Kevin's Corner

Monday, May 15, 2023

Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Dead of Winter by Stephen Mack Jones

I loved Loren Estleman’s series of seven historical mysteries set in Detroit. Whiskey River (Bantam, 1990), describing the raucous Detroit underworld during Prohibition, is on my list of all-time favorite pieces of crime fiction. Stephen Mack Jones took me back to present-day Detroit, although some things like corrupt local politicians never change. His protagonist August Snow is a former cop who lives in his childhood home where he fiercely protects the working-class neighborhood from drug pushers and attempts to exploit the disadvantaged residents.

In Snow’s third adventure Dead of Winter (Soho Crime, 2021), he’s approached by Ronaldo Ochoa, the owner of the Mexican food factory where Snow’s mother worked all her life, to ask him to buy the company. Ochoa is being pressured to sell by a Mr. Sloane who Ochoa fears will tear the buildings down, taking away the jobs of his employees. Snow doesn’t see himself as a purveyor of tortillas but he doesn’t like the way Ochoa is being treated so he agrees to look into Mr. Sloane’s plans. He finds smoke and shadows instead of a clear proposal of land ownership and intended usage with complaisant local officials prepared to look the other way for the right price. In no time his interest in the matter is noted and attempts to discourage it quickly escalate to hoodlums from New Jersey who specialize in removing obstacles.

While unofficial private investigators, shady land developers, and crooked politicians are nothing new, Snow offers a fresh spin on all three. His friends and neighbors are endearing, some of the strongest supporting characters I have seen for awhile. Amid the flying bullets and falling bodies, I was struck by the polished, visually arresting writing. The scene where Snow dies and meets his parents again is an entertaining and original take on the afterlife.

Like the relentless throb of a toothache the issue of race dominates the story. Skin color and associated social inequities overtly drive the behavior of many of the characters, reflecting the current depressing reality. Recommended.

Booklist Starred Review. New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice, Booklist Top 10 Crime Novel of the Year, 2022 Michigan Notable Book.

· Publisher: ‎Soho Crime (May 4, 2021)

· Language: ‎English

· Hardcover: ‎312 pages

· ISBN-10: ‎1641291028

· ISBN-13: ‎978-1641291026

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

Sunday, May 14, 2023

Dru's Book Musings New Releases: Week of May 14, 2023

Lesa's Book Critiques: MIDSUMMER MYSTERIES BY AGATHA CHRISTIE

Saturday, May 13, 2023

Mystery Fanfare: MOTHER'S DAY MYSTERIES // MOTHER'S DAY CRIME FICTION

Mystery Fanfare: MOTHER'S DAY MYSTERIES // MOTHER'S DAY CRIME FICTION: Mother's Day : So many Mothers in Mysteries . The following is a sampling with emphasis on the Mother's Day Holiday . If I lis...

Lesa's Book Critiques: KEVIN’S CORNER ANNEX – LINDA CASTILLO’S HALLOWED GROUND

KRL This Week Update for 5/13/2023

Up on KRL this morning reviews and giveaways of some delicious food mysteries for your Mother's Day-"Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust": A Deep Dish Mystery by Mindy Quigley, "Cinnamon Twisted": A Deputy Donut Mystery by Ginger Bolton, "Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie": A Death by Chocolate Mystery by Sarah Graves, and "Death by Iced Coffee": A Bookstore Café Mystery by Alex Erikson https://kingsriverlife.com/05/13/food-mysteries-for-mothers-day/

And a review and giveaway of "Blood Bayou" by Lynn Emery along with an interesting interview with Lynn https://kingsriverlife.com/05/13/blood-bayou-by-lynn-emery/

And a review and giveaway of "Murder Under A Red Moon" by Harini Nagendra https://kingsriverlife.com/05/13/murder-under-a-red-moon-by-harini-nagendra/

We also have a mystery short story by Guy Belleranti https://kingsriverlife.com/05/13/mystery-short-story-the-last-painting-of-her-life/

And another local true crime/ghost story and this one has a Mother's Day tie in https://kingsriverlife.com/05/13/dyed-in-human-blood-the-vincent-murder-house-haunting/

And up during the week we posted another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author Laura Jarratt about how motherhood factors in her latest book "Without Saying Goodbye." With Mother's Day almost here it is a perfect time for a post about mothers! https://kingsriverlife.com/05/ 10/motherhood-and-the- importance-of-our- intergenerational-friendships/

Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and giveaway of "The Dead of Night" by Elaine Viets https://www.krlnews.com/2023/05/the-dead-of-night-by-elaine-viets.html

And a review and giveaway of "Fateful Words" by Paige Shelton https://www.krlnews.com/2023/05/fateful-words-by-paige-shelton.html

And for those who enjoy fantasy with their mystery, we have a review and ebook giveaway of "Wraith's Revenge" by Keri Arthur https://www.krlnews.com/2023/05/wraiths-revenge-by-keri-arthur.html

Happy reading,
Lorie

Beneath the Stains of Time: Black Run (2021) by D.L. Marshall

Beneath the Stains of Time: Black Run (2021) by D.L. Marshall: D.L. Marshall's Anthrax Island (2021) was one of last year's standouts, a hybridization of the action thriller, espionage and the c...

Scott's Take: A.X.E.: Judgment Day by Kieron Gillen

A.X.E.: Judgment Day by Kieron Gillen is a massive event crossover title featuring The Eternals, The Avengers, and The X-Men. It is helpful if you have been keeping up with the X-Men and Eternals titles since there are references to both. Also, to understand the full story, one really needs to have read some of the tie ins. In this crossover, The Eternals have a new leader who has decided to go to war. He has decided to give his people an enemy to unite them under his rule. His target is The X-Men and he intends to kill them all. Simply put, he intends to commit genocide and wipeout every last mutant not only on Earth, but on Mars as well. Of course, The Avengers are going to try to stop the Eternals from committing genocide but they are also trying to protect the regular people everywhere going about their lives.

So, on one team, you have The Eternals, superlong living immortals, who don’t have much free will, since they are more programed than people. There are 101 of them. Most are pretty powerful, but the gap between their level of powers, is pretty small. They all can pretty much do the same things and have the same limits though there are some exceptions.

The X-Men number somewhere in the millions and exist on Earth and Mars. Most mutants on Earth have pretty useless powers while some are very powerful and then some are incredibly powerful. So, The X-men have the numbers, but most of their members are pretty much human just with a little extra that’s not very useful in this kind of situation. That means the fight is pretty even. Though, the ones that live on Mars are survivors of a thousand-year war so they are superior to most of The X-Men on Earth and have far stronger powers than those mutants on Earth.

Featuring great art and plenty of action, this is a fun read even for someone like me who is not a fan of The Eternals. There is a twist halfway through that throws a monkey wrench into the plot that one cannot go into too much detail without spoiling the read, therefore, I will not try to explain that. I can explain that he fights between the teams are pretty epic. You have Professor X leading a group of telepaths fighting off an Eternal strike force in the Astral plane and trying to stop them from melting everyone’s brains. At the same time, The X-men on the island are facing off against a strike force of Eternals while a separate group of X-Men are battling skyscraper size Eternals called “The Hex” in the waters around their island home. There is plenty of blood and gore. There are many deaths, but since resurrection is a big part of the abilities on each side, the deaths are usually not permeant even when you see people burned alive. They will be back. For example, one dude is reduced to nothing more than a skull and yet, a few pages later, is back and is pretty much fine.

Some characters get the spotlight more than others, but in a title featuring more than 30 characters that is expected. One thing that did surprise me and I guess it should not when literary characters and works are being sanitized so as to not offend was the fact that one character is brought back from the past so that they can use him in movies. Marvel changes his character and does some revisionist history to the canon as he is problematic on his own and very much so in today’s culture and political environment. It’s hard to feel bad for the character and reconcile who he is supposed to be now after who he was in previous reads.

Overall, I highly enjoyed this event title, but some of the story is missing since some of the tie ins are very critical to the tale and are not included here. Like the War on Mars is told in the tie ins, so you just get a brief check in here with such and such is dead. Well, how did they die? Go read the tie ins.

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

Friday, May 12, 2023

Lesa's Book Critiques: WINNERS & A COZY GIVEAWAY

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: DON'T MISS THE 99¢ SALE MAY 12 TO MAY 16

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: DON'T MISS THE 99¢ SALE MAY 12 TO MAY 16: By Caroline Clemmons Do you need something cheerful and uplifting to read? If so, grab your copy of the sweet historical western romance...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Seances are for Suckers by Tamara Berry

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Seances are for Suckers by Tamara Berry: Reviewed by Jeanne Eleanor Wilde, better known as Madame Eleanor in certain circles, specializes in exorcising ghosts which she does wit...

Happiness Is A Book: FRIDAY’S FORGOTTEN BOOK: THE SHADOW ON THE WALL BY MORAY DALTON

Patti Abbott: FFB: Dead ANYWAY, Chris Knopf (from the archives reviewed by Jeff Meyerson)

In Reference To Murder: Friday's "Forgotten" Books - She Shall Have Murder

Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOKS: GUTTER ROAD/YOU CAN'T STOP ME

Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOKS: GUTTER ROAD/YOU CAN'T STOP ME: Gutter Road by Robert Silverberg (originally published as by "Don Elliott," 1964) and You Can't Stop Me by Robert Silverberg ...

FFB Review: The Rogues' Game by Milton T. Burton

It has been a very long time since I reminded you of this excellent read by the late Milton T. Burton. Back in December 2011, the world lost one heck of a writer and I lost a good friend. I had known that Milton was doing poorly at the time, but I thought he was getting better. Sandi had been recently diagnosed with cancer and things did not look good. Milton kept telling me she would be fine. In those dark early days, he calmed me down and helped me more than I can ever say. Then Milton passed. Losing him was very hard. I very much mis his phone calls and his gravelly voice full of wisdom and vigor from his home in Tyler. His books live on and I strongly recommend them.

Like the small west Texas town that is never named, the man with no name is not what he appears to be on the surface. He drives a beautiful car and appears in town with a beautiful woman named Della. It isn’t the first time he has been in town as he was here before in 1942. This time he is back to seek some revenge and no one remembers him or suspects that he is anything other than what he appears to be—a flamboyant gambler.

Revenge for what isn’t clear nor is his plan. His plan does involve a weekly high stakes card game that has been going on for decades at the Weilbach Hotel. It also isn’t really clear which of several players is his target. It also isn’t clear on how Della’s interest in a recent oil strike is going to help or for that matter hurt his plan. Like his cards, he keeps his plans close to the vest and adjusts for changes. He does have a plan, he is flexible and he just needs a little help from friends like Chicken Little and Icepick Willie.

What follows in this novel by Tyler, Texas resident Milton T. Burton is an intriguing and deeply twisted tale of a great con. The author opens a portal back into a different time and pulls the reader deeply into a Texas of the recent past. Told through first person point of view he spins a rich and complex weave that pulls the reader deep into his world where only slowly does the shape and scope of the plan come tantalizingly clear like the mirage on a West Texas highway during the heat of the summer before disappearing again. Heavily atmospheric both in place and in style of writing, this is the kind of novel that starts slowly, moves slowly and pulls the reader in so deep that when one looks up from the book there is that splendid moment of disorientation between the past that might have been and the present.

Thursday, May 11, 2023

In Reference To Murder: Mystery Melange for 5/11/2023

Lesa's Book Critiques: WHAT ARE YOU READING?

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Lesa's Book Critiques: KEVIN’S CORNER ANNEX – DARK YONDER: ISSUE 1

Mystery Fanfare: CALL FOR ARTICLES: ANIMALS IN MYSTERIES: AUTHOR ES...

Mystery Fanfare: CALL FOR ARTICLES: ANIMALS IN MYSTERIES: AUTHOR ES...: Call for Articles: Mystery Readers Journal (39:3) ANIMALS in MYSTERIES We're looking for articles, reviews, and Author essays abou...

Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Tiny Tales by Alexander McCall Smith

Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Tiny Tales by Alexander McC...: I purchased Tiny Tales at the last Planned Parenthood Book Sale, in September 2022. The subtitle is "Stories of Romance, Ambition, K...

George Kelly: WEDNESDAY’S SHORT STORIES #124: I AM A DALEK By Gareth Roberts (Doctor Who: Quick Reads Book 1)

Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Tiny Tales by Alexander McC...

Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: THE SCREWIEST JOB IN THE WORLD

Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: THE SCREWIEST JOB IN THE W...: "The Screwiest Job in the World" by Bill Pronzini (first published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction , September 196...

Patti Abbott: Short Story Wednesday: LOST IN THE CITY, Edward P. Jones

Short Story Wednesday Review: Hallowed Ground: A Kate Burkholder Short Story by Linda Castillo

It is Fall as Hallowed Ground: A Kate Burkholder Short Story by Linda Castillo begins and the annual Pumpkin Festival is just days away. Eddie Chupp is harvesting his pumpkins when his dog finds an old bone. A jawbone to be exact. He would have thought it was a from a long dead sheep until he spotted the sliver in one of the molars.

That means this was a person.

It isn’t long before Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and her fiancée, John Tomasetti, of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are at the scene. A place known for pumpkins and its location next to the annual corn maze is now a crime scene. The land frequently floods and that might be how the odd jawbone wound up amongst the pumpkins.

There might be more bones. There is a victim to identify. There certainly is a lot to do and it happens in Hallowed Ground: A Kate Burkholder Short Story. A fast moving read with a lot going on. This is a solidly good tale. It also serves as a nice way to introduce Linda Castillo’s upcoming book, An Evil Heart: A Kate Burkholder Novel, coming out on July 11^th.

My reading copy came via a purchase as my local library system was not picking this one up. Make sure you read Lesa Holstine’s review of Hallowed Ground.

Tuesday, May 09, 2023

Beneath the Stains of Time: Silent Parade (2018) by Keigo Higashino

Beneath the Stains of Time: Silent Parade (2018) by Keigo Higashino: So, lately, I've been taking down some of the modern traditionalists from the big pile and the accumulation of newer titles left me spoi...

Lesa's Book Critiques: ANTHONY NOMINEES 2023

Monday, May 08, 2023

Lesa's Book Critiques: NO TWO PERSONS BY ERICA BAUERMEISTER

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt: Reviewed by Kristin Marcellus the giant Pacific Octopus begins his narrative with “Day 1,299 of My Captivity…” setting the tone for hi...

In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday for 5/8/2023

Markets and Jobs for Writers for 5/8/2023

Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Disappeared by Bonnar Spring

While I was searching for books for the Mystery Readers Journal issue set in Africa, harder to find than I expected, I discovered Bonnar Spring, a well-traveled New Hampshire teacher of ESL who has turned her hand to writing. Her debut thriller is Disappeared (Oceanview, 2022).

The year is 2005, the main character is Julie Welch, who loves her husband, her children and her job, but the routine of daily life can drive her nuts. She relies on the annual get-away with her sister Faye for a chance to recharge. Between Faye’s relocation to New York and the prohibition on travel after 9/11, they haven’t been able to take a trip for a few years. But now they are off to Morocco, a country new to both of them. They speak French fluently because their paternal family did, so language is not a complete barrier.

Their arrival in the country got off to a bad start when police stopped them and searched their car and their luggage for no clear reason. Now a day later Faye has gone for a walk and has not returned. Julie’s alarm is somewhat allayed by a message left at the front desk for her in Faye’s handwriting that Faye would return in two days. When the two days lapse with no sign of Faye, Julie talks to an unhelpful U.S. Embassy representative, calls Faye’s husband in New York, and begins tracing her sister.

Following in Faye’s footsteps as nearly as possible out of the city into the desert, Julie finds her when she’s captured by the Moroccan Army and thrown into a prison cell, where Faye has been for several days.

Julie’s search for Faye in a strange country and the Moroccan authorities’ inexplicable interest in them make for an absorbing tense read. A well-constructed tale of resourceful women who learn what they can do when they are backed into an inescapable corner. Authentic details create a great setting during a time of heightened international intrigue; Spring knows Morocco and its people. Recommended.

· Publisher: ‎ Oceanview Publishing (May 3, 2022)

· Language: ‎ English

· Hardcover: ‎ 336 pages

· ISBN-10: ‎ 160809488X

· ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1608094882

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

Sunday, May 07, 2023

Dru's Book Musings New Releases: Week of May 7, 2023

Lesa's Book Critiques: A PERSONAL NOTE

I was very glad to read this late last night as the storm raged here....

Lesa's Book Critiques: A PERSONAL NOTE

Saturday, May 06, 2023

Lesa's Book Critiques: KEVIN’S CORNER ANNEX – EVERYBODY KNOWS BY JORDAN HARPER

KRL This Week Update for 5/6/2023

Up on KRL this morning a review and Kindle giveaway of "Booked" by Becky Clark. There is also a bonus review of her novella "Rat Race" and a way to get a free copy of that one too. https://kingsriverlife.com/05/06/booked-by-becky-clark/

And a review and Kindle giveaway of "Hiding in Plain Sight" by RP Dahlke, along with an interesting guest post by RP about how she came up with the idea for this book https://kingsriverlife.com/05/06/hiding-in-plain-sight-by-r-p-dahlke/

We also have a review and ebook giveaway of "Murder in Gemini" by Michelle Corbier, along with an interesting interview with Michelle https://kingsriverlife.com/05/06/murder-in-gemini-by-michelle-corbier/

And a review of the mystery TV show "Poker Face" https://kingsriverlife.com/05/06/poker-face-mystery-tv-review/

For those who prefer to listen to Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast directly on KRL you can find the player here for the latest episode which features the mystery short story"The Rabbi's Wife Stayed Home" by Debra Goldstein read by local actor Donna Beavers https://kingsriverlife.com/05/06/mysteryrats-maze-podcast-featuring-the-rabbis-wife-stayed-home/

Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and giveaway of "Poaching is Puzzling" by Daryl Wood Gerber https://www.krlnews.com/2023/05/poaching-is-puzzling-cookbook-nook.html

And a review and ebook giveaway of "The Highland Havoc Caper" by Sally Carpenter https://www.krlnews.com/2023/05/the-highland-havoc-caper-by-sally.html

And a review and ebook copy of "Rhinestone Ransom" by Jennifer Fischetto https://www.krlnews.com/2023/05/limited-release-rhinestone-ransom.html

Happy reading,

Lorie

Beneath the Stains of Time: Shot Down: "The Case of the Musical Bullet" (1974) by Edward D. Hoch

Beneath the Stains of Time: Shot Down: "The Case of the Musical Bullet" (1974)...: Between 1973 and 1984, Edward D. Hoch wrote fourteen short stories about two agents from Interpol, Sebastian Blue and Laura Charme, who spe...

SleuthSayers: Guest Post: Authors Helping Authors by Judy Penz Sheluk

SleuthSayers: Guest Post: Authors Helping Authors: It's been a year and a half since my friend Judy Penz Sheluk posted here at SleuthSayers, to talk about the third book in her Superior S...

Scott's Take: Aquaman and The Flash: Voidsong by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing

Aquaman and The Flash: Voidsong by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing is a team up miniseries that has The Flash (Barry) team up with Aquaman to stop an alien invasion. Though they have been teammates for a long time, they have not fought together by themselves, without their fellow teammates very much. They are friends, but not very close. The whole world is counting on this duo to stop an alien invasion as the aliens have incapacitated everyone else on Earth.

The art is great, the characters are well written, and there is plenty of action and drama. The story is told from both character perspectives simultaneously for a good portion of the tale. This means the reader has two separate thought bubbles sets to follow for each character.

I very much enjoyed this team up. As a fan of both characters, I am happy to report that neither gets the short end of the stick in this tale. If you like either character, you should enjoy Aquaman and The Flash: Voidsong by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing.

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

Friday, May 05, 2023

Trace Evidence: Writing Your Past (by Jeffrey Marks)

Mystery Fanfare: CINCO DE MAYO CRIME FICTION // CINCO DE MAYO MYSTERIES//MEXICAN MYSTERIES

Mystery Fanfare: CINCO DE MAYO CRIME FICTION // CINCO DE MAYO MYSTE...: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo by reading a mystery ! Cinco De Mayo, the 5th Of May , commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over th...

The Rap Sheet: Bullet Points: Break Out the Piñatas Edition

Lesa's Book Critiques: WINNERS & GIVE ME A “C” GIVEAWAY

Dark Dispatch: Review: The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: Please welcome Andrew to our bookblog! We're looking forward to having more reviews from him. Reviewed by Andrew Recently, I rea...

In Reference To Murder: Friday's "Forgotten" Books -

FFB-GASPING FOR AIRTIME: TWO YEARS IN THE TRENCHES OF SNL, Jay Moehr

Happiness Is A Book: FRIDAY’S FORGOTTEN BOOK: THE ANXIOUS CONSPIRATOR BY MICHAEL UNDERWOOD

FFB Review: The Disrespectful Interviewer: Thirteen Interviews with Authors by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

From the massive archive….

Usually author interviews are done with the idea of civility and respect. The same old questions can always be found in nearly every interview. Then there is this book and how Lauren Baratz-Logsted (LBL) does them. The Disrespectful Interviewer: Thirteen Interviews with Authors features interviews with a sarcastic tone along with plenty of references to the afternoon soap General Hospital.

The lineup subjected to both praise and ridicule is: Jon Clinch, A.S. King, Chris Cleave, Tish Cohen, Greg Logsted (her husband), Kristy Kiernan, Lynn Price, Joseph Finder, Lisa McMann, Lev Raphael, Adriana Trigiani, J. A. Konrath, and the interviewer herself, Lauren Baratz-Logsted. As noted in the introduction, the point of these interviews is to do things different than the standard and often boring interviews that exist everywhere. The 13 interviews in this book ran between November 2009 and October 2010 as LBL’s regular column feature on BiblioBuffet. While the literary e-zine is no more, the interviews live on here.

Along with the usual mention of books they have done, the authors involved clearly enjoy the process and give just as good as they get. This give and take results in the occasional reader snicker. Even if some of the authors here are familiar to you, these interviews will show a different side to them than you have ever seen before. Books are the main focus as well as General Hospital for LBL, but negative and/or bad reviews also play a major role here. Along with finding out about some backstory on these 13 authors you will also find some more books to read in The Disrespectful Interviewer: Thirteen Interviews with Authors.

Material supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.

Thursday, May 04, 2023

Lesa's Book Critiques: WHAT ARE YOU READING?

Hawaiiain Noir: SPLINTERED LOYALTY FEATURED IN THE BIG THRILL

In Reference To Murder: Mystery Melange for 5/4/2023

Wednesday, May 03, 2023

The Rap Sheet: Revue of Reviewers: 5-3-23

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Us Against You, She Come By It Natural, Ship Beneath the Ice, Wings of Gold

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Us Against You, She Come By It Natural...: Reported by Garry Us Against You by Fredrik Backman is the direct sequel to Beartown reviewed last week. This novel follows the stor...

Lesa's Book Critiques: THE BRIDE WORE WHITE BY AMANDA QUICK

Beneath the Stains of Time: Beached (2018) by Micki Browning

Beneath the Stains of Time: Beached (2018) by Micki Browning: Micki Browning's debut novel, Adrift (2017), introduced marine biologist and dive instructor in the Florida Keys, Dr. Meredith "Me...

Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday – Murder by the Book: Mysteries for Bibliophiles

Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday – Murder by the Book: Myster...: This week I finished reading Murder by the Book , a short story anthology edited by Martin Edwards. It is a part of the British Library Crim...

George Kelly: WEDNESDAY’S SHORT STORIES #123: ARCADIAN DAYS: GODS, WOMEN, AND MEN FROM GREEK MYTHS By John Spurling

SleuthSayers: Chatting for Clues by Robert Lopresti

SleuthSayers: Chatting for Clues: This is going to start out a bit vague but, as you will see, vagueness will actually will be a theme. Recently I thought of a title for a s...

Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY : THE TWO LADIES OF ROSE COTTAGE

Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY : THE TWO LADIES OF ROSE CO...: "The Two Ladies of Rose Cottage" by Peter Robinson (first published in Malice Domestic 6 , edited by Anne Perry, 1997; reprinted ...

Short Story Wednesday Review: Quartet: Four Slightly Twisted Tales by Janis Susan May

From the massive archive...

This short story collection opens with the longest story, “The Breighton Emeralds.” The emeralds are back and Tony Brayton isn’t happy about that at all. He is convinced the family legend is true and the stones are cursed. He also thought he had finally managed to get rid of them. The men of the family have been trying to get rid of the things for over two hundred years. Where the emeralds have been in the past a male Breighton died. Despite efforts at changing his name and protecting himself because he is the last male descendent, Tony is at risk from the curse.

A legacy is also present in “The Cavanaugh Cellar.” At one time the Cavanaugh mansion was something hidden away from the prying eyes of those less fortunate. Thanks to the loss of parkland and the new interstate these days, anyone driving by can see it. The mansion also stands as living proof of how far the family has slid financially. The fact that the last descendants, a brother and his sister, vanished on Halloween isn’t helping matters. For the sheriff, who has lived there all his life except for combat tours into Middle East, and his deputy, Charlie Edwards, the case is a puzzle.

Chet Murphy was the last to jump onboard the helicopter in “A Dog’s Life.” The star detective of the Homicide Department is well known for his heroic actions even to a relative newcomer to the police force like Frank Glass. The Wanatahatchee River is enraged and the flood waters are destroying everything. Chet and Frank work to save those they can while Chet holds forth on various topics.

The final of the four stories in this small book is “The Stealth Kangaroo.” After 27 novels, writer Lillian Masters simply can’t write another word. Her grandson Jamie wants a story about a Kangaroo for his Halloween present and she has nothing to give him. With everything that has gone on the last few months it isn’t surprising she is having trouble. Maybe the stuffed kangaroo she has sitting next to her will supply some much needed inspiration.

The four stories in this small collection play with the thin line between reality and the supernatural. Those readers who need every single thing explained to the last detail may have an issue with some of these stories as the endings are often open to reader interpretation. Sometimes what happens to the main character is a good thing. At other times it is not. In all the cases it will take months, if not years, before an explanation of any type is uncovered in this collection of good stories. Quartet: Four Slightly Twisted Tales is not only a quick and good read, but one that showcases a talented author working in a variety in styles, subject matter, and situations where everything is truly slightly twisted.

Material was picked up for review purposes during the author’s recent freebie promotion. The book was read on my laptop via the free “Kindle for PC” program available from Amazon.

Tuesday, May 02, 2023

Lesa's Book Critiques: NONNA MARIA AND THE CASE OF THE STOLEN NECKLACE BY LORENZO CARCATERRA

Sleuthsayers: In Search of the Perfect Office by Michael Bracken

Monday, May 01, 2023

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: SMFS Official Announcement: 2023 Derringer Award Winners

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: SMFS Official Announcement: 2023 Derringer Award W...: Since 1998, the Short Mystery Fiction Society has awarded the annual Derringers—after the popular pocket pistol—to outstanding published sto...

Lesa's Book Critiques: JUNE TREASURES IN MY CLOSET

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Winter’s Orbit by Everina MaxwellReviewed by Ambr...: Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell Reviewed by Ambrea Prince Kiem is notorious among the sundry princes of the Iskat Empire. He’s made...

In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday 5/1/2023

Markets and Jobs for Writers for 5/1/2023

Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: The Motive by John Lescroart

John Lescroart is one of my favorite contemporary U.S. authors. I can’t think of another author who conveys the complexities and contradictions of long-term human relationships better than he does. He claimed San Francisco and its legal and law enforcement community for his own in the 22 (so far) books he wrote about Dismas Hardy, a defense attorney, and his best friend Abe Glitsky, a homicide cop. Lescroart tells complicated stories in clear, down-to-earth language. His plots unfold logically while maintaining momentum. I especially appreciate the realism; Hardy is open about the cost of a legal defense. There’s nothing quixotic about him. I have read all of the books in the series and in the spin-off books about Hardy’s private investigator Wyatt Hunt. I like them so much that I re-read them occasionally.

The Motive (Dutton, 2004) is the 11^th book in the series. It starts with a fire in one of the iconic Painted Ladies, the exquisitely painted Victorian homes near Alamo Square Park. Because of the proximity of the buildings, any blaze threatens the entire neighborhood and galvanizes the fire department. In this instance, the house where it started could not be saved and homes on either side were damaged. In the ashes were found two bodies, each with a fatal bullet wound. They were identified as home owner wealthy Paul Hanover and his fiancé Missy D’Amiens. While it looked like a murder-suicide, the angle of the shots suggested otherwise. The pervasive presence of gasoline clinched the determination of homicide.

Hanover had donated heavily to mayor Kathy West’s election so she pulled strings and had deputy chief of inspectors Abe Glitzky assigned to the case. The lead detective resented Glitzky and his political influence, which slowed the investigation. Then suspicion fell on Hanover’s daughter-in-law, who had been vocally concerned about Hanover’s plan to change his will in favor of his new second wife. She invoked her long-ago relationship with Dismas Hardy to persuade him to represent her. Glitzky and Hardy navigate a rocky path between the shadow of mayoral influence with accusations of political bias and complex personal interactions.

Great detail about arson investigation and fire forensics. Clever misdirection delivers a courtroom bombshell. Glitzky’s and Hardy’s enduring friendship forms the bedrock of this very good series. It’s possible to read these books out of order without losing much context, but they make more sense if read sequentially. For fans of legal thrillers.

· Publisher: ‎Dutton Adult; 1st edition (December 16, 2004)

· Language: ‎English

· Hardcover: ‎416 pages

· ISBN-10: ‎0525948449

· ISBN-13: ‎978-0525948445

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

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