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FFB Review: Shot To Death: 31 Stories of Nefarious New England by Stephen D. Rogers

From the massive archive ….

 

Reviewing anthologies and collections is always tough. A novel can lag in spots providing an uneven and yet enjoyable read. That same effect can happen in an anthology or collection where not every story is going to work well for a particular person. Then there is the fact that space limitations often prevent the reviewer from ever going into any depth on all the stories. These situations and others make reviewing such books problematic. 

At the same time, readers are asking more and more for anthologies and collections. Subsequently, the last couple of years there has been a surge in publication of anthologies and collections. Most collections and anthologies pass pass right on by due to time constraints. However, when this was made available for review by Stephen D. Rogers, it seemed like one that should be a good book.

My expectations were met with a few personal favorites being: 

“C.O.D.” points out that damaging a mailbox is both a federal crime and a personal offense with repercussions for all in the area. 

“Fill It with the Cheapest” isn’t just about the gas, the road trip, or the unnamed driver in a story that isn’t clear until the very end.

 

Twists are guaranteed in this book and that certainly is also the case in “Last Call.” Training the new employee can come back to get you in not so obvious ways.

 

“One-Eyed Jacks” blends a unique drinking game, several friends with secrets, and a need for final justice.

 

Justice along with making things right are the twin themes of “Smoking Gun” where a mother simply has no more choices.

 

While the New England settings of these tales is often vague or not defined at all, meaning the tales could be located anywhere, the sense of desperation comes through clearly in each one. Whether told from the perspective of the good cop, the bad cop, the petty thief, the hard working parent, or the many other character choices the author uses in each story, the sense of immense desperation comes through in every single case. Often the reader is left with the feeling that characters involved never had a chance because everything always had been and always would be stacked against him or her. 

While bodies and crimes abound in the collection, that sense of desperation makes this a good book that is not easy reading. These are stories that nestle under your skin like chiggers and don’t go away easily. The fact that they linger is a basic part of what makes a good writer and a good book.

 

Review copy provided by the author in exchange for my objective review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple © 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021

Review: "Robert B. Parker's Damned If You Do: A Jesse Stone Novel" by Michael Brandman

Paradise Police Chief Jesse has a feeling he knows the dead woman from somewhere. Found in a bungalow at the Surf and Sand motel the dead woman might be 20 or a little younger. Whether the name she used on the motel register is correct or not is any one's guess. Naked and dead with no identification makes things hard with identifying her. Then there is the compounding fact she drove a car with stolen plates.  Finding out who she was is going to be a huge problem and a definite hindrance to the homicide investigation.

What is clear from the get go that based on where she had been found and her recent short stays at the run down motel Jesse Stone has quickly determined that she was making money the old fashioned way. Apparently she was an independent contractor, despite the serious efforts of two different pimps, who both wanted her in their respective stables. She was a young and attractive pawn in their turf battle for power and her death has escalated the tensions involved in that situation. Jesse will deal with that later---right now he wants to identify her for her parents and then find her killer.

Robert B. Parker's Damned If You Do: A Jesse Stone Novel written by Michael Brandman continues the series in a good way. Both the primary storyline of the above homicide case as well as a secondary one involving possible abuse of the elderly at a local retirement home move forward at a rapid pace. Along the way there are plenty of opportunities for Jesse to crack wise, chat with Dix his therapist, and do what he does best to irritate those in power and seek justice.

Scheduled to be released in September this latest in the series is another good one. It breaks no new ground in terms of the continuing characters and none is expected by faithful readers. It continues the late Robert B. Parker's writing style of short chapters, very little description of settings, and snappy dialogue used to move the action forward. The book comes together well and provides another entertaining fast read with Jesse Stone.

Robert B. Parker's Damned If You Do: A Jesse Stone Novel

Michael Brandman

G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group USA)

http://www.penguingroup.com

September 10, 2013

ISBN#978-0-399-15950-3

Hardback (also available in e-book and audio formats)

288 Pages

$26.95

I received an ARC of this title due to my participation in the “LibraryThing Early Reviewers” group for my use in an objective review.  As such, my above review appeared there first last Saturday before appearing here on the blog.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013

FFB Review: "Shot To Death: 31 Stories of Nefarious New England" by Stephen D. Rogers

With Sandi in Medical City Dallas Hospital this week as she starts chemotherapy and the bone marrow stem cell transplant program book reviews continue to be on hold around here. However, this is Friday and that means Friday’s Forgotten Books. Besides my entry below here, you can find the complete list of always good reading over at Patti’s blog.

Reviewing anthologies and collections is always tough. A novel can lag in spots providing an uneven and yet enjoyable read. That same effect can happen in an anthology or collection where not every story is going to work well for a particular person. Then there is the fact that space limitations often prevent the reviewer from ever going into any depth on all the stories. These situations and others make reviewing such books problematic.

At the same time, readers are asking more and more for anthologies and collections. Subsequently, the last couple of years there has been a surge in publication of anthologies and collections. Most collections and anthologies pass pass right on by due to time constraints. However, when this was made available for review by Stephen D. Rogers it seemed like one that should be a good book.

My expectations were met with a few personal favorites being:

“C.O.D.” points out that damaging a mailbox is both a federal crime and a personal offense with repercussions for all in the area.

“Fill It with the Cheapest” isn’t just about the gas, the road trip, or the unnamed driver in a story that isn’t clear until the very end.

Twists are guaranteed in this book and that certainly is also the case in “Last Call.” Training the new employee can come back to get you in not so obvious ways.

“One-Eyed Jacks” blends a unique drinking game, several friends with secrets, and a need for final justice.

Justice along with making things right are the twin themes of “Smoking Gun” where a mother simply has no more choices.

While the New England settings of these tales is often vague or not defined at all, meaning the tales could be located anywhere, the sense of desperation comes through clearly in each one. Whether told from the perspective of the good cop, the bad cop, the petty thief, the hard working parent, or the many other character choices the author uses in each story, the sense of immense desperation comes through in every single case. Often the reader is left with the feeling that characters involved never had a chance because everything always had been and always would be stacked against him or her.

While bodies and crimes abound in the collection, that sense of desperation makes this a good book that is not easy reading. These are stories that nestle under your skin like chiggers and don’t go away easily. The fact that they linger is a basic part of what makes a good writer and a good book.

Shot To Death: 31 Stories of Nefarious New England
Stephen D. Rogers
http://www.stephendrogers.com/
Mainly Murder Press
http://www.mainlymurderpress.com/
February 2010
ISBN# 978-0-9825899-0-8
Paperback
$14.95


Review copy provided by the author in exchange for my objective review.


Kevin R. Tipple © 2010, 2011, 2013