Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Writer Beware: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOW CALIFORNIA'S NEW LAW AB-5 AFFECTS WRITERS

Writer Beware: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOW CALIFORNIA'S NEW LAW AB-5 AFFECTS WRITERS

All Due Respect: Submissions

All Due Respect: Submissions: Submissions are open for the February issue. Hard-as-nails crime fiction. About 1500-3000 words. Pay is $25. Send an email to allduerespe...

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Case of the Housekeeper's Hair (1948) by Chris...

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Case of the Housekeeper's Hair (1948) by Chris...: The Case of the Housekeeper's Hair (1948) is the 34th title in the ample Ludovic Travers series and one of Christopher Bush 's t...

Sweet Freedom: Friday's "Forgotten" Books and More: the links to ...

Sweet Freedom: Friday's "Forgotten" Books and More: the links to ...: This fortnight's books and more, unfairly (or sometimes fairly) neglected, or simply those the reviewers below think you might find of ...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Hellhound, Long Haul, Have Dog Will T...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Hellhound, Long Haul, Have Dog Will T...: Reported by Jeanne Hellhound on His Trail:   The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International Hunt for his Assassi...

Monday, January 13, 2020

The Final Hours to Vote in the Annual Critters Poll


I have not said much about this, but these are the final hours to vote for this blog in the annual poll as "Best Review site." If you like what we do here, please make your vote count at the poll. On behalf of all of us here on the blog, thank you for your support.

https://critters.org/predpoll/reviewsite.shtml

Lesa's Book Critiques: Dead in Dublin by Catie Murphy

Lesa's Book Critiques: Dead in Dublin by Catie Murphy

Beneath the Stains of Time: Seven Dead (1939) by J. Jefferson Farjeon

Beneath the Stains of Time: Seven Dead (1939) by J. Jefferson Farjeon: Last year, Martin Edward reported on his blog, Do You Write Under Your Own Name , that there were some exciting reprints forthcoming in ...

In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday 1/13/2020

In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday 1/13/2020

Monday Markets and Jobs for Writers for 1/13/2020

Monday Markets and Jobs for Writers for 1/13/2020

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: Texas Literary Calendar Jan. 13-19...

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: Texas Literary Calendar Jan. 13-19...: Bookish goings-on in Texas for the week of January 13-19, 2020, compiled exclusively for  Lone Star Literary Life  by Texas Book Lover.  ...

Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: The Off-Islander by Peter Colt


The Off-Islander by Peter Colt (Kensington, 2019) is the first in a projected series of private investigator mysteries with Andy Roark, a Vietnam veteran with PTSD. Set in Boston in 1986, 10 years after the fall of Hanoi, Andy is still having trouble assimilating into the civilian world. He tried college, he tried the police force, and he’s fallen into collecting evidence for divorce filings and following up on personal injury cases. Nothing challenging but it’s a paycheck. His high school friend, now lawyer, Danny Sullivan throws work his way occasionally and brings him in to find Charles Hammond, who walked away from his family some 30 years ago. The client, Hammond’s daughter, is not interested in re-uniting with Hammond but she is worried about potential fallout that could affect her husband’s political career. She wants to know what he’s been up to so she can nip whatever trouble there might be in the bud.

The major clue is the list of addresses to which the Veterans Administration has mailed his pension checks for years. The West Coast locations were investigated without success so Roark decides to look into the only East Coast address. This involves lots of driving back and forth between Hyannis and Boston in heavy traffic, offering plenty of opportunity for commentary on the region. The Hyannis place turns out to be the site of a former commune run by an artist who paints in the style of Georgia O’Keefe. She doesn’t remember Hammond among the dozens of people who came and went during the 70s. Still, when the house and outbuildings are burned to the ground a week or so later, along with the artist, Roark knows he’s hit a nerve.

The ending is surprising enough to be satisfying. Colt has a gift for descriptive detail, which he uses as much for wartime flashbacks as he does for the investigation underway. As much as half of the book is devoted to Roark’s memories of Vietnam, which I certainly hope will decrease in future titles. I am more than a little tired of veterans with PTSD as protagonists.

It will be interesting to watch how well Colt manages the technology changes that are about to turn the world on its ear, with the internet becoming public in 1991, a short five years after the timing of this debut novel. The first cell phones became widely available to the public in the mid-1980s, about the time of this story. Personal computers were already in use, if not especially common.

If Colt can develop more substantial plots and reduce the wartime ruminations, this series will be one to watch.


·         Hardcover: 240 pages
·         Publisher: Kensington (September 24, 2019)
·         Language: English
·         ISBN-10: 1496723414
·         ISBN-13: 978-1496723413
·         Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 0.9 x 8.5 inches


Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/41nJH67 



Aubrey Hamilton ©2020

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

Saturday, January 11, 2020

In Reference To Murder: Mystery Melange for 1/9/2020

In Reference To Murder: Mystery Melange for 1/9/2020

SB-TB: Where Does RWA Go From Here?

SB-TB: Where Does RWA Go From Here?

Beneath the Stains of Time: There's No Such Animal: "Miracle on Vine Street" (...

Beneath the Stains of Time: There's No Such Animal: "Miracle on Vine Street" (...: Fredric Brown was a wildly imaginative pulp writer of science-fiction and detective stories who was not averse to cross pollinating seemin...

Lesa's Book Critiques: Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

Lesa's Book Critiques: Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

KRL Update: KRL This Week for 1/11/2020

Up in KRL this morning a review and giveaway of "Address for Murder" by Tonya Kappes

And a review and giveaway of "A Brushstroke with Death" by Bethany Blake and a fun guest post by Bethany about this new series

Also a review of the last 2 Crossword Mystery Movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel

We also have a review and giveaway of "The Dog Who Knew Too Much" by Krista Davis along with an interesting interview with Krista 

And reviews and giveaways of 3 historical mysteries-"City of Scoundrels": A Counterfeit Lady series by Victoria Thompson, "Murder Cuts the Mustard": A Beryl and Edwina Mystery by Jessica Ellicott, and "The Body on the Train": A Kate Shackleton series by Frances Brody.

Up in KRL News and Reviews this week a review and ebook giveaway of the novella "Have a Deadly New Year" by Lynn Cahoon 

And for those who enjoy fantasy with their mystery, we have a review and ebook giveaway of "Wicked Wings" by Keri Arthur 

Happy reading,
Lorie

Scott's Take: A Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien De Castell


A Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien De Castell is the first book in the Greatcoats Series. In the vein of The Three Musketeers, this dark tale starts a trio of heroes after their King was overthrown and killed by his own dukes. During the violent coup, his greatest warriors, the Greatcoats, did not fight for him. These traveling warriors, who also were judges that traveled the country dispensing justice, all stood down at the King’s order and did not try to stop the overthrow. The King had a plan that would trigger in the wake of his death. That plan activated with his death and then things went sideways. The populace turned on the Greatcoats and they scattered into hiding and the Dukes seized power over the country and its people.

The story is primarily told from the perspective of Falcio. He is a dark and troubled hero who mourns the past and has lost all hope in the future. He sees the world around him as broken beyond repair. His only goal is to die doing something good.

He is joined in this quest, if you will, by his trusted allies Kest and Brasti.  Kest is a man who has been a friend since childhood. A grim and bitter man who is an excellent swordsman and a worthy companion. Also there is the master archer, Brasti, who is a womanizer of epic proportions. As I explained, this is basically the three musketeers in a different format.

The story skips around chronologically split between stories from the past and the present. Even the more linear portions have a lot of twists and turns. A Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien De Castell is a grim tale not for everyone, but, I enjoyed it a lot. 




A Traitor’s Blade
Sebastien De Castell
Joe Fletcher Books
Quercus
July 2014
ISBN# 9781623658090
Hardback (also available in audio, digital, and paperback formats)
384 Pages


Material was supplied by the Park Forest Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2020

Friday, January 10, 2020

Weather

Despite tornado watches and warnings this afternoon and evening and a lot of worry, we are fine here at Casa Tipple in NE Dallas. When the first storm line hit during the dinner hour, it weakened right before getting here which helped us out. We have had repeated rounds of storms since, but there has not been any hail or high winds. It continues to storm as the night goes on as things are evolving into a flood event, but we are on high ground and safe from that.

Lesa's Book Critiques: Winners and a Thin Ice Giveaway

Lesa's Book Critiques: Winners and a Thin Ice Giveaway

SWFA: In Memoriam: Mike Resnick

SWFA: In Memoriam: Mike Resnick

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Rita Moreno: A Memoir by Rita Moreno

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Rita Moreno: A Memoir by Rita Moreno: Reviewed by Kristin Rita Moreno may be 87-years-old but she shows no signs of slowing down. She made her way to Broadway as a ve...

Bitter Tea and Mystery Review: Death in Blue Folders by Margaret Maron

Bitter Tea and Mystery: Death in Blue Folders: Margaret Maron: I usually write a post mid-week for the Friday's Forgotten Books meme originated by Patricia Abbott at her blog pattinase and now host...

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: NEW RELEASE -- AN AGENT FOR LYDIA

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: NEW RELEASE -- AN AGENT FOR LYDIA: Announcing a birth! AN AGENT FOR LYDIA , Pinkerton Matchmaker Series #56 She was born early Friday, January 10, 2020, at Ama...

FFB Review: The Devil's Triangle: A Willie Black Mystery by Howard Owen


While it could be argued that this book was published too recently to qualify as an FFB review entry, it came out a couple of years ago and here is where the reviews of the series started. Therefore, we continue today. The Devil’s Triangle by Howard Owen is the sixth book in a great series that started with Oregon Hill. This is a series that should be read in order. For more reading suggestions, make sure you head over to Todd Mason’s Sweet Freedom blog.

It is April 2016 as The Devil’s Triangle: A Willie Black Mystery begins. A local bar that was a watering hole for Willie Black and many others was destroyed that Friday afternoon when a small plane crashed into it. The loss of life is many and that includes several folks from Kate’s old law firm who were known to frequent the place every Friday afternoon. One of the deceased in the flaming wreckage and rubble is Greg Ellis, who was Katie’s husband.

In the first hours and days of the fiery aftermath, it becomes clear that, despite all the public speculation, it was not domestic or foreign terrorism that rained massive destruction and death on the neighborhood. It was one man by the name of David Biggio who was the pilot and soul person on board the borrowed plane. A man that clearly had his own issues, but had no reason to target the building, the block, or anyone in the place. While several basic questions of the story have already been answered, the main question of why it happened is the angle that reporter Willie Black is chasing in The Devil’s Triangle: A Novel  by Howard Owen.

Like any good series worth reading, time passes and characters evolve in this mystery series. As in real life, characters in this series go through ups and downs as events happen.  This sixth book in the series continues the changes for Willie Black, his girlfriend, Cindy Peronie, and his ex-wife, Kate, among many others. The recurring theme that has been present since the start regarding the decline in the newspaper industry as well as the public cost of the lost journalism at the local and national level continues in this read.

At the core of each read is always the mystery that Willie Black is trying to solve which is the heart of the current story/case. As in the other books of the series, the mystery here is complicated and not at all easily solved. Doing so raises the risks for Willie Black. One really does not want to be Willie’s Black insurance agent.

The series that began so well with Oregon Hill continues on here, six books later, with The Devil’s Triangle. Another solidly good read by author Howard Owen and highly recommended. 

The series to this point and my reviews:

Oregon Hill (June 14, 2019)

The Philadelphia Quarry (July 19, 2019)

Parker Field (September 2019)

The Bottom (October 4, 2019)

Grace (November 15, 2019)





My reading copy came from the Skyline Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2020

Wednesday, January 08, 2020

Do Some Damage: PROS VS. AMATEURS:: THE DIVERGING ROADS OF CRIME F...

Do Some Damage: PROS VS. AMATEURS:: THE DIVERGING ROADS OF CRIME F...:                       There is a great line from the epic caper film Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels that goes "Guns for show, ...

WRITER BEWARE: 2019 IN REVIEW

WRITER BEWARE: 2019 IN REVIEW

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Honjin Murders (1946) by Seishi Yokomizo

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Honjin Murders (1946) by Seishi Yokomizo: Nearly a year ago, the eagerly anticipated translation of the second locked room novel by the doyen of the Japanese shin honkaku (neo-or...

Lesa's Book Critiques: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

Lesa's Book Critiques: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Tattooist, Mars, Bone Clocks, Mosquito,...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Tattooist, Mars, Bone Clocks, Mosquito,...: Reported by Laura            The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris is a beautiful love story set in the most horrific circ...

Tuesday, January 07, 2020

The Guardian: Romantic fiction awards cancelled after racism row prompts mass boycott

The Guardian: Romantic fiction awards cancelled after racism row prompts mass boycott

MWA: New Books AND Short Stories by MWA Members – January 2020

MWA: New Books AND Short Stories by MWA Members – January 2020

Gravetapping: THE SPY IN THE BOX by Ralph Dennis

Gravetapping: THE SPY IN THE BOX by Ralph Dennis: The Spy in the Box  was written by Ralph Dennis in the early 1980s, but this  Brash Books  edition, released nearly 40 years after it was ...

Hawaiian Noir: MYSTERY MONDAY: GUNS +TACOS

Hawaiian Noir: MYSTERY MONDAY: GUNS +TACOS

Lindy's Lair: FAVORITE READS OF 2019

Lindy's Lair: FAVORITE READS OF 2019

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Bottom: A Willie Black Mystery by Howard Owen...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Bottom: A Willie Black Mystery by Howard Owen...:   Guest reviewer Kevin Tipple is back with his take on this Howard Owen novel.  Check out his blog Kevin's Corner for more book rev...

Monday, January 06, 2020

In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday for 1/6/2020

In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday for 1/6/2020

Beneath the Stains of Time: Policeman in Armour (1937) by Rupert Penny

Beneath the Stains of Time: Policeman in Armour (1937) by Rupert Penny: E.B.C. Thornett was an English crossword expert and the author of nine densely plotted, jigsaw-like detective novels, published under the...

Erika Dreifus: Monday Markets and Jobs for Writers for 1/6/2020

Erika Dreifus: Monday Markets and Jobs for Writers for 1/6/2020

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: Texas Literary Calendar Jan. 6-12,...

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: Texas Literary Calendar Jan. 6-12,...: Bookish goings-on in Texas for the week of January 6-12, 2020, compiled exclusively for  Lone Star Literary Life  by Texas Book Lover.  ...

Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: The Comforts of Home by Susan Hill


The Comforts of Home by Susan Hill (Harry N. Abrams, 2018) is the ninth book in the Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler series. Serrailler is part of the police force in Lafferton, a fictional cathedral city in the south of England. In this particular entry Serrailler wakes up in hospital after suffering severe injuries on the job. He goes on extended leave to an island off the coast of Scotland to recover, where he’s vacationed before. He settles into a quiet life in the village, visiting the local pub, chatting with the neighbors, walking along the coast, until one of the residents disappears and then is found shot. The local police are happy to consult Serrailler, who is glad to find something to occupy his mind.

In the meantime Lafferton is rocked by a serial arsonist, who is doing a great deal of damage. The mother of a young woman who disappeared years earlier begins to insist that the Lafferton police re-activate the case. The man she believes kidnapped and killed her daughter is in prison for the deaths of other women. While the police agree with her, the prosecutor decided there was not enough evidence to try him for this particular crime, which the mother is not willing to accept. The police chief has no staff to spare for a cold case while they are desperate to locate the arsonist, so he collects the files and sends them off to Simon in Scotland to review. The outcomes of his investigations are surprisingly dark.

One of the delights of this series is that each one has a detailed map of Lafferton in the manner of older village mysteries. I enjoyed orienting myself to the town on this first visit and the various locations mentioned in the story. Even with the map I was a little over my head for the first few pages. It’s clear there has been a good deal of character development in the earlier books and probably this is not the best one to start with. Once the actual police work began, my reading smoothed out.

There is a lot about the state of health care in England in this book, which was easy to incorporate between Simon’s injury and his doctor sister’s presence. It’s all quite heartfelt which makes me suspect the author is speaking from experience.

A good contemporary British police procedural with strong character involvement. New readers should start earlier in the series.



·         Hardcover: 336 pages
·         Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (November 20, 2018)
·         Language: English
·         ISBN-10: 1468301462
·         ISBN-13: 978-146830146


Aubrey Hamilton ©2020

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

Saturday, January 04, 2020

Tangent Online: Tangent Online 2019 Recommended Reading List

Tangent Online: Tangent Online 2019 Recommended Reading List

Lesa's Book Critiques: Trouble in Mind by Michael Wiley

Lesa's Book Critiques: Trouble in Mind by Michael Wiley

KRL Update: KRL This Week for 2/4/2020

Up in KRL this morning our reviewers take a look back at the books we reviewed in 2019 and share some of our favorites

We also have a review and ebook giveaway of "Cast Iron Alibi" by Victoria Hamilton

KRL is still playing catchup with our reviews in the new year. This week we have reviews and giveaways of "Three Widows and a Corpse": A Food Blogger Mystery by Debra Sennefelder, "Two Bites Too Many": Sarah Blair Mystery by Debra H. Goldstein, "Hounds of the Basket Stitch": Black Sheep Knitting Mystery by Anne Canadeo, and "Can’t Judge a Book by Its Murder": Main Street Book Club Mystery by Amy Lillard

And we have a review of the mystery TV show "Inspector George Gently" currently streaming on Acorn TV 

Also, our reviewer Kathleen Costa shares her favorites that she reviewed in 2019 in TV, books, and favorite authors. You can also enter to win a $3 Amazon gift card 

And mystery writer Khaled Talib shares about the setting of his latest book "Gun Kiss" and you can enter to win a copy of the book

For those who enjoy a little fantasy and scifi with their mystery, up on KRL News and Reviews this week a review and giveaway of "Shield of the People" by Marshall Ryan Maresca 

Happy new year!
Lorie

Scott's Take: Injustice vs. Masters Of The Universe by Tim Seeley


Injustice vs. Masters Of The Universe by Tim Seeley is a tale set after the events of the videogame Injustice 2. The story picks up sometime after the bad ending of Injustice 2 where the Evil Superman has taken over the earth in the DC Universe. Desperate for help, the surviving heroes need a magical hero to help them overthrow the Evil Superman and his army. Batman chooses He-Man for the job.

Featuring a vast array of characters from both universes interacting and fighting, Injustice vs. Masters Of The Universe includes Skeltor, Wonder Woman, Zatanna, Harley Quinn, Darkseid, Hodak, Supergirl, Green Arrow, and more. Ultimately, it all boils down to one final massive battle between He-Man and the evil Superman.

The art is above average if a little basic. The story itself is pretty good and definitely set up for a sequel. Injustice vs. Masters Of The Universe is a story that is violent and appropriate for mature readers only. Author Tim Seeley does a good job of catching people up on both universes so readers new to these universes can easily start here.



Injustice vs. Masters Of The Universe
Tim Seeley
DC Comics
April 2019
ISBN# 978-1-4012-8837-2
Hardback (also available in paperback and digital formats)
160 Pages



Material came from the Central Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.


Scott A. Tipple ©2020

Friday, January 03, 2020

In Reference To Murder: Mystery Melange for 1/2/2020

In Reference To Murder: Mystery Melange for 1/2/2020

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and...: Reviewed by Kristin Genealogy was the first word which caught my eye on the cover of this book.   The background picture is u...

Bitter Tea and Mystery: The Twelve Deaths of Christmas: Marian Babson

Bitter Tea and Mystery: The Twelve Deaths of Christmas: Marian Babson: I am still in a holiday mood on the 2nd day of the new year, so I am writing about my last Christmas read from mid-December. The Twelve Deat...

FFB Review: Bleak Harbor: A Novel by Bryan Gruley


My final review of 2019 was on the soon to be released book, Purgatory Bay. While it is not really an FFB review worthy title because of the recent publication date, I thought I would remind you today of my review from a little bit over a year ago of the first book in the series, Bleak Harbor. You should also read his Starvation Lake Series. For more reading suggestions, make sure you check out the full list over at Todd Mason’s Sweet Freedom Blog.

It has been several years since his excellent series billed as The Starvation Lake Trilogy, but finally author Bryan Gruley is back with a new book. Bleak Harbor more than lives up to the hype surrounding it.  

Daniel Peters, who only goes by Danny, is about to be sixteen. Son of Carey and Andrew, he isn’t that fond of Bleak Harbor. It is a Thursday as the book opens and Danny is spending his time, as he often does, out on the dock watching the dragonflies.

Dragonflies are a major part of his life as an autistic young teen. They are also the reason for the upcoming annual “Southwestern Michigan Dragonfly Festival” that starts tomorrow which also happens to be his birthday. This will be 28th such festival in a city known more for the legacy of the Bleak family. Daniel Peters is a part of the Bleak family and that legacy even if his incredibly wealthy grandmother, Serenity, refuses to acknowledge his presence or existence. She has the town and her family firmly under her control and their failure to cooperate has economic consequences for anyone and everyone.

That includes Danny’s parents as his mother is Carey Bleak Peters, daughter of Serenity. She has many regrets and they include moving to Bleak Harbor. She did it to help her husband start his already failing medical marijuana business as well as get help for Danny from her family. As that has all failed, she has made a last ditch gamble. Now that she has proof of several different things, she can take down her boss and his company. She has told him she won’t pull that trigger---if her wealthy and powerful boss pays her ten million dollars for her silence. Not only can he afford it, she really wants to take Danny away with her so that they can start a new life. Daddy, who is working his own agenda, won’t be part of that new life.

Before she can make good on their escape, Danny goes missing and has obviously been kidnapped.

As the hours pass, things escalate out of control in this thriller. Author Bryan Gruley follows the standard thriller formula these days of keeping the chapters short and the point of view constantly changing as he ratchets up the tension. He also does a superb job of misdirection that surprised this reader. Bleak Harbor is engrossing and intense read from start to finish and very much worth your time. Sadly, the second book in the series, Purgatory Bay, is not currently scheduled to come out until January 2020.)



Bleak Harbor: A Novel
Bryan Gruley
Thomas & Mercer (Amazon Publishing)
December 1, 2018
ISBN#: 978-1503904682
Hardback (also available in digital and audio book formats)
$24.95
378 Pages


ARC supplied by Sarah Burningham of Little Bird Publicity.


Kevin R. Tipple ©2018, 2020

Wednesday, January 01, 2020

Bitter Tea and Mystery: The Hunting Party: Lucy Foley

Bitter Tea and Mystery: The Hunting Party: Lucy Foley: This is a crime fiction novel taking place around New Year's Eve / New Year's Day. A winter getaway in a lovely setting, which goes ...

The Big Thrill: Purgatory Bay by Bryan Gruley (Possible Spoilers)

If you read this blog, you already know what a fan of this author I am and how much I enjoyed this read. This interview with the author contains some information that, in my humble opinion, is borderline spoiler. Also made me rethink how I read the primary character as my take was a bit different. the review is interesting for that and some other stuff in it. Just trying to give ytou a heads up before you read this. 

The Big Thrill: Purgatory Bay by Bryan Gruley (Possible Spoilers)

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Beans, Dogs, Collapse, The Body, Turtle...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Beans, Dogs, Collapse, The Body, Turtle...: Reported by Laura             The Beans of Egypt , Maine by Carolyn Chute was the first book reviewed and the reader disliked it so ...
Thank you, Jerry.

The Clock Has Struck Midnight...


...and Scott and I wish you a Happy New Year and all the best in 2020.