The Dark Ages

“’It’s a new dark age,” he said at one point. “Nobody reads anymore. People are losing the ability to think. Television has destroyed us. I’m glad I won’t live to see the worst of it.’” (Dry Heat, Page 73)

History and the dead, victims of crime or otherwise, have been constant themes of this enjoyable series. So too has been the price of progress and resulting urban sprawl and what that has done to Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding area. Those themes continue in this third novel of the series, which also deals with modern day realities of the Russian Mafia and terrorism.

In 1948 the body of FBI Agent John Pilgrim was found floating in a canal outside what was then small city of Phoenix, Arizona. Over 200 agents spent more than two months working the case before it was ruled a suicide and buried by FBI management. Now, an elderly homeless man has been found dead, floating in a swimming pool, at approximately the same location. Homeless people die everyday across this country and that isn’t why the media are circling above by helicopter or clogging the neighborhood streets below with satellite trucks. Word is already out that the dead homeless man had the dead agent’s badge. A badge that vanished in 1948 and never found, was sewn inside the dead man’s coat.

An interagency taskforce is formed and launches an investigation with all the political backstabbing and power plays that go along with such things. Assigned to the case, Deputy Sheriff David Mapstone should be focused entirely at the matter at hand but he can’t focus that well. Recently married to Deputy Lindsey, he knows how lucky he is and is reminded thanks to the death of a good friend and mentor, how fragile life is. When the Russian Mafia begins to retaliate for the success of Lindsey’s team that stopped dead a multi million dollar fraud operation using stolen credit card identities, both Lindsey and David are forced to go into hiding. Hiding is something that neither one is good at, especially with Mapstone pushed to solve his own case.

Containing twists and at times intense action, this novel continues the overall character story arc begun in the first novel Concrete Desert. Enjoyable as the others, this novel does have more of a melancholy feel to it. Without giving too much away it is safe to say that some decisions for the future have to be made and the ending has enough wiggle room that it can be interpreted in two different ways.

Not to say both cases aren’t satisfactorily resolved, because they are. While the Russian Mafia case is resolved pretty much as expected, the Pilgrim case has one final twist at the end that is shocking in its simplicity. Little new is added to the characters as the novel has Mapstone contemplating not only the past of Phoenix and what progress has done to the city in the last fifty plus years, but his own checkered and complex past and recent developments. Some of this ground has been covered before in “Concrete Desert and Camelback Falls but is more of a constant presence in this novel. While containing plenty of action and complex cases, this book is a more introspective work and as such has a more melancholy feel than the previous two.

However, do not let that deter you from another excellent book in the series. As always, Jon Talton delivers a read full of interesting characters, vivid descriptive settings, and a pair of complex cases. The result is another twisting tale of the past and present and one very good book.


Dry Heat (A David Mapstone Mystery)
Jon Talton
Thomas Dunne Books
www.minotaurbooks.com
ISBN 0-312-33385-4
Hardback
$22.95 US
$32.95 Canada





Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

Perfect Medicine?

Kevin’s Corner


The concept of electronic medical records (EMR) is often touted as a way to save costs and lives while preventing human errors. As authors have repeatedly pointed out, an over reliance in computers and technology can have grave if not disastrous consequences for all. Neurosurgeon Allen Wyler explores both ideas and blends them together to create an interesting, occasionally graphic, read.

Dr. Tyler Mathews works at the Maynard Medical Center in Seattle, Washington. A hospital that never could have afforded the technology on its own became a test site for the Med-InDx Electronic Medical Record system. Everything about the patient is recorded into the system and according to the company, human error has been eliminated. The system is perfect and will save thousands of lives while speeding medical care. But as Dr. Tyler Mathews knows, it has taken a life.

Dr. Mathew’s patient, a young man suffering from epilepsy, received far more radiation than he should have reducing his brain to mush. As Mathews pushes the hospital management to investigate an error that seems to have vanished, his own medical expertise comes into question. Could he have made the mistake? He soon realizes he didn’t because he begins to hear of other similar treatment errors. Other cases where infallible records where changed, treatment was compromised, and patients died. The deaths may not stop there as someone is seeking the final solution to shut down Dr. Tyler Mathews permanently.

I’m not a big fan of novels purported to be medical thrillers as often then seem to cross over into the horror genre. However, in this case, while there are a couple of scenes that are rather graphic involving patients, they aren’t gratuitous and are used to push the story forward. As such, they are necessary and while they may make those of us who have had lots of medical problems a bit squeamish, the primary focus is on the mystery of why things are happening. That core mystery is very good and done very well.

With realistic detailed characters, plenty of scene description and an excellent premise, the author has created a twisting tale of greed, deception, and the low value some would place on human life. Written by a man who has been there and clearly done that, the author details the risks of such technology and the consequences should the technology fail while providing an excellent mystery read.


Deadly Errors
By Allen Wyler
Forge
www.tor.com
ISBN 0-765-31311-1
Hardback
$24.95 US
$36.00 Canada
ARC—Scheduled Publication July 2005



More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.


Thanks for reading!


Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

Finding the Truth

Kevin’s Corner

One of the recent trends of the last couple of years I have noticed is the high number of books using the concept of offshoot Mormon groups doing bad things. While some authors take the idea in different directions, most seem to use the same basic template. An abusive man physically strong in stature with a deep voice leads the group, the abused women (often sisters from the same family) are all fearful and married to the man and the children are abused. Everything is done in the name of religion, which allows the author to lecture the reader about the evils of religion gone amok. This is exactly what Nevada Barr does in her latest offering, “Hard Truth.”

Newly married Ranger Anna Pigeon has been assigned to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Beyond the usual park problems, the staff has been severely stressed by the recent disappearance of three young girls while in the park from a nearby breakaway Mormon sect. The girls, with their youth leader, were left in the park while other members of the group hiked out. The young girls disappeared and despite constant searches and investigations into everyone’s background, especially the youth leader, the three girls have not been found.

Then two of the girls stumble out of the woods at the Sprague Lake Handicamp and straight into the arms of a paraplegic and her elderly Aunt. Heath, a climber, has been confined to a wheelchair since falling and receiving severe injuries approximately nine months earlier on Longs Peak. Despite the fact that she is lucky to even be alive according to everyone else, she doesn’t think so. Mad at the world for her injury and her own body for failing to heal so that she can walk again, she has slid into a deep angry depression that even her no nonsense Aunt, Gwendolyn Littleton, can’t get her out. But when confronted by two children, clearly deeply traumatized on a physical as well as an emotional level, Heath is forced to reassess her life.

Coming from opposite ends of the spectrum in personality and motivation, Heath and Anna have a tenuous working relationship as they begin to investigate what happened. Heath exploits the bond she made with one child while Anna exploits her position as District Ranger to investigate a case that the sect does not want investigated in any way. A third child is still missing and both Anna and Heath wonder if she is still alive. What happened out there in the woods? And for Anna, she also wonders why the return of the children has coincided with other strange events in the park.

This isn’t the first time Nevada Barr has considered the concept of pure evil and no doubt won’t be the last. Once again she tries to define it, to show its human face, to explain it, and deal with an evil that is almost perfect in its ability. As such, much of what she has written before, Molly’s lectures and advice, etc. is dusted off and placed before readers once again. This lends a certain redundancy to the work, as much of what is in this novel seems to have had the identifying names changed and little else.

Because of that fact, some factual location errors, and the for the most part stereotypical characters, the read is average at best. While the tale itself is interesting and does hold reader attention, the noted flaws remain prevalent from start to finish. Of course, like everything else in life, your experience may vary.


Hard Truth
By Nevada Barr
www.nevadabarr.com
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
www.penguin.com
ISBN 0-399-15241-5
Hardback
$24.95 US
$36.00 Canada


More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.


Thanks for reading!


Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

Book Reviews

I am very pleased to announce that I am now supplying book reviews to the Vacant Funhouse. My reviews are up at http://vacantfunhouse.com/reviews.html and currently cover:


The Devil's Right Hand by J. D. Rhoades

The President's Assassin by Brain Haig

Tonight, I Said Goodbye by Michael Koryta

Cut And Run by Ridley Pearson

Eight Of Swords by David Skibbins

Bullets by Steve Brewer


More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.


Thanks for reading!


Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

Working The Story.....

Kevin’s Corner


Another day, another box of tissue and then some gone. The battle continues and so does the reading. Back to the world of mystery fiction, sub-genre: cozy, we go.


A Confidential Source
By Jan Brogan
http://www.janbrogan.com/
Mysterious Press
http://www.mysteriouspress.com/
April 2005
ISBN # 0-89296-007-8
Hardback
338 Pages
$24.95 US
$33.95 Canada

For reporter Hallie Ahern the road to redemption has taken her to Rhode Island and the Providence Morning Chronicle. She works out of a county bureau office in South Kingston and spends her days covering school boa4rd meetings, retyping press release and police reports, and other lightweight but needed articles. She still dreams of the big story but the big story blew up in her face once before and she constantly worries it could happen again.

Dreams are what got her into trouble in the first place. Dreams that caused insomnia so severe that she became addicted to sleeping pills. And addiction she still fights and is very careful not to give into again. That battle quickly becomes harder when the owner of The Mazursky Market, Barry Mazursky, is gunned down while she is in the small convenience store. While she did not see the shooter put the bullet into Mazurky’s brain, she knows exactly who did it. Moments before a large man in a parka had cursed her when she saw his face and there is no doubt he killed Mazursky.

While she cared deeply about Mazursky and felt him to be a friend as she wrote in the paper for a lead story, the facts are that she really knew very little about him. After praising him extensively in print, it slowly becomes clear that Mazursky hid dark secrets. Assigned to continue to work the case by the editorial staff of the paper, she begins to discover pieces of information while asking why the police are stonewalling the case. Links to political corruption and a coming referendum of gambling appear and it seems many of the characters are using Hallie for their own ends. As she investigates, Hallie figures out this wasn’t a simple robbery gone wrong, but a public execution designed to send a statement to certain individuals. She realizes this could her chance to break back into the big leagues and claim total redemption for her past sins. That is, if she doesn’t miss the warning signs and get herself killed.
Rich in detail and with somewhat stock characters, this novel works forward very slowly as Hallie pulls the pieces together. As in many cozy style novels, the pace is slow and the mystery is an ongoing theme but often not primary. Such is the case here, as Hallie deals with possible romantic entanglements with a handsome District Attorney among others, her own addictive personality, relationship issues, both professional and personal, and her ongoing debate with herself over her own past failures and triumphs. Hallie is a complex persona who seems to shift back and forth, waffling between the responsibilities of adulthood and a wishing for simpler things. With the focus so scattered across so many themes, the first two hundred pages of this novel read like an elaborate setup piece.

But the final seventy-five to one hundred pages make the wait worth it as the novel begins to go. As the pressures rapidly mount, Hallie spends less wasted time with doubt and self-recriminations and becomes real to the reader as she reacts to the considerable forces allied against her.

Those familiar with the background political history at the state and local level in Rhode Island will appreciate this novel more than others. No doubt heavily based on real life people at high levels of State and local government, this cozy encourages speculation as to who the fictional characters are based on. That fact as well as the rich details in setting work well and make this novel come alive for the reader.

All in all, this is an enjoyable read that follows her first novel, “Final Copy.” This novel is not a sequel and easily works well as a stand-alone or as a possible series start. That of course, is up to the author, but I hope that she will bring back Hallie for another adventure soon.




A big thank you to Renee Supriano of the Time Warner Book Group for providing a review copy. It is appreciated!

More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.


Thanks for reading!


Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

Searching For The Sound

Kevin’s Corner


The battle to get well continues. Strep has laid siege to this family and while the kids bounced back really fast, the wife and I haven’t. Among other things to have fallen by the wayside the last couple of weeks was my writing schedule. That wasn’t good especially with the fact that in two more weeks, my boys will be home for the summer. Yep, mid- May and they are out. Theoretically, they go back in August but that decision isn’t final thanks to the Sate Legislature, which is fumbling around with the issue of school finance. They can’t get anything done there but they seem to have figured out that some cheerleading routines are obscene. The only thing obscene to me is the fact that they are still messing with school finance and haven’t got the job done yet.

I haven’t managed to do much but read a few books. Some of those reviews you will see elsewhere and I hope to make that announcement I have been promising real soon. In the meantime, I have an offering from the vast world known as non-fiction to offer. I don’t do reviews on very many non-fiction books but this one is definitely worth it.

Searching For The Sound: My Life With The Grateful Dead
By Phil Lesh
Little, Brown And Company
April 2005
ISBN # 0-316-00998-9
Hardback
338 Pages
$25.95 US
$34.95 Canada

In non-fiction, the literary voice of the person who actually lived the life rings truest. While outsiders may scratch and pick at the surface while writing thousands of words on the subject, there is nothing like the story told from the inside. That certainly is true in this book written by the bass player for the band.

While the book does open with background on his early days and long before joining the legendary band, the primary focus of the work is on his experiences on stage and off. He details the inner workings of the band from an economic standpoint as well as his personal relationships with the band members. Along the way he not only explains what it was like to make music but the background of the songs and what they really mean. He takes his personal life story forward to the tragic death of Jerry Garcia as well as his own critical health problems. As such, the book becomes a retrospective look at the highs and lows of one’s own life and the role one played, good and bad, in the end result. He articulates in great detail the day-to-day experiences of the band, which ultimately shaped its sounds for nearly forty years.

For fans of the band, this book provides a detailed and honest look written in the way only a true insider could. Covering the highs and the lows, the author explains all in an easy confessional style that enlightens but never talks down to the reader. Instead, it is almost as if he is sitting beside you in some small club somewhere as he tells what happened and why. Humor and compassion for himself and his band members make this work by Phil Lesh one worth reading.



A big thank you to Renee Supriano of the Time Warner Book Group for providing a review copy. It is appreciated!

More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.


Thanks for reading!


Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

Laughing Hurts!

Kevin’s Corner


Back in the land of the living thanks to antibiotics. Well, sort of living, at least. Strep throat can really do a number on you especially when one does not know one has it. Apparently, there is some new strain of Strep that does not make your throat hurt nor does it show up as white patches in the back of the throat. Instead, confirmation comes by way of the old swab at the back of the throat. As my doctor puts it, this is not good for patients who have “a heightened gag reflex.” There has to be a better way to test the patient.

Enough about that. If you are looking for a quirky mystery, I have just the book in mind for you. This recent release titled “Watch Your Back!” by Donald E. Westlake was my first exposure to his wild world. The novel combines humor with off the wall characters and a madcap caper to pleasantly entertain readers.

Watch Your Back! A Dortmunder Novel
By Donald E. Westlake
Mysterious Press
April 2005
ISBN # 0-89296-802-8
Hardback
310 Pages
$24.95 US
$33.95 Canada

John Dortmunder and crew are not happy they can’t meet in the backroom of the O.J. Bar & Grill as usual. Everyone around knows they meet there to plan their jobs, but they can’t because outsiders have taken over. Outsiders that, beyond their strange taste in clothes, have the regulars quaking in fear and the barman, Rollo, scanning the want ads. The outsiders have to be dealt with and Dortmunder has to figure out a way.

He also has to figure out a way to deal with a proposition from Arnie Albright. Arnie is their usual fence and has just returned from having his attitude adjusted on an island resort. While it could be questioned whether the intervention worked, there is no mistaking the genius of Arnie’s proposed target.

While on the island resort, he met an incredibly rich and obnoxious man by the name of Preston Fareweather. Mr. Fareweather, beyond being obscenely rich and a pitiful human being (even Arnie thinks he is a jerk) is hiding from his five angry ex-wives and their process servers. Instead of being at home in New York in his penthouse apartment dealing with the problems he has created, he is on the island laying waste to the various gold digging trollops who decide to spend time with him. Arnie proposes Dortmunder and crew should take down Fareweather’s penthouse and for steering them the work, he wants thirty percent.

It’s a great deal and despite being almost too good to be true, one that Dortmunder and crew can’t resist. So, they split their time with planning the job and working on how to handle the problem at the O. J. While Dortmunder may feel that everything is under control, before long it is very clear that things aren’t, if they ever really were. Madcap hijinks ensue as both storylines gradually weave together with a definite sense of poetic justice.

Fans of Donald E. Westlake no doubt know and appreciate what is in store in this entertaining read. For those who don’t care for a strong amount of humor, to the point of madcap variety at times, this read is definitely not appropriate. For everyone else, this is an enjoyable and entertaining novel that will have you chuckling from start to finish.

A big thank you to Renee Supriano of the Time Warner Book Group for providing a review copy. It is appreciated!

More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.


Thanks for reading!


Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

One Door Closes.....

Kevin’s Corner


Well, it has been an interesting couple of weeks to say the least. They say that when one door closes another opens. That idea, along with a maintenance free air conditioner, a lifetime warranty, compassionate conservatism, and a few other things was something I never really believed in.

But, I could be wrong.

I truly hope I am. I’m not quite ready to make any announcement yet, but hopefully, what has been discussed by e-mail will actually happen. When I am surer of things, hopefully by the end of the month if not sooner, I will announce the details.

In the meantime and probably for now on, I intend to post a review here from time to time. No, this blog is not going to be exclusively reviews. I still intend to ramble on as I have been and comment about other things in the world today. But, reviews will appear here occasionally and I think that works along with everything else.

First up is Jeffrey Cohen’s book “A Farewell To Legs.” You may have heard about Jeff, as he is heavily involved in the Mystery Morgue review site as well as a few other things. Jeff may be half a country away from me but we share a major thing in common. No, it isn’t the fact we are both over forty and worry about premature balding or the fact that our wives get annoyed at times with our sense of humor. We are both stay at home Dads.

Contrary to what you would see on daytime talk shows we are two guys that not only are fully involved with our kids, but know how to use major household appliances. That’s right, we know how to cook and clean and do it very well. Something that comes through in his fiction writing and something that I really appreciate. Jeff writes with the voice of experience and his writing brings back fond, and not so very fond at all, memories of my own experiences. If you haven’t read any of his stuff, you really need to take a look.


A Farewell To Legs: An Aaron Tucker Mystery
By Jeffrey Cohen
Bancroft Press
2003
ISBN # 1-890862-29-0
Hardback


In this sequel to “For Whom The Minivan Rolls,” Aaron Tucker is once again called on to investigate a death. Louis Gibson, head of a right wing conservative group that stridently preached family values has been found dead in the bed of his mistress, Cheri Bratton. His wife, who was the dream of every guy she knew in high school when she was known as Stephanie Jacobs is still an attractive knockout twenty-five years later. Now known as Stephanie Jacobs Gibson, the new widow gets the news of her husband’s death at the twenty-five year High School Reunion. What better setting for an alibi is there than being in front of your old classmates when you find out?

Because of his previous history covered in the first book, Stephanie gets it in her head just hours after the murder to have Aaron investigate the crime and write about it for the editor she knows of a large and prestigious publication. After confirming with the editor how much the publication will pay, freelance writer Aaron Tucker reluctantly aggress and begins digging into the case.

At the same time, he deals with other storylines involving his activities as a stay at home Dad, the joys and perils of pet ownership when kids are involved, stink bombs at school, embezzlement and politics. Some of it is a very nasty business indeed and combined with the murder case, makes him a target. Before long, Aaron begins to wonder which party is just furious with him and which wants him removed permanently.

Everyone that was in the first book makes a repeat appearance here and very little new ground is covered in terms of character development. What also isn’t covered is a detailed description of the first book. Unlike many sequels, this sequel can be safely read and enjoyed out of order with the first book. In short, one can safely read this book and go back later and hunt down the first book.

While not nearly as funny as the first book, this novel provides another very enjoyable read. For fellow stay at home Dads, Jeffrey Cohen writes with the clear authority of someone who has lived in the trenches. His characters, regardless of occupation are real people and come alive for the reader in every sense of the word. That fact, coupled with his creation of another mystery within a mystery that features a few sudden twists at the end, make this novel another very worthwhile read from him.


So, there you have it. Another author to consider and one that I think you will enjoy. More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.


Thanks for reading!


Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

Turning the Page.....

Kevin’s Corner


Welcome back to Kevin’s Corner. It’s been a few weeks since the last update and I am sorry about that. It has been one thing after another, some good and some bad. Actually, more bad than good but enough of that.

As you may have read elsewhere, the Blue Iris Journal has gone on hiatus. This was a surprise for me especially as I had been accepting books for review for BIJ. Obviously, until I am informed exactly what is going on and what the timetable is, I won’t be accepting any more books for the site. I apologize again to those writers who were counting on a review there. I am truly sorry and I certainly would not have been accepting your book for review if I had known. All I can say is that I am sorry and will do everything I can to place the reviews elsewhere.

Below are two reviews I had written for BIJ that after two weeks still have not appeared and I have no idea when or even if they will. Obviously, here isn’t as visible as BIJ, but they are still fine books and should be visible for your consideration. They are somewhat opposite ends of the spectrum: a cozy style novel and a noir style novel. Both are very good in their own way and I hope you enjoy them.

First up, the noir style novel and a very good book.


361
By Donald E. Westlake
Hard Case Crime
www.hardcasecrime.com
2005
ISBN # 0-8439-5357-8
Paperback
208 Pages
$6.99 US
ARC—SCHEDULED RELEASE MAY 3, 2005


It is a hot July in the early sixties and 23-year-old Ray Kelly is coming home from his stint in the Air Force. He reunites in New York City with his dad, Willard Kelly, Sr. who seems a little nervous and off with him but Ray just puts it down to Ray being gone several years. Both have changed thanks to the passage of time as well as Ray’s military service. He isn’t the boy who went off to serve any longer and comes home a man. After a few hours sightseeing and spending the night in the City, they start the long drive home. Thirty-eight miles outside of NYC, a tan-and cream Chrysler pulls alongside of them and the passenger starts shooting. His dad tries to tell Ray something and then dies sending the car straight into a bridge support.

Ray barely survives and days later, reunites with his brother Bill in the hospital. The family soon suffers a second devastating loss when Bill’s wife, a woman Ray had only spoken to on the phone a couple of times and never met, is killed in a car accident. Or could it be something else entirely? Before long, the brothers find out that Willard Kelly, Sr., their dad, had a very shady past that may have gotten him as well as Bill’s wife killed and the killers may not be through until the entire family is wiped out. While Bill clearly from the start fluctuates on the idea of paying the killers back in kind, Ray wants vengeance. Not just for his Dad, Bill’s wife, and to protect Bill’s young daughter. He wants it for himself and to ease the pain just a little of two broken ankles, the loss of his right eye, and the pain that grips his very soul. Ray considers himself adrift without a home or reason for being other than vengeance.

What follows is a dark incredibly twisting tale of double cross and revenge as the brothers go after those responsible. In this re-release of a classic noir novel by Donald E. Westlake by Hard Case Crime, Ray is a complex character driven by his primal need for vengeance, yet not liking the idea or himself too much. He attempts to quell his inner demons through repeated bouts of drinking as he tries to not only ignore and repress doubts as to what he must do, but how he will go on once his mission is finished. It is a harsh world he lives in with limited choices which is clearly reflected in the limited prose.

Unlike a James Lee Burke novel, which can tend towards the noirish and often contains elaborate prose descriptions; this novel features a stark, clipped writing style that steadily moves the action forward. Scene descriptions are limited to the bare essentials and what is described is only done so in terms of story content. Every word used is used to carry the minimum hard-hitting impact for the reader.

This is a dark and violent novel and very good stuff. Much like their recent release of “Kiss Her Goodbye” by Allan Guthrie which could also be labeled by some as nothing more than a vengeance novel, this read features a hero deeply troubled yet following his own code of honor to finish off what others have started. Family means a lot and respect has to be earned—own way or another.


And the cozy is below and this was/is also very good:


Now You See Her
By Cecelia Tishy
Mysterious Press
www.mysteriouspress.com
2005
ISBN # 0-89296-796-X
Hardback
$23.95 US
$34.95 Canada



Regina Cutter had it all and then it was gone. Her wealthy husband dumped her in favor of a trophy wife and suddenly her years of effort, sacrifice and support for his career and their marriage didn’t matter. Gone were the club memberships, the private plane, and all the other perks and trappings of wealth and power. But, she still had her paranormal ability.

She went back to Boston and moved into her recently departed Aunt’s home. She shares custody of her Aunt Jo’s dog, affectionately known as “Biscuit,” with a rough character that rides a Harley and goes by the name Stark. And just like her Aunt did for years, she unofficially consults with the Boston Police Department in the form of Detective Frank Devaney. As the novel begins, he has a strange case for her.

Devaney, pressured for a quick arrest and conviction, may have sent an innocent man to prison for a murder he did not commit. The victim was Peter Wald, the son of a very prominent politician. The accused killer was Henry Fraiser; a man with no connections and who still to this day claims to be innocent. He may very well have been nothing more than the wrong man in the wrong place at the time. The crime happened years ago during the cocaine years when crime was out of control, the police were overworked and stressed, and everything no matter how small turned into deadly violence. Initially, Regina does not pick up anything and then as he goes to leave, she gets a sensation that is almost to the point of an image for her which gives Devaney an idea to pursue.

But, Regina isn’t content to just tell the good detective what she sees and feels. Before long, she is actively sticking her nose into the case, asking questions of everyone and walking the old neighborhood where the crime took place. At the same time, she is also assisting a good friend of hers that sold a house that may or may not be haunted. The buyers are not happy and are very well connected and the outcome of their unsatisfaction could be a financial disaster for all involved. And then, what about the weird scuffling sound Regina heard in the thick fog the other night? Was a man attacked?

Author Cecelia Tishy (also the author of the Kate Banning mystery series) pulls the various threads all together in a Sue Grafton style work and creates an atmospheric read that is very enjoyable. Despite lots of self-doubt, Regina Cutter is an enjoyable character realistically drawn and full of promise. The secondary characters, in particular Stark and Devaney, seem at times a bit stereotypical, but clearly they have the possibility to become realistically drawn individuals. If this becomes a series, the pieces are certainly there to more fully develop these characters and others.

Coincidence does seem to play a strong role in the book whether in the form of the paranormal at just the right time or in the main story where something happens at just the exact right moment. However, that fact along with the fact that the paranormal plays a very small roll, much less than one would expect from reading the jacket copy, are minor quibbles and nothing to really weaken the overall enjoyable read. The result of the work is an interesting and enjoyable novel that may have too little paranormal content for those very interested in the sub-genre while having too much for those readers who simply aren’t interested in anything paranormal.

So there they are. A big thank you to Hardcase Crime for sending 361 and a big thank you to author Cecelia Tishy for sending her book, Now You See Her. A big thank you goes out as well to Del T. for all the help in getting books to review. All is appreciated.

More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.


Thanks for reading!


Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

New Plans: Same Dream

Kevin’s Corner


Welcome back to Kevin’s Corner. As many of you know, Randy and Jean have sold their palatial mansion and are moving to France. I would like to, as I have privately, wish them well in their journey to their new home. I remain amazed at the sheer idea of moving half a world away. An apartment across town is one thing but this is ridiculous! Anyway, they have promised to keep in touch by the wonder known as the World Wide Web and I am counting on it.

As I noted last time, my fiction work just didn’t sell last year. There could be a variety of reasons for that from not sending out enough to markets not recognizing talent when they see it (stop laughing) to anything else I want to blame. The sad truth is, for whatever reason, I didn’t sell which is a hard pill to swallow. Again.

That isn’t to say that the dream is dead. According to some of the editors I worked with last year who went way beyond the call of duty and ditched the form letter rejection, there is talent to be mined. It is rough, it is ugly and it needs work. A lot of work. Which is somewhat discouraging because in a sense after all the health issues I have had the last few years, it almost feels like I am starting over writing wise. But, if work needs to be done, than it must be done. I have stories to tell and they must see the light of day.

Besides the wife says that if I don’t write and sell my mood is worse than watching the Cowboys lose on Sunday. Screams of rage aren’t a good thing she says. So, in that spirit, I have decided to make a few changes in the context of the New Year and all that.

First, I am cutting down on my review work. I am nearly caught up now with all the books I had accepted previously for review. There are so many books out there and I am really bad about telling folks no. I intend to make some exceptions here and there but I am cutting way back on the commitments for review. Instead of focusing so much on other’s words, it is time to focus on my own.

Second, I have joined a local writers group. I can’t drive too well these days so transportation there may become an issue. But the intent and willingness is there and time will tell about the other.

Third, I blew the dust off the novel project and got back to work on it. It has languished far too long and the voices had gone silent. But after steady work the last two weeks, they seem to be waking up. They are groggy and incoherent, as am I in the morning, but that just means we work well together.

And lastly, I’m working on my short stories again. Yes, I know the real money is to be made in the novel area (and I do need money) but some ideas just fit the short story format. A couple of things are bouncing around in the old brainpan and thanks to a cyber friend; I have quite a bit of work to do on an existing piece.

So there you have it, my writing plans for the New Year. Workable and though I’m sure I will have setbacks, I’m not giving up yet. More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.


Thanks for reading!


Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

I'm Back!

Kevin’s Corner

Welcome back to Kevin’s Corner. I had meant to get another edition up between Thanksgiving and Christmas and failed miserably. I do appreciate your patience and a special thank you to those who have contacted me offlist and expressed their support.

One does not live by writing alone, unfortunately. One of the things that has kept me hopping the last few weeks, (something my downstairs neighbors don’t appreciate), is the fact that I have been helping out with my wife’s crafts. You see, my wife makes some very nice things and has done so for years. After burying friends and family the last several years with more than they really needed or want, we decided that maybe it was time to see if it could work as a small home business. With a lot of help from an outside party who will remain nameless but very much appreciated, we have a small website up. One has to start somewhere and our attempt is at http://s.tipple.home.att.net/ Stop by and take a look when you get a chance.

This January finds me looking back at 2004 and rather unhappy from a writing point of view. Not only did I do very little about my own novel, which is going nowhere fast, I also managed not to make a single fiction sale. While I did submit to a number of places and several anthologies that I would have liked to have been in, I didn’t make the cut on any of them. Some places, for example the anthologies, I know that I got very close to making the final group selected but I don’t know why my work didn’t make it. In other markets, all I know was that what was sent didn’t work as I have the form letter to tell me so. Of course, as we all know, form letter rejections are worthless from the standpoint of trying to improve one’s own work.

In the book review front, I had no problems there and was given more work than I could handle. I was struck again this year that the more interesting books often came from the small presses or even the vanity presses. I think there is a two-part reason for that. One, because some very talented writers are refusing to let the fact that the major publishing houses ignored them stop publication of their worthy works. Secondly, because the big publishing house want clones of what they already have. Simply put, Grisham sells, so they want another Grisham style author. Clancy sells, so they want another Clancy style author. As media conglomerates get larger and larger and the bottom line gets to be even more important, the buying choices of the public may continue to shrink. I urge you to support the small presses and even the vanity presses when merited because there are good books out there. Don’t you want a good book to read on the plane when you sit for twenty-eight hours on the tarmac?

Speaking of good books, here are three where the main character has to reevaluate the world and his place in it in varying ways. We run the gamut here from the hopeful, to a dark future, to an incredible painful present. First up is…

Money Shot
By Brian Rouff
Hardway Press
2004
ISBN # 0-9717148-2-7
Large Trade Paperback
261 Pages
$14.95 US


I was thrilled when this author contacted me recently about his new book. I had read “Dice Angel” before, (still waiting for the sequel) and this book, which is entirely different, was well worth wait. Alan “Nick” (to all his friends) Nichols is doing pretty well in Las Vegas as an executive at a Las Vegas advertising agency. After unwittingly buying the winning soda, he gets a chance to shoot a three point shot at halftime of the coming NCAA regional finals in Phoenix. Should he sink the basket, he wins a cool million bucks.

We have all seen those shots on television sports over the years to the point that such promotions have become commonplace. But what author Brian Rouff does is to take a commonplace event and then dive into the backstory. The book isn’t so much about the shot but the four weeks leading up to the event and the pressures Nick feels from all sides. Not only his internal expectations in that he wants the money and doesn’t want to look pathetic on television, but also the sudden expectations of others as he puts everything on the line in a single minded quest to make the shot. Unlike the advertising stuff, this is work and as he goes about his temporary job, he learns more about himself and others than he ever thought possible.

For something completely different set in a dark future, you might want to try…


New Pacific
By G. Miki Hayden
Silver Lake Publishing
http://www.silverlakepublishing.com/
2004
ISBN # 1-931095-80-9
Large Trade Paperback
$13.95 US


In this not too distant future, the NEW WORLD ORDER has actually come to pass. Along with the effects of a steadily increasing population and global warming, large monolithic corporations have completely replaced governments. National boundaries and interests no longer exist and instead, corporations ensure peace and stability worldwide while taking care of all. Those that die, beyond those that die from natural aging, do so due to accidental technology glitches and the survivors are well paid. The world is a controlled safe place but dissent and freedom still simmer in mankind.

For Tanizaki Takashi, those issues do not exist, as he is a small part of the huge corporation known as Moritomo and acutely aware of his place in it. Summoned to Singapore by his supervisor, Najita, he goes and follows rigid protocol. His role is what it is and Najita reminds him of that repeatedly before assigning him the task of finding a missing scientist, Dr. Sato. Dr. Sato has created a living weapon system that could be targeted to a number of variables including, a person’s age, gender, race, etc. Dr. Sato may have taken a part of it with him and they want their property, both Dr. Sato and his weapon system, returned to them.

Takashi begins the hunt, which will lead him to the Moon and Moritomo’s lunar colony. In so doing and while coming to terms with the realization that he is an expendable pawn in a high stakes power game, he begins to question his own life and reason for existence. When the pawn becomes self aware, it ceases to be a pawn and becomes something more.

Filled with social commentary about a world that may be coming, this intriguing science fiction mystery presents a dark tale that does not seem that far fetched at all. As the read moves forward, the levels of corporate deception become more complex as do the possibilities for escape. Ripped from his place in the world where he had become all too complacent, Takashi looks deeply into the abyss in search of himself. The question becomes can he survive long enough to find the answers he seeks.

The final book is a chronicle of one character’s journey into the abyss of addition….

Duck Blood Soup: The Shocking Story of a Real Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
By Joseph Molea, MD
Mystery and Suspense Press (iUniverse)
http://www.iuniverse.com/
2002
Large Trade Paperback
218 Pages
$16.95 US
$27.95 Canada
ISBN # 0-595-21843-1


For Dr. Rocky VanSlyke, resident of All Saints Hospital in Philadelphia, waking up after a seizure caused by drug use should have made him stop. But it didn’t and his slide continues further into the nightmarish world of prescription drug addiction. His methods of choice being Demerol and Percocet. As he begins to lose control over both his personal life and his professional life, the reader is repeatedly taken back in time to his early childhood, teen years, and college life in a search for answers. There were numerous warning signs in every stage of his life, but like his seizure, he didn’t see them coming or what they were.

As the pages pass, the reader is exposed to the joy of escape through addiction in the beginning, which soon morphs into a nightmare as the addition goes out of control. That time when addiction rules every second of every day and becomes subservient to everything else. The slow slide into madness continues throughout the work leaving the reader to wonder if this Rocky will get off the canvass one more time.

As a novel, this is an incredibly disturbing read, which will resonate in those with addiction problems. According to the cover, it is “Based on Actual Events” while in the intro the author asks “ . . . to be judged, not as an autobiographer, but as a writer of fiction.” One wonders where the line is because the work reads all too real from start to finish. For those who have never understood the power of addition over every fiber of a person, this dark and disturbing book is a must read. Afterwards, it might just be a little clearer for you.

So there you have it. Three books to consider and three more reasons why it is worth it to look at other places besides the big publishing houses for your reading material. Your experiences may vary of course and my recommendations are just that—recommendations. More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.


Thanks for reading!

Kevin R. Tipple © 2004

Kevin's Corner 11/16/2004

Kevin’s Corner

Welcome back to Kevin’s Corner. Good to see you again and thanks for stopping by. I meant to have this up sooner but life just keeps getting in the way. Just when I think I have it under control, it slimes away from me again.

As I write this, the election has long past and thanksgiving approaches. That must mean Christmas and time to decorate. Many of my neighbors have already put up their Christmas decorations. We even have a local radio station that is already playing Christmas music and have been for the last two weeks. They said on one of the local newscasts that they did it because they wanted folks to remember them. Works for me! I will always remember not to listen to them.

But in the spirit of the buying season upon us, here are a few book recommendations. Many of these can be found at your local library, which is an even better deal. This edition is mainly about the children in our lives but stay tuned all the way to the bottom for a couple of adult recommendations.

First, for the very young set I would suggest:


Animal Snackers
By Betsy Lewin
Henry Holt and Company
www.henryholt.com
2004
ISBN # 0-8050-6748-5
Hardback
$15.95 US
$22.95 Canada

This updated children’s book for readers age 4-8 uses small rhyming poems of four lines each and colorful pictures to explain what the animals and birds eat. This is truly a really neat book.

For the older kids and I hesitate to suggest an age range as it really depends on the child in question:

The City of the Golden Sun
By Marilyn Peake
Author House
www.authorhouse.com
2004
ISBN # 1-4184-1057-8
Large Trade Paperback
159 pages
$ 12.25 US



This is a sequel to “The Fisherman’s Son” and chronicles the further adventures of young Wiley O’Mara and his companions from the city at the bottom of the ocean. As before, the writing is clear, the descriptions compelling, and the tale vivid as most of the action takes place in the distant past in a time that could have been. Like the first book, this sequel appeals to young and old.


Also very good is:

Jay Walker 4th Grade Noir: The Case Of The Missing Action Figure
By Grant R. Philips
Quiet Storm Publishing
www.quietstormpublishing.com
2004
ISBN # 0-9749608-4-5
ARC



If you remember the classic “Encyclopedia Brown” series and liked it as much as I did growing up, then this will work for the child in your life. For Jason Walker, forth grade student and son of a police officer, school occupies just part of his day. Sometimes he helps his fellow students solve mysteries and like any good private investigator or police officer, he keeps things quiet. An action figure has been nabbed and it is up to Walker to find it and return it to its rightful owner. Written by Phillip Tomasso III, under the name of Grant R. Philips, he can always be counted on for books featuring interesting plots, characters and plenty of action along with a very good story. Such is the case here in this children’s novel, which is simply a great read. Hopefully, this is the start of a series as this novel is a success for young readers and adults.

So, there you have my children’s picks. All good stuff and something sure to hit any age group in your house. But we can’t leave out the adults and I won’t.

What follows are my mine reviews of two very good books that could be labeled “cozies.” Personally, I hate the term. For me, it brings to mind two elderly ladies sitting in front of a fire, sipping tea and knitting while for three hundred pages they go through the list of suspects and try to figure out who killed the body in the Church Rectory. Just not my thing. By the way, the Vicar did it. You can tell by his shifty eyes and the fact that the Butler was away on Holiday.

I much prefer complicated plots, lots of action with car chases, and guns blazing. Give me the guy in Denmark going down an isolated street in a fog at midnight checking the drop for the disk he is supposed to bring back. What can I say? I like Steven Segal movies too. Not because they are epics but because someday you just want to blow up everything in sight and kill all the bad guys while the beautiful half dressed babe screams a little in the corner and not a hair on your head moves out of place. (Why is it that Chiropractors never sponsor a Steven Segal movie? Seems like the perfect audience.) Besides, bad guys, no matter what they shoot, always miss at point blank range. Which is a good thing as one of the good guys and I also like the fact that my gun never needs reloading. But, I digress.

The following two books, while a little short on my personal “I want violence” meter still fit the bill as great books. Both feature sharp writing and a great plot with many suspects and incredible twists. Both books feature strong protagonists that quickly pulled me into the web of their story. And both books were simply very good no matter what was considered. So, in no particular order, I strongly recommend:


Designed To Kill
By Chester D. Campbell
Durban House Publishing Company, Inc.
www.durbanhouse.com
2004
ISBN # 1-930754-46-9
Large Trade Paperback
$15.95 US



Following up on his novel “Secret of the Scroll” author Chester D. Campbell brings back Greg McKenzie and his wife Jill for a case that hits too close to home. After the death of the son of their best friends, Greg and Jill begin to investigate the case in Perdido Key, Florida. Quickly ruled a suicide by the locals, they uncover clues which lead them to believe it was murder connected to the construction of a local condo project.


Eye of Newt
By Denise Dietz
www.denisedietz.com
Five Star Publishing
www.galegroup.com
2004
ISBN # 1-59414-096-0
ARC


Sydney St. Charles is the latest in along line of witches but she does not really believe that she is a witch. Living in Manitou Falls, Colorado, she owns and runs an apothecary shop with the somewhat eccentric help of her great aunt Lillian. When a body part, possible removed from the body of Clive Newton arrives addressed to her niece as a birthday gift, Sydney has no choice to become involved in the search for the killer. As the same time, a journal from 1692 involving a deceased relative who lived in Salem is found in the attic. Are the links in the journal and the current case just coincidence or does the journal hold the key to a modern day killer who is becoming more and more bold?


In both books, detection is the name of the game and used to move the book forward in an n enjoyable way. Both books work and work well and should be considered for those most receptive in your life.

Giving books to others can be a tricky thing so pick wisely. And please remember to support not only the few independents, both presses and stores, left in this county of chain stores and strip malls, but also your local library. Budgets keep getting slashed and libraries desperately need help whether it is book donations, volunteer hours, or good old money.

That is it for this edition. Sermonizing at the minimum as was my attempts at humor (seven consecutive days of gray skis and rain might have a little something to do with that) and several book recommendations. More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.

Thanks for reading!

Kevin R. Tipple © 2004

The Inaugural Edition

Kevin’s Corner

Welcome to Kevin’s Corner, the inaugural edition. A special thank you to Randy and Jean-Marc Lofficier who cleaned out part of the basement of their sprawling palatial mansion so that I could move in. I’m glad to be their pool boy and gofer as well as sharing a few of my thoughts about life, politics, parenthood, and of course, books.

Without books, we would be forced to talk to the animals and you know, for the most part they don’t have a lot to say.

Some of you may know me from rejecting my short fiction and other works. You are forgiven. The knives have pulled out, the wounds are healing nicely, and the doctors say I’ll be ready for more rejection soon. One so does have to pace these sorts of things.

Those few brave souls that did publish my fiction have all closed their publishing doors and the magazines are defunct. Thank you for taking a chance and if my prose had anything to do with closing, I am sorry.

Some of you may know me from my book reviews. Those that feel I wrote an undeserved negative review and was obviously a moron may find solace down by the pool at the burning effigy statue. You may also find editorial assistance down there as well right next to the slab stone inscribed, “You Don’t Get It.”.

Those that know me from book reviews and loved my work are truly special folks and are very much appreciated. You know who you are so I shall say no more about that.

As I sit here writing this it is almost two weeks to Halloween. Halloween has to be one of my least favorite times of the year. Some folks actually like to be scared which is something I never got into. They want to see the walls drip blood, the dead walk again, and all that jazz. Not me.

Not only do I not want to see any of that stuff or read about it, but Halloween also sets off the national retail orgy known as Christmas. Thanksgiving is bypassed totally in favor of the giant “give me/buy me” of Christmas. And as I sit here with the temp pushing way upwards past 80 my eyes are drawn across the way to a neighboring apartment complex.

One tenant has put up orange Halloween lights and a number of small flying ghosts along with a witch that hangs from the balcony. The adjoining neighbor has Christmas lights up along with fake icicles dangling from the porch roof and a decorated tree in the window. Death and Resurrection all in a few feet and a happy power company all rolled into one.

Some may see the dichotomy as a clever social commentary on the coming election.

“Vote now, America, and watch the fun! Choose the wooden puppet of the lobby you like the most.”

Others may see it as another reason the home improvement and decorating shows should be banned from television.

“Sir, you admitted you can’t program your VCR. That means you can’t put together the pool deck you saw on TV. Put down the power saw and leave quietly and we won’t press charges.”

Maybe it is time to throw another couple of hosts of such shows into jail. After all, we don’t have nearly enough “real” criminals to fill the jails now.

The clashing porch view across the way makes my head hurt and reminds me that more than anything, there ought to be a law. Heck, this is Texas. We can make a stupid law for anything. We still have laws on the books that one can’t leave a horse unattended on Main Street in downtown and remember, no spitting on the sidewalk.

“Save that spit for the ballpark, young man. Don’t forget to scratch and make your Mom proud!”

But in the spirit of the season, here are a couple of books that might work for you. It is amazing what I can be talked into reading in a weak moment because this stuff just isn’t my sort of thing at all. I don’t normally read the horror stuff. First in the pile is:


Father Exorcist
By Kevin Sheehan
Publish America Publishers
http://www.publishamerica.com/
October 2004
ISBN # --Not Listed
ARC—Uncorrected Proof

Okay, I know what your thinking and I am not going to beat the old drum about POD, self-publishing and all that for several reasons. I will say this book along with his earlier novel; “Should Old Acquaintance Be Rubbed Out” are well worth reading and good stuff. While that book was a mystery and this is billed as horror, they both share twisted characters and a wild storyline.

In this case, Kevin Sheehan plays with the old idea of the ongoing battle between good and evil in sort of a televised wrestling match style. Everything is over the top and one has to be ready to rumble at any time. Representing good is the blind Father Michael who lives deep in the bowls of the Vatican. Representing evil is the Demon Cain “you know him, you love him) back for another rematch.

The battle begins in Vermont and soon moves to everyone’s favorite city, New York City. (How about them Yankees? As a Texas Ranger fan I loved that series. Okay, gleeful moment over, back to the review). Mankind is forbidden to know the actual truth of the battle between good and evil and Cain plans that the upcoming battle between himself and Father Michael will have grave consequences for all.

This novel was originally created as a graphic novel. Therefore, the character development is very limited and the focus is on the almost non-stop action. The action is very descriptive both in terms of violence as well as occasional sexual acts. Don’t read this one while eating and certainly don’t let the kids read it. It is written to be over the top but still some of this Bram Stoker award nominee book might be just a bit intense for some readers.

At the other end of the spectrum from the all out frantic and very graphic comes the next book on the pile:

Reach of the Claw
By Lawrence Crossett
LTD Books
http://www.penguin.com/
January 2004
ISBN # 1-55316-117-3
Variety of Formats
ARC

“Aye, he could smell Luchorpan.
It was a fetid stench, and one that wouldn’t die.”

And no, he isn’t talking about the trash, which I still have to take out. Instead, the above quote comes from page 7 of this complex character driven book. The Luchorpan, a creature whose claws bring infection and which feeds off humans and anything else it can get has attacked the family Connor before. While the novel begins with that event in 1755, the primary focus is in the here and now where the Luchorpan is once again at work in the small town of Luther, Illinois.

Evil is at work here in the form of the Luchorpan who has ten year old boy Brent Mathers on the menu. Kenn Connor is here as well, on leave from the NYPD and for reasons, he doesn’t himself really know, he has the ability to find the thing. As strange things begin to happen and the Luchorpan does its thing, Ken must battle to save his own sanity, to be believed in an area where the townsfolk think he is nuts, and save one boy’s life.

For me, as I read the book, it really isn’t a horror novel. I think a “thriller” designation would be more appropriate as while it does horrible things, it can be defeated using normal everyday weapons. No special swords from underneath the neighboring monastery, white crosses, vials of holy water, or anything like that.

So, there you have it—the inaugural edition of Kevin’s Corner. A few thoughts, some rambling and a couple of book reviews. Who could ask for more? Okay, sir, you in the back, you want more? Okay, tell me what you want, what you thought, at Kevin_tipple@att.net