KN Magazine: Reviews

1/21/16 1/21/16

The Girls She Left Behind by Sarah Graves / Reviewed by Tessa Bryant

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

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Sarah Graves
© John Squibb

The Girls She Left Behind by Sarah Graves
Reviewed by Tessa Bryant

Sarah Graves has already seen great acclaim for her first novel in the Lizzie Snow series, Winter at the Door. If you read any major reviews of the book, you’ll see it called “stylish,” “fast,” “thrilling,” and “dangerous,” with many reviewers pleading for the next novel. It looks like devoted readers are going to get exactly what they’re longing for in her second Lizzie Snow novel, The Girls She Left Behind.

The first pages of this book do not, in fact, feature Lizzie Snow herself. Instead, we spend the first fourteen pages meeting, getting to know, and losing two young girls named Cam and Janie. What follows their disappearance in the prologue is a quick-paced, blustery, twisting-and-turning novel that is difficult to put down.

When we meet Lizzie in the first chapter of the book, we immediately find a sharp, pensive, used-to-be homicide cop who is out of her element in her new small-town home. Lizzie has moved from her job in Boston to the tiny town of Bearkill, Maine, with the intent of finding a missing child—her young niece, Nicki. From there, the novel takes off, and we learn about other left-behind girls, taken girls, runaway girls, and how they’re all connected. It’s a dark, nightmarish web, and Lizzie Snow is determined to unweave it.

Graves is exceptional at her craft. Her setting for the novel is a bleak logging town in northern Maine that you can feel all around you as she moves you from page to page. It’s a dim and drizzly small town that seems simultaneously familiar and strange through Lizzie’s eyes, and it’s the perfect environment for this thriller. On top of her talent for setting a written stage, Graves is an expert at deftly moving among points of view throughout the novel, almost without the reader’s notice. Each of her characters is full and dimensional, and her narrative is strong and sure.

The Girls She Left Behind is equal parts fascinating, chilling, and altogether riveting. It already has me hoping for a new novel in the Lizzie Snow series. Although, really, I’d be happy with any new work from Graves.

I highly recommend picking up these first two Lizzie Snow installments and joining the rest of us in waiting with baited breath for a third.

Tessa Bryant is a graduate of the Departments of Theatre and English at Lipscomb University. She is a writer, director, administrator, and researcher of the performing and fine arts, and works and guest lectures at Lipscomb University. She is currently pursuing an M.F.A. in Creative Writing.

If you have a book you would like featured, send an ARC for consideration. The Killer Nashville Book of the Day Reviews are coordinated by Clay Stafford with the assistance of Emily Eytchison and credited guest reviewers.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

*Killer Nashville is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you purchase a book from the links on this page, Amazon will give Killer Nashville a small percentage of the total sale. Killer Nashville receives zero compensation (other than sometimes the book to review) from publishers who have been selected for the Book of the Day.

1/19/16 1/19/16

Sherlock Holmes The Missing Years: Timbuktu by Vasudev Murthy / Reviewed by Mary Hankins

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

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Vasudev Murthy

Sherlock Holmes The Missing Years: Timbuktu by Vasudev Murthy
Reviewed by Mary Hankins

When I started reading Vasudev Murthy’s Sherlock Holmes The Missing Years: Timbuktu(Poisoned Pen Press), I thought I was reading an unpublished work by Arthur Conan Doyle: the tone and voice was so like the original Dr. Watson, chronicling the life and adventures of his best friend Sherlock Holmes. This book claims to tell the tale of what happened to Sherlock Holmes after the night on Reichenbach Falls, when all the world believed the great detective and his nemesis to be dead.

This “true” story has Holmes working for the Vatican, sailing to Africa, and Watson pretending to be Holmes’ deaf, mute slave for a day, among other things. At the heart of it is an ancient document that potentially holds a secret that can overthrow the religious order. What about this document compelled the original owner to hide it from the world? Will Holmes and Watson reach it before tightening racial tensions lash out, catching them in the crossfire? And what does all of this have to do with the elusive Moriarty, still at large after Reichenbach?

Modern fans may find the book a bit hard to get through at first, especially if they are viewers of any of many different varieties of the men from Baker Street, from the BBC sensation starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, to action-packed Guy Ritchie features, to the Americanized CBS show “Elementary,” where John Watson becomes a woman (Joan). Amidst all of these rather fantastical modern interpretations of Arthur Conan Doyle’s character, it is easy to forget that this brilliant, brawling, high-functioning sociopath first came to life in the late Victorian Era. And while he was always a loose cannon, Sherlock’s newest generation of fans may initially have trouble connecting with the tone and pacing of the original source material, and books faithfully written in its style.

Despite this, any true Sherlockian will find something to enjoy about this book. Vasudev Murthy’s imagination is truly astounding in his attention to detail, as adventure pulls the reader through the shadowy politics of turn of the century Africa, right along with the great Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend John Watson. It is worth the time and effort you invest to see how Sherlock manages to solve a great historical mystery, while out-thinking the scheming Moriarty, protecting new friends and allies, and pretending to be a monk all at once. Enjoy the latest addition to the Sherlockian universe!

Mary Hankins is a recent graduate of Lipscomb University. She is putting her Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree to use in the Nashville community theatre scene. Loves God, her family and friends, and Phantom of the Opera—in that order.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

1/14/16 1/14/16

Angels Burning by Tawni O'Dell / Reviewed by Clay Snellgrove

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

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Tawni O'Dell

Angels Burning by Tawni O'Dell
Reviewed by Clay Snellgrove

Bestselling author Tawni O’Dell’s latest novel Angels Burning (Gallery Books) boasts a killer title and an irresistible cover. Throw in several ridiculously complimentary blurbs from fellow scribes pasted front and back, and readers will turn to page one with the highest of expectations. O’Dell does not disappoint, aptly navigating a murder mystery, a personal family drama, and a complicated romance, all seen through the eyes of her heroine Police Chief Dove Carnahan.

When a teenage girl is murdered, her body left smoldering in the sinkhole of an abandoned Pennsylvania mining town, Chief Carnahan’s small town police force joins her former mentor, State Police Detective Nolan Greely, in hunting the killer. As compelling as the mystery surrounding the girl’s death is, the richness and complexity of the story’s characters make the book impossible to put down.

O’Dell peels away layer after layer from her first-person narrator. At fifty, Chief Carnahan feels her youthful beauty fading, admits letting her emotions affect her decision-making on the job, and realizes her childhood will continue to haunt her for years to come. Despite all of this, Carnahan is captivating as the perfect hero.

To discover the identity of the killer, Chief Carnahan must investigate the victim’s relatives. Poor, dysfunctional, and ill mannered, the family of suspects ignites memories of Carnahan’s own troubled family: a murdered mother and a suicidal brother missing for decades. These threads from her past give readers a better understanding of Carnahan as a woman and a lawman, and the mysteries surrounding both sets of relatives drive the narrative forward as details surrounding each are slowly revealed.

O’Dell moves the story easily from squad room to slum, her descriptions always spot-on, giving her an authoritative voice. The finale is satisfying, and while the sharpest mystery readers might finger the culprit just before the final pages, this knowledge will not take away from the enjoyment of the beautifully crafted conclusion, one that leaves just enough dangling thread for a possible sequel.

Clay Snellgrove is the author of The Ball Player. He's a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University. A former professional baseball player, Clay holds an MFA in creative writing from Converse College.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

1/12/16 1/12/16

Going Home by Sharon Marchisello / Reviewed by M. K. Sealy

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

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Sharon Marchisello

Going Home by Sharon Marchisello
Reviewed by M. K. Sealy

Going Home(Sunbury Press, Inc.), the debut novel of Sharon Marchisello, is perhaps one of the most fascinating novels I came across in 2015. Though the genre of murder-mystery may be overrun with novels of coming home and confronting the past, Marchisello has breathed new life into several genres with her tight prose and gripping storyline. The dialogue is surprisingly fresh, and Marchisello often inserts poignant quips and an impressive social awareness into the characters’ interactions with one another.

However, not only does Going Home prove to be a stunning work of mystery, it also transcends a single genre and provides insight into the fragile inner workings of familial relations and the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s on those who suffer from it—those who struggle with the disease, and the loved ones who suffer alongside them.

When Michelle DePalma goes home to Two Wells, Texas, to visit with her elderly mother, the last thing she expects to find is her mother with the dead body of her caretaker, Brittany Landers. Michelle’s plans of going back to her perfect, orderly home in Atlanta are thwarted as she must begin not only taking care of her mother, but also trying to prove that the woman whose mind is quickly fading isn’t guilty of the caretaker’s murder. Proving her mother’s innocence, however, is more than a little difficult when secrets buried long ago come back to haunt Michelle—she quickly learns not only is blood thicker than water, but it also finds you wherever you are.

Going Home is gripping from the opening line and both haunts and intrigues readers as the novel progresses. Michelle’s plight is both heart-wrenching and insightful, and the fact that Going Home was heavily impacted by Marchisello’s experience with her mother suffering from Alzheimer’s gives the novel an additional dimension that allows the readers to better understand the effects of the disease on all those involved. Going Home is emotionally and mentally engaging, and it is a stunning debut worthy of high praise.

M. K. Sealy earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with an emphasis in literature from a Nashville university. She is a copyeditor for a Nashville-based publication, but also writes poetry, fiction, and is currently attempting a screenplay, all while working to obtain a Master of Education.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

1/7/16 1/7/16

Blood Salt Water by Denise Mina / Reviewed by Shelley Haley

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Denise Mina
Credit: Neil Davidson

Blood Salt Water by Denise Mina
Reviewed by Shelley Haley

From the land of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce comes another intriguing crime novel in the Alex Morrow series by Denise Mina.

Given the ultimate literary test of being my Christmas Cruise 2015 chaise lounge book of choice, I am happy to announce that Blood Salt Water (Little, Brown and Company) indeed emerged a winner! A fast-paced read, the story kept me anxious to follow Detective Alex Morrow as she juggles her beloved family, rising small-town tension, and a police staff burdened by budget cuts, whilst struggling with her own insecurities and personal demons. Morrow’s strife is not unique in this idyllic Scottish landscape: a family secret, a troublesome conscience, a false identity… everyone in Helensburgh has a back-story—in this case, even a murderer.

The cadence of Helensburgh life is interrupted when a long-lost resident’s unexpected return home coincides with the disappearance of a new one. The missing woman, Roxanna Fuentecilla—glamorous and fiercely devoted to her children—piques Morrow’s curiosity, and her absence plays an integral role within a larger investigation.

A chef attempts to make it in a town unaccustomed to new fare, a body surfaces in Loch Lomond creating chaos, and arson takes the life of two cherished locals. Helensburgh is not unused to its own homegrown “prisony” thugs (with surprising guilty consciences), but all is not what it seems. It is up to Morrow and her steadfast partner to determine how the bizarre and macabre events intertwine while desperately attempting to avoid not only further loss of life, but ultimately kidnapping and possible evasion in this sleepy—now frightened—seaside town.

The Scottish vernacular plays a fun role in this interesting, up-to-date story, while offering up insight into the recent September Yes/No Referendum, which has potentially forged the future fate of Scotland.

A page-turner until the end with an always welcomed twist, you will enjoy this easy read that moves at a brisk pace so that you too may make your next excursion!

Shelley Haley is an eccentric artist, reader of novels, writer of chronicles fueled by an insatiable fascination with history and the lessons that lie therein, prone to wanderlust and born under the sign of Aquarius.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

1/5/16 1/5/16

Thin Ice by Irene Hannon / Reviewed by M. K. Sealy

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

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Irene Hannon

Thin Ice by Irene Hannon
Reviewed by M. K. Sealy

Irene Hannon, author of the Private Justiceseries, has drafted a stunning masterpiece that swings chaotically, yet satisfyingly, between thrill and romance with her latest novel, Thin Ice(Revell). Gripping from page one and thoroughly enticing, the intricately and expertly woven plot revolves around the alleged death of one Ginny Reed and the investigator who is sent to unearth the truth behind her demise. With rarely any slow moments, Thin Ice keeps readers turning the pages hungrily, the need to know what happens next easily overpowering the need to run errands, do housework, or sleep.

Thin Ice is one of the most harrowing novels I encountered in 2015*; however, Hannon strikes an easy balance between the thrill of the intrigue that develops as the reader follows investigator Lance McGregor as he unearths the truth, and the romantic elements of the novel.

Additionally, the character development allows the reader to immerse him or herself in the text. As the story is told from many different perspectives, the reader has the opportunity to fully engage with the characters, both protagonists and antagonists alike. This third-person perspective allows for a well rounded and enriched experience that raises goosebumps and sends shivers down the spine.

The truly great novel is the novel in which the reality of the characters briefly becomes the reality of the readers. Thin Ice is an impressive amalgamation of romance and suspense, and it easily pulls readers in. While reading Thin Ice, any semblance of time passing was removed, and it wasn’t until I reached the very end that I could tear myself away.

*Editor's note: M. K. Sealy received Thin Ice in advance for review, so it was indeed one of her favorite reads of 2015, but its official release date was January 5, 2016.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

12/24/15 12/24/15

What You See by Hank Phillippi Ryan / Reviewed by Kelly Saderholm

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Hank Phillippi Ryan

What You See by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Reviewed by Kelly Saderholm

In Hank Phillippi Ryan’s latest book, What You See (the fourth in her Jane Ryland series), almost nothing is what it appears to be. A man is stabbed in broad daylight in front of dozens of witnesses, and yet Detectives Jake Brogan and Paul DeLuca find that the pictures and surveillance cameras tell conflicting stories.

Jane Ryland has a job once again as a reporter, but finds her work coming into conflict with Jake’s investigations, causing them to struggle with the tension between their competing careers and their relationship. At the same time, Jane’s family is dealing with a serious crisis. Jane’s sister Melissa is getting married, and the flower girl, nine-year-old Gracie has been taken by her step-dad. Is the little girl, who will soon be Melissa's stepdaughter, in danger? Or is it a harmless lark? No one seems to be able to find out.

Ryan deftly weaves all these plot lines together, plus a couple more involving a dark conspiracy of extortion, and another family torn apart by its secrets, into an engaging, riveting read. Not only does Ryan carry the reader along a fast-paced story full of twists and turns, but she also explores themes of modern life such as surveillance, and instant communication, and the ways these can be manipulated so that nothing is quite what it seems.

Hank Phillippi Ryan has the personal expertise to write such a novel, as she, as an investigative reporter for Boston's NBC affiliate WHDH-TV, won many awards for her reporting. Her best selling suspense novels have also won many awards. What You See was published by Forge Hardcover, New York, NY, in October 2015.

Kelly Saderholm has written, blogged, and lectured about aspects of the mystery novel. She has moderated panels and presented papers at literary conferences, on both the Mystery Novel and Urban Fantasy. She is currently shifting from writing about mystery fiction to writing actual mystery fiction, and is working on a novel, as well as a non-fiction book dealing with Folklore in the American South. She is a recipient of a Kentucky Foundation for Women grant. She lives in South Central Kentucky with her family and two feline office assistants.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

12/22/15 12/22/15

Fortune's Fool by Jane Sevier / Reviewed by Lyn Farquhar

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Jane Sevier

Fortune's Fool by Jane Sevier
Reviewed by Lyn Farquhar

It is 1933 and youthful widow Nell Marchand is only too happy to stand in the cool March wind watching her husband’s casket being lowered into the ground. He’d catted around Memphis with women of low repute for years, making a fool out of her. But as the wake comes to an end, the Marchand family attorney informs her that she has lost more than a husband; all her spouse’s money has been lost in the stock market crash. She is now penniless, and responsible for her husband’s mother.

Nell, a former socialite, lacks any useful skills. After miserably failing as a typist and telephone operator, she and her African American servant Hattie decide to do laundry for others. It’s hard work and barely brings in enough to keep them in watery soup. Looking for hope, her mother-in-law takes Nell to see Dr. Joseph Calendar, medium to Memphis society. Nell is dubious, but when Dr. Calendar touches her fingers, a jolt of something like electricity runs up her arm. Dr. Calendar believes Nell is a “sensitive”—an idea she rejects out of hand, although her Welsh grandmother was considered to have the “sight”.

Several weeks later, arms aching from the laundry venture, Nell decides it’s worth a risk. She rents a space and sets herself up as a gypsy Tarot card reader. She’s an immediate success, until a dirt farmer named Luther Evans whose daughter Ginny has gone missing comes to her for help. Until that point, Nell has been offering advice on helping young girls get dates to the prom! This is a whole new ballgame and she is sobered by the stakes. The hunt for Ginny is on.

The author of this delightful story, Jane Sevier, has created the perfect first novel in a presumed series: there are just too many intriguing snippets left hanging at the end of Fortune’s Fool—I was left hanging, too! Will Dr. Calendar’s passion for Nell Marchand be requited? Will we learn more about the death of Nell’s husband? Nell was told he died of a heart attack, but beautiful prostitute Mildred Epps, who was with him that night, says he was shot. Were speakeasy owner Blackjack Kelly and his henchman Little Nick involved? I loved this story and am looking forward to more in the series of plucky psychic socialite Nell Marchand.

Editor’s note: The Psychic Socialite series continues with A Billy Sunday Kind of Love.

Lyn Farquhar is co-author of the “Mae December mysteries”, written with her daughter Lisa Fitzgerald under thepen name Lia Farrell.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

12/17/15 12/17/15

Dig Two Graves by Kim Powers / Reviewed by G. Robert Frazier

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Kim Powers

Dig Two Graves by Kim Powers
Reviewed by G. Robert Frazier

Ethan Holt’s greatest accomplishment, winning the decathlon at the Olympics in his 20s, also proves to be his greatest undoing in Kim Powers’ thrilling, suspense-filled debut novel, Dig Two Graves (Tyrus Books).

Nicknamed “Hercules” for pulling off the heroic task of being an Olympian, Ethan’s success on the field translates into a coveted teaching position at his ivy-school alma mater, where he’d just as soon as forget about the Olympics and get on with his life. His biggest challenge is simply relating to his teenage daughter, Skip, whose rebellious attitude tests him in more ways than any pole vault or long-distance jump ever could.

When Skip is kidnapped, Ethan realizes she is the most important thing in his life and he will do anything to get her back. To do so, however, means Ethan will have to push himself to his athletic, and academic, limits as he must solve a series of increasingly cryptic riddles and tasks at the behest of the kidnapper.

Each test is a modern-day version of one of the Twelve Labors of Hercules, as the perpetrator uses Ethan’s past Olympic accomplishments against him. The tasks grow increasingly more difficult and the stakes exceedingly higher as the novel progresses, keeping both Ethan on his toes and readers on the edge of their seat at all times.

Complicating things is the fact the kidnapper knows seemingly everything about him, including a long-buried scandal surrounding Ethan’s Olympic games. And unlike the stories of Hercules, the kidnapper’s desire for revenge against Ethan is all too real.

Powers alternates the action between Ethan’s point of view and that of his daughter, who strives to gain her freedom against her unseen kidnapper. As a result, readers are easily able to sympathize with Ethan over the loss of his daughter as well as experience Skip’s terror firsthand.

Powers is the senior writer for ABC’s 20/20 and the series What Would You Do?, as well as numerous primetime specials with Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters, Robin Roberts and Katie Couric. He has won both Emmy and Peabody Awards for his 9/11 reporting for Good Morning America. He previously wrote a pair of nonfiction books in Capote in Kansas and The History of Swimming.

G. Robert Frazier is a writer and avid reader living in La Vergne, Tenn. He reads for the Nashville Film Festival and Austin Film Festival screenwriting competitions and is an active member of the Tennessee Screenwriters Association, Nashville Writers Meetup groups, and La Vergne Library Board. Follow him on Twitter @grfrazier23, and visit his Adventures in Writing blog at https://grfrazier.wordpress.com.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

12/15/15 12/15/15

MemoRandom by Anders de la Motte / Reviewed by Clay Snellgrove

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Anders de la Motte

MemoRandom by Anders de la Motte
Reviewed by Clay Snellgrove

On the first page of Anders de la Motte’s latest thriller MemoRandom, David Sarac is trying to figure out who he is, why he’s being chased by the police, and what is stopping him from controlling his own car. Before Sarac’s high-speed crash, the reader learns that he is a policeman himself who has just done something unforgivable. A few quick pages later, after the introduction of several more interesting players, Sarac awakens with amnesia, à la Jason Bourne. He recognizes longtime friends and colleagues from the Stockholm Police Force, but has no memory of the last year.

De la Motte uses this somewhat simple and convenient mystery-building plot tool to its utmost, keeping readers hungry for answers about Sarac as he develops other threads with a diverse cast of characters. An imposing Iranian policeman arrives in Sweden looking for those responsible for his brother’s death. Leaders of Stockholm’s criminal underworld meet in an effort to ferret out the identity of a police informant threatening their profits and their lives. A power-hungry politician covers up the circumstances of his mistress’s death.

While De la Motte keeps the pace quick, he only lets details of Sarac’s recent past leak out as if through a dripping IV, keeping the reader desperate for more. By revealing early on that Sarac is a talented detective assigned to handling top-secret criminal informants, de la Motte allows the many storylines to merge effortlessly. Each time a criminal or corrupt cop is connected to the protagonist, the danger builds.

The book prompts the reader to question who is good, who is evil, and to cheer for characters regardless of what is revealed. The story’s setting and the hero’s quest to solve a complex puzzle elicit memories of reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Sarac is on the run, putting the pieces of his fragmented memory back together until the answers come crashing down in a violent finale that satisfies the reader and sets the stage for another book.

MemoRandom cements de la Motte’s reputation as a master of thrills. Readers unfamiliar with the author are sure to track down his previously lauded Gametrilogy.

Clay Snellgrove is the author of The Ball Player. He’s a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University. A former professional baseball player, Clay holds an MFA in creative writing from Converse College.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

12/10/15 12/10/15

Tom & Lucky (and George & Cokey Flo) by C. Joseph Greaves / Reviewed by Tessa Bryant

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C. Joseph Greaves

Tom & Lucky (and George & Cokey Flo)
by C. Joseph Greaves
Reviewed by Tessa Bryant

Tom & Lucky (and George & Cokey Flo) has everything you want in a ‘30s crime novel: filthy New York alleyways, a mobster with a knack for staying alive, and a scarlet woman with secrets you’ll be dying to know.

C. Joseph Greaves (who prefers “Chuck” when he’s slinging noir) employs a sharp-tongued narrative voice to lead you through the 1936 trial of real-life mobster and prostitution kingpin Salvatore “Lucky” Luciano. The fact-based thriller is full of twists and will catch you off guard, whether or not you’ve heard the story before. There’s no use in trying to predict what will come next; just let Chuck and Tom and George and Cokey Flo lead the way.

One of the greatest strengths of this novel is Greaves’ woven narrative. He tells the story through POV-sections from each of the four eponymous characters, allowing readers to climb further into the world than would otherwise be possible. We see all sides of the conflict, and are able to understand the kind of complications that usually confuse and muddy legal thrillers. Greaves has obviously done his research, and it shows in his ability to keep the suspense taut, even when it would be simple to Google the end of the story.

Perhaps most exciting is the portrayal of Cokey Flo, a heroin-addicted prostitute-turned-star-witness. Flo, who speaks to us in first-person, has a simultaneous sharpness and grit that is probably what’s kept her alive, and endears her to us almost immediately. Greaves’ characters are all, in their own ways, completely unlikely: Lucky should have been dead long before the beginning of this book, Tom’s introduction into criminal law was more of a stumble, George loves a risk just as much as he loves a solid argument, and Cokey Flo is, well, Cokey Flo. The four together are the perfect recipe for a great noir novel.

Tom & Lucky (and George & Cokey Flo)(Bloomsbury Publishing) has all the elements of a classic courtroom drama, strengthened by the facts and given life and vitality by Greaves’ smartly-written characters and atmospheric, Jazz-Age backdrop. Give this book your attention and you’ll feel like you’re wearing pin-stripes from cover to cover.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

12/8/15 12/8/15

Every Crooked Path by Steven James / Reviewed by G. Robert Frazier

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Steven James
Credit Eric McCarty

Every Crooked Path by Steven James
Reviewed by G. Robert Frazier

Reading Every Crooked Path, the new novel by national bestselling author Steven James, is like peeling an onion: each layer of mystery pulled back reveals something more foul and evil than the last.

What starts as an investigation into a fatal stabbing takes a twisted turn when James’ recurring hero, FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers, uncovers a child exploitation ring on the Dark Web, a cyberworld hidden away from the regular internet, where anonymous clients barter and trade in sexually explicit photographs of minors for their perverted pleasure and the profit of a mysterious cadre of webmasters.

James hooks readers right from the start, as within the first few pages Bowers is attacked at the crime scene in a Manhattan high-rise. Bowers manages to fend off his attacker, but before he can get anything out of him, the man jumps off the balcony to his death, leaving behind a key and a cryptic clue to an even larger conspiracy.

Partnered with Detective Tobin Cavanaugh, a special agent with NYPD’s Special Victims Unit, Bowers pieces together clues to a series of child abductions and their connection to the suicide victim. Bowers ultimately must go undercover to infiltrate the conspirators and bring them down from within, discovering along the way that not everyone is who they seem and that they will do anything to keep their secrets intact.

James purposefully spares readers from any graphic depictions of children in exploitative situations, explaining in an Author’s Note, “I chose to show the reactions of the characters seeing them. I’ll trust your imagination to fill in the rest.” It’s both a sensitive and confident decision on James’ part; sensitive in that the subject matter is horrifyingly real, yet is handled in a delicate manner, and confident in that James is able to craft the dark world of crimes against children without having to resort to graphic excess. Given today’s landscape of in-your-face, no-holds-barred storytelling, James’ approach is both refreshing and admirable, as well as something a lesser author might not be able to pull off.

At nearly 600 pages, Every Crooked Path (Signet) is a surprisingly quick read with short chapters, snappy dialogue, and tautly written action scenes.

James is the national bestselling author of nine novels, including the critically acclaimed thrillers Checkmate, The King, Opening Moves, and The Queen. He has won three Christy Awards for best suspense and was a finalist for an International Thriller Award. His thriller The Bishop was named Suspense Magazine’s book of the year. For more information, visit StevenJames.net, Facebook.com/sjamesauthor, and @sjamesauthor on Twitter.

G. Robert Frazier is a writer and an avid reader living in La Vergne, Tenn. He reads for the Nashville Film Festival and Austin Film Festival screenwriting competitions and is an active member of the Tennessee Screenwriters Association, Nashville Writers Meetup groups, and La Vergne Library Board. Follow him on Twitter @grfrazier23 and visit his Adventures in Writing blog at https://grfrazier.wordpress.com.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

12/3/15 12/3/15

Four Dog's Sake by Lia Farrell / Reviewed by Sharon Marchisello

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Lyn Farquhar

Lisa Fitzsimmons

Four Dog's Sake by Lia Farrell
Reviewed by Sharon Marchisello

You don't have to be a dog lover to enjoy Four Dog’s Sake, the fourth installment in the Mae December mystery series by Lia Farrell. Lia Farrell is a pseudonym for the mother-daughter writing team, Lyn Farquhar and Lisa Fitzsimmons.

In Four Dog’s Sake (Camel Press), Mae December, kennel owner and dog trainer, is one of four central characters, and although knowledge of canines is not essential to the plot, Mae’s connections and people skills are. The story unfolds from four different points of view, using chapter divisions whenever there is a shift. Dr. Lucy Ingram first suspects her recent patient, Chester Willis, did not commit suicide, contrary to the initial coroner's report. After some amateur sleuthing to give credence to her theory, she persuades her boyfriend, Chief Detective Wayne Nichols, to open an investigation.

Mae’s fiancé, Rose County Sheriff Ben Bradley, coordinates the operation while trying to run for re-election. His opponent is sleazy trial lawyer Ramsey Tremaine, who represents Rick Willis, one of the chief suspects in Chester’s murder. Ramsey generates plenty of publicity about wrongful accusations and harassment of his client in an effort to discredit the competence of the current administration.

Likeable Chester Willis does not appear to have had any enemies. Before his death, he cared for his terminally ill father, Leonard Willis, and stood to inherit a substantial fortune at Leonard’s impending death. With Chester out of the way, Leonard’s estate is divided between Chester’s older brother Rick—high-living stock broker engaged to socialite Meredith Flynn—and Brooke Piper, Leonard’s massage therapist, a young, attractive nursing student who is struggling to make ends meet.

Against the backdrop of a sweltering Tennessee summer, budding romantic relationships, and staff changes around the sheriff’s office, the four main characters work as a team to assemble the puzzle pieces and deliver justice for Chester. Something tells me this amiable group of characters will allow readers more glimpses into the continuing saga of their lives next time there is a murder in Rose County.

Sharon Marchisello is the author of Going Home, a murder mystery inspired by her mother's battle with Alzheimer's. She has a Masters in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and is a member of the Atlanta Chapter of Sisters in Crime. She lives in Peachtree City, GA, with her husband and cat, and does volunteer work for the Fayette Humane Society.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

12/1/15 12/1/15

Purebred Dead by Kathleen Delaney / Reviewed by Sharon Marchisello

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

Find Purebred Deadat Killer Nashville's associate, Amazon.com*

Kathleen Delaney conducting a writing workshop for 6th graders at Holcomb Bridge Middle School in Georgia

Purebred Dead by Kathleen Delaney
Reviewed by Sharon Marchisello

Mary McGill, widow and long-time resident of Santa Louisa, a small coastal town in the California wine country, has found plenty to do since retiring from a career as a home economics teacher. She is the go-to person for heading up charitable committees and organizing almost every community fundraiser.

Purebred Deadopens amid the chaos of the Christmas Extravaganza, when Mary must reroute the Posada at the last moment after two children discover the blood-soaked body of local veterinarian Cliff Matthews lying in the manger. More fascinating for the children is the tiny Cockapoo puppy they found crying near the body.

Mary quickly realizes that the children saw the person who stabbed Cliff to death, but since many of the townspeople were wearing similar costumes that night, they are unable to make a positive identification. Unfortunately, the killer spotted them as well, which puts their young lives in danger.

The plot thickens when, a few days later, a local pet store owner is found stabbed to death in his shop. Mary believes the murders are linked and have something to do with dogs. Along with the reader, Mary receives an education in dog breeding, and suspects abound as she learns that many of the Santa Louisa residents are connected with the industry. Her amateur sleuthing leads her and the children to a confrontation with the murderer, and only their wits can prevent them from becoming the next victims.

Purebred Dead is the first in a new series by Kathleen Delaney, author of the Ellen McKenzie cozy mystery series. It is an entertaining read, and with a likeable heroine and charming setting, the series promises to be a winner.

Sharon Marchisello is the author of Going Home, a murder mystery inspired by her mother's battle with Alzheimer's. She has a Masters in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and is a member of the Atlanta Chapter of Sisters in Crime. She lives in Peachtree City, GA, with her husband and cat, and does volunteer work for the Fayette Humane Society.

If you have a book you would like featured, send an ARC for consideration. The Killer Nashville Book of the Day Reviews are coordinated by Clay Stafford with the assistance of Emily Eytchison and credited guest reviewers.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

And be sure to check out our new book, Killer Nashville Noir: Cold-Blooded, an anthology of original short stories by New York Times bestselling authors and newbies alike.

“Murder, mayhem, and mystery! Every story in KILLER NASHVILLE: COLD-BLOODED is filled with

suspense, sizzle and startling twists. I loved it!”- Lisa Jackson, New York Times Bestselling Author

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11/26/15 11/26/15

Plain Dead by Emma Miller / Reviewed by Sharon Marchisello

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

Find *Plain Dead* at Killer Nashville's associate, Amazon.com*

Rachel Mast straddles the Amish world where she grew up, and the “English” world where she tried living for several years in corporate America, before returning to Stone Mill, Pennsylvania, to run a Bed & Breakfast. Plain Dead, the third installment in Emma Miller’s Amish mystery series, opens with Rachel organizing the Winter Frolic, a festival designed to bring in tourists with a much-needed cash infusion for the Amish community.

Newspaperman and gossip columnist Bill Billingsley threatens to expose a secret from Rachel’s stint on Wall Street that could jeopardize her standing in the community. The two argue publicly. The next morning, Bill is found frozen to death on his front porch, bound and gagged and locked out of his house.

Evan, Rachel’s fiancé, is the police detective assigned to the case. Although Evan does not believe Rachel could commit murder, the evidence against her mounts as one after another of the other suspects is cleared, often with Rachel’s help. Rachel feels betrayed that Evan could even consider her a suspect, and her meddling in the investigation causes friction in their relationship.

Emma Miller, who also writes Amish romances for Harlequin’s Love Inspired line, paints a vivid picture of the Amish culture, with honest insights into their beliefs and values. She has created a likable heroine in Rachel, whose understanding of the Plain ways and ability to maintain their trust uniquely qualifies her to probe where “English” law enforcement is shut out.

Clues like a lost hat and a buggy parked in the wrong place at the wrong time are dismissed by the police, but they lead Rachel down a path she would rather forego. She almost becomes another victim as the surprise murderer is revealed.

Plain Dead is not only an entertaining mystery, but it sheds light on a culture most readers know only in stereotypes.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

And be sure to check out our new book, Killer Nashville Noir: Cold-Blooded, an anthology of original short stories by New York Times bestselling authors and newbies alike.

“Murder, mayhem, and mystery! Every story in KILLER NASHVILLE: COLD-BLOODED is filled with

suspense, sizzle and startling twists. I loved it!”- Lisa Jackson, New York Times Bestselling Author

Want to review books for the Killer Nashville family?

11/24/15 11/24/15

The Secret Lives of Bats by Dr. Merlin Tuttle / Reviewed by Emily Eytchison

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

Find *The Secret Lives of Bats: My Adventures with the World’s Most Misunderstood Mammal* at Killer Nashville's associate, Amazon.com*

When first introduced to Dr. Merlin Tuttle by a blurb calling him “the real-life Batman”, I was somewhat offended. (Unreasonably so, but offended all the same.) Batman is a cultural icon, a living embodiment of justice. How DARE someone usurp that title, particularly without dedicating every second, every penny, every muscle he has to fighting crime?

But then, I opened his book.

The Secret Lives of Bats: My Adventures with the World’s Most Misunderstood Mammals (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) opens with an account of the September 1984 hysteria in Austin, Texas, over an influx of migrant Brazilian bats, which initially sounded more like a political allegory than an actual historic happening. Violent, widespread bat-hatred? Seemed a little far-fetched to me. But my very ignorance speaks to the impact of Merlin Tuttle’s life’s work.

In the preface, Dr. Tuttle’s account of Bat Conservation International’s first bat-rescue mission reads like a modern fairy tale: Austin, a city overcome by unfounded phobia, becomes a city that boasts its bat population as a major tourist attraction to this day, thanks to Merlin Tuttle’s calm and resolute intercession. The story of transformation is almost too good to be true. How often can one man say he changed an entire city by changing a few key citizens’ minds?

Yet that is the power of truth, as this tireless bat protector discovered early in his life. Although Tuttle never refers to himself this way (anymore than he refers to himself as a real-life Bruce Wayne), he emerges from the pages of his book as a near-mythic champion of knowledge, compassion, and love triumphing over ignorance, confusion, and hate.

Throughout the book, Tuttle cites so many near-death experiences, ingenious bat-study inventions, and miraculous conversions of bat haters that it is hard to believe he exists. Every time you think you’ve come through the most outrageous story, Tuttle outdoes himself with the next chapter, all with a modest, no-nonsense narrative voice that, like any conscientious scientist, simply states the facts.

Whether he’s describing the sweet and expressive (albeit strange) features of free-tailed bats, or run-ins with moonshiners and belligerent brothel owners, Tuttle writes with a gentle authority that balances extensive research with good storytelling. Latin names and scientific terms become integral parts of an often dangerous adventure story that began with one boy’s desire to understand bats because he did not believe that their stigma was true or fair. The horrors he sees human beings inflict on innocent bats along the way underscore the importance of his inspiring journey, from an inquisitive explorer to an expert quietly asking us to listen, learn, and care.

Merlin Tuttle may never have donned a cape, but he has become a formidable advocate for a group of maligned and defenseless creatures. He is a man who, for over half a century, has dedicated his life to fighting injustice with his time, resources, and considerable intellect.

Sounds like the kind of bat-themed hero we needed, after all.

Emily Eytchison is a huge fan of anything furry and mouse-like. She tried to save a trapped bat this summer using only her empathy and a paper plate. (Somebody more qualified eventually stepped in.) She likes Star Wars, popcorn with M&Ms, and wants to save the world. That’s basically it.

If you have a book you would like featured, send an ARC for consideration. The Killer Nashville Book Reviews are coordinated by Clay Stafford with the assistance of Emily Eytchison and credited guest reviewers.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

And be sure to check out our new book, Killer Nashville Noir: Cold-Blooded, an anthology of original short stories by New York Times bestselling authors and newbies alike.

“Murder, mayhem, and mystery! Every story in KILLER NASHVILLE: COLD-BLOODED is filled with

suspense, sizzle and startling twists. I loved it!”- Lisa Jackson, New York Times Bestselling Author

Want to review books for the Killer Nashville family?

11/19/15 11/19/15

Powerless by Tim Washburn / Reviewed by G. Robert Frazier

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

Find *Powerless* at Killer Nashville's associate, Amazon.com*

If you’ve never given a thought as to what to do in a disaster, you’ll probably change your mind after reading Tim Washburn’s terrifying debut novel Powerless (Pinnacle Books).

At the very least, you’ll find yourself taking an extra long look at those survivor magazines at the grocery store checkout lane, or setting your DVR to record those doomsday prepper shows. You may even feel compelled to go a step farther by purchasing a gas generator for your home, nonperishable foods by the pallet, and cases of bottled water. You might want to get a gun or two as well–one for hunting and one for self-defense.

Because when the power goes out–for good–you’ll need all of it sooner rather than later.

The characters in Washburn’s debut novel learn that lesson the hard way when a massive solar flare wipes out electricity across the northern hemisphere, plunging the entire US into complete chaos. The crisis strikes without warning, wiping out power grids, communications, and food supplies, while threatening global catastrophe from nuclear plant meltdowns.

Think of it: no power, no communications. No cellphones, Twitter, Facebook, or the familiar trappings of today’s socially connected society. Instead of Facebook friends and community groups rallying behind worthy causes, you get every man, woman, and child fending for themselves. Common decency and humanity towards your fellow man be damned.

Washburn skillfully weaves the action between a set of characters as they each deal with the crisis in their own way across the country, from an elderly couple trying to get out of New York City, to an army veteran trying to reunite with his sister, to the President in a heavily fortified White House. Told in blisteringly fast-paced present tense and short, tight chapters, Powerless ensures that readers won’t be able to turn the pages fast enough.

Like the popular The Walking Dead comic book and television series, part of the novel’s appeal is the moral dilemma facing Washburn’s characters. Can they transition from their complacent, spoiled, take-everything-for-granted existence to do-what-it-takes-no-matter-the-consequences survivors? How far will they go to save their loved ones? Can they kill in the face of being killed?

The result is a novel in which you not only empathize with the characters and their plight, but also ask questions about what you yourself would do in a similar situation. Questions that will linger long after you put the book down.

Washburn graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in Journalism, and his reporting skills are evident in Powerless. He lives in Edmond, Oklahoma.

G. Robert Frazier is a writer and an avid reader living in La Vergne, Tenn. He reads for the Nashville Film Festival and Austin Film Festival screenwriting competitions and is an active member of the Tennessee Screenwriters Association, Nashville Writers Meetup groups, and La Vergne Library Board. Follow him on Twitter @grfrazier23 and visit his Adventures in Writing blog at https://grfrazier.wordpress.com.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

And be sure to check out our new book, Killer Nashville Noir: Cold-Blooded, an anthology of original short stories by New York Times bestselling authors and newbies alike.

“Murder, mayhem, and mystery! Every story in KILLER NASHVILLE: COLD-BLOODED is filled with

suspense, sizzle and startling twists. I loved it!”- Lisa Jackson, New York Times Bestselling Author

Want to review books for the Killer Nashville family?

11/17/15 11/17/15

The Cellar by Minette Walters / Reviewed by Will Lasley

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

Find *The Cellar* at Killer Nashville's associate, Amazon.com*

BE FOREWARNED:

This is not a book for the faint of heart or weak of stomach.

One of the many horror tropes to come out of the 70’s was the “woman’s wrath” story. This type of story, be it book or film, revolved around a woman who was wronged or abused and set out to exact her revenge on those responsible. The reason these tales are so effective is that the catharsis of the protagonists, having previously been so helpless, gives the audience a vicarious thrill, playing not only to their bloodlust, but also their sense of justice.

In Minette Walters’ The Cellar, the stakes are raised even further. Muna, our central character, is the victim of many atrocities within her own home. Not only is she a child, she is an African immigrant living in England with another African family who stole her as a baby.

Muna’s “family” subjects her to such cruelty and humiliation on a daily basis, as their slave; physical, emotional, sexual. But when one of her adoptive brothers goes missing, the sham of a family is suddenly under the scrutiny of Scotland Yard, giving Muna the chance to expose them as the monsters they are.

The Cellar is a harrowing thriller that leeches off of the reader. My blood ran cold, and I couldn’t put it down. Walters’ use of language is especially good, choosing the most repulsive ways to describe the lurid events that transpire. I highly recommend it.

Will “Savage” Lasley is a writer and self-described horror junkie who simply loves a good story. He's also met Bruce Campbell, so there's that.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

And be sure to check out our new book, Killer Nashville Noir: Cold-Blooded, an anthology of original short stories by New York Times bestselling authors and newbies alike.

“Murder, mayhem, and mystery! Every story in KILLER NASHVILLE: COLD-BLOODED is filled with

suspense, sizzle and startling twists. I loved it!”- Lisa Jackson, New York Times Bestselling Author

Want to review books for the Killer Nashville family?

11/12/15 11/12/15

The Scam by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg / Reviewed by Kelly Saderholm

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

Find *The Scam* at Killer Nashville's associate, Amazon.com*

Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (C) Roland Scarpa

Con man Nicolas Fox and FBI agent Kate O’Hare team up once again in their fourth adventure,The Scam, written by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg. In this outing, Fox and O’Hare are on the trail of vicious casino tycoon Evan Trace. Although Trace’s casino money laundering is enabling terrorists, he has managed to evade law enforcement. Nick Fox, with the help of the reluctant Kate, sets up a snare to catch the elusive Trace.

Readers are treated to an outrageously fun romp as the scam to bring Trace to justice starts on the Las Vegas strip and stretches across the globe to Macau. They are sidetracked to Hawaii for a rescue mission involving Kate’s dad, Jake, and decide to add another villain to their con. Along the way, readers get an inside view of high stakes gambling and money laundering.

Kate O’Hare has her hands full juggling not just the ever-shifting and evolving scam, and its colorful characters, but also with the romantic tension between herself and bad-guy turned good-guy Nick Fox, as well as all around bad-guy Evan Trace. Romantic sparks fly and suspense builds as readers flip pages to discover who is scamming whom.

The Scam by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg is published by Bantam Hardcover, available September 15, 2015. Evanovich's next Stephanie Plum adventure, Tricky Twenty-Two, goes on sale November 17, 2015.

Kelly Saderholm has written, blogged, and lectured about aspects of the mystery novel. She has moderated panels and presented papers at literary conferences, on both the Mystery Novel and Urban Fantasy. She is currently shifting from writing about mystery fiction to writing actual mystery fiction, and is working on a novel, as well as a non-fiction book dealing with Folklore in the American South. She is a recipient of a Kentucky Foundation for Women grant. She lives in South Central Kentucky with her family and two feline office assistants.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

And be sure to check out our new book, Killer Nashville Noir: Cold-Blooded, an anthology of original short stories by New York Times bestselling authors and newbies alike.

“Murder, mayhem, and mystery! Every story in KILLER NASHVILLE: COLD-BLOODED is filled with

suspense, sizzle and startling twists. I loved it!”- Lisa Jackson, New York Times Bestselling Author

Want to review books for the Killer Nashville family?

11/10/15 11/10/15

White Leopard by Laurent Guillaume / Reviewed by G. Robert Frazier

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

Find *White Leopard* at Killer Nashville's associate, Amazon.com*

Whether it’s shooting thugs in the kneecaps, punching them in the solar plexus, or chopping off their hands at the wrist, author Laurent Guillaume doesn’t pull any punchesin hisgritty and graphic English-language debut, White Leopard.

Guillaume’s anti-hero Souleymane (Solo) Camera is a tough-as-nails private investigator making his living in arid Bamako, Mali, in West Africa after running from a dark past in France, where he was a former drug force detective. Solo’s cases typically involve chasing down and photographing cheating husbands in divorce cases, although he has handled a few higher profile criminal cases, netting him the title’s nickname from police. (He’s part French, part Malian, and reviled by both.)

A simple case—“buying” the freedom of a woman arrested on drug charges by offering a bribe to the local magistrate (apparently an all-too common occurrence in corruption-rife Mali)—takes an unexpected turn when the woman is brutally murdered upon her release. The sister of the victim, who hired Solo in the first place, boasts that he will bring the killers to justice, which only serves to make Solo the next target for the thugs.

First, the killers break into his home and kill Solo’s longtime friend and groundskeeper, Drissa, then make an attempt on Solo himself. Already angry over losing his wife and child when he left France, Solo is only fueled further by these actions in his quest to strike back with brutal vengeance. (This is where the shooting of kneecaps and other body parts comes in.) Solo follows the trail of thugs to the cartel leader and a final bloody confrontation.

When he’s not exchanging gunfire with the bad guys,Solo enjoys a few vices of his own with sexual flings and lines of cocaine. The sexual interludes are surprisingly graphic for a crime book, reading more like an erotic romance novel, but are in tune with the hard-boiled elements of the rest of the story.

Guillaume is an award-winning author of six previous books in France, but this is his first English-language publication. A former police officer, he worked anti-gang, narcotics, and financial crimes, and also served as a police advisor in Mali on drug trafficking cases. His familiarity with the Mali government and community is evident in his vivid, unflinching portrayal of the novel’s setting and characters.

The novel is aptly adapted to English by translator Sophie Weiner, who has a master’s in literary translation from the Sorbonne. Le French Book is a New York publisher specializing in great reads from France.

G. Robert Frazier is a former journalist, a reader for the Nashville Film Festival and Austin Film Festival’s annual screenwriting competitions, La Vergne Library Board member, and member of the Nashville Writers Meetup and Tennessee Screenwriters Association. He is currently working on a mystery/thriller novel and a screenplay. Follow him on Twitter at @grfrazier23 and visit his Adventures in Writing blog at https://grfrazier.wordpress.com.

For more writer resources, visit us at www.KillerNashville.com, www.KillerNashvilleBookCon, and www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com.

And be sure to check out our new book, Killer Nashville Noir: Cold-Blooded, an anthology of original short stories by New York Times bestselling authors and newbies alike.

“Murder, mayhem, and mystery! Every story in KILLER NASHVILLE: COLD-BLOODED is filled with

suspense, sizzle and startling twists. I loved it!”- Lisa Jackson, New York Times Bestselling Author

Want to review books for the Killer Nashville family?

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KN Magazine: Reviews

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

The Girls She Left Behind by Sarah Graves Reviewed by Tessa Bryant

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

Sherlock Holmes The Missing Years: Timbuktu by Vasudev Murthy Reviewed by Mary Hankins

Killer Nashville Book of the Day

Angels Burning by Tawni O'Dell Reviewed by Clay Snellgrove

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Going Home by Sharon Marchisello Reviewed by M. K. Sealy

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Blood Salt Water by Denise Mina Reviewed by Shelley Haley

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Thin Ice by Irene Hannon Reviewed by M. K. Sealy

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What You See by Hank Phillippi RyanReviewed by Kelly Saderholm

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Fortune's Fool by Jane SevierReviewed by Lyn Farquhar

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Dig Two Graves by Kim PowersReviewed by G. Robert Frazier

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MemoRandom by Anders de la MotteReviewed by Clay Snellgrove

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Tom & Lucky (and George & Cokey Flo) by C. Joseph GreavesReviewed by Tessa Bryant

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Every Crooked Path by Steven JamesReviewed by G. Robert Frazier

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Four Dog's Sake by Lia Farrell Reviewed by Sharon Marchisello

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Purebred Dead by Kathleen DelaneyReviewed by Sharon Marchisello

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The Girls She Left Behind by Sarah Graves
Reviewed by Tessa Bryant

Sherlock Holmes The Missing Years: Timbuktu by Vasudev Murthy
Reviewed by Mary Hankins

Angels Burning by Tawni O'Dell
Reviewed by Clay Snellgrove

Going Home by Sharon Marchisello
Reviewed by M. K. Sealy

Blood Salt Water by Denise Mina
Reviewed by Shelley Haley

Thin Ice by Irene Hannon
Reviewed by M. K. Sealy

What You See by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Reviewed by Kelly Saderholm

Fortune's Fool by Jane Sevier
Reviewed by Lyn Farquhar

Dig Two Graves by Kim Powers
Reviewed by G. Robert Frazier

MemoRandom by Anders de la Motte
Reviewed by Clay Snellgrove

Tom & Lucky (and George & Cokey Flo)
by C. Joseph Greaves
Reviewed by Tessa Bryant

Every Crooked Path by Steven James
Reviewed by G. Robert Frazier

Four Dog's Sake by Lia Farrell
Reviewed by Sharon Marchisello

Purebred Dead by Kathleen Delaney
Reviewed by Sharon Marchisello