man (Anthony Stark senior who did not know he was
on the wrong side), Magik, Colossus, Captain Britain, and more.
The art is
excellent and does a good job of depicting the violence and action of this new
universe. I liked the complicated storylines
that, occasionally, provided a twist that I did not see coming.
Several new books are spinning out of Ultimate Invasion with some of the titles being tied in closer than others. Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate Black Panther, The Ultimates, and Ultimate X-Men are all on the way for 2024. Jonthan Hickman is involved as the lead writer in the Ultimate Spider-Man with other talented writers involved in the other books. The new Ultimate Universe version of the Avengers which calls themselves The Ultimates is a follow up/sequel to this story. The Ultimates are the resistance trying to free this Earth led by a new hero Iron Lad (Tony Stark). The roster includes Dr. Doom, Thor, and more. I look forward to reading these new series.
My reading copy
was via the Hoopla App through the Dallas Public Library System.
Friday, June 28, 2024
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: WHAT DO YOU FEAR?
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: WHAT DO YOU FEAR?: By Caroline Clemmons A couple of friends and I were at lunch a few days ago. One of the numerous subjects that came up was: what in books a...
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: A NECESSARY END
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: A NECESSARY END: A Necessary End by Sarah Pinborough & F. Paul Wilson (2013) This may be how the world ends. No, that's not right. This may how o...
FFB Review: Evil at the Root: A Dan Rhodes Mystery by Bill Crider
Recently Lesa Holstine reviewed Evil at the
Root by Bill Crider at her Lesa’s
Book Critiques. Seemed like a good time to blow the dust off of my October 2008 review.
Christmas has come and gone, but there is still a
wedding coming. Sheriff Dan Rhodes is finally going to marry Ivy Daniel in just
a few days. And he hasn't even thought about where to take her for the
honeymoon.
Of course, he has had other things on his mind. For
one, he and just about everyone in the department as well in county government
is being sued for a million dollars piece. A former inmate has gotten himself a
hotshot lawyer and is claiming neglect and bad jailhouse conditions. The
neglect charge is ridiculous. The jail is very old and not in the best of shape
so the conditions allegation might have some merit before the right jury. The
lawsuit will stir up the politicians and Rhodes knows that as sheriff, he will
be blamed no matter what he did.
The sheriff also gets blamed for all crime.
Especially murder. Weird things have happened before at the Sunny Dale Nursing
home, but nothing like this. Somebody stole Lloyd Bobbit's false teeth. Sheriff
Rhodes first clue that they were missing was when he met the man on the porch
at the home who kept shrieking "ain't got no teef" (p.1) Initially
amusing the case quickly becomes deadly as Lloyd Bobbit is silenced once and
for all.
This fifth novel in the Sheriff Dan Rhodes
series released in hardback back in 1990 is another comfortable read. Rhodes,
Ivy, Hank, Lawton and all the rest have become old friends and folks one looks
forward to. The mysteries are always complex and not obvious and that certainly
is the case here. The action and dialog are always realistic and then there are
the traces of humor that bring a chuckle here and there.
Much like what Philip R. Craig did for the Vineyard, author Bill Crider has done for East Texas. There is that same straight story telling style with a cast of recurring characters that are as real as your family and plenty of mystery in each and every book. If you haven't read his work, you are missing a real treat.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3XLx8A3
Review copy provided by the good folks of the Plano
Public Library System in Plano, Texas.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2008, 2024
Thursday, June 27, 2024
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 60 Calls for Submissions in July 2024 - Paying markets
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 60 Calls for Submissions in July 2024 - Paying mar...: This July there are five dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every gen...
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Goddesses in Older Women, Above the Fire
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Goddesses in Older Women, Above the Fire: Reported by Rita Goddesses in Older Women: Archetypes in Women over Fifty by Jean Shinoda Bolen The sequel to Goddesses in Everywoman...
Beneath the Stains of Time: Doctors in the Isolated Room (1996) by MORI Hiroshi
Beneath the Stains of Time: Doctors in the Isolated Room (1996) by MORI Hiroshi: Last year, the BBB finished the e-serialization of MORI Hiroshi 's celebrated debut work and first ever Mephisto Prize recipient, Sube...
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: "I LOVE MAPLE WALNUT"
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: "I LOVE MAPLE WALNUT": "I Love Maple Walnut" by Theodore Sturgeon (first published in Harper's Magazine , May 1974; reprinted in The Complete Stori...
Short Story Wednesday Review: The West: Land of Opportunity (A Collection) by Johnny Gunn
Growing up, westerns were a big deal in my house. If Glen Ford or John Wayne made a movie, the whole family was soon inside at NorthPark Cinema, or at one of the local drive-ins, to watch it. I got my love of westerns from dad, but he never read them even though he read like crazy as did my mom. I never understood that.
Dad also never
read short story collections. It was huge that he read mine, Mind Slices. So, I
am pretty sure he would not read this one even though he would be missing out. The
West: Land of Opportunity (A Collection) by Johnny Gunn, illustrated by
Barabash Sviatoslav, is a good one and well worth reading.
After a very brief introduction by the author, the short story collection opens with “Talking Tod Taylor.” Corporal Thaddeus Todd Taylor is known for telling a lot of stories. Most are unbelievable. The arrival of General Whalen of whom Taylor claims to have fought with over the years might provide some answers.
The Wind never
stops in “Growing Cows out of the Wind.” Nick Jenkins couldn’t take the
relentless wind anymore and quit the Bar JC. At least, he thought he did. Hank
seems to think otherwise.
Ryan Pollack spent three years in prison, now he is out in “He Knows Horses.” He has two dollars in his pocket, a five mile walk to the town of Spencerville, and the promise that he made himself that he will never go back to prison. He also knows horses. That will come in handy soon.
Jacob Chance
just rode into “Four Corners” and hardly anyone noticed as it is a bit of a
cross roads and frequented by many travelers. They might have paid more
attention if they had known he is a Deputy US Marshal in town on a very
specific assignment.
Rancher Sam
Poster and his foreman, Doc Jensen, are very much aware that their herd is
being trailed by a couple of guys who are probably up to no good. In “Not This
Time” they know the men following them can’t steal the 700 steers on their own
as Poster and Jensen also have other men watching over the herd as they move to
market. But, those guys are up to something no doubt, and Poster and Jensen
have no idea what they plan.
Life has been
tough for the man known as Old Sam Gephardt. He is a fixture in the Rim Rock.
It is a cold and windy spring morning as “Old Sam and the Wagon” begins, and
all he wants is some whiskey. He might be able to tell a few stories about his
past and get that much needed drink.
Little Sandy
MacTavish, at 73, is never going to be five feet tall. Back in the day, he
rode, the horses in many places and even raced at the Kentucky Derby. He likes
to tell stories, as he drinks, and he has a good one about what went on with
the governor the day before in “Sandy’s Tall Tale.”
The man grunts and babbles and can’t be understood by anyone. That is except for Marlene Jacobson, who is the wife of the owner of the café. In “Sign Talker” she knows how to communicate with him and unlocks a fabulous history.
A cattle drive
is also part of “A Fine Drive.” It a spring morning in Nevada and Sam Tyson
loves his work. He and his crew will move a thousand head of cows and steers to
the summer pasture. Tyson is 80 and has spent his whole life building the ST
into what it is now. He is also very aware that he is getting too old for
cattle drives.
There are
aspects of Sheriff Peter Moresby’s job that he really does not like. One those
aspects is having to put friends in jail. But, that is exactly what the good
sheriff of Nye County, Nevada, is going to have to do in “Rage on the Range.”
He is also going to have to ride out to a certain ranch and make sure
everything and everybody is okay. That is going to get harder as a winter storm
is on the way.
Nobody in Perkins, Nebraska, is going to sell the kid a drink. In fact, nobody in the small town is going to deal with the teen. They certainly don’t like his attitude in “The Original Wyoming Kid.” He thinks he knows the score having read a lot of fiction about hard men and gunslingers. He is clueless. He may not live long enough to get a clue.
Three-Finger
Jack is a miner by trade. Over six feet, he was just forced to kill a man as
“Three-Finger Jack” opens. He certainly did not want that to happen. The bar
owner and the body of the dead man provide company for Three-Finger Jack as he
thinks about the past and waits for the sheriff.
Old Tom Williams, a ranch hand, tends to collect stuff. These days, one might call him a “hoarder.” But, it isn’t hoarding if the stuff serves a purpose. It definitely does in “Odd Tom’s Roll of Wire.”
Terrell O. K. Okane, Silas O’Malley, and Sonny Jameson busted out of the jail in Green River, Wyoming, about a week ago. The three are riding together in “Failure at Montello.” There has been friction from the start as each outlaw thinks he is best with a gun. The inevitable is going to happen unless things change.
Fourteen-year-old
Grady does not know if he should run or stay in hiding. Sheriff John McGinty
and Juan Valdez are having a confrontation out in the street in front of the
general store. The fuse has lit on the main street in Santa Ricardo County and
things are uncertain for all. Grady is witness to local history in “The Valdez
Event.”
He likes getting
up and about early in the morning in “Cow Camp Morning.” Those moments before
they hit the trail are precious and he appreciates them.
His name is John
David. His friends call him Jack. His teacher is not happy in “Miss Summers’
Lessons.” Neither is his mom. She has a very good reason too.
The little town of Justin’s Hole sits below the craggy peaks of the Elk Range. Three men are on that trail heading into town in “Justin’s hole.” They are bringing supplies and the locals need very last thing that is coming. Geoff Dawson is running things now on the receiving end and has some changes in mind that won’t sit well at all.
Known to his
friends as “Tracker” the man is a bounty hunter. He and his horse, Spot, are
looking for a place to spend the night when they see a fireball come in through
the low clouds and crash into a nearby mountain. Of course, that has to be
investigated as it might be valuable in “Horse Sense.” This short story brings
the book to a close.
The 19 tales in the collection are all good ones. Some have been printed before while others indicate they are new here. All feature interesting characters, mostly regular people, going about their lives, and dealing with circumstances they often have no control over.
The
illustrations by Barabash Sviatoslav provide a nice touch.
The result, The West: Land of Opportunity (A Collection) by Johnny Gunn via Condor Publishing is a fun and interesting read. Those who like western short stories are sure to find a lot to appreciate in this book.
Amazon Associate
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/45B1U0w
My reading copy
came from the publisher.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2024
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
SleuthSayers: Bad Advice
SleuthSayers: Bad Advice: Recently, I was talking to a writer who was feeling overwhelmed. She was seeking advice about how to accomplish all the projects she had com...
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 50 Writing Contests in July 2024 - No entry fees
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 50 Writing Contests in July 2024 - No entry fees: This July there are more than four dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes this mo...
Review: Pitch Dark: A Novel by Paul Doiron
Recently Maine Game Warden Investigator
Mike Bowditch and Stacy Woodson were married. As Pitch Dark: A Novel by
Paul Doiron begins, they are talking about the important changes to their lives
when they are interrupted by a phone call. Game Warden Brandon Barstow is a
young warden and unsure of himself, but thinks he might have a missing person’s
case.
It is the first week of May and pouring
rain, as it has for weeks now. Game Warden Barstow gradually explains that a
man from Idaho, Hammond Pratt, is missing from his rented cabin at Seboomook
Farm located up in the Rockwood District. Pratt rented an ATV from the property
owner and left on it after asking questions about some guy and his young
daughter that are supposed to be in the woods, somewhere nearby.
Game Warden Barstow knows that a guy by
the name of Mark Redmond and his young daughter are in the area at Prentiss Pond
building a cabin. The work site is very close to the Canadian Border. Apparently,
they are the ones that Pratt was asking about before he left on the ATV.
Game Warden Barstow tells Bowditch other
things that paint a seriously odd picture. It becomes clear that, regardless of
the weather, he needs to get up there and assess the situation, in order to
know what to do. He has to make a determination in order to start a search and
rescue operation. At this point, Bowditch does not know enough to make that
determination.
As it turns out, the horrible weather
will be the least of his problems.
What follows is a page turning story
that gets increasingly violent and convoluted. Much is happening in Pitch
Dark: A Novel by Paul Doiron and all of it keeps the reader highly
entertained. The situation is complicated. Bowditch is going to be lucky to
have a career, let alone his life, when things are said and done. Highly
recommended.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3VtpJmn
My digital reading copy came from Minotaur
Books, through NetGalley, with no expectation of a review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2024
Monday, June 24, 2024
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Preserving Family Recipes: How to Save and Celebrate your Food Traditions by Valerie J. Frey
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Preserving Family Recipes: How to Save and Celebr...: Reviewed by Jeanne Every family has its own special dishes. Some appear mainly at festive get-togethers like Fourth of July where Aunt ...
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Worthless by Peter Helton
Peter Helton
has written seven amusing books about a painter turned inept private
investigator. Chris Honeysett lives in Bath in a rundown house with an
unlimited need for repairs. His girlfriend Annis is a more successful artist
who also lives with him sometimes but sometimes with their mutual friend Tim.
Hence Honeysett refers to her as his half girlfriend. While Honeysett has sold
a number of paintings, he doesn’t sell enough to keep his roof in repair so he
launched Aquia Investigations to help fill the funding gap.
In Worthless
Remains (Crème de la Crime, 2013),
the fifth book of the series, Honeysett accepts an assignment from an insurance
company to monitor the payee of a large sum for injuries acquired in a
motorcycle accident. The company wants confirmation that the victim is indeed
confined to a wheelchair. Honeysett is happy for the potential revenue when he
learns that Annis has accepted another assignment for him: minder for the
presenter of a popular BBC archaeology program while they film in Bath.
Convinced he’d have plenty of time to watch the motorcycle victim for signs of
malfeasance as well, Honeysett goes blithely to meet his famous charge.
It turns out that Guy Middleton is anything but easy.
Offensive to almost everyone, chronically drunk, Middleton is subject to death
threats and near misses the duration of the shoot. The ancient Roman weapon
brought in to demonstrate onscreen launches unexpectedly and pinions the leg of
the person sitting next to Middleton, an urn slips off the roof of the old
country manor where they are digging and nearly crowns him, and on and on. Honeysett
is fully consumed with getting the increasingly paranoid Middleton up and on
the set in time for shooting every day.
The book is an entertaining look at behind-the-scenes
television. Honeysett is a droll narrator with a witty spin on nearly
everything. Middleton is an arrogant prima donna and his producer is looking
for a way to get rid of him. Needless to say, they despise each other. The
location is the current home of an aging rocker who now loathes the music that
made him a millionaire several times over. The program brought an expert in on
Roman food who cooked on-screen and in a nod to reality everyone developed food
poisoning.
There is no lack of suspects. But both cases are neatly
wrapped up despite Honeysett’s failure to pay attention to the motorcycle
injury claim. The resolution to the potential insurance scam is especially well
done.
·
Publisher: Crème de la Crime
(September 1, 2013)
·
Language: English
·
Hardcover: 240 pages
·
ISBN-10: 1780290470
·
ISBN-13: 978-1780290478
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3zeMQcT
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2024
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, June 23, 2024
Little Big Crimes: The Hospital Boomerang, by Kevin R. Tipple
Little Big Crimes: The Hospital Boomerang, by Kevin R. Tipple: "The Hospital Boomerang," by Kevin R. Tipple, in Larceny and Last Chances, edited by Judy Penz Sheluk, Superior Shores Press, 202...
Beneath the Stains of Time: Sun, Sea and Murder (2024) by J.S. Savage
Beneath the Stains of Time: Sun, Sea and Murder (2024) by J.S. Savage: In March, I reviewed J.S. Savage's fantastic debut, The Mystery of Treefall Manor (2023), patterned after the great detective novelists...
Guest Post: First Lines in Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense-- Part 2 by Judy Penz Sheluk
Please welcome Judy Penz Sheluk back to the blog today as
she shares some of the first lines from the stories in the new anthology, Larceny
& Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, releasing
Tuesday. Part 1 ran last Sunday on the SMFS blog. The anthology was released
last Tuesday and includes my short story, The Hospital Boomerang.
Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery &
Suspense
First Lines: Part II
That’s right. Part II. If you missed Part I, you can find it
on the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s blog spot, where it was posted on June
16th. And now, here’s Part II (or, for those of you not keeping up,
the first lines of the final 11 stories in Larceny & Last Chances: 22
Stories of Mystery & Suspense):
No Good Deed by Kate Fellowes
I’ll just say, that
Bible should have been mine in the first place.
Incidents & Intentions by Wil A. Emerson
Lily unlocked the back door of the thrift shop using a key
that didn’t belong to her.
A Tight Squeeze by Larry M. Keeton
My wife, Denise, was dead.
Not This Time by Mary Wills Fraser
I’m hiding in my ex-husband’s closet when my phone rings.
Wheel of Fortune by John Bukowski
Karl slid his last token into the slot and pushed the
glowing button.
Robbery at The Birdcage by Cate Moyle
Deputy Michelle Simmons received the dispatch call at 05:49
and steered her cruiser toward the village of Dunecrest.
The Crimson Salamander by Tracy Falenwolfe
Since her induction into The Modus Operandi Supper Club,
Billie Burgess often said Mark Luxor was the devil.
The Case of the Pilfered Parka by Gina X. Grant
Five minutes into the interview, Noah was ready to confess.
A Promise Kept by Karen Grose
The only reason I’m working at Big Jim’s is because no one
else wanted the job, let alone applied.
The Pool by Brenda Chapman
Greg opened the gate to his neighbor’s backyard and surveyed
the wide expanse of fresh sod, his gaze coming to rest on the newly installed,
inground pool that sparkled like a box of gems in the June sunshine.
The Last Chance Coalition by Judy Penz Sheluk
I watch Jake McFadden strut into O’Leary’s Bar & Grill
with the swagger of a man who’s dabbled with the big time and likes to flaunt
it.
Have a favorite? Leave a comment. We really do love
comments.
About the anthology
Larceny
& Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense
Edited by
Judy Penz Sheluk
Publication
Date: June 18, 2024
Sometimes
it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes it’s about getting even. Sometimes
it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last,
best, hope. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis,
John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate
Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie
Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece,
Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4bq7wwo
Judy Penz Sheluk ©2024
Judy Penz Sheluk is a former journalist and magazine editor
and the bestselling author of two mystery series, several short stories, and
two books on publishing. She is also the publisher and editor of four Superior
Shores Anthologies. Find out more at www.judypenzsheluk.com.
Saturday, June 22, 2024
Scott's Take: Predator vs Wolverine by Benjamin Percy
Predator vs Wolverine
by Benjamin Percy and several artists has the two featured characters fighting
across decades in each issue for a total of four issues. That’s the story. Its
not a complicated read, but it is a fun read. There is a constant shuffling of
artists and time periods showing different fights throughout their history in
this standalone read.
The other X-Men show up near the end in various cameos
in the late stages of the read. Benjamin Percy still writes a really good
wolverine. The art styles are very different and most of the time do a good job
of depicting the story.
There will be a standalone sequel coming this year titled
Predator vs Black Panther as they clash. Aliens vs Avengers
is also coming. Since Disney now owns the rights to both franchises they are
available for crossovers.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3KsNllQ
My reading copy came from the White Rock Hills
Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2024
Friday, June 21, 2024
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Little Encyclopedia of Fairies by Ojo Opanike
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Little Encyclopedia of Fairies by Ojo Opanike: Reviewed by Jeanne While setting up our cryptid display, I was a bit sidetracked looking at other creatures in folklore. This small ...
SleuthSayers: Mr. Swartwood’s Marvelous Box of BOGO Swag
SleuthSayers: Mr. Swartwood’s Marvelous Box of BOGO Swag: My wife runs a monthly authors-in-conversation series at a local watering hole. She started it just before Covid hit, went virtual during t...
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: ATLANTIS ENDGAME
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: ATLANTIS ENDGAME: Atlantis Endgame by Andre Norton and Sherwood Smith (2002) Last week I reviewed Key Out of Time , the fourth and supposedly final book i...
Thursday, June 20, 2024
FFB Review: Secrets in Death: In Death Series by J. D. Robb
Lieutenant Eve Dallas is not one to go to clubs and meet for a drink. But, she is going to do it as Secrets in Death by J.D. Robb begins. They have to work together and are doing it, but things could be better. DeWinter is trying to get to know her better and Dallas is trying to let her into her life a little bit. You do what you have to do and Dr. Garnet DeWinter isn’t going to let her slide. So, she walks into the place and notices that the club is one of the kinds of annoys her from the start.
In looking
around for DeWinter, she sees Larinda Mars. Fortunately, the woman who bills
herself as a “social information reporter” does not see her. Mars does gossip
for channel 75. The same place that Nadine Furst works. But, unlike Furst who
does actual journalism and strives to have the facts always correct, Mars is
the polar opposite. The last thing Dallas wants is Mars talking about her on
the air. She seems focused on her male companion, whomever he is, and Dallas is
glad her focus is on him.
She has her
drink, an appetizer, and is sort of clearing the air with DeWinter when all
heck breaks loose. Mars is suddenly in the middle of the floor between tables,
staggering from obvious blood loss, and is barely on her feet. Dallas jumps up,
gets to her, and eases her to the floor as she passes out. Despite the efforts
of DeWinter, another doctor in the club, and others, Mars dies right there in
front of them on the floor.
That makes Du
Vin a crime scene with lots of potential witnesses. Since Dallas caught the
case, literally, that makes the murder of Larinda Mars her case.
Mars trafficked
in gossip. She also, as Dallas, Peabody and others soon discover, had a very
rewarding secondary income stream via blackmail. That sort of thing tends to
push folks to end the blackmail at some point. The list of suspects is long and
the files that Mars had on Dallas, Roarke, and many others might provide clues
to her killer.
Good thing that
no matter how despicable the person was in their life, Dallas, Peabody, and
others, always stand for them in a quest for justice.
Secrets in Death is another good
one. Complicated in many ways, J.D. Robb spins an engaging tale of murder and
deceit in the read. Part police procedural, part romance, the read rolls
forward at a steady pace. Like others in the series, it is also well worth your
time.
Amazon Associate
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3TZvlFm
My reading copy,
in large print hardback as the eBook was not available, came from the Central/Downtown Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2024
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 26 Glorious Writing Conferences and Workshops in July 2024
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 26 Glorious Writing Conferences and Workshops in J...: This July there are more than two dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but most will...
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Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: American Spirits, Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, The Warmth of Other Suns
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: American Spirits, Tom Stoppard's Arcad...: Reported by Rita American Spirits by Russell Banks Three interlocking tales about the locals in a rural New York town, inclu...
Beneath the Stains of Time: Water from a Stone: "The Sweating Statue" (1985) by Edward D. Hoch
Beneath the Stains of Time: Water from a Stone: "The Sweating Statue" (1985) b...: Edward D. Hoch 's "The Sweating Statue" is the third short story to feature his modern-day Father Brown character, Father Davi...
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: IN THE HEART OF FIRE
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: IN THE HEART OF FIRE: In the Heart of Fire by Dean Koontz (an Amazon Original Stories ebook. 2019) This story (actually a novelette, or perhaps a novella) is th...
Short Story Wednesday Review: Mystery Magazine: June 2024
Mystery Magazine: June 2024
opens with the featured cover story, “Sky Pirate Of The Golden Age” by Eric Cline.
In 1972, there were a lot of skyjackings. Braniff Flight #1225 from Kanas City,
Missouri, to Los Angeles, is going to be one of those flights interrupted by a
skyjacking. For a ten-year-old boy, what he knows, will be impactful for
everyone on that plane for decades to come.
The ladies gather to drink and evaluate others in
“Friends” by David Bart. Two guys they all know are now widowers. That makes
them fair game to talk about. But the ladies don’t know as much, as they think
they do.
Andrew Welsh-Huggins short story, “They Always Took Longer,”
is up next. Carter transports people long distance for a fee. He is moving
people on the run or otherwise who can’t use planes, buses, etc. They need to
get from one place to another without being tracked. His latest client, Heiser,
is more than a bit difficult, he will be glad to be done with him once they
make Denver.
“Death And Deception At The Codwall Inn” by Denise Johnson proves that booking a stay based on the write up in a bridal magazine
may not have been the best idea. They came to attend a wedding. Ellie isn’t
about to leave early even if they can’t lock the door to their room. Being
unable to lock their room door is the first of many oddities.
“The Gate Of Hades” by Robert Lopresti takes readers
to Greece and tourists on holiday. Our narrator and his wife, Melissa, are part
of an American tourist group seeing the sights and learning the history around
Cape Matapan in the southernmost point of main land Greece. Specifically, the Mani Peninsula which has a
notorious reputation. It is also where Hades is thought to have dragged Cerberus
and other things in Greek Mythology occurred. No wonder things begin to turn
for various members of the tour group.
Gordon Stack is looking around for a new wife in
“Swimming With Sharks” by Bond Elam. The current wife, Gwen, is now into her mid-30s,
and Gordon, 15 years older, is ready for a replacement. But, she has not
violated her prenuptial agreement. He isn’t about to give up any of his
millions in order to move on. So, something else must be done.
The “You-Solve-It” short story this month is from
John M. Floyd and titled, “A Shock To The System.” Frances Valentine is on a
ride along with deputy Earl Malone on patrol. They respond to call to Zeke
Mooney’s house where Zeke is soon on his way to the hospital. Something went
wrong during a poker game and Malone and Valentine have a case to work.
The issue concludes with the solution to the May 2024
“You-Solve-It” short story, “A Failure To Communicate,” by John H. Dromey.
As always, the short stories here are diverse in
terms of writing style and other factors. This is not a niche publication, but
one that prides itself on diversity under the mystery umbrella. As always, the situations
are interesting and the tales are good ones. Mystery Magazine: June 2024
is another issue well worthy of your attention.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4cs5c8D
For quite some time now I have been gifted a
subscription by the publisher with no expectation at all of a review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2024
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: SMFS Members Published in Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense
The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: SMFS Members Published in Larceny & Last Chances: ...: Today is publication day for the new anthology, Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense . Published by Superior Sho...
Robert Lopresti's Author News: Robert Lopresti, Authorfella, Spring Newsletter
Robert Lopresti's Author News: Robert Lopresti, Authorfella, Spring Newsletter: Okay, don't nag. It's still spring until June 22, right? Summer solstice and all that. Here's the news! I think this is the ...
SleuthSayers: Compiling a Multi-Author Collection by Judy Penz Sheluk
SleuthSayers: Compiling a Multi-Author Collection: I am glad to welcome guest author Judy Penz Sheluk today, who is talking about anthologies. Take it away, Judy! — Barb Goffman Compiling a ...
Monday, June 17, 2024
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: British TV Mysteries
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: British TV Mysteries: For those of us who still enjoy watching things on DVD, the library has a good selection of British mysteries. While all of these may have...
Little Big Crimes: And Now, an Inspiring Story of Tragedy Overcome, by Joseph S. Walker
Little Big Crimes: And Now, an Inspiring Story of Tragedy Overcome, b...: "And Now, an Inspiring Story of Tragedy Overcome," by Joseph S. Walker, i n Three Strikes -- You're Dead!, edited by Donna ...
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Murder at the White Palace by Allison Montclair
Again I am
here to extol the virtues of the next book in the Sparks and Bainbridge
historical mystery series written by Alan Gordon under the name Allison
Montclair. Alan
Gordon is a recently retired lawyer, author, lyricist, and librettist, who is
no stranger to the demands of writing a convincing historical mystery series.
Between 1999 and 2010 he wrote eight well-reviewed books in the Fool’s Guild
mysteries, set in early 13th century
Europe.
Gordon chose a completely different
time and place for his current series, but a fascinating one as well: post-war
London. The country is in social and economic upheaval, service personnel are
returning from overseas to find no jobs and sometimes bombed-out homes, and
shortages of all kinds are still wreaking havoc with the simple act of existing
day to day. He created two compelling, very different characters: Miss Iris
Sparks, formerly of an intelligence unit, and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, widow
of an Air Force pilot from an aristocrat family. Both of them are looking for a
fresh start when they meet and decide to form an agency to facilitate marriage
among the lonely and unattached members of the London populace. The series
debut earned starred
reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus and selection as the
best mystery of 2020 by the American Library Association’s Reading List.
Six books into the series and the
duo are pleased with their success. They are making enough money to hire a
secretary and they moved into a larger office. In Murder at the White Palace
(Minotaur, release date July 30, 2024) Gwen suggests throwing a New Year’s Eve
party for their clients as a sort of large-scale effort to match them up. The
biggest roadblock was a venue that they could afford. Archie Spelling, Iris’s
admirer, offered one of his buildings under renovation. He expedited the
clean-up, during which a body was discovered. The initial assumption was that
another victim of the Blitz had been discovered until further examination
showed otherwise.
Since Spelling’s business ventures
were often somewhat dubious, the police believed the victim was one of
Spelling’s erstwhile competitors. Iris of course could not have Spelling
wrongfully accused so she and Gwen went to work once again as investigators.
They are also addressing changes in their personal lives. Gwen is now
in the possession of her inheritance. She is quietly searching for a home away
from her controlling in-laws where she can raise her son. Iris is steeling
herself to introduce her wrong-side-of-the-tracks boyfriend to her Member of
Parliament mother and then to meet his family at the wedding of his
nephew.
The characters of Iris
and Gwen continue to grow here. Gwen gathers strength and self-confidence as
she navigates the world without the husband she thought she needed. Iris is
shedding the loner lifestyle she had adopted as she moves toward deeper
involvement with Archie and his large family.
A major plot twist
suggests even greater changes in the not distant future. Followers of the
series will be waiting with bated breath for the seventh book.
Highly recommended,
especially for fans of historical mysteries and of mysteries with strong female
leads.
·
Publisher: Minotaur Books (July 30,
2024)
·
Language: English
·
Hardcover: 320 pages
·
ISBN-10: 1250854210
·
ISBN-13: 978-1250854216
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3z1a3PH
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2024
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.