Friday, January 31, 2025

Black Beacon Books: Anthology Announcement: Samhain Screams!

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Lesa's Book Critiques: Jeff Meyerson’s Favorites of 2024

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Writer Beware: Turning Copyright on Its Head: The UK’s Proposed AI Copyright Exception

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Bookblog of the Bristol Library: A Murder at the Movies by Ellie Alexander

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Happiness Is A Book: Friday’s Forgotten Book: It’s Her Own Funeral by Carol Carnac

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Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: PARNASSUS ON WHEELS

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Patricia Abbott: FFB: EPITAPH FOR A TRAMP, David Markson

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Review: The Killing Plains by Sherry Rankin


The Killing Plains by Sherry Rankin takes readers to West Texas and the town of Crescent Bluff. Colly Newland does not want to be back there as the place brings up bad memories. Her late husband, Randy, came from there and his wealthy family controls everything for miles around. While he was physically living with her and their children in Houston, he never escaped the family and their dark secrets.

 

Now retired and a widow, former Houston Detective Colly Newland and her grandson, Satchel, are back on a temporary basis. They are back for two weeks or so and that means Satchel will be in the local school while Colly is working. Once a cop—always a cop.

 

Police Chief Russ Newland, brother of her dead husband Randy, asked her to come home and investigate a cold case of sorts. Many years ago, another brother, Willis, who had special needs, confessed to killing a local boy. Eventually, the governor commuted his sentence because of the family wealth and powerful connections.

 

Willis returned home, and shortly afterwards, another local child died. There were very close links to the first case so suspicion quickly fell on Willis. He soon committed suicide before authorities could clear him or build an actual case based on facts of his guilt. The Texas Rangers, the lead investigating agency, believed Willis was responsible for the killings both times, decades apart, and closed the case.

 

Iris Newland, family matriarch and no pushover, believes Willis never did any of it. She pushed Russ hard to call Colly and convince her to come back and review everything. Iris did not accept it in 98 when Willis went to prison. In here and now of the book set in 2018, she does not believe it now either. E of it. She knows that Willis did none of it. She has pushed Russ hard enough that Russ now has questions about it all based on what the closed investigation turned up.

 

Being back is emotionally hard on Colly, Satchel, Russ, Iris, and pretty much everybody. Beyond Willis, there is plenty of pain and guilt to go around for everybody. For Colly, who needs some sort of healing most of all, it is a chance to deal with the ghosts and the legacy of the past, as well as stop a murderer as things get more and more complicated.

 

Iris just might have been right. If she was right about this, what else was she right about?

 

A complicated atmospheric read, The Killing Plains by Sherry Rankin makes much of its West Texas setting based on the author’s long experience in the area teaching creative writing and literature. That means that the obligatory rattlesnake roundup, a feature of nearly every mystery and crime fiction novel set in West Texas, rears its head here and serves, as expected, to be a pivotal moment. So too does the weather in a variety of forms.

 

The Killing Plains by Sherry Rankin is a solidly mystery read that is well worth your time. This reader hopes that there is a sequel so that we get to see more of Colly, her grandson Satchel, and others in a book to come.


Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3PKy3eN

 

My digital ARC came from the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, through NetGalley with no expectation of a review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Lesa's Book Critiques: What Are You Reading?

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In Reference To Murder: Mystery Melange 1/30/2025

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Joan Leotta Reviews: The Medici Return by Steve Berry

 

Please welcome back author Joan Leotta to the blog today….

 

Review of Steve Berry’s The Medici Return by Joan Leotta

The Medici Return (Cotton Malone)

Book 19 of 19: Cotton Malone  | by Steve Berry  | Release Date Feb 11, 2025

 

 

This one I received in advance of its pub date from the publisher through NetGalley.

 

This is the 19th in Berry’s series featuring Cotton Malone, an intrepid detective now working for a secret US agency. Through them Malone becomes involved with helping the Catholic church with a sticky problem calling for confidentiality and break in skills. Malone, armed with those skills , his eidetic memory, and flair for languages (helped by same) ships off to Italy to find evidence of wrongdoing by a cardinal of the church. Who hired him? Vatican. Who is the villain? Another arm of the Vatican—so many secrets here! And oh yes, the Medici! (A 500 year old mystery enters in)

 

When it comes to popes, the Medici were no slouches. When it comes to dirty dealing, the same. Plot issues here span centuries and  connect to modern day crimes. One of the things I absolutely love about this book is the setting in Italy—Sienna, which I only got to know in 2023, Florence where I spent a lot of time while a student in Bologna, and oh yes, the Vatican museum and my beloved Rome.

 

Each of these carries a wonderful weight of historical interest and intrigue. Enough for ten books. In this case, Sienna  and its annual Palio, a free for all of an historic horse race becomes a central element to the plot. Berry is ingenious as to how he works this into his tale about finding = an ancient document. I applaud his creativity and oh yes, I must applaud the horsemanship of Cotton Malone as well. Heroes such as cotton Malone are often invested with far-beyond-normal abilities to deal with things like taking over the jockey role in a bareback race, the Palio. I was happy to suspend disbelief and bear down with Malone as he leaned over the neck of his steed and pushed forward to the goal while other jockeys tried to trip them up and a gunman had a rifle trained on Malone.

 

Wait, do you think all of this distracted me from the main mystery? Who killed the Swiss guard in the book’s early pages? The mysterious missing Medici era document that would cost the church billions of dollars if found? The two or three other subsequent murders and attempts on Malone’s life that follow? Nope.

 

Never fear—Berry is a master juggler of plot elements. These balls are never out of sight. To draw on another metaphor, he weaves all of the threads cleverly, carefully and at just the right moment, inserts one than then another element together to keep readers on track even as the plot twists and turns with more gyrations than that round, stone track in Sienna’s main piazza.

 

I’m only a so-so Malone fan in general, in spite of good dialogue and plotting,  but this book brought out Berry’s writing skills and took me back to a city (Sienna) I enjoy, and had me traipsing through Rome and Florence, two cities I love, while still captivating me with the plot, so I must give this book a five star recommendation.

 

Both for fans of Malone, occasional readers of the series such as myself and dare I say—even if if you have never read Berry’s Malone series before, I think you will enjoy this fast-paced well and deviously plotted book.


Five stars

 


 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4aDY6hu

 

 

 

Joan Leotta ©2025

Joan Leotta plays with words on page and stage. Her poetry, essays, cnf, short stories, and articles are widely published. Mysteries are favorite things to read.. short and long.. and to write.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Lesa's Book Critiques: Head Cases by John McMahon

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Head Cases by John McMahon

The Hard Word: JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE PARANOID, DOESN'T MEAN...: ALISON GAYLIN'S WE ARE WATCHING

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Dave Zeltserman's Dark and Amusing Fiction: Where ideas come from by Dave Zeltserman

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Dark City Underground: Playing Roulette with Minotaur Books

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Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: How to Hide an Empire, Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books, Memory Quilt

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Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout

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George Kelly: WEDNESDAY’S SHORT STORIES #210: MISSING IN MISKATONIC By JP Behrens

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Patricia Abbott: Short Story Wednesday: "Torch Song" John Cheever

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SleuthSayers: Test the Best

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Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: HE PATRONIZES PAMELA

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Short Story Wednesday Review: We’ve Been Trumped Editor Andrew MacRae


From the archive….

 

Published in September 2016 by Darkhouse Books, We’ve Been Trumped is an anthology of short stories speculating about life after Trump became President. Some stories are set during the president’s first term while others are set far into the future. In either case, most of stories make heavy use of the candidate’s rhetoric during the recent campaign cycle. That means these stories tend to dystopian situations and futures and are not lighthearted reading or humorous despite what it says on the cover.

 

In addition to not having author bios there is not an introduction to the anthology. The read begins right away with the stories and does so with “Exceptional” by Michael Guillebeau. Set a few years in the future, Trump National Corporation runs everything. Panama was nuked because South America refused to drop the America part of its name. Chihuahuas went crazy in 2021 and the only way to stop them was explosive bullets fired from M-15s wielded by average citizens. There are other glitches. Of course, some folks have to be eliminated to do their part for making America great again.

 

 

Kaye George’s tale “Ivanya Figures It Out” comes next and is even further in the future. Things have changed a lot since The Imperial Regime was established in 2017. For one thing, everyone born these days has to be named after a member of the Imperial Family. Twelve-year-old Ivanya has been busing tables at Doyle’s diner for three years now. Very glad to have the job the walk to and from work is the scary part of life. One must worry about crumbling sideways, roving gangs of men since the cops are not around anymore, and other issues. It is the 2040’s and the life is hard, though it could easily be worse. Some folks are lucky and escape to Canada. That might be an option for Ivanya and her mom, but it is incredibly risky.

 

Readers are taken back to the early spring of 2017 in the murder mystery, “A Feast for Fools” by Joanne Lucas. When the lights came back on in the restaurant in Fresno, California, it was very clear that Trevor Sorenson was very much dead thanks to the knife stuck in his chest. If the Eccentric Gourmet is on the premises to do one of his reviews, the murder could destroy their business. For Dorothy and Jeff, the sister and brother owners, the night of March 31st is proving far too memorable. 

 

Paul F. has some questions that only President Trump can answer. As the authorized biographer, it should be relatively simple to use the video chat link and speak directly to the President. However, it hasn’t worked that way at all in “The Chat” by Paul Alan Fahey.

 

Alex works at the White House as a gardener in “Alex in Wonderland’ by KB Inglee. It has been twelve years and he has steadily moved up thanks to those above him being fired. The summer heat is on, but he loves his job. He also believes the man in the White house just might be insane. That thought is reinforced by his latest assignment. 

 

“The First White House Costume Ball and Other Trumpery” by Diane A. Hadac explains how the event is setup and will commence. Among other items covered is the fact that Vladimir Putin, the unofficial Vice President, will be in attendance, there will be only certain specified allowed costumes, as well as the plans for seating and the food that will be served. It is a weapons friendly event so you are encouraged to bring your guns and use them at will should non-supporters storm the ball. This event as well as the five-step jobs plan, is explained by Billy-Bob Larrabee, gardener and White House beat reporter.

 

The CIA could be very different under President Trump and Craig Faustus Buck considers some the possibilities in “Trump Towering.” As the story begins, CIA director Brennan is trying to explain to the President why selling B-21s to the President of The Gambia is a really bad idea. Not only is the President of the African Nation insane, ISIS is advancing and could take the The Gambia. If that happens ISIS would take control over state of the art American bombers. While he does not grasp this problem, maybe the President can grasp the next issue. 

 

With his family out of the way and hopefully safely at the grocery store in town, Lucas “Luke” Pennymore awaits his company. It isn’t long before the Sheriff and the Editor of the local paper show up to hear what he has to say. He has known both of them most of his life. He has quite the tale to tell them in “According To Luke” by John M. Floyd.

 

Five years after the Zombie outbreak, Zombies these days are not that much a problem now. At this point, with so many of them killed and many others just falling apart, those that remain are usually found in isolated small groups or individually. For professional Zombie Hunter Matt Hix his way of life is going away. After the twin shocks of a Trump Presidency and the Zombie Apocalypse, everything is in flux. Matt has no real future earnings wise unless he does something radically different in “Career Change” by Ross Baxter.

 

 

Ever since Trump became President, when Barry makes the donuts, he slaps a dollop of orange frosting on it no matter the kind of donut. Every single donut, no matter the type, gets the dollop of orange frosting. Barry does it because he believes he is an artist and is creating thumbnuts. BK Donut is the only game in town for a real donut so Rudy Calles gave up coming around because Barry had become a crazed Trump supporter. This day he really wanted a real donut and came back in “Donalds to Donuts” by Brian Asman. Coming back may have been a mistake.

 

Peter Cosgrove does not know where he is or what is going on as “Great Again” by Zed Lawson Edwards begins. After Roger pounds on the door of an office and yells at him a few times, Peter Cosgrove opens the door to find his name and job title stenciled on it. That is the first shock of a number of them in this tale of a world seemly gone mad.

 

 

For the veteran in “That Hope-y, Change-y Thing” by Caroline Taylor he made the call requesting the President’s help two months ago. The President had promised to help every veteran personally while he campaigned across the country. Yet, he has not called. Hopefully, the tumor is one of those slow growing ones. Immigrating to Canada is not an option since the Canadians closed the border. All the veteran and his wife can do is wait and continue to show support for the President by posting daily to social media.

 

A tweet caused the end of the world. President Trump had not been in office two months when he got so enraged by a tweet that he unleashed twelve nuclear warheads on Istanbul, Turkey. That strike resulted in the retaliatory destruction of America in the tale “In the Service of the People” by RJ Meldrum. One does what one needs to do to survive. Bill and Linda do their best, but they are going to need help including a new source of food.

 

Arizona in July is hot, but that has not stopped the men and machines that are building the wall. Rancher Hank Campbell sees them coming slowly closer as they erect huge prefabricated sections and lock them in place. Some of the locals have been employed by the Border Construction Corps as that is the only work around these days. One such local is Jefferson Scott. Good thing they know each other so there is no need for the military firepower in “Down Mexico Way” by Ring Bunsen.

 

It is supposed to be an ordinary Saturday for Arlene Clay. Things start a little wrong with the arrival of the delivery person in “Arlene’s Visitors” by Andrew Garvey and never recover. In fact, they get worse when everyone is present and do not believe her true story.

 

Hearing the President’s voice boom through the barracks isn’t helpful when one is seriously hung over. That is Marissa’s problem as the day starts in “Looking Good, America” by Katherine Tomlinson. At least the new military uniforms are in and nobody will have to wear those awful camouflage pattern outfits anymore. The new uniforms made in China are just part of what is at work in this tale.

 

Candidate Trump promised to pay the legal fees of anyone who was arrested at one his rallies for punching a protestor. Getting the promised help from President Trump is difficult in “A Phone Call to the White House” by Pat Anne Sirs (Kathleen Rockwood). Unfortunately, the protestor died. The guy who did it has been arrested and is calling from the county lock up looking for the promised help.

 

The nuclear weapons have also fallen in “Lunch Special at The Trump National Golf Club” by Rachel Cassidy. Food is also an issue here, but at least one survivor has a plan.

 

Written in a play format, “Pulling Strings in DC” by TL Snow explains how the candidate became President. Manipulating the American People was just a small part of the strategy.

 

 

Ernie and his wife, Gloria, have more business than they know what to do with in “Success Story” by Robert S. Levinson. It helps that the name of the business is “WALLS.” The media attention also helps. So does the fact that Ernie has the contract for building the greatest wall the world has ever seen.

 

Glenn Beck is just one of a number of reporters at the press conference of the Secretary of Defense and Personal Fitness, Josey Callahan. There isn’t just one wall in “The Wall” by Warren Bull. Beck isn’t going to be out of jail for very long after asking a question that he should not have asked in this political climate.

 

Making sure you have all your papers for the Census Master is vitally important. The night of the census is vitally important. Make a mistake and lose it all in “The Census Master’ By Manuel Alex Moya.

 

As the chief editor of superlatives and censorship at the Bannon Times, Sarah has a very important job. It takes a lot of her time and that is why her day starts long before dawn in “The Emperor’s New Wall” by Tamar Auber. It is going to be a very important day as the first block of the wall will be unveiled in Times Square. Trump’s America is grand and she has a mountain of misinformation to process.

 

Educating students in the public schools is far different in “Trumped” by Ronald P. Wolff. It should be the greatest year ever for the students as the new principal has fixed everything. Mrs. Roberts is doing her best to keep the class on track, but her newest student, Mario Hernandez, is not helping.

 

Life is very hard in “As American as…” by Khomans Ens. It is 2021 and the drought and trade wars have taken a huge toll. This is especially for Sophia and Olivia in their Minnesota cabin though they do have it better than many folks. With Sophie off to her job in Minneapolis moping hospital floors, it up to Olivia to figure out something for dinner out of their meager supplies.

 

Considering how much money is present during an election cycle to get people to vote for a candidate, would it not make more sense to pay people directly for their vote? A little cash, a signed contract, and a new way of doing business are at work in “Buying Votes” by Don Noel.

 

The party has to be fantastic according to his assistant, Christina, so Marcos agreed to let her and his wife, Donna, handle all the details. The celebrity impersonators should be a huge hit. However, one such impersonator does not seem to understand what he is supposed to do in “The Impersonator” by Timothy O’Leary.

 

By order of the President, things are going to be different this year for Flag Day and that means a major hassle for the Secretary to the Mayor, Connie Edwards. Instead of the traditional ceremony for Flag Day held at the front of town hall, this year there will be a parade. June 14th is no longer to be known as Flag Day as it is also the President’s birthday. Henceforth, the birthday of the President is to be celebrated in every town and city in the United States by way of a parade under very specific and detailed guidelines. Celebrating the birthday is their patriotic duty and everyone needs to get on board and make it happen in “76 Trombones” by Anne-Marie Sutton.

 

“The Divine & Infernal Top-Secret Mission to Stop the False Apocalypse” by Joshua James Jordan brings the read to a close. Representatives of Heaven and Hell both thought the other side was responsible for Trump. Angels get ambient light from all directions and have to wear sunglasses all the time so they look like the new President. The angels always thought Trump’s hair covered up the horns. This means the Hell Representative, Jason, and the Heaven Representative, Veronica, need to have a private meeting in Limbo to see how to fix the Trump problem.

 

The stories that make up this anthology run the gamut from the realistic to the surreal. They vary from present day to decades in the future. A number of them have a science fiction angle while a few could easily be classified as fantasies. Many of the stories have tend to dystopian situations and futures and are not intended to be lighthearted reading or humorous. All of the stories to varying degrees share a less than positive outlook about our future-- short or long term.

 


 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4aC3eTc

 

 

I was gifted a copy by one of the included authors with no expectation of a review.

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2017, 2025

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Lesa's Book Critiques: Chain Reaction by James Byrne

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Chain Reaction by James Byrne

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Indian Rope Trick and Other Violent Entertainments (2024) by Tom Mead

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Publication Day Review: Head Cases: A Novel by John McMahon

 

I have long been a fan of author John McMahon’s work. See his three-book series that starts with The Good Detective. So, when Head Cases came up on NetGalley, I quickly put in for it. Even though I had quite a few already assigned to me, Minotaur Books quickly approved my request. Very glad they did that. Especially since the book is so very good.

 

FBI Agent Gardner Camden has skills. Not social skills as he has a hard time reading people and situations and, as a result, he is awkward. After a recent event, he does not venture out of the field office in Jacksonville, Florida. He prefers it that way as his skills are aimed at solving riddles and enigmas, and has an incredible wealth of knowledge. His ability to solve things is why he and his partner, Agent Cassie Pardo were put on a plane and sent to DFW airport.

 

How does a dead man die twice, years apart?

 

Ross Tignon, identified as being dead years ago, is very much dead again. This time he is dead on his kitchen floor, next to the kitchen island that borders the living room. The blood pool under the body trails over to and under the refrigerator.

 

Back in 2013, Ross Tignon was the suspect in a series of murders in Florida. Agent Camden was on the hunt, chasing him down while he built the case, and then a fire occurred in Tignon’s home. While his wife was brought out, injured but alive, a male was not so lucky. Dental records indicated that the body was Ross Tignon. At, least what was left of him one the fire was out.

 

The man on the floor, known to the locals as Bob Breckinridge, is Ross Tignon. Clearly, he did not die easy as he was cut open wide in the stomach area. He was cut again in his chest. The killer cut the numbers “5” and “0” into his chest. Agent Camden has no idea what the number could mean though, Agent Pardo thinks it might represent the police, aka 5-0.

 

Agent Camden, Cassie, and three other folks work in a specialized unit of the F.B.I. known as PAR for Patterns and Recognition. Their job is to consider cases that are stalled. Review them, identify peculiarities in them, and offer new theories of investigation. PAR then gives the case back to the relevant field office or sends it to headquarters. They don’t go into the field because everyone in the unit has a particular quirky skill that is useful and a history of screwing up in some way.

 

Being sent out in the field never happens. Yet it has this time. The reason was that it was supposed to be because the boss wanted Agent Camden to see the body and verify it really was Ross Tignon. With that being done, they should be soon on their way back to the home base in Florida.

 

Instead, and just after they turn the scene over to agents out of Dallas office, they are sent to Rawlings, New Mexico. After serving thirty-one years for multiple murders back in the 90s, Barry Fisher was just released days earlier. Every agent studies his case in the FBI Academy. He is a legend in bad way. He is now dead and Camden and Pardo are headed to New Mexico.

 

Not only that, but in a first, Agent Camden will lead the investigation. A serial killer is killing serial killers.

 

What follows is a fast moving and complex police procedural. While the focus is on Camden, the rest of the team and several other characters are fully developed and multifaceted. So too is the killer who the reader gets to know through the working of the case. Not by the usual mind of the killer POV technique in dedicated chapters that so many authors use. The absence of that predictable and utterly boring author technique was a major relief to this reader.

 

We learn everything from Agent Camden’s perspective. A man that has special skills, a different way of looking at the world, and a very hard time fitting in with people. A character that very much spoke to this reader.

 

According to the author’s acknowledgment at the end of the read, this is the first book of a two-book contract. The second in the series will come out early in 2026. I was thrilled to read this news. Head Cases was/is a great read and very much worth your time.


Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4a4ObRI

 

My digital ARC reading copy came from Minotaur Books, through NetGalley, with no expectation of a review. 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

Monday, January 27, 2025

Lesa's Book Critiques: The Mailman by Andrew Welsh-Huggins

 Lesa's Book Critiques: The Mailman by Andrew Welsh-Huggins

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Peking Duck and Cover by Vivien Chien

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Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 80 Free Writing Contests in February 2025 - No entry fees

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Little Big Crimes: Internal Monologue of a Creative Writing Professor, by Richie Narvaez

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In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday 1/27/2025

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The Practicing Writer: Markets and Jobs for Writers 1/27/2025

 The Practicing Writer: Markets and Jobs for Writers 1/27/2025

Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Chain Reaction by James Byrne


Chain Reaction (Minotaur, 2025) is the third book in the Gatekeeper series by James Byrne. Desmond Aloysius Limerick is a retired British mercenary with specialized training who is now roaming the U.S. seeing the sights and playing the occasional musical gig. Mostly he is using his specialized skills to rescue someone a la Jack Reacher. He is a Gatekeeper, he can open any door any time any place and keep it open as long as necessary. In his debut there’s an aura of mysticism surrounding his abilities but in the sequel he drops a comment about his two engineering degrees, which explains a lot.

The story starts with a scenario familiar to anyone who has seen Die Hard. Terrorists take over a glitzy convention center in New Jersey. Fortunately for the hostages, Dez happens to be on hand to deal with the insurgents. He’s only momentarily distracted by meeting his guitar idol Calvin Willow who is one of the hostages and extracting a promise of a private jam session. After the stand-off is resolved, Dez is curious enough about the backers of the attack to assist the FBI in their investigation, which leads to more questions than answers.

Dez is an original and welcome addition to the already impressive line-up of thriller heroes on the bookshelves. At first I thought he was a mash-up of Reacher and MacGyver but he is more of a people person than Reacher. Reacher is the consummate loner. Dez is far too gregarious to be a loner. His ability to form long-term friendships reminds me of Rush Mackenzie. He and Reacher do have a compulsive tendency to help people in common though. The MacGyver comparison is still apt; Dez can create weapons and tools out of almost anything. His tendency to crack wise reminds me of Spenser, although Dez is funnier and his timing is better.

These books can be read as stand-alones, so no need to start at the beginning of the series, yet at least, although I expect anyone who enjoys one of them will want to read all of them. For anyone in need of an absorbing, quick-moving adventure with a charismatic lead character. Recommended!


·         Publisher: Minotaur Books (January 28, 2025)

·         Language: English

·         Hardcover: 400 pages

·         ISBN-10: 1250319781

·         ISBN-13: 978-1250319784

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4ggYNOZ

 

Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2025 

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night. 

Sunday, January 26, 2025

Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – Faithless in Death by J.D. Robb

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – Faithless in Death by J.D. Robb

Kathleen Marple Kalb's Blog: So You Wrote the Book, Now What?: The Self-Care Floor

 Kathleen Marple Kalb's Blog: So You Wrote the Book, Now What?: The Self-Care Floor

Dru's Book Musings New Releases Coming Soon ~ February 2025

 Dru's Book Musings New Releases Coming Soon ~ February 2025

SleuthSayers: Police Reported Ahead

SleuthSayers: Police Reported Ahead: I was driving on the Interstate in an unfamiliar city over the holidays.  I had the GPS on my phone patched through the car stereo, giving m...

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Lesa's Book Critiques: The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

 Lesa's Book Critiques: The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

Dru's Book Musings New Releases ~ Week of January 26, 2025

 Dru's Book Musings New Releases ~ Week of January 26, 2025 

The Rap Sheet: Bluesky Dreaming

 The Rap Sheet:  Bluesky Dreaming

Mystery Fanfare: CHINESE NEW YEAR CRIME FICTION

Mystery Fanfare: CHINESE NEW YEAR CRIME FICTION: 恭賀發財 Gung Hay Fat Choy! This is the Year of the Snake. To celebrate the Chinese New Year , I've updated my list of mysteries that take...

KRL Update 1/25/2025

Up on KRL this week KRL Staff's list of their favorite books of 2024! There are mysteries, fantasy, and non-fiction. Come share with us in the comments of the post some of your favorites! https://kingsriverlife.com/01/25/krl-staff-favorite-books-of-2024/

And reviews and giveaways of 3 more mysteries-"The Witch is Back" by Angela M. Sanders, "Booked for Murder" by PJ Nelson, and "Murder at the Lemonberry Tea" A Beacon Bakeshop Mystery by Darci Hannah https://kingsriverlife.com/01/25/witches-bakeries-bookshop-mysteries/

 

And a review and giveaway of "Safe in Death" by SK Rizzolo https://kingsriverlife.com/01/25/safe-in-death-by-s-k-rizzolo/

 

Up during the week we posted another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author Jenny Elder Moke about her debut adult novel "She Doesn't Have a Clue" https://kingsriverlife.com/01/22/the-world-of-she-doesnt-have-a-clue/

 

Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and ebook giveaway of "Bridal Bedlam" by Hazel Smith https://www.krlnews.com/2025/01/bridal-bedlam-by-hazel-smith.html

 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "Murder at First Light" by Christine Knapp https://www.krlnews.com/2025/01/murder-at-first-light-by-christine.html

 

And a review and giveaway of "Tartan, Treasures, and Trouble" by Victoria Tait https://www.krlnews.com/2025/01/tartan-treasures-and-trouble-by.html

 

And the latest Crime Writers of Color Coming Attractions https://www.krlnews.com/2025/01/crime-writers-of-color-new-and-upcoming.html

 

Happy reading,

Lorie

Lesa's Book Critiques: Margie Bunting’s Favorites of 2024

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Margie Bunting’s Favorites of 2024

Writer Beware: USA Pen Press: The Ghostwriting Scam of a Thousand Websites

 Writer Beware: USA Pen Press: The Ghostwriting Scam of a Thousand Websites

Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 12 Fabulous Writing Conferences and Workshops in February 2025

Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 12 Fabulous Writing Conferences and Workshops in F...: This February there are a dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but most will be held...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Play the Fool by Lina Chern

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Play the Fool by Lina Chern: Reviewed by Jeanne Katie True is adrift.   Unlike her siblings, she doesn’t excel at anything, doesn’t have the drive to succeed, and fe...

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Men Who Explained Miracles (1963) by John Dickson Carr

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Men Who Explained Miracles (1963) by John Dick...: John Dickson Carr 's The Men Who Explained Miracles (1963) is a short story collection, comprising of half a dozen short stories and a ...

Scott's Take: Avengers: Twilight by Chip Zdarsky (Author), Daniel Acuña (Artist), and Cory Petit (Letterer)


Avengers: Twilight by Chip Zdarsky (Author), Daniel Acuña (Artist), and Cory Petit (Letterer), is an elseworlds tale set sometime in the future of the Marvel Universe. The Avengers were disbanded by the various governments of the world after a tragedy that impacted humanity. Steve Rogers was stripped of his powers and now lives as a shell of a man as America descends into tyranny with most of the population unaware since the media is fully controlled by the government. It is not long before Steve realizes the world needs the Avengers now more than ever and he gets his butt back into the fight to free the world.

 

Not the most original story, but it is a fun action-packed political thrill ride with realistic stylized art. The big battle that led to these events could have been delved into more detail as well as some other details that made this elseworld different.

 

It’s hard not to read this tale as the writer taking shots at the current American political system. Not that doing so is a bad thing, but it’s there. In a world that many did not understand The Boys was a direct shot at the American right, and are now very angry about it, this read is not subtle in what it is doing here.

 

Steve is the main character with several other Avengers playing roles. Thor is really cool in this book. He gets some of the best action scenes as the big gun of the Avengers.

 

I liked the read overall and enjoyed it. I think it could have easily used more than six issues to breathe since some things are rushed. Various things could have been detailed more in a longer run such as how Jan and Tony ended up married to each other as they are not usually each other’s love interests. Steve is also married to a new character named Rosa and how that happened is not very detailed. It would have also been nice to have a prequel showing casing more of the big tragedy prior to this series.

 


Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3PhY1pL

 

 

As noted before, I read this on the Marvel Unlimited app.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2025

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Lesa's Book Critiques: What Are You Reading?

 Lesa's Book Critiques: What Are You Reading?

Publisher Weekly: Bertelsmann Strikes 'Strategic Collaboration' with OpenAI

 Publisher Weekly: Bertelsmann Strikes 'Strategic Collaboration' with OpenAI

In Reference To Murder: Mystery Melange 1/23/25

 In Reference To Murder: Mystery Melange 1/23/25

The Rap Sheet: Herron’s Genre Contributions Recognized

 The Rap Sheet: Herron’s Genre Contributions Recognized

Bitter Tea and Mystery: Parting Breath: Catherine Aird

Bitter Tea and Mystery: Parting Breath: Catherine Aird: Parting Breath is an academic mystery set in Catherine Aird's fictional county of Calleshire, England; it features Detective Inspector ...

Review: Early Termination: A Probation Case Files Mystery by Cindy Goyette


Released earlier this month by Level Best Books, Early Termination: A Probation Case Files Mystery by Cindy Goyette is the very enjoyable sequel to Obey All Laws. As storylines from that book continue here in this read, I recommend for those new to the series to be sure to read that book first.

 

It is late September in Phoenix, Arizona, and Probation Officer Casey Carson has been summoned to a crime scene. Detective Ramsey asked her to come out to a canal where a body has been pulled out. The body is in a very bad shape. It also has one of her business cards in his mouth. That card was inside a plastic bag inside his mouth thus making sure to send a message no matter how long it took for the body to be found and retrieved from the water.

 

The deceased was/is Brian Johnson. He had not checked in with Carson in a few weeks and clearly never will now. She believed he had relapsed and was getting ready to file for an arrest warrant for probation violations. Carson thought he was an okay guy. She has far more questions than answers she can give to Detective Ramsey.

 

On the other hand, she is sure that Tony Romero, her new probation officer who she is training, is not an okay guy. He is clearly a bit of a jerk. But his dad is the manager of the community service unit, So Tony’s short comings have been overlooked by others to this point. Her mission is to make him either good enough to do the job or finding an infraction big enough to get him fired. So far, he isn’t giving her enough to work with either way.

 

If that was not enough stress, Marcus is on his way back to Phoenix and clearly wants way more than platonic friendship. Her ex is still around and he wants them to give it another go as a couple. The biker gang still wants her to suffer and die for reasons made clear in the first book.

 

If all that was not enough, the bodies soon start piling up, and bad goes to worse as she becomes a suspect in the deaths.

 

What follows is a complicated and highly entertaining read. Character development for Carson and other characters continues here, as does plenty of action and mystery. Early Termination: A Probation Case Files Mystery by Cindy Goyette is a fun read and well worth your time.


 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4js1Fv0

 

The author provided a digital ARC of the read with no expectation of a review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025