Tuesday, September 08, 2026
Mystery Fanfare: Mysteries set during the Days of Awe: Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur
Little Big Crimes: No Property in a Witness, by Mat Coward
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Argentinean Butterfly Mystery: C.M.B. vol. 13-14 by Motohiro Katou
Jerry's House of Everything: OVERLOOKED JUVENILE DELINQUENTS: THE VIOLENT YEARS (1956)
Publication Day Review: Fury in Death by J. D. Robb
It is September 2061 as Fury in Death
by J.D. Robb begins, and Eve Dallas, a Lieutenant in the Homicide Division of
NYSPD, has seen a lot of death over the years. Just today in fact as this is
her second time standing over a body. While the previous situation was an
accident, this one certainly was not.
The crime scene she is at is striking. The
broken and mangled body of Lawrence Chu is something unique. Somebody beat him
to death and then kept going. Whomever it was, they kept going long after he was
dead. The killing is clearly a rage killing as the victim was tossed around
like a rag doll.
He was later found by his wife, Rachel
Chu, when she got home. She knows next to nothing about his job as director of
bioengineering science for Banner-Wyst. She has no idea who wanted him dead to
the point that they moped the walls and floor with him.
Dallas knows the killer had to be hyped
up on something to inflict the damage that was done. It was also very personal.
The main questions are of who and why, as they always are. It is up to Dallas,
Peabody, and the team to identify and stop the killer. A killer who has an
agenda and is showing no signs of stopping.
The latest in the long running series is
another good read. All the familiar characters are back with much going on in
the background of the murder investigation. The result is a fun and fast read
where readers know from the earliest stage who is killing and why and the focus
is on the chase. While not one of the best books in the series, Fury in
Death by J. D. Robb is solidly good and well worth your time.
For a more detailed look at the book, make sure to read Lesa Holstine's review.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/45wqRes
My digital ARC reading copy came from
the publisher, St. Martin's Press, through Edelweiss, with no expectation of a
positive review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Monday, September 07, 2026
In Reference to Murder: Media Murder for Monday
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Songs of Saigon by Ed Teja
Ed Teja is a
versatile guy. In his own words, he has been a magazine writer and editor in
several countries. He lived for years as a Caribbean boat bum and blues
musician. He is a member of The Short Mystery Fiction Society, was a finalist
for the Shamus Award for short PI fiction in 2025, and his stories appear
frequently in magazines and anthologies.
His newest
book is an appealing historical crime thriller with an unusual setting. Most
World War II thrillers focus on the European front although the very good Secret
War of Julia Child by Diana Chambers (2024) looks at Child’s work for the
OSS in China, India, and Ceylon. Teja sets his story in 1943 Vietnam, where the
collaborationist Vichy French government co-managed with Japan, which had
overrun Southeast Asia by spring 1942.
Cole Miller joined
the small OSS office in Saigon about a year ago. Their assignment is to
destabilize Japan’s hold on the region wherever and however they can while
going through the motions of a shipping business. Miller is delivering arms to
a group of Vietnamese insurgents in the jungle when the book opens. The
Japanese ambushed them, killing a number of the rebels and leaving Miller to
wonder who had betrayed them. When he returns to Saigon, his boss Major Fred
Olson tells him via a note left at his hotel to meet him at their usual café.
When Miller reports as scheduled, a group of snipers sprays the cafe with
bullets and Olson’s body is found among the victims. It’s clear to
investigators that Olson was dead before the café shooting. A local member of
the Vichy France government who dislikes Miller pushes the police to arrest
him. Miller has two jobs, to find who actually did kill Olson and to identify
the traitor who is feeding information about OSS activities to the Japanese.
While the
plot is straightforward enough, the setting is anything but. Vietnam with its
significant natural resources was a valuable asset to both sides of the war,
creating a complex political tug-of-war over a small nation about the size of
New Mexico. Vietnam was a French colony before the war and the French intended
to maintain its control after the war ended. In the meantime Japan had asserted
dominion over the entire region. The Free French were also present, trying to
dislodge the Vichy collaborationists. The Allies had established a presence via
U.S. and Great Britain intelligence groups, working to undermine the Japanese.
Behind the scenes Ho Chi Minh had established the Communist party in Vietnam,
tapping into the great desire of the Vietnamese people for freedom from
external rule. In short the country was seething with political tensions and
barely contained hostility, creating a powder keg with a very short fuse.
I found the
time and the place as described fascinating. The Vietnamese people were
hard-working, resourceful, and far more intelligent than invading forces
believed. It is easy to see why and how the armed conflict in the country
during the 1950s and 1960s broke out. Miller is a credible character with
series potential; it will be interesting to see if Teja brings him back.
Readers who
enjoy modern historical crime fiction, especially World War II and espionage
fans, will want to add this book to their TBR stacks. Recommended.
·
Publisher: Float Street Press
·
Publication date: September 1, 2026
·
Language: English
·
Print length: 318 pages
·
ISBN-13: 979-8994688823
Amazon
Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4ctfqrH
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2026
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night
Sunday, September 06, 2026
Flat Out Begging For Help
I am flat out begging for help and hate myself.
Things
are very brutal money wise. Not just with the groceries, gasoline, and more, that is hitting all of us. Continuing the situation that was in place all summer, Scott did not work
most of August as there was not any work for him. He hasn’t worked at all this
month and there is no sign of that changing. No work means no paycheck and no
income.
So,
I am begging for help. If you like what we do at Kevin's Corner, please
consider making a donation through the PayPal widget on the left side of the
blog. We could really use the help.
Please
and thank you.
Saturday, September 05, 2026
Update on Santa Rage 2
Submissions closed last Monday night. I received
nearly three dozen submissions for twelve slots. All the stories have been read
once.
My plan is to let things sit and then read everything
a second time, starting early next week. Once that is completed, hopefully by
the middle of the week, I will start reaching out to folks to make absolutely
sure their stories are still available as well as letting other folks know
their status.
If you submitted, and wish to now withdraw for
whatever reason, please let me know so I can remove your story from
consideration.
Please and thank you.
KRL Update
Up on KRL this week reviews and giveaways of 3 more fun cozy foo mysteries-"Murder at First Slice" A Baker Street Mystery by Valerie Burns, "Savvy Summers and the Po’boy Perils" Savvy Summers by Sandra Jackson-Opoku, and "Killer Donuts" A Deputy Donut Mystery by Ginger Bolton https://kingsriverlife.com/09/05/delicious-fun-food-cozy-mysteries-for-your-september-tbr/
Posts
