Monday, April 20, 2020
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: Texas Literary Calendar April 20-2...
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: Texas Literary Calendar April 20-2...: Bookish goings-on[line] in Texas for the week of April 20-26, 2020, compiled exclusively for Lone Star Literary Life by Texas Book Love...
Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: The Shadow Broker by Trace Conger
The Shadow
Broker
by Trace Conger (CreateSpace
Independent Publishing, 2014) introduces Finn Harding, a private investigator
whose willingness to operate in ethically gray areas cost him his license. Now
the only organizations that will hire him are those working outside the law.
Finn needs money in the worst way
so when he’s asked to meet with Bishop to locate the person blackmailing him,
he is quick off the mark. Bishop is running an underground information
brokerage on the Dark Web. He sells personal and financial data derived from business
information system hacks, stolen Social Security numbers, and misappropriated
credit card numbers to a laundry list of unsavory people who do not have benign
plans for the data. Somehow his blackmailer has managed to acquire Bishop’s record
of buyers and is threatening to expose it, which would bring the interest of the
authorities to bear on both Bishop and his clientele. To keep Bishop’s secret,
the blackmailer wants $50,000 a month, which Bishop is unable and unwilling to
pay for any length of time.
The blackmailer wants his payment
in Bitcoin and all of his communications are encrypted so how Finn goes about
identifying him is a detailed description of finding someone nearly invisible
on the Internet. The story is worth looking at just for this lesson in tracing a
missing person.
Bishop is impressed with the
speed of Finn’s work and offers him an additional task with a sizable bonus.
Instead of walking away, as Finn knows he should, he gets more deeply involved
with Bishop’s business and thereby puts himself and his family in imminent
danger. How he manages to squirm his way out of it makes for a great if violent
read.
Possibly my sole problem with
this book is that it occurs in Cincinnati. I have a hard time visualizing so
much criminal activity and carnage in this nice Midwestern river city with a
strong German heritage. I had the same problem when Kim Harrison set her urban
fantasy and mystery series with witches, demons, and vampires in Cincinnati. No
doubt the fault lies entirely with me.
Otherwise this book is a more
than competent thriller with a protagonist who is quite likable except for his
occasional flawed judgment calls. When they occur, they are whoppers. Finn
appears in two sequels so far, so readers who enjoy this one have more to look
forward to.
·
Paperback: 298 pages
·
Publisher: CreateSpace
Independent Publishing Platform; 1st edition (August 26, 2014)
·
Language: English
·
ISBN-10: 1500966975
·
ISBN-13: 978-1500966973
Aubrey Hamilton ©2020
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It
projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Do Some Damage: The Exquisite Corpse download
Do Some Damage: The Exquisite Corpse download: The Exquisite Corpse: Lockdown Noir finished up yesterday , and today we have a treat. You can now download the entire story -- and learn ...
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Do Some Damage: The Exquisite Corpse for Lockdown Noir: Part Six
Do Some Damage: The Exquisite Corpse for Lockdown Noir: Part Six: W elcome to the next -- and final -- section of the Exquisite Corpse, continued from yesterday . Art by Tom Leins Special Announc...
KRL Update: Kings River Life Magazine Update for 4/18/2020
Up in KRL this morning a
review and ebook giveaway of "Nearly Departed" by Lesley
Diehl along with an interesting interview with Lesley
And a review and ebook
giveaway of "Moonrisers" by Jeri Westerson along with an
informative Earth Day guest post by Jeri
And a review and ebook
giveaway of "Musket Ball Murder" by Leslie Langtry, published
by Gemma Halliday Publishing
We also have reviews of
2 new Hallmark Mystery Movies-Mystery 101: "Education in Murder" and
Ruby Herring Mysteries: "Prediction Murder"
For those who prefer to
listen to Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast directly on KRL, you can find the player
for the new ep here, it features the first chapter of "Staging is
Murder" by Grace Topping read by local actor Ariel Linn
KRL's Earth Day issues
always feature ebook only giveaways. In honor of that, up in KRL News and
Reviews this week we have a big Earth Day Special Giveaway from Kathi
Daley and Gemma Halliday Publishing. You can enter to win a $50
Amazon gift card from Kathi Daley, and an ebook copy of the mystery anthology
"Pushing Up Daisies" from Gemma Halliday Publishing
And a review and ebook
giveaway of "Blackbird Rising" by Keri Arthur
And we have a review and
ebook giveaway of "In the Key of 13" A mystery anthology by Mesdames
of Mayhem
Happy reading and Happy Earth Day
Lorie
Writer Beware®: The Blog: Contest Scam Alert: Legaia Books Online Book Competition
Writer Beware®: The Blog: Contest Scam Alert: Legaia Books Online Book Compe...: Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware® When is a literary contest not a literary contest? When its purpose is to make money ...
Scott's Take: The Conqueror’s Shadow by Ari Marmell
The Conqueror’s Shadow by Ari Marmell is a fantasy novel that is vastly different than
your typical sword and sorcery fantasy hero style story. Corvis Rebaine was the
most feared conqueror in the land until 17 years ago when he vanished as his
mighty army collapsed. Just before he disappeared, Corvis took a young woman
hostage. What most people of this world do not know is that Corvis and this
young woman eventually fell in love. Corvis retired and decided to raise a
family in the middle of nowhere.
He is content to live a life of peace
and seclusion until his daughter is attacked by the army of the latest evil
conqueror seeking to rule the land. Corvis must gather his former allies that
he abandoned to rally to his banner again against this new evil. He must face a
conqueror that is younger than him and reminiscent to the violent and cruel man
he was many years ago. Can he stay true to the man he is now, or will he revert
to his old ways? Is his darkness gone or has it been asleep this whole time?
The book is told in a strange way
that may annoy you or you might find intriguing. Most of the chapters start
with a flashback 17 years ago before resuming to the present-day storyline. The
theme of change, that the past is prologue, that the government is so divided
it is to the point of being ineffective, that the rich do not care about the
poor, and more are discussed. Despite the fact the book was written ten years ago
and set in a fantasy world, the book resonates for readers of this time who are
going through much because of the incompetence of our own pollical leadership.
If one is looking for a fantasy book
from an anti-hero perspective this is the perfect book for that. If one is
looking for a main character who does horrible things, but for good reasons, this
is a good choice. Full of mystery, action, and adult content, The
Conqueror’s Shadow by Ari Marmell is the first installment of a fantasy
series that is original to this author. Instead of the previous collaborations
he has done in various ways with other authors, this is his own solo project
and very good with complicated characters, imaginative world building and
plenty of action and adventure. I highly recommend this book.
My print copy came by way of the
Downtown Branch of the Dallas Public Library before the system was closed due
to virus concerns. Book two in the series, Warlord’s Legacy, was
publishing in January 2011 and is in my holds list at the library for when they
finally can reopen.
Scott A.
Tipple ©2020
Friday, April 17, 2020
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: House of Stairs by William Sleator
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: House of Stairs by William Sleator: Reviewed by Christy Sixteen-year-old Lola wakes up on a white floor. She doesn’t know where she is but all she sees...
Beneath the Stains of Time: Unfinished Business: "The Genesee Slough Murders" ...
Beneath the Stains of Time: Unfinished Business: "The Genesee Slough Murders" ...: In my previous posts, I reviewed the only two Sheriff Joe Bain novels John Holbrook Vance completed, The Fox Valley Murders (1966) and T...
Do Some Damage: The Exquisite Corpse for Lockdown Noir: Part Five
Do Some Damage: The Exquisite Corpse for Lockdown Noir: Part Five: W elcome to the next section of the Exquisite Corpse, continued from yesterday . Art by Tom Leins CHAPTER 20 “What gives, ma bel...
Do Some Damage: The Exquisite Corpse for Lockdown Noir: Part Four
Do Some Damage: The Exquisite Corpse for Lockdown Noir: Part Four: W elcome to the next section of the Exquisite Corpse, continued from yesterday . Art by Tom Leins CHAPTER 13 April kept checking...
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