MR. MONK GOES TO THE FIREHOUSE by Lee Goldberg
Signet Books, January 2006
ISBN 0-451-21729-2
$6.99
Reviewed by Barry Ergang
“Defective” detectives are not new to mystery fiction. Decades ago, Baynard Kendrick wrote a number of novels about blind private detective Duncan Maclain, who was also featured in some “B” movies and who, allegedly, was the basis for the TV series “Longstreet.” Pulp magazines abounded with sleuths who suffered from physical and emotional ailments and impairments: amnesia, hemophilia, even literal facelessness. D.L. Champion’s legless Inspector Allhoff may have inspired TV’s paraplegic “Ironside.” More modern examples include Michael Collins’s one-armed Dan Fortune; George C. Chesbro’s dwarf detective, Dr. Robert “Mongo” Frederickson; and Jeffery Deaver’s paralyzed Lincoln Rhyme.
None has captured the public’s attention the way the USA Network’s Adrian Monk has.
The obsessive-compulsive, multi-phobic Monk combines Sherlock Holmes’ skill for observing the minute details of everyday life the rest of us miss with a childlike innocence and incomprehension of the way most of the world operates. A former San Francisco Police Department homicide detective whose tics became more extreme after his wife was murdered, he now works as a private detective and, most frequently, as a paid consultant to the SFPD, usually at the behest of his friend Captain Leland Stottlemeyer.
Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse is the first in a series of original paperbacks based on the TV series. Lee Goldberg was a writer for and executive producer of “Diagnosis Murder” and has written novels based on that program plus The Man With the Iron-On Badge (Five Star). He has written several episodes of “Monk,” and so is very familiar with the series’ format and recurring characters.
The novel is narrated by Monk’s assistant, Natalie Teeger, the widowed mother of a twelve-year-old daughter. Events begin when Monk’s apartment building is scheduled to be tented and fumigated for termites—that Monk himself discovered: “He spotted a pinprick-sized hole in a piece of siding and knew it was fresh. He knew because he keeps track of all the irregularities in the siding.” When Natalie asks him why, he answers, “Doesn’t everybody?”
Knowing he won’t be able to deal with staying at a hotel for the duration, Natalie invites him to move in with her and her daughter Julie, and Monk accepts. Julie is upset when she learns that Sparky, the local firehouse dog Firefighter Joe annually brings to school with him when he lectures on fire safety, has been brutally murdered by a person unknown. Monk promises Julie he’ll uncover the killer.
His investigation takes him to the scene of a house fire in which a chain-smoking woman named Esther Stoval has died, apparently the victim of her own carelessness. Monk quickly determines she was murdered, and soon after realizes that her death and Sparky’s are connected.
The “Monk” television mysteries usually fall into one of two types: the whodunit, in which there are multiple suspects and the viewer can compete with Monk to spot the clues that identify the culprit; and the inverted detective story, in which the viewer knows from the outset who the killer is and can compete with Monk to spot the clues that will lead to his or her arrest. A sub-category of both types is the case in which the murderer has a seemingly unbreakable alibi Monk must see through to effect an arrest.
Halfway through the novel, after interrogating a number of suspects who have solid reasons to want Esther Stoval dead, Monk determines which of them is the murderer. Breaking that person’s alibi proves harrowing if not impossible: the second half of the book requires him to track down the piece of damning physical evidence that will convict the murderer. He faces the daunting—and comical—task of wading through the city’s garbage dump to try to find it.
Along the way, with an unassuming brilliance and humility foreign to Sherlock Holmes, Monk solves a number of unrelated murders.
The “Monk” TV scripts, because of time constraints, often subordinate mystery to humor. In Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse, Lee Goldberg neatly balances conundrums and comedy in a dishy, informal, treat-the-reader-as-confidant style. The novel is far from the greatest detective story ever written, but fans of the TV series will probably enjoy it, and those who read it without ever having seen broadcast episodes may become regular viewers.
Originally published in Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine, May/June 2006
Barry Ergang © 2006, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Reviewing: "Fit to Die: A Supper Club Mystery"
Fit to Die: A Supper Club Mystery
By J. B. Stanley
http://.www.jbstanley.com/
April 2007
Midnight Ink
ISBN 978-0-7387-1067-9
Large Trade Paperback
ARC
This second book in the supper club mystery series brings readers back to the small town of Quincy's Gap, Virginia. Home of James Henry, Lucy, (who is an object of romance for Henry if he can just work up his nerve) Lindy, Gillian and Bennett who together are known as the Flab Five. For the group food and dieting is a constant issue. The recent holidays were less than helpful and with spring in the air, they all know that they need to work on their diets.
As it happens, Veronica Levitt has moved to their town and is about to open "Witness to Fitness." Combining exercise and foods bought through her, the persuasive and vibrant Veronica "Ronnie" Levitt promises to make the Flab Five leaner, stronger and definably sexier within the next six weeks. All they, and her other customers have to do is join her program at "Witness to Fitness" by eating her food, keeping a food journal, attending counseling and weighting sessions and attending at least three exercise classes a week and it isn't going to be cheap. Not only will it cost serious money there are absolutely no refunds.
Also new to Quincy's Gap is Willy Kendrick who owns and operates the new "Chilly Willy's Polar Pagoda." Willy intends to sell all types of detectable ice creams and treats which sets him quickly at odds with various parties including Veronica Levitt. Then there is the shape of his building and his t-shirts that have a clever marketing slogan. Both sit wrong with other parties who also make their displeasure known.
Before long, constant discussions of food make way for discussions of arson and murder, the Flab Five begin once more to investigate and put themselves in harm's way.
Featuring several secondary storylines, this cozy style mystery is very slow to get going. Much of the first half of the book is taken up constant discussion and consideration of food and dieting. Virtually every paragraph covers something good to eat, motivation to diet, how hard it is to diet, etc. Much like late night television where commercial after commercial announces tempting choices at this fast food restaurant or other (open later that ever before thank you very much) there is constant repetition about food bordering on obsession. Unlike late night TV where one can temporarily escape by changing channels, there is no escape here short of closing the book.
It is only after crimes have happened and authorities don't seem to have any basic curiosity into matters that the characters finally show that they have quite a lot going on besides food obsessions. Directly because of their interest and pursuit of justice, matters are finally resolved in classic style where all is explained to the group at the end and order has been once more restored.
The result is an entertaining read though difficult to stomach for those of us who do suffer the joys and perils of dieting. The characters are interesting and real, the case is interesting though rather obvious to seasoned readers, and ultimately happily resolved in the way preferred by cozy readers everywhere. Depending on your personal reading tastes, this might just hit the spot or be a little too sweet and sugary.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
By J. B. Stanley
http://.www.jbstanley.com/
April 2007
Midnight Ink
ISBN 978-0-7387-1067-9
Large Trade Paperback
ARC
This second book in the supper club mystery series brings readers back to the small town of Quincy's Gap, Virginia. Home of James Henry, Lucy, (who is an object of romance for Henry if he can just work up his nerve) Lindy, Gillian and Bennett who together are known as the Flab Five. For the group food and dieting is a constant issue. The recent holidays were less than helpful and with spring in the air, they all know that they need to work on their diets.
As it happens, Veronica Levitt has moved to their town and is about to open "Witness to Fitness." Combining exercise and foods bought through her, the persuasive and vibrant Veronica "Ronnie" Levitt promises to make the Flab Five leaner, stronger and definably sexier within the next six weeks. All they, and her other customers have to do is join her program at "Witness to Fitness" by eating her food, keeping a food journal, attending counseling and weighting sessions and attending at least three exercise classes a week and it isn't going to be cheap. Not only will it cost serious money there are absolutely no refunds.
Also new to Quincy's Gap is Willy Kendrick who owns and operates the new "Chilly Willy's Polar Pagoda." Willy intends to sell all types of detectable ice creams and treats which sets him quickly at odds with various parties including Veronica Levitt. Then there is the shape of his building and his t-shirts that have a clever marketing slogan. Both sit wrong with other parties who also make their displeasure known.
Before long, constant discussions of food make way for discussions of arson and murder, the Flab Five begin once more to investigate and put themselves in harm's way.
Featuring several secondary storylines, this cozy style mystery is very slow to get going. Much of the first half of the book is taken up constant discussion and consideration of food and dieting. Virtually every paragraph covers something good to eat, motivation to diet, how hard it is to diet, etc. Much like late night television where commercial after commercial announces tempting choices at this fast food restaurant or other (open later that ever before thank you very much) there is constant repetition about food bordering on obsession. Unlike late night TV where one can temporarily escape by changing channels, there is no escape here short of closing the book.
It is only after crimes have happened and authorities don't seem to have any basic curiosity into matters that the characters finally show that they have quite a lot going on besides food obsessions. Directly because of their interest and pursuit of justice, matters are finally resolved in classic style where all is explained to the group at the end and order has been once more restored.
The result is an entertaining read though difficult to stomach for those of us who do suffer the joys and perils of dieting. The characters are interesting and real, the case is interesting though rather obvious to seasoned readers, and ultimately happily resolved in the way preferred by cozy readers everywhere. Depending on your personal reading tastes, this might just hit the spot or be a little too sweet and sugary.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Barry's Review: "KIRINYAGA: A FABLE OF UTOPIA" by Mike Resnick
KIRINYAGA: A FABLE OF UTOPIA by Mike Resnick
reviewed by Barry Ergang
Among all of the highly readable, intelligent and well-crafted novels Mike Resnick has written, I have three favorites: Walpurgis III, The Dark Lady, and the book under consideration here: Kirinyaga: A Fable of Utopia (Del Rey/Ballantine, 1998).
Although Resnick considers it a novel, it developed from a short story he was asked to write by Orson Scott Card for an anthology about future Utopian societies. “Because of my love for Africa,” Resnick explains in an afterword, “and my knowledge of East Africa in particular, I chose to write about a Kikuyu Utopia. The story was ‘Kirinyaga,’ and I handed it to Scott at the 1987 World Science Fiction Convention in Brighton, England, where I stopped for a few days on my way down to Kenya for another safari....
“...Even before Scott let me know he was buying it, I took my Kenya safari--and a strange thing happened. Maybe it was because I had just written ‘Kirinyaga’ a couple of weeks earlier and it was still fresh in my mind, maybe it was because my subconscious is a lot smarter than my conscious mind, but whatever the reason, I realized that ‘Kirinyaga’ was not a stand-alone story, but rather the first chapter in a book....
“I decided to write the book a chapter at a time, and to sell each chapter as a short story...but never to lose sight of the fact that these stories were really chapters in a novel, which, when completed, would build to a climax as a novel does, and have a coda after the climax, as so many of my own novels do.”
Spanning the period from 2123 to 2137, Kirinyaga is narrated by Koriba, a man of Kikuyu descent who was educated at Cambridge and Yale, who reveres what Kenya and his culture was and has come to reject what it has become:
“In the beginning, Ngai lived alone atop the mountain called Kirinyaga. In the fullness of time He created three sons, who became the fathers of the Maasai, the Kamba, and the Kikuyu races, and to each son He offered a spear, a bow, and a digging stick. The Maasai chose the spear, and was told to tend herds on the vast savannah. The Kamba chose the bow, and was sent to the dense forests to hunt for game. But Gikuyu, the first Kikuyu, knew that Ngai loved the earth and the seasons, and chose the digging stick. To reward him for this Ngai not only taught him the secrets of the seed and the harvest, but gave him Kirinyaga, with its holy fig tree and rich lands.
“The sons and daughters of Gikuyu remained on Kirinyaga until the white man came and took their lands away, and even when the white man had been banished they did not return, but chose to remain in the cities, wearing Western clothes and using Western machines and living Western lives. Even I, who am a mundumugu--a witch doctor--was born in the city. I have never seen the lion or the elephant or the rhinoceros, for all of them were extinct before my birth; nor have I seen Kirinyaga as Ngai meant it to be seen, for a bustling, overcrowded city of three million inhabitants covers its slopes, every year approaching closer and closer to Ngai’s throne at the summit. Even the Kikuyu have forgotten its true name, and now know it only as Mount Kenya.”
Along with a group of like-minded people, Koriba leaves Earth to live on a chartered, terraformed planetoid called Kirinyaga, where he reverts to the old ways of the Kikuyu. As their mundumugu, he’s the repository of the collected wisdom and customs of the tribe, living alone and apart from the rest but participating daily in their lives, the most feared and venerated among them--feared even by Koinnage, the paramount chief. Only Koriba possesses the computer that allows him to communicate with Maintenance, which can change the orbit of Kirinyaga to maintain or alter climatic conditions. Koriba uses this facility, unknown to his people, to his own advantage, bringing rain or drought as he sees fit, often to fulfill his own prophecies and prayers to Ngai.
Each chapter presents Koriba with a new problem that threatens the Utopia he and the others have created. Invoking tribal laws with a fanatical stringency, he tries to find solutions. Not all of the solutions are happy ones, but Koriba is determined to prevent any change that will corrupt tradition, even if it means bettering his people’s lot--by what he sees as European standards. Ultimately he is forced to realize that change in a society is inevitable, that inherent in the concept of Utopia is stasis and stagnation, and that one man’s idea of perfection can be another’s agony. Resnick’s artistry lies in portraying Koriba’s fanaticism so that the reader is simultaneously repelled by and sympathetic to it. He and the other characters, and the problems that befall them because of the society they’ve created, will resonate in the reader’s mind long after the book has been put down.
Easily Mike Resnick’s finest work, Kirinyaga is, to date, the most honored book in the history of science fiction. Read it, and you’ll understand why.
Originally published in Maelstrom, Vol. II, Issue 2, 1999
Barry Ergang © 1999, 2007
reviewed by Barry Ergang
Among all of the highly readable, intelligent and well-crafted novels Mike Resnick has written, I have three favorites: Walpurgis III, The Dark Lady, and the book under consideration here: Kirinyaga: A Fable of Utopia (Del Rey/Ballantine, 1998).
Although Resnick considers it a novel, it developed from a short story he was asked to write by Orson Scott Card for an anthology about future Utopian societies. “Because of my love for Africa,” Resnick explains in an afterword, “and my knowledge of East Africa in particular, I chose to write about a Kikuyu Utopia. The story was ‘Kirinyaga,’ and I handed it to Scott at the 1987 World Science Fiction Convention in Brighton, England, where I stopped for a few days on my way down to Kenya for another safari....
“...Even before Scott let me know he was buying it, I took my Kenya safari--and a strange thing happened. Maybe it was because I had just written ‘Kirinyaga’ a couple of weeks earlier and it was still fresh in my mind, maybe it was because my subconscious is a lot smarter than my conscious mind, but whatever the reason, I realized that ‘Kirinyaga’ was not a stand-alone story, but rather the first chapter in a book....
“I decided to write the book a chapter at a time, and to sell each chapter as a short story...but never to lose sight of the fact that these stories were really chapters in a novel, which, when completed, would build to a climax as a novel does, and have a coda after the climax, as so many of my own novels do.”
Spanning the period from 2123 to 2137, Kirinyaga is narrated by Koriba, a man of Kikuyu descent who was educated at Cambridge and Yale, who reveres what Kenya and his culture was and has come to reject what it has become:
“In the beginning, Ngai lived alone atop the mountain called Kirinyaga. In the fullness of time He created three sons, who became the fathers of the Maasai, the Kamba, and the Kikuyu races, and to each son He offered a spear, a bow, and a digging stick. The Maasai chose the spear, and was told to tend herds on the vast savannah. The Kamba chose the bow, and was sent to the dense forests to hunt for game. But Gikuyu, the first Kikuyu, knew that Ngai loved the earth and the seasons, and chose the digging stick. To reward him for this Ngai not only taught him the secrets of the seed and the harvest, but gave him Kirinyaga, with its holy fig tree and rich lands.
“The sons and daughters of Gikuyu remained on Kirinyaga until the white man came and took their lands away, and even when the white man had been banished they did not return, but chose to remain in the cities, wearing Western clothes and using Western machines and living Western lives. Even I, who am a mundumugu--a witch doctor--was born in the city. I have never seen the lion or the elephant or the rhinoceros, for all of them were extinct before my birth; nor have I seen Kirinyaga as Ngai meant it to be seen, for a bustling, overcrowded city of three million inhabitants covers its slopes, every year approaching closer and closer to Ngai’s throne at the summit. Even the Kikuyu have forgotten its true name, and now know it only as Mount Kenya.”
Along with a group of like-minded people, Koriba leaves Earth to live on a chartered, terraformed planetoid called Kirinyaga, where he reverts to the old ways of the Kikuyu. As their mundumugu, he’s the repository of the collected wisdom and customs of the tribe, living alone and apart from the rest but participating daily in their lives, the most feared and venerated among them--feared even by Koinnage, the paramount chief. Only Koriba possesses the computer that allows him to communicate with Maintenance, which can change the orbit of Kirinyaga to maintain or alter climatic conditions. Koriba uses this facility, unknown to his people, to his own advantage, bringing rain or drought as he sees fit, often to fulfill his own prophecies and prayers to Ngai.
Each chapter presents Koriba with a new problem that threatens the Utopia he and the others have created. Invoking tribal laws with a fanatical stringency, he tries to find solutions. Not all of the solutions are happy ones, but Koriba is determined to prevent any change that will corrupt tradition, even if it means bettering his people’s lot--by what he sees as European standards. Ultimately he is forced to realize that change in a society is inevitable, that inherent in the concept of Utopia is stasis and stagnation, and that one man’s idea of perfection can be another’s agony. Resnick’s artistry lies in portraying Koriba’s fanaticism so that the reader is simultaneously repelled by and sympathetic to it. He and the other characters, and the problems that befall them because of the society they’ve created, will resonate in the reader’s mind long after the book has been put down.
Easily Mike Resnick’s finest work, Kirinyaga is, to date, the most honored book in the history of science fiction. Read it, and you’ll understand why.
Originally published in Maelstrom, Vol. II, Issue 2, 1999
Barry Ergang © 1999, 2007
Monday, October 08, 2007
It really is "A Dirty Business"
The problem with reviewing is often more books come than I have time to do in a timely manner. This was the case here as this book arrived just after the start of the year and as the weeks passed got shuffled down to the bottom of the pile. That is never a good thing to happen and certainly not here as this is a very good book.
A Dirty Business: A Kevin Bailey Novel
By Joe Humphrey
DaKarna Publishing
http://www.dakarna.com/
2007
ISBN #978-0-9787871-0-3
Large Trade Paperback
184 Pages
Kevin Bailey is back in New York City after a year of being away and nothing much has changed except him. The second of January finds him in need of a job. He uses a connection, calls in a favor and before long by being in the right place at the right time, (despite his total non-experience and maybe directly because of it) he is quickly working for Frank Givens. Givens owns a private investigation agency and Kevin Bailey plans on learning the business from him.
While he gradually reconnects with his past, Bailey is eased into his first case. It is supposed to be a simple one perfect for a novice investigator. Selena Eldridge is a wealthy woman and has a son named Edward. Edwards intends to marry and the lucky woman is one that his mother feels strongly is below their station in life. Mom says that the woman is, “…of a different social class, and I suspect she has designs on our fortune. Look into any dealings her family has been involved with, and unearth as many damaging secrets as you can manage. But stop at nothing until the full truth concerning this woman is in the open.” (Page 26)
Givens takes the case and assigns Bailey to it as it should be something easily handled by him. Before long, Bailey is chasing clues, getting beaten up, and getting nowhere with the case in this fast paced mystery reminiscent of classic mystery novels. Bailey himself is an interesting character with little revealed but a lot hinted at and a determination to resolve issues from the past that are never really disclosed. Bailey seems to be carrying a load of personal guilt but the reasons why or what happened are never explained. Then there are the secondary characters such as Givens who also have a lot of potential should this series go forward and at the same time manage not to take over the novel.
The result is an engrossing 184 page read that reminds one of the style and tone of the class mystery novels and yet is clearly set in current times. Along the way, Bailey hints about his past and chases clues in a case that constantly twists and turns surprising Bailey and the reader. The book is a very good read that when finished leaves the reader eagerly anticipating another installment in the series.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
A Dirty Business: A Kevin Bailey Novel
By Joe Humphrey
DaKarna Publishing
http://www.dakarna.com/
2007
ISBN #978-0-9787871-0-3
Large Trade Paperback
184 Pages
Kevin Bailey is back in New York City after a year of being away and nothing much has changed except him. The second of January finds him in need of a job. He uses a connection, calls in a favor and before long by being in the right place at the right time, (despite his total non-experience and maybe directly because of it) he is quickly working for Frank Givens. Givens owns a private investigation agency and Kevin Bailey plans on learning the business from him.
While he gradually reconnects with his past, Bailey is eased into his first case. It is supposed to be a simple one perfect for a novice investigator. Selena Eldridge is a wealthy woman and has a son named Edward. Edwards intends to marry and the lucky woman is one that his mother feels strongly is below their station in life. Mom says that the woman is, “…of a different social class, and I suspect she has designs on our fortune. Look into any dealings her family has been involved with, and unearth as many damaging secrets as you can manage. But stop at nothing until the full truth concerning this woman is in the open.” (Page 26)
Givens takes the case and assigns Bailey to it as it should be something easily handled by him. Before long, Bailey is chasing clues, getting beaten up, and getting nowhere with the case in this fast paced mystery reminiscent of classic mystery novels. Bailey himself is an interesting character with little revealed but a lot hinted at and a determination to resolve issues from the past that are never really disclosed. Bailey seems to be carrying a load of personal guilt but the reasons why or what happened are never explained. Then there are the secondary characters such as Givens who also have a lot of potential should this series go forward and at the same time manage not to take over the novel.
The result is an engrossing 184 page read that reminds one of the style and tone of the class mystery novels and yet is clearly set in current times. Along the way, Bailey hints about his past and chases clues in a case that constantly twists and turns surprising Bailey and the reader. The book is a very good read that when finished leaves the reader eagerly anticipating another installment in the series.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Sunday, October 07, 2007
What I'm Reading
My bookmark recently traveled through A DIRTY BUSINESS by Joe Humphrey and FIT TO DIE: A SUPPER CLUB MYSTERY by J. B Stanley (reviews coming soon) and is currently in THE CLEANER by Brett Battles. THE CLEANER is about an operative named Quinn who is on the run after a number of his fellow operatives have been killed.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Barry"s Review: "Lucky You" by Carl Hiassen
I'm pleased to present Barry's second review which is on the novel "Lucky You" by Carl Hiassen. This is exactly the kind of situation I had in mind when I asked Barry to contribute here. The truth of the matter is I don't think I have read any of the other authors he lists below. Which isn't good since my TBR pile is quite large enough. I have read two of Carl Hiassen's novels and neither really appealed to me. I have no desire to read another. Obviously, Barry would disagree.
************************************************************************
LUCKY YOU by Carl Hiaasen
(Reviewed By Barry Ergang)
“Suspense” is one of those words that, in fiction, we probably take too much for granted as implying apprehension and associate purely with the sinister. We expect to experience suspense when reading a mystery, horror, science fiction or adventure story, but we forget that it can enter into even the homiest of tales--e.g., Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, unlikely as it would seem one of the most suspenseful novels ever. Ultimately, any good story contains an element of suspense or we wouldn’t bother reading it to the end. “Suspense” equals “page-turner,” whether the author is Homer, Dante, Dostoevsky, Raymond Chandler or Stephen King.
Where does suspense enter into comedy? A joke is a perfect example. You listen intently, waiting for the punchline, sometimes anticipating it, sometimes only thinking you’ve anticipated it correctly. If the punchline delivers the goods, you laugh; if it doesn’t, you remain silent--or groan.
Can a mystery or crime novel be both funny and suspenseful? All you have to do to answer that is read one of Jonathan Latimer’s Bill Crane novels, or Craig Rice’s novels and stories about John J. Malone. Even John Dickson Carr (a.k.a. Carter Dickson), best-known for the eerie atmospheres that surrounded his “impossible crime” tales, occasionally injected some wacky humor into otherwise macabre proceedings. Donald E. Westlake, in God Save the Mark, The Hot Rock and many others, has shown that the criminous can be comical.
Which brings us to Carl Hiaasen, who may be as good as comedic suspense writers get, and his recent book Lucky You (Alfred A. Knopf, 1997; Warner Books, 1998). It’s a page-turning good time that’ll have you smiling and occasionally laughing out loud. The only problem Hiaasen elicits is the conflict between wanting to devour his books in one or two sittings versus wanting to savor the hilarity over a period of days.
Lucky You starts when a young black woman, JoLayne Lucks, a veterinary assistant in the small town of Grange, Florida, learns that she’s won the state lottery to the tune of $28 million. With her winnings, she hopes to purchase a tract of land called Simmons Wood before developers do, to prevent it from being transformed into a shopping mall. What she doesn’t know is that there’s another winner, a white supremacist wannabe named Bodean Gazzer, who has enlisted the dubious assistance of the glue-sniffing, aerosol-huffing misfit Onus Dean Gillespie, who goes by the monicker Chub. Bodean intends to steal JoLayne’s ticket, $14 million not being enough to fund his newly founded organization, the White Clarion Aryans.
Tom Krome, formerly an investigative reporter for a New York paper that downsized its staff, and now working as a feature writer for a small Florida paper called The Register, is assigned to interview the reticent JoLayne. When she’s robbed, beaten and humiliated by Bodean and Chub, Krome decides to help her recover her ticket.
That’s how the book starts.
Deliciously complicating matters are various bizarre subplots and characters, among them Mary Andrea Finlay Krome, Tom’s wife, whom he’s been trying to divorce for years and who keeps eluding his attempts to do so; Katie Battenkill, with whom Tom has had a two-week affair; Judge Arthur Battenkill, Katie’s philandering but vindictive husband, who dispatches an inept assistant to burn Tom’s house down; Sinclair, Tom’s managing editor, who has a religious revelation in Grange and begins “speaking in tongues” after he holds a turtle whose shell is painted with the image of one of the Apostles--painted by Demencio, an entrepreneur who preys on the devotions of the ultra-religious by creating and perpetuating roadside miracles--among them a statue of the Virgin Mary that weeps perfume-scented tears; Dominick Amador, the incompetent builder who cashes in on the religious trade by drilling holes in his hands and feet to create “stigmata”; Shiner, the convenience store clerk recruited by Bodean and Chub and assigned by Chub to kidnap the love of his life: Amber, the canny waitress at Hooters; and Bernard Squires, investment manager for the Central Midwest Brotherhood of Grouters, Spacklers and Drywallers International, sent to Grange by Richard “The Icepick” Tarbone, who is skimming the union’s pension fund, to purchase under any circumstances the same tract of land JoLayne wants to preserve.
Hiaasen, himself an investigative reporter for the Miami Herald (which makes one wonder what kinds of people he’s encountered in real-life, and whether some of them find their ways into his books), skillfully blends these characters and situations into a plausible sequence of comic and not-so-comic events in a way that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next. Like Swift, Twain and Thurber, all of whom he’s been compared to, Hiaasen has a satirical take on contemporary life; like Dickens, he has a knack for rendering outlandish characters so as to make them goofily believable. Even his villains, if hardly likeable, are fascinating to watch.
If you haven’t read Hiaasen, whose previous novels--Tourist Season, Double Whammy, Skin Tight, Native Tongue, Strip Tease (the book is infinitely better than the movie!), and Stormy Weather--are all eminently worth your time, Lucky You is a wonderful place to start. If you have read him but haven’t gotten to this one as yet, you’re in for a laugh-peppered treat rich with subtle social commentary that never hinders the pace.
Still doubt that comedy can be suspenseful? Lucky you: you can dispel the doubts by reading Lucky You.
(Originally published in Maelstrom, Volume II, Issue 4, 1999)
Barry Ergang © 1999, 2007
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LUCKY YOU by Carl Hiaasen
(Reviewed By Barry Ergang)
“Suspense” is one of those words that, in fiction, we probably take too much for granted as implying apprehension and associate purely with the sinister. We expect to experience suspense when reading a mystery, horror, science fiction or adventure story, but we forget that it can enter into even the homiest of tales--e.g., Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, unlikely as it would seem one of the most suspenseful novels ever. Ultimately, any good story contains an element of suspense or we wouldn’t bother reading it to the end. “Suspense” equals “page-turner,” whether the author is Homer, Dante, Dostoevsky, Raymond Chandler or Stephen King.
Where does suspense enter into comedy? A joke is a perfect example. You listen intently, waiting for the punchline, sometimes anticipating it, sometimes only thinking you’ve anticipated it correctly. If the punchline delivers the goods, you laugh; if it doesn’t, you remain silent--or groan.
Can a mystery or crime novel be both funny and suspenseful? All you have to do to answer that is read one of Jonathan Latimer’s Bill Crane novels, or Craig Rice’s novels and stories about John J. Malone. Even John Dickson Carr (a.k.a. Carter Dickson), best-known for the eerie atmospheres that surrounded his “impossible crime” tales, occasionally injected some wacky humor into otherwise macabre proceedings. Donald E. Westlake, in God Save the Mark, The Hot Rock and many others, has shown that the criminous can be comical.
Which brings us to Carl Hiaasen, who may be as good as comedic suspense writers get, and his recent book Lucky You (Alfred A. Knopf, 1997; Warner Books, 1998). It’s a page-turning good time that’ll have you smiling and occasionally laughing out loud. The only problem Hiaasen elicits is the conflict between wanting to devour his books in one or two sittings versus wanting to savor the hilarity over a period of days.
Lucky You starts when a young black woman, JoLayne Lucks, a veterinary assistant in the small town of Grange, Florida, learns that she’s won the state lottery to the tune of $28 million. With her winnings, she hopes to purchase a tract of land called Simmons Wood before developers do, to prevent it from being transformed into a shopping mall. What she doesn’t know is that there’s another winner, a white supremacist wannabe named Bodean Gazzer, who has enlisted the dubious assistance of the glue-sniffing, aerosol-huffing misfit Onus Dean Gillespie, who goes by the monicker Chub. Bodean intends to steal JoLayne’s ticket, $14 million not being enough to fund his newly founded organization, the White Clarion Aryans.
Tom Krome, formerly an investigative reporter for a New York paper that downsized its staff, and now working as a feature writer for a small Florida paper called The Register, is assigned to interview the reticent JoLayne. When she’s robbed, beaten and humiliated by Bodean and Chub, Krome decides to help her recover her ticket.
That’s how the book starts.
Deliciously complicating matters are various bizarre subplots and characters, among them Mary Andrea Finlay Krome, Tom’s wife, whom he’s been trying to divorce for years and who keeps eluding his attempts to do so; Katie Battenkill, with whom Tom has had a two-week affair; Judge Arthur Battenkill, Katie’s philandering but vindictive husband, who dispatches an inept assistant to burn Tom’s house down; Sinclair, Tom’s managing editor, who has a religious revelation in Grange and begins “speaking in tongues” after he holds a turtle whose shell is painted with the image of one of the Apostles--painted by Demencio, an entrepreneur who preys on the devotions of the ultra-religious by creating and perpetuating roadside miracles--among them a statue of the Virgin Mary that weeps perfume-scented tears; Dominick Amador, the incompetent builder who cashes in on the religious trade by drilling holes in his hands and feet to create “stigmata”; Shiner, the convenience store clerk recruited by Bodean and Chub and assigned by Chub to kidnap the love of his life: Amber, the canny waitress at Hooters; and Bernard Squires, investment manager for the Central Midwest Brotherhood of Grouters, Spacklers and Drywallers International, sent to Grange by Richard “The Icepick” Tarbone, who is skimming the union’s pension fund, to purchase under any circumstances the same tract of land JoLayne wants to preserve.
Hiaasen, himself an investigative reporter for the Miami Herald (which makes one wonder what kinds of people he’s encountered in real-life, and whether some of them find their ways into his books), skillfully blends these characters and situations into a plausible sequence of comic and not-so-comic events in a way that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next. Like Swift, Twain and Thurber, all of whom he’s been compared to, Hiaasen has a satirical take on contemporary life; like Dickens, he has a knack for rendering outlandish characters so as to make them goofily believable. Even his villains, if hardly likeable, are fascinating to watch.
If you haven’t read Hiaasen, whose previous novels--Tourist Season, Double Whammy, Skin Tight, Native Tongue, Strip Tease (the book is infinitely better than the movie!), and Stormy Weather--are all eminently worth your time, Lucky You is a wonderful place to start. If you have read him but haven’t gotten to this one as yet, you’re in for a laugh-peppered treat rich with subtle social commentary that never hinders the pace.
Still doubt that comedy can be suspenseful? Lucky you: you can dispel the doubts by reading Lucky You.
(Originally published in Maelstrom, Volume II, Issue 4, 1999)
Barry Ergang © 1999, 2007
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Barry would like to remind readers that most of his reviews cover books that are no longer in print and may be found in used bookstores, libraries, etc. For those readers who would like to learn more about the Golden Age of Mystery go to the GA DETECTION WIKI at http://gadetection.pbwiki.com/
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THE LONG GOODBYE by Raymond Chandler
(Reviewed By Barry Ergang)
Mark Twain defined a classic as “a book which people praise and don't read.” The point is well-made, although Twain was fortunately wrong. People still read Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, and The Prince and the Pauper.
They still read Raymond Chandler, too. Chandler, along with Dashiell Hammett and Ross Macdonald, is the chronological second in the Supreme Triumvirate of the “hardboiled” school of mystery writing. All three worked in what was long considered a second-rate genre and elevated it to the status of “serious literature.” Chandler garnered accolades from, among others, cantankerous critic Edmund Wilson and poet W.H. Auden. In his first five novels, Chandler worked within the traditions of the genre but added his own distinctive touches. These included character development well beyond that found in the work of most of his peers and a writing style that was among the most influential of the Twentieth Century. Critics have called Chandler's style “the poetry of violence,” and Chandler “the hardboiled Shakespeare.”
Wisecracks and wry social commentary came from Philip Marlowe, the cynical but never quite despairing shamus with the unstated but steadfast code of honor and incorruptible character in a morally ambiguous world where chivalrous behavior no longer matters, whose brisk, simile-laden first-person narratives set the tone for generations of Chandler's/Marlowe's followers. (The best include Earl Emerson's Thomas Black and Stephen Greenleaf's John Marshall Tanner. The worst is the pretentious Robert B. Parker's Spenser, the Philip Marlowe wannabe with the New England pallor.) Marlowe was not the first private eye in literature, but he became the quintessential one. In his sixth book, The Long Goodbye, Chandler pushed beyond the boundaries of genre conventions. More than either his predecessor Hammett or his successor Macdonald, Chandler succeeded in blending elements of the hardboiled detective story with elements of the mainstream novel. The reader who approaches The Long Goodbye expecting lots of slugfests and gunplay will be disappointed.
There is action, certainly, but not in the quantities found in earlier Chandlers--The Big Sleep; Farewell, My Lovely; The High Window; The Lady in the Lake; The Little Sister--or in Mickey Spillane and Ian Fleming. The Long Goodbye should be approached as a novel that happens to deal with Philip Marlowe, who happens to be a private detective, and who happens to get involved in a murder case. Thematically it is much more. It is the story of a man who tries to do the right thing from deeply felt loyalty and conviction, who is punished and betrayed for his efforts. The story begins when Marlowe lends well-intentioned assistance to a drunken Terry Lennox, abandoned by his much-married wealthy ex-wife Sylvia in the parking lot of a Hollywood nightclub. Over a period of months, their acquaintance develops into friendship. Lennox and Sylvia eventually remarry, but their relationship is neither happy nor healthy.
When, very early one morning, Lennox shows up at Marlowe's home, demanding the detective drive him to a Tijuana airport, Marlowe agrees to play chauffeur. He knows intuitively that Sylvia is dead, but his instincts tell him Lennox is not her killer. Returning to L.A., Marlowe is arrested on suspicion of murder, assaulted by the police, and jailed for several days. When word comes from Mexico that Lennox committed suicide and left a confession, Marlowe is released, disbelieving the confession based on his knowledge of Lennox. As he remarks, “A dead man is the best fall guy in the world. He never talks back.” The next day, Marlowe gets a visit--and a warning--from a powerful local hood named Menendez, who tells him to forget the Lennox case. Menendez, Lennox, and Las Vegas-based hood Randy Starr were in the Commandos together during WWII and Lennox saved their lives. Menendez resents that Lennox, when in trouble, sought Marlowe's help rather than his and Starr's. It also becomes increasingly clear that details of the case have been quashed by Lennox's influential multimillionaire father-in-law, who values his and his family`s privacy above all else.
Soon afterward, Marlowe is consulted by a New York publisher who wants him to babysit a bestselling historical novelist named Roger Wade. Wade, an alcoholic, has been unable to finish his latest novel, and the publisher wants Marlowe to keep him off the booze and at the typewriter. Marlowe refuses the job as an impossibility, but when Wade suddenly disappears, he's hired by the writer's beautiful wife Eileen. When Marlowe finds him and brings him home, he becomes almost inextricably involved with the Wades' tormented lives. The seemingly disparate plotlines eventually converge, other deaths occur, and Marlowe solves two murders--with some undesirable surprises. All of this sounds like standard mystery-novel fare. What sets it apart from the run-of-the-mill are Marlowe's and other's comments about society, crime and criminals, wealth, and power; the interplay among the well-defined characters; strongly visualized scenes; and the motifs: pride; honor; the abuse of official or private power; and the traps we set for ourselves.
Why review a well-known novel originally published in 1954? I recently reread it for the sixth time, rediscovering again Chandler's virile prose-poetry, irresistible storytelling abilities, and timeless observations. I thought it appropriate to recommend The Long Goodbye to readers who have not yet come to it, and to remind those who have that it is eminently worth reading again. To those who have only ever seen Robert Altman's feebly inaccurate film adaptation: read the book! With all due respect to Mark Twain, not all classics are ignored.
(A shorter version of this review originally appeared in
Maelstrom, Volume IV, Issue 3, 2003)
Barry Ergang © 2003, 2007
************************************************************************
THE LONG GOODBYE by Raymond Chandler
(Reviewed By Barry Ergang)
Mark Twain defined a classic as “a book which people praise and don't read.” The point is well-made, although Twain was fortunately wrong. People still read Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, and The Prince and the Pauper.
They still read Raymond Chandler, too. Chandler, along with Dashiell Hammett and Ross Macdonald, is the chronological second in the Supreme Triumvirate of the “hardboiled” school of mystery writing. All three worked in what was long considered a second-rate genre and elevated it to the status of “serious literature.” Chandler garnered accolades from, among others, cantankerous critic Edmund Wilson and poet W.H. Auden. In his first five novels, Chandler worked within the traditions of the genre but added his own distinctive touches. These included character development well beyond that found in the work of most of his peers and a writing style that was among the most influential of the Twentieth Century. Critics have called Chandler's style “the poetry of violence,” and Chandler “the hardboiled Shakespeare.”
Wisecracks and wry social commentary came from Philip Marlowe, the cynical but never quite despairing shamus with the unstated but steadfast code of honor and incorruptible character in a morally ambiguous world where chivalrous behavior no longer matters, whose brisk, simile-laden first-person narratives set the tone for generations of Chandler's/Marlowe's followers. (The best include Earl Emerson's Thomas Black and Stephen Greenleaf's John Marshall Tanner. The worst is the pretentious Robert B. Parker's Spenser, the Philip Marlowe wannabe with the New England pallor.) Marlowe was not the first private eye in literature, but he became the quintessential one. In his sixth book, The Long Goodbye, Chandler pushed beyond the boundaries of genre conventions. More than either his predecessor Hammett or his successor Macdonald, Chandler succeeded in blending elements of the hardboiled detective story with elements of the mainstream novel. The reader who approaches The Long Goodbye expecting lots of slugfests and gunplay will be disappointed.
There is action, certainly, but not in the quantities found in earlier Chandlers--The Big Sleep; Farewell, My Lovely; The High Window; The Lady in the Lake; The Little Sister--or in Mickey Spillane and Ian Fleming. The Long Goodbye should be approached as a novel that happens to deal with Philip Marlowe, who happens to be a private detective, and who happens to get involved in a murder case. Thematically it is much more. It is the story of a man who tries to do the right thing from deeply felt loyalty and conviction, who is punished and betrayed for his efforts. The story begins when Marlowe lends well-intentioned assistance to a drunken Terry Lennox, abandoned by his much-married wealthy ex-wife Sylvia in the parking lot of a Hollywood nightclub. Over a period of months, their acquaintance develops into friendship. Lennox and Sylvia eventually remarry, but their relationship is neither happy nor healthy.
When, very early one morning, Lennox shows up at Marlowe's home, demanding the detective drive him to a Tijuana airport, Marlowe agrees to play chauffeur. He knows intuitively that Sylvia is dead, but his instincts tell him Lennox is not her killer. Returning to L.A., Marlowe is arrested on suspicion of murder, assaulted by the police, and jailed for several days. When word comes from Mexico that Lennox committed suicide and left a confession, Marlowe is released, disbelieving the confession based on his knowledge of Lennox. As he remarks, “A dead man is the best fall guy in the world. He never talks back.” The next day, Marlowe gets a visit--and a warning--from a powerful local hood named Menendez, who tells him to forget the Lennox case. Menendez, Lennox, and Las Vegas-based hood Randy Starr were in the Commandos together during WWII and Lennox saved their lives. Menendez resents that Lennox, when in trouble, sought Marlowe's help rather than his and Starr's. It also becomes increasingly clear that details of the case have been quashed by Lennox's influential multimillionaire father-in-law, who values his and his family`s privacy above all else.
Soon afterward, Marlowe is consulted by a New York publisher who wants him to babysit a bestselling historical novelist named Roger Wade. Wade, an alcoholic, has been unable to finish his latest novel, and the publisher wants Marlowe to keep him off the booze and at the typewriter. Marlowe refuses the job as an impossibility, but when Wade suddenly disappears, he's hired by the writer's beautiful wife Eileen. When Marlowe finds him and brings him home, he becomes almost inextricably involved with the Wades' tormented lives. The seemingly disparate plotlines eventually converge, other deaths occur, and Marlowe solves two murders--with some undesirable surprises. All of this sounds like standard mystery-novel fare. What sets it apart from the run-of-the-mill are Marlowe's and other's comments about society, crime and criminals, wealth, and power; the interplay among the well-defined characters; strongly visualized scenes; and the motifs: pride; honor; the abuse of official or private power; and the traps we set for ourselves.
Why review a well-known novel originally published in 1954? I recently reread it for the sixth time, rediscovering again Chandler's virile prose-poetry, irresistible storytelling abilities, and timeless observations. I thought it appropriate to recommend The Long Goodbye to readers who have not yet come to it, and to remind those who have that it is eminently worth reading again. To those who have only ever seen Robert Altman's feebly inaccurate film adaptation: read the book! With all due respect to Mark Twain, not all classics are ignored.
(A shorter version of this review originally appeared in
Maelstrom, Volume IV, Issue 3, 2003)
Barry Ergang © 2003, 2007
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Welcoming BARRY ERGANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One of the things I know as a reviewer is that there are huge gaps in my knowledge base. There are areas within the mystery community that I know absolutely nothing about. Considering how huge my TBR pile is these days and my various commitments, as well as the fact of the sheer study and reading involved, I am very aware that such areas aren't going to be rectified anytime soon.
Over the last several years, I have had the pleasure of very occasionally reading Barry Ergang's reviews. Simple time constraints made me miss many of them when they originally appeared. However, after reading several of them again the last couple of days, I was keenly reminded of just how good Barry is at the subtle art of reviewing. He brings a depth of insight and observation that few reviewers match and delivers a quality review each and every time.
Because of that fact, I have asked Barry to join us here and provide his quality insights on a regular basis. Much to my delight, Barry has agreed and the first of his reviews will appear early this week. Barry often reads works different from my own which means you, the reader, benefit from having yet another viewpoint of the mystery scene here.
I'm very much looking forward to this. Please join me in welcoming Barry Ergang to these pages.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Over the last several years, I have had the pleasure of very occasionally reading Barry Ergang's reviews. Simple time constraints made me miss many of them when they originally appeared. However, after reading several of them again the last couple of days, I was keenly reminded of just how good Barry is at the subtle art of reviewing. He brings a depth of insight and observation that few reviewers match and delivers a quality review each and every time.
Because of that fact, I have asked Barry to join us here and provide his quality insights on a regular basis. Much to my delight, Barry has agreed and the first of his reviews will appear early this week. Barry often reads works different from my own which means you, the reader, benefit from having yet another viewpoint of the mystery scene here.
I'm very much looking forward to this. Please join me in welcoming Barry Ergang to these pages.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Reviewing: "The Concrete Maze" by Steven Torres
Family is often a background element in mystery fiction. Beyond the obvious biological family, detectives often have an extended family of sorts that they rely on for assistance. That isn't the case here where Marc has a very involved biological family, a problem that won't be solved easily, and virtually zero outside assistance.
The Concrete Maze
By Steven Torres
http://www.steventorres.com/
Leisure Books
http://www.dorchesterpub.com/
August 2007
ISBN # 978-0-8439-5969-7
Mass Market Paperback
284 Pages
The year is 1992 and the setting is New York City as this suspenseful novel opens. Luis (Tio) Ramos left Puerto Rico years ago when he was drafted by the Army and sent to Vietnam. He saw combat, much of which he does not talk about, was wounded as well and survived the war to ultimately settle in NYC and raise a family. Now his daughter, Jasmine, who recently turned thirteen and hit that horrible acting out phase all teenagers go through to some degree or another, is missing. Tio has searched a little and now has come to his nephew, Marc, a cynical young man, to help him look.
From the start this isn't something Marc wants to do but he really doesn't have a choice as he can't say no to Tio. They begin a search for Jasmine at the local indoor skating hangout known as "The Skate Key" counting on Marc's age as being a way to get other teens to talk. As they begin to look for her and ask questions they run into a wall of police indifference based on racism, kids that won't talk for a variety of reasons, and drug dealers that rule the streets. Tio Ramos is going to attack the problem the same way that he dealt with the Viet Cong in the jungles of Vietnam. He embarks on a search and destroy mission with one goal—to get his daughter Jasmine back and everyone else, including his nephew Marc is expendable.
While NYC isn't Vietnam, the enemy is just as tenacious and dug in with the concrete streets and alleyways serving as his jungle. The characters make frequent forays out into various areas of the city searching for information, fight skirmishes and battles, before returning to their homes for food and a few hours of sleep. That military aspect of the work where the concrete city is the urban jungle and just as deadly as the jungle in some far off war zone is clichéd and yet it works well as does the pain of a missing child, a parent's worst nightmare as the cliché goes, a universal truth that almost anyone can relate to. That certainly is true here and something that Author Steven Torres uses to full chilling effect.
As he does the cynical world weary young college age student, Marc. Tio's nephew, Marc often sounds far older than his years and routinely expresses a cynical view of life, the world, and his family's place in things. Well aware that nothing can be fixed or reversed, he seeks to get the hunt for Jasmine over as fast as possible. Not because Jasmine could very well be in serious danger, but because he finds it all a bit much as she certainly needs to learn a lesson and besides that he has things to do. That sets up quickly a conflict between Tio, who sees family as everything and a reason for being, and Marc, who sees family as a burden to be tolerated.
Of course that results in conflict about strategies to employ in the search for Jasmine as well as how to deal with the other characters inside and outside of the family. While that conflict, that attention to detail could overwhelm the main theme of the work which is the hunt for Jasmine, it doesn't. Instead, it adds a depth and richness to a read full of intriguing characters, plenty of action and a twisting case which ultimately results in an intense and suspenseful novel.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
The Concrete Maze
By Steven Torres
http://www.steventorres.com/
Leisure Books
http://www.dorchesterpub.com/
August 2007
ISBN # 978-0-8439-5969-7
Mass Market Paperback
284 Pages
The year is 1992 and the setting is New York City as this suspenseful novel opens. Luis (Tio) Ramos left Puerto Rico years ago when he was drafted by the Army and sent to Vietnam. He saw combat, much of which he does not talk about, was wounded as well and survived the war to ultimately settle in NYC and raise a family. Now his daughter, Jasmine, who recently turned thirteen and hit that horrible acting out phase all teenagers go through to some degree or another, is missing. Tio has searched a little and now has come to his nephew, Marc, a cynical young man, to help him look.
From the start this isn't something Marc wants to do but he really doesn't have a choice as he can't say no to Tio. They begin a search for Jasmine at the local indoor skating hangout known as "The Skate Key" counting on Marc's age as being a way to get other teens to talk. As they begin to look for her and ask questions they run into a wall of police indifference based on racism, kids that won't talk for a variety of reasons, and drug dealers that rule the streets. Tio Ramos is going to attack the problem the same way that he dealt with the Viet Cong in the jungles of Vietnam. He embarks on a search and destroy mission with one goal—to get his daughter Jasmine back and everyone else, including his nephew Marc is expendable.
While NYC isn't Vietnam, the enemy is just as tenacious and dug in with the concrete streets and alleyways serving as his jungle. The characters make frequent forays out into various areas of the city searching for information, fight skirmishes and battles, before returning to their homes for food and a few hours of sleep. That military aspect of the work where the concrete city is the urban jungle and just as deadly as the jungle in some far off war zone is clichéd and yet it works well as does the pain of a missing child, a parent's worst nightmare as the cliché goes, a universal truth that almost anyone can relate to. That certainly is true here and something that Author Steven Torres uses to full chilling effect.
As he does the cynical world weary young college age student, Marc. Tio's nephew, Marc often sounds far older than his years and routinely expresses a cynical view of life, the world, and his family's place in things. Well aware that nothing can be fixed or reversed, he seeks to get the hunt for Jasmine over as fast as possible. Not because Jasmine could very well be in serious danger, but because he finds it all a bit much as she certainly needs to learn a lesson and besides that he has things to do. That sets up quickly a conflict between Tio, who sees family as everything and a reason for being, and Marc, who sees family as a burden to be tolerated.
Of course that results in conflict about strategies to employ in the search for Jasmine as well as how to deal with the other characters inside and outside of the family. While that conflict, that attention to detail could overwhelm the main theme of the work which is the hunt for Jasmine, it doesn't. Instead, it adds a depth and richness to a read full of intriguing characters, plenty of action and a twisting case which ultimately results in an intense and suspenseful novel.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Helping Out The Kids
I don't normally pass these things on but Tony is trying to do a good thing for needy kids. I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing the first volume last year and am pleased that he is doing this once again. I have not read this book. However, I know most of the names on the list and am very well aware of their work and they produce quality stories. Some are making repeat appearances. So, I fully expect this book to be another good one.
********************************************************
September 21, 2007 -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wolfmont to Publish Second Anthology of Holiday Crime Stories to Benefit Toys for Tots!
Wolfmont Publishing is proud to announce the upcoming release of its second annual anthology to benefit the Toys for Tots Foundation. Carols and Crimes, Gifts and Grifters is a wonderfully entertaining anthology of winter holiday crime and mystery stories. The scheduled release date is October 1, 2007.
Editor and publisher Tony Burton says, “Last year’s anthology raised $1,365 for the Toys for Tots, and we hope to surpass that by a substantial amount this year. Keep your candy canes crossed that we do!”
The authors include (in order of appearance) Sue Ann Jaffarian, Earl Staggs, Thomas H. Cook, Gail Farrelly, Nick Andreychuk, Herschel Cozine, Frank Zafiro, Chris Grabenstein, Deborah Elliott-Upton, Jan Christensen, Austin S. Camacho, Tony Burton, Gay T. Kinman, Margaret Fenton and Peggy Jaegly. All of these authors crafted captivating stories of crime, mystery and mayhem set in the winter holiday season and donated their work to support this very worthwhile cause, the Toys for Tots.
Praise for Carols and Crimes, Gifts and Grifters
“A deliciously wicked book unlike any other you’re likely to see on the Christmas aisles this year... You’ll find yourself surrounded this Christmas by thieves, thugs, murderers, and adulterers - and loving every minute of it! This is definitely the book to give to those friends and family who love to be frightened by that unexpected "bump in the night!” -- pm terrell, author of RICOCHET, THE CHINA CONSPIRACY and KICKBACK
“A fantastic lineup of stories—from short to long, from lighthearted to gritty, these holiday tales will keep you awake until long after Santa shows up. If your Christmas list includes a mystery reader, this book makes a great gift!” -- John M. Floyd, award-winning author of RAINBOW’S END
“A wide range of holiday treats to enjoy year-round. From Chris Grabenstein's decoration-obsessed Dad, reminiscent of the best of Jean Shepherd, to Margaret Fenton's anti-Christmas thief, this is a delightful collection for all types of mystery fans.” -- Mary Saums, author of THISTLE AND TWIGG
The retail price of Carols and Crimes, Gifts and Grifters is $11.95, and it will be available from the publisher or through your local bookstore. Distributed through Ingram and Baker & Taylor, or you may order directly from the publisher. ISBN 978-1-60364-002-2.
###
Contact Info:
Wolfmont Publishing
Tony Burton, Editor
tony@wolfmont.com
http://www.wolfmont.com
PO Box 205
Ranger, GA 30734
************************************************************************
********************************************************
September 21, 2007 -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wolfmont to Publish Second Anthology of Holiday Crime Stories to Benefit Toys for Tots!
Wolfmont Publishing is proud to announce the upcoming release of its second annual anthology to benefit the Toys for Tots Foundation. Carols and Crimes, Gifts and Grifters is a wonderfully entertaining anthology of winter holiday crime and mystery stories. The scheduled release date is October 1, 2007.
Editor and publisher Tony Burton says, “Last year’s anthology raised $1,365 for the Toys for Tots, and we hope to surpass that by a substantial amount this year. Keep your candy canes crossed that we do!”
The authors include (in order of appearance) Sue Ann Jaffarian, Earl Staggs, Thomas H. Cook, Gail Farrelly, Nick Andreychuk, Herschel Cozine, Frank Zafiro, Chris Grabenstein, Deborah Elliott-Upton, Jan Christensen, Austin S. Camacho, Tony Burton, Gay T. Kinman, Margaret Fenton and Peggy Jaegly. All of these authors crafted captivating stories of crime, mystery and mayhem set in the winter holiday season and donated their work to support this very worthwhile cause, the Toys for Tots.
Praise for Carols and Crimes, Gifts and Grifters
“A deliciously wicked book unlike any other you’re likely to see on the Christmas aisles this year... You’ll find yourself surrounded this Christmas by thieves, thugs, murderers, and adulterers - and loving every minute of it! This is definitely the book to give to those friends and family who love to be frightened by that unexpected "bump in the night!” -- pm terrell, author of RICOCHET, THE CHINA CONSPIRACY and KICKBACK
“A fantastic lineup of stories—from short to long, from lighthearted to gritty, these holiday tales will keep you awake until long after Santa shows up. If your Christmas list includes a mystery reader, this book makes a great gift!” -- John M. Floyd, award-winning author of RAINBOW’S END
“A wide range of holiday treats to enjoy year-round. From Chris Grabenstein's decoration-obsessed Dad, reminiscent of the best of Jean Shepherd, to Margaret Fenton's anti-Christmas thief, this is a delightful collection for all types of mystery fans.” -- Mary Saums, author of THISTLE AND TWIGG
The retail price of Carols and Crimes, Gifts and Grifters is $11.95, and it will be available from the publisher or through your local bookstore. Distributed through Ingram and Baker & Taylor, or you may order directly from the publisher. ISBN 978-1-60364-002-2.
###
Contact Info:
Wolfmont Publishing
Tony Burton, Editor
tony@wolfmont.com
http://www.wolfmont.com
PO Box 205
Ranger, GA 30734
************************************************************************
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Clancy? Not Even Close.
Sometimes a book arrives and after it is read, I am left shaking my head as it could have been so much more. Such a read becomes disappointing and hard to review. The scope is grand, the idea is grand, and the read isn't. Sad to say that is what happened here.
Flames In The Jungle
By John Cunyus
iUniverse
2006
Large Trade Paperback
ISBN# 0-595-40800-1
131 Pages
Misdirection has long been a theme of thrillers where cross and double cross are the rule and not the exception. That is certainly true here in a novel that shows just how easy it is to cause economic havoc and military action.
Miguel Escalante, who has a family history of hating the guerrilla movement in Columbia, has become a dedicated intense soldier in the Columbian Army. He sees his future with one goal in mind – "to utterly destroy Columbia's insurgent enemies." (Page 10) Ana Restrepo has the same feelings as the beautiful reporter for a weekly Columbian News Magazine. With Miguel being lauded as a hero, she is assigned to interview him. Soon, the mutual attraction both feel blossoms into romance at the same time forces are unleashed that will rock their world.
Far to the north, a plan is hatched to attack Love Field Airport located in Dallas. Hostages will be taken in a brutal attack before the Captain is forced to fly the 737 from the airport. With a flight plan to Columbia and a load of false clues for the government the hostages soon become a focal group for numerous groups seeking world wide attention.
While the basic premise of the book is intriguing, the execution of the work is not close to the grandeur of the idea. At 131 pages, the book falls far short of the space needed to tell a tale so grand in scope or one that requires a cast of characters list at the beginning of the book. Additionally, the first 35 pages or so are used to set up the detailed back story regarding numerous characters including their political belief systems created by their various childhoods as well as the romance between Miguel and Ana. Billed as an action /adventure read the novel is exceedly slow to get off the mark.
For the most part character development is shallow and stereotypical. Of course Miguel is handsome and distinguished. Of course Ana is stunningly beautiful and she could be the most beautiful woman in all of Latin America if not the world. One expects such depictions but they extend to other characters, major or minor. Career diplomat and the new American Vice-Counsel stationed in Cartagena, Don Evans, of course hates Columbia, is an idiot, and somehow manages to keep failing upwards as even the President doesn't realize he is an idiot. Then, there is the hardworking Jabreel Danies, married with kids, who lives in an apartment on Jim Miller Road in Dallas and is a TSA screener. He often joked about being gunned down at the airport in an attack and it is no surprise when he dies a few pages later. There are other examples of unexploited character development as this novel rushes toward conclusion in the Columbian jungle.
Billed on the back cover as "'the Latin American Tom Clancy'" with no attribution to reference the quote, the work has nothing in connection with Tom Clancy in regards to details. Beyond the obvious comparison in page counts, the military hardware is not detailed at all. What detail is used is in regards to the back story and a half dozen characters at the beginning of the novel.
Clearly the author has a grasp of the cultural climate in the area and has attempted to convey that the readers. On that level he did succeed. His book depicts how too easy it is in the wake of a terrorist attack for this nation to go off in a search and destroy mission that could lead away from the proper targets. While the novel attempts to do things on a grander scale than it is able to do, it still provides an interesting read that keeps the readers attention.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Flames In The Jungle
By John Cunyus
iUniverse
2006
Large Trade Paperback
ISBN# 0-595-40800-1
131 Pages
Misdirection has long been a theme of thrillers where cross and double cross are the rule and not the exception. That is certainly true here in a novel that shows just how easy it is to cause economic havoc and military action.
Miguel Escalante, who has a family history of hating the guerrilla movement in Columbia, has become a dedicated intense soldier in the Columbian Army. He sees his future with one goal in mind – "to utterly destroy Columbia's insurgent enemies." (Page 10) Ana Restrepo has the same feelings as the beautiful reporter for a weekly Columbian News Magazine. With Miguel being lauded as a hero, she is assigned to interview him. Soon, the mutual attraction both feel blossoms into romance at the same time forces are unleashed that will rock their world.
Far to the north, a plan is hatched to attack Love Field Airport located in Dallas. Hostages will be taken in a brutal attack before the Captain is forced to fly the 737 from the airport. With a flight plan to Columbia and a load of false clues for the government the hostages soon become a focal group for numerous groups seeking world wide attention.
While the basic premise of the book is intriguing, the execution of the work is not close to the grandeur of the idea. At 131 pages, the book falls far short of the space needed to tell a tale so grand in scope or one that requires a cast of characters list at the beginning of the book. Additionally, the first 35 pages or so are used to set up the detailed back story regarding numerous characters including their political belief systems created by their various childhoods as well as the romance between Miguel and Ana. Billed as an action /adventure read the novel is exceedly slow to get off the mark.
For the most part character development is shallow and stereotypical. Of course Miguel is handsome and distinguished. Of course Ana is stunningly beautiful and she could be the most beautiful woman in all of Latin America if not the world. One expects such depictions but they extend to other characters, major or minor. Career diplomat and the new American Vice-Counsel stationed in Cartagena, Don Evans, of course hates Columbia, is an idiot, and somehow manages to keep failing upwards as even the President doesn't realize he is an idiot. Then, there is the hardworking Jabreel Danies, married with kids, who lives in an apartment on Jim Miller Road in Dallas and is a TSA screener. He often joked about being gunned down at the airport in an attack and it is no surprise when he dies a few pages later. There are other examples of unexploited character development as this novel rushes toward conclusion in the Columbian jungle.
Billed on the back cover as "'the Latin American Tom Clancy'" with no attribution to reference the quote, the work has nothing in connection with Tom Clancy in regards to details. Beyond the obvious comparison in page counts, the military hardware is not detailed at all. What detail is used is in regards to the back story and a half dozen characters at the beginning of the novel.
Clearly the author has a grasp of the cultural climate in the area and has attempted to convey that the readers. On that level he did succeed. His book depicts how too easy it is in the wake of a terrorist attack for this nation to go off in a search and destroy mission that could lead away from the proper targets. While the novel attempts to do things on a grander scale than it is able to do, it still provides an interesting read that keeps the readers attention.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Social Networking Sites
I'm not a big fan of them. But, I have just joined INKED-IN which is done by the Burry Man's Writer Center. The link for my page is http://inkedin.ning.com/profile/KevinRTipple so come take a look as I brave this new frontier. And while there, surf around and see who else is around.
Kevin R. Tipple (c) 2007
Kevin R. Tipple (c) 2007
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Reviewing: "Stuff To Die For" by Don Bruns
Simply put, there are just too many books out there that I want to read. Too many authors I have heard good things about over the years that I can't possibly read them all. I have been hearing and reading good things about Don Bruns for years and just never had the time to go hunting his books down. When offered the chance to have his latest novel by his publicist, Maryglenn McCombs of “MM Book Publishing” out of New York, I agreed. After reading the new novel I am very glad I did.
Stuff To Die For
By Don Bruns
http://www.donbrunsbooks.com/
Oceanview Publishing
http://www.oceanviewpublishing.com/
September 2007
ISBN #978-1-933515-10-6
Hardback
283 Pages
James Lessor and Skip Moore have been friends since childhood. James has always been scheming on ways for the two to make a fortune in business and Skip has followed along into each venture. Some schemes had gotten them into trouble, some hadn’t, but none of them had really worked. The latest plan James has hatched has them going into the moving business. “Have Truck Will Haul” says their new business card and according to James, who has purchased the Chevy one ton box truck by using the monies he recently inherited, this idea will lead to a financial hauling empire. Not only should he have used the monies to pay on his student loans, Skip also thinks that James should have noticed the fact that the truck drinks oil like it is water. James is obvious secure in his belief that the only way to make real money is to spend the money he has and this time, he is going to spend it on his hauling stuff business idea.
Skip’s girlfriend, Emily isn’t thrilled with James or how he manages to lure her mid twenties boyfriend into one dream after another as Skip sort of drifts through life. Sure, he sells a security system now and then on commission, but he really isn’t going anywhere and she believes he could do so much more. One possibility is that Skip could go work for her Dad’s construction firm but Skip knows, for a number of reasons that all aren’t under his control, why that idea would never work.
As it soon happens Emily leads the guys to their first client, Jackie Fuentes. A wealthy and sexy woman living behind the gates of a nearby exclusive community, she needs some stuff hauled away as quickly as possible and is willing to pay well. Her husband Rick has taken off with a far younger woman and she wants his things out of her house.
It should be a simple job for a few hours of work. It would have been a simple job if James, while backing up the truck at the storage facility, hadn’t hit the building. If, the load which includes mail for Rick, hadn't shifted and spilled. If they hadn’t noticed the fact that one of the envelopes was leaking. Or, if having noticed it was leaking, tossed it back with the rest of the mail and had never opened it.
But, they did notice and did decide to open the envelope. From there, things go from bad to worse at breakneck speed. James and Skip find themselves getting deeper in a mess with every move they make while agents of the CIA, Cubans bent on arms smuggling, and a host of other shady characters with multiple motivations, keep among other things, shooting at them. All that and Emily really needs to talk to James about the future of their relationship.
Part humor, part mystery, part thriller and definitely all suspenseful, this novel takes off and just keeps going barely letting the reader catch a breath on the way. Author Don Bruns brings all the characters vividly to life and yanks readers directly into the maelstrom that is their chaotic world. What could easily have gone the way of caricature and been the typical buddy style novel instead is a very good tension filled read packed with twists and turns guaranteed to keep readers guessing to the very end. The result is excellent stuff on every level and hopes that this just might be the start of a new series.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Stuff To Die For
By Don Bruns
http://www.donbrunsbooks.com/
Oceanview Publishing
http://www.oceanviewpublishing.com/
September 2007
ISBN #978-1-933515-10-6
Hardback
283 Pages
James Lessor and Skip Moore have been friends since childhood. James has always been scheming on ways for the two to make a fortune in business and Skip has followed along into each venture. Some schemes had gotten them into trouble, some hadn’t, but none of them had really worked. The latest plan James has hatched has them going into the moving business. “Have Truck Will Haul” says their new business card and according to James, who has purchased the Chevy one ton box truck by using the monies he recently inherited, this idea will lead to a financial hauling empire. Not only should he have used the monies to pay on his student loans, Skip also thinks that James should have noticed the fact that the truck drinks oil like it is water. James is obvious secure in his belief that the only way to make real money is to spend the money he has and this time, he is going to spend it on his hauling stuff business idea.
Skip’s girlfriend, Emily isn’t thrilled with James or how he manages to lure her mid twenties boyfriend into one dream after another as Skip sort of drifts through life. Sure, he sells a security system now and then on commission, but he really isn’t going anywhere and she believes he could do so much more. One possibility is that Skip could go work for her Dad’s construction firm but Skip knows, for a number of reasons that all aren’t under his control, why that idea would never work.
As it soon happens Emily leads the guys to their first client, Jackie Fuentes. A wealthy and sexy woman living behind the gates of a nearby exclusive community, she needs some stuff hauled away as quickly as possible and is willing to pay well. Her husband Rick has taken off with a far younger woman and she wants his things out of her house.
It should be a simple job for a few hours of work. It would have been a simple job if James, while backing up the truck at the storage facility, hadn’t hit the building. If, the load which includes mail for Rick, hadn't shifted and spilled. If they hadn’t noticed the fact that one of the envelopes was leaking. Or, if having noticed it was leaking, tossed it back with the rest of the mail and had never opened it.
But, they did notice and did decide to open the envelope. From there, things go from bad to worse at breakneck speed. James and Skip find themselves getting deeper in a mess with every move they make while agents of the CIA, Cubans bent on arms smuggling, and a host of other shady characters with multiple motivations, keep among other things, shooting at them. All that and Emily really needs to talk to James about the future of their relationship.
Part humor, part mystery, part thriller and definitely all suspenseful, this novel takes off and just keeps going barely letting the reader catch a breath on the way. Author Don Bruns brings all the characters vividly to life and yanks readers directly into the maelstrom that is their chaotic world. What could easily have gone the way of caricature and been the typical buddy style novel instead is a very good tension filled read packed with twists and turns guaranteed to keep readers guessing to the very end. The result is excellent stuff on every level and hopes that this just might be the start of a new series.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Sunday, September 02, 2007
September is here!
The calendar has turned and football for real is finally happening again. September is here with the promise of cooler weather sometime soon. It also means that the September edition of Senior News featuring my reviews of "Jasmine's Fate" by Randy Rawls and "Crosshairs" by Harry Hunsicker is now scattered across the great state of Texas. Until you can pick up the new edition, enjoy this look back at the August 2007 edition of the newspaper for those of you who missed it.
The Worst Hard time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived The Great American Dust Bowl
By Timothy Egan
Houghton Mifflin Company
ISBN# 0-618-34697-X
Drought is a well know commodity in the plains and the west and it has happened before. The most famous, of course, is the Dust Bowl of the 30's. In his book, Mr. Egan follows a number of families through the Dust Bowl years as well as looking at the conditions that made it all inevitable. Most of the 340 page book follows events and people in Texas and details how those involved weren't always the best stewards of the land. By going deep into the lives of those he covers, he brings them alive in the way no text book on the subject could. The result is an excellent read that also should serve as a lesson as to what so could easily happen again.
“Michener’s The Name”
By Robert Vavra
The University Press of Colorado
ISBN # 0870818562
Chronicling the behind the scenes of the legendary author’s writing career from 1961-1996 through pictures, the author showcases the private side of the man. Through black and white photographs, readers see the research with the bulls in Spain, Michener walking in areas of the South Pacific, the legendary Orson Wells, and many others. Along with public images are private moments such as relaxing on his bed in a t-shirt and briefs reading the paper. Not only are there small meaningful comments with the almost always striking photographs, there is the text that fills the back half of the book composed of letters written by James Michener as well as more anecdotes written by the author. At 208 pages this excellent coffee table style book chronicles a legend and is clearly a work of love and friendship.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
The Worst Hard time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived The Great American Dust Bowl
By Timothy Egan
Houghton Mifflin Company
ISBN# 0-618-34697-X
Drought is a well know commodity in the plains and the west and it has happened before. The most famous, of course, is the Dust Bowl of the 30's. In his book, Mr. Egan follows a number of families through the Dust Bowl years as well as looking at the conditions that made it all inevitable. Most of the 340 page book follows events and people in Texas and details how those involved weren't always the best stewards of the land. By going deep into the lives of those he covers, he brings them alive in the way no text book on the subject could. The result is an excellent read that also should serve as a lesson as to what so could easily happen again.
“Michener’s The Name”
By Robert Vavra
The University Press of Colorado
ISBN # 0870818562
Chronicling the behind the scenes of the legendary author’s writing career from 1961-1996 through pictures, the author showcases the private side of the man. Through black and white photographs, readers see the research with the bulls in Spain, Michener walking in areas of the South Pacific, the legendary Orson Wells, and many others. Along with public images are private moments such as relaxing on his bed in a t-shirt and briefs reading the paper. Not only are there small meaningful comments with the almost always striking photographs, there is the text that fills the back half of the book composed of letters written by James Michener as well as more anecdotes written by the author. At 208 pages this excellent coffee table style book chronicles a legend and is clearly a work of love and friendship.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Been Busy
Well, it has been ten days and I am sorry I haven't been around. Been horribly busy between doing some job interviews, working on MFOB stuff, and getting ready for school to resume for my wife and youngest son among other things. So, things have been a bit hectic and I have had to set aside my own fiction writing.
Something I need to get back to doing as I have had two acceptances—pending some minor tweaking. And of course there are a couple of other story ideas I have, the novel that is pretty much stalled and plenty of other writing stuff to do.
Not to mention the giant gorilla in the room in the guise of books sitting in their various envelopes waiting to be read and reviewed. Quite a few are already done and a number of them will make their exclusive review appearances on MFOB in a couple of weeks. So, watch this space and there for some interesting news.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Something I need to get back to doing as I have had two acceptances—pending some minor tweaking. And of course there are a couple of other story ideas I have, the novel that is pretty much stalled and plenty of other writing stuff to do.
Not to mention the giant gorilla in the room in the guise of books sitting in their various envelopes waiting to be read and reviewed. Quite a few are already done and a number of them will make their exclusive review appearances on MFOB in a couple of weeks. So, watch this space and there for some interesting news.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Senior News: July 2007
For those who missed it or weren't able to pick up a copy of the Senior News, below is my column from the July 2007 edition of the newspaper.
*********************************************
Texas In Her Own Words
By Tweed Scott
Redbud Publishing
ISBN # 0-9720293-7-0
As Texans we know we are unique and citizens of the greatest state ever to join the Union. It isn’t bragging when it’s the plain truth. That spirit fills the pages of this book through interviews, photos and essays. With an entertaining forward by Kinky Friedman (no one may write a better forward than Kinky) to the author’s summation aptly titled, “End of the Trail” this book is filled with what makes Texas great. Darrell Royal, Willie Nelson and others at all walks of life contribute their thoughts and observations on Texas and Texans. If that wasn’t enough, there are the numerous pictures, a suggested reading list, and other treats that all combine to make this one for the bookshelves.
Ringside Seat To A Revolution: An Underground Cultural History Of El Paso and Juarez: 1893-1923
By David Dorado Rome
Cinco Puntos Press
ISBN# 0-938317-91-1
With a title as complex as this one the reader has to know this nonfiction book will not be an easy read. It isn’t and yet though it does come across as a college textbook throughout, this book is a fascinating look at an area of history often ignored. What began as a book intended to chart the history of Pancho Villa morphed into a book about the cultural changes in El Paso and Juarez and a Mexican Revolution. The book details the major and minor players on both sides of the border. The work pays significant attention to the “fronterizos” the border residents who are neither totally Mexican nor American and still have their own culture and way of life despite the obstacles the border has become today. Their actions have shaped both cities and the author convincingly makes a case for their impact. The author notes that history in the United States is often told through the lens of a black perspective or a white perspective and he seeks to add the Hispanic or brown perspective to the record. He does so through text, numerous period photographs and drawings, a detailed and extensive acknowledgements section and an index. It ultimately results in an engrossing 293 page book. The author offers readers a fascinating insight into an important historical period which continues to influence both nations today.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
*********************************************
Texas In Her Own Words
By Tweed Scott
Redbud Publishing
ISBN # 0-9720293-7-0
As Texans we know we are unique and citizens of the greatest state ever to join the Union. It isn’t bragging when it’s the plain truth. That spirit fills the pages of this book through interviews, photos and essays. With an entertaining forward by Kinky Friedman (no one may write a better forward than Kinky) to the author’s summation aptly titled, “End of the Trail” this book is filled with what makes Texas great. Darrell Royal, Willie Nelson and others at all walks of life contribute their thoughts and observations on Texas and Texans. If that wasn’t enough, there are the numerous pictures, a suggested reading list, and other treats that all combine to make this one for the bookshelves.
Ringside Seat To A Revolution: An Underground Cultural History Of El Paso and Juarez: 1893-1923
By David Dorado Rome
Cinco Puntos Press
ISBN# 0-938317-91-1
With a title as complex as this one the reader has to know this nonfiction book will not be an easy read. It isn’t and yet though it does come across as a college textbook throughout, this book is a fascinating look at an area of history often ignored. What began as a book intended to chart the history of Pancho Villa morphed into a book about the cultural changes in El Paso and Juarez and a Mexican Revolution. The book details the major and minor players on both sides of the border. The work pays significant attention to the “fronterizos” the border residents who are neither totally Mexican nor American and still have their own culture and way of life despite the obstacles the border has become today. Their actions have shaped both cities and the author convincingly makes a case for their impact. The author notes that history in the United States is often told through the lens of a black perspective or a white perspective and he seeks to add the Hispanic or brown perspective to the record. He does so through text, numerous period photographs and drawings, a detailed and extensive acknowledgements section and an index. It ultimately results in an engrossing 293 page book. The author offers readers a fascinating insight into an important historical period which continues to influence both nations today.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Return to Posadas County in "Final Payment" by Steven Havill
While the westerns he has written don't seem to be carried here, Steven Havill's mysteries always have long wait times for library patrons. The latest was no exception to the rule and another good book well worth the wait.
Final Payment: A Posadas County Mystery
By Steven F. Havill
Thomas Dunne Books
http://minotaurbooks.com
June 2007
ISBN #978-0-312-35415-2
Hardback
275 Pages
Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman finds herself in a bit of a predicament as this latest read in a great series opens. The tourists are coming to town and in a big way. The village of Posadas, New Mexico is hosting in less than 48 hours a grueling bicycle race named the "Posadas 100" or as Estelle calls it, "The Blood and Broken Bones One Hundred." Her point has proven true with two hard crashes during practice already involving riders that went off the mesa into the ravines below.
Her concerns about the event are interrupted by the discovery of three well dressed but very deceased individuals in the scrub brush at one end of the runway at a small isolated airstrip owned by the local gas company. When she arrives on scene and begins to investigate she soon realizes that the three did not die of exposure caused by the summer heat as one would expect considering the harsh landscape. No, it was a clear execution for reasons unknown. While at the airport she also discovers that a private airplane, a Cessna 206, has been used by someone and put back so as not to be caught. Estelle believes that the two cases are linked in a fast paced novel that concludes in a violent altercation 48 hours later.
This series originally began with the Sheriff Bill Gastner books before switching over to Estelle Reyes-Guzman several novels ago. With this being the fifth novel in the overall story arc dealing primarily with Estelle, it is obvious that Author Steven F. Havill made a conscious decision to all but shove the Gastner character off stage. He is hardly present at all in this novel and only makes an appearance a couple of times directly while being briefly talked about in the course of events approximately twice more. Estelle is front and center throughout the novel and it shows in style, tone, and action.
As the overall series arc has shifted to Estelle and the series was named a "Posadas County Mystery" the tone and style shifted. What had been a warm folksy style with the cantankerous Gastner shifted to a cool distant style reflecting the lead character. Gone are the frequent mentions of Gastner's insomnia and middle of the night drives which found him prowling around unable to sleep. Now, it is Estelle, prayed on by her family worries that finds herself unable to sleep in the wee hours of the morning as well as by a case that must be solved quickly. Estelle, while she may stress about their future or important events in the children's lives, is always cool and calm under pressure and displays none of Gastner's sharp tongue or fiery temper. This is certainly true in this novel where Estelle is pressured to new limits and in ways she has never dealt with before.
Once again Steven F. Havill brings an attention to detail, an appreciation of the harsh beauty of the New Mexico landscape, and rich characters to bear on another twisting tale of greed and murder. Something that is a familiar event in Posadas County and appreciated once again by his loyal fans. This latest entry is another strong read and while Gastner's lack of presence is noted and missed, so too is the fact that Estelle is becoming a powerful character in her own right. This is good stuff and well worth your reading investment.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Final Payment: A Posadas County Mystery
By Steven F. Havill
Thomas Dunne Books
http://minotaurbooks.com
June 2007
ISBN #978-0-312-35415-2
Hardback
275 Pages
Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman finds herself in a bit of a predicament as this latest read in a great series opens. The tourists are coming to town and in a big way. The village of Posadas, New Mexico is hosting in less than 48 hours a grueling bicycle race named the "Posadas 100" or as Estelle calls it, "The Blood and Broken Bones One Hundred." Her point has proven true with two hard crashes during practice already involving riders that went off the mesa into the ravines below.
Her concerns about the event are interrupted by the discovery of three well dressed but very deceased individuals in the scrub brush at one end of the runway at a small isolated airstrip owned by the local gas company. When she arrives on scene and begins to investigate she soon realizes that the three did not die of exposure caused by the summer heat as one would expect considering the harsh landscape. No, it was a clear execution for reasons unknown. While at the airport she also discovers that a private airplane, a Cessna 206, has been used by someone and put back so as not to be caught. Estelle believes that the two cases are linked in a fast paced novel that concludes in a violent altercation 48 hours later.
This series originally began with the Sheriff Bill Gastner books before switching over to Estelle Reyes-Guzman several novels ago. With this being the fifth novel in the overall story arc dealing primarily with Estelle, it is obvious that Author Steven F. Havill made a conscious decision to all but shove the Gastner character off stage. He is hardly present at all in this novel and only makes an appearance a couple of times directly while being briefly talked about in the course of events approximately twice more. Estelle is front and center throughout the novel and it shows in style, tone, and action.
As the overall series arc has shifted to Estelle and the series was named a "Posadas County Mystery" the tone and style shifted. What had been a warm folksy style with the cantankerous Gastner shifted to a cool distant style reflecting the lead character. Gone are the frequent mentions of Gastner's insomnia and middle of the night drives which found him prowling around unable to sleep. Now, it is Estelle, prayed on by her family worries that finds herself unable to sleep in the wee hours of the morning as well as by a case that must be solved quickly. Estelle, while she may stress about their future or important events in the children's lives, is always cool and calm under pressure and displays none of Gastner's sharp tongue or fiery temper. This is certainly true in this novel where Estelle is pressured to new limits and in ways she has never dealt with before.
Once again Steven F. Havill brings an attention to detail, an appreciation of the harsh beauty of the New Mexico landscape, and rich characters to bear on another twisting tale of greed and murder. Something that is a familiar event in Posadas County and appreciated once again by his loyal fans. This latest entry is another strong read and while Gastner's lack of presence is noted and missed, so too is the fact that Estelle is becoming a powerful character in her own right. This is good stuff and well worth your reading investment.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
"Dance On His Grave" by Sylvia Dickey Smith
Among other authors I had the pleasure of meeting at HHCC last June in Dallas was Sylvia Dickey Smith. I had a pretty good mental image of her from online items and in person she was even better. Then, I read her book. Apparently there are very dark things lurking in her mind and I never had any idea.
Dance On His Grave
By Sylvia Dickey Smith
http://www.sylviadickeysmith.com/
L & L Dreamspell
http://www.dreamspell.com/
2007
ISBN # 978-1-60318-006-1
Large Trade Paperback
250 Pages
After the sudden death of her brother Warren due to a traffic accident, Sidra Smart comes to the small southeast Texas town of Orange to permanently close his private investigator business. Recently divorced after thirty years of a mind numbing marriage, Sidra knows absolutely nothing about private investigations or running her brothers business with the intriguing moniker of “the Third Eye: Intuitive Investigations.” While she isn’t sure what she is going to do with her life she knows that she isn't going to take over and run Warren’s business and she isn’t going back to her old life as a preacher’s wife.
Somewhere during the course of that thirty year marriage that started when she was so very young, she lost her identity. It is something she wants back and just isn’t sure how to get it back. She isn’t alone with that problem as the visibly agitated blonde woman makes clear by showing up while Sidra is paying bills and clearing mail in Warren’s old storefront office. The woman’s name is Jewell Stone and Warren had just barely opened a file for her. With Warren dead, Jewell expects Sidra to take over and help her. Jewell is haunted by nightmares of a naked woman who she thinks might have been killed by her father, Roy Manly back when Jewell was a child. If the memories that come out of Jewel and her emotional pain aren’t disturbing enough, while Jewell cries and talks, Sidra sees a small blue flame appear in the air over Jewell’s head for a few seconds. Despite all the reasons not to get involved, Sidra eventually begins to investigate a sinister world of child abuse and possible murder far different than her experiences of bake sales and back stabbing church politics as a preacher’s wife.
This is an intense read with frequent and very graphic recounts of horrible child abuse and molestation. Such scenes are intense and very disturbing and will no doubt upset a number of readers. Author Sylvia Dickey Smith details the horrific abuse over and over again to various parties throughout the entire novel while occasionally adding a little new information at the various tellings. After awhile, the graphic abuse and molestations become a bit much and could distract readers from a compelling story.
This is a shame because the main story is quite strong and would move the story along very well if allowed to do so instead of being stopped by the detailed abuse materials. The novel revolves around a thirty year old murder case and accompanying arson in the small town of Orange as well as Sidra's efforts to find herself. During the course of investigating the case, we learn quite a lot about Sidra, her relationship with her former Pastor and husband as well as the congregation, a fellow private investigator George Leger, Sidra’s rather eccentric Aunt Annie, and numerous other characters along with a strong slice of life in that shadowy land full of mystique and mystery where Texas and Louisiana meet.
Evil walks in many forms in this intense novel. Full of suspense, interesting characters and a heroine trying to find herself once again, the novel delivers on all levels while disturbing repeatedly with the constant scenes of abuse and molestation. Few readers will find this a relaxing read but all will certainly find it suspenseful, intense, and not easily put down.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Dance On His Grave
By Sylvia Dickey Smith
http://www.sylviadickeysmith.com/
L & L Dreamspell
http://www.dreamspell.com/
2007
ISBN # 978-1-60318-006-1
Large Trade Paperback
250 Pages
After the sudden death of her brother Warren due to a traffic accident, Sidra Smart comes to the small southeast Texas town of Orange to permanently close his private investigator business. Recently divorced after thirty years of a mind numbing marriage, Sidra knows absolutely nothing about private investigations or running her brothers business with the intriguing moniker of “the Third Eye: Intuitive Investigations.” While she isn’t sure what she is going to do with her life she knows that she isn't going to take over and run Warren’s business and she isn’t going back to her old life as a preacher’s wife.
Somewhere during the course of that thirty year marriage that started when she was so very young, she lost her identity. It is something she wants back and just isn’t sure how to get it back. She isn’t alone with that problem as the visibly agitated blonde woman makes clear by showing up while Sidra is paying bills and clearing mail in Warren’s old storefront office. The woman’s name is Jewell Stone and Warren had just barely opened a file for her. With Warren dead, Jewell expects Sidra to take over and help her. Jewell is haunted by nightmares of a naked woman who she thinks might have been killed by her father, Roy Manly back when Jewell was a child. If the memories that come out of Jewel and her emotional pain aren’t disturbing enough, while Jewell cries and talks, Sidra sees a small blue flame appear in the air over Jewell’s head for a few seconds. Despite all the reasons not to get involved, Sidra eventually begins to investigate a sinister world of child abuse and possible murder far different than her experiences of bake sales and back stabbing church politics as a preacher’s wife.
This is an intense read with frequent and very graphic recounts of horrible child abuse and molestation. Such scenes are intense and very disturbing and will no doubt upset a number of readers. Author Sylvia Dickey Smith details the horrific abuse over and over again to various parties throughout the entire novel while occasionally adding a little new information at the various tellings. After awhile, the graphic abuse and molestations become a bit much and could distract readers from a compelling story.
This is a shame because the main story is quite strong and would move the story along very well if allowed to do so instead of being stopped by the detailed abuse materials. The novel revolves around a thirty year old murder case and accompanying arson in the small town of Orange as well as Sidra's efforts to find herself. During the course of investigating the case, we learn quite a lot about Sidra, her relationship with her former Pastor and husband as well as the congregation, a fellow private investigator George Leger, Sidra’s rather eccentric Aunt Annie, and numerous other characters along with a strong slice of life in that shadowy land full of mystique and mystery where Texas and Louisiana meet.
Evil walks in many forms in this intense novel. Full of suspense, interesting characters and a heroine trying to find herself once again, the novel delivers on all levels while disturbing repeatedly with the constant scenes of abuse and molestation. Few readers will find this a relaxing read but all will certainly find it suspenseful, intense, and not easily put down.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Colorado Rockies Crime And Death In "Antler Dust"
I’m not able to get out to various places anymore but have great childhood memories of the Colorado Rockies among other western places. Since I can’t get there physically, I now take the trips in my mind as corny as that sounds. Mark Stevens brought it alive for me and ranks up there with C. J. Box, Steven Havill and others who showcase a clear love for the great outdoors and can write a really good book.
Antler Dust: A Novel
By Mark Stevens
Paandaa Entertainment
http://www.paandaa.com
March, 2007
ISBN # 978-0-9774188-1-7
Hardback
287 Pages
Allison Coil came out to Colorado’s Flat Top wilderness to leave memories of death and destruction behind. Which is somewhat ironic since her new chosen profession was to be a hunting guide where she would routinely see death. The concept of death and what death means has become an almost constant companion while she seeks solace in the beautiful Colorado Mountains and in the local area known as Ripplecreek. Hunting guides aren’t a rarity in the mountains but being a woman she stands out and once again has to prove herself—especially to the good old boy network. Of course, if the protest group “Fighting Animal Torture Everywhere” otherwise known as “FATE” has its way, nobody will be hunting in the mountains anymore.
As a snowstorm descends on the area, Alison Coil hears a gunshot. Certainly not unusual but the actions of who she thinks is the shooter when she catches a glimpse of him through the swirling snow make her wonder. She watches him or her over on the next ridge dragging something and then the snow thickens and she loses sight of what was happening. Something didn’t look right and she thinks about it as she works to guide herself and her horse, Bear, safely off the mountain. Her suspicions are further encouraged when she learns that a local hunting guide is missing as is one of the protestors. She knows something funny is going on and after being shoved aside once too many times when she spoke up, begins to investigate in her own way.
In a novel that shifts point of view through numerous characters, Author Mark Stevens weaves a compelling tale of greed a d murder with the majestic beauty of the Colorado Rockies as his backdrop. Allison Coil is a strong complex character who quickly comes to life despite some of the other characters who seem to be little more than stock stereotype figures. A first novel from the author, it shows most tellingly in that a significant portion of the character depth is reserved for Coil. However, it is also clear that at least two of the secondary characters have definite possibilities should this work become part of a series.
Where the author showcases real talent is in the weaving of the various storylines as well as bringing alive the beauty of the setting. A theme within the work is the fact that responsible hunting is a necessary part of wildlife management today. That theme coupled with the concept of what it means to be a female guide in an area dominated by men could have become a series of information dumps that would preach to readers. Instead, showing real skill, the information is occasionally presented in the course of doing other things and never becomes the reason for anything.
Add in the scenic beauty and the at times harsh elements, good old fashioned greed with a thoroughly modern twist, along with several plot surprises in the last fifty pages and the result is a very good book. Author Mark Stevens has created a very good read that quickly becomes a real page turner and one well worth your reading investment.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Antler Dust: A Novel
By Mark Stevens
Paandaa Entertainment
http://www.paandaa.com
March, 2007
ISBN # 978-0-9774188-1-7
Hardback
287 Pages
Allison Coil came out to Colorado’s Flat Top wilderness to leave memories of death and destruction behind. Which is somewhat ironic since her new chosen profession was to be a hunting guide where she would routinely see death. The concept of death and what death means has become an almost constant companion while she seeks solace in the beautiful Colorado Mountains and in the local area known as Ripplecreek. Hunting guides aren’t a rarity in the mountains but being a woman she stands out and once again has to prove herself—especially to the good old boy network. Of course, if the protest group “Fighting Animal Torture Everywhere” otherwise known as “FATE” has its way, nobody will be hunting in the mountains anymore.
As a snowstorm descends on the area, Alison Coil hears a gunshot. Certainly not unusual but the actions of who she thinks is the shooter when she catches a glimpse of him through the swirling snow make her wonder. She watches him or her over on the next ridge dragging something and then the snow thickens and she loses sight of what was happening. Something didn’t look right and she thinks about it as she works to guide herself and her horse, Bear, safely off the mountain. Her suspicions are further encouraged when she learns that a local hunting guide is missing as is one of the protestors. She knows something funny is going on and after being shoved aside once too many times when she spoke up, begins to investigate in her own way.
In a novel that shifts point of view through numerous characters, Author Mark Stevens weaves a compelling tale of greed a d murder with the majestic beauty of the Colorado Rockies as his backdrop. Allison Coil is a strong complex character who quickly comes to life despite some of the other characters who seem to be little more than stock stereotype figures. A first novel from the author, it shows most tellingly in that a significant portion of the character depth is reserved for Coil. However, it is also clear that at least two of the secondary characters have definite possibilities should this work become part of a series.
Where the author showcases real talent is in the weaving of the various storylines as well as bringing alive the beauty of the setting. A theme within the work is the fact that responsible hunting is a necessary part of wildlife management today. That theme coupled with the concept of what it means to be a female guide in an area dominated by men could have become a series of information dumps that would preach to readers. Instead, showing real skill, the information is occasionally presented in the course of doing other things and never becomes the reason for anything.
Add in the scenic beauty and the at times harsh elements, good old fashioned greed with a thoroughly modern twist, along with several plot surprises in the last fifty pages and the result is a very good book. Author Mark Stevens has created a very good read that quickly becomes a real page turner and one well worth your reading investment.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Where is my bookmark?
Currently it is about halfway through THE CONCRETE MAZE by Steven Torres. A cousin is missing in 1992 in New York and the novel chronicles the family's desperate search.
Kevin R. Tipple (c) 2007
Kevin R. Tipple (c) 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Learning the rules in the "47 Rules Of Highly Effective Bank Robbers" by Troy Cook
This is the third book I have read from Capital Crime Press, the other two are novels from the excellent "Baby Shark" series written by Robert Fate. This book reminded me a lot of those books with dysfunctional parenting, strong daughters with a penchant for violence, and the majority of men being idiots. And yet, their tales go about things in very different ways with humor being a major character in this novel.
47 Rules Of Highly Effective Bank Robbers
By Troy Cook
Capital Crime Press
http://www.capitalcrimepress.com
2006
ISBN # 978-0-9776276-6-0
Large Trade Paperback
282 Pages
Tara Evans didn't mean to shoot her father Wyatt in the foot during a bank robbery. Dubbed the "Crying Bandit" in the media she still wasn't too sure of herself. Of course, being nine years old might have had something to do with it. Truth be told, its just too bad she didn't shoot a bit higher and save everyone some grief.
Something she has regretted a lot by the time she turned twenty-two and was robbing banks in Texas with him. Along with developing the 47 rules for bank robbing, Wyatt has developed a serious like for unnecessarily killing folks. The latest incident has happened in Del Rio. Over the years he has also developed an interest in slapping her around whenever he felt like it, which is pretty often. Tara has also gradually come to the scary realization that he wants more from her than any daughter should ever give her own father.
Thanks to the fiasco in Del Rio, now they are on the run to Arizona as Wyatt works another plan to ensure their continuing freedom while a federal task force is in pursuit. Their cause of freedom is helped by the fact that the task force leader, Special Agent Stratton, aka Agent Blowhard, is an idiot. Much like Wyatt, he likes the violent outcomes of their actions a bit too much. Being the son of a powerful Senator keeps him in his job despite his incredible stupidity and where the highlight of his day, after screaming at the far superior agents below him, is to sit somewhere and watch the playback of the latest incident from the security tapes.
Then, there is Max, the son of a well meaning Arizona Sheriff who loves self help books. While he pushes one book after another on his wayward son in an effort to turn his life around, Max keeps stumbling into trouble. His Sheriff Daddy gets him out of it each and every time and before long Max is right back into it. Tara represents trouble in the worst way and before long, he runs right into her arms.
What follows is a comedic crime novel full of eccentric characters, major does of humor and action, and seriously odd behavior with twisted results. One can't help laughing out loud frequently throughout the book as this roller coaster style read plunges along shifting constantly in point of view through quite a number of characters. Most of the men have serious mental issues and a good portion of the women aren't exactly sane either. For the most part, these are the kind of folks that wouldn't make it on the lowest of the talk shows because the producers would worry about these folks being too out there.
And yet, in Troy Cook's world it works and works well. They grow on you and do so quickly before a couple of chapters have passed. The result is a violent and entertaining read that will keep you guessing until the end.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
47 Rules Of Highly Effective Bank Robbers
By Troy Cook
Capital Crime Press
http://www.capitalcrimepress.com
2006
ISBN # 978-0-9776276-6-0
Large Trade Paperback
282 Pages
Tara Evans didn't mean to shoot her father Wyatt in the foot during a bank robbery. Dubbed the "Crying Bandit" in the media she still wasn't too sure of herself. Of course, being nine years old might have had something to do with it. Truth be told, its just too bad she didn't shoot a bit higher and save everyone some grief.
Something she has regretted a lot by the time she turned twenty-two and was robbing banks in Texas with him. Along with developing the 47 rules for bank robbing, Wyatt has developed a serious like for unnecessarily killing folks. The latest incident has happened in Del Rio. Over the years he has also developed an interest in slapping her around whenever he felt like it, which is pretty often. Tara has also gradually come to the scary realization that he wants more from her than any daughter should ever give her own father.
Thanks to the fiasco in Del Rio, now they are on the run to Arizona as Wyatt works another plan to ensure their continuing freedom while a federal task force is in pursuit. Their cause of freedom is helped by the fact that the task force leader, Special Agent Stratton, aka Agent Blowhard, is an idiot. Much like Wyatt, he likes the violent outcomes of their actions a bit too much. Being the son of a powerful Senator keeps him in his job despite his incredible stupidity and where the highlight of his day, after screaming at the far superior agents below him, is to sit somewhere and watch the playback of the latest incident from the security tapes.
Then, there is Max, the son of a well meaning Arizona Sheriff who loves self help books. While he pushes one book after another on his wayward son in an effort to turn his life around, Max keeps stumbling into trouble. His Sheriff Daddy gets him out of it each and every time and before long Max is right back into it. Tara represents trouble in the worst way and before long, he runs right into her arms.
What follows is a comedic crime novel full of eccentric characters, major does of humor and action, and seriously odd behavior with twisted results. One can't help laughing out loud frequently throughout the book as this roller coaster style read plunges along shifting constantly in point of view through quite a number of characters. Most of the men have serious mental issues and a good portion of the women aren't exactly sane either. For the most part, these are the kind of folks that wouldn't make it on the lowest of the talk shows because the producers would worry about these folks being too out there.
And yet, in Troy Cook's world it works and works well. They grow on you and do so quickly before a couple of chapters have passed. The result is a violent and entertaining read that will keep you guessing until the end.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
"Touched By Darkness" and a lot more
For my Senior News book review column that runs every month, I try to get a cross section of a lot of different Texas type books for consideration. Back in March or so, I put out a call to one of the local writing groups and was flooded with responses. Because I get so many books anyway for other projects, I am always a bit behind. As such, I'm just now getting to some of these books such as the one today.
Touched By Darkness
By Catherine Spangler
http://www.catherinespangler.com
Berkley Sensation
http://www.penguin.com
January 2007
ISBN # 978-0-425-21400-8
Paperback
292 Pages
Atlantis existed thousands of years ago before being destroyed and sinking into the North Atlantic. Its legacy lives on today through reincarnated beings that walk among us mere mortals. Some of them are the sons of Belial who relish chaos and violence. They are opposed by other reincarnated Atlantian souls known as the Sentinels. Just like the Belians, they are mortals that have superhuman powers. They attempt to track and eliminate Belians on behalf of the Sanctioned which are the aides to the priest of Atlantis. Last but not least are the conductors—those rare humans that are genetically capable of linking with a Sentinel. Such is the world envisioned by Richardson, Texas Author Catherine Spangler in the start of her new series.
Seven years ago, Kara's Sentinel lover Richard Wayman was killed in a violent confrontation with a Belian. His legacy for her is two fold---an all encompassing love for him intertwined with the painful memeories of his violent death which she witnessed and their son, Alex. While she can't do much of anything to get rid of the terror filled memories, she can and will do anything in her power to protect their son, Alex. She moved and moved again, each time working to hide their son who gradually showed signs that he has his father's abilities. Eventually they settled in the small Texas town of Zorro where she resumed her medical practice.
All was peaceful and tranquil until one morning she arrives in town with Alex and she senses the power. She hasn't sensed power that strong since Richard and it is clear that the tall man in the duster staring hard at her is the source. He is Damien Morgan; ostensibly a writer for a nationwide magazine and who, in reality is a Sentinel on the trail of a Belian killing in the area. A death, dismissed as natural causes was the work of a Belian and there will be more. The fact that Alex is, an untrained Sentinel and as such broadcasting his own presence, is sure to lure the Belian to them. To protect Alex, Damien must convince Kara of what is happening now and what is to come if he doesn't become part of their lives. For Kara, she is torn between her desire to run yet again, the memories of a man she once loved, the lure Damien represents as he is the first to make her feel this way since Richard, and the danger her young son faces. Gradually, she realizes that running away won't work this time and she has to stand and fight with Damien.
What follows in an entertaining paranormal romance. Simplified greatly, the novel is the age old battle between good and evil. In Catherine Spangler's hands, it becomes something more with rich complex characters full of emotion. Evil threatens in the form of a Belian and yet Kara is one of us all who fears facing again what she has dealt with before. Besides, Damien is clearly a hunk!
It is mildly graphic in a couple of points and some reviewers have complained about that aspect of it arguing that the relationship between Damien and Kara is cheapened by Kara's actions. It would appear that such reviewers are being overly critical of a clear character development issue, though obviously there is a point to their position in that the novel will be read differently by each gender in addition to the personal background of the reviewer. With interesting characters, the occasional plot twist, and plenty of romance this is a novel that delivers a strong read within the genre and is well worth your time.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Touched By Darkness
By Catherine Spangler
http://www.catherinespangler.com
Berkley Sensation
http://www.penguin.com
January 2007
ISBN # 978-0-425-21400-8
Paperback
292 Pages
Atlantis existed thousands of years ago before being destroyed and sinking into the North Atlantic. Its legacy lives on today through reincarnated beings that walk among us mere mortals. Some of them are the sons of Belial who relish chaos and violence. They are opposed by other reincarnated Atlantian souls known as the Sentinels. Just like the Belians, they are mortals that have superhuman powers. They attempt to track and eliminate Belians on behalf of the Sanctioned which are the aides to the priest of Atlantis. Last but not least are the conductors—those rare humans that are genetically capable of linking with a Sentinel. Such is the world envisioned by Richardson, Texas Author Catherine Spangler in the start of her new series.
Seven years ago, Kara's Sentinel lover Richard Wayman was killed in a violent confrontation with a Belian. His legacy for her is two fold---an all encompassing love for him intertwined with the painful memeories of his violent death which she witnessed and their son, Alex. While she can't do much of anything to get rid of the terror filled memories, she can and will do anything in her power to protect their son, Alex. She moved and moved again, each time working to hide their son who gradually showed signs that he has his father's abilities. Eventually they settled in the small Texas town of Zorro where she resumed her medical practice.
All was peaceful and tranquil until one morning she arrives in town with Alex and she senses the power. She hasn't sensed power that strong since Richard and it is clear that the tall man in the duster staring hard at her is the source. He is Damien Morgan; ostensibly a writer for a nationwide magazine and who, in reality is a Sentinel on the trail of a Belian killing in the area. A death, dismissed as natural causes was the work of a Belian and there will be more. The fact that Alex is, an untrained Sentinel and as such broadcasting his own presence, is sure to lure the Belian to them. To protect Alex, Damien must convince Kara of what is happening now and what is to come if he doesn't become part of their lives. For Kara, she is torn between her desire to run yet again, the memories of a man she once loved, the lure Damien represents as he is the first to make her feel this way since Richard, and the danger her young son faces. Gradually, she realizes that running away won't work this time and she has to stand and fight with Damien.
What follows in an entertaining paranormal romance. Simplified greatly, the novel is the age old battle between good and evil. In Catherine Spangler's hands, it becomes something more with rich complex characters full of emotion. Evil threatens in the form of a Belian and yet Kara is one of us all who fears facing again what she has dealt with before. Besides, Damien is clearly a hunk!
It is mildly graphic in a couple of points and some reviewers have complained about that aspect of it arguing that the relationship between Damien and Kara is cheapened by Kara's actions. It would appear that such reviewers are being overly critical of a clear character development issue, though obviously there is a point to their position in that the novel will be read differently by each gender in addition to the personal background of the reviewer. With interesting characters, the occasional plot twist, and plenty of romance this is a novel that delivers a strong read within the genre and is well worth your time.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
The Titans Are At It Still In "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan
Marketed for young teen readers, this series works well for adults as well. However, as is the case in most series, you really need to have read the earlier books in the series. That certainly is the case here so begin with "Percy Jackson And The Olympians, Book One: The Lightning thief." And by the way, this San Antonio, Texas author is also the writer of the Tres Navarre mystery series for adults. Those books are well worth the read too.
Percy Jackson And The Olympians, Book Three: The Titan's Curse
By Rick Riordan
http://www.rickriordan.com
Hyperion Books For Children
http://www.hyperionbooksforchildren.com
2007
ISBN # 978-142310145-1
Hardback
312 Pages
Percy Jackson knows from personal experience that it is hard to be a demigod. Especially one that has to be driven to where he is needed by his Mom. That is exactly what had to be done when Grover called for his help. Percy rounded up a couple of his fellow demigods, Annabeth and Thalia, and went on the eight hour drive from New York City to Bar Harbor, Maine in the sleet and snow. Their mission is to get to Westover Hall and help Grover who has discovered two half bloods at the isolated private school.
Grover has also found a monster on Campus operating in human form. At least it is for now and there is concern that more could be on the way or already present. Grover wants their help to safely rescue the two students, a boy and girl, ages ten and twelve. That rescue of the brother and sister goes horribly wrong and ultimately causes Percy to join another quest against the Titans.
This is the third adventure in the series and another entertaining read for young teens and up. Texas author Rick Riordan does little with regards to character development with Percy or changing the formulaic flow within the novel. Instead, he focuses on action and delivers plenty of it while also explaining how another set of the myths relate to modern times. He also uses the novel as a setup for the coming novel regarding Percy's fate which has been ordained by the oracle to happen once Percy reaches sixteen. With some of the Gods wishing him dead, the fourteen year old Percy continues to try and prove himself through word and deed that he isn't the type of person the Gods should fear.
As such, readers know from the fast moving start that questing will be involved, Percy and friends will battle monsters as they head to the West Coast in another race against time, and that along the way when things appear bleakest, Percy and friends will receive help in unexpected ways. That formula isn't changed here. Adult readers may notice, along with some of the humor that may not be as clear to young teen readers, that after two books in the series it is very obvious when catastrophe will strike. As usual, it strikes often and since it is clearly expected there is less suspense or need to turn the page to find out what is going to happen. While it wouldn't be fair to characterize this book or the series as being in a rut, the author might wish to consider shaking things up, especially in regards to sequencing so that the next works don't follow the exact same formula.
Still, while it does have that stylistic flaw, the novel does provide another entertaining read. Not only is it nice to know where Atlas is living these days and holding up the world, it is also nice to know that the Golden Fleece is still working well at Camp Half Blood. As a parent who really was into mythology while in school, it is really good to see a series such as this bringing mythology up to current times.
I just wish the writer in me had thought of it first!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Percy Jackson And The Olympians, Book Three: The Titan's Curse
By Rick Riordan
http://www.rickriordan.com
Hyperion Books For Children
http://www.hyperionbooksforchildren.com
2007
ISBN # 978-142310145-1
Hardback
312 Pages
Percy Jackson knows from personal experience that it is hard to be a demigod. Especially one that has to be driven to where he is needed by his Mom. That is exactly what had to be done when Grover called for his help. Percy rounded up a couple of his fellow demigods, Annabeth and Thalia, and went on the eight hour drive from New York City to Bar Harbor, Maine in the sleet and snow. Their mission is to get to Westover Hall and help Grover who has discovered two half bloods at the isolated private school.
Grover has also found a monster on Campus operating in human form. At least it is for now and there is concern that more could be on the way or already present. Grover wants their help to safely rescue the two students, a boy and girl, ages ten and twelve. That rescue of the brother and sister goes horribly wrong and ultimately causes Percy to join another quest against the Titans.
This is the third adventure in the series and another entertaining read for young teens and up. Texas author Rick Riordan does little with regards to character development with Percy or changing the formulaic flow within the novel. Instead, he focuses on action and delivers plenty of it while also explaining how another set of the myths relate to modern times. He also uses the novel as a setup for the coming novel regarding Percy's fate which has been ordained by the oracle to happen once Percy reaches sixteen. With some of the Gods wishing him dead, the fourteen year old Percy continues to try and prove himself through word and deed that he isn't the type of person the Gods should fear.
As such, readers know from the fast moving start that questing will be involved, Percy and friends will battle monsters as they head to the West Coast in another race against time, and that along the way when things appear bleakest, Percy and friends will receive help in unexpected ways. That formula isn't changed here. Adult readers may notice, along with some of the humor that may not be as clear to young teen readers, that after two books in the series it is very obvious when catastrophe will strike. As usual, it strikes often and since it is clearly expected there is less suspense or need to turn the page to find out what is going to happen. While it wouldn't be fair to characterize this book or the series as being in a rut, the author might wish to consider shaking things up, especially in regards to sequencing so that the next works don't follow the exact same formula.
Still, while it does have that stylistic flaw, the novel does provide another entertaining read. Not only is it nice to know where Atlas is living these days and holding up the world, it is also nice to know that the Golden Fleece is still working well at Camp Half Blood. As a parent who really was into mythology while in school, it is really good to see a series such as this bringing mythology up to current times.
I just wish the writer in me had thought of it first!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
"A Welcome Grave" by Michael Kortya is a great read
This latest novel featuring P. I. Lincoln Perry is the third book in the series which began with "Tonight I said Goodbye." Some may advocate this novel could be read as a stand alone. I would totally disagree. It would be well worth your time to start in the beginning and work your way forward.
A Welcome Grave
By Michael Kortya
http://www.michaelkortya.com
Thomas Dunne Books
http://www.thomasdunnebooks.com
July 2007
ISBN # 978-0-312-34011-7
Hardback
294 Pages
This latest read in the series is another noirish style read with Lincoln Perry dealing with his own past during a current case. Alex Jefferson was tortured and killed in a field near Bedford, south of Cleveland. With no suspects immediately apparent in the field standing over the body or running away from it, Detectives start looking into folks who knew Jefferson and might have held a grudge. People like Lincoln Perry.
Lincoln's grudge as the Detectives see it, would go back a few years ago when Lincoln was engaged to Karen who ended up working in Alex Jefferson's law firm. The boss started noticing her and gradually his efforts at seduction paid off. Lincoln found out they were sleeping together and after consuming a twelve pack of beer, went to Jefferson's country club and beat the living tar out of him. Lincoln left the man alive and was later stopped for drunk driving and eventually charged with assault. Jefferson recovered and married Karen and everyone went on with their lives. Despite keeping mementos from their relationship in a small box, Lincoln doesn't think about what happened much anymore.
That is until now when a few days later Karen calls wanting his help. While sitting in a leather chair in her mansion, Karen tells him that she wants to find Alex's son. The son, Matthew Jefferson, is due to inherit eight million dollars and no one knows where he is. Karen says she wants someone she can trust to find him and tell Matthew what has happened and for that, she is willing to pay Lincoln one percent or eighty thousand dollars. The amount is far in excess what should be paid which does bother Lincoln.
Still eight thousand dollars for a couple of days work would come in very handy right now. Cases haven't been coming in lately. The business is barely afloat and then there is the whole deal with Joe's medical expenses and rehabilitation after he was shot. Guilt is a powerful motivator and Lincoln feels plenty of it so he agrees.
Something that he will soon regret in a case that quickly becomes personal with his very life at stake. Author Michael Kortya once again pulls readers deep into the cynical world of Lincoln Perry in an intense mystery. Part hardboiled and part noir, the read is compelling and intense as it dwells in the shady land in between where Lincoln is at the brink.
While the novel continues character development especially in regards to Lincoln and seems to foreshadow a massive change in his relationship with Joe, it also works heavily with various items from previous novels. As such it is not only hard to discuss the book in great detail, it also strongly behooves those interested in reading the book to start from the beginning with "Tonight I Said Goodbye." In doing so, readers will be introduced to a majority of the characters in Lincoln's world as well as to plot threads that are dealt with in this intense novel by the Edgar nominated author.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
A Welcome Grave
By Michael Kortya
http://www.michaelkortya.com
Thomas Dunne Books
http://www.thomasdunnebooks.com
July 2007
ISBN # 978-0-312-34011-7
Hardback
294 Pages
This latest read in the series is another noirish style read with Lincoln Perry dealing with his own past during a current case. Alex Jefferson was tortured and killed in a field near Bedford, south of Cleveland. With no suspects immediately apparent in the field standing over the body or running away from it, Detectives start looking into folks who knew Jefferson and might have held a grudge. People like Lincoln Perry.
Lincoln's grudge as the Detectives see it, would go back a few years ago when Lincoln was engaged to Karen who ended up working in Alex Jefferson's law firm. The boss started noticing her and gradually his efforts at seduction paid off. Lincoln found out they were sleeping together and after consuming a twelve pack of beer, went to Jefferson's country club and beat the living tar out of him. Lincoln left the man alive and was later stopped for drunk driving and eventually charged with assault. Jefferson recovered and married Karen and everyone went on with their lives. Despite keeping mementos from their relationship in a small box, Lincoln doesn't think about what happened much anymore.
That is until now when a few days later Karen calls wanting his help. While sitting in a leather chair in her mansion, Karen tells him that she wants to find Alex's son. The son, Matthew Jefferson, is due to inherit eight million dollars and no one knows where he is. Karen says she wants someone she can trust to find him and tell Matthew what has happened and for that, she is willing to pay Lincoln one percent or eighty thousand dollars. The amount is far in excess what should be paid which does bother Lincoln.
Still eight thousand dollars for a couple of days work would come in very handy right now. Cases haven't been coming in lately. The business is barely afloat and then there is the whole deal with Joe's medical expenses and rehabilitation after he was shot. Guilt is a powerful motivator and Lincoln feels plenty of it so he agrees.
Something that he will soon regret in a case that quickly becomes personal with his very life at stake. Author Michael Kortya once again pulls readers deep into the cynical world of Lincoln Perry in an intense mystery. Part hardboiled and part noir, the read is compelling and intense as it dwells in the shady land in between where Lincoln is at the brink.
While the novel continues character development especially in regards to Lincoln and seems to foreshadow a massive change in his relationship with Joe, it also works heavily with various items from previous novels. As such it is not only hard to discuss the book in great detail, it also strongly behooves those interested in reading the book to start from the beginning with "Tonight I Said Goodbye." In doing so, readers will be introduced to a majority of the characters in Lincoln's world as well as to plot threads that are dealt with in this intense novel by the Edgar nominated author.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Bosch is back in "The Overlook" by Michael Connelly
I have been a big fan of the author, especially in regards to this series, for quite some time. "The Black Echo" and "The Black Ice" which were his first two books in the series were, in my opinion, incredible reads. This latest read in the series can be read as a stand alone if you are new to Michael Connelly's work. If you are new, please go get the first two books. They are well worth it.
The Overlook
By Michael Connelly
http://www.michaelconnelly.com
Little, Brown and Company
http://www.hachettebookgroupusa.com
May 2007
ISBN # 978-0-316-01895-1
Hardback
225 Pages
Detective Harry Bosch has moved to the "Homicide Special" unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. Gone are his days, at least for now, of working old cases. Operating out of Parker Center, the unit deals with cases that have political, celebrity, or media connections or cases that look very tough from the start. Lt. Larry Gandle, his new boss, calls in the middle of the night regarding such a case. Dr. Stanley Kent has been found dead at the overlook above the Mulholland Dam. Matter of death was execution by impact of two bullets into the back of the head.
Bosch and his new partner, Ignacio Ferras are assigned to the case. Not only are their cultural differences and a massive gap in ages, Ferras has a young family to support. New to working with each other, when the case quickly turns into fears of terrorism, Ferras doesn't trust that Bosch is handling things correctly. Dr. Kent was a medical physicist who worked with and had access to radioactive materials that are usually used to treat cancer patients. Since such materials could be used for other things, his name among many others from across the country was on a list maintained by the FBI. Reports of his death and the circumstances surrounding it have reached the FBI. As the federal government ramps up operations, Special Agent Rachel Walling from the Tactical Intelligence Unit returns to assist.
As has been made clear many times in this series, when the FBI arrives to assist, they usually mean to take over. Such events happen here and Bosch has to deal not only with conflict with his own command structure and the FBI, but with his partner as well who doesn't approve of Bosch's methods. Ferras has a lot to think about with his family and his career and Bosch's bulldozer style is not appreciated.
Originally serialized for the "New York Times Magazine" and then expanded for this 225 page novel, this isn't Bosch at his best. I never read the serialization which, according to the note about the author at the end of the book, was "considerably expanded" for this novel. Therefore, I can't address what changes were made.
With regards to the actual novel, there is a certain flatness to the read. A certain lack of humanity, of human feeling in Bosch though he tells readers he is feeling things. That lack of human feeling extends to the discussions of the recent shared past between Walling and Bosch and where they left things, Bosch's relationship with Ferras, Bosch's new job and in many other areas. While readers are constantly told that Bosch is feeling this or that, it is never shown through character action or showed any other way, resulting in an emotionally distant read.
At the same time, the case itself is a decent one that will keep a fair amount of readers guessing to the end. Those with a cynical bent or widely read in the mystery genre will pick up on clues hinted at early in the novel which will be borne out on the end with one final twist in regards to a suspect. While a less than stellar read, Bosch not at his best is still entertaining and readers familiar with the series won't want to let this one get by unread.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
The Overlook
By Michael Connelly
http://www.michaelconnelly.com
Little, Brown and Company
http://www.hachettebookgroupusa.com
May 2007
ISBN # 978-0-316-01895-1
Hardback
225 Pages
Detective Harry Bosch has moved to the "Homicide Special" unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. Gone are his days, at least for now, of working old cases. Operating out of Parker Center, the unit deals with cases that have political, celebrity, or media connections or cases that look very tough from the start. Lt. Larry Gandle, his new boss, calls in the middle of the night regarding such a case. Dr. Stanley Kent has been found dead at the overlook above the Mulholland Dam. Matter of death was execution by impact of two bullets into the back of the head.
Bosch and his new partner, Ignacio Ferras are assigned to the case. Not only are their cultural differences and a massive gap in ages, Ferras has a young family to support. New to working with each other, when the case quickly turns into fears of terrorism, Ferras doesn't trust that Bosch is handling things correctly. Dr. Kent was a medical physicist who worked with and had access to radioactive materials that are usually used to treat cancer patients. Since such materials could be used for other things, his name among many others from across the country was on a list maintained by the FBI. Reports of his death and the circumstances surrounding it have reached the FBI. As the federal government ramps up operations, Special Agent Rachel Walling from the Tactical Intelligence Unit returns to assist.
As has been made clear many times in this series, when the FBI arrives to assist, they usually mean to take over. Such events happen here and Bosch has to deal not only with conflict with his own command structure and the FBI, but with his partner as well who doesn't approve of Bosch's methods. Ferras has a lot to think about with his family and his career and Bosch's bulldozer style is not appreciated.
Originally serialized for the "New York Times Magazine" and then expanded for this 225 page novel, this isn't Bosch at his best. I never read the serialization which, according to the note about the author at the end of the book, was "considerably expanded" for this novel. Therefore, I can't address what changes were made.
With regards to the actual novel, there is a certain flatness to the read. A certain lack of humanity, of human feeling in Bosch though he tells readers he is feeling things. That lack of human feeling extends to the discussions of the recent shared past between Walling and Bosch and where they left things, Bosch's relationship with Ferras, Bosch's new job and in many other areas. While readers are constantly told that Bosch is feeling this or that, it is never shown through character action or showed any other way, resulting in an emotionally distant read.
At the same time, the case itself is a decent one that will keep a fair amount of readers guessing to the end. Those with a cynical bent or widely read in the mystery genre will pick up on clues hinted at early in the novel which will be borne out on the end with one final twist in regards to a suspect. While a less than stellar read, Bosch not at his best is still entertaining and readers familiar with the series won't want to let this one get by unread.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Interesting Reading
Authors should take a look at the article at http://chronicle.com/temp/reprint.php?%20id=82r4mqsd3s6hhl4vl3fn550s1n3bhy1s While written for the non fiction folks, most of the information applies to fiction authors as well.
Food for thought.
Kevin R. Tipple (c) 2007
Food for thought.
Kevin R. Tipple (c) 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
New Market: THE BACK ALLEY
While I have seen reports over the last month of several different markets folding, I have also seen reports that some are starting up. One of those coming to life is THE BACK ALLEY which is billing itself as a new short story site for hardboiled, PI, and noir mysteries.
The opening issue which is set to appear tomorrow has names that should be familiar to you if you read mysteries or lurk on any of several lists. In addition to works from G. Miki Hayden, Stephen D. Rogers, and Jack Bludis there is going to be a tale from Carroll Jon Daly and other things. Run by Richard Helms, the venture can be found starting tomorrow at http://www.backalleywebzine.com
Sounds interesting and I am looking forward to reading it. Now, if I can find to do that as well as all the other online reading I want and need to do.....
Kevin R. Tipple (c) 2007
The opening issue which is set to appear tomorrow has names that should be familiar to you if you read mysteries or lurk on any of several lists. In addition to works from G. Miki Hayden, Stephen D. Rogers, and Jack Bludis there is going to be a tale from Carroll Jon Daly and other things. Run by Richard Helms, the venture can be found starting tomorrow at http://www.backalleywebzine.com
Sounds interesting and I am looking forward to reading it. Now, if I can find to do that as well as all the other online reading I want and need to do.....
Kevin R. Tipple (c) 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Lee Henry Works Again In "Crosshairs" by Harry Hunsicker
I find myself in the role of having to confess another full and fair disclosure here. I first met Harry Hunsicker at the recent HHCC conference where I found him to be eminently approachable. Actually, he found me first as he reads my work. Just how cool is that? He graciously offered an ARC of his soon to be released novel and like the salivating dog that I am, I happily said yes. I'm glad I did though I do wish I had been a bit more witty and intelligent in his presence.
Crosshairs: A Lee Henry Oswald Mystery
By Harry Hunsicker
http://www.harryhunsicker.com
Thomas Dunne Books
http://www.thomasdunnebooks.com
ISBN #978-0-312-34851-9
ARC
This third novel in the series (Still River and The Next Time You Die) finds Lee Henry Oswald and Dallas at the dawn of the new millennium. Lee Henry Oswald is no longer a private investigator; his home is gone, as is his street radar and his moral compass. He's basically just sliding by and trying to avoid everything on every level. Now he tends bar and chases airline stewardess. One in particular, after sleeping with him a second time assumes that they have a relationship. With Lee Henry Oswald living at an extended stay motel near Dallas Love Field she is making a mistake.
So too does Olson shows up at the local bar expecting Lee Henry to come running to help. Also is one of the few living reminders of what went horribly wrong a few months ago. Olson and Lee Henry both were in a Ranger Unit during the first gulf war. Olson brings news that Mike Baxter, another member of their unit, is dying at the Dallas VA Hospital. He needs to see Lee Henry and thanks to Lee Henry's obnoxious boss, Lee Henry is suddenly free.
Ultimately, with his days numbered to a precious few, Mike wants Lee Henry to find his estranged missing daughter, Susan Baxter, and bring her to him. He wants to talk to her one last time. The last thing Lee Henry wants to do is work again as a P.I. but he owes Mike who very well might be dying because of what happened long ago in the desert. He agrees and then moments later gets handed another case by Anita Nazari, a research doctor in the hospital who desperately wants to protect her daughter and keep the police out of it for reasons of her own.
The result is Lee Henry, who wanted no part of the life again is forced back in via two cases that seem to have nothing in common. As the point of view shifts from the doctor, to the trained assassin known only as The Professor, and to Lee Henry author Harry Hunsicker begins to weave two separate tales that have readers knowing much more than Lee Henry. Even though readers do, as the pages pass, it becomes clear that the readers don't have much of an advantage if any at all.
While another enjoyable read in the series, once again one this reader feels like he has been dropped into the latest situation and somehow has missed a novel in the series. Much is hinted in regards to earlier events which seem to rise to the level of being a complete book in their own right. As such with so much change for Lee Henry as well as the stylistic changes such as use of less humor shifting POV, etc. it takes some time before it begins to feel like a Lee Henry Oswald novel.
And yet, after all the shifts, the rather clichéd idea of the assassins code name being "The Professor" the novel begins to churn along with the expected violence and dark outlook on life one expects from Lee Henry Oswald. Crosshairs, as the others do in this series, rolls towards a violent confrontation where finally all the players are all identified. The novel delivers on its promise and once again author Harry Hunsicker delivers another dark and engrossing read regarding the man with the less than helpful name.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Crosshairs: A Lee Henry Oswald Mystery
By Harry Hunsicker
http://www.harryhunsicker.com
Thomas Dunne Books
http://www.thomasdunnebooks.com
ISBN #978-0-312-34851-9
ARC
This third novel in the series (Still River and The Next Time You Die) finds Lee Henry Oswald and Dallas at the dawn of the new millennium. Lee Henry Oswald is no longer a private investigator; his home is gone, as is his street radar and his moral compass. He's basically just sliding by and trying to avoid everything on every level. Now he tends bar and chases airline stewardess. One in particular, after sleeping with him a second time assumes that they have a relationship. With Lee Henry Oswald living at an extended stay motel near Dallas Love Field she is making a mistake.
So too does Olson shows up at the local bar expecting Lee Henry to come running to help. Also is one of the few living reminders of what went horribly wrong a few months ago. Olson and Lee Henry both were in a Ranger Unit during the first gulf war. Olson brings news that Mike Baxter, another member of their unit, is dying at the Dallas VA Hospital. He needs to see Lee Henry and thanks to Lee Henry's obnoxious boss, Lee Henry is suddenly free.
Ultimately, with his days numbered to a precious few, Mike wants Lee Henry to find his estranged missing daughter, Susan Baxter, and bring her to him. He wants to talk to her one last time. The last thing Lee Henry wants to do is work again as a P.I. but he owes Mike who very well might be dying because of what happened long ago in the desert. He agrees and then moments later gets handed another case by Anita Nazari, a research doctor in the hospital who desperately wants to protect her daughter and keep the police out of it for reasons of her own.
The result is Lee Henry, who wanted no part of the life again is forced back in via two cases that seem to have nothing in common. As the point of view shifts from the doctor, to the trained assassin known only as The Professor, and to Lee Henry author Harry Hunsicker begins to weave two separate tales that have readers knowing much more than Lee Henry. Even though readers do, as the pages pass, it becomes clear that the readers don't have much of an advantage if any at all.
While another enjoyable read in the series, once again one this reader feels like he has been dropped into the latest situation and somehow has missed a novel in the series. Much is hinted in regards to earlier events which seem to rise to the level of being a complete book in their own right. As such with so much change for Lee Henry as well as the stylistic changes such as use of less humor shifting POV, etc. it takes some time before it begins to feel like a Lee Henry Oswald novel.
And yet, after all the shifts, the rather clichéd idea of the assassins code name being "The Professor" the novel begins to churn along with the expected violence and dark outlook on life one expects from Lee Henry Oswald. Crosshairs, as the others do in this series, rolls towards a violent confrontation where finally all the players are all identified. The novel delivers on its promise and once again author Harry Hunsicker delivers another dark and engrossing read regarding the man with the less than helpful name.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Monday, July 09, 2007
Ace is on the case in "Jasmine's Fate" by Randy Rawls
In the interests of fair disclosure, I first met Randy Rawls at the recent HHCC convention in Dallas. A friendly human being and a neat guy was my initial assessment and that never changed. I went away from the conference wishing I had been able to sit and talk to him about writing as well as life in general more than I was able to over those short two days. That same feeling held true while I read his latest novel which was the first book I had ever read by him. Reading his book was one of the few times in my life that it felt like the author was speaking directly to me and telling the story.
Jasmine's Fate
By Randy Rawls
http://www.randyrawls.com/
Hilliard and Harris
http://www.hilliardandharris.com/
2007
ISBN #1-59133-215-X
Large Trade Paperback
223 Pages
Dallas, home of the fictional Lee Henry Oswald written by Harry Hunsicker is also home to the fictional Arthur Conan Edwards, Ace to his friends and his writer friend, Randy Rawls. Stylistically opposite in extremes, both are always open to helping damsels in distress especially if it is a redhead as Ace has a weakness for redheads. Summoned by his good friend Clint Ravel, lead detective on a homicide case, Ace leaves his two cats, Sweeper and Striker, home alone to tear up the place while he drives over to meet his latest potential client, Jasmine Loverly.
Ace is divorced, drives a convertible Chrysler Sebring, has a good friend and neighbor, Mr. Harbinger (who keeps an eye out for him), knows a very good lawyer by the name of Candi Maladay, and the fore mentioned two cats and weakness for redheads. Jasmine Loverly is definitely a redhead and definitely beautiful. She is also definitely, a suspect in the murder of Doug Isendorf, III. He died from a kitchen knife being shoved deep into his chest and the beautiful Jasmine, who cries almost continuously, has his blood on her hands. His father is convinced she did it and wants her buried under the jail. When she isn't crying, she's gorgeous and before long, Ace is trying to clear her name while following a trail that leads from Dallas/ Ft. Worth to East Texas and back again.
Released through Hilliard and Harris, this latest novel in the series was a first for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Having met and talked with Randy Rawls at the recent HHCC convention in Dallas, I found his book to read just like Randy talks. It’s a cozy style novel told from Ace's viewpoint with a cast of solid recurring characters and an intriguing mystery. Much like Randy, the work carries a quiet confidence that everything will turn out in the end. The result is a comfortable page turning read where the bad guys get theirs in the end, Ace has his girl and his cats, and all is right with the world. Pop a Killian, Ace's drink of choice, and sit back and enjoy.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Jasmine's Fate
By Randy Rawls
http://www.randyrawls.com/
Hilliard and Harris
http://www.hilliardandharris.com/
2007
ISBN #1-59133-215-X
Large Trade Paperback
223 Pages
Dallas, home of the fictional Lee Henry Oswald written by Harry Hunsicker is also home to the fictional Arthur Conan Edwards, Ace to his friends and his writer friend, Randy Rawls. Stylistically opposite in extremes, both are always open to helping damsels in distress especially if it is a redhead as Ace has a weakness for redheads. Summoned by his good friend Clint Ravel, lead detective on a homicide case, Ace leaves his two cats, Sweeper and Striker, home alone to tear up the place while he drives over to meet his latest potential client, Jasmine Loverly.
Ace is divorced, drives a convertible Chrysler Sebring, has a good friend and neighbor, Mr. Harbinger (who keeps an eye out for him), knows a very good lawyer by the name of Candi Maladay, and the fore mentioned two cats and weakness for redheads. Jasmine Loverly is definitely a redhead and definitely beautiful. She is also definitely, a suspect in the murder of Doug Isendorf, III. He died from a kitchen knife being shoved deep into his chest and the beautiful Jasmine, who cries almost continuously, has his blood on her hands. His father is convinced she did it and wants her buried under the jail. When she isn't crying, she's gorgeous and before long, Ace is trying to clear her name while following a trail that leads from Dallas/ Ft. Worth to East Texas and back again.
Released through Hilliard and Harris, this latest novel in the series was a first for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Having met and talked with Randy Rawls at the recent HHCC convention in Dallas, I found his book to read just like Randy talks. It’s a cozy style novel told from Ace's viewpoint with a cast of solid recurring characters and an intriguing mystery. Much like Randy, the work carries a quiet confidence that everything will turn out in the end. The result is a comfortable page turning read where the bad guys get theirs in the end, Ace has his girl and his cats, and all is right with the world. Pop a Killian, Ace's drink of choice, and sit back and enjoy.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Friday, July 06, 2007
Reacher returns in "Bad Luck And Trouble" by Lee Child
If you haven't picked up a novel from this series before, you can start here. While it does refer to a couple of things in earlier books, it won't hurt those reads if you read this one first. If you haven't read him—why not?
Bad Luck And Trouble: A Jack Reacher Novel
By Lee Child
http://www.leechild.com
Delacorte Press
http://www.bantamdell.com
May 2007
ISBN #978-0-385-34055-9
Hardback
377 Pages
"So, what's the plan, boss?" Dixon asked, and the question sent Reacher spinning nine years into the past, to the last time he had heard anyone ask it.
"Same as ever," he said. "We investigate, we prepare, we execute. We find them, we take them down, and then we piss on their ancestors' graves."(Page 110)
This has always summed up Reacher's attitude towards his enemies—foreign and domestic. That attitude isn't about to change in the eleventh novel of the series which does find him occasionally questioning some of the financial choices he has made since he left the service. Reacher is still a drifter with very little to his name and for the most part is content with his free floating lifestyle. Frances Neagley from his old CID team knows how he thinks and gets a message to him through his bank balance on his latest ATM receipt. Reacher makes his way to Los Angeles and knowing how she thinks, and knowing that she knows how he thinks, etc. quickly is able to find her and meet.
At least one of their old team has been brutally killed by being dumped from a helicopter at three thousand feet without a parachute and other members are not answering her messages. Frances and Reacher could be the only survivors as it appears that the entire team is being hunted and systematically eliminated. They don't know why or what they are up against and the clock is ticking against them. Their first stumbling forays into the investigation lead them into a maze of death and deceit, military weapons contracts, and plenty of action that always characterize a Jack Reacher novel.
With this being the eleventh novel in the series there is little new insight into the Jack Reacher character. Long time readers know most of the back story briefly covered in the novel and as such there are no real surprises just a couple of confirmations of previously implied events. Instead the focus is on the action as Reacher leads a mission that honors the old CID motto.
"You do not mess with the special investigators."
The result is a revenge and retaliation read that rockets along and focuses on action. Action becomes a secondary character always a page or two away and Reacher, never known for having patience or subtly, reacts hard at every turn. This isn't a deep thinking book as the brief moments that Reacher contemplates his financial situation are always short and resolved by him punching someone, driving cars through fences, or some other violent act that ultimately gets the job done. The job always gets done with Reacher on the case and one wouldn't want it any other way.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Bad Luck And Trouble: A Jack Reacher Novel
By Lee Child
http://www.leechild.com
Delacorte Press
http://www.bantamdell.com
May 2007
ISBN #978-0-385-34055-9
Hardback
377 Pages
"So, what's the plan, boss?" Dixon asked, and the question sent Reacher spinning nine years into the past, to the last time he had heard anyone ask it.
"Same as ever," he said. "We investigate, we prepare, we execute. We find them, we take them down, and then we piss on their ancestors' graves."(Page 110)
This has always summed up Reacher's attitude towards his enemies—foreign and domestic. That attitude isn't about to change in the eleventh novel of the series which does find him occasionally questioning some of the financial choices he has made since he left the service. Reacher is still a drifter with very little to his name and for the most part is content with his free floating lifestyle. Frances Neagley from his old CID team knows how he thinks and gets a message to him through his bank balance on his latest ATM receipt. Reacher makes his way to Los Angeles and knowing how she thinks, and knowing that she knows how he thinks, etc. quickly is able to find her and meet.
At least one of their old team has been brutally killed by being dumped from a helicopter at three thousand feet without a parachute and other members are not answering her messages. Frances and Reacher could be the only survivors as it appears that the entire team is being hunted and systematically eliminated. They don't know why or what they are up against and the clock is ticking against them. Their first stumbling forays into the investigation lead them into a maze of death and deceit, military weapons contracts, and plenty of action that always characterize a Jack Reacher novel.
With this being the eleventh novel in the series there is little new insight into the Jack Reacher character. Long time readers know most of the back story briefly covered in the novel and as such there are no real surprises just a couple of confirmations of previously implied events. Instead the focus is on the action as Reacher leads a mission that honors the old CID motto.
"You do not mess with the special investigators."
The result is a revenge and retaliation read that rockets along and focuses on action. Action becomes a secondary character always a page or two away and Reacher, never known for having patience or subtly, reacts hard at every turn. This isn't a deep thinking book as the brief moments that Reacher contemplates his financial situation are always short and resolved by him punching someone, driving cars through fences, or some other violent act that ultimately gets the job done. The job always gets done with Reacher on the case and one wouldn't want it any other way.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Men Are Often Bad in "Fringe Benefits" by F. M. Meredith
Sometimes one can't help joining a series after the first couple of books have come out. Such is the case here with Meredith's "Rocky Bluff Police Department" series.
Fringe Benefits
By F. M. Meredith
Tigress Press, LLC
http://www.tigresspress.com/
2006
ISBN # 0-9771601-9-X
Large Trade Paperback
184 Pages
The third novel in the Rocky Bluff Police Department series opens with base behaviors depicting bad men. A young mother is raped in her apartment building's laundry room on a Wednesday morning. Cal Sylvester is a training officer for the rookie Gordon Butler and he hates it though he admits that Gordon's wife makes it somewhat worthwhile. He fully intends to get intimately acquainted with her despite his own marriage and hers. Elsewhere in the small town, an out of control teenager plots his escape.
Those are just a few of the storylines in the slice of life police procedural style novel by F. M. Marilyn known to most as Marilyn Meredith. As the days pass and the cases intermingle, so do the lives of numerous officers depicted in this novel. Some will do the right thing as they serve and protect their community and each other. Others will dishonor the badge they wear and the oaths they took and slide downhill morally bankrupt. Stress is a common theme throughout all their lives and the way the characters cope with the demands of the job at work and off duty tells readers everything they need to know in this ongoing series.
The result is an entertaining read that holds reader interest with several twist and turns. While not as gritty or intense as other reads in this genre niche, this novel is interesting and enjoyably depicts police life in a fictional small town. The concepts covered are universal and apply not only to members of law enforcement but for any readers who work in high stress jobs. The book, though short on length, delivers a good tale told well and one that for the most part is completely resolved by the end of the book.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
Fringe Benefits
By F. M. Meredith
Tigress Press, LLC
http://www.tigresspress.com/
2006
ISBN # 0-9771601-9-X
Large Trade Paperback
184 Pages
The third novel in the Rocky Bluff Police Department series opens with base behaviors depicting bad men. A young mother is raped in her apartment building's laundry room on a Wednesday morning. Cal Sylvester is a training officer for the rookie Gordon Butler and he hates it though he admits that Gordon's wife makes it somewhat worthwhile. He fully intends to get intimately acquainted with her despite his own marriage and hers. Elsewhere in the small town, an out of control teenager plots his escape.
Those are just a few of the storylines in the slice of life police procedural style novel by F. M. Marilyn known to most as Marilyn Meredith. As the days pass and the cases intermingle, so do the lives of numerous officers depicted in this novel. Some will do the right thing as they serve and protect their community and each other. Others will dishonor the badge they wear and the oaths they took and slide downhill morally bankrupt. Stress is a common theme throughout all their lives and the way the characters cope with the demands of the job at work and off duty tells readers everything they need to know in this ongoing series.
The result is an entertaining read that holds reader interest with several twist and turns. While not as gritty or intense as other reads in this genre niche, this novel is interesting and enjoyably depicts police life in a fictional small town. The concepts covered are universal and apply not only to members of law enforcement but for any readers who work in high stress jobs. The book, though short on length, delivers a good tale told well and one that for the most part is completely resolved by the end of the book.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007
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