The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Covert in Cairo
Kelly Oliver
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781804831717, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 426pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/covert-in-cairo-kelly-oliver/1142980902
Synopsis: Cairo. December 1917 -- Following a tip-off from notorious spy Fr= edrick Fredricks, Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane of British Intelligence find th= emselves in the hustle and bustle of Egypt. But ancient mummies aren't the = only bodies buried in the tombs of Cairo.
When a young French archeologist is found dead in a tomb in the desert with=
his head bashed in, and an undercover British agent goes missing, the thre=
at moves closer to home.
As they dig deeper, soon Fiona and Kitty uncover a treasure trove of suspec= ts, including competing excavators, jealous husbands, secret lovers, and be= lligerent spies! Fiona wonders if the notorious Fredrick Fredricks could be=
behind the murders? Or is the plot even more sinister?
One thing is clear -- If Fiona and Kitty can't catch the killer, they might=
end up sharing a sarcophagus with Nefertiti!
Critique: Also available as a complete and unabridged audio book (978180483= 1656, $97.95), and enthusiastically recommended for community library colle= ctions, "Covert in Cairo" by novelist Kelly Oliver is another original and = deftly crafted 'Fiona Figg & Kitty Lane Mystery' and a fun read for dedicat=
ed cozy mystery fans from first page to last!
Editorial Note: Kelly Oliver (www.KellyOliverBooks.com) contemporary Jessic=
a James Mysteries have won the IPPY Award for BEST Mystery, The Silver Falc= hion Award for BEST Suspense, the Mischief and Mayhem Award for BEST Myster=
y, the E-Lit Award for BEST Suspense, and the New York Book Award for BEST = Crime Novel. Her cozy historical mystery series, The Fiona Figg Mysteries a=
re set in WW1 and follow plucky file clerk turned spy Fiona Figg from Londo=
n to Paris, Vienna, New York and Cairo. The first, Betrayal at Ravenswick, = won a Reader's Choice Award for Historical Mystery. The second, High Treaso=
n at the Grand Hotel, was chosen by Mystery Tribune Magazine as one of the = most anticipated mysteries of January 2021. Other books in the series inclu=
de Covert in Cairo and Mayhem in the Mountains. Kelly is also the author of=
The Pet Detective Middle Grade Mysteries, including Cub Reporter, Treasure=
Hunter, and Geocacher. The Pet Detective Mysteries have won a Reader's Cho= ice Award for Children's Mystery, been a finalist for a Silver Falchion Awa=
rd for Children's Mystery, and won a New York Book Award for BEST Children'=
s Book.
Below the Line: A Hollywood Crime Novel
Lowell Cauffiel
Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781956763485, $29.99, HC, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Below-Line-Hollywood-Crime-Novel/dp/1956763481
Synopsis: Former Detroit homicide detective Edwin Blake broke into show bus= iness as a script consultant on cop movies. Now living in Los Angeles five = years later, Blake is suffering from clinical depression, is no longer in d= emand in film and TV - and money is short. But things look up when Blake ge=
ts a call from wealthy, oddball producer, Jason "JP" Perry, telling him he = wants to hire him for a future cable TV series. But there's a catch. First =
he wants Blake to locate the missing ex-wife of a "friend of a friend" from=
Chicago. Blake will be working for free on a promise - a typical Hollywood=
hustle. But Blake's not the only one on the case. Hired gun Warren Poole h=
as also been contracted to find the woman.
When a corrupt Hollywood producer, an ex-cop with a conscience, and a caree=
r criminal without one all have the same quarry, trouble is bound to ensue.=
And it does, with remarkably satisfying results, thanks to Blake's girlfri= end, Carla, a former roller derby queen who has turned more than her own li=
fe around.
Critique: Filled with rich characters both easy to love and hate, "Below Th=
e Line" skewers Hollywood in a deliciously fresh way. With his expert eye f=
or true crime detail and his prowess at executing elaborate plot, Cauffiel = gives us a thrilling ride on the dark side of Hollywood that lingers long a= fter the credits roll. "Below The Line" is a hard-boiled private eye murder=
mystery fully in the Sam Spade, Mickey Spillane, John D. McDonald traditio=
n. Very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collectio= ns, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated crime no= vel fans that "Below The Line" is also readily available in a digital book = format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Lowell Cauffiel (
https://www.lowellcauffiel.com) is the aut= hor of nine books and an award-winning veteran investigative reporter. Cauf= fiel's three crime novels have explored diverse characters and settings tha=
t range from a Detroit shakedown crew in Marker to the glitzy, corrupt unde= rworld of the National Football League in Toss, which he co- authored with = former Superbowl quarterback Boomer Esiason. His five nonfiction crime book=
s have covered a monstrous, homicidal patriarch in the New York Times best-= selling House of Secrets; a pair of female serial killers in Forever and Fi=
ve Days, and a calculating criminal justice instructor who tried to design = the perfect crime with the murder of his TV anchorwoman wife in Eye of the = Beholder. Cauffiel's first true crime book, Masquerade, the story of a Gros=
se Pointe psychologist's deadly double life, was a national best seller.
The Last Drop of Hemlock
Katharine Schellman
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250831842, $28.00, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Drop-Hemlock-Katharine-Schellman/dp/1250831849
Synopsis: Life as a working-class girl in Prohibition-era New York isn't sa=
fe or easy. But Vivian Kelly has a new job at the Nightingale, an undergrou=
nd speakeasy where the jazz is hot and the employees look out for each othe=
r in a world that doesn't care about them. Things are finally looking up fo=
r her and her sister Florence -- until the night Vivian learns that her fri= end Bea's uncle, a bouncer at the Nightingale, has died.
His death is ruled a suicide, but Bea isn't so convinced. She knew her uncl=
e was keeping a secret: a payoff from a mob boss that was going to take him=
out of the tenements and into a better life. Now, the money is missing.
Though her better judgment tells her to stay out of it, Vivian agrees to he=
lp Bea find the truth about her uncle's death. But they uncover more than t= hey expected when rumors surface of a mysterious letter writer, blackmailin=
g Vivian's poorest neighbors for their most valuable possessions, threateni=
ng poison if they don't comply.
Death is always a heartbeat away in Jazz Age New York, where mob bosses rul=
e the back alleys and cops take bootleggers' hush money. But whoever is tar= geting Vivian's poor and unprotected neighbors is playing a different game.=
With the Nightingale's dangerously lovely owner, Honor, worried for her em= ployees' safety and Bea determined to discover who is responsible for her u= ncle's death, Vivian once again finds herself digging through a dead man's = past in hopes of stopping a killer.
Critique: A cozy mystery involving an amateur female sleuth and set in the = violence of the Roaring Twenties, "The Last Drop of Hemlock" by author/stor= yteller Katharine Schellman is an impressively riveting and non-stop fun re=
ad from first page to last. With more plot twists and turns than a Disneyla=
nd roller coaster, "The Last Drop of Hemlock" is especially and unreservedl=
y recommended as a popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense c= ollections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of those with=
an interest in historical mysteries and plucky if imperiled amateur female=
murder mystery solvers that "The Last Drop of Hemlock" is also available i=
n a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged a= udio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666634211, $22.99, CD) deftly narrated by = Sara Young.
Editorial Note: Katharine Schellman (
https://www.katharineschellman.com) is=
a former actor and one-time political consultant who currently lives and w= rites in the mountains of Virginia. She is also the author of Last Call at = the Nightingale.
The Murder Of Madison Garcia
March McCreary
CamCat Books
www.camcatpublishing.com
9780744308303, $26.99, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Madison-Garcia-Family-Mystery/dp/0744308305
Synopsis: Detective Susan Ford notices a missed call on her phone from a nu= mber she doesn't recognize, and when Madison Garcia, a woman with past ties=
to the town of Monticello, New York, is found stabbed to death the next mo= rning, Susan realizes that Madison was the one who had called her. But why?
Susan teams up with her father, retired Detective Will Ford, to find the ki= ller, and their investigation soon threatens to uncover Madison's family se= crets - an inheritance, accidental death, money laundering, extramarital af= fairs, and family rivalries, just to name a few and they don't appreciate t=
he Fords digging into their business.
As the investigation twists and turns, the Fords discover that Madison was = planning to confess to a long-kept secret, but someone brutally silenced he=
r. Everyone she knew is a suspect. Anyone could be her killer.
Critique: With a very special appeal to fans of police procedurals and murd=
er mystery solving amateur female sleuths, "The Murder Of Madison Garcia" b=
y novelist Marcy McCreary is a classic 'whodunnit' that is a fun read for d= edicated Cozy Mystery enthusiasts and Police Procedural fans. The second bo=
ok in the author's 'A Ford Family Mystery' series, and very highly recommen= ded as a pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should=
be noted for personal reading lists that "The Murder Of Madison Garcia" is=
also readily available in a paperback edition (9780744308419, $19.99) and =
in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Marcy McCreary (
https://www.marcymccreary.com) worked for s= everal years as a marketing and sales executive at various magazine publish= ing companies and content marketing agencies before turning to fiction writ= ing. She is the author of "The Disappearance of Trudy Solomon" the first of=
her 'A Ford Family Mystery' series published by CamCat Books.
Never Sleep
Fred Van Lente
Blackstone Publishing
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9798200813490, $27.99, HC, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Never-Sleep-Fred-Van-Lente/dp/B0B5P7FDMT
Synopsis: The year is 1861, the eve of Abraham Lincoln's inauguration. For = Kate Warn, the first female private detective in American history, the only=
assignment tougher than exposing a conspiracy to assassinate the new presi= dent is training her new mentee, Hattie McLaughlin, in the art of detection=
.. The two women's mission to save the president takes them from the granges=
of rural Maryland to the heart of secessionist high society, and sets them=
on a collision course that could alter the course of history. When Kate's = cover is blown, Hattie must choose between saving her new friend, and her c= ountry.
Critique: Although a work of finely written fiction, "Never Sleep" by novel= ist Fred Van Lente is actually based on a true story. Readers with a intere=
st in novels featuring women sleuths and historical mysteries will find "Ne= ver Sleep" a fun and interesting read from first page to last. While a very=
highly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections=
, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery bu= ffs that "Never Sleep" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, = $8.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 97982= 00813001, $31.95, MP3-CD).
Editorial Note: Fred Van Lente (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Van_Lent=
e) is a six-time New York Times bestseller for his graphic novels, includin=
g a number one with Dean Koontz's Odd Is on Our Side. His original graphic = novel Cowboys & Aliens was adapted into a major motion picture starring Har= rison Ford and Daniel Craig. His fifteen years in comics have garnered him = many awards, including an American Library Association Best Graphic Novel f=
or Teens for Action Philosophers! Ten Speed Press published his latest non-= fiction book, The Comic Book Story of Basketball.
Cherokee Emerald
R. M. Morgan
https://rmmorgan.com
3rd Coast Books
www.3rdCoastBooks.com
9781946743541, $15.95, PB, 333pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cherokee-Emerald-Gannon-Murder-Mystery/dp/1946743542
Synopsis: In the 1830s a tragedy was inflicted upon the Native American nat= ions in the south-eastern USA. Sometimes called the Indian Removals -- the = Cherokee, Muskogee, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations were moved fro=
m their ancestral homelands to areas west of the Mississippi River designat=
ed Indian Territory. The Cherokee were the last to be displaced in 1838, fo= llowing the discovery of gold in Georgia. This displacement is known as the=
Trail of Tears.
A newlywed Cherokee huntsman named Waya discovered a magnificent natural tr= easure, a large Emerald of the deepest green. News of Waya's discovery quic= kly spread around Macon County. Knowing he would be soon forced to march we= stwards, Waya and his trusted friend Ian McDonald bury the treasure on the = McDonald farm, hoping that someday Waya would be able to return and unearth=
it. Sadly, Waya never returned.
163 years later, the McDonald farm is burglarized and beset by night-time t= respassers digging holes in a field. In desperation the McDonald's turn to = the Roth Detective Agency for protection and answers. Harriet Roth, the mas= ter sleuth, assigns the case to Don Gannon her primary investigator and rig= ht-hand man.
Critique: With more plot twists and turns than a Disneyland roller coaster,=
"Cherokee Emerald" by R. M. Morgan will prove to be of particular interest=
to fans of the Mickey Spillane/Mike Hammer style detective murder mystery.=
A 'whodunnit' of the first order, "Cherokee Emerald is a fun and riveting = read from first page to last. While readily available for personal reading = lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99), "Cherokee Emerald" is a wel= come and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary M= ystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: R. M. Morgan (www.rmmorgan.com) worked as an engineer in bo=
th the U.S. government and academia. In his job, he investigated mysteries = like a detective, unraveling the physics of car crashes to establish how to=
save drivers and passengers. After years of writing articles in that world=
, R. M. Morgan discovered the joy of writing mystery novels. Currently, he = lives in Southern California and is writing the fourth book in the Roth/Gan= non series.If you enjoy detective mysteries, give R. M. Morgan novels a rea=
d. The books that keep the reader guessing whodunit right up to the end.
The Pigeon
David Gordon
The Mysterious Press
http://mysteriouspress.com
9781613164051, $17.95, PB, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Pigeon-Joe-Bouncer-Novel/dp/161316405X
Synopsis: Harvard dropout and ex-Special Forces operative Joe Brody is clim= bing the ranks in the criminal underworld. After successfully executing mul= tiple missions for the various crime syndicates that run New York City, he = has come to earn the trust and respect of the city's most dangerous denizen=
s. Which is why his newest task (retrieving a pet pigeon snatched from a ro= oftop coop in Brooklyn) has Joe puzzled -- until he learns that the bird is=
valued at close to a million dollars.
Joe hatches a plan to sneak into the luxury park-side apartment building wh= ere the pigeon is held captive. But that simple plan takes a deadly turn wh=
en he stumbles upon a nest of international war criminals and a ruthless bu= ilding manager overseeing the nefarious operation. Fearing that Joe's entry=
into the building has somehow compromised the scheme, they put a bounty on=
his head. In New York, Joe is untouchable, but his new foes come from outs= ide the flock, and he'll need a wing and a prayer to elude their assassins.
Critique: With a series of impressive high-stakes action sequences that are=
punctuated by laugh out loud humor, "The Pigeon" by novelist David Gordon = will have be of special and particular interest to fans of organized crime = thrillers and hard-boiled mystery novels. A part of Gordon's 'Joe the Bound= er' series, "The Pigeon" is readily available for dedicated crime novel buf=
fs in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.49) and a prime pick for community=
library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: David Gordon (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gordon_(n= ovelist)) is the author of "The Serialist", which won the VCU/Cabell First = Novel Award and was a finalist for an Edgar Award. It was also made into a = major motion picture in Japan. His work has also appeared in The Paris Revi= ew, The New York Times, Purple, and Fence, among other publications.
The House on Prytania
Karen White
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593334621, $28.00, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/House-Prytania-Royal-Street-Novel/dp/0593334620
Synopsis: Nola Trenholm may not be psychic herself, but she's spent enough = time around people who are to know when ghosts are present, and there are d= efinitely a few lingering spirits in her recently purchased Creole cottage =
in New Orleans. Something, or someone, is keeping them tethered to this wor= ld. And not all of them are benign.
But with the sudden return of Sunny Ryan, Beau Ryan's long-lost sister, Nol=
a has plenty to distract her from her ghostly housemates. Especially when t=
he tempting (yet firmly unavailable) Beau, wanting to mete out justice to t= hose he blames for Sunny's kidnapping, asks Nola for a favor that threatens=
to derail her hard-won recovery and send her hurtling backward. He asks he=
r to welcome Michael Hebert back into her life, even though Michael is the = reason for Nola's bruised heart. Beau is convinced that Michael's powerful = family was behind Sunny's disappearance and that Michael is the key to gett= ing information the police won't be able to ignore -- if Nola is willing to=
risk everything for which she's worked so hard.
Torn between helping Beau and protecting herself, Nola doesn't realize unti=
l it's almost too late why the ghosts are haunting her house -- a startling=
revelation that will throw her and Beau together to fight a common enemy. = Assuming Nola can get Beau to listen to what the spirits are trying to tell=
him, because ignoring them could prove to be a fatal mistake!
Critique: A deftly blending of the supernatural with mystery and suspense, = "The House on Prytania" is a 'must' for the legions of Karen White fans. Or= iginal, fun, populated by deftly crafted and memorable characters, and with=
a narrative driven plot that has more twists and turns than a Disneyland r= oller coaster, "The House on Prytania" will prove to be a high demand and e= nduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense and Supern= atural Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lis=
ts that "The House on Prytania" is also available in a digital book format = (Kindle, $14.99). Librarians should note that there is also a large print p= aperback edition of "The House on Prytania" (Random House Large Print, 9780= 593676752, $29.00, 560pp).
Editorial Note: Karen White (
https://www.karen-white.com) is the author of = more than thirty-two novels, including the Tradd Street series, The Shop on=
Royal Street, The Last Night in London, Dreams of Falling, The Night the L= ights Went Out, Flight Patterns, The Sound of Glass, A Long Time Gone, and = The Time Between. She is the co-author of The Lost Summers of Newport, All = the Ways We Said Goodbye, The Glass Ocean, and The Forgotten Room with New = York Times bestselling authors Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig.
The Way of the Bear
Anne Hillerman
Harper
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780062908391, $30.00, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Way-Bear-Novel-Leaphorn-Manuelito/dp/0062908391
Synopsis: An unexpected death on a lonely road outside of Utah's Bears Ears=
National Monument raises questions for Navajo Tribal Police officers Jim C= hee and Bernadette Manuelito. Why would a seasoned outdoorsman and well-kno=
wn paleontologist freeze to death within walking distance of his car? A sec= ond death brings more turmoil. Who is the unidentified man killed during a = home invasion where nothing much seems to have been taken? Why was he murde= red?
The Bears Ears area, at the edge of the Navajo Nation, is celebrated for it=
s abundance of early human habitation sites and the discovery of unique fos= sils which revolutionized the scientific view of how early animals dealt wi=
th their changing world. Chee and Manuelito appreciate the area's scenery a=
nd wealth of human and scientific resources, but their visit to this aching=
ly beautiful place is disrupted by a current of unprecedented violence that=
sweeps them both into danger.
Illicit romance, a fossilized jawbone, hints of witchcraft, and a mysteriou=
s disappearance during a blizzard add to their peril. It will take all of M= anuelito's and Chee's experience, skill, and intuition to navigate the thre= ats that arise and see justice served.
Critique: An absolute 'must' for the growing legions of Anne Hellerman fans=
, "The Way of the Bear" is a riveting, compulsive page turner of a read fro=
m beginning to end. Of special appeal to readers with an interest in Native=
American themed suspense thrillers, as well as police procedural murder my= steries, "The Way of the Bear" is an unequivocally recommended pick for com= munity library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the per= sonal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Way of the Bear" i=
s readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a comp= lete and unabridged audio book (HarperAudio, 9780063291898, $34.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Anne Hillerman (
https://www.annehillerman.com) is the gifte=
d author of the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series. "The Way of the Bear" is=
her eighth novel in the series, which was originally created by her noveli=
st father, Tony Hillerman. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Tucson, A= rizona, and is hard at work on her next novel.
Sawdust Joint
Bob Adamov
Packard Island Publishing
https://packardislandpublishing.com
9798985359336, $28.00, HC, 266pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sawdust-Joint-Emerson-Moore-17/dp/B0C4G6DBZD
Synopsis: From Jamaica to Put-in-Bay to Wooster to Tulare to Las Vegas to L= ondon to Morocco to the French Riviera to Norway to New Orleans, what's kil= ling dairy cows?
Investigative reporter Emerson Moore's search for the source takes a deadly=
turn when he focuses on infiltrating a British biotechnology company suspe= cted to be involved with the deaths of the dairy cows and several humans.
Following the unexpected death of a close colleague, Moore faces his most f= ormidable challenge yet as he embarks on a James Bond-like international od= yssey with the help of a technological genius and a Royal Canadian Mountie =
as his unlikely wingman to confront a vengeful nemesis bent on bioterrorism=
..
Critique: A deftly scripted novel that includes casino action, a bevy of be= autiful femme fatales, dangerous mountain road chases, treacherous cliff fa=
ce climbing, incarceration in a Moroccan prison and high technology, and a = diabolical villain, "Sawdust Joint" is the newest Emerson More adventure se= ries by Bob Adamov. With more plot twists and turns than a Coney Island rol= ler coaster, "Saw Dust Joint" has a special appeal to readers with an inter= est in action/adventure Technothriller crime novels. A fun read for mystery=
fans, "Sawdust Joint" is highly recommended addition to personal reading l= ists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Bob Adamov (www.BobAdamov.com) is an award-winning, Ohio my= stery adventure author whose stories are based in the Lake Erie South Bass = Island resort village of Put-in-Bay, the "Key West of the Midwest." His nov= els (with the exception of Memory Layne) follow the adventures of investiga= tive reporter Emerson Moore, and are written in the style of Adamov's favor= ite author, Clive Cussler.Adamov was the featured author at the 2006 Ernest=
Hemingway Days' Literary Festival in Key West and named Writer of the Year=
by the University of Akron's Wayne College in 2010. Adamov has also presen= ted for several of the Clive Cussler Collectors' Society conventions.
The School of Homer
Alexander Marriott
Vanguard Press
c/o Pegasus Publishers
https://pegasuspublishers.com
9781800164208, $18.99, PB, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/School-Homer-Alexander-Marriott/dp/1800164203
Synopsis: Virgil Colvin, a retired homicide detective, leaves his hometown = Chicago to resurrect his honeymoon memories with his dead wife in Ithaca, G= reece. There, he befriends the Vathy police chief, Costas Pantakalas, over = stories of a shared profession and countless cups of ouzo.
One day, Virgil wakes to the violent tremors of the earth to find Ithaca ha=
s just had an earth quake. But that is not the only unusual occurrence. In = the city's public square, at the feet of Odysseus, someone has dumped the b= ody of a British tourist in the small hours of the morning.
He ran to the ends of the earth to escape his former life, but murder had o= ther plans for Virgil Colvin. Together, Virgil and Costas join forces to tr= ack down a killer. But in their quest to find the murderer, will they unear=
th an even more astounding secret?
Critique: Fun, original, and a welcome addition to the personal reading lis=
ts of all dedicated crime thriller 'whodunnit' fans, "The School of Homer" =
is a riveting read that showcases the impressive storytelling talents of no= velist Alexander Marriott. Simply stated, "The School of Homer" is an unres= ervedly recommended addition to both personal reading lists and community l= ibrary Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Alexander Marriott (www.historymystery.blog) is a trained h= istorian and amateur world traveler who writes on topics in American intell= ectual and political history, as well as contemporary culture and society. =
He also publishes detective novels featuring his sleuth from Chicago (where=
Marriott hails from originally), Virgil Colvin, transplanted for life's se= cond act in Greece.
Liquid Shades of Blue
James Polkinghorn
Oceanview Publishing
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608095506, $27.95, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Shades-Blue-James-Polkinghorn/dp/1608095509
Synopsis: When hungover ex-lawyer and Key West bar owner Jack Girard groggi=
ly wakes up one morning, he's greeted by a beautiful woman lying next to hi=
m and a shrill, ringing telephone. Seeing the call is from his father, Clau=
de "The Duke" Girard, Jack answers. Within seconds, he learns that his moth=
er is dead in an apparent suicide, and Jack hits the road, heading back to = his childhood home in Miami to face his tyrannical father.
The death of his mother brings up haunting memories from Jack's past -- mem= ories of his brother Bobby's suicide when they were in college together. Be= ing back in Miami only continues to dredge up his family traumas, but thing=
s grow more complicated when The Duke suggests that his estranged wife's al= leged suicide may have been a murder.
As Jack begins to uncover the truth about his mother's death, including the=
secret she had revealed to only two people (the same secret Bobby had take=
n with him to his grave) he finds himself in imminent danger. Can Jack reve=
al the true story before it's too late? He has to act quickly, or he fears =
he may be the victim of the next Girard family tragedy.
Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "Liquid Shades of B= lue" is author James Polkinghorn's first novel, this psychological suspense=
thriller of a read will hold a special appeal for readers with an interest=
in carefully crafted amateur sleuth stories that come with more unexpected=
plot twists and turns than an Oklahoma tornado. Original, fascinating, mem= orable, "Liquid Shades of Blue" is highly recommended for community library=
Mystery/Suspense collections and is available for personal reading lists i=
n a digital book format (Kindle, $6.49).
Editorial Note: James Polkinghorn is a lawyer and partner in a national law=
firm specializing in labor and employment law. He has extensive trial and = litigation experience accumulated in multiple jurisdictions throughout the = country. A Pittsburgh native, Polkinghorn moved with his family to Florida =
in high school, where he has since stayed. He has a degree in political sci= ence as well as a law degree from the University of Florida. He now lives i=
n Key West with his wife, Becki, and their dog, Major Tom.
Summer Rental
Rektok Ross
Ic13 Books
https://feedyourfictionaddiction.com/reviews/publishers/ic13-books 9780988256828, $17.99, PB, 266pp
https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Rental-Rektok-Ross/dp/0988256827
Synopsis: Riley March and her friends are headed to ritzy, remote Palm Key = Island for one last blow-out party weekend before college. It's the vacatio=
n of a lifetime: beautiful beaches, epic nightlife, and hot guys like Riley=
's crush-superstar soccer player Sebastian Ramos. There's just one catch. E= veryone on this trip is hiding something. Riley is hiding her past in order=
to fit in. Sebastian is hiding his feelings for Riley. And someone is hidi=
ng what really happened to Jordyn Chang, a classmate that mysteriously died=
last summer.
Things take a dark turn after one of their friends goes missing, and a hurr= icane cuts the group off from civilization. Trapped inside their rental hou= se, a killer stalks them one by one. No one is safe. Everyone's a suspect. =
As the body count rises, Riley and her friends will have to confront the se= crets they've been keeping if they want to stay alive.
Critique: With the publication of "Summer Rental", suspense thriller noveli=
st Rektok Ross reveals a genuine flair for originality, deftly crafted char= acters, and the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that keeps the = reader's riveted attention from first page to last. A compelling read with = more plot twists and turns than a Disneyland roller coaster, "Summer Rental=
" will have a particular appeal to adolescent and young adult readers with =
an interest in coming of age stories blended with serial killer murder myst= eries. The kind of novel that will linger in the mind and memory of the rea= der long after the book is finished and set back upon the shelf, "Summer Re= ntal" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, h= ighschool, and community library Mystery/Suspense collections for ages 16 t=
o 26.
Editorial Note: Rektok Ross (
https://rektokross.com/about) is an expert on = young adult literature who has worked as a columnist for the national onlin=
e magazine The Examiner, reporting on news and trends in YA. Her articles h= ave also been featured in popular literature websites such as Frolic, SheWr= ites.com, and SheReads.com. Ross also has a successful book blog with a rob= ust social media following on Instagram and Twitter and a popular Facebook = group for readers and writers called The Book Nook. Most recently, she can =
be found hosting the popular weekly chat "Level Up Writers" on the Clubhous=
e app with her co-hosts Mary Weber and Sorboni Banerjee, teaching the busin= ess of being a writer.
Bring the Night
J. R. Sanders
Level Best Books
https://www.levelbestbooks.us
9781685122447, $16.95, PB, 172pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bring-Night-Nate-Ross-Novel/dp/1685122442
Synopsis: When an oddball sister and brother duo hire him to find out if th= eir father's suicide was in fact a suicide, private investigator Nate Ross = figures he's in for an easy job. That is, until he discovers that the evide= nce doesn't add up and the cops (who are strangely cooperative) have rubber= -stamped the case and filed it away.
Soon Nate finds himself dealing with crooks on the lam, dodging local bigwi=
gs and shady lawyers, and chasing a clear-cut case of murder. Meanwhile, he=
wrestles with a conflict of interest as he's forced to investigate his own=
client.
The more threads he pulls, the more things threaten to unravel completely. = But with the help of old sidekicks, and a couple of new ones, Nate may get =
to the truth first. If he doesn't die trying!
Critique: "Bring the Night" is a fun read for any and all dedicated mystery=
buffs and showcases author J. R. Sanders' genuine flair for originality, h=
is complete mastery of the genre, and effective knack for the kind of narra= tive driven storytelling that keeps the reader rapt and compulsive page tur= ning attention from cover to cover. While highly recommended for community = library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal readi=
ng lists that "Bring the Night" is also readily available in a digital book=
format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: J. R. Sanders (
https://jrsanders.com) has been a private in= vestigator and police officer in Southern California. He regularly contribu= tes nonfiction articles to a variety of periodicals, among them Law & Order=
and Wild West magazine. A former living historian, he has portrayed 19th-c= entury soldiers, cowboys, lawmen, and Gold Rush prospectors in presentation=
s to schools, colleges, and historical societies all over Southern Californ= ia, as well as for institutions including the Autry Museum of the American = West and the Huntington Library. He has also written public service spots f=
or local cable television broadcast and has worked both on-camera and behin=
d the scenes on A&E/History Channel's documentary series Dangerous Missions=
.. His books have been used in educational programs by the National Cowboy a= nd Western Heritage Museum and the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center.
See President McKinley or Die Trying
Fedora Amis
Mardon Moore Books
9781955983013, $19.95, PB, 355pp
https://www.amazon.com/See-President-McKinley-Die-Trying/dp/1955983011
Synopsis: It's 1898 and eighteen-year-old Jemima McBustle stands at the cro= ssroads of life. She can marry a "Man of Substance" and float through life =
in luxury as her family wishes. Or she can follow her idol (the infamous Ne= lly Bly) and forge her own way in a man's world as a stunt reporter. After = finessing a job at a St. Louis newspaper, she must deliver stories that wil=
l sell papers. Time is running out on her six-months' trial. The only idea = she has is to follow Nellie's example and go undercover in a "Madhouse."
Jemmy reaps a story much bigger than she imagined. A possible murder to sol=
ve (and something more sinister, secret, terrifying) about the devilishly h= andsome Dr. Lyman himself. Confusion reigns not just in the asylum but also=
in Jemmy's life as new puzzles pop up like dandelions in spring.
Worse yet, her newspaper editor Suetonius Hamm saddled her with gangly red-= haired photographer Hal and his chartreuse tandem bike. Adding to the chaos=
, Aunt Delilah McBustle has demanded that Jemmy make her grand debut into s= ociety at the elegant Oracle Ball that selfsame week.
Piling horror upon horror, her escort turned out to be her young cousin Hor= rible Heathcliff the Hellion, the piss alley boy of Laclede's Landing. What=
's a girl to do?
Critique: An original, cleverly crafted, and fun read from cover to cover, = "See President McKinley or Die Trying" is a wonderfully entertaining Jemmy = McBustle Mystery by Fedora Amis. With a particular appeal for fans of amate=
ur woman sleuth and historical 'whodunnit' thrillers, "See President McKinl=
ey or Die Trying" is highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspe= nse collections, and is readily available for personal reading lists in a d= igital book format (Kindle, $3.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Fedora Amis (
https://fedoraamis.com) won the Mayhaven Ficti=
on Prize for her Victorian whodunit, Jack the Ripper in St. Louis. She dons=
corset and hoop skirts to perform as real historical people and imagined c= haracters from the 1800s.
Death Watch
Stona Fitch
Arrow Editions
https://www.arroweditions.com
c/o Concord Free Press
http://www.concordfreepress.com
9780990805953, $18.95, PB, 250pp
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Watch-Stona-Fitch/dp/0990805956
Synopsis: Coe Vessel, son of a legendary adman, lands the much-anticipated =
ad campaign of artist-provocateur Watanabe's latest creation, a mysterious = watch called Cassius Seven. The enigmatic Watanabe claims the watch can kil=
l its wearer.
Convinced it's a high-art hoax, Coe and his team of renegade creatives work=
furiously to land the campaign and persuade the world that the watch (rebr= anded as Death Watch) is the must-have accessory for end-time capitalism.
Thanks to the team's inventive launch, Death Watch finds eager buyers among=
the brazenly cocky, thoroughly disillusioned, and silently suicidal. Death=
Watch soon becomes a cultural phenomenon, harbinger of a new nihilism, and=
a target for moral outrage. Exactly what Watanabe envisioned.
But his hoax turns horrific when the watches start going off, killing their=
wearers. Appalled, Coe and his team reverse course and work feverishly to = alert would-be customers. But can they stop the juggernaut they set in moti= on?
Critique: Impressively original, fully engaging, exceptionally entertaining=
, and a compulsive page-turner of a read from cover to cover, "Death Watch"=
by author Stona Fitch is the stuff of which intense and satire laced thril= ler movies are made. While available for personal reading lists in a digita=
l book format (Kindle, $7.99), and with an inherently fascinating science f= iction element at its base, "Death Watch" is a deftly crafted and unreserve= dly recommended addition to community library collections.
Editorial Note: Stona Fitch (
https://www.stonafitch.com) is the author of s= even novels, including Give + Take and Senseless. He is also the founder of=
Concord Free Press, a revolutionary non-profit publisher that inspires gen= erosity among readers.
Stranger on the Shore
William J. Borak
https://www.williamjborak.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639888177, $14.00
https://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Shore-William-J-Borak/dp/1639888179
Stranger on the Shore opens on a twilight evening at the Jersey shore, Chri= s's favorite time of day. A year ago, he was reaching the pinnacle of his c= areer at the same time as his love for Theresa was cresting. All vanished i=
n the blink of an eye. Little does he know, now, that he stands at another = crossroad - that of restarting his life anew. William J. Borak presents a s= eries of entwining personalities and lives in a story that rises from the a= shes of death and addiction to assume quite a different countenance than re= aders might expect from its opening lines. Indeed, the strength of this mys= tery lies in its evolving interactions between disparate lives and the forc=
es that drive them in unexpected directions. This approach creates an entwi= ned series of stories that flow between characters' lives like the threads =
of a Google search.
Chris's encounter with a mysterious woman (who leads him to another woman w=
ho not only looks a lot like Theresa, but apparently has many of her memori= es) evolves into his growing revelations about a dangerous threat that imme= rses Chris and fellow investigators in a deadly world where romance and des= tiny entwine. The mysterious Arielle introduces him not just to Theresa's l= ook-alike, but to new realizations he never could have imagined. As he cont= emplates her influence and meaning, incorporating Marisa into his business = world while pursuing her true identity, readers embark on a series of inqui= ries that delve into alternate realms of possibility as well as mystery.
William J. Borak creates a story that is not your usual mystery. It's more = than a romance, too, and is more grounded in alternate and conflicting poss= ibilities than the usual genre production. Libraries and readers looking fo=
r stories of love, growth, recovery, and discovery will find all these face=
ts and more as Chris grows into his new life with more than one question ab= out its people and purposes.
Summer of Angels
Jody Sharpe
Independently Published
9798987697108, $9.00 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Angels-Jody-Sharpe/dp/B0BW2TXJNP
Summer of Angels introduces a different twist on the usual murder mystery b=
y placing the murderous event in the future and the problem-solver in the p= ast. Gayle Force lives up to her name in more ways than one. She's a psychi=
c meteorologist about to face a storm of a very different nature when she e= xperiences a nighttime vision about the future and an old man's demise. Ale=
x Knight also lives up to his name. As an intuitive attorney, he's also com= mitted to helping others (sometimes in unusual ways). His flexibility of be= lief allows him to realize that Gayle's vision could represent an opportuni=
ty for them both to solve a problem that hasn't even occurred yet. But it w= ill, without their involvement. Jody Sharpe builds tension in just the righ=
t way. Gayle's dream awakens her and injects purpose into her life as she r= ealizes she has been uniquely tapped to both assist an old man and live up =
to the dream's opportunity for her to do good in the world. Her "slightly p= sychic" traits have afforded her enough flexibility in belief that she can = recognize this opportunity for what it is, while her ability to follow "sig=
ns from heaven" leads her in the right direction.
These backgrounds and explanations lend a believable flavor to the unfoldin=
g story as Gayle and Alex step into their talents in a very different way. = Sharpe's focus on developing tension within characters that embrace proacti=
ve new roles as they problem-solve outside their usual environments lends a=
delicate reality to the puzzles they encounter both within and outside the= mselves. Intrigue entwines with loves in perhaps predictable paths, but wit=
h enough twists and turns that even savvy mystery fans won't foresee some o=
f these events until they unfold.
When her parents become involved and Gayle comes to realize that Alex may h= ave been "sent from above," the plot thickens. So does the reader's interes=
t, due to exquisite revelations that embed the mystery component with spiri= tual and psychological depth: "He was calling you in the dream, Gayle. But = your angel was helping too. It was meant to be. It's really extraordinary. = You have to do this work. You have a team now to help." Libraries and reade=
rs looking for mysteries that incorporate spiritual components and many sur= prises about past, present, and future life connections will find Summer of=
Angels attractive and thoroughly engrossing. Gayle's mission is a force to=
reckon with. So is Summer of Angels, which juxtaposes secrets with surpris=
es about belief right up to its unexpected conclusion.
Judgment Day
Rob Jung
Hawk Hill Literary
9781736610831, $4.99 ebook/$15.99 Print
https://www.amazon.com/Judgment-Day-Rob-Jung-ebook/dp/B0BR9Z17DT
Judgment Day is not a novel about the end of the world, but the story of th=
e end of one woman's world. Magnolia Kanaranzi has just been elected to the=
US Senate when a probe of her past reveals that she once conspired to murd=
er her mother. Even her powerful lawyer seemingly admits defeat when he see=
ks to have her declared unfit to stand trial, much less serve her country. = Forensic psychologist Bishop Pollock uncovers the truth - but instead of re= deeming her and restoring her good name, it only mires her in further conun= drums that force her to go into hiding to avoid prosecution and a mental in= stitution. On the run, she is lured back by the prospect of reconciliation = with her now-adult estranged son Hamilton Blethen, whom she abandoned when =
he was four years old.
Hamilton, too, is at a crossroads. His grandmother's murderer has been iden= tified, and his estranged mother is back in his life. Sadly, they appear to=
be one and the same. Ham needs answers to his questions. Only his mother c=
an provide them. He will have to confront her, and his past, to get them. R=
ob Jung creates a powerful interplay between issues of justice, family conn= ections, and psychological undercurrents that shake not just a family, but = the nation. One of the threads of the thriller (and key to understanding th=
e deeper meaning of its title) is the forged art piece of Joan Miro's 'The = Reaper.' From the mechanics of a prison system which threatens Magnolia's l= ife to psychological session notes that illustrate the truth, Jung crafts a=
fine tension between legal and psychological issues. Who is really the vic= tim and who is the villain, in such matters?
Judgment Day makes you think. Its deep inspections of motive and perception=
and its insights into the criminal law system's successes and failures cre= ates a story that is especially highly recommended for thriller readers int= erested in justice, redemption, and political entanglements. Libraries and = readers seeking solid tension development, good characterization, and twist=
s and turns they won't see coming will find Judgment Day an astute examinat= ion of escape, liberation, and the inexorable cost of revealing the truth.
A.N.D.: Acute Nepali Disorder
Mike Beetlestone
Independently Published
9781739658915, $15.99 Hardcover/$10.99 Paper/$4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/N-D-ACUTE-NEPALI-DISORDER/dp/1739658914
A.N.D.: Acute Nepali Disorder provides another Ben Molina thriller, explori=
ng Ben's shifting perception of his place in yet another world as new event=
s test his mettle and approach to life. The challenge begins when an elegan=
t Indian woman unexpectedly sits at his table in a near-empty restaurant an=
d issues a challenge: "I will pay you one million euro if you can prove tha=
t my uncle murdered my father - the King of Nepal." No sooner is this offer=
extended than a spray of bullets causes everyone to dive for cover. When h=
e emerges, his mysterious companion has vanished, leaving only her tantaliz= ing offer in his thoughts and driving him to take on a case that is as elus= ive as its instigator.
India's culture and social stratas come to life as Ben hurdles down the str= eets of Mumbai, probes the slums of Kathmandu, and traverses the countrysid=
e in search of answers. Accompanying his journey is a mental process that d= raws readers on more than just an action-packed level as Ben moves from his=
initial freelance assignment to cover a terrorist attack in Mumbai to assu=
me an active role influencing unfolding events. Unexpected enemies and alli=
es coalesce with circumstances that drive Ben further into danger as interr= ogations, mercenaries, and kidnappings emerge. Mike Beetlestone develops an=
excellent interplay between action and psychological revelations.
At no time does the reader find their attention wandering as Ben moves from=
one confrontation to another, handling situations that demand he adjust hi=
s usual ways of viewing the world and interacting with others: "Maybe I hav= en't just saved her life, but I was here to protect her whether she liked i=
t or not, even though she has been lying ever since we first met. I deserve=
d some respect." As his curiosity leads him to the truth, Ben discovers tha=
t his journalistic skills have also involved him in a well-fabricated tissu=
e of lies that unfolds to reveal surprising conclusions and connections bas=
ed on historically accurate circumstances and Nepalese cultural inspections=
.. The story is a work of fiction, but blends real events into the plot to g= ain a level of believability that reflects the country's poverty and strugg= les as well as Ben's emotional challenges in handling these issues. Librari=
es and readers seeking thrillers that go above and beyond action-packed wil=
l find the social, political, and psychological undercurrents supporting A.= N.D.: Acute Nepali Disorder produce a thoroughly engrossing, reflective rea=
d.
The Beating Heart of a Mind
Bruce M. Perrin
www.brucemperrin.com
Mind Sleuth Publications
B0BWWYFV8Y, $3.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Beating-Heart-Mind-Sleuth-ebook/dp/B0BWWYFV8Y
The Beating Heart of a Mind adds to the blossoming Mind Sleuth series with =
a vivid story of corporate pressures, marital discord, suicide, and a myste= ry. These lead P.I. Rebecca Marte on a complicated journey to uncover the m= otivations behind the bullying in the boardroom that ultimately leads to th=
e company president's death.
Rebecca's new client (a friend of the dead man's wife, Nicole Veles) paints=
a vivid picture of the influences that led to the president's demise and t=
he succession of his most virulent opponent. Once Rebecca accepts the job, = however, she comes to perceive that her new client's psychological history = may have contributed to the woman's suspicions more than the facts of the c= ase. As Rebecca delves into a series of events that expose the underbelly o=
f interpersonal and business relationships, she comes to believe that the t= ruth lies hidden among the fabrications truly believed and those constructe=
d solely to deceive. As with his previous mysteries, Bruce M. Perrin excels=
in an investigative profile that is as much a psychological analysis as a = detective's deductions. The business components of decisions are nicely pre= sented during the course of Rebecca's discoveries.
The story unfolds a sense of discovery and insights about business processe=
s, interpersonal relationships, and professional and personal defamation, i= ntroducing moral and ethical conundrums on all sides. Tension is well-devel= oped, whether it's psychological revelations that involve Rebecca more deep=
ly in her client's life than she'd imagined, the wedge between client and i= nvestigator driven home by the victim's wife, or the probe of a business st= ructure that supports dangerous undercurrents. The Beating Heart of a Mind =
is highly recommended for mystery libraries and readers, but its strength g=
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