The Explorer - Review

The Explorer
by James Smythe © 2013
HarperCollins
ISBN 9780062229519

I borrowed this Kindle ebook from my Public Library online Overdrive system.

Three parts. First person. Speculative fiction.

The official book blurb:
When journalist Cormac Easton is selected to document the first manned mission into deep space, he dreams of securing his place in history as one of humanity's great explorers.
But in space, nothing goes according to plan.
The crew wake from hypersleep to discover their captain dead in his allegedly fail-proof safety pod. They mourn, and Cormac sends a beautifully written eulogy back to Earth. The word from ground control is unequivocal: no matter what happens, the mission must continue.
But as the body count begins to rise, Cormac finds himself alone and spiraling toward his own inevitable death...unless he can do something to stop it.

I was drawn to James Smythe's The Explorer, by the intriguing cover design. I found the writing good and the emotions of protagonist of Cormac Easton believable. I didn't like or dislike him--was merely curious to see where the events led. The psychological elements of crew interaction are interesting, but hinge greatly on information that is given in dibs and dabs throughout the book; perspective of them keeps changing. Some of the science elements seems sketchy, but since the story is from Cormac's POV (and he's a science Luddite) maybe that doesn't matter.

I felt the story strung out a bit too long, especially the flashbacks to Cormac's life and dissolving marriage to Elena. Cormac-on-the-ground is boring. I found myself skimming much of Part 2 and 3 because it seemed repetitive with just slightly different slants from before. I realize this repetition is some of the essence of the story and meant to build tension; I wasn't tense. Toward the end, I studied what I read more closely to understand the denouement of the story. This prompted me to return to earlier parts of the book, because a few things didn't jibe. Even on re-reading, certain major factors didn't work.

I don't want to tell too much because I hate giving spoilers. Best I can do is to say The Explorer is something each reader has to experience without forewarning. The review responses on Goodreads run the gamut from 5-star to 1-star. Whatever, it's a good mental exercise to see if you can figure out what's happening.

Foxy' Tale - Review

My goodness a book about vampires.? Not something I would usually read. The word vampire was right there in the title but I bought the book anyway. Maybe it was the delightful cover design. At any rate, Karen Cantwell's Foxy's Tale: The Reluctant Vampire Book 1) Foxy Anders getting a new life together in the heart of DC was lively and really interesting. It had some really funny parts, too. Fortunately, for my reading tastes, they vampire part didn't show up until late in the book--actually that's not true, the vampires were hinted at from the very beginning but it was subtle and it didn't interfere with this story about Foxy.

Throughout the book there was a switching of point of view many times and that took some getting used to. Sometimes it seemed omniscient, but other times it was just a third person presentation. I'm rather picky on this type of thing, but I kept reading and got used to the style. Not only did we get Foxy's point of view, but that of her teenage daughter, Amanda, her two tenants, Myron Standish and Knot, and her daughter's boyfriend.

All of these characters were very interesting and sometimes whimsical. They were distinctive and well-written. Near the end of the story when the vampires showed upf or real, the action moved very swiftly--almost too swiftly. Because of this, the ending felt a bit rushed.

The Weapon - Review

I was lucky enough to win a copy of The Weapon in a Goodreads Giveaway.

The Weapon is Heather Hopkins' first Thriller, and it is full of action and intrigue. Hopkins' education includes a degree in business, and this shows in the setting of this face-paced novel. The protagonist, Veronica Stone, is a financial wiz and high-tech entrepreneur who has built a fantastic international business. Her own tech innovations make headlines worldwide. Although she's incredibly successful, a tech genius, and beautiful, to boot, she is burdened by the drive to always be on top, to attain more and more acclaim. This leads her into an unhealthy liaison with some international nasties.

By the time Veronica realizes she's made the wrong move, she in too deep, framed for an attempt to kill the U.S. President, and the target of her recent creation--an application of a Cold War weapon--a devastating way to spread a wasting disease throughout society and especially on top officials. The creators expect to use this to take over the governments and bring themselves to world power.

Veronica is chased through several countries, but her masterful abilities (did I mention she's a martial arts expert?) and wit help her survive.

The Weapon is persuasive. Hopkins is a very good writer, and the characters are richly drawn and believable, which adds to the tension of the story. I cared about Veronica and her plight, and her friends and family.

The ending hints at a sequel. I look forward to it.

Silent Witness - Review

I like a good mystery, and Shirley Wells's title, Silent Witness had some extra perks, too. I downloaded it to my Kindle after reading a blurb about it. At first I thought the book would be related to the BBC TV show of the same name, but it's quite different.

From the book page:

After his ex-wife bled to death in a bathtub covered in his fingerprints, the case against Aleksander Kaminski seemed open and shut. Though sentenced to life in prison, he swears he's innocent, a claim supported by his current wife.
Private investigator Dylan Scott finds himself drawn back to dreary Lancashire in a search for justice. The evidence against Kaminski is damning, but having been unjustly jailed himself, Dylan is compelled to pursue the case; if there's even a small chance the man is innocent, he has to help. The other obvious suspect--the victim's second husband--has a watertight alibi. But Dylan has a strong hunch that as usual, there's more going on than meets the eye in Dawson's Clough.
The deeper Dylan digs, the more secrets he unearths. The question remains: If Kaminski didn't murder his childhood sweetheart, who did?

Plenty of twists and turns in the story line, and Dylan Scott is a great character to lead the reader along the curvy path. This is the third mystery featuring this protagonist. I hadn't read the previous stories, but had no problem knowing him. The good characterization continues with the people who populate this interesting story.

I especially like that Dylan has a good relationship with his family. A few problems between him and his wife, yes, but it was evident they would work them out. The couple also has a teenage son, and it was refreshing to find him easy-going, not rebellious, and supportive of his family and the new baby girl in their midst....Yea!

This family interaction, as much as I approved, didn't distract me from the mystery of who killed Kaminski's wife. His parents believe he's innocent, and they have hired Dylan. Kaminski's wife is devastated by her husband's incarceration. She runs an canine rescue facility; the veterinarian who treats the many animals is very protective of her. Dylan's prison interview with Kaminski doesn't clear up much, in fact it adds more mystery to the mystery.

Several times I thought I had this solved, only to have my idea quashed by new (and logical) information. In all, Silent Witness was very enjoyable, with characters I will be glad to read more about.

Mighty and Strong - Review

I downloaded Michael Wallace's book, Mighty and Strong after reading a blurb about it. The subject was something I knew little about, and the mystery involved intrigued me.

From the book page:

Son of a polygamist leader, Jacob Christianson is approached by the FBI to infiltrate a millennialist cult similar to his own church. [The FBI] lost an agent, tasked to penetrate the cult and investigate a plot to kill a U.S. Senator and presidential candidate. The agent is no longer communicating, and they fear she's either dead or a hostage.

This is a sequel to Wallace's thriller The Righteous, Mighty and Strong. I haven't read that one, but it isn't a prerequisite to appreciating this book. The characters are well defined and distinctive. The writing is very good, especially the action scenes. I have read a few other titles that deal with polygamist cults, but they have been from the point-of-view of outsiders--and generally written by authors that eschew the practice of polygamy. Hence, I found this story enlightening as well as interesting.

Mighty and Strong provided a mystery that went beyond the missing FBI agent, as a girl from the cult is found murdered...Add to this a lot of emotional intrigue, and this is a book that I won't soon forget.

Hotel Carousel – Review

What fun! I really enjoyed S.H. Hughes' book Hotel Carousel. Science Fiction mystery, with sometimes kitschy humor. Neat. I downloaded it after reading an overview on an online site.

From the book page:

Janski Fox had a plan. Buy gold Armani Wellingtons on her credit card. Obtain a refund. Now she's over 24,000,000,000,000 miles from home irradiating drain hair to repay the debt. When a chewing gum failure destroys the ship taking Janski to join a mineral ore mining team, what's left crashes at the Hotel Carousel, where a non-paying guest soon realises Janski is the perfect mouthpiece to help it confess its crimes--hopefully she won't die like the others did! As well as staying alive, Janski must prove she's not a jewel thief, outwit a bunch of Psi officers wishing to excavate her mind, convince a mad professor that scooping out her brain isn't such a good idea and save Muse, a royal fugitive who has the genetic hots for her. And then there are the manoeuvring tests... Hotel Carousel: All Aliens Welcome!

I finished this book several weeks ago, and due to myriad complications just got a chance to write the review. I didn't have to go back to the book to find names, situations, etc., because I remembered them all. A sign I enjoyed the book.

The omniscient narrator keeps the story from getting out of hand, and also inserts these great descriptions of the "guests" at Hotel Carousel. They're all from somewhere else, and since Janski is totally out of this galaxy--very few of them (except Muse) resemble anything she knows. But this telling about aliens doesn't get overdone. It's applied skillfully and when needed.

All the characters were distinguishable not just by their quirky alienness, but with distinct personalities that played throughout the book. The several mystery elements were straightforward, which is important in a book with so many peculiar characteristics. Along with sleuthing to save her job (and her life) Janski is involved in action scenes that are believable and well portrayed.

Hotel Caoursel is witty, well written and a fun read.

The Royal Wulff Murders – Review

The Royal Wulff Murders: A Novel is a well-written story with great descriptions and sense of place. The mystery involves fly fishing, and for outdoor enthusiasts, there's a lot here to enjoy.

From Publisher:

"When a fishing guide reels in the body of a young man on the Madison, the Holy Grail of Montana trout rivers, Sheriff Martha Ettinger suspects foul play. It's not just the stick jammed into the man's eye that draws her attention; it's the Royal Wulff trout fly stuck in his bloated lower lip. Following her instincts, Ettinger soon finds herself crossing paths with Montana newcomer Sean Stranahan.
Fly fisher, painter, and has-been private detective, Stranahan left a failed marriage and lackluster career to drive to Montana, where he lives in an art studio decorated with fly-tying feathers and mouse droppings. With more luck catching fish than clients, Stranahan is completely captivated when Southern siren Velvet Lafayette walks into his life, intent on hiring his services to find her missing brother. The clues lead Stranahan and Ettinger back to Montana's Big Business: fly fishing. Where there's money, there's bound to be crime."

Through the course of this mystery, author Keith McCafferty (a name you might know if you read Field and Stream magazine) provides interesting facts on fly fishing and the whirling disease that infects trout in many Western waterways. He also has integrated details of tracking, and types of weapons—beyond rod and reel.

For me, the main protagonist, Sean Stranahan, could have been developed better. He often fades behind more dynamic characters. Perhaps that withdrawn/bland aspect is part of his character. Sheriff Martha Ettinger, however, is well developed, with personality coming through—strengths and weaknesses.

The character of Velvet LaFayette is too mysterious to be believable, and the fact that Sean becomes captivated by her seems to add to his blandness. I didn't find her as compelling as she is purported to be and read through her scenes wondering when I'd get back to the main story. Not that she isn't part of the main story. Velvet is the reason Sean became involved in the murder investigation, but she dominates more of the story than I thought necessary.

But then, I like mystery stories to have the mystery front-and-center. Although crime solving is a major part of The Royal Wulff Murders, overall it has too much Romance for me.

Other characters and their settings are dynamic and well presented, from fishing guide Sam, to tracker Harold Little Feather, and the rich summer fly-ins who populate the story and the Montana riverbanks.

There is a long monologue that ends the mystery. I had felt the story got overly complex at times, and here it seems as if McCafferty was writing his way out of corners. Then there are the wrap-ups, which, if the romances hadn't been so prominent, wouldn't have been needed.

Throughout, McCafferty presents very nice use of language that make the scenes spring to life, and the character of the Treasure State—Montana—come to the fore. I'm a Montanan. It rings true.

A FOUR star title, with reservations caused by my personal preferences. A good outdoors mystery.

For more of Kae's book reviews Click here.

The Blasphemer - Review

The Blasphemer is a very well crafted, Espionage/Political Thriller. The writing is good with an interesting storyline that the author, John Ling, calls "faction" in that it has so much based on facts from current events. He gives the connections in the Author's Notes and essays at the end of the book. These facts are were informative, and he worked them into the story efficiently and believably.

From the book page:

When Abraham Khan releases an e-book condemning radical Islam, the consequences hit him fast and hard--an armed fanatic smashes into his home one evening, trying to kill him. He survives the harrowing attempt. Just barely. But will he survive the next one?
Maya Raines is the security operator brought in to protect Abraham. She is tough and committed. The very best at what she does. Always one step ahead of the threat.
But Abraham is no ordinary principal--he will not hide, and he will not stay silent. And as rage explodes on the streets and the nation is propelled to the brink, Maya will have to ask herself the hardest question of all: how far would you go to protect one man's right to speak?

I liked the characters. Maya, while exceptional at her defensive work, also has the empathy to understand people; yet she doesn't let it intrude on her duties. And she doesn't let her own fears and pains compromise her job. Maya and her mother, and another operative, Adam, are well-drawn and compelling.

So to are the various other characters, from the manipulative "Magellan" who plots to kill Abraham Khan, to the Muslim woman who gruesomely loses her life in a street riot.

Fast paced, with plenty of firefights as well as sleuthing, The Blasphemer is not one to miss.

For more of Kae's book reviews Click here.

The Gauntlet Assassin - Review

I downloaded the Kindle edition of L.J. Sellers' The Gauntlet Assassin after reading about it at an online book site. Mysteries always attract me, and this title combined mystery with another of my favorite genres--speculative fiction, in that the story takes place a few years in the future.

From book page:

The year is 2023 and ex-detective Lara Evans is working as a freelance paramedic in a bleak new world. She responds to an emergency call and is nearly killed when a shooter flees the home. Inside she finds the federal employment commissioner wounded, but she's able to save his life. The next day Lara leaves for the Gauntlet—a national competition of intense physical and mental challenges with high stakes for her home state. She spots the assailant lurking at the arena and soon after, she lands in deep trouble. Who is the mysterious killer and what is motivating him? Can Lara stop him, stay alive, and win the Gauntlet?

Lara Evans is a good character; we see her tough side, as well as her inner worries and fears. Her altruistic need to win the Gauntlet competition seemed a bit overdone, however—sort of Joan of Arc-ish. But her other strengths (physical and mental) kept me engaged.

Sellers did a good job of giving backstory and slowly merging it into Lara's side of the tale. I had no doubt it was all important, even if a bit obvious. An unexpected turn at the very end was a good touch.

The slightly-dystopian view of the future world was predictable—today's grievances extended and becoming global actuality. The government-adopted Reality show method of awarding grant money to states was an interesting twist that could have had more play. I kept wondering what other "events" were launched for other money distributions.

L.J. Sellers writes a well-paced story, with action and decent character depth. The Gauntlet Assassin adds to her collection of interesting novels. It's available in print and electronic editions.

The Dead Man - Review

A few weeks ago, author Joel Goldman offered the Kindle edition of The Dead Man (Jack Davis Thrillers) for free and I grabbed a copy, hoping for a good mystery. I didn't let the "thriller" tag deter me (I often avoid thrillers) and read through the grisly prologue with growing interest.

Here's the story overview from the GoodReads book page (the Amazon page was filled with hype, and not much about the actual story):

Milo Harper wants former FBI agent Jack Davis' help. People in Harper's study of the human brain are starting to die--and dying exactly in the very ways they have dreamed...Harper wants Jack to get to the truth and counter lawsuits aimed at the foundation. But when Jack investigates, the truth explodes: a serial killer is lurking inside one of the most advanced research facilities in the world. For Jack, the case will shatter illusions, raise ghosts, and take him onto both sides of the law--and into the path of a murderer's terrifying rage...

This is the second of the Jack Davis Thrillers, but I wasn't too lost on Jack's life without having read the first. Goldman put in backstory when his protagonist was triggered to memories. At first, when this happened during a fairly active scene, it seemed intrusive, but I got used to the style.

All the characters were well-drawn and believable; the "thriller" aspects (blood, gore, graphic violence) wasn't too much to bear, and the story resolutions were effective. That's resolutions--plural--because protagonist Jack Davis has relationship issues to deal with, as well as his odd health condition, and his forced retirement from the FBI.

A lot going on, here. Most was handled well, although the ventures into the points of view of other characters didn't seem necessary, and a few scenes really gave away too much. But then, from the cover and the prologue, I had determined the perp early on. I read along, learning more about Jack and wondering when he would pickup on the clues.

In all, since it had few editing and formatting glitches, The Dead Man was a satisfactory read from a competent writer.

Joel Goldman at Goodreads
Joel Goldman's web site

For more of Kae's book reviews Click here.

Book Picks 2011

I must admit, when I signed on for the Goodreads Reader's Challenge, I didn't think I would achieve my 51 book goal. But I did! I even exceeded it by a small bit.

Here are the top ten titles I really liked (in my read order, not order of preference). Many of them I've reviewed on this blog or at GoodReads; the title link will take you there.

Married to Bhutan memoir
Hypothermia mystery
Bone and Jewel Creatures fantasy
Wading Home contemporary
Keeper of Lost Causes mystery
The Sixth Discipline Sci Fi
Power Ballads short stories
A Witness Above mystery
The Only Witness mystery
Patrick Patterson and the World of Others SciFi

Getting Lucky – Review

From the book page:

When a young reporter is killed in a hit and run accident, freelance writer Robyn Guthrie agrees to finish one of the stories the reporter had been writing for the local newspaper. But nothing is as simple as it seems when she finds out about shady land deals, an old high school nemesis, and Robyn’s aging mother.

I'm not a fan of first person stories, but I must say this one was handled well, with no dips into third/omniscient point of view. I also like authors who have a good command of the English language (and how to write it); DC Brod does that well.

I'm really a fan of well-paced mysteries with intriguing, well-thought-out plots. Alas, Getting Lucky didn't measure up. Slow, with a lot of detail but not much action, it bounced around, with protagonist Robyn Guthrie's comments on everything and everyone. The hit and run death of fellow reporter Clair seemed to set up one type of story, but quickly jerked to another track after way too many pages on the deceased and her family. Too many coincidences, too: mostly that Robyn's boyfriend has useful connections for anything/everything that could be a possible problem. Also a lot of information was given that was never essential in the wrap of the story, such as the price of the land deal vs the price paid. Since Robyn's thought of scamming the bad guys included repurchase of the land. What price was paid? And the congressman--asked to help out with the scam, but it's never shown that his involvement was a help (all it took was one or two sentences.)

The editor of the newspaper is totally lost by the end of the book after being prominent in the beginning. There's a "shady character" who isn't so shady, but the telling of Robyn’s first meeting with him was useless and a waste of pages.

I haven't read other books in the Robyn Guthrie series, but from the book pages, I see the stories are driven by the interaction between Robyn and her mom. This is good and often funny, but what's with Mom being 84? I realize there's a bit of dementia here (which can occur at any age), but Robyn is only in her 40s. No mention is made of Robyn being a late-life child. This hit me, since my kids are in their 40s, and I (who married late for my generation and waited several years to have kids) am not yet 70 (close, but not yet). Maybe this was addressed in earlier books.

These are just a few of the dissatisfactions that had me reading fast, trying to get the book finished—I feel an obligation to read an entire book when I get it free from netgalley. This could have been an interesting mystery if Brod had fine-tuned the story, cut the slag, and sent a polished manuscript to the publisher rather than her first draft of a decent idea. It was probably her pubs. fault—pushing her to get another Guthrie mystery out pronto. Nonetheless, reading this one dampens my enthusiasm for reading the others.

A Grand Murder - Review

I read a bit of this story on Indie Snippets, and decided to buy it.

The story (from the book page):

When a prominent local businessman and friend of the chief of police is murdered on the front steps of his posh Grand Avenue Hill home, Saint Paul homicide detective Catherine O'Brien a pithy, vertically challenged, St. Paul, Minnesota, homicide detective with a monstrous coffee habit and her partner Louise are given two days to find his killer.
They soon discover their victim had a list of people with motives to murder him, including his fashion designer ex-wife, his mistress's husband, and the chief of police. The only evidence they have to go on is a missing cell phone, a stolen book, the victim's letter opener, and an ugly pair of Alpaca wool mittens.

Grand Murder was a fun read with interesting and well presented characters. The book blurb calls the protagonist Catherine O'Brien as pithy. So well put. Told in first person, from Catherine's point of view, author Stacy Verdick Case takes no time in getting the protagonist's personality front an center. There is plenty of action along with good police procedural stuff, and enough twists to keep you guessing.

I liked all the secondary characters, especially her partner, and look forward to future crime-solving adventures from these two.

Alias Dragonfly – Review

The publisher sent me the download of this book after I requested it from netgalley.

The story (from the book page):

"Don't love a spy," warns fifteen-year-old Pinkerton agent Maddie Bradford, a lonely, rebellious outsider with a mind on fire and a photographic memory. It is 1861, the Civil War has just started and this motherless teen must move with her soldier-father from New Hampshire to Washington, DC-a city at war, packed cheek by jowl with soldiers, Rebel spies, slave catchers and traitors of all stripes bent on waging a war of destruction against the Union, and President Lincoln himself.
Maddie's journal, written in secret, of course, begins with her arrival at her aunt’s DC boardinghouse through the first year of the Civil War, a time, as Maddie puts it, full of "dips and dangers," when she becomes a fearless Union spy. And then there is the mysterious, maddening Jake Whitestone, a young man who awakens something equally dangerous in Maddie: Love in a time of terror.

Alias Dragonfly is well presented history, with an interesting fictional character to tie it all together. The battles and Washington City are shown in all their glamor and ugliness. The book is enhanced by Jane Singer's great history notes at the end.

And Maddie? Quite a neat hero. But the book lacked in pace. Maddie's spying adventures didn’t start until after two-thirds of the book. I really got tired of her "learning the trade" even though it was written well, and wanted a more specific story than Maddie’s trials on becoming a spy. Several story bits seemed thrown in, such as Nellie and Isaac. The well-portrayed "battle" at the end between Maddie and her doppelganger (who was only hinted briefly in the book's beginning) was poorly set up; except for a grabber for future Maddie episodes, this scene seemed fairly pointless.

Good history, good writing, slow story (And the cover doesn't look anything like the character--until the last bit of the novel when she finally does some spying).

Steps to Heaven - Review

I paid for a download of Steps to Heaven after reading an author interview.

I like police procedural stories and Wendy Cartmell's had the bonus of military police, too. The interaction between the civil and military was interesting. The settings were well described as were most of the characters.

Story (from the book page): Sergeant Major Crane, is a Special Investigations Branch Detective in the British Army, based at Aldershot Garrison. Crane is disturbed by the horrific case of a soldier who, after recently returning from Afghanistan, murdered his wife and 6 year old son and then committed suicide. It seems Solomon was attending a local Church, offering salvation. But as Crane investigates and the body count rises, events take a darker turn and he wonders if the Church is offering salvation, or slaughter...?

Unfortunately the story had few surprises for me, and I didn't like the protagonist who seemed borderline bipolar. He rarely just spoke to anyone: he shouted and stomped, was sarcastic and couldn't sit still. He was unreasonably irritated by anything that didn't seem to go his way. Maybe this is something that will be developed in future books (this is the first of a series).

That Wendy Cartmell wrote the story in present tense would have been okay if there hadn't been slip ups and sentences with both present and past tense. A copy editor would have been helpful to catch this and to correct the absence of commas ("Oh by the way Crane..." and many others), the misspelled words (waives should have been waves, and others), and awkward phrases ("squalling showers," "the syntaxes in his brain start to pop," and others).

I always try to take off my editor hat when reading, but some of these problems distracted me from the story. Nonetheless, with a fast pace and plenty of action, Steps of Heaven is an energetic beginning for a new mystery writer.

Blood Country - Review

I downloaded the electronic edition of Blood Country when I found it as a freebie (a short-lived occurrence) on an e-book site. The printed edition had been published by Walker Publishing Company, Inc. in 1999, and I might have enjoyed the book a bit more if I'd read that version.

Story: Claire Watkins is living in a small Wisconsin town with her daughter, Meg, after her husband's death--an unsolved murder. She works for the county sheriff's department and enjoys small town police work after having been a detective in the Twin Cities. But life changes on two fronts when her elderly neighbor is murdered in his yard; then her daughter admits she saw the man who drove the truck that ran over her father. Claire calls her ex-partner to help her with the new evidence about her husband's murder while she works on solving the small town killing.

Mary Logue is a very good wordsmith; the descriptions and sense of place were well crafted. Character differences made all the people in the story easy to recognize. For me, however, there were too many points of view; some where internal thoughts that could have been better served to come out in dialog with the principal character. Because of this, the story bogged down in many places, and the tension and action didn't live up to the title Blood Country.

Most aggravating were the many errors in the text. It was obvious the e-book layout hadn't been vetted. face most times came out as fece; missing punctuation was jarring as well as sections of dialogue that weren't separated into paragraphs. I find it very disappointing when a publishing company (in this case, Tyrus Books – F+W Media, Inc, Adams Media [all the same, I guess]) sloughs the work of creating a good final product. And they have the nerve to charge more than $7.00 for it! Hopefully, they'll go in and make the corrections--an advantage to e-books that more publishers should utilize.

The Only Witness - Review

I purchased the electronic edition of Pamela Beason's book after reading an online interview by the author.

Story: A young mother, Brittany Morgan, leaves her sleeping infant in a locked car, only to return a few moments later to find the baby gone. Most of the town thinks Brittany killed little Ivy. Detective Matthew Finn sets out to discover the truth, but evidence to charge Brittany is nonexistent, clues are slim, and there were no witnesses. He expects this will become another Cold Case. Then he hears from Dr. Grace McKenna who claims her charge, Neema, saw what happened. Neema? A gorilla with the mind of a five-year-old and adept at sign language. Could this truly be the breakthrough he needs to solve the case?

When the opening of The Only Witness was told from Neema's point of view, I was concerned there would be too much animal "thought," but that wasn't the case. The action picked up and I was totally caught in the agony of the grieving, beleaguered mother. McKenna's interaction with her sign-language-speaking animals was believable. By the time McKenna decided to tell Detective Finn what she knew, the well-crafted story had me reading straight through to the end.

The end was the only place I felt let down, and I know this is because of my personal preferences. Nearly everything was wrapped up with neat solutions. I won't give spoilers, but for those who like rosy ending where you say, "aww" with a smile; you won't be disappointed.

Recommended.

Let Us Prey - Review

[I received Let Us Prey from the author when I accepted her request to review this book.]

It's a mystery, It's chick-lit, it's romance. Jamie Lee Scott's Let Us Prey has it all. Mimi Capurro is the first-person protagonist, a recently widowed thirty-something who has started Gotcha Detective Agency in Salinas, California. Her employees are a good mix of characters—believable and well drawn. All the characters are nicely crafted, including author Lauren Silke, who hires Gotcha to investigate possible threats against her. But rather than Lauren, it's that woman's assistant who is gruesomely killed; Mimi's investigation switches focus.

The mystery, who killed Esme Bailey, has many suspects; many of them are male, to whom Mimi responds with varying levels of libido. Police procedure comes into play, with the assistance of one of Mimi's college sweethearts, Nick Christianson (go hormones, go!). Nick is a police detective with the Salinas PD. They perform the Attract-and-Aggravate Romance dance as they step on each other's toes during the investigation. This is nicely handled.

I had worried at first that the vampire aspect would take over the story; it didn't. Vampire books are what Lauren Silke writes, and many of the suspects participate in a vampire RPG. I did have a problem with a few plot elements, especially why threats and aggression were directed at Mimi? Although I had a good sense of Mimi's fear and anger, the reason she was a target wasn't adequately explained for me. I truly appreciated that all the scenes had a point and related in some way to the mystery&mdsh;nothing seemed thrown in only for the sake of drama, romance or hype. Scott's Let Us Prey is a fun, well-written read, and a good beginning to a new mystery series.

On a scale of 5: +3 for originality, +5 character development, +4 pace and story flow; +3 edits and format

A Witness Above - Review

I bought the e-book version of A Witness Above after reading an interview on Kindle Author. The setting intrigued me, as well as the mystery, and I wasn't disappointed. I was engaged from page one and recommend it to any mystery fan.

From the promo blurbs: "Thirteen years ago, Frank Pavlicek left the NYPD under less than ideal circumstances. Now, the divorced father of a teenage daughter, he works as a private investigator in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he indulges his passion for falconry&emdash;and tries to live outside the shadow of his past.
"While hunting with his red-tailed hawk, Armistead, Frank finds the gruesome remains of a teenage boy’s body – barely concealed behind a pile of brush...But what Frank finds in the dead boy's wallet is even more disturbing—his daughter’s phone number, scribbled in ink on the edge of a bill. He pockets the evidence and flees. Days later, his daughter is in jail and his past is coming back to haunt him. His reputation--and life--are on the line…"

Andy Straka's protagonist, Frank Pavlicek, is a strong character, with emotional depth and realistic concerns. That Straka got all this out in a first-person presentation credits his writing ability. I often avoid first-person stories, because they're come off a bit vapid. Not here. Word choice and descriptions were vivid, and the action moved well. Although I knew who the perp was right at the beginning, I was interested in seeing how Pavlicek figured it out.

Details about falconry were nice; I always like to learn new things. Straka worked this into the story quite well, right from the title.

A Witness Above was a Best First Novel-Anthony, Shamus, and Agatha Award Nominee.

Bet Your Bones - Review

I requested Bet Your Bones by Jeanne Matthews from Poisoned Pen Press through netgalley.com

Partial Overview (from the publisher): "A wedding on the lip of a Hawaiian volcano sounds risky to Dinah Pelerin, the bride’s best friend and maid of honor. The bride, Claude Ann Kemper, has bet her heart that she’s found the right man at last. The groom has gone all in on a real estate deal he believes will set him and his new wife up for life. A group of Native Hawaiians claims that the sacred bones of an ancestral king are buried on the land the groom plans to sell and one of them has vowed do whatever it takes to stop him...."

These are just some of the situations in this in second mystery of a series (reading the first isn't a prerequisite). I was attracted by the Hawaii setting and the mention of myths. Myths are protagonist Dinah Pelerin's specialty as she studies for her anthropology degree.

Her undaunted curiosity (a given for most scientists) had Dinah in the Philippines, so she didn't have too far to go to get to her friends wedding. Her deep concern for her best friend Claude Ann draws her to the Big Island. But Dinah's trip carries a lot of baggage—and not just her own. She worries over Claude Ann's sudden marriage to a man she's known for only six weeks; she broods over the events surrounding Claude Ann's first marriage and feels she needs to clear the air with her friend; then she is alarmed by protests about the business activities of Claude Ann's intended, Xander. Dinah's curiosity kicks in and she tries to learn more about Xander and the protesters, and whether Claude Ann is blundering into a bad, maybe even dangerous, marriage. Events escalate to a murderous state, and Dinah even becomes a suspect.

Along with Dinah, Claude Ann and Xander, this third-person presentation has strongly written characters. Each is distinctive, from the remonstrative protest leader, Eleanor, to Xander's grown children, his business partners, and Claude Ann's born-again daughter, Marywave. There was a point midway through that I grew a bit impatient when new people were introduced, but each was necessary to the whole story; I had a few nice A-ha! moments as things fell into place. The great dialogue also had some witty bits as well as down-home vernacular from Claude Ann and Dinah (They grew up in Georgia).

I also found it refreshing to increase my education while reading this mystery. Matthews does an excellent job of weaving actual mythology into the story (She lists the sources of the myths in the Acknowledgements). These pieces of factual information are sprinkled throughout the book, and always relate to Dinah's thoughts and next actions.

While Dinah's manner of flushing out the bad guy felt a bit occluded, Bet Your Bones is an intricate mystery woven neatly into the lava, smoke and culture of Hawaii. A satisfying and interesting read.