Sunday, December 22, 2019
John Pavlovitz: Blue Christmas (What To Do When The Holidays Hurt)
Sandi loved Christmas and all that it entailed. For me, without her, it is hell. This is the third holiday season without her and every year is just gets worse. I find myself crying at stupid commercials as well as a ton of other stuff. Lesa Holstine shared this on Facebook this morning and it hit home. I share it here for those of us, and no doubt there are many, that are in grief, in deep pain, and not finding any reason to be merry.
John Pavlovitz: Blue Christmas (What To Do When The Holidays Hurt)
John Pavlovitz: Blue Christmas (What To Do When The Holidays Hurt)
Review: Robert B. Parker’s Angel Eyes: A Spenser Novel
Robert B. Parker’s Angel Eyes: A Spenser Novel by Ace Atkins
takes readers to sunny California where things are decidedly not sunny in so
many ways. Not only is the weather often cold and rainy, the trail has gone
very cold. 24 years ago old Gabrielle Leggett is a part time actress and full
time social media influencer. “Gabby” is very much missing and her mom wants
her found and back in contact with her family in Boston.
Mom hired Spenser to come to Los
Angeles and find her daughter. Spenser is trying to do so and has sought help
from his friend, Zebulon SixKill, who these days is also a private investigator
thanks to the efforts of Spenser and Hawk, among others and his own hard work.
Sixkill has cultivated his own network of contacts in the few years since he
came out west and those contacts are going to be needed if Spenser is going to
be at all successful.
It is easy enough to see her apartment
and meet with Eric Collinson who used to be her boyfriend and then moved on to be
her agent. It is also relatively easy to find her acting teacher and her
classmates from the acting class she was taking before she vanished. What isn’t
easy is to actually find her with so many folks being massively unhelpful as
they claim she was the best and claim to know nothing. Then there are those who
are hostile to finding her such as the creepy movie producer, members of the
Armenian Mob, and a woman’s empowerment group that maybe is nothing more than a
pyramid scheme wrapped up in a cult. They know things and when Spenser and
Sixkill push a bit, the bullets start flying their way with much more promised.
Good thing Spenser and SixKill can cash in some favors.
Robert B. Parker’s Angel Eyes: A Spenser Novel is an entertaining
read. Unlike the Jesse Stone series that continued under Reed Farrell Coleman
and had Jesse evolving as he grew older, this Spenser is the classic Spenser
unchanged. He still cooks in detail all manner of dishes, flirts with Susan
Sliverman, turns down the advances of beautiful and willing women, and still
manages to survive wicked gun battles, all while doing the frequent sarcastic
quip and taking the occasional long run to think. This Spenser has not changed
a bit.
An entertaining read that never pushes
any boundaries, Robert B. Parker’s Angel Eyes: A Spenser Novel is a fun light
weight diversion that entertains and moves along at a fairly brisk pace. It is
also a read that those new to the series can easily enjoy as there are very few
references to the past. Those references that do popup are small references
that are typical of the series and therefore do not impact reading enjoyment of
the other books.
My reading copy came from the Prairie
Creek Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2019
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Still An Amazon Associate
Been awhile since I mentioned this, but I am still an Amazon
Associate. So, every time you click through one of my links and buy something,
I get a few cents added to my account. Those pennies that cost you nothing add
up for me on this end. I use the small fund to buy some medical stuff I need
and the occasional book.
By buying through one of my links, it does not cost you one
cent extra. I just get a few cents my way as a referral fee. So, if you are
inclined, please keep doing what you have been doing and buy through my links. It
was and still is very much appreciated.
Thank you.
KRL Update: KRL This Week for 12/21/19
Up in KRL
this morning a review of "Brewed Awakening" the latest Coffeehouse
Mystery by Cleo Coyle, along with a fun guest post and recipe from Cleo and an
amazing giveaway!
And a
review and giveaway of "Fan Mail" by Daryl Wood Gerber
Also a
review and ebook giveaway of "Ginger Snapped to Death" by Catherine Bruns
And a
review and giveaway of "Dying for a Double" by Cindy Sample
We also
have a review and giveaway of "Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece" by
Rose Pressey, along with an interesting interview with Rose
For those
who prefer to listen to Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast directly on KRL, you can find
the player here for our latest episode the Christmas mystery, "Crime Dog
On the Road" by Neil Plakcy, read by Thomas Nance
Up on KRL
News and Reviews this week, we have a review and giveaway of "A Murder of
Crows" an anthology edited by Sandra Murphy
And we
have a Christmas Kathi Daley double header-we have a review and ebook giveaway
of "Note in the Nutcracker" and "Celtic Christmas" by Kathi
Daley
And a
review and giveaway of "Murder at the Million Dollar Pier" by Gwen Mayo
and Sarah E Glenn
And for
those who like a bit of steampunk and fantasy with their mystery, we have a review
and giveaway of "The Daemon Device" by Jeri Westerson
Happy
reading and happy holidays!
Lorie
Mystery Fanfare: WINTER SOLSTICE CRIME FICTION
Mystery Fanfare: WINTER SOLSTICE CRIME FICTION: I love the Winter Solstice. I love light, so I'm glad the days will now begin to lengthen. I put together a huge list of Christm...
Writer Beware®: The Blog: How Predatory Companies Are Trying to Hijack Your ...
Writer Beware®: The Blog: How Predatory Companies Are Trying to Hijack Your ...: Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware® In my first post about the ways that predatory companies attempt to ensnare unwary writ...
Scott's Take: Batman: The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox
Batman:
The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox is a recently
released original novel that acts as quasi-sequel to the Court of Owls debut
comics by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. Those comics are highly recommended
and started off an acclaimed Batman run by that team during the New 52 which
ran for several years as well as numerous other tie-in books. While I recommend
the Court
of Owls comic series, the first two volumes are the best. However, one
does not have to have ever read those volumes since the Court Of Owls and
Batman’s history with them is explained in the first few chapters of Batman:
The Court Of Owls.
The
Court Of Owls and their fearsome servants, The Talons, are some of the best
villains to make their debut in recent years. They are a great addition to
Batman’s rogue gallery. For those who do not know, a “rogue’s gallery” is the
term used to describe the collection of villains, antagonists, and
ne’er-do-wells that work against the superhero.
The
Court of Owls is an evil society of rich people that have controlled Gotham
from the shadows since the founding of Gotham. They are the power and force
behind everything that happens and they seek to maintain their control of
everything in the age of Superheroes and Supervillains. Serving them are their
fearsome assassins called Talon’s. These are children that have been trained
and brainwashed and raised to do the bidding of the Court of Owls. These now
adults have also been augmented with a significant healing factor that allows
them to, despite the severity of injury that would kill a normal person within
minutes, regenerate what is needed to live and fight again.
The
Court has a long history with Gotham and with the Wayne family and therefore
things are very personal between the two groups. They pose a serious threat to
Batman as well as Bruce Wayne. They know that Bruce Wayne is Batman. They have
the numbers, the soldiers, the tech, the resources, and more to match Batman
and his team of heroes pound for pound.
In
this novel Batman investigates the torture and murder of a college professor by
one of the Talons. Why would a fearsome society of evil kill a college
professor? What information were they trying to extract from him? What happened
and why are just some of the questions in this novel. The professor’s death was
also very unusual even for Gotham. He apparently died as a result of being
burned from the inside out. It appears that either just after or during
torture, he spontaneously combusted. How is that possible? Each answer Batman
uncovers raises more questions.
Batman:
The Court Of Owls also raises fundamental
questions such as is Gotham Batman’s city or the Courts? If the bad guys have
controlled Gotham since the founding, can Batman really ever save the city?
Will Gotham always belong to the Court of Owls? Can Batman, Alfred, and Nightwing
ignore the family history with the Court and focus on how best to deal with the
Court of Owls. If members of their families fell to the Court, what chance do
they have against the descendants of the Court? This fight is not just about
the city, but it is about the legacy of their families and the history of
Gotham.
Batman:
The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox is a
novel that is equal parts action and detective work. A lot of Batman stories
ignore the detective aspects of Batman. This novel does not do that and is
filled with multiple mysteries at work. The read features Jim Gordon, Alfred,
Batgirl, and Nightwing and those characters are also extremely well done. The novel
is also filled with less important details that are fun for Batman nerds who
enjoy the lesser known parts of Gotham’s history.
I
also enjoyed the fact that Batgirl and Nightwing were capable heroes in their
own right throughout the novel. In a lot of Batman novels I have read, there is
tendency to make the younger heroes appear incompetent or a burden to Batman.
This author understands that if they were either then Batman would never have trained
them in the first place.
I
also enjoyed how Batman cares about the people he saves and how he watches over
them throughout their life. This mystery read is a really good book featuring a
newer villain that many outside of the comic reading public are not aware
exists. Batman: The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox is a great Batman novel
and well worth your time.
Batman: The Court Of Owls
Greg
Cox
Titan
Books
February
2019
ISBN#
9781785658167
Hardback
(also available in digital and paperback formats)
Pages
336 Pages
Material supplied by the Bachman Lake Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2019
Friday, December 20, 2019
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: A Kiss for Midwinter by Courtney Milan
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: A Kiss for Midwinter by Courtney Milan: Reviewed by Christy In this Victorian Christmas novella, Dr. Jonas Grantham is in love with Lydia Charingford and ...
Gravetapping: THE POKER CLUB by Ed Gorman
Gravetapping: THE POKER CLUB by Ed Gorman: The Poker Club , by Ed Gorman, originally published as a limited and signed edition hardcover by Cemetery Dance in 1999, is an expansion...
Mystery Fanfare: CHRISTMAS CRIME: Short Stories, Novellas, & Anthol...
Mystery Fanfare: CHRISTMAS CRIME: Short Stories, Novellas, & Anthol...: Here's my Christmas Mystery Short Stories, Novellas, and Anthologies from the Christmas Mystery Novel lists . There may be some over...
PJ Nunn Has Passed Away
I was just alerted to the fact on her Facebook page that it has been announced that PJ Nunn last night. I am just stunned and devastated. I had no idea this was coming. Not only was she my friend and made sure that I came to her Cozy Cats and Hardboiled Heroes conferences back in the day, she quickly became friends with Sandi and never ran away when the cancers hit. Many others did, but she hung in there with us and that meant a lot.
Words fail me. Such a loss.
Words fail me. Such a loss.
FFB Review: By The Chimney With Care: A Holiday Crime Anthology Editor By Tony Burton
In the spirit of the holiday
season, I decided to go ahead and do an FFB entry this week even if it is a
repeat review. My review of BY THE
CHIMNEY WITH CARE: A HOLIDAY CRIME ANTHOLOGY first appeared in October 2006. For the rest of the reading suggestions
for this week, head over to Todd Mason’s Sweet Freedom blog.
As
noted on the back of this very enjoyable book recently released by Wolfmont
Publishing, “Tis the season to watch out for thieves, cutthroats, liars, rogues
and con artists!” That it is as the holidays are nearly on us and it is also
the season to help others. Not that help should not go out year around, but
this is the time of year when more media attention is focused and it could be
argued that needs are the highest. With
all profits from this book going to support the “Toys for Tots” program the
twenty authors and publisher should be very proud of what they have created.
In
alphabetical order the authors are, Nick Andreychuk, Guy Belleranti, Tony
Burton, Carol A. Cole, Herschel Cozine, Margaret Fenton, Suzanne Flaig, John M.
Floyd, John L. French, Gary R. Hoffman, Joseph Ketner, Jean Lauzier, Jeffrey
Marks, Debra Gray De Noux, O’Neil De Noux, Neil Plakcy, Rob Rosen, Mike Wiecek,
John J. Wilson and Frank Zafiro. The result of their entertaining efforts,
compiled and edited by Tony Burton and released through his publishing company,
Wolfmont Publishing, take the reader on an emotional ride from hysterically
funny to incredibly moving and all stops in between. While not all stories can
be covered due to the obvious number and space limitations, there simply isn’t
a bad one in the bunch.
Starting
off the anthology on a humorous note is the short piece penned by Herschel
Cozine titled, “The Plight Before Christmas.” Little can be said without
ruining the funny read and it is good to know that Ellery Queen is on the case.
Also
funny is the short story written by Rob Rosen tiled “Murder In Toddler Town.”
The hill is steep, the grass is wet, and clearly the victim fell on his way
from fetching a pail of water. Detective Dock isn’t convinced it was all an
accident and knows this isn’t the first time such a thing has happened.
John
L. French also uses humor well in his story tiled “Surprise Package.” When an
elf is dead, the crime scene is at the North Pole or thereabouts, of course
Santa would come in a red Jeep looking for P. I. Matthew Grace. After all, he
has a body, a crime may have been committed and there are lots of suspects and
Santa doesn’t know nearly as much as we were always led to believe.
At the
other end of the emotion scale is the incredibly powerful tale titled “Popcorn
for Christmas” written by Debra Gray De Noux and O’Neil De Noux. Set in a
morgue on Christmas Eve, it is a tale of what could have been. If this one does
not get you in the heart, you simply aren’t human.
Somewhere
in the vast middle between those two extremes are tales such as the one written
by John M. Floyd titled “Christmas Gifts.” Dennis Bates has it all and is used
to being in power as well as whom to help for his own reasons.
Carol
A. Cole’s story “The Bells of Christmas” also revolves around helping others in
a way. Criminals are stopping cars and helping themselves to the victim’s cell
phones and Christmas packages before escaping by use of a City Cab.
While
those detectives are dealing with a mortal problem, the paranormal makes
another appearance in this anthology through Gray R. Hoffman’s tale, “In the
Chimney With Love.” A few presents are missing from the Wallen’s tree but there
really is a logical explanation and heartfelt explanation.
Those
familiar with Frank Zafiro’s novel “Under A Raging Moon” as well as his
numerous interconnected short stories also set in “River City” won’t be
disappointed in his story titled, “Three Days of Christmas.” The thief stealing
Christmas presents is going to be stopped in the officers involved have their
way.
Also
putting a hard stop to crime is the theme behind the story “Secret Santa” by
Jean Lauzier. Sometimes the best gifts are those that we do not know where they
come from and never know who to thank.
The
above gives you a small sampling of this excellent anthology as well as glimpse
into some personal favorites. Your choices may and most likely will vary. However, you certainly won’t be disappointed
in this book as each and every story in it is a good one whether a new tale or
a favorite reprint. The result is an excellent anthology dedicated to a worthy
cause and a book well worth owning.
BY THE
CHIMNEY WITH CARE: A HOLIDAY CRIME ANTHOLOGY
Edited
By Tony Burton
Wolfmont
Publishing
September
2006
ISBN
0-9778-4023-9
Large
Trade Paperback
208
Pages
Kevin
R. Tipple © 2006, 2019
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Crime Review Update: New Issue of Crime Review
We feature new 20 reviews in each issue
of Crime Review (www.crimereview.co.uk), together with a top
industry interview. This time it’s author Attica Locke in the Countdown hot
seat:
We’re on Twitter at:
Crime Review: @CrimeReviewUK
Linda Wilson: @CrimeReviewer
Sharon Wheeler: @lartonmedia
This week’s reviews are:
WHATEVER IT TAKES by Andy McNab,
reviewed by Linda Wilson
When James Mercer’s latest heist
doesn’t go according to plan, he’s presented with an ultimatum – pull off a
seemingly impossible job or suffer the consequences.
MAIGRET’S PICKPOCKET by Georges
Simenon, reviewed by Arnold Taylor
Maigret’s wallet is stolen but then
returned to him, with nothing missing. The detective is intrigued when a
mysterious man admits to the theft.
THE SECRET OF COLD HILL by Peter James,
reviewed by Sharon Wheeler
Artist Jason Danes and his wife Emily
think they’ve found their forever home. But then they start to feel they’re not
alone – and discover that no one has ever lived beyond 40 in Cold Hill House.
THE DARKER ARTS by Oscar de Muriel,
reviewed by John Cleal
Paranormal investigators Inspectors
Frey and McGray face a race to save McGray’s trusted clairvoyant Madame
Katerina when she is condemned to hang after being the only survivor of a
séance involving three of Edinburgh’s wealthiest families.
WOLVES AT THE DOOR by Gunnar Staalesen,
reviewed by Ewa Sherman
Bergen’s social-worker-turned-private
investigator Varg Veum, who’s been scarred by earlier accusations of sexual
abuse, decides to reopen his earlier case after he is nearly killed by a
speeding car.
A SHADOW INTELLIGENCE by Oliver Harris,
reviewed by Chris Roberts
MI6 agent Elliot Kane is brought home
in a hurry when an operation is abruptly terminated. He seems to be under
suspicion – and then he receives a message from a friend pointing him to a
video of himself, a very clever fake.
THE SLEEPWALKER by Joseph Knox,
reviewed by Kati Barr-Taylor
Aidan hears the mass murderer’s final
words. But they are not the long-awaited location of his final victim. Far from
it.
DROWNED LIVES by Stephen Booth,
reviewed by Linda Wilson
When Chris Buckley is approached by an
old man who wants his help untangling an old family rift, he’s not keen, and it
shows. But when the man is killed in a hit and run accident, things take a more
sinister turn.
THE BEAR PIT by SJ MacLean, reviewed by
John Cleal
Captain Damian Seeker, Cromwell’s
counterintelligence ‘enforcer’, faces another assassination plot against the
Lord Protector and must also solve the riddle of a murder by bear!
PLAYBOY by Joe Thomas, reviewed by
Chris Roberts
Detective Mario Lame is given a tip
which means he is standing over a body when the military police arrive to
investigate. He needs to find out what is going on before he ends up on the
hook for the killing.
TO LOVE AND BE WISE by Josephine Tey,
reviewed by John Barnbrook
The impossibly good-looking Leslie
Searle inveigles his way into the life of a wealthy and artistic family, and
then he goes missing. DI Alan Grant is called in to determine if he has been
murdered and by whom.
THE CHRISTMAS EGG by Mary Kelly,
reviewed by Viv Beeby
In a seedy Islington bedsit the body of
Princess Olga Karukhin lies as if in state. Her secret trunk has been wrenched
open and its precious contents gone …
THE HUNTING PARTY by Lucy Foley,
reviewed by Kati Barr-Taylor
In the next three days, a group of
Oxford friends will find out just how dangerous winter in the Scottish
Highlands can be.
DEATH IN A DESERT LAND by Andrew
Wilson, reviewed by John Cleal
Agatha Christie is asked by British
intelligence to investigate doubts surrounding the death of explorer Gertrude
Bell, and plunges into a snake pit of passions, deception and poisonous plots
in the blistering heat of the Iraqi desert.
A SAVAGE GENERATION by David Tallerman,
reviewed by Linda Wilson
With the civilised world on the brink
of collapse, a former prison seems like a good place to hole up, but
appearances can be very deceptive.
DEATH RUN by Harry Dunn, reviewed by
Chris Roberts
Private detective Jack Barclay is asked
to investigate when a man falls from the top of a block of flats, and crushes
and kills a woman in a car below.
GHOSTS OF THE PAST by Tony Park,
reviewed by John Cleal
What links the cold-blooded execution
of a former Australian soldier in 1906 to a modern hunt for a fortune in buried
gold? Sydney journalist Nick Eatwell digs deep into his family’s past – and
finds his own life is in danger.
THE LIES WE TELL by Niki Mackay,
reviewed by Kati Barr-Talor
Miriam’s daughter has disappeared, but
she can’t tell her husband. Not if she is to keep her marriage from shattering
into a hundred pieces.
NOT PLAYING FAIR by David Atkinson,
reviewed by John Cleal
When seven professional footballers are
killed in seven days, DCI Charlie Miskin and his team face a seemingly
unsolvable problem.
THE BOXER by Nikesh Shukla, reviewed by
Linda Wilson
Seventeen-year-old Sunny turns to
amateur boxing after a vicious racial assault and finds himself pitted against
a former friend in his first competition.
Best wishes to everyone for a pleasant
festive season - and thanks for your support in 2019.
Sharon
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Kindaichi Case Files: The Santa Slayings by Yo...
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Kindaichi Case Files: The Santa Slayings by Yo...: The Santa Slayings is the 7th volume in the original series of The Kindaichi Case Files , written by Yozaburo Kanari and illustrated by ...
It Is Official: Scott Has Graduated
Way back in May 1993 when I was graduating with my double
major Bachelors, Sandi was pregnant with Scott. Now, here in December 2019, the
grades have finally come in and Scott has graduated with his Masters in
Criminology. His cumulative GPA for seven years at UTD is 3.385. The kid did
good.
Review: Mystery Weekly Magazine: September 2019
Mystery Weekly Magazine: September 2019 issue opens with “Mutatis Mutandis” by Donald J. Bingle. Uncle Tremont finally found something very valuable in the mountains out of Colorado. He is dying and intends to take the secrets of his mine to the grave. His nephew, Exter Devonfield, is fine with his uncle dying and the sooner the better as the uncle was a mean old buzzard. He just wants his uncle to tell him where the damn mine is first as there is money to be had and the nephew wants it all.
While the preceding tale was more of
an adventure story that required some digging to uncover things as there is a
mystery at its core, the next one is primarily a mystery tale that also seeks
to uncover things. Dirt is also a major aspect of the tale as this time it is a
photographer who takes pictures of celebs and others in compromising positions and
circumstances and sells those pictures to make money. In “The Dirtman” by Tony
Deans, the lead of the Amori crime family, Lorenzo Amori, has a job for the
photographer. He wants photographic proof of certain activities committed by a
problem person. He wants pictures in no later than seven days and will pay
double the normal fee. One does not tell Lorenzo Amori no.
“The Case Of The Jagged Edge” by Benjamin
Mark inspired the cover art for this issue. It features the interesting
intellectual musings of Bartholomew Blunt and Samuel Sharpe. Friends since
childhood, they pass their days by imaging the possibilities. On this day they
imagine the possibilities in a murder case that fits men of their prestigious
talents.
As was part of the theme of the first
story, inheritance and everything that goes with that is a major part of “Within
An Heir’s Breath Of Death” by C. L. Cobb. Uncle Harry is dying through a bit too
slowly for some. Maggie, our narrator has been through hell and back. Her
sisters, Alice and Constance, are going to do everything they can to grab it
all.
Fred Hurst is the newly appointed
police man for the local village. His first case in the summer of 1927 is to
investigate the apparent murder of the previous village policeman, George Mahoney.
In “Stumped” by Gary Pettigrew, Fred Hurst has his hands full.
It took far longer for the fire department
to put out the car fire in “Burn” by Mike McHone than it took firefighters to
realize they had a body in the car. The Nissan Sentra, or what is left of it,
sits in the parking lot of the closed and abandoned Union Camp paper plant.
Detectives Molly Fetterly and Jim Baggins have the case. Within minutes of
their arrival, they know they have more than one serious issue on their hands.
The story starts off with a run in
“Foot Chase” by H. K. Slade. Joshua “Country” Tumblewhite is trying to chase down
a driver who fled a traffic stop. It is very important that the cops get this
guy as becomes clear in the story.
“A-You-Solve-It” by Laird Long titled
“Retirement Bash” is up next. Claire Botterill is finally retiring and the
party is dragging on for nearly as long as her thirty years of service to the
company. If that was not bad enough, Max Mann, office manager, has a problem as
somebody has destroyed the parting gift for Claire. Who bashed the gift?
The solution to the August puzzle,
“Fanfarewell” by Laird Long brings the issue to a close.
Each issue of Mystery Weekly Magazine runs the wide gamut of the mystery genre.
Filled with mysteries (obviously), plenty of interesting characters, and fast
moving situations, each read is a lot of fun without a bad story in the
bunch. Such is the case with the Mystery Weekly Magazine, September 2019
issue and is well worth your time.
For quite some time now I have been gifted a subscription by the publisher with no expectation at all of a review. I read and review each issue as I can. To date, I have never submitted anything to this market and will not do so as long as I review the publication.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 10 Podcasts Accepting (Mostly) Speculative Short S...
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 10 Podcasts Accepting (Mostly) Speculative Short S...: Pixabay People enjoy listening to stories - whether it's in person through author readings, on the radio, or on the net. Podcasts ar...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)






