The Hard Word: TOP TWENTY-FIVE CRIME NOVELS OF THE LAST TWENTY-FIVE YEARS (20-25)

 The Hard Word: TOP TWENTY-FIVE CRIME NOVELS OF THE LAST TWENTY-FIVE YEARS (20-25)

Lesa's Book Critiques: The Curious Poisoning of Jewel Barnes by Terry Shames

 Lesa's Book Critiques: The Curious Poisoning of Jewel Barnes by Terry Shames

Review: The Curious Poisoning of Jewel Barnes: A Samuel Craddock Mystery by Terry Shames

This comes out Tuesday...

It is always a great pleasure when another book in the long running Samuel Craddock Mystery series by Terry Shames comes out. The latest, The Curious Poisoning of Jewel Barnes, is another solidly good one.

 

As the book begins, it is the fall of Craddock’s discontent. He thought he was in love and they had a future together. But, Wendy Gleason is gone as she has reconnected with her high school love who has come back into her life. It has been a bit of a whirlwind these last few weeks for them and they are about to be married. A break up is hard enough, but with Jarret Creek so small, everybody for miles around knows every excruciating detail.

 

Loretta has stopped by this morning, as she almost always does, with some food and news. This time the news is a bit strange as one of two twin sisters thinks the other is trying to kill her. Lily and Jewel, part of the Barnes family, have lived together their entire lives. They live a couple of blocks over from the family home. Much of their lives, they have bickered, but nothing too serious and nothing ever got out of hand to the point that anyone else, in the family or outside, had to really intervene.

 

That may have changed in the here and now of mid-November. Loretta says she has heard from Hannah, another sister, there is some sort of serious feud going on. Lily is sure her twin sister is trying to poison her and, to hear Loretta tell it, the fear that Lily has is very real.

 

Chief Samuel Craddock does not think much of it as everybody in that family has a temper and there is always some sort of petty disagreement going on. Some families are just like that. Not only that, but the twins are in their mid-forties so Craddock believes they should both have some sense. Beyond that, why would one try to kill the other one now?

 

Loretta does not know, but she is clearly concerned as is Hannah who told her some of the details. So, he agrees to see each of the twins and check in, but that takes awhile as various other problems take precedence. That includes the possibility of an illegal dumpsite just outside the limits of his jurisdiction. A site that, it soon becomes clear, nobody wants to talk about or have it investigated.

 

Soon, Jewel is dead from an apparent poisoning. Lily is the main suspect. She is also devastated by the death of her twin sister. That death also has rocked Hannah and the entire family. A death that has to be investigated by Craddock and others as either it was an accident or deliberate.

 

If that wasn’t enough, Wendy’s kids who have always thought the world of Craddock are concerned about the return of the old flame and his criminal history. It doesn’t take long for Craddock to realize they have reason to be concerned though he has no idea what to do about it. Where is the line between being a lawman and a concerned ex-boyfriend?

 

As always in this series, much is going on via many fronts, and Samuel Craddock does his best. The Curious Poisoning of Jewel Barnes: A Samuel Craddock Mystery brings back numerous characters that are old friends/ The latest installment of a great series that began with A Killing at Cotton Hill is another solidly good read.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3JmQlU1

 

My digital ARC came by way of Severn House, through NetGalley, with no expectation of a positive review.

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

Publication Day Review: Deep Dive: A Jessie Madison Thriller by Terry Shames

Deep Dive: A Jessie Madison Thriller is the second book in the series that began a little more than a year ago with the release of Perilous Waters. While it is always better to read any series in order, in this case, most of the events depicted in that book are covered here, so beginning here would work well. This read is also a far better book.

 

As the book begins, Jessie Madison is at home in her new apartment far from the Bahamas. She is living on the reward money she got after those events. She is, for now, putting off looking for a job as the one job she wanted, being a member of an FBI Dive Team, is still closed to her. She plans on working on the case that the Newport News cops could never solve—the murder of her father twelve years ago.

 

She is reviewing the case materials she has one evening when two men in suits show up at her door. They tell her she is wanted for a briefing. John Farrell at Quantico, her former trainer in the FBI program and the man who booted her out, wants to see her in person and as soon as possible. Instead of calling her, he sent the agents and a helicopter and has told the agents nothing beyond the fact that the matter is urgent.

 

She packs a bag and takes the flight as she knows that whatever he wants could be a way to get back into the program. She soon learns that he reached out because somebody above him wants her for an emergency open position with a USERT (Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team) operating overseas. Contacting her was not his idea, but he did what he was told.  A diver on the team was severely injured a few days ago and Jessie Madison would be sent in as his replacement if she agrees.

 

While he doesn’t answer her questions, or tell her much at all about the mission, he does make it clear that this might be a way for her to get back into the training program once the mission is completed. A door that was welded shut before has now cracked open just a hair. So, it was never really in doubt that she was going to take the assignment.

 

Soon she is with the team in Tyrrhenian Sea near the main small island of Lipari located off the northern coast of Sicily. A World War II plane has been found deep underwater and in a precarious position. It appears that the long dead pilot of the plane was wearing a United States uniform at the time of the crash. The plane may have also contained something so important that the government sent FBI divers to the wreckage on a mission clouded in secrecy. Why they are tasked with recovering an unknown object that may or may not be onboard is just one of many questions that are to be answered in Deep Dive: A Jessie Madison Thriller by Terry Shames.

 

While I personally much prefer the Samuel Craddock Mystery series, Deep Dive is an enjoyable book. Much is going on personally and professionally for nearly everyone in the read and the characters very much come alive for the reader. Then there are the overseas elements, the aspects of the dangerous dives, and stream of nefarious people with their own agendas.

 

The result is a complicated and fast moving read as things escalate in unpredictable ways. Deep Dive: A Jessie Madison Thriller by Terry Shames is a good book and a pleasant way to spend your time, on or off the beach.

 

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

 

 

My reading copy came from the publisher, Severn House, through NetGalley, with no expectation of a review.

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple © 2025

Jungle Red Writers: Terry Shames--Deep Dive

Jungle Red Writers: Terry Shames--Deep Dive: DEBORAH CROMBIE : We are always tickled to have our Jungle Red pal Terry Shames on the blog, and here she is with a terrific new book (and ...

Mystery Fanfare: The Women Who Transformed the CIA: Agents of Change

Mystery Fanfare: The Women Who Transformed the CIA: Agents of Change: Thursday, July 10, 5:30 p.m. The Commonwealth Club of California 110 The Embarcadero Toni Rembe Rock Auditorium San Francisco ,   CA   94105...

Dark City Underground: Booked (and Printed) May 2025

 Dark City Underground: Booked (and Printed)  May 2025

Review: The Troubling Death of Maddy Benson: A Samuel Craddock Mystery by Terry Shames

The Troubling Death of Maddy Benson: A Samuel Craddock Mystery by Terry Shames opens with a phone call. Mrs. Jack Currey is worried about her sister and Chief of Police Samuel Craddock just happened to be the one answering the phone. Jarrett Creek, Texas, is a very small town and he pretty much either knows everyone or knows of them. He has no idea who Maddy Benson is, but her sister is insistent she lives in the area.

 

She also reports that her sister seemed to be out of breath and said something about needing to get away before saying she would call back and hung up. Mrs. Jack Curry is rattled and clearly is concerned about her sister. She finally explains she has not lived there long which is why Chief Craddock does not know her. Mrs. Jack Curry provides the address and Sheriff Craddock realizes that the location is out in a relatively new development north of town.

 

Chief Craddock and Deputy Maria Trevino go looking in the area and eventually spot an open gate at Tom Gainer’s property. His gate is always closed during the week as he only comes around on weekends. Further investigation deeper into the property yields a body.

 

The body is female and she has been shot in the middle of the back.

 

It does not take long at all to determine that the deceased woman is Maddy Benson. Her murder unleashes a complicated tale that had stirred up quite a few members of the local citizenry. People who had found out what she was doing and objected. Threats had been made. The suspect list is a long one and it is not helped by the fact that her family is beset by their own internal grievances and relationship drama.

 

Much is going on in The Troubling Death of Maddy Benson: A Samuel Craddock Mystery by Terry Shames. While it is a good mystery/police procedural read, this is a book that is not for everyone.

 

A major aspect of the read is what is happening in Texas with abortion and reproductive health care rights. Author Terry Shames deftly encapsulates the fear on one side and the outright anger and hostility shown by some on the other side. It is a deeply felt issue for many people. Therefore, some readers may have a hard time with this read.

 

The latest in the series, The Troubling Death of Maddy Benson: A Samuel Craddock Mystery by Terry Shames deftly deals with a hard subject while entertaining readers with a complicated mystery. Simply put, it is a good read.

 

Make sure you read Lesa Holstine’s review as well as her author spotlight on author Terry Shames. 

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3ZLGs8a

My reading copy was an ARC from the publisher, Severn House, through NetGalley. 

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2024

Lesa's Book Critiques: The Troubling Death of Maddy Benson by Terry Shames

 Lesa's Book Critiques: The Troubling Death of Maddy Benson by Terry Shames

Lesa's Book Critiques: Sunday Spotlight – Terry Shames

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Sunday Spotlight – Terry Shames

Review: Perilous Waters: A Jessie Madison Thriller by Terry Shames

The stay at the resort known as “Trophy Cay” should be a fun time for Jessie Madison and her roommate, Shelly. It better be as it took four hours on the high-speed ferry from Nassau. For Jessie, who is 23 and has worked as a dive instructor in the Bahamas the last three months, it is one final fling before she goes back to the mainland and deals with the wreckage of her life as the first book in a new series, Perilous Waters: A Jessie Madison Thriller, by Terry Shames begins.

 

Soon Jessie and Shelly run into Jean “Johnny” Durand, a local boat captain, and his friend, Nick Garnier. They spend the rest of the day hanging out together. While Jessie sees that Johnny and Nick clearly have something going on, even possible criminal activity, she continues to spend time with them. Johnny and Jessie have a bit of a flirting thing going on and soon wind up on the catamaran that Johnny is piloting for wealthy clients. After some strangeness on the dock as they are being watched, Johnny, pilots the boat out of the marina at the resort and takes it to a nearby isolated cove.

 

What should have been a quiet intimate night is soon interrupted by armed gunmen. While Jessie and Johnny do their best to resist, they are outmanned, and outgunned. Things quickly go from bad to worse and soon Jessie is in a desperate attempt to stay alive.

 

What follows is a read that is far different from the very good Samuel Craddock Mystery Series by the author. So different, in fact, if not for her name on the book, I would have thought it was written by somebody else. I grant that as a 62-year-old male, who has seen a thing or three, I am most likely not be the right audience for this book.

 

The 23-year-old heroine, Jessie, is incredibly ingenious and can create almost anything from various items at hand. She has incredible stamina and persistence. She has a lot of personal baggage which is gradually revealed over the course of this first book in the series. She’s personally complicated and can survive anything and everything.

 

What she does not have is a shred of common sense. She continues to put herself over and over again into situations that even at 23, she should know better. Even if the reader accepts that, her refusal to contact law enforcement of any type, after the first of her near-death experiences, and tell them what happened to her is very problematic. That refusal to contact law enforcement is complete unbelievable as she was, at one time, as noted on the book description, enrolled in the FBI training program. In fact, she does not tell anyone. Instead, she recovers from her first near death experience, and then starts her own investigation. That fact alone made it very hard for this reader to stay with the book.

 

What clearly does work is the author’s love of the islands and sailing. According to the bio, the author has considerable experience on the water and it shows. The settings are vivid and are done well.

 

It is several other elements, including the heroine refusing to do basic common-sense things for no good reason, that this reader had issue with through the entire book.

 

 

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

 

 

My reading copy from the publisher, Severn House, as an ARC by way of NetGalley.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2024 

Criminal Minds: Hello! Is Anyone Out There?

Criminal Minds: Hello! Is Anyone Out There?:   Terry here, lamenting the answer to this week's question: Having one’s book rise above the crowded marketplace is difficult. What ha...

Lesa's Book Critiques: GUILT STRIKES AT GRANGER’S STORE BY TERRY SHAMES

 Lesa's Book Critiques: GUILT STRIKES AT GRANGER’S STORE BY TERRY SHAMES

Lesa's Book Critiques: KEVIN’S CORNER ANNEX – GUILT STRIKES AT GRANGER’S STORE BY TERRY SHAMES

 Lesa's Book Critiques: KEVIN’S CORNER ANNEX – GUILT STRIKES AT GRANGER’S STORE BY TERRY SHAMES

Review: Guilt Strikes at Granger’s Store: A Samuel Craddock Mystery by Terry Shames

As Guilt Strikes at Granger’s Store by Terry Shames opens, Wendy is frantic. Samuel Craddock has been dating her for a couple of years now and has never heard her like this before. She is very upset and for good reason.

Her daughter, Allison, is in jail in Monterrey, Mexico. Chief of Police Samuel Craddock has some influence locally, but Mexico is far out of his jurisdiction and sphere of influence. Apparently, Allison was in some sort of auto accident. She is okay, but in custody because she did not have Mexican auto insurance. The authorities take a dim view of this kind of situation. Finding out what is going on as well as how to help, if he can, is going to take time.

At the same time, a far more urgent matter, and one that is in his jurisdiction comes up while he is talking to Wendy and trying to calm her fear. A few months ago, Melvin Granger had a stroke that resulted in him being bedridden. The prognosis for Melvin is not good.

His son, Mark, moved back home from Houston to take care of Dad and run the Feedstore. Word has gotten around that Mark has big plans for the store. He plans to update it and add some sort of gift shop, among other things. None of his plans should have caused anybody to attack him, yet that is exactly what has happened.

Found by his sister, Chelsea, who is just now also home to take care of dad as well as to talk to Mark about his plans, he was on the floor of the store this very morning. Mark had a cut on his forehead and was very dazed. Mark and Chelsea were to meet and go over his renovation plans. Not that their meeting would have moved her, in all likelihood. She is very much against the idea of any changes. The fact that this happened reinforced her belief that this idea of Mark’s is a bad one.

It might be, according to the attackers, as one of the two men who attacked Mark, also told him to leave town. Before he is loaded into the ambulance, Mark tells Chief Craddock that there have also been a couple of strange and threatening phone calls. Clearly, somebody wants the store left as is and is not taking no for an answer.

As the situation with Wendy’s daughter in Mexico gets stranger by the day, so too does the situation with the store in Jarret Creek, Texas. The result is Sameul Craddock is forced to juggle both deals and a couple of other things in Guilt Strikes at Granger’s Store. So much for that idea that small town life is easy.

A long running and very good series that began with A Killing at Cotton Hill, this tenth book in the series is another solidly good one. No new ground in character development is broken here as the majority of these characters were fleshed out long ago. Instead, the primary focus is on the mysteries of what happened with Alison south of the border and what happened at Granger’s store. Each is a satisfying mystery in its own right.

This latest book in the series very briefly references earlier events, but does so in such a way that one could easily read this one first if new to the series. For long time readers, it is a much-needed treat to go back to Jarret Creek and the life of Samuel Cradock and friends. Guilt Strikes at Granger’s Store is strongly recommended, as is the entire series. 

My reading copy came as an ARC from the publisher, Severn House, through NetGalley.

 

Kevin R. Tipple © 2023

Favorite Books of 2022

Back in July, I told you of my five favorite books of the year to that point. Today as the year winds to a close, I give you more favorites.

As I have said before, I remain very slow reading wise. The books selected refer my personal tastes, biases, and all that jazz. I am not saying that these are the best books. I am stating that they were my favorites during the past year.

An Unforgiving Place: A National Park Mystery by Claire Kells picks up a few weeks after Vanishing Edge. On assignment in Denali National Park, Investigative Service Branch Special Agent Felicity Harland is sent to the Gates of the Artic National Park to investigate the discovery of two bodies.

It is mid December 1935 as Funeral Train: A Dust Bowl Mystery by Laurie Loewenstein begins and life has been brutal in the panhandle of Oklahoma with the ongoing Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. The good people of Vermillion, Oklahoma, and the surrounding area are facing adversity on a daily basis and hanging on by their fingernails. A train derailment, a murder, and much more has a huge impact on all in this excellent sequel to Death of A Rainmaker: A Dust Bowl Mystery.

Murder at the Jubilee Rally: A Samuel Craddock Mystery by Terry Shames opens with many of the locals less than thrilled with the coming event featuring motorcycle folks from all over. They won’t be happy about the murder either.

Anyone who really knows me knows that I love a good western. Larry D. Sweazy always makes that happen and did with Lost Mountain Pass. It is May 1988 and Judge Gordon Hadesworth and U.S. Deputy Marshall Sam “Trusty” Dawson plan to get out of town fast now that the three Darby brothers, Cleatus, Horace, and Rascal, are swinging slowly from the gallows and are most assuredly dead.

A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones is the third book in the series that began with A Bad Day For Sunshine. This is a series that must be read in order. Along with some personal stuff that has just happened here in book three, Sheriff Sunshine Vicram and her team have two missing people to find and the case of a critically injured woman out at Copper Canyon. Rescuing her and then finding out what happened to her drives the novel forward alongside several complicated secondary story lines that have been playing out this entire series.

There you have it. Five in July and five more now. Enjoy the reads. 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2022

KRL: KRL This Week Update for 12/10/2022

Up on KRL this morning a review and giveaway of "Santa's Little Yelpers" by David Rosenfelt https://kingsriverlife.com/12/10/santas-little-yelpers-by-david-rosenfelt/ 

We also have a review and giveaway of "Live and Let Grind" by Tara Lush along with some great coffee recipes from Tara for the holidays and beyond! https://kingsriverlife.com/12/10/live-and-let-grind-by-tara-lush/

 

And interesting interview with Christin https://kingsriverlife.com/12/10/photo-finished-by-christin-brecher/

 

And a review and giveaway of "And Justice for Mall" by E.J. Copperman https://kingsriverlife.com/12/10/and-justice-for-mall-by-e-j-copperman/

 

And another Christmas mystery short story this one by Terry Shames https://kingsriverlife.com/12/10/christmas-mystery-short-story-bring-it/

 

For those who prefer to listen to Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast directly on KRL, here we have the player for the latest episode which features the Christmas mystery short story "The Afternoon Before Christmas" by Mark Murphy read by local actor Sean Hopper https://kingsriverlife.com/12/10/mysteryrats-maze-podcast-featuring-the-afternoon-before-christmas/

 

Up during the week we posted another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author Joe Cosentino about his new Nicky and Noah mystery "Drama Prince" https://kingsriverlife.com/12/07/qa-with-joe-cosentino-author-of-drama-prince/

 

And another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author Luca Veste about research and his new book "You Never Said Goodbye" https://kingsriverlife.com/12/07/research/

 

Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review of "It’s a Nerd! Witch is Slain!" A Witchy Expo Services Mystery by Amy McNulty, and a giveaway of this book plus the first one in the series https://www.krlnews.com/2022/12/its-nerd-witch-is-slain-by-amy-mcnulty.html

 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "Film Crews and Rendezvous" by Heather Weidner https://www.krlnews.com/2022/12/film-crews-and-rendezvous-by-heather.html

 

And a review of "20 Carats" by Larissa Reinhart, and everyone can get a free ebook copy of this novella (along with several other cozies) by clicking on the link in the post https://www.krlnews.com/2022/12/20-carats-maizie-albright-between-cases.html

Happy holidays!
Lorie

Criminal Minds: Shoutout to Debut Authors by Terry Shames

Criminal Minds: Shoutout to Debut Authors by Terry Shames:   Terry here, and here’s our subject this week: Let’s do a shout-out to the debut authors. What’s a wonderful book by a first time crime fi...

Lesa's Book Critiques: MURDER AT THE JUBILEE RALLY BY TERRY SHAMES

 Lesa's Book Critiques: MURDER AT THE JUBILEE RALLY BY TERRY SHAMES

Review: Murder at the Jubilee Rally: A Samuel Craddock Mystery by Terry Shames

While this review previously appeared here back on August 2^nd, today is publication day, so I am running my review again today. This is a great series and one you should read.

 

Murder at the Jubilee Rally: A Samuel Craddock Mystery by Terry Shames opens with many of the locals less than thrilled with the coming event featuring motorcycle folks from all over. Some want the entire town closed for business during the Jubilee Motorcycle Rally. They want to force those attending to go over to Bobtail, another small town about ten miles away, to do their shopping. The theory being shutting down everything will keep the bikes and their noise out of the town.

Of course, the small business folks who need the money from the out of towners hate the idea as do the locals who do not want to be inconvenienced. Folks are very heated on both sides of the issue. The town meeting causes some folks to say things that would have been better left unsaid. Thanks to Police Chief Samuel Craddock and a couple of others, a compromise is worked out, where some businesses have an early curfew while others do not.

Soon the rally is underway, the compromise is working well, and things at the rally which draws hundreds of folks from all over the state of Texas and beyond are going okay. That is until a murder happens.

A murder that makes things way more complicated as Craddock and his team have been trying to keep things calm at the rally and in town. Not that ever having a murder is a good thing, but the timing right now is really bad, and not just because of the local event.

Craddock is also dealing with a serious family problem as his niece Hailey is giving her parents fits. The little girl he remembers is not the child she was if her parents are right about everything that is going on with her. The teen years can be ugly and things are ugly. Sixteen and acting out with alcohol, possibly using drugs, and sneaking out to see an older guy are just part of it. She is acting up at school too and her grades are falling. Things are so bad her parents are thinking of sending her to a boarding school for troubled kids.

Hailey and Samuel used to get along pretty well and she liked to watch the cows Samuel has and spend time with him. He offers for her to come stay a few days to give everyone a break. Samuel believes that if things get difficult, he can get advice and help from his lady friend, Wendy, as she has raised two girls and survived the teen wars. Before long, Hailey is in the house. The bad thing is, trouble in more than one form, followed her from Austin.

Between the murder of a local business owner, Hailey’s antics, and other things, there is no rest for a good lawman. Samuel Craddock and his patience is put to the test constantly through this read. Drama and trouble, on and off the job, power Murder at the Jubilee Rally: A Samuel Craddock Mystery by Terry Shames as does the summer time Texas heat and humidity.

If you have not acquainted yourself with the series, you should, and you could safely start here as references to prior events/books are limited. If you are a reader of the series that began long ago with A Killing at Cotton Hill: A Samuel Craddock Mystery then you know you are in for another fun read as author Terry Shames does not disappoint with Murder at the Jubilee Rally: A Samuel Craddock Mystery.

While the book came out today, I was able to skip the library wait and read it during the last week of July thanks to a digital ARC from them through NetGalley.

 

Kevin R. Tipple © 2022