Reviewing: "The Surest Poison: A Sid Chance Mystery" by Chester D. Campbell

Private Investigator Sid Chance prefers the solitary life at his rustic cabin located somewhere fifty miles east of Nashville. He’d spent three years there after his career as a small town police chief abruptly ended. Before that, he was a park ranger and that career abruptly ended. He has a history of not playing well with others and not being very good at the game of politics at work. Being a private investigator is a good fit and he has his friend Jasmine Le Mieux to thank for that.

Jasmine Le Mieux, ex cop and chairman of the board of Welcome Traveler Stores (a chain of truck stops) also referred his latest client, Arnie Bailey of the law firm Bailey, Riddle and Smith. It seems Arnie Bailey’s client, Wade Harrington, owns and operates a small company just outside Ashland City that makes specialty shipping boxes. Residents in the area are dealing with the results of an environmental disaster. State investigators have found that trichloroethylene also known as TCE was dumped at his plant at some point in the past. The chemical was probably dumped onto the ground many times and has contaminated local well water and the public water supply. As the current landowner, Wade Harrington is being blamed and will have to pay claims and damages along with clean up costs. It could financially ruin him and his small company Harr Co.

Wade Harrington isn’t responsible as TCE isn’t anything they have ever used and isn’t part of any manufacturing process for his company. But, as current owner of the property he is going to be held accountable unless the previous ownership can be found. The lawyer, Annie Bailey, wants the people actually responsible to be identified and tracked down so that if they are still alive, they can be held accountable. It won’t be easy and it will mean dealing with some of the people responsible for Sid’s previous problems.

Author Chester D. Campbell has crafted the first novel of no doubt a new series far different in style and tone from his very enjoyable Greg McKenzie mysteries. While this book and that series share the commonality of being cozies where history does play a role, this book features a much murkier central character that strongly prefers to go it alone. He certainly isn’t Greg McKenzie in style or tone and not just because McKenzie is married and Sid isn’t. There is a hard edge to Sid Chance that is always present and not just in situations that call for it.

Pacing is different as well as this novel takes far longer to get going in a meaningful way as compared to the Greg McKenzie novels. Fans that really enjoy that character may be slow to appreciate Sid as the book does not read anything like what one is used to from the pen of Chester D. Campbell. Which is not to say the book is not good. It most certainly is. However, the contrasts between the two different series are obvious and it does take time to accept the viewpoint of Sid Chance when one is very used to old friend Greg McKenzie.


The Surest Poison: A Sid Chance Mystery
Chester D. Campbell
http://www.chestercampbell.com/
Night Shadows Press, LLC
http://www.nightshadowspress.com/
April 10, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-9799167-9-3
HARDBACK
272 Pages
ARC


ARC provided by the author in exchange for my objective review.


Kevin R. Tipple © 2009

Reviewing: "The eBay Business Answer Book" by Cliff Ennico

Written by lawyer and faculty member of eBay University, Cliff Ennico, this book aims to answer “The 350 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Making Big Money On eBay.” Written in a question and answer format through twenty one chapters the book is designed for those who want to move beyond selling as a hobby to selling as a business. And, of course, make a lot of money.

Using a team of certified eBay instructors, established marketing gurus, and others the author address various topics as to how to sell stuff at a higher rate, acquiring goods to sell, what not to sell or even think about trying to sell, shipping, various legal issues and how to handle many different difficult and time consuming problems. Each chapter is written in clear and concise language in a question and answer format with answers provided by many different experts. The questions depict various realistic scenarios and the answers are comprehensive and practical. Unlike many such books, the answers are helpful and do not serve as infomercials for the particular person answering the question.

Along with the questions/answers format of each chapter, there are a number of helpful appendices at the back of the book. Several of the appendices will take readers through the various ways of finding business answers on the eBay site. Other appendices list examples of things that can and can’t be deducted for taxes, types of businesses, etc. Also included is a six page index bringing this 310 page well written and comprehensive book to a close.

While Cliff Ennico is clearly bullish on eBay, unlike many books on the subject that are little more than opportunistic propaganda for certain selected sellers, there is a practicality and fair amount of objectivity to this book. Comprehensive and detailed, the book points out the pros and cons with eBay and various issues related to having a business on the site. While eBay is promoted, it is done calmly and rationally as a business opportunity that will work for some people and might not work for others. Along the way to making it big from a money standpoint, he points out the traps on the eBay financial superhighway. There are many books on eBay and this is one you most definitely should have in your personal library.



The eBay Business Answer Book
Cliff Ennico
http://www.cliffennico.com/
American Management Association
http://www.amacombooks.org
2008
ISBN# 0-8144-0045-0
$19.95
310 Pages


Book provided by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.


Kevin R. Tipple © 2009

Reviewing: "Pariah" by Dave Zeltserman

After eight long years, Kyle Nevin is finally out of prison. One of three men who basically controlled Boston before he wound up in prison the last eight years was hard. But, unlike others faced with long stretches of prison time, he never talked about anyone else. This South Boston Irish mobster kept silent about everyone which included his former boss Red Mahoney who set him up to take the fall. Red deserves special treatment and the plans for that allowed Kyle to stay strong no matter what prison he was in.

The welcome home is far different than he expected. The passing of the last eight years has had repercussions far and wide and nobody is what he or she was when he stepped inside. His brother Danny has fallen far economically and can’t go back to the Southie neighborhood as he made his own plea deal with restrictions for life. Danny has gone legit, much to Kyle’s disgust, and isn’t looking to go back to a life of crime. Ma is dead too and Kyle’s prison time and all the stress most likely caused that. His old girlfriend dumped him pretty quick after he went inside. Nobody messed with Kyle before he went in and got away with it. Now that he is back out, he intends to reassert control, get the money flowing again, and find Red Mahoney. He’s going to need some competent and silent help and that is easier said than done.

Heavily reminiscent of his earlier novel “Small Crimes” also released from Serpent Tail,


this novel also follows a con and his return to civilization. Unlike the previous book where the con was trying to follow the straight and narrow path, Kyle Nevin is all about getting back in charge and living large. Being legit is never part of Kyle’s thinking. Revenge regarding Red Mahoney is the theme of the book from start to finish with Kyle trying various ways of accomplishing that ultimate task all the way through to the final twist at the end. An end that seems both a surprise and yet obvious when one considers the entire work.

Along the way there is plenty of dark humor, violence, and social commentary about what it means to be a celebrity these days. This is especially true in terms of publishing and media hype in these days of celebrity no talent writers and their ghost writer counterparts. An unseemly side of publishing and yet such tomes prove to be one of the most popular with the book buying public.

A heavily atmospheric noir style novel much like “Small Crimes” the book takes you deep into the world of Boston and its suburbs. Dave Zeltserman manages the rare feat of making a locale become a living breathing character. A locale often just as dark and twisted in its own way as the characters that populate it. In short, “Pariah” is another good book from Dave Zeltserman. Another good and depraved tale that is filled with plenty of atmosphere, dark individuals, and scathing social commentary all the way to the twisted and violent end.



Pariah
Dave Zeltserman
http://www.hardluckstories.com/
Serpent’s Tale
http://www.serprentstail.com/
October, 2009
ISBN# 978-1846686436
$14.95
ARC


Review copy provided by Meryl Zegarek in exchange for my objective review.


Kevin R. Tipple © 2009

Lucas Davenport returns in "Wicked Prey" by John Sandford

With so many of the “Prey” series novels written, it isn’t surprising that John Sandford has been focusing more on family in each book and less on his signature character Lucas Davenport. Beyond the fact that Lucas has been married for many novels now with children, there is his work family of the folks at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. They always play many roles in the books and that is not an exception here. The last several novels have also featured the criminal family-- united by blood, a need to get even with Lucas, or some other circumstance.

The latest in the series “Wicked Prey” opens as many have lately in the criminal family arena. Brutus Cohen and Rosie Cruz, both aliases, are in St. Paul looking to link up with other members of their gang in the days before a big score. The Republican convention is also in town and the gang has big plans to take advantage of all that money. The fact that the political money men really can’t let out to the police what happened to them or how much money they lost just makes the job easier and very lucrative. And ripping off the money men is just the start on a much larger plan.

Naturally, Lucas and his people are called in to work the case. It isn’t the first time Lucas has handled a sensitive political situation and the illegality of what the money men are doing is without question. But, the world of politics is what it is and the bigger issue is that Brutus Cohen and Rosie Cruz and other members of the gang have a history of killing law enforcement and civilians. A nasty pattern that quickly repeats itself making Lucas and his team frantic trying to find these killers before others get hurt or killed. Naturally, things go sideways and then very bad with events becoming increasingly violent and harder to deal with from a media and publicity angle while the death and injury count climbs.

If that isn’t enough, there is the secondary story line of his adopted daughter, Letty, who at a very sophisticated fourteen, is messing with a psycho. A psycho who wants Lucas Davenport to suffer before he kills everyone in the family. Yet another storyline involves a shooter who wants to take a shot at McCain.

Once again, John Sandford tells us virtually all the bad guys and bad gals in the opening chapter. So there is little mystery to figure out. Instead, this book is all about the chases and the hunts for the various suspects. Unfortunately those various chases are less than riveting which leads to a lack of suspense or thrills for the reader.

The various chases also lead to major ethical questions regarding the Letty storyline. Not only is there a major plot point hole regarding her age and her internship for a local media outlet, the actions she takes in this novel go far beyond what Lucas has done in the past. She really does seem to believe and live the concept that the ends justify the means and doesn’t care who she sacrifices to achieve her goal. By the end of the book one begins to wonder if she is a budding psychopath headed to be in direct and violent conflict with Lucas. The fact that he becomes aware of her actions and says absolutely nothing about the matter raises serious questions as to his responsibilities as a father.

The main case, the search for Cohen and Cruz, holds some interest even though the chase is disjointed, scattered, and is not totally resolved leaving open and guaranteed a sequel with some of these villains. A lot of authors seem to be doing that these days by bringing back the same criminals for return engagement after return engagement. Biggest case in point for that are recent books by Robert B. Parker.

However, the biggest issue by far is the read itself in that the book doesn’t read like a John Sandford novel normally does. Language is almost always unnecessarily graphic lately and that continues in this novel with Lucas and others using the f-word in every situation regardless of event, audience, or suitability. Beyond that fact, there is the feeling that the novel just flat out doesn’t read like a Lucas Davenport novel. The voice, style, whatever that elusive quality was that made a Lucas Davenport novel read like one is gone from this book.

Ultimately, that is our loss as readers. One hopes that John Sandford can get that quality back—and soon.


Wicked Prey
John Sandford
http://www.johnsandford.org/
G. P. Putnam’s Sons (part of Penguin Group)
http://www.penguin.com/
2009
ISBN# 978-0-399-15567-3
Hardback
402 Pages
$27.95



Book provided by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.


Kevin R. Tipple © 2009

Sidra Smart returns in "Dead Wreckoning" by Sylvia Dickey Smith

Sidra Smart has finally received what she wanted---her private investigator license. Approved and fully licensed by the state of Texas, she is now free to investigate anything she wants at anytime and without supervision. The last part is especially important to her as she continues to move on from her former life as a pastor’s wife. At 52, she is relishing her new life and now with her license she has extra incentive to get her office rebuilt. After all, “The Third Eye: Intuitive Investigations” can’t be run out of Annie’s house forever – no matter what Annie thinks.

It’s early June in Southeast Texas and Durwood, one of her first clients back when she was being mentored by George Le’ger comes to see her. Durwood’s friend, Boo Murphy needs help and Durwood wants Sidra’s professional expertise. According to Durwood, Boo goes squirrel hunting in the swamp every day. Supposedly, one day she saw a pirate ship out there in the swamp somewhere. But, that isn’t why the Sheriff is going after her. No, the investigation is for murder.

Boo’s second cousin, twice removed, and neighbor is Sasha. Sasha had a husband named Zeke who recently made Boo so mad, she fired her gun over his head. She was plenty angry, wanted to scare him, and let loose with her gun. She didn’t think any more about it as it wasn’t that big a deal. That was until Boo took Sasha out where she said saw the pirate ship and instead they found a very dead Zeke with a shirt of Boo’s wrapped around his neck. Obviously, somebody else killed him. Boo is convinced that what she saw out there was the schooner “Hot Spur” one of Jean Lafitte’s pirate ships. If she wanted to kill Zeke, she would have, but she didn’t and that is all there is to it as far as she is concerned.

But, others don’t see it that way. Not only do some think Boo killed Zeke, some folks also think that she found the treasure that legend says was on board the pirate ship. Not only does Sidra need to find that elusive schooner, she also needs to find evidence to clear her client despite the various forces against her. Especially since somebody has taken offense to her interest and keeps trying to kill Sidra.

This third novel in the series picks up quickly after the last one left off with the engaging Sidra Smart. A little more graphic in terms of language and description with each book, Sidra Smart is evolving and shedding more and more of her pastor wife past. While aware of her past mistakes, she is also fully aware of her effect on her new boyfriend and uses all her assets when she wants to. Along with enjoying all the possibilities of her new life, she is a pretty good investigator.

Creating a modern day mystery tale with elements from the colorful history of Texas, recurring characters, plenty of local flavor, Author Sylvia Dickey Smith has penned another very good book in the series. As this is a series with evolving characters, those inclined to read the book should begin with the first novel, “Dance On His Grave” before moving on to the previous book, ‘Deadly Sins-Deadly Secrets.”



Dead Wreckoning
Sylvia Dickey Smith
http://www.sylviadickeysmith.com
L & L Dreamspell
http://www.lldreamspell.com
2009
ISBN# 978-1-60318-138-9
Trade Paperback
$16.95
247 Pages


ARC provided by the author in exchange for my objective review.


Kevin R. Tipple © 2009

David Farland Comes to Dallas!

The below comes from David Farland.....


I will be teaching a "Write that Novel!" Seminar in Dallas/Ft. Worth on Saturday October 10, and Sunday October 11 from 9am to 5pm.

The price will be $125, same as the Salt Lake Seminar. The number of people who can register is limited to 100.

Also, the venue will be at:

Doubletree Hotel Dallas, Near the Galleria
4099 Valley View Lane, Dallas, Texas, 75244
Tel: 1-972-385-9000
Fax: 1-972-788-1174

To learn more about the seminar or to register for it, go tohttp://davidfarland.net/writingworkshops/

Please forward this email to your friends who might be interested in the Daily Kick and direct them to sign up at http://davidfarland.net/members

******************

Not something I can afford to do these days. Wish I could, but it isn't possible. If you go, drop me a line and let me know what you thought of it.

Missing the final episode of Wallender?

If you live in the range of PBS station KERA 13 in the Dallas Fort Worth area and were counting on them to run the final episode of Wallender as scheduled you didn't get what you expected. Without any notice or explanation they didn't show it and instead went with some deal where pledging viewers got to play program director and vote on some British comedies.

I knew they were pledge driving but I thought they would honor PBS scheduling. Silly me. I should have know better as they have been known for years for ignoring what has been advertised in favor of doing whatever.

I finally heard back today from somebody over there who wrote and advised that they aired the third episode at 3am on Sunday, May 24rth. Of course, they never bothered to advertise the fact they were going to do this so that those of us who were interested could set our VCRs or DVRs. Nope, they just did it.

According to the rep, they will run it again on August 7th at 9pm.

Assuming they haven't started another pledge drive by then.

Reviewing: "Old City Hall" by Robert Rotenberg

“Mr. Singh opened his mouth to speak. But before he could say a word, Mr. Kevin leaned closer. ‘I killed her, Mr. Singh,’ he whispered, ‘I killed her.’” (Page 6)

For newspaper delivery person Mr. Singh, formerly the chief engineer for Indian Railways and a very precise man in word and deed, the idea that Mr. Brace killed his wife is a bit of a shock. So too it will be for all of Canada when word spreads. That shocking confession that December morning at the door of condo 12A located in the Market Place Tower in downtown Toronto will have repercussions all across Canada.

The confession, arrest and eventual first degree murder charge for the host of “The Dawn Treader” a nationally syndicated radio show is huge. Lost in the media hysteria and the investigation by the Police is one key fact that only his defense attorney knows. Her client, after uttering the statement above, totally clammed up. It isn’t surprising he won’t talk to the Police as he is a very smart man. But, he won’t talk to her either. It is hard to defend a client who will only communicate in writing and barely wants to do that.

For Crown Attorney Albert Fernandez, who is also very precise in his word and deed, the case should be a slam dunk. Brace confessed with his wife’s blood literally on his hands and the detail oriented Mr. Singh will make an excellent witness. The only thing left to do is document the investigation and prepare for the other side to offer a plea deal. Too bad his bosses will refuse any deal and want the case to go all the way to send a message to the voting public.

This debut novel by Robert Rotenberg, a criminal lawyer living in Toronto, is incredibly good. Along with the complex characters noted above there are many more as the actions and life of Mr. Kevin Brace touch many characters. The city and culture of Toronto, Canada also quickly becomes a real breathing character as the various fully formed personalities in this gripping novel introduce you to a Toronto very different from the city you see on television occasionally.

The result is a complex and powerfully good book that is difficult to give justice to in a review. With guidance from author Douglas Preston and many others, Robert Rotenberg has crafted a complex mystery with plenty of courtroom drama and twists that take readers on a grand adventure.


Old City Hall: A Novel
Robert Rotenberg
http://www.robertrotenberg.com/
Sarah Crichton Books (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux)
http://www.fsgbooks.com/
2009
ISBN# 0-374-22542-7
Hardback
372 Pages
$26.00

Review copy provided by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.


Kevin R. Tipple © 2009

Computer Woes

Slowly getting things back to normal.

Becuase of the crash, I lost everything in Outlook Express which means all my e-mail before yesterday is gone. So, if you sent me a request for review or something else that was important and needed a response, please send it again.

Thanks!

The Blue Screen of Death

arrived Tuesday evening on the desktop. It signified major issues with the computer and the loss of several reviews I was working on, a couple of chapters of my novel, and several short stories that I was in varioous stages.

So, for awhile at least, reviews won't be appearing here and elsewhere as regular as normal until I get things fixed. And, becuase I write in longhand before typing stuff in, I still have the flawed original pieces to work from.

Reviewing: "Singularity" by Kathryn Casey

For Texas Ranger Lieutenant Sarah Armstrong the summons to Galveston to investigate the death of some big shot didn't seem that important at first. The only criminal profiler in the Texas Rangers, she works out of Ranger Company A, based in Houston. It took her an hour to get from her Houston office to the multimillion dollar beach homes that signify a far different lifestyle than her own of a single mother raising a young daughter.

Almost from the start, the investigation is problematic as she has a history with the lead detective of the Galveston P. D. The fact that the two dead bodies are posed on the bed in the master bedroom under a bloody cross means only one thing to Detective O. L. Nelson. He is convinced that the wife of Edward Travis Lucas the Third, Priscilla Lucas, arranged to have him and his mistress, Annmarie Knowles, killed. Nelson's theory is that Priscilla got mad he was cheating, maybe he wanted a divorce, maybe there is a prenup, and so she hires herself a killer. The cross on the ceiling, the posing of the bodies using fishing line to orchestrate the tableau, and other details are camouflage to throw Law Enforcement off track.

Detective Nelson has been horrendously wrong before and as he makes the case for his theory, she is absolutely convinced he is very wrong again. She is convinced that a pro killer didn't do this for money. Instead, she believes it to be the work of a serial killer who targeted the lovers for some other reason. She believes from the details at the scene that he took his time to clean up after himself because he has done this many times before and enjoys doing what he does.

Unfortunately, Sarah Armstrong's opinion is a minority point of view with the case quickly becoming a media circus and Priscilla Lucas the target. Despite being able to possibly link other cases to the serial killer, Sara Armstrong's career becomes threatened by political pressures due to the prominence of the families involved and media hysteria forcing consequences on every one involved.

Known for her published work in non fiction true crime books, this is author Kathryn Casey's first fiction novel and it frequently shows for readers familiar with the mystery genre. Somewhat clichéd in terms of character development (Sarah Armstrong is a recent widow raising an eleven-year-old daughter with the help of her own strong willed Mom), the novel soon turns into the classic deal of the taunting killer and Sarah engaged in a battle of wits. One expects the mailed notes quoting scripture and isn't surprised that they show up. What is surprising is how long it takes for them to arrive.

Long on legend and lore regarding to Texas Rangers, readers never get the sense Sarah Armstrong really is one. Despite the fact that she works on facial reconstructions with clay in the dark of night when she can't sleep, there is no depth to the character in the law enforcement arena or any real specific unique details that make the Texas Ranger angle of the novel come across as real to readers. Instead, this material comes across as generic and the same basic character type stuff seen in many books in the genre despite the acknowledgements page. It also isn't surprising and rather clichéd when two FBI agents become involved in the case with one being a negative influence and siding with Detective Nelson and the other siding with Sarah Armstrong and becoming a romantic interest. Such conflict is a classic stereotype within the mystery genre.

Yet, such classic stereotypes exist because when the human element is added well the resulting novel can and usually does work. Such is the case here as the novel builds at a steady pace while adding in the human factor making the main character and her family come alive for readers. While Sarah as a Texas Ranger is never totally believable, Sarah as a parent dealing with the tragic loss of her husband, Bill a year earlier comes across extremely well to readers. Not only the impact on her but the impact on her young daughter Maggie rings all too true to readers who are parents. The relationship between Sarah and her own mother also comes across well to readers making the family dynamic one of the strongest plot points in the novel. The human element is what drives this novel forward and when Author Kathryn Casey concentrates on that the book is at its best.

While readers expect the showdown between crimminal and avenging Sarah Armstrong at the end of the novel, the setup to get there and the resulting outcome contains a few surprises. That fact, along with a strong character that frequently pushes at the boundaries of stereotype, plenty of action and depth to the mystery, make this a good novel that will keep readers entertained and turning pages.

Another novel featuring Sarah Armstrong titled "Blood Lines" is currently scheduled to come out some time this summer.



Singularity
Kathryn Casey
http://www.kathryncasey.com/
Thorndike Press
http://www.gale.cenage.com/thorndike
2008
ISBN# 1-4104-1064-1
Large Print Version (Amazon does not carry this)
459 Pages


This book was provided by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.


Kevin R. Tipple © 2009

HHCC 2009

has been cancelled. Per the website at http://www.mwasw.org/conf.html refunds will be sent out.

One has to wonder if the stricter standards put in to define what a publisher is, who an author is, etc. killed the conference this year. I find it hard to believe it was just because of the flu scare and the economy as stated on the website. Too many people I read commenting about MWA online were boycotting various events directly because of the new rules.

Regardless of the reasons behind the cancellation, I am very disappointed this has happened. This is the only conference in the immediate area I can get to and something I very much look forward to every year. It is going to be a real shame not to have it this year.

Kevin

Could it happen here?

(May. 11, 2009) On April 23, 2009, a federal district court in the southern Russian province of Dagestan issued an unprecedented ruling, ordering a journalist of a local newspaper to pay compensation in an amount equal to US$1,000 to a writer who did not like a review of his book published in the newspaper.

http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_1279_text

As one who writes reviews that are based on the material reviewed and therefore not always positive, it is something to think about.

Prolific Sunday

Finished tweaks on three stories and sent them off into cyberspace earlier today.

One went off to an online market that has published me before. It has been quite awhile since my last appearance there mainly because I just hadn't sent anything in. The story is a weird one very subject to reader interpretation and I am not convinced the market will take it.

The other two went to separate anthologies where I have recently been given the opportunity to submit stories. One is a crime noir story and the other is a hard to categorize one that could be called a horror/fantasy story.

And now the waiting begins......

Bad Reads

Sometimes the favorites just flat out let you down. Authors that you can count on to deliver at least a halfway decent read just don't. Two cases in point:

Last weekend I finished Nevada Barr's BORDERLINE. This book has Anna on vacation in Big Bend which is a place I know something about. Beyond massive geographical rearrangements (some of which she admitted to and others she ignored so one isn't sure if she has even been there) the plot, wooden characters, and twin storylines bordered on the absurd. I kept reading and reading, hoping that it would get better. It didn't.

Tonight, after 150 pages of mediocre story, cardboard characters, and plot stupidity, I have thrown in the towel on Thomas Perry's RUNNER. The latest Jane Whitefield novel is hideous. I refuse to waste any more time on this very bad book.

Claire Hanover retruns in "Hell in a Handbasket" by Beth Groundwater

Often, a second book in a series is weaker than the original novel. It can happen for a variety of reasons. The occasions when a second book in a series is better than the original are rare and far between. In this case it has definitely happened.

It has just been a couple of months since the events in "A Real Basket Case." While Roger is out of jail and cleared, their marriage has not returned to normal. Claire wants the whole family together at Breckenridge for a spring ski vacation but her adult children have inherited her independent streak. Her son, Michael, couldn't make the trip from Boston. Then, after everything they had gone through to get their daughter Judy home from France, Judy would rather hang out with Stephanie, the sister of her boyfriend Nickolas Contino. It certainly wasn't the family vacation she had planned and Claire is trying to be nice as she lets Judy ski off ahead with Stephanie.

That routine decision leads to a tragedy minutes later on the Ptarmigan slope. Stephanie is mortally injured after someone hit her and sent her crashing into a tree. While law enforcement and rescue personal believe it was the fast moving snow boarder who came way too close to the foursome minutes before, Claire believes the tracks in the snow tell a different tale. As in the last book, her theory is easily dismissed by local law enforcement. A second death soon seems to prove her theory making her unwitting daughter the killer's next target. Claire, much to the annoyance of all involved, launches her own quest to find out what is going on in order to protect her family.

Against the backdrop of the Breckenridge ski resort, author Beth Groundwater creates a fast moving and intense sequel that surpasses her first book. While gift baskets do play a role in this book, Claire spends most of her time thinking about this case with occasional consideration of what happened in "A Real Basketcase" and the ramifications of those events on all involved. The issues in the first book create an interesting secondary story line with various angles at play behind the main mystery of Stephanie.

Filled with realistic dialogue, plenty of action, a complicated case and parenting issues all to a familiar too many readers, the novel delivers on all levels across the board. This cozy mystery packs quite a punch and proves that good story telling is good story telling no matter what the label of the sub genre.


To Hell in a Handbasket: A Claire Hanover, Gift Basket Designer, Mystery
Beth Groundwater
http://bethgroundwater.com/Home.html Five Star (Imprint of Gale, part of Cengage Learning)
http://www.gale.cengage.com/fivestar/
Scheduled Publication Date 05/15/09
ISBN #978-1-59414-759-3
Hardback
268 Pages

I received an ARC of this title directly from the publisher in exchange for my objective review.


Readers new to this series and author may also wish to check out one of Beth's stories published by B. J. Borg in the archives of the website of Mouth Full of Bullets. "Flamingo Fatality" was published in the Summer 2007 Issue (#4) and is a mighty good one. The direct link is:
http://www.mouthfullofbullets.com/4.2sFlamingoFatality-BethGroundwater.htm In the interests of fair disclosure it should be noted that I was an assistant editor with my main duties to be a columnist and book reviewer while the site was in operation. I was allowed the opportunity a couple of times to advance read for publishing consideration less than a handful of stories and had no advance knowledge of Beth's stories or any other ones in that issue.


Kevin R. Tipple ©2009

Reviewing: "Night and Day" by Robert B. Parker

Jesse Stone returns in "Night and Day" in a case liberally borrowed from the nation's headlines. There is a bit of a problem down at the local junior high school. Parents are mad, students are upset, and Principal Betsy Ingersoll is convinced that she did nothing wrong. The day before was the eighth grade dance held every year. This time, Principal Betsy Ingersoll, who has been principal for five years, took all the girls in to the girl's locker room right before the dance to personally check each girl's underwear.

Girls that had underwear on that Mrs. Ingersoll didn't approve of were sent home. At least, that is what the kids and their parents say and they want her in jail and punished. Betsy Ingersoll is politically connected and she won't say what she did or why. All she will say is how she has done so much for the kids over the years and how she has the kid's interests at heart. But, she never really addresses what she did, why she did it, and whether she understands how upset everyone else is by her actions. The students are upset, parents are furious, and Jesse is pretty mad too. The real question is whether or not the principal actually committed a prosecutable crime.

Along with that case, which despite increasing political pressure on Police Chief Jesse Stone he isn't about to let go of easily, Paradise also has a peeping tom and a swinger's club. This sort of thing isn't supposed to happen in small town America, and the fact that every one knows everyone else for years and years, just make it worse. If that wasn't enough, Jenn is being Jenn again and that is never a good thing for Jesse. Featuring the usual minimalist scene descriptions and theoretically witty repartee between Jesse and his staff, Jesse Stone works the cases, drinks heavily and often, and spends lots of time considering the past. That creates a slow moving book full of melancholy memories.

The limited action in the book is provided by the secondary storyline in the mind and actions of the peeping tom who bills himself as "Night Hawk." Clichéd and stereotypical, the storyline provides all the action in the book and easily becomes more important than the main storyline of administrator stupidity and political power. Even then, the "Night Hawk" storyline frequently drags because he is aware of his own issues and seems to be melancholy about his actions and obsessions.

In recent years it has become increasingly obvious by the way the typeset is placed on the page, the very short chapters, and other tricks that the novels are padded for length requirements. That certainly is true here and made even more glaringly obvious by the lack of depth to the storylines. Instead of being a decent short story, the tale was elongated to the point of absurdity in an effort to reach the mandatory length.

Despite those issues the novel is sure not to disappoint his fanatic legions of fans worldwide who still, without a thought, unquestioningly genuflect before each book.



Night and Day: A Jesse Stone Novel
Robert B. Parker
http://www.robertbparker/
G. P. Putnam's Sons (Penguin Group)
http://www.penguin.com/
2009
ISBN# 978-0-399-15541-3
Hardback
289 Pages


Kevin R. Tipple © 2009

Home Sick Again

and not because of any version of the flu.

I seem to have caught a stomach virus yet again. Not counting the food poisoning last October, I think this is the fourth time since then. Might be the fifth. I have lost count. Got sent home Tuesday from work (don't blame them a bit) and stayed home yesterday. Went back today and that was clearly way too soon. Sent back home this morning and will try again on Monday.

I better be well by then.

I have never been so sick so many times and had so many freaky stupid injury things happen to me at school as in this year. Not a good way to make myself part of the team and mighty frustrating.

I'd beat my head against the wall, but with my history of concussions, that is not a good idea.

2009 Edgar Winners

The Mystery Writers of America have announced the winners of the 2009 Edgars Award.


BEST NOVEL Blue Heaven by C.J. Box (St. Martin's Minotaur)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR The Foreigner by Francie Lin (Picador)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL China Lake by Meg Gardiner (New American Library ­Obsidian Mysteries)

BEST FACT CRIME American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, The Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century by Howard Blum (CrownPublishers)

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL Edgar Allan Poe: An Illustrated Companion to His Tell-Tale Stories by Dr. Harry Lee Poe (Metro Books)

BEST SHORT STORY "Skinhead Central" - The Blue Religion by T. Jefferson Parker (Hachette Book Group ­ Little, Brown and Company)

BEST JUVENILE The Postcard by Tony Abbott (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

BEST YOUNG ADULT Paper Towns by John Green (Penguin Young Readers Group ­ Dutton Children'sBooks)

BEST PLAY The Ballad of Emmett Till by Ifa Bayeza (Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL)

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY "Prayer of the Bone" ­ Wire in the Blood, Teleplay by Patrick Harbinson (BBC America)

BEST MOTION PICTURE SCREENPLAY In Bruges, Screenplay by Martin McDonagh (Focus Features)

ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD "Buckner's Error" - Queens Noir by Joseph Guglielmelli (Akashic Books)

GRAND MASTER
James Lee Burke and Sue Grafton

RAVEN AWARDS Edgar Allan Poe Society, Baltimore, Maryland Poe House, Baltimore, Maryland

THE SIMON SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD The Killer's Wife by Bill Floyd (St.Martin's Minotaur)

Nominees as well as winners are at http://www.theedgars.com/nominees.html

Of the winners, the only book I had read at all was BLUE HEAVEN. Readers of my reviews know I am a big fan of C. J. Box. Unfortunately, that book was one I hated and I gave up on it after reading the first seventy pages or so. I almost never quit a book once started, but I thought it was cliched and worthless. Clearly, I am in the minority opinion on that.

Under the Pest Paperback Original category, I had read and reviewed MONEY SHOT by Christa Faust. I really liked that book a lot and was hoping it would win. That isn't saying the winner didn't deserve to win. Just that I hadn't read it so I can't make any comparison.

Considering the number of books here to be read and reviewed, it might be awhile before I get to any of the nominees.

Kevin
(who isn't doing nearly enough of his own fiction work)

Event: Texas Word Wrangler Festival

4th Annual Texas Word Wrangler Festival

September 11, 2009

9am to 5pm

Giddings Public Library & Cultural Center
276 North Orange
Giddings, Texas 78942

The Giddings Area Chamber of Commerce and the Giddings Public Library & Cultural Center invite all published Texas authors to submit a book for consideration in our upcoming 4th Annual Texas Word Wranglers Festival on Friday, Sep-tember 11, 2009. Word Wranglers use words to convey ideas, stories, portray people and places. We want to honor our Word Wranglers for their hard work and dedication to their craft. We also want to give our community an opportunity to meet these authors and learn about the writing craft.

We are looking for authors of books on the following subjects: children’s books, archeology, poetry, Texas cookbooks, bird watching, fiction, history, historical fiction, mystery, romance, music, Texas Gardening, and anything related to Texas. We have an all day festival at the Giddings Public Library & Cultural Center featuring several author readings and Q&A sessions. On Thursday the authors are invited to visit the Giddings Public Schools to talk to students about the writing process, idea for stories, how a book is taken from the idea to the written page and much more. Authors will have a place to sell their books and autograph them for patrons.

On Thursday evening we host a fundraising gala event to introduce the authors to the community. Authors receive two complimentary tickets to attend the gala and will have a table available to pre-sell books to the invitation only crowd.

The first year we had eleven authors at our event. The second year we had twenty one authors attend our event, ten participated at the schools. The third year we had Hurricane Ike and half of our authors were unable to attend. This year we will honor our volunteer fire fighters, EMS and policemen for their hard work and dedication. Submit your book to the book selection committee or call for more information. We look forward to hearing from you.

Minnie Simmang Selection Committee Chairman Giddings Area Chamber of Commerce and Giddings Public Library and Cultural Center Minnie Simmang" or meks@gvec.net Giddings, Texas 78942

Phone: 979-542-3539