KRL This Week Update for 6/26/2021

 Up in KRL this morning reviews and giveaways of 3 more fun mysteries for your summer reading-"Beyond a Reasonable Donut": A Deputy Donut Mystery by Ginger Bolton, "Independent Bones": A Sarah Booth Delany Mystery by Carolyn Haines, and "Punning with Scissors": A Crossword Puzzle Mystery by Becky Clark (this book is an ebook giveaway the other 2 are print) https://kingsriverlife.com/06/26/end-of-june-mystery-catchup/

 

As we continue to feature LGBTQ+ authors for Pride this month, up in KRL today we have a review and ebook giveaway of "The Always Anonymous Beast" by Lauren Wright Douglas, along with an interesting interview with Lauren. The book is published by ReQueered Tales https://kingsriverlife.com/06/26/the-always-anonymous-beast-by-lauren-wright-douglas/

 

We also have the latest mystery Coming Attractions from Sunny Frazier https://kingsriverlife.com/06/26/july-coming-attractions-beat-the-heat-and-go-to-the-beach/

 

Up during the week we posted another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author Marilyn Meredith where she talks about her latest book "The Trash Harem." You can also enter to win an ebook copy of the book https://kingsriverlife.com/06/23/its-not-over-until-youre-sure-its-over/

 

Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and giveaway of "Pint of No Return" by Dana Mentink https://www.krlnews.com/2021/06/pint-of-no-return-by-dana-mentink.html

 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "Moonlight & Misadventures" an anthology edited by Judy Penz Sheluk https://www.krlnews.com/2021/06/moonlight-misadventure-20-stories-of.html

 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "TERF Wars" by Dharma Kelleher https://www.krlnews.com/2021/06/terf-wars-by-dharma-kelleher.html

 

We also have a review and giveaway of "Phantoms and Felonies" by Lucy Ness, along with a bonus giveaway of the previous book in the series "Haunted Homicide" https://www.krlnews.com/2021/06/phantoms-and-felonies-by-lucy-ness.html

Happy reading,
Lorie

Lesa's Book Critiques: THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB BY WENDY WAX

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Scott's Take: An Empire Asunder: The Scourwind Legacy Book Two by Evan Currie

An Empire Asunder by Evan Currie is the sequel to Heirs of Empire and begins a short time after that first book. As this is a series where one book builds on another, it is impossible to discuss anything in this book without causing some sort of spoiler for the reader. Therefore, the review below does contain some spoilers, but those details are limited as much as possible.

 

In this novel, the royal twins have moved into new positions as the young prince has joined the Cadre and the young princess has become Empress. The war between The Empire led by the twins vs the Alliance led by General Corian escalates. Mira Desol, after the events of the first novel, took off with the Caleb Star and has been using it and her crew as a self-proclaimed pirate to raid Corian's forces. Corian, who was severely injured, has become increasingly unhinged as he enacts his latest sinister plan to take the throne. On separate paths the young prince and Mira seek to uncover Corian's evil plot.

 

An Empire Asunder is very much like the first book. If you read it and enjoyed the fast-paced action with strong character relationships and banter, you will probably enjoy this novel. The addition of Matani, a seasoned Cadre member who was retired but has come back to teach young cadre members, was the best new character with his general attitude of world weariness was highly entertaining. Among other duties, he is attempting to turn the young prince into a soldier. Once introduced, he provided many observations and comments that served to move things forward as well as entertain this reader.

 

The one real change to the previous writing style evidenced in the first book is that in this novel, is that a number of the side characters get a POV perspective while interacting with the main characters. This allows readers to better understand how other characters are reacting to the main characters.

 

An Empire Asunder by Evan Currie is a good book that continues the events of the first one. Published in 2016, the read is clearly a setup for the next novel in the series, but the author has not announced one at this time.

 

 

An Empire Asunder: The Scourwind Legacy Book One

Evan Currie

http://evancurrie.ca/

47 North (Amazon)

http://www.apub.com

November 2016

ISBN# 978-1503939837

Paperback (also available in audio and eBook formats)

331 Pages 

 

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

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2021

Lesa's Book Critiques: WINNERS AND AN ANTHOLOGY GIVEAWAY

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Writer Beware®: The Blog: Eli Bear Company, Star Alley Press: Two Writer Beware All-Stars Return With New Ventures

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The Wickeds: The Natural Order of Things by Judy Penz Sheluk

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Six Questions For . . .: Six Questions for Sandra Ruttan, Editor-in-Chief, Dark Dispatch

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Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: ZOMNIBUS

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The Rap Sheet: Bullet Points: Back from Vacation Edition

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FFB Review: Rapture in Death: Eve Dallas Mysteries (Book 4) by J. D. Robb

Rapture in Death by Judy Robb picks up approximately three weeks after the wedding between Lieutenant Eve Dallas and Roarke in Immortal in Death. After an offworld honeymoon that that fully involved Dallas personally and professionally, Lieutenant Dallas finds her old desk more buried than it was when she left. She has paperwork to do, court hearings to attend and testify at, and soon a murder to solve. 

Or, that murder could be a suicide.

NYPD Homicide Lieutenant Eve Dallas does not think so. Just hours after high priced defense attorney S. T. Fitzhugh tried to trash her, her character, and her investigation, in defense of his client, Fitzhugh is found floating dead in his tub in his home. A hand that is hanging over the edge of the clear tub has a gaping wound and has let blood flow out over the titles. More blood is in the water making it clear that there are other injuries as yet unseen. The knife, presumably the tool of choice, is present. It has all the appearances of a suicide though Dallas isn't so sure.

 

Before long, she is sure a murderer is at work as Fitzhugh isn't the only apparent suicide. Proving that the cases are linked and are actually murders is getting increasingly difficult. Not only due to the pressure coming at her from all sides, but the sheer lack of evidence. Somebody is playing god, she is sure of it, but finding proof and the identity of the person or persons responsible is proving nearly impossible in Rapture in Death.

 

This is the fourth book in the In Death series written by J. D. Robb. Police procedurals set in the late 2050s, these books feature complicated cases, flashes of humor, and often graphic sex. While all that is fine this reader, I remain annoyed by the abrupt head hopping pov switches through multiple characters in the same paragraph. The writer and editor in me screams when I see them as that is slopping story telling. However, that being said, I must admit that what seems glaring obvious in the first part of these books, fades to the background as the story progresses and I get lost in the read.

 

These are fun books that serve as a nice break between reads for me. I recognize the flaws while I also recognize that they are highly entertaining. Like any series, one should read in order. However, each book has brief recaps of what went on before and therefore one can pick up any one of the first four to start and have a pretty good idea what has been going on in the series. A fun series that should not be taken too seriously, Rapture in Death is an enjoyable read. 

 

The series to this point and my reviews:

Naked in Death: Eve Dallas Mysteries (Book 1) March 2021

Glory in Death: Eve Dallas Mysteries (Book 2) April 2021

Immortal in Death (Book 3) May 2021

 

 

Rapture in Death: Eve Dallas Mysteries (Book 4)

J. D. Robb

https://jdrobb.com/1996/10/rapture-in-death/

Berkley Books (Penguin Random House)

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/340850/rapture-in-death-by-j-d-robb/

October 1996

ASIN: B000OIZTAO

eBook (also available in audio, hardback, and paperback formats)

299 Pages 

 

My copy came via the LibbyApp from the Dallas Public Library System. Big time thanks to my son, Scott, as always for making the technology work for me.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2021

Mystery Melange: Mystery Melange for 6/24/2021

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Lesa's Book Critiques: WHAT ARE YOU READING?

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Joan Leotta Reviews: While Justice Sleeps: A Novel by Stacey Abrams

While Justice Sleeps: A Novel

by Stacy Abrams

Doubleday (May 11, 2021)

Hardcover : 384 pages, also available in Kindle, Paper, and on Audible

ISBN-10: 0385546572

ISBN-13: 978-0385546577 

 

Supreme Court Justice, Howard Wynn, lies “sleeping” in a coma. The first few pages set up the story, how he falls into the sleep, and give us background on his intrepid clerk, the protagonist Avery Keene, who has a family full of problems and no idea that the Justice is about to dump his decision-making power in all areas (health, finance, papers) on her instead of name his wife or son.

While I found the set-up pages a bit slow moving, once into the story, I realized that the complexity of the tale, needed that detail in order for our minds to follow the faster pace at which Abrams skillfully weaves together the tales of family perfidy, political perfidy, and international upset in the world of vaccines into a braid well-worth our time. Plus she adds just a dash or romance, the bow on the braid.

Abrams, while perhaps better known for her political prowess, and stunning non-fiction work on voting rights especially, is no stranger to fiction. Under the pen name, Selena Montgomery, she has written eight romantic suspense novels.

Considering the timeline involved with putting out a work of fiction with a major publisher, Abrams is also eerily prescient in giving us frighteningly realistic negative possibilities of a merger between an American and Indian genetics firm that supposedly is for curing a deadly genetic disease. Her depictions of an evil genius in the White House , willing to commit murder to achieve his aims is also terrifying. However having lived for more than thirty years in the DC playpen seen its workings up close and personal, I have to say, she has created realistic characters on all sides.

I would love to see Avery Keene apply her keen mind (pun intended) to other DC -based mysteries. Maybe a new series is in the works? While Justice Sleeps is an exceptionally good read and deserves five stars.

I was thrilled to have latched on to this book as my local librarian was setting it out.

Find it. Read it. It’s the first fiction she has published under her own name. The book is available on Kindle and at local bookstores. 

  

Joan Leotta ©2021 

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

Lesa's Book Critiques: PACK UP THE MOON BY KRISTAN HIGGINS

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Do Some Damage: An Interview with S.A. Cosby

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Patti Abbott: Short Story Wednesday: 'Motherless Son' Elizabeth Strout

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Short Story Wednesday Review: The Highwayman: A Longmire Story by Craig Johnson

From the massive archive…

There is a legend regarding the Wind River Canyon in Wyoming. The legend has several pieces including a piece involving a highway patrol officer by the name of Bobby Womack who had a complicated career tragically cut short in a fiery crash decades ago. It is a place where strange occurrences are customary, radio communication is still nearly impossible, and very old gold coins appear on the roadway right before major events.

It is according to newly transferred highway patrol officer Rosey Wayman, a place where she can hear “officer needs assistance” radio calls from Bobby Womack. Such a call sends fear and stress through any officer. That response is made worse by the fact these calls come from somebody who can’t possibly be alive and no one else has ever heard the middle of the night calls. Sheriff Walt Longmire knows her to be a good and solid officer and intends to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Others think there is no mystery. Their perception, whether they say it or not, is that Officer Wayman is nuts. Her supervisor wants her to have a psychiatric evaluation. Such an evaluation, even if she would pass the test, certainly isn’t going to help her career prospects. Trying to convince others of what she has heard these last three months is beginning to take a serious toll on the young officer. She needs Sheriff Walt Longmire and the Henry Standing Bear to prove she isn’t crazy.

This is a heavily atmospheric mystery tale that is a really good one. There has always been a hint of the unexplained by in the stories of Sheriff Walt Longmire. It is a much heavier presence in The Highwayman where the mystery has a modern component as well as pieces of what legends are made of. The paranormal or the unexplainable has a strong presence in the tale and has not surprisingly generated quite a few negative reviews on the various review sites. As has the publisher price of this novella which is as high as a full length novel.

Don’t pay any attention to the naysayers. Much of their negative commentary is driven by either failing to understand the storyline or by being annoyed by the price set by the publisher. Either situation has nothing at all to do with the actual read. It is a fast moving novella that that is part mystery and part psychological suspense. Not everything in the world can be easily explained and that is certainly true in The Highwayman: A Longmire Story by Craig Johnson. It is also a very good book.

For another take on the book, please check out Lesa Holstine’s review.  While checking that out make sure you also check out the Wind River Canyon on America’s Scenic Byways as well as the tunnels on Bridgehunter.com.

 

The Highwayman: A Longmire Story

Craig Johnson

http://www.craigallenjohnson.com

Viking (Penguin Random House LLC)

http://www.penguin.com

2016

ISBN# 978-0-7352-2089-8

Hardback (also available in eBook and audio formats)

201 Pages 

 

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Public Library System. 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016, 2021

Lesa's Book Critiques: A DISTANT GRAVE BY SARAH STEWART TAYLOR

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Reads, Writes, Reviews: Review: The Bastard's Sons by Jeffrey James

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Review: Trail Revenge by Wayne D. Dundee (Dangerous Trails: Collected Western Adventures)

Following Trail Justice in Dangerous Trails: Collected Western Adventures by Wayne D. Dundee is Trail Revenge. The second volume of the trilogy, it picks up several days after the violent events of the preceding book. It is late May 1848 and the wagon train is somewhere near California Hill in the Nebraska Territory. In addition to recent events, some in the party are aware that the trail is about to get harder as they cross begin to put the South Platte River behind them and move ever closer to the mountains of the Rockies. 

Wagon Master Eugene Healy has these thoughts in mind and others as the wagons slowly move forward. Not only does he need to get his wagon across the river and ensure the safety of his wife, Ingrid, and their son, Donald, he needs to get all of the other wagons and their cargo---families and goods--across safely as well. Fortunately, young Basil St. Irons, the scout, has proven himself capable at every turn. Basil has found a place that should work well even though the snowmelt out of the mountains has made the river running fast and strong. 

Finding a good spot to cross is not the only thing Basil has found today. While scouting long distance out in front of the wagon train, he also found a body. Who he was and, more importantly, how he came to be washed up against the riverbank was a question Basil wanted to have answered. It took some time and he thinks he has figured it out. He needs to have a word with Wagon Master Healy in private as soon as possible. 

That threat as well as the past catching up to the Healys in a violent way that affects everyone on the wagon train drives this read forward. 

Trail Revenge continues the excellent tale begun in Trail Justice. Readers learn more of the backstory of the Healys and several other folks familiar to readers by this point. A solidly good tale with lots of nuance, Trail Revenge is another good read in the Dangerous Trails: Collected Western Adventures. 

 

 

Dangerous Trails: Collected Western Adventures

Wayne D. Dundee

http://fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com/

Wolfpack Publishing

https://wolfpackpublishing.com/dangerous-trails-collected-western-adventures-wayne-d-dundee/

June 2020

ASIN: B0898JGVZC

eBook Only

788 Pages 

 

I picked this up in June 2020 using funds in my Amazon Associate account. 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2021

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Ripped From the Headlines: The Shocking True Stories Behind the Movies' Most Memorable Crimes by Harold Schechter.

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In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday 6/21/2021

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Lesa's Book Critiques: JOHN MCMAHON, GUEST AUTHOR

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Markets and Jobs for Writers for 6/21/2021

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Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Kill Me Again by Terence Faherty

Terence Faherty is the author of two mystery series, a fan of old movies, and a fellow Hoosier. He also has a beautiful signature which he obligingly placed on a few of my copies of his books when we met at a conference.

He channeled his knowledge of old movies into his series with Scott Elliott. Elliott has something of a love-hate relationship with Hollywood. A promising actor before the war, upon his return no one is returning his calls and he perforce falls back on a job with a second-rate security agency who sweeps up or covers up at the film studios’ behest.

The first in the series Kill Me Again (Simon & Schuster, 1996) opens in 1947 when Hollywood was facing a double crisis: the arrival of the new medium of television, which threatened the film industry’s existence, and the attention of the House Un-American Activities Committee, which altered or ended the careers of more than 300 directors, radio commentators, actors, and screenwriters. Elliott’s company has been retained by Warner Brothers to find out if Bert Kramer, the screenwriter for Warner’s sequel to its World War II blockbuster film, has any Communist connections. That reliable source of information, an anonymous letter, has cast aspersions on Kramer. Warner can’t afford any trouble and is poised to toss Kramer out but wants to salvage his script first.

The problematic Kramer turns up dead shortly thereafter. The police find no shortage of people that Kramer had alienated. But then they wonder if someone at Warner Brothers took a shortcut to its personnel problem or if one of Kramer’s Communist cronies killed him to keep him from outing others. Elliott’s investigation takes him around Hollywood and Los Angeles and east to New York, where some references to Broadway are folded into the story.

A well-written and cerebral look back at old Hollywood. Six more titles follow this one, the second won the 1998 Shamus Award for Best Novel. The fourth and seventh titles were shortlisted for the Shamus Award. Highly recommended for fans of classic movies, post-World War II historical mysteries, and mid-century Los Angeles.

 

·         Publisher: ‎ Simon & Schuster; 1st Edition (May 1, 1996)

·         Language: ‎ English

·         Hardcover: ‎ 300 pages

·         ISBN-10: ‎ 0684826887

·         ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0684826882

 

 

Aubrey Hamilton ©2021

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

Reminder: Amazon Prime Day 2021

If you are planning to shop at Amazon the next couple of days as part of their annual Prime Day event, please consider going through me via my Amazon links as I am an Amazon Associate. Every time you click through one of my links and buy something, I get a few cents added to my account as a referral fee. It does nothing on your end to raise your price. I just get a few cents and those pennies that cost you nothing start adding up for me on this end. I use the small fund to buy some medical stuff I need and the occasional book.

So, if you are inclined, when shopping at Amazon, please go through my links for whatever you are ultimately buying. Doing so helps me out and is always very much appreciated.

Thank you.

Lesa's Book Critiques: HAPPINESS IS A BOOK

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The Reading Room: The Ghost in the Gardent (Justice Jones #3) by Elly Griffiths: Reading Room Review

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Happy Fathers Day 2021

Happy Fathers Day to my fellow fathers---whether you had to confirm it on the Maury Povich show or not.

Remember, don't scratch in public. Makes some folks upset and they will complain. Unless you are a professional athlete. Then it is fine to publicly scratch, but, remember to thank God for the win.

Venting

 

This Week In Book Mail

 

Two different books arrived here at Casa Tipple and Home Eatery Library. 

Amazon Prime Day 2021

If you are planning to shop at Amazon the next couple of days as part of their annual Prime Day event, please consider going through me via my Amazon links as I am an Amazon Associate. Every time you click through one of my links and buy something, I get a few cents added to my account as a referral fee. It does nothing on your end to raise your price. I just get a few cents and those pennies that cost you nothing start adding up for me on this end. I use the small fund to buy some medical stuff I need and the occasional book.

So, if you are inclined, when shopping at Amazon, please go through my links for whatever you are ultimately buying. Doing so helps me out and is always very much appreciated.

Thank you.

KRL This Week Update for 6/19/2021

 Up on KRL this morning a review and giveaway of "The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait" by Cleo Coyle. You also win a fun tote bag! https://kingsriverlife.com/06/19/the-ghost-and-the-haunted-portrait-by-cleo-coyle/

 

And a review and giveaway of "A Wild Ride" by Jane Tesh along with a fun interview with Jane https://kingsriverlife.com/06/19/a-wild-ride-by-jane-tesh/

 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "Post Mortem" by Tonya Kappes https://kingsriverlife.com/06/19/post-mortem-by-tonya-kappes/

 

We also have the latest Queer Mystery Coming Attractions by Matt Lubbers-Moore https://kingsriverlife.com/06/19/queer-mystery-coming-attractions-july-2021/

 

For those who prefer to listen to Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast directly on KRL, you can find the player here for our new episode which features the first chapter of "Iron Goddess" by Dharma Kelleher read by local actor Casey Ballard https://kingsriverlife.com/06/19/iron-goddess-by-dharma-kelleher/

 

As we continue to feature LGBTQ+ authors during Pride month, this week we have an article about the fantasy novels of Neon Yang https://kingsriverlife.com/06/19/neon-yangs-the-black-tides-of-heaven/

 

Up during the week we had another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author Leslie Budewitz and she talks about writing a book set in a season different from the one you are in at the moment, and about her new book "Bitterroot Lake"

https://kingsriverlife.com/06/16/the-seasons-of-a-story/

 

And another one by mystery author Dharma Kelleher where she talks about her new book "TERF Wars" and why she ended up writing it  https://kingsriverlife.com/06/16/punching-back-the-story-behind-terf-wars/

 

Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and giveaway of "See Something" by Carol Perry https://www.krlnews.com/2021/06/see-something-by-carol-j-perry.html

 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "Truth or Dare" by Kathi Daley https://www.krlnews.com/2021/06/truth-or-dare-by-kathi-daley.html

 

Happy reading,
Lorie

Lesa's Book Critiques: HAVE YOU HEARD? FRENCH PRESSED BY CLEO COYLE

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Scott's Take: Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Volume 4

Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Volume 4 is very difficult to talk about without spoilers since this volume follows up on the plot points from the previous volumes. Simplifying greatly, much of the book is setup for the upcoming end volumes, time travel is involved, watching various other earth's heroes fall to the new threats from the multiverse as the Illuminati create a way to watch the multiverse through a sort of special tv, and discussing philosophical questions based around the idea of what will you do to save your world?

 

The art remains impressive, the scenes vary in this novel from the Avengers on this Earth and in this timeline having a large party after the Infinity War with Thor cooking for the team, to scenes where heroes on various Earths across the multiverse are being savagely killed. The relationships between characters on each Earth is the best part of the graphic novel and how they react to the impossible situations they find themselves in. Outside of the Illuminati and Captain America, The Hulk finds himself in the spotlight throughout this volume.

 

The main issue for this reader for this book was the fact that suddenly most of the characters that were important during the previous volumes no longer matter. Not only that, but the back cover art depicts characters that are only very briefly in the book. While it is an awesome back cover, nearly all of the characters shown are not relevant to the volume. It’s like one of those ads where the movie ad makes a big deal about such and such actor being in it and said actor is only in it for five minutes of the movie.

 

Expectations are that there will be at least two more collected volumes of this series at some point, but Marvel has not announced them or what their plans are for the separate series that make up these reads. As a reader, it is preferable when they do this kind of collection that draws from various series, because the author can put them into the proper order. It is a really good book that puts a strong focus on Tony and Steve and this reader hopes that Marvel finishes the collection so that we know how things work out. 

 

 

My reviews of the previous volumes in this series: 

Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Vol.1 (April 2021)

Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Volume 2 (May 2021

Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Volume 3 (May 2021)

 

 

Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Volume 4

Jonathan Hickman

https://www.marvel.com/comics/creators/11743/jonathan_hickman  

Marvel

https://www.marvel.com/comics/collection/89970/avengers_by_jonathan_hickman_the_complete_collection_vol_4_trade_paperback

March 2021

ISBN#: 978-1-30292648-9

Paperback (also available in eBook format)

528 Pages 

 

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

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2021

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