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Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is L’Assassin: A Thriller by Peter Steiner.

Anti-terrorist fanaticism can be as dangerous as the real thing

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

Today’s Book of the Day comes from fellow University of Miami alum (had to plug it) Peter Steiner. Peter was first known to me as a cartoonist for The New Yorker for 25 years before he turned novelist. If you’ve read a copy of The New Yorker, you had to have seen his work.

“L’Assassin” is set in France and is the second novel in the Louis Morgon international thriller series. The first novel was fantastic. This one is even better. Are we so obsessed with terrorism, we frame an innocent man for personal revenge? This novel gives a plausible, “Yes.”

It is a smart series. There is incredible plotting and a cast of unforgettable characters. Here are the elements: Ex-CIA officer, terrorist accusations, Osama bin Laden associate, a traitor to the U.S., mass manipulation, cat and mouse. I think you have the picture. I don’t want to give too much away in case you want to read it. All is not as it seems, though. It starts as a simple burglary, but it is never simple, is it?

Reading this, you can tell that Steiner enjoys what he is doing and the fun transfers irresistibly across the page.

From the publisher:

“In this exceptional follow-up to the highly praised Le Crime, ex-spy Louis Morgon is in France living a quiet life of good food, good wine, and good friends. When his house is burglarized, he thinks nothing of it. But neither the burglar nor the motive for the burglary is as simple as it seems. And the consequences of the seemingly trivial break-in will lead Louis and his loved ones to the ends of the earth – and quite possibly to the ends of their lives.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join our Facebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

Remember that these books are listed at a discount through Amazon. You also don’t have to purchase the version that is featured here. Many of these books are available in multiple formats: e–book, hardcover, softcover, and audio. Enjoy!

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

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“Valley of Ashes” by Cornelia Read / Monday, December 3, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Valley of Ashes by Cornelia Read.

Nosey joking gets you burned.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

For those who have followed the writer/sleuth character Madeline Dare, she’s moved again. From Syracuse, NY (“A Field of Darkness”) to the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts (“The Crazy School”) to New York City (“The Invisible Boy”) and now Boulder, Colorado (“Valley of Ashes”), Madeline changes locale, but she can’t stop her inquisitive spirit nor her smart-mouthed sense of humor. This time, it aims to burn her.

“Valley of Ashes” is the story of Madeline’s attempt to capture a serial arsonist. Madeline – bored out of her gourd after having moved to Boulder from New York City to follow her husband’s job – can’t help but move in on the suspect. As one would expect, when Madeline gets close, the culprit kicks back.

I’ve enjoyed all of Cornelia Read’s books. They’re suspenseful, smart, sassy, and funny, but they have a point, usually deep. There is a character breadth to them that holds you, as well as chock-full laugh-out-loud one-liners. Since the first book, which Oprah Winfrey called one of the “Nine Mysteries Every Thinking Women Should Read,” author Read has been consistent in all her books. What I like about the series is the movement of the character. She’s a fish out of water in every tale. Her movements introduce new characters, bring out her own character when pushed, and causes her to rely on her own skills and brains to solve the crimes that get her piqued. With lines like “I’m fat, my marriage is tanking, and I want to run away with the circus,” you can’t help but like her. And understand. Male or female. And, as a parent, I get it: “Contrary to popular opinion, your butt does not make Play-Doh.” Kids, don’t play with it or smear it on the table. Or when she’s vacuuming to please her overbearing husband and she’s under the sofa “wondering how long it had actually been since I’d last vacuumed, considering the thick ruff of velveteenish furry stuff growing along the edges of the petrified hummus.” And, in the midst of all this, she attempts to save the day.

“Valley of Ashes” is a book you’ll love (if you like off-beat quirky characters). There is much about these books and characters that any family member will recognize. If you are not Madeline Dare, someone close to you is, which would make this a great book to read over the holidays during family visits. I think that may be why these books tend to resonate so popularly.

From the publisher:

“Madeline Dare trades New York’s gritty streets for the tree-lined avenues of Boulder, Colorado when her husband Dean lands a promising job. Madeline, now a full-time homemaker and mother to beautiful toddler twin girls, has achieved everything she thought she always wanted, but with her husband constantly on the road, she’s fighting a losing battle against the Betty Friedan riptide of suburban/maternal exhaustion, angst, and sheer loneliness. A new freelance newspaper gig helps her get her mojo back, but Boulder isn’t nearly as tranquil as it seems: there’s a serial arsonist at large in the city. As Madeline closes in on the culprit, the fires turn deadly-and the stakes tragically personal. She’ll need every ounce of strength and courage she has to keep the flames from reaching her own doorstep, threatening all she holds most dear.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join our Facebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

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“12.21″ by Dustin Thomason / Friday, November 30, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is 12.21 by Dustin Thomason.

Read this novel before 12/21/12. After that, it may not be available.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

Conspiracy theories and doomsday predictions do nothing for me in real life, but they are great springboards of fiction. The doomsday prediction in the Maya calendar that the world will end on December 21, 2012 is a case-in-point and the backdrop for the exciting pseudo-science thriller from Dustin Thomason, “12.21″ It didn’t help me that my office manager had a sneezing cold and my family had rare steak on the very night I sat down to read a book about the end of the world via prion disease.

Reminds me of a cross between Michael Crichton and Dan Brown. I do enjoy puzzle novels so this was easy for me to get into. Painstakingly historically researched – even more probably historically than medically – if you will allow yourself to suspend disbelief (which you have to in some spots) and ignore coincidences and just going along for the ride, you’ll find it suspenseful and difficult to put down, if not educational regarding the culture of the Maya. It’s a fast ride with the ultimate stakes: the end of civilization.

I’m drawn to books that have unrelated stories (this has two) that come together tidily in the end. You have to give Thomason credit for attempting to intellectually tackle two big subjects intertwined within the same educated, smart book. If you read it, I’m confident you will enjoy it.

Something I did find interesting about this, which has nothing to do with the book, is that the hardcover is $15.09 with free shipping on Amazon and the Kindle Edition is $13.99. For you math geeks, that’s only $1.10 difference. I don’t recall seeing such a small spread before. Not making a judgement either way, is this the start of a new trend in eBook pricing? As a writer, you hope so. As a reader, it gives you pause.

From Amazon:

“From the co-author of the two-million copy mega-bestseller The Rule of Four comes a riveting thriller with a brilliant premise based on the 2012 apocalypse phenomenon – perfect for readers of Steve Berry, Preston and Child, and Dan Brown.

For decades, December 21, 2012, has been a touchstone for doomsayers worldwide. It is the date, they claim, when the ancient Maya calendar predicts the world will end.

In Los Angeles, two weeks before, all is calm. Dr. Gabriel Stanton takes his usual morning bike ride, drops off the dog with his ex-wife, and heads to the lab where he studies incurable prion diseases for the CDC. His first phone call is from a hospital resident who has an urgent case she thinks he needs to see. Meanwhile, Chel Manu, a Guatemalan American researcher at the Getty Museum, is interrupted by a desperate, unwelcome visitor from the black market antiquities trade who thrusts a duffel bag into her hands.

By the end of the day, Stanton, the foremost expert on some of the rarest infections in the world, is grappling with a patient whose every symptom confounds and terrifies him. And Chel, the brightest young star in the field of Maya studies, has possession of an illegal artifact that has miraculously survived the centuries intact: a priceless codex from a lost city of her ancestors. This extraordinary record, written in secret by a royal scribe, seems to hold the answer to her life’s work and to one of history’s great riddles: why the Maya kingdoms vanished overnight. Suddenly it seems that our own civilization might suffer this same fate.

With only days remaining until December 21, 2012, Stanton and Chel must join forces before time runs out.

Advance praise for 12.21

Dustin Thomason, M.D., will invariably be compared to Michael Crichton, M.D., and 12.21 will be favorably compared to The Andromeda Strain. Both authors have written first-rate medical thrillers, the kind of fact-based fiction that is very scary but also very entertaining. Thomason knows his stuff, and it shows on every page. I truly could not put this book down. – Nelson DeMille”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join our Facebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

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“Run to Ground” by D.P. Lyle / Wednesday, November 28, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Run To Ground by D.P. Lyle.

What would you do if someone brutally murdered your child?

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

The thriller “Run to Ground” is D.P. Lyle’s best work of fiction. I served for four years on the national board of Mystery Writers of America with Doug Lyle. I know him as an incredibly knowledgeable reference for forensic science, one of the most delightful guys I’ve ever been around, winner or nominee of awards to make your head spin, and last, but certainly not least, an incredible writer. He has always reminded me of a bag of potato chips (you can’t read just one). He tops himself here.

The story takes place in Alabama, from whence Doug originally hails. Subject is hard on, focusing on the nightmare of every parent: some sicko kills your child. Just the subject matter alone brings out the emotions, not to mention the subject matter handled deftly as it is here. There are at least two major twists that will flip you around and it’s worth a read just to analyze the plotting.

It’s not all morose, though. There is good laughing banter between the characters and, as with anything Doug does, it is educational as well as entertaining. Needless to say, the bestselling author of “Forensics for Dummies” handles the forensic aspects deftly. This is an incredible book from an incredible writer and an even more incredible man. You’ll do yourself a favor by putting this book on your “next to read” list and, if your interest is forensics, check out his blog (http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/). Every click or page turn will make you – “just one more” – stick your hand into the bag.

From Amazon:

“What would you do if someone brutally murdered your only child, served only months in jail because of a technicality, and continually taunted, even threatened, you from behind bars? Could you hide your growing rage from family and friends? Could you gun the killer down as he left prison? Could you change your ID and leave behind your entire life – family, friends, jobs, house – and just disappear? Could Tim and Martha Foster do this?

Forensic evidence and criminal behavior expert Dub Walker, along with best friend and homicide investigator T-Tommy Tortelli and ex-wife and TV reporter Claire McBride, employ all their skills to track down the Fosters.

But the murder of Walter Whitiker is not as simple as it seems. Tim and Martha are not the only ones who want Walt dead. Someone has twisted the evidence to keep the hot light of suspicion on the Fosters.

Will the real killer please step forward? Sorry, Dub, you’re going to have to work hard to solve this one.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join our Facebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

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“Death of a Schoolgirl” by Joanna Campbell Slan / Tuesday, November 27, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Death of a Schoolgirl by Joanna Campbell Slan.

Who would have thought Jane Eyre was such an excellent detective?

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

Joanna Campbell Slan’s new historical series stars Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.

“Death of a Schoolgirl,” the first in this historical cozy series, picks up where the classic leaves off. I’m not big on coming-of-age stories (which the original was) and found this definitely more interesting. However, it does pick up where the original story stops, so fans of Jane Eyre will happily devour this, especially since Slan has captured the original voice of Bronte. From the first page, this story quickly pulls you in and Slan wastes no time getting into the meat. I never thought I would read about Jane Eyre getting beaten by thugs, but it does happen. (Beats her fainting on the doorstep of the River’s in the original.)

Jane’s former pupil Adele Varens sends a plea to Jane to come and help. What is at first believed to be a natural death becomes a murder investigation. Slan, best known for her Kiki Lowenstein books, plays fair, dropping clues throughout the novel as to the identity of the killer, but is successful in concealing them until the very end. She’s done an incredible job with the plotting within, what I would consider, to be a character driven novel. One book, the best of both worlds, led by a strong proactive heroine.

It’s always tough to take on an established literary figure. There is always going to be fall-out from devotees. However, I think Slan has done a great job in not only capturing Bronte’s voice, but “Death of a Schoolgirl” is also an excellent example of how to effectively and successfully take on a beloved literary figure.

Whether you’ve read the original or not (whether you like the original or not), if you like historical cozies and light murder, you will enjoy this book. This is a great new series in the making and an incredibly fresh story.

From Amazon:

“In her classic tale, Charlotte Bronte introduced readers to the strong-willed and intelligent Jane Eyre. Picking up where Bronte left off, Jane’s life has settled into a comfortable pattern: She and her beloved Edward Rochester are married and have an infant son. But Jane soon finds herself in the midst of new challenges and threats to those she loves…

Jane can’t help but fret when a letter arrives from Adele Varens – Rochester’s ward, currently at boarding school – warning that the girl’s life is in jeopardy. Although it means leaving her young son and invalid husband, and despite never having been to a city of any size, Jane feels strongly compelled to go to London to ensure Adele’s safety.

But almost from the beginning, Jane’s travels don’t go as planned – she is knocked about and robbed, and no one believes that the plain, unassuming Jane could indeed be the wife of a gentleman; even the school superintendent takes her for an errant new teacher. But most shocking to Jane is the discovery that Adele’s schoolmate has recently passed away under very suspicious circumstances, yet no one appears overly concerned. Taking advantage of the situation, Jane decides to pose as the missing instructor – and soon uncovers several unsavory secrets, which may very well make her the killer’s next target…”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join our Facebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

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“Man in the Blue Moon” by Michael Morris / Monday, November 26, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Man in the Blue Moon by Michael Morris.

The rich get richer and the poor…keep fighting them off.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

You have to ask yourself, what has Michael Morris been doing all these years? Morris is one of our best Southern writers and I think it has been at least 10 years since he released his last book…until “Man in the Blue Moon.” I guess he was storing up the power shot. This is a wonderful book set in Florida during World War I.

A stranger comes to town in one of the most unusual entrances I think I’ve read. “He could never relieve himself of the sins of the father. The past shaded his mind until at times he was certain darkness had overtaken him.” As I read, I was not sure, at times, if it was the stranger’s story or the woman whom he befriends, but by the end, it becomes clear that it is the story of all of them, the entire community. There is a nice mix of quirky characters. Highly emotional. The stranger, the protagonist, the three diverse sons, the caretaker, the balanced ministers, the odd little girl, even the absentee husband, and all the other more minor characters are all well-defined. The plot and characters are in constant forward motion: they are changing characters within a changing world with fundamentals solidly set in the past. “Mark my word, we’re living in the end times.” As a Southerner, I’ve heard that before…actually last Sunday.

It is Southern literature, but it is also a work that breaks out of the box of locality. You’ll find themes of love, community, and forgiveness, which are some of the strongest catalysts in a writer’s toolbox. It takes place outside Apalachicola, Florida in a dying town called Dead Lakes, but it could have just as easily been set anywhere. These are real people. You see it in the way they react to the same singular situations: “Beyond belief.” “Lifesaver.” “Voodoo.” It’s one of those books that will have you wondering about the characters long after you’ve put the novel away.

“Innocence and justice sometimes don’t go hand in hand,” Michael Morris writes, but they certainly are emotional powerhouses to write about. Will she keep her farm? Will she not? Much healing water flows through the Dead Lakes before we finally have that answer.

From Amazon:

“He’s a gambler at best. A con artist at worst, her aunt had said of the handlebar-mustached man who snatched Ella Wallace away from her dreams of studying art in France. Eighteen years later, that man has disappeared, leaving Ella alone and struggling to support her three sons. While the world is embroiled in World War I, Ella fights her own personal battle to keep the mystical Florida land that has been in her family for generations from the hands of an unscrupulous banker. When a mysterious man arrives at Ella’s door in an unconventional way, he convinces her he can help her avoid foreclosure, and a tenuous trust begins. But as the fight for Ella’s land intensifies, it becomes evident that things are not as they appear. Hypocrisy and murder soon shake the coastal town of Apalachicola and jeopardize Ella’s family.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join our Facebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

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“The Dark Winter” by David Mark / Monday, November 19, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is The Dark Winter by David Mark.

You can cheat death once, but not a second time.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

A sense of place is set. “This chilly, complicated Yorkshire air, laced with the salt and spray of the coast, the smoke of the oil refineries, the burned cocoa of the chocolate factory, the pungency of the animal feed unloaded from the super-container at the docks this morning, the cigarettes and fried food of a people in decline and a city on its arse.” I get the picture. “Cold as the grave.”

A complicated officer, one who starts complicated and stays that way, at odds with his family, his work, his co-workers, his profession, himself. A man who must remind himself that “if he is hunting evil, he must be on the side of good.” A man betrayed by those he thought were for the truth. A giant of an officer who is comfortable sitting at his desk researching on the computer who, “for the first time in as long as he can remember, decides to act on impulse.”

A strong backstory, the fears of which return. Several deaths – murders and appearing non-murders – all seemingly unrelated. And the guilt of borrowed time. “They’re taking away their second chances at life. People who survived when nobody else did. They’re being umped off in the same way that somebody thinks they should have died. That means something.”

British crime journalist David Mark has done a wonderful job with this exciting debut novel, sure to be the beginning of a very successful new thriller series. It was masterfully well-plotted and I wondered how he was going to bring three such unrelated incidents around. I look forward to the subsequent books. I would like to hear more adventures in Hull, a thriving fishing town until the industry went belly-up, “its drunken occupants, its boarded-up shops and litter-strewn doorways.” And Detective Sergeant Aector McAvoy, himself a fish out of water, a man not comfortable in his own massive skin.

From Amazon:

“A series of suspicious deaths has rocked Hull, a port city in England as old and mysterious as its bordering sea. In the middle of a Christmas service, a teenage girl adopted from Sierra Leone is chopped down with a machete in front of the entire congregation. A retired trawlerman is found dead at the scene of a tragedy he escaped, the only survivor, forty years ago. An ugly fire rages in a working-class neighborhood, and when the flames die away, a body is discovered, burned beyond recognition.

Detective Sergeant Aector McAvoy is sure there is a connection between these crimes, but his fellow officers are not convinced—they would rather get a quick arrest than bother themselves with finding the true killer. Torn between his police duties and his aching desire to spend more time with his pregnant wife and young son, McAvoy is an unlikely hero: a family man more obsessed with being a decent cop, a physically imposing man far more comfortable exploring databases that being gung-ho with his muscle. Compelled by his keen sense of justice, McAvoy decides to strike out alone—but in the depths of the dark winter, on the hunt for a murderer, it’s difficult to forget what happened the last time he found himself on the wrong side of a killer’s blade…”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join our Facebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

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“Death in the Floating City” by Tasha Alexander / Wednesday, November 14, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Death in the Floating City by Tasha Alexander.

Venice. Cat fights. Ill-fated love. Murder.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

With “Death in the Floating City,” Tasha Alexander has written what I think is probably her best book in the seventh installment of the Lady Emily Hargreaves series. Lady Emily and her husband Colin are summoned to help solve the murder of Emily’s childhood associate’s father-in-law. Emily can’t stand her childhood friend. “Exchanging social niceties with Emma was far less pleasant than thinking about murder.” Ouch. The dialogue between these two women is delightful.

I’d put this in a more historical cozy category. It is a light book mixing love and murder in 19th Century Venice. Those who like a little romance with their mystery will love the descriptions of “the Floating City,” the parallel story of the 400 year-old family feud, and the zinger thrown in at the end. I won’t write more because I don’t wish to spoil the plot for those who wish to take the gondola ride. Suffice it to say, if you have not read any of Alexander’s work before, this one would be a grand one to push off with.

From Amazon:

“The Huffington Post calls Tears of Pearl author Tasha Alexander “one to watch – and read” and her new Lady Emily mystery set in Venice proves it!

Years ago, Emily’s childhood nemesis, Emma Callum, scandalized polite society when she eloped to Venice with an Italian count. But now her father-in-law lies murdered, and her husband has vanished. There’s no one Emma can turn to for help but Emily, who leaves at once with her husband, the dashing Colin Hargreaves, for Venice. There, her investigations take her from opulent palazzi to slums, libraries, and bordellos. Emily soon realizes that to solve the present day crime, she must first unravel a centuries old puzzle. But the past does not give up its secrets easily, especially when these revelations might threaten the interests of some very powerful people.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join our Facebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion. For more information on Killer Nashville: A Conference for Thriller, Suspense, Mystery Writers & Literature Lovers go to our website at http://www.killernashville.com.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

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“Luther: The Calling” by Neil Cross / Monday, November 12, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Luther: The Calling by Neil Cross.

Womb raiders. A missing child. A serial killer.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

I’m a speed reader. I read one book a night. This one I had to take slowly like bites of a great home-grilled steak. It was too good to rush through. Even at a slower pace, though, once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. Frankly, the book is nightmarish. The bad guy will give you the willies. He’s a madman. He’s a genius.

Here’s the freaky part: as author Cross writes, “People put so much of their lives out there. On Facebook and wherever. There’s so much information on who we are, how we’re feeling, what we’re doing,” who is in our family, who we have as friends, even where we are going to be tonight. For those paranoid people such as crime writers like myself, I started looking at what I’ve been posting here and there in social media and thinking I need to cancel my Facebook, Twitter, and WordPress accounts. Unarguably, someone could learn all about you from the public information you give them and then do you in. Or worse: your family. Think about this the next time you post, for example, a picture of your child on Facebook.

For those who don’t know: “Luther: The Calling” is the prequel for the BBC highly popular “Luther” TV series. This is not for the squeamish. It is about a person who is stealing children for the most godawful reasons. It is also about a cop pushing the edge of acceptability. I wouldn’t call it vigilante fiction, but it comes very close. About page 179 of the edition of the book I was reading, you’ll be feeling the same emotions as the police detective. There are times, as you read, you wouldn’t mind grabbing a baseball bat and going along with him because it just feels justified. There are slimes in this novel with no redeeming characteristics: lots of thugs and one woman who, incidentally, is more morally disgusting though understandable than the thugs themselves. Disagree if you like, but my opinion holds. And there’s humor; for example, there’s a woman has been burglarized so she tells the police, “I’d like a dog. I’m scared to get one in case I take a fall and can’t feed it.” This stuff has to be there. You need it to break the tension.

Neil Cross is an Edgar winner and sole writer / creator of the BBC TV series, “Luther.” It’s not surprising he is an Edgar winner. “Luther: The Calling” is written in present tense so there is a sense of immediacy about it. The use of present tense when writing (for academic reasons not discussed here) doesn’t work in most fiction. It works wonderfully here. It gives the gritty piece an extra edge. (It’s also the form for screenplays, which may be a carry-over from Cross’s day job.)

In “Luther,” I love the personal story. The personal story is deep and is not just busy activity showing the personal life of the character. Lots of times, for me, the personal stories in thrillers and mysteries don’t help deepen my understanding of the character; to me, they’re a drag on the story, things best to be skipped. That’s because they are done poorly, thrown in because some editor tells some unequipped author you need some personal B stories to flesh out the characters, or some author throws it in on his/her own thinking it will help the reader identify with his/her protagonist. I’ve seen the advice in writing books and it is blatantly wrong. If the personal stories are not coming out of the spine of the story itself, then they shouldn’t be there. They become nothing more than filler. Here is an example of how it is done right. In “Luther,” the personal stories are moments to be savored for even the personal stories of the main characters relate directly to the progression of the story, the heinousness of the plot. I feel for Luther. And the way Cross has written it, you can see how Luther has become who he is. I became engrossed, watching John Luther’s life fall apart. It was like watching a train wreck. As his wife observed, looking at pictures of Luther as a younger man when they had met, the wife (Zoe) thinks “Somewhere along the line, that boy had joined the dead, and Zoe had spent years waving to him from a far shore, trying to call him back.” The story is just so real that you can’t help but empathetically self-reflect. “Our choices reveal us, don’t they?” It’s funny that, no matter how much we dream, life may not turn out that way. As Cross writes, “Closure may never come. And if it does come, it may not be what you were hoping for.”

This is one of the best crime novels I’ve read this year. The suspense keeps you riveted until the very last page. There are doubts, even as you near the end, about whether Luther will succeed or fail. I will not be a spoiler, but I will say author Cross does not care if he takes your favorite character out. If Luther wins, great. If he fails, we have to accept that, as well. Life isn’t always tied up in perfect ribbons. Regardless, this is one of those novels I’m going to have to read again just to appreciate all the workings under the hood. I can tell you: there are many.

From Amazon:

“In this stellar debut by journalist turned Washington insider and political writer Charles Robbins, an eager politico finds himself on the rise only to discover the perilous costs of success.

When Henry Hatten wangles a job as communications director for Nebraska SenatorTom Peele’s presidential campaign, he breathes a huge sigh of relief. Smarting over a recent gubernatorial campaign in which his pulling a political punch may have cost his boss the race, he’s thrilled to be back in action.

This time around, Henry is determined to shuck his ethical qualms. But he soon finds he’s facing more than he imagined. The new gig turns out to be rife with scandal and corruption – just the kind of politics Henry so fervently sought to banish. Events go from bad to worse as the depths of greed emerge, tracking the acceleration and excitement in the campaign itself. Led by a ruthless chairman and filled with warring aides, hired thugs, fractious union bosses, and snooping reporters, the Peele campaign is shaping up to be quite the circus. And that’s before Henry’s ex arrives on the scene . . .

But when someone close to the campaign is murdered, Henry can no longer turn a blind eye. As he conducts his own covert investigation, still more secrets emerge. So deeply entrenched in the politics and manipulation, Henry must face a staggering reality in which his values are no longer his own. But can he extricate himself and salvage the career he loves? And can he do so with his soul intact? A brilliantly plotted and characterized political novel, The Accomplice takes readers into the guts of a brutal presidential campaign. “

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join ourFacebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

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“The Accomplice” by Charles Robbins / Thursday, October 25, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is The Accomplice by Charles Robbins.

If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

In the race for a new president, this is a political thriller in the truest sense, a behind-the-scenes look at the America we have become. Not since “Primary Colors” have I had so much fun reading a politically based novel. Written in fast-flowing detail that only a Washington insider could provide, this is a tour de force of characters and plotting, choices and decisions.

The story revolves around Henry Hatten, communications director of Republican Senator Peele’s bid for the White House. “Just saying the words, ‘I’m running for President of the United States’ is an awesome act. The sheer gall, to stand up and say you can lead the free world better than anybody else.” Peele is a centrist in the race and “about the only moderate Republican.” Peele appears to be the Golden Boy, another Teflon Man, but “up close, Henry noticed that Peele hadn’t shaved the back of his neck, leaving stubble that extended from hairline to collar. The guy wasn’t perfect.” Thus, the foreshadowing to come.

I was immediately lost in the world and found it easily accessible because of the way it was written. Charles Robbins is definitely the author to write this story. It is his debut into fiction. Prior, his beat has been nonfiction. He has co-written three nonfiction books with co-writers former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and former Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter. He has run press shops for two Congressman, a Senator, a gubernatorial campaign, and one presidential election. As a navy reserve officer, he was a speech writer for the Secretary of the Navy. He has the background to get it right. All of this explains why this book is so good.

Peele not only has to take on the opposing party, but also members of his own. “Rise and stifle the shrill cries of the extremist right that hijacked the party.” It certainly shows the absurdity that is within politics as in the suggestion, “Build an Iowa steering committee.” “What does a steering committee steer?” “Doesn’t steer anything. Doesn’t do anything. We put a checkbox on fund-raising letters inviting donors to join the committee. They feel important and we look like we got a wide, deep bench.” It dives into the shallow minds of the voters informing us via those in power that “people don’t vote for you. They vote for the character you play. For the image, the icon, the Mattel action figure.” And it explores the conflict, even between the various factions of government (attributed to LBJ) such as “the difference between the Senate and the House is the difference between the chicken salad and the chicken shit.” As Truman once stated, “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.”

This is one of those must-read books. Even after this current election, this is a timeless American novel that should be a part of every library collection and should be read at least once every four years. Charles Robbins is definitely an author to watch. He is currently working on an upcoming historical political novel involving the U.S. Senate. I think he has found his genre and his audience. I hope to be reading his work for a very long time.

From Amazon:

“In this stellar debut by journalist turned Washington insider and political writer Charles Robbins, an eager politico finds himself on the rise only to discover the perilous costs of success.

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join ourFacebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

2/1/13 2/1/13

“Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures” by Emma Straub / Tuesday, October 23, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures by Emma Straub.

A star is born.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

This novel takes me back in time. Maybe it is my own personal past experiences in summer stock, but I was immediately pulled into the setting of “Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures” by Emma Straub. I felt the barn, the family, the summer camp, the carefree life of the young. And the egos. “No one in the theater liked to be around people who were better-looking than they were.” Oh, yes. I recognized the egos.

The story is told from the point of view of Elsa who later becomes Laura Lamont. “Hildegard got to be Hildy, but Elsa only got to be Else, as in Someone Else, a human afterthought.” That is how Elsa’s life starts out: the youngest, the overlooked. A chance suggestion puts her onstage, however. Elsa learns “there was power in pretend.” And she uses it throughout the rest of her career.

The novel is full of great lines. If you’ve spent any time in Hollywood, you’ll recognize the personality types. It is about so many actors and actresses I know who have difficulty separating the reality of a role from the reality of…well…reality. The stretching of the truth. As an ex-actor, some of it is downright painful to read especially the character arc relating to the man she left Wisconsin with. I feel for these poor characters. Even Elsa has a bit of the non-reality to start: “She was going to step off the bus into the waiting arms of the world.”

Hollywood is near a collective main character itself in this novel. You get an introduction to Method Acting, what goes on during movie-making (including the endless waiting), the lives influenced by movie successes and movie flops, the jealousies, and – if you are Hollywood history savvy – you might recognize what could be identifiable composite characters under a different name: Rock Hudson, Jack Warner, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Louis B. Mayer, Lucille Ball. And, of course, there is Irving Green, the Hollywood Boy Wonder. “Irving Green had an idea every thirty-five seconds.” It’s not difficult to see the personage of Irving Green to be a representation of Irving Thalberg.

“Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures” is one woman’s lifetime saga with exhilarating peaks and painful valleys within the ever-changing evolution of Hollywood itself. If a reader finds the main character’s choices a bit mercurial at times, it is probably because same reader has never dated an actress. The plot is straightforward and Straub attempts to cover a lot of ground in the 300 or so pages. And, not giving anything away, the story goes full circle. “Was it possible that she’d finally gotten old, when she had always been the youngest?” Old Hollywood was a grand and glorious place. I can see what attracted Straub to the subject.

From Amazon:

“The enchanting story of a midwestern girl who escapes a family tragedy and is remade as a movie star during Hollywood’s golden age.

In 1920, Elsa Emerson, the youngest and blondest of three sisters, is born in idyllic Door County, Wisconsin. Her family owns the Cherry County Playhouse, and more than anything, Elsa relishes appearing onstage, where she soaks up the approval of her father and the embrace of the audience. But when tragedy strikes her family, her acting becomes more than a child¹s game of pretend.

While still in her teens, Elsa marries and flees to Los Angeles. There she is discovered by Irving Green, one of the most powerful executives in Hollywood, who refashions her as a serious, exotic brunette and renames her Laura Lamont. Irving becomes Laura’s great love; she becomes an Academy Award-winning actress—and a genuine movie star. Laura experiences all the glamour and extravagance of the heady pinnacle of stardom in the studio-system era, but ultimately her story is a timeless one of a woman trying to balance career, family, and personal happiness, all while remaining true to herself.

Ambitious and richly imagined, Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures is as intimate – and as bigger-than-life – as the great films of the golden age of Hollywood. Written with warmth and verve, it confirms Emma Straub’s reputation as one of the most exciting new talents in fiction.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join ourFacebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

2/1/13 2/1/13

“Rebecca” by Daphne Du Maurier / Monday, October 22, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.

It’s classic, gothic, romantic suspense at its finest.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” One of my absolute favorite opening lines. And the book never takes a downtown. This is classic, gothic, romantic suspense at its finest. Most of you have probably read it, but for those who have not, it is a classic. I won’t belabor the review because I know most have probably read it, but maybe this will inspire you to go to your bookshelf and pull it off for another read. The critics panned it when it came out in 1938 (what do they know?), but it won the National Book Award in that year despite them. After 65 years in publication, in 2003 it was still listed as number 14 on the UK survey of The Big Read. Alfred Hitchcock won an Academy Award for the film version of it in 1940. Just writing about it makes me want to go read it again. If you’ve never read it, add it to your list.

From Amazon:

“With these words, the reader is ushered into an isolated gray stone mansion on the windswept Cornish coast, as the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter recalls the chilling events that transpired as she began her new life as the young bride of a husband she barely knew. For in every corner of every room were phantoms of a time dead but not forgotten – a past devotedly preserved by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers: a suite immaculate and untouched, clothing laid out and ready to be worn, but not by any of the great house’s current occupants. With an eerie presentiment of evil tightening her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter walked in the shadow of her mysterious predecessor, determined to uncover the darkest secrets and shattering truths about Maxim’s first wife – the late and hauntingly beautiful Rebecca.

This special edition of Rebecca includes excerpts from Daphne du Maurier’s The Rebecca Notebook and Other Memories, an essay on the real Manderley, du Maurier’s original epilogue to the book, and more.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join ourFacebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

2/1/13 2/1/13

“The Sleeping and The Dead” by Jeff Crook / Friday, October 19, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is The Sleeping and the Dead by Jeff Crook.

From the first page, I was hooked.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

I started Jeff Crook’s first mystery “The Sleeping and the Dead” and couldn’t put it down. Crook has previously written several fantasy books. In this, he goes full mystery except for one element: the main character can see ghosts. As a reviewer, rarely do I find characters and plot both equally compelling. It makes it hard to know which to address first. Toss a coin. We’ll begin with character.

Jackie Lyons is a former vice detective with the Memphis Police Department with a drug problem that won’t go away. She is about as messed up and flawed as a person can get. Her life is a wreck and she seems determined day-by-day to keep it that way and make it worse. It is punishment for her. It is punishing to read. There is conflict and potential loss on every page. You’re hooked from the start. “This is my life,” she says. “It sucks, but it’s all I have.” As the book begins, the train engine has already slammed into the wall. We begin in the action. On page 300, we’re still watching the freight cars pile up. As it was written in first person (without a he/she gender indicator), I first thought on page 1 that she was a man, but as the story went along (I realized she was a woman by page 2), I began to see the female side. At times, both sides are admirable and, at others, neither is pretty, There is much pain in this story’s past and, once you know this, you understand why it is so hard for the main character to find a firm foundation. Plus, there is that ghost sitting at the foot of the bed. Lyons can’t convince herself that she is imagining things. She’s had this problem her entire life. “The dead don’t die,” she informs us. “They stay with you.” True. I guess some more than others. And even when everyone is in denial. (And maybe because everyone is in denial.)

The cast of supporting characters are varied, well-drawn, and individually represented. All distinct. A eunuch who has a crime scene death fetish, amateur ghost researchers, drugged and homeless homosexuals, a drunk landlord, psychic associations, flawed police (but in a good way), and – of course – the ghosts.

I loved how I continued to discover new info about the characters as I went along. Crook is not tempted to tell us everything about a character when we first meet him/her. In fact, we may not learn an integral story point until we’ve near finished the book. But the grand thing is that he has anticipated our questions and answers all by the end. There is nothing forced in this novel, even the ghosts. In the context of the characters, you’ll believe the characters see them, whether you believe they are there or not.

The crimes in the story are grisly and dark. When the first one hit me, I had to stop and reread it to make sure I was reading what I thought I was reading. Very graphic. The Playhouse Killer, a psychotic serial killer, is well-versed in the game he wants to play with the cops. He is in control. The mystery portion of the plot is one of the fairest and most hidden – yet right in your face – that I have seen. There are twists and turns and the great thing is that you don’t see them coming.

In tone, the entire book is troublesome. Some readers said it was too graphic for them. If you don’t like your murders served on the grill with a red-hot poker, then it may be. I was sucked in. If there is any part of you that might remotely believe in ghosts, then there are elements in this book that will definitely make the hair stand on the back of your neck.

In the end, though, it is not about the crimes. It is about what we suppress. As stated by the main character’s father: “If you really love somebody, you shut your mouth and live with the guilt, even if it kills you. Sin is compounded by confession. Confession may comfort the soul, but only because it forces other people to bear the burden of your guilt, and that’s hardly fair to them. Ignorance is bliss, and half of communicating is knowing when to shut your cake hole.” To the characters in this book, that applies to life experiences, ghosts, murderers, and anything else one could conjure. “What is seen cannot be unseen, innocence lost is lost forever. Eventually we become accomplices.” There is no innocence in this book.

I hated to see it end.

From Amazon:

“A new mystery series starring a Memphis crime scene photographer with ghostly assistance

Jackie Lyons is a former vice detective with the Memphis Police Department who is trying to put her life back together: her husband has sent divorce papers, she’s broke, and needs a place to live. But a failed marriage, unemployment, and most recently a fire in her apartment aren’t her only problems: she also sees ghosts.

Since Jackie left the force, she’s been making ends meet by photographing crime scenes for her old friends on the force, and for the occasional collector. When she is called to the murder scene of the Playhouse Killer’s latest victim, she starts seeing crime scenes from a different perspective — her new camera captures images of ghosts. As her new camera brings her occasional ghostly visitors into sharper relief, it also points her toward clues the ex-detective in her won’t let go: did the man she has just started dating kill his wife? Is the Playhouse Killer someone she knows?

As Jackie works to separate natural from supernatural, friend from foe, and light from dark, the spirit world and her own difficult past become the only things she can depend on to solve the case.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join ourFacebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

2/1/13 2/1/13

“Taken” by Benedict Jacka / Thursday, October 18, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Taken by Benedict Jacka.

No evidence, no witnesses, no suspects.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

We’re veering from the normal (“normal world,” that is) in today’s Killer Nashville Book of the Day.

“Taken” by Benedict Jacka is an urban fantasy thriller. A thriller / mystery series set in the world of magic, this is the third installment in what started out – and continues to be – a great series. Even if you don’t like fantasy, you can latch on to this one. I found myself caught up in the world and, at no point, did I find myself questioning the reality of it. I might compare it to a “Harry Potter” for adults.

I chose “Taken” for three reasons: the plot, the realistic portrayal of the characters, and – for the writers in our group – an example of how theme can be used to enhance the reading experience for the reader.

Like the other two books in the series, the plot is elaborate enough to keep even the most active thriller and mystery sleuth guessing. In this installment, the story centers around the disappearances of several trainees in magic. They just disappear. The main character is asked to find out what is happening to them. “You don’t know whom to trust,” the main character Alex Verus tells a senior member of the Council. “But you trust me?” And the Council should. In a world of Dark Mages and Light Mages, the main character is a good guy, an outsider, and a defender of those who are in need, but he is also vulnerable in his own powers and abilities and that is what makes the reader want to cheer for him. Mages have different powers, like chess pieces. Not all are equal, but all are strong in their own way if played with skill. In battle, being weaker than many, there are no guarantees that our main character will win. That ups the thrill element. Plus, I like his attitude. As he says of himself, as an investigator, “to be honest, I don’t actually think I’m all that good.” Can’t argue with humility. There’s a great set of support characters, as well: Light and dark mages, manticores, ogres, nightmares, vampires, and more. Their seamstress is a huge spider. How more appropriate can you get than that? Don’t many hands make the work go faster?

For our writers, I wanted to use this book as an excellent example of incorporating theme. Subliminal themes tend to raise the quality of any work, you’ll find them in any great book, and any writer looking to “up” the theme element in their own works would benefit from studying how Jacka uses them here.

Though not heavy handed – and if you’re not looking for any “message,” then you’re probably not going to see one – the theme elements are there. The mages “protect normal humans from the magical world.” As you read the book, look at how those in the society are portrayed and compare that to the hidden forces in real life that protect us and give security regarding our national and international vulnerabilities. In another example, reminding us of even the best-intentioned governments in the world, “the Council’s old purpose is pretty much gone these days. It’s still the biggest power in magical society but nowadays people join it because they want to be in power, not because they believe in what it does.” Sound familiar? Using analogies of current events, but disguising them within the story world of the novel, causes the reader – consciously or not – to personally identify with basic truths and thus lifts the connection and common understanding between reader and writer. There are other themes, as well. But “theme” in this novel being so applicable and easily visible, I thought it best to comment should anyone wish to study it more.

Though number three in the series, this novel stands alone. However, when you read this one, you will want to read the previous two. Thankfully, Amazon does that wonderful little bundling thing so you can buy all three books for a discount, if you decide to go that route. If you’re like the main character and can see into the future, then you might as well go ahead and buy all three and then read them in sequential order.

From Amazon:

“This time last year, I could go weeks without seeing another mage. In mage society I was an unknown and, all in all, that was how I liked it. It’s hard to say what changed. Whatever it was, I got involved in the magical world again and started getting myself a reputation.

Alex Verus’s insights into the future used to be the best-kept secret in London. Now, with the aid of his apprentice, Luna, his unique investigative talents are all the rage. He just has to be careful about picking his employers, because everyone-even the beautiful woman who practically begs him to run security for a prestigious tournament-has motives that can be hard to predict. And Alex doesn’t do unpredictable.

But his latest gig just might be impossible. Apprentices have been vanishing without a trace-and someone on the Council could be involved. Alex has no evidence, no witnesses, and no suspects. All he knows is that someone is keeping tabs on him. And after assassins target Luna’s classmate, Alex sees that he doesn’t know the half of it-and that he could be the next to disappear.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join ourFacebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

2/1/13 2/1/13

“They Eat Puppies, Don’t They?” by Christopher Buckley / Wednesday, October 17, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is They Eat Puppies, Don’t They? by Christopher Buckley.

“They Eat Puppies, Don’t They?” by Christopher Buckley

Washington, D.C. has gone upside-down.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

This book cracked me up. In honor of the political season, today’s Killer Nashville Book of the Day is “They Eat Puppies, Don’t They?” by Christopher Buckley. “They” refers to the Chinese. It is a satirical look at Washington, D.C. and the fears of some regarding the world domination of China (or Red China, as this book says). All the Washington types are there. Frankly, when I picked up the book, I was expecting it to maybe be a bit one-sided, but it is knee-slapping funny across the entire political spectrum. For those who don’t know Christopher Buckley, he is the New York Times bestselling author of “Boomsday” and “Losing Mum and Pup” (among others). And if the name sounds familiar, yes, he is the son of William F. Buckley, a man I grew up with via “Firing Line,” an excellent orator who taught me many tricks, and one of the best vocabulary teachers I ever had. The fruit, as they say, does not fall far from the tree. Christopher Buckley is the perfect scion of a dynasty of parody and wit.

From an insider’s viewpoint – and this family does have incredible access – all Washington types are represented. A more well-represented group of political suckups and Machiavellian conquerors you have never read. “Who needs evidence when you’ve got the Internet?” From political foundations hiding true advocates of certain agenda, to PR firms hoping to rule the world, to actors who take their political ideas (and maybe political aspirations) from movies that they have played, to war mongers, peace mongers, passive-aggressive nutcakes, political camera chasers and boy toys, talk show hosts, vacuous political appointees, they are all duly represented. The idea centers around turning world opinion against China because of fears that China is taking over the U.S. Does that sound like a current political issue? “This country is going to come to its sense about China if I have to smash every dish in the cupboard.” You’re not going to learn much about our current candidates in this little story, but it will help you see through some of the silliness that accompanies national elections every four years (and all the activities in between). You get to see the characters onstage and off when they think no one is looking. “You do such a wonderful job supervising all those nice Mexicans.” How do they plan to achieve their end? If they can’t start a war or blow up something, then somehow make it look like the Chinese want to kill the Dalai Lama. Everyone loves the Dalai Lama, right? That should turn world opinion. “These are people with taste,” one character says. Another replies, “No, darling, they’re people with money.”

I love the lines and the way Buckley phrases, especially when he is offering a mocking send-up to political correctness, for example: “I love you – in a heterosexual way. If I were of the gay persuasion, I have no doubt that I would be attracted to you physically. I would want you to be my civil partner and for us to adopt an African orphan.” If that doesn’t make you laugh, you don’t need to read this book. But if it does, then this book is definitely for you.

From Amazon:

“In an attempt to gain congressional approval for a top-secret weapons system, Washington lobbyist “Bird” McIntyre teams up with sexy, outspoken neocon Angel Templeton to pit the American public against the Chinese. When Bird fails to uncover an authentic reason to slander the nation, he and Angel put the Washington media machine to work, spreading a rumor that the Chinese secret service is working to assassinate the Dalai Lama.

Meanwhile in China, mild-mannered President Fa Mengyao and his devoted aide Gang are maneuvering desperately against sinister party hard-liners Minister Lo and General Han. Now Fa and Gang must convince the world that the People’s Republic is not out to kill the Dalai Lama, while maintaining Fa’s small margin of power in the increasingly militaristic environment of the party.

On the home front, Bird must contend with a high-strung wife who entertains Olympic equestrian ambition, and the qualifying competition happens to be taking place in China. As things unravel abroad, Bird and Angel’s lie comes dangerously close to reality. And as their relationship rises to a new level, so do mounting tensions between the United States and China.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join our Facebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

2/1/13 2/1/13

“Only One Life” by Sara Blædel / Tuesday, October 16, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Only One Life by Sara Blædel.

A dead teen and an ethnic community wishing autonomy.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

Today’s Killer Nashville Book of the Day is an introduction to author Sara Blædel, Denmark’s designated “Queen of Crime.” You may not be familiar with her. This is only her second book to be translated into English. However, she is a novelist that I think you ought to get to know. Not only is she an internationally best-selling author, but she also founded the first crime fiction publishing house in Denmark. Good to know for you authors who are looking to expand into some foreign territories.

“Only One Life” is a bare bones police procedural. As one would suspect, it is set in Denmark. A young girl is found submerged in water. The cause of death is unknown. An investigation follows. For the would-be crime writer, this is a good story to study and take apart because the investigation is straight-forward and procedural. It reminds me of a Patricia Cornwell novel, but from a detective’s perspective rather than a forensic scientist’s stance. As writers, we buy a lot of books to learn proper procedure. Here is one in action.

The character’s (basically the detective and a newspaper reporter are the key catalysts in the story) are well-written and believable. Like all of us, they have their strengths and weaknesses. You learn some about their personal lives, but not to excess. Both women are more focused on their career tasks than on domestic relationships, which is what gives this novel such a streamlined structure.

Set in Copenhagen’s closed immigrant neighborhoods, this novel is a case of the outsiders trying to infiltrate complex ethnic family and community relationships. What the detectives find is a thriller filled with imported customs and values, indigenous expectations, obsession, family honor, and jealousy. What the reader will find is a great “new” author to follow.

As of this writing, Amazon is running a special on this book. Hardcover. Regularly priced at $25.00. Only $4.43 and ships free if you have a Prime account. And, if you order through the Killer Nashville site, you’ll also be supporting Killer Nashville.

From Amazon:

“Jealousy, obsession, and family honor have fatal consequences for an immigrant community on the fringes of seemingly idyllic Copenhagen society.

It was clearly no ordinary drowning. Inspector Louise Rick is immediately called out to Holbraek Fjord when a young immigrant girl is found in the watery depths, a piece of concrete tied around her waist and two mysterious circular patches on the back of her neck.

Her name was Samra, and Louise soon learns that her short life was a sad story. Her father had already been charged once with assaulting her and her mother, Sada, who makes it clear that her husband would indeed be capable of killing Samra if she brought dishonor to the family. But she maintains that Samra hadn’t done anything dishonorable. Then why was she supposed to be sent back to Jordan? Samra’s best friend Dicte thinks it was an honor killing. A few days later Dicte is discovered, bludgeoned to death, and Samra’s younger sister has gone missing.

Navigating the complex web of family and community ties in Copenhagen’s tightly knit ethnic communities, Louise must find this remorseless predator, or predators, before it is too late.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join ourFacebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

2/1/13 2/1/13

“Cat in a White Tie and Tails: A Midnight Louie Mystery” by Carole Nelson Douglas / Monday, October 15, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Cat in a White Tie and Tails: A Midnight Louie Mystery by Carole Nelson Douglas.

Sometimes it takes a cat to sniff out the bad guys.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

I picked up Carole Nelson Douglas’s “Cat in a White Tie and Tails” and we immediately set off on a new feline adventure. With the first line, I thought I was reading something from Michael Connelly or Dashiell Hammett, but – in this case – the protagonist is a cat! Call it a hard-boiled kitty cozy. Fans of the series will love this continued adventure. It is a back-and-forth between the action of the people in the story and the points-of-view of the cats with many twists and turns. Throughout, the cats are privy to continued capers of the humans. In this 24th adventure in the series, Midnight Louie, the central reoccurring ex-stray cat character, accompanies owner and PR agent Temple Barr and her fiancé, upcoming media star Matt Devine, to Chicago to meet Devine’s family. What Barr finds is a to-be-mother-in-law with ties to the past best left uninvestigated because – wouldn’t you know it – with twists and turns, there is a catnapping and the perp trail leads back to a series of unsolved cold-case murders connected to Barr’s previous relationship Max Kinsella who – interestingly enough – is dead (or at least Barr thinks so) and has been commissioned by homicide lieutenant C. R. Molina to investigate one of the murders Molina suspects amnesia stricken Kinsella committed a couple of years before. The whole thing is rather convoluted, but then told partly from the perspective of a bunch of cats, what would one expect? Realism aside, the plot is tight. All the characters are fettered together in some fashion and everyone is tied into the plot in some important way. The plot threads are ongoing with much from previous books and loose ends left in this one (presumably to be resolved in future books), but if you haven’t read the previous books, there is still enough backstory included in this novel that you won’t be alienated. The cats do a good job of summing things up. With all the dangers going on, it is a good thing that some of the characters have nine lives. If you’re in the mood for a cozy cat-told mystery, I can think of none better.

From Amazon:

“In Carole Nelson Douglas’ “Cat in a White Tie and Tails,” Midnight Louie goes along as chaperone when PR whiz Temple Barr and her fiance, rising media star Matt Devine, head to Chicago so she can meet his family. Matt’s mother has a tragic past primed to rise and bite anybody in reach, even the ex-alley cat sleuth. When Louie is snatched, the catnapping’s surprising motive loops back to Vegas and a string of unsolved murders connected to magic…and ex-magician Max Kinsella, Temple’s former significant other.

Skeptical homicide lieutenant C. R. Molina has commissioned Max to investigate the cold case murder she suspects he committed two years earlier. With traumatic amnesia from a recent attempt on his life, the once infallible Max is more sitting duck than predator. It will take an alliance of frenemies to solve the serial deaths before one of them joins the fatality list.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join ourFacebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

2/1/13 2/1/13

“The Story of My Assassins” by Tarun J. Tejpal / Friday, October 12, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is The Story of My Assassins by Tarun J. Tejpal.

Whores, waifs, politicians, venture capitalists, and a journalist who must investigate himself.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

Today’s book of the day takes us on a thrilling and erotic ride in India with the literary novel “The Story of My Assassins” by journalist, publisher, and novelist Tarun J. Tejpal. At the beginning of the novel, police intercept five hitmen intent upon killing a journalist, the protagonist. The journalist, at first, has no interest in this intrusion on his life and his new affair, but as the publicity continues, he is forced – being a journalist and also via the influence of his mistress, a “progressive” woman in Indian society – to investigate who these men are and why they wanted him dead. The reason that I chose this book for “Killer Nashville’s Book of the Day” is because of its sense of place, its diversity, depth of characters, and the character arc of the protagonist.

I felt illuminated by reading this book as much as I found myself engrossed, though absorbed, I was. It is promoted as an “awesome adventure into the heart of India.” I’ve never been to India so I don’t know. What I do know is that I feel I know the caste system of India more – if this is it – from the poorest hovels to the beau monde palaces including a level of corruption, bribery, inequality, and inhumanity that I had not realized before. Tarun Tejpal is a powerful communicator and I became lost in his sense of place and his literary unpredictability. The novel has humor and some of the things that I laughed at, I really shouldn’t have. It is also merciless and brutal, a portrait of the powerful and defeated. I empathetically felt for the conquered in the refashioning of modern-day India. I felt a loss for the erroneous spiritual peace I have always associated with that country and its people. The divisions of rank, tongue, and affluence were ripplingly exposed.

After reading, I felt that – in the transition from Older India to the New India – something special was lost in the evolution. And then I made the leap. This is a novel that can change anyone’s perception because it doesn’t just highlight “over there.” It could also be a reflection or mirror of “over here.” It is a novel that makes us give thought: how do we view ourselves, our work, our families, the people in our lives, and the world in which we live?

From Amazon:

“Based on actual events, “The Story of My Assassins” tells the story of a journalist who learns that the police have captured five hitmen on their way to kill him. Landing like a bombshell on his comfortable life, just as he’s started a steamy affair with a brilliant woman, the news prompts him to launch an urgent investigation into the lives of his aspiring murderers – a ragtag group of street thugs and village waifs – and their mastermind. Who wanted him dead, and why?

But the investigation forces him to reexamine his own life, too – to confront his own notion of himself, his job, and his treatment of the women in his life, as well as his own complex feelings about the country that crafted his would-be killers.

Part thriller and part erotic romance, full of dark humor and knife-edged suspense, The Story of My Assassins is a piercing literary novel that takes us from the lavish, hedonistic palaces of India’s elite to its seediest slums. It is a novel of corruption, passion, power, and ambition; of extreme poverty and obscene wealth.

It is an awesome adventure into the heart of today’s India.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join ourFacebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

2/1/13 2/1/13

“A Land More Kind Than Home” by Wiley Cash / Wednesday, October 10, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash.

Evil cannot be hidden behind newspaper-covered windows.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

Told from three points of view, “A Land More Kind Than Home” by debut author Wiley Cash chronicles a tragic incident in Marshall, North Carolina, a small bump in the road in Madison County adjacent to the Tennessee border. A death occurs, people look away, but atonement for that death will not be ignored.

You can’t have a Southern novel without a church because in many parts of the South, the church is the hub of town life. Used to be and, in many places, still is. As one of the characters states: “People out in these parts can take hold of religion like it’s a drug, and they don’t want to give it up once they’ve got hold of it.”

It is tempting for me to detail events in this story, but it would only ruin the story build should you decide to read the book. Instead, I want to chronicle my reaction.

This book will tear your heart out. I read it in one sitting. I think I passed through every emotion possible. At times my eyes watered. At times I wanted to jump into the book and backhand someone. I felt myself mentally screaming, “No! No! No!” to characters about to do something. Rare is the prose that can evoke that kind of visceral passion. It has been a long time since I’ve read anything this demonstratively intoxicating. It covers the gamut: The rush of power. The need to believe. The desire to protect. The yearning to forget. Forgiveness. And hope. Maybe that’s the strongest.

In a reference to all the bad things that happen to good people, one character explains, “You can’t make sense of everything. That ain’t the job of a man.” By the end, my shoulders were tense. I felt like I’d been beaten up, almost as though I was waiting for something else to jump out and grab me.

This is one of the most powerful stories I think I have ever read. It is Southern fiction – and literature – at its finest. You will not be able to put this book down. You have to read this book.

From Amazon:

“A stunning debut reminiscent of the beloved novels of John Hart and Tom Franklin, A Land More Kind Than Home is a mesmerizing literary thriller about the bond between two brothers and the evil they face in a small western North Carolina town

For a curious boy like Jess Hall, growing up in Marshall means trouble when your mother catches you spying on grown-ups. Adventurous and precocious, Jess is enormously protective of his older brother, Christopher, a mute whom everyone calls Stump. Though their mother has warned them not to snoop, Stump can’t help sneaking a look at something he’s not supposed to – an act that will have catastrophic repercussions, shattering both his world and Jess’s. It’s a wrenching event that thrusts Jess into an adulthood for which he’s not prepared. While there is much about the world that still confuses him, he now knows that a new understanding can bring not only a growing danger and evil – but also the possibility of freedom and deliverance as well.

Told by three resonant and evocative characters – Jess; Adelaide Lyle, the town midwife and moral conscience; and Clem Barefield, a sheriff with his own painful past – A Land More Kind Than Home is a haunting tale of courage in the face of cruelty and the power of love to overcome the darkness that lives in us all. These are masterful portrayals, written with assurance and truth, and they show us the extraordinary promise of this remarkable first novel.”

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join ourFacebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

2/1/13 2/1/13

“Don’t Ever Get Old” by Daniel Friedman / Tuesday, October 9, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

Today’s featured book is Don’t Ever Get Old by Daniel Friedman.

Growing old doesn’t have to mean a life watching the Fox News Network.

Why Clay Stafford chose this book:

When you read the first chapter of “Don’t Ever Get Old,” the debut novel by Daniel Friedman, I’m not sure you are going to like the main character as he visits the bedside of a dying man. Read the second chapter. If you still haven’t seen through him, read the third. At some point along the way, you’re going to find, as Buck admits later, “I was grumpy more for sport than out of necessity.” Behind a lot of deprecating grumpy, you find a lot of hurt.

The main character, Buck Schatz, is an octogenarian. He used to be “one hard-ass son of a bitch” cop. He’s an ex-police Jewish detective from Memphis, Tennessee. Apparently, he was effective, though he describes himself as “a mediocre detective in a department that was more concerned with spraying fire hoses at colored folks than it was with solving murders.” He’s a man of simple joys: ““My heart leaps with joy,” I said. “I’m going to have myself a crap.” “You have a good time, Grandpa.” “I intend to. Best part of my morning.”“

But it is a dying man’s last words that send Buck on a trip he never expected at his age. Buck, who did what he had to do to perform his detective job well, finds karma coming back. “There are some things a gun can’t protect you from.” Through a series of plausible events, Buck finds himself going treasure hunting and also seeking revenge. With his sidekick, his grandson, he sets off to find the German SS officer who nearly killed him in a concentration camp after Buck was captured trying to liberate the Jews in Germany. Buck’s wife (Rose), who is also in her 80s, duly informs him, “You can’t run off to Europe or South America or Egypt chasing after a phantom. How are we going to keep track of your medications?” It is wife Rose who brings out the emotion. Friedman’s use of all the characters is amazing. He fleshes function so thoroughly, we don’t realize the path he is carrying us down as every character arcs and morphs. By the end of the book, these people will be family members.

Centrally, the goal of the story is to find Heinrich Ziegler, a fictitious German Nazi who escaped with a trunkload of gold after faking his death. It seems – believably, too – that Buck doesn’t have to go that far to reach his goal. But then, of course, it has to get personal and things have to go wrong. “There are certain realities that you can’t shout down, that you can’t bully, that you can’t beat into submission.”

At first, one might think the premise of the novel is a bit campy. The book is full of one liners. It is clever. Which is probably why it is receiving such grand reviews. The writing is a pleasure to read. Part of it, to me, was reminiscent of the old Woody Allen books I used to read when I was younger. When I first received this book for review, I was thinking it was going to be some sort of farce making fun of old men. It’s not. It’s brilliant. Author Daniel Friedman, a young man, has gotten inside Buck (the main character) and really sees what makes him tick. And he doesn’t tell us. He shows us. The plot is laid out in a believable fashion. There are no author conveniences. And it is amazing and inspiring to watch what this old retired detective is able to pull off.

At his age, Buck could have easily sat at home in his chair with his wife Rose making him coffee while they both basked in the Fox News Network. As Buck says, “When you have the option to do nothing, you should always take it.” I’m glad he didn’t. This book was rollicking good fun. If you want a laugh, if you want to believe in adventure at any age, and you want to accept that we can all be needed, wanted, effective, and useful no matter how old we are or where we are in life, then this is a great book to read.

“What I learned from being a cop is that nobody’s innocent,” Buck says. As you read the book, yes, watch everyone. It’s a mystery. But as I wrote at the very start: it is also much more. “You don’t care about anything,” Buck says. “And that’s what you end up regretting.” By the end of the book, you’ll be caring about Buck Schatz more than you ever thought possible. He may not have good bedside manner, but there is something about him that will resonate. In fact, he may remind you an awful lot of you.

From Amazon:

“When Buck Schatz, senior citizen and retired Memphis cop, learns that an old adversary may have escaped Germany with a fortune in stolen gold, Buck decides to hunt down the fugitive and claim the loot. But a lot of people want a piece of the stolen treasure, and Buck’s investigation quickly attracts unfriendly attention from a very motley (and murderous) crew in Daniel Friedman’s Don’t Ever Get Old.“

If you want to make your own comments on this selection, we would love to hear from you. Join ourFacebook Killer Nashville group page or our blog and join in the discussion.

– Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville

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KN Magazine: Reviews

“L’Assassin: A Thriller” by Peter Steiner / Tuesday, December 4, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Valley of Ashes” by Cornelia Read / Monday, December 3, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“12.21″ by Dustin Thomason / Friday, November 30, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Run to Ground” by D.P. Lyle / Wednesday, November 28, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Death of a Schoolgirl” by Joanna Campbell Slan / Tuesday, November 27, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Man in the Blue Moon” by Michael Morris / Monday, November 26, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“The Dark Winter” by David Mark / Monday, November 19, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Death in the Floating City” by Tasha Alexander / Wednesday, November 14, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Luther: The Calling” by Neil Cross / Monday, November 12, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“The Accomplice” by Charles Robbins / Thursday, October 25, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures” by Emma Straub / Tuesday, October 23, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Rebecca” by Daphne Du Maurier / Monday, October 22, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“The Sleeping and The Dead” by Jeff Crook / Friday, October 19, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Taken” by Benedict Jacka / Thursday, October 18, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“They Eat Puppies, Don’t They?” by Christopher Buckley / Wednesday, October 17, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Only One Life” by Sara Blædel / Tuesday, October 16, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Cat in a White Tie and Tails: A Midnight Louie Mystery” by Carole Nelson Douglas / Monday, October 15, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“The Story of My Assassins” by Tarun J. Tejpal / Friday, October 12, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“A Land More Kind Than Home” by Wiley Cash / Wednesday, October 10, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

“Don’t Ever Get Old” by Daniel Friedman / Tuesday, October 9, 2012 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford

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