KN Magazine: Reviews
Daily Writing Resilience 365 Meditations & Inspirations for Writers by Bryan Robinson / Review by Joseph Borden
Daily Writing Resilience
365 Meditations & Inspirations for Writers
Book of the Day
Bryan Robinson’s Daily Writing Resilience 365 Meditations & Inspirations for Writers is a must-read for any writer. Whether you’re just getting started or are a household name, there is undoubtedly some piece of wisdom within this book that you can incorporate into your own writing life.
Daily Writing Resilience contains 365 daily mediations, each accompanied by a short inspirational quote. These quotes are from experts in a variety of disciplines—journalists, religious leaders, actors, psychologists, artists, bestselling authors, etc.— and are followed by a short passage that serves to enumerate upon the day’s theme.
All of the passages, of course, are aimed toward helping one to build the resilience it takes to persevere what Robinson calls the “trials and tribulations of writers.” The book highlights common issues amongst writers—despair, rejection, lack of confidence, impossible deadlines, bad reviews, etc.—and offers strategies for overcoming those hurdles, along with a bit of levity here and there. Some passages are lighthearted musings or funny anecdotes. Others contain a bit more gravity and ask the reader to reflect upon a particular issue they are facing. Each of them, though, can serve as a call-to-action.
The book begins with January 1 and runs through the end of December so you can jump right in at any point. It can be followed linearly, of course, but the book also contains an index with keywords relating to a number of writing issues/topics so one can quickly locate passages pertaining to a specific issue he or she might be facing that day.
At the end of each passage is a daily “takeaway”—a short (usually one sentence) bit of advice or contemplation that the reader can ruminate on for a while and incorporate into their own personal/professional lives.
If you, like me, find it difficult to navigate the day-to-day ho-hum of writing (or creating in general), then Daily Writing Resilience needs to be on your bookshelf. Better yet, keep it near your workstation alongside your most frequently consulted books on craft. In those daunting moments of doubt or frustration, Robinson’s Daily Writing Resilience can help give you the strength to power through—one day at a time.
Joseph Borden graduated from Tusculum College in December of 2014 with a degree in Creative Writing. Previously, he’s served as Managing Editor for The Tusculum Review and as an advertising specialist for a The Hickman County Times. He spends most of his time reading and writing fiction—his short story “Hell or High Water” was Editor’s Choice for the 2014 edition of Din Magazine. His hobbies include playing guitar, singing, people watching, and riding his motorcycle. He currently lives in Lyles.
A Lady in Shadows by Lene Kaaberbøl / Review by E.J. Boyd
A Lady in Shadows
By Lene Kaaberbøl
Atria
$16.99
ISBN 978-1476731421
Publication Date: December 5, 2017
Book of the Day
Lena Kaaberbøl’s latest release, A Lady in Shadows is the second book in the Madeleine Karno series. Set in 19th century France, at a time when women were considered to be little more than distractions to their male counterparts, Madeleine Karno will not accept the docile, submissive role that society has deemed her worthy of. As the daughter of an esteemed forensic pathologist, Madeleine was quite literally raised around the dead. Attending Heidelberg University as a student of Adrian Althauser, she proves herself to more than a match for her fellow students. It is she that performs the autopsy on the body of a young prostitute that seems to indicate that France may have its own Jack the Ripper.
Kaaberbøl excels at details. From her depictions of 19th century France to the details of an autopsy, she leaves nothing out. Her research is superb and her understanding of the socio-political atmosphere is remarkable. The actual story, the “whodunit” may be a bit predictable, but that is easily forgiven. Just because you see the end coming, doesn’t make it any less satisfying. I found myself willing Madeleine toward her discoveries and cheering when she found them.
I would expect that historical fiction fans and well as Kathy Reichs’ fans would enjoy this series. Madeleine is a much less flawed, but no less engaging than Temperance Brennan. It is so enjoyable to see characters such as Madeleine develop over time. I enjoyed Doctor Death very much and I look forward to the next installment in the series.
Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson / Review by Amy Nygaard
Nightblind
By Ragnar Jonasson
Minotaur Books
$25.99
ISBN 978-1250096098
Publication Date: December 5, 2017
Book of the Day
An isolated city in northern Iceland boasts a police force of two and practically no crime. The fatal shooting of the police inspector at a remote location throws young policeman Ari Thor Arason into the uncomfortable investigation of discovering just who wanted whom dead. Ragnar Jonasson’s Nightblind, published by Minotaur Books, stirs together murder, mental instability, and unsuspected domestic problems in several households.
Nightblind sets up the inciting incident with the shooting of the police inspector, who is filling in for an ill Ari Thor. The discovery of a phone call drawing the inspector to the desolate, abandoned house on a cliff where he met a bullet leaves Ari Thor confused. Who made the call? Was he the intended target? What is the new town mayor hiding from him?
Murder is a rare occurrence in their relatively peaceful, chilly town, and Ari Thor struggles with investigating such a serious crime while his home life crumbles beneath him. As he pursues justice for his fellow officer, he risks losing his family, a possibility he can’t fathom. Interspersed throughout the story are journal entries from the past, written by a patient in a mental hospital ward. The additional storyline gives away few clues about the journal author’s identity until the end, and the truth about who fired a gun at the police inspector is left to the last.
So many elements of a successful suspense/procedural were present, but not to the rich depth you'd expect. From relationships to plot twists to suspects, depth was lacing, which left me frustrated because I very much enjoy this genre typically. Nightblind has story potential, and I wish it was more fully develped because overall, I like the premise, the twists, and the resolution.
Amy Nygaard - I am a lifelong lover of words, and reading has been my passion since childhood. After years of editing work and teaching grammar and writing, I fell in love with writing myself. I have several adult suspense manuscripts completed, a middle-grade boy's mystery first-of-series, and the framework of a separate middle-grade mystery/adventure series. I've attended multiple writing conferences around the country, pitching agents, making new friends, and learning all I can about the world of writing and publishing.
Blood Truth by Matt Coyle / Review by Gary Frazier
Blood Truth
By Matt Coyle
Oceanview Publishing
$26.95
ISBN 978-1608092390
Published December 5, 2017
Private investigator Rick Cahill’s latest case becomes his most personal to date in Blood Truth, the fourth novel in the thrilling Cahill series by Matt Coyle.
This time around, Cahill’s world is turned upside down when he is presented with a long-hidden wall safe found in his father’s home that, when opened, yields secrets that could confirm his father’s corruption and reasons for being kicked off the police force. Inside the safe: a stash of $15,000 in cash, a gun, and two bullet casings, all possibly tied to a murder twenty years ago.
Cahill, along with PI friend Moira McFarlane, turn over every stone in his father’s past, interviewing his old acquaintances, co-workers, and the reporter who covered the case in search of clues. Their investigation soon draws the attention of others who want to keep the truth buried at all costs, even if that means eliminating Cahill and McFarlane in the process.
As Cahill struggles to discern the truth, and what that means for him personally, he’s also wrapped up in a murder case involving his former wife and her current husband and a controversial real estate deal, leaving him little time in which to process all that is happening to him. The mystery deepens and the threats multiply at seemingly every turn.
A previous recipient of the Anthony Award, the Benjamin Franklin Silver Medal and the San Diego Book Award, as well as a finalist for the Shamus, Macavity, and Lefty awards, Coyle juggles both plotlines with deft skill. Readers learn firsthand through Cahill’s first-person point of view as the bodies start piling up and the clues multiply. Short, snappy chapters keep the pages turning at a fast rate straight until the finish.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced mystery packed with emotional punch, look no further. This one’s a winner.
When he’s not working on his own novel or screenplays, G. Robert Frazier writes about other writers and their works on his blog and other sites such as BookPage and BloggingforBooks. He has served as a script reader for both the Austin Film Festival and Nashville Film Festival screenwriting competitions and is a member of the Tennessee Screenwriting Association. He used to write and edit stories for several newspapers in the Nashville area and he once won a flash fiction contest in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, so there’s that.
Willnot by James Sallis / Review by Clay Stafford
WILLNOT
By James Sallis
Bloomsbury
$26.00
ISBN 978-1632864529
Publication Date: June 21, 2016
Book of the Day
In the town of Willnot, there is a clearing where two dead bodies are found buried atop a box of decaying papers. Dr. Lamar Hale, the town’s doctor, is brought into the case being investigated by the local authorities. Concurrently, a stranger comes to town in the form of Bobby Lowndes, a discharged sniper for the military who grew up in the town many years ago, but is not the same man. He is followed by an FBI agent and another sniper who has a reason for wanting Bobby to go away. As Dr. Hale goes through the ups and downs of his professional and personal life, his partner Richard is shot by a bullet meant for Bobby Lowndes. It is up to Hale to find equilibrium, not only for the town, but also for himself.
The simple plot is a primarily a character-driven story. The mystery and questions are there, but the storyline is mostly the arcing perspective of the main character, Dr. Lamar Hale. Written in a literary style, Willnotis a book to be read slowly to savor the language, which is near poetic. I was especially awed by the attention to slight details sprinkled just enough within each paragraph. The dialogue is a double entendre of sorts, highlighting the inner turmoils, growth, and regressions of the complex characters. You’re not going to find a whodunit mystery here for the mystery of Willnot is the mystery of life revealed through the MacGuffin of the initial two dead bodies, the FBI agent, and the two snipers. I usually read novels quickly, but this one I did not: the prose is something to savor. It is a novel that you’ll reflect on after reading it, trying to make sense (like Hale) of the little strands of truth hidden in the normal course of the daily mundane. It is a book I would highly recommend.
Clay Stafford is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He has sold over 1.5 million hardcover copies of his children’s adaptations and has seen his film work distributed internationally in over 14 languages. Four of his five staged murder mysteries have had Los Angeles premieres. He has reviewed books, plays, and films, writes near-daily book reviews for the Killer Nashville Book of the Day, has been quoted on book jackets, and has edited several PBS companion books associated with national series. Publishers Weekly has named Stafford one of the top 10 Nashville literary leaders playing “an essential role in defining which books become bestsellers” not only in middle-Tennessee, but also extending “beyond the city limits and into the nation’s book culture.” (PW 6/10/13). He is the founder of Killer Nashville (www.KillerNashville.com) and publisher of Killer Nashville Magazine (www.KillerNashvilleMagazine.com). He has served on the board of numerous nonprofits. Clay has a B.A. and M.F.A. and has been a professor or lecturer to several major universities. His list of current projects includes the award-winning feature-length documentary “One Of The Miracles: The Inge Meyring Smith Story” (www.OneOfTheMiracles.com) and the music CD “XO” with fellow mystery writer Jeffery Deaver (www.JefferyDeaverXOmusic.com). Previously associated with Universal Studios and PBS, he is currently President / CEO of American Blackguard, Inc. (www.AmericanBlackguard.com), a publishing/film and television/music / entertainment company near Nashville, Tennessee. More information can be found at www.ClayStafford.com.
Protectors by Kris Nelscott / Review by Samantha Traci
Protectors
By Kris Nelscott
WMG Publishing
$34.99
ISBN 978-1561460649
Publication Date: October 17, 2017
Book of the Day
Three very different women, linked by very similar trauma. Protectors by Kris Nelscott tells the story of how these women collide in 1969 Berkeley, California, in an area torn apart by politics, violence and the ever-present debate of the Counterculture vs. The Establishment. None of the women wanted to get involved with the stories of disappearing college students and violent attacks against women in the dead of night, but each were drawn in because of their own demons whispering in the background.
The story begins the day of the Moon Landing. We learn that Pammy, owner of A Gym of Her Own, always has the best of intentions but is usually in over her head. We also meet Eagle, a former combat nurse who medicates her own demons with alcohol and marijuana while working as the unofficial medic for the gym; and Val, who fled Chicago after a heartbreaking loss. After a late-night incident leaves Eagle shaken to the core, the three women are reluctantly drawn together to investigate rumors of missing college students that the police are studiously unconcerned with. As the women delve deeper into the mystery, each piece of the puzzle they uncover pushes the stakes higher and makes them realize that they have no one to rely on but themselves. The story starts slowly, plodding through the sometimes mundane but absolutely necessary steps of real detective work, but builds to a fast-paced climax that will leave the reader reeling.
Nelscott is a good storyteller, and conveys a strong sense of voice for each of her characters. The plot weaves deftly between the voices of the three main protagonists and the reader is able to piece together an interesting outline of the crimes at the same time as each of the characters, all the while wondering what the next step might be. Protectors is a detective story about characters who would never call themselves detectives. While the overarching plot is one of mystery and murder; there’s also a strong subtext that deals with second-wave feminist issues like domestic violence and rape, sexuality, and women moving out of the home and into the workplace.
Atmosphere is seamlessly woven into the story. The tale is rich with descriptions and details that make the zeitgeist palpable. The reader is left wanting to know more about the real-life historical events that color the story, such as the People’s Park Riot. Casual mentions of ubiquitous cigarette machines and mistrust of the “new” concept of zip codes, to the blatant fear and distrust people feel for the police and the government in general helps set the stage for the conflict the women encounter, which is as much the general attitude of the day as it is anything physical. Yet as much as Nelscott strives to remind the reader that the time and place is 1969 Berkeley, it’s startling how many parallels to present day there are to be found. Characters struggling with their own opinions of politics and war, issues arising due to racism and misogyny, and the overall feminist undertones that permeate the story draw eerie parallels to present day, making the reader wonder just how far we’ve come in nearly 40 years.
While not quite a hard-boiled novel, the tone of the writing is similar. But instead of a gritty male P.I., Nelscott mixes it up with three female voices that are refreshing in their independence. These women never require male assistance; indeed the only male voices present in the story are decidedly unhelpful, either by choice or due to confines in the system. The term “feminist” isn’t directly mentioned but readers will be pleased with Nelscott’s handling of this story, where even women who play minor roles in the story are shown to be strong and capable. The story works great as a standalone detective novel, but seems to be poised as the beginning of a promising series featuring these characters. While not an edge-of-your-seat-thriller, Protectors is a solid piece of fiction that blends history and detective work with a feminist edge.
Samantha TraciSam is the co-founder and editor of progressandtea.com, a labor of love and exercise for sanity in these politically charged times. Drawing from her background in journalism, she currently works in higher education publishing by day but is hard at work on her first novel by night. When not working with words, she can be found indulging her passion for burlesque, a hobby that provides plenty of colorful experiences for her writing!
Dominic by Mark Pryor / Review by Lois Schmitt
Dominic
By Mark Pryor
Seventh Street Books
$15.95
ISBN 978-1633883659
Published January 2, 2018
Book of the Day
If you like dark mysteries, Dominic, by Mark Pryor, is as black as they come. An upstanding member of the legal profession, the main character, Dominic, is a psychopath whose actions escalate from mean childhood pranks to unspeakable deeds.
The suspense starts within the first few pages and continues to the end of the book. The provocative endings to each chapter will keep you on the edge of your seat and will have you flipping the pages until you discover who wins the game of cat and mouse. Although halfway through my reading, I predicted the outcome, I couldn’t put the book down because I hoped my prediction was wrong. (No spoiler alert—I’m not telling.)
The twist, which makes the story all the more terrifying, is that Dominic is a prosecuting attorney, and as an insider, he is able to hide his crimes from law enforcement. Dominic knows he is brilliant and considers himself unstoppable. His ability to manipulate people is especially evident in his relationship with Brian, a co-worker who craves approval from Dominic, the cool guy.
There are no heroes in this story—just evil characters and ordinary people with human weaknesses who fall under Dominic’s spell. Dominic’s most complicated relationship involves Bobby, a young boy Dominic met through the court system. Dominic sees himself in Bobby and treats the boy with what appears to be compassion, but when Bobby becomes a liability, the boy soon turns from protégé to prey.
Fast paced with well-crafted characters, Dominic is a psycho-thriller that will have you wondering if your co-worker and neighbors are really who they appear to be.
Lois Schmitt worked for more than two decades as Education Director and Media Spokesperson for Nassau County Office of Consumer Affairs Agency. For the last few years, she has taught in the economics department at Nassau Community College. She is the author of Smart Spending, a consumer education book for young adults. She has combined her love of animals and passion for mysteries in her new Kristy Farrell series. She is a member of several humane and wildlife organizations as well as Mystery Writers of America. A graduate of Hofstra University, she lives on Long Island with her family which includes a one hundred ten pound Bernese Mountain Dog.
Quarry's Climax by Max Allan Collins / Review by Jim Biggs
Quarry's Climax
By Max Allan Collins
Hard Case Crime
$9.95
ISBN 978-1785651809
Published October 10, 2017
Book of the Day
Quarry's Climax, the latest in the long-running series by Max Allan Collins–damn, it's good stuff. Just look at the cover! This is a man's novel - no, I mean a real man's novel. None of this mamby-pamby-politically-correct-hypersensitive fluff. This is the type of book you read with a glass of whiskey - not a cup cocoa. Just looking at the cover brings me back to a time when guys were expected to watch a pretty girl go by and never notice what color hair or eyes she had. When copping a feel would earn you a slap in the face instead of a lawsuit. Ahh... the good ol' days. Back then, a book like this might cost you a buck and quarter, but even though it costs a sawbuck nowadays - GOOD pulp fiction like this is worth every penny.
Quarry is a professional killer. In Vietnam, he was a sniper taking out the VC. Now he works for The Broker taking out whoever he is paid to take out. Different boss–same job. His usual partner is Boyd is also a Vet. They are living it up on Broker's dime in Vegas where their assignment is to actually NOT kill a guy. Their job is to kill the guys who want to kill their guy. But it won't be easy keeping Max Climer, strip club owner and publisher of the raunchy skin mag Climax, alive.
Max Allan Collins really is a master of pulp fiction. His Quarry series is great–they are quick reads, with just enough of the good stuff to satisfy the itch. The covers are works of art. Really–I'd have them framed and hanging in my study if the Mrs. didn't insist on calling it her "craft room". It's hard getting old - but Collins' books really bring me back to my glory days. I recommend the entire series - just not to those in touch with their feminine side. I might even watch the new series on Cinemax – but I warrant the books will be better. Now, I think it's time for the little lady to go make me a sandwich.
Dragonsworn by Sherrilyn Kenyon / Review by E.J. Boyd
Dragonsworn: A Dark Hunter Novel
By Sherrilyn Kenyon
$27.99
ISBN 978-1250102652
Published August 1, 2017
Book of the Day
Family, you can't live with them and you can't eat them, even if sometimes you would really like to. Dragonsworn by Sherrilyn Kenyon is the 28th book in the Dark Hunter series. It is the story of Falcyn, the oldest of the Drakomai–an ancient race of dragons with the ability to shift into human form. He pretty much hates everyone–but with good reason. Betrayal has haunted him his entire existence. The one thing that he does have is his Dragonstone and no one will ever take that from him.
The Dark Hunter world is vast. Sherrilyn Kenyon blends bits of legend, history, with her enviable talent to create characters that you really love to love - or hate. And just when you are sure that you know who is the bad guy she will write a story from a different point of view and the paradigm will shift. She is very good at making you feel sympathy for the devil (or Devyl...)
While you could pick up and start the series from pretty much anywhere, it is best if you start from the beginning. Some characters become so familiar that just the mention of their name is more than enough for a fan to understand what is really happening. And there are ties between families, species, and pantheons that can change the entire meaning of a scene if you are aware of them. It is still a lot of fun to explore her worlds, even if you don't start with Night Pleasures (Dark-Hunter, #1). You can count on there being action, adventure, suspense, and romance (plenty of romance) but there is always a good story behind it all. Her characters are always well developed and relatable. While some may challenge the existence of shape-shifting dragons, the love of a father for his son and the cost of that love, is something we can all believe in.
There are a lot of new things happening in the Dark-Hunter universe. Kenyon started the Young Adult series, The Chronicals of Nick a few years ago (a series my son loves) that explores the teen-age years of one of the adult characters. And now she is expanding into the children's literature! The Simi's ABC's will be released December 19th. I cannot wait!
The Whispering Room by Dean Koontz / Review by Liz Gatterer
The Whispering Room
By Dean Koontz
Bantam
$16.99
ISBN 978-0345546807
Publish Date: November 21, 2017
Book of the Day
Sometimes at night, I come wide awake, I come wide awake, I come wide awake,
I come wide awake and I feel a spider crawling inside my skull,
and it speaks to me...in an evil whisper.
Anyone who knew Cora Gunderson would have told you she was such a sweet person. They would have said she was the epitome of a spinster school teacher. But witnesses say she they could see her laughing as she plowed her car, engulfed in flames, and loaded down with gallons of gasoline, into the hotel killing scores of people. But why? Local sheriff, Luther Tillman was one of the people who knew Cora–and he cannot accept that she could have done such a terrible thing.
With an intro that would have been too shocking to believe a decade ago, but could easily be taken from the headlines of today's news, Dean Koontz' latest novel, The Whispering Room, continues the pulse-pounding story of government conspiracies, mind-control, murder, and vengeance. The main character, Jane Hawk is a rogue FBI agent with the skills and determination to track down and stop the powerful people responsible for her husband's murder. In the process, she uncovered their Manchurian-esque plan of world domination through mind control. In the first book, The Silent Corner, she sought out and killed the scientist that developed the process. But this plot is a Hydra with many heads left.
Jane Hawk is relentless. Her ability to compartmentalize what has happened and still do what must be done is epic. She commands both respect and awe while still being a character that has heart. But, that is what Koontz does best, tearing at your heartstrings what scaring the crap out of you. This series is compelling because of the similarities between the fictional events that happen and what is really happening in the world. The names have been changed to protect the innocent...
A-List by D.P. Lyle / Review by G. Robert Frazier
A-List
By D.P. Lyle
Oceanview Publishing
$26.95
ISBN 978-1608092703
Publication Date: December 12, 2017
Book of the Day
When A-list actor Kirk Ford wakes up next to a deceased woman in a New Orleans hotel, his arrest for her murder threatens to derail his career and ruin a multi-million dollar Hollywood film series. Enter Jake Longly and a team of investigators determined to find the truth behind the murder.
A-List, written by cardiologist and forensics expert D.P. Lyle, is billed as a thriller, but more accurately is an old-school whodunit mystery. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Longly and company – his father, Ryan, girlfriend and fellow investigator Nicole Jamison, and computer expert/muscle Tommy Jeffers, aka Pancake – are more than up to the challenge, whether it comes from the begrudging police detective in charge Troy Doucet to the less-than-friendly assistance of the local mafia don, Tony Guidry, whose niece was the victim.
After a tox screen by the medical examiner reveals both Kirk and the victim had traces of the date rape drug Ketamine in their systems, the clues point to a possible third party involved in the murder whose intent was to frame Kirk for the crime. Jake and Nicole spearhead a line of questioning of potential witnesses and acquaintances to both the victim and beleaguered actor, turning up occasional clues and red herrings along the way. Guidry, meanwhile, is intent on seeing Kirk punished for the death of his niece and uses his own streetwise resources to bully his way to truth.
Lyle’s medical background is a plus here as he is able to succinctly explain the technical details of the death while keeping the plot churning. The head-to-head confrontations between Longly and Guidry are entertaining reads, with snappy dialogue masking underlying threats. The clues ultimately pit the team of investigators in a thrilling head-to-head confrontation with Guidry in the violent finale.
When he’s not working on his own novel or screenplays, G. Robert Frazier writes about other writers and their works on his blog and other sites such as BookPage and BloggingforBooks. He has served as a script reader for both the Austin Film Festival and Nashville Film Festival screenwriting competitions and is a member of the Tennessee Screenwriting Association. He used to write and edit stories for several newspapers in the Nashville area and he once won a flash fiction contest in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, so there’s that.
Proof of Life by J.A. Jance / Review by Frank Reed
Proof of Life
By J.A. Jance
William Morrrow
$27.99
ISBN 978-006265741
Published September 5, 2017
Book of the Day
J.A. Jance's most endearing and enduring character, J.P. Beaumont has been a favorite for over 30 years. Fans have followed along as he grew from a hard-headed, hard-drinking, Seattle detective with bad knees and a fractured family life to a sober, retired septuagenarian with titanium knees, a new wife, and grown children that he can be very proud of. He spends his time puttering around his new house and volunteering with the Cold-Case department, but he is a bit bored. So, when a survivor from an old case comes to him asking for help - it doesn't take much prodding to get him on the case.
One of the benefits of getting older is that, hopefully, you know better. Impulsive and compulsive behaviors are tempered and old prejudices can be set aside. That is one of the characteristics of Beau that I really liked. He was very flawed - and he still has flaws - but he is doing his best and that is good enough. Throughout the novel, Beau is presented with situations that his younger self would have completely fouled up. But now—with a little help from friends and a big dog he manages the land-mines in his life with grace and compassion an fortitude.
Creating a character like J.P. Beaumont that can keep readers coming back for more through 22 installments is an achievement few authors can claim. J.A. Jance is an especially talented story-teller. Her ability to keep characters relevant and "real" even through the changing mores of the times is remarkable. She peppered the novel with incidents where Beau had to react to situations that were certainly out of his comfort zone, and he did so with humility and compassion. Beau is one of those great characters that you feel you could sit down and have a really interesting conversation with.
In the end, I think that Beau has proof of life after retirement and I hope there will be more to his story.
Clawback by J.A. Jance / Review by Laura Stewart Schmidt
Book of the Day
*This review is a re-post from this summer. Look for the review of her new novel, Proof of Life, tomorrow!
Falling victim to a Ponzi scheme and losing everything you’ve worked for all your life is a terrifying prospect. In J.A. Jance’s latest Ali Reynolds book, Clawback (Touchstone), Ali’s elderly father learns his good friend’s investment company has been shut down by the SEC and all assets seized for distribution to creditors. Bob Larson and his wife have just lost their entire life savings with no hope of recouping anything. When Bob decides to confront his friend, he walks in on a double homicide and quickly becomes the number one suspect in the murders. Ali learns of his plight and resolves to not only clear her father’s name but recover some of the stolen and missing funds.
Clawback is told from several points of view, each with a stake in the mystery—the bad guys who are trying to flee with the funds, the loyal employee who hopes to salvage the firm’s and her own reputation, and of course, Ali and her parents. There are minor points that stretch the bounds of believability. After Bob is cuffed and taken to the police station, rather than ask for a lawyer, he twice volunteers the story of how he found the bodies. This seems so naïve as to be almost manipulative. The detective who orders him not to leave town has been watching too many Perry Mason reruns—the police have no authority to regulate the movements of someone who is not under arrest or in custody, and at that point, Bob is a free man.
But as usual, Jance does enough well that the reader will overlook these small glitches. The Larsons’ plight is compelling and frightening. America is not a country where being elderly and destitute is a desirable situation, and the Larsons’ refusal to wallow in their misfortune makes it easy to root for them. High Noon Enterprises, Ali’s firm, is staffed with computer experts the rest of us can only sit in awe of, but what will ultimately crack this case is good old-fashioned brains and legwork.
The Ali Reynolds series is one of three in Jance’s repertoire. Like Jance’s J.P. Beaumont, Ali has enough money to do the things she needs to do and remains likable and relatable. If a reader happens to pick up a random book rather than follow the series chronologically, Jance does an excellent job bringing together characters from previous books without spoiling the rest of the series. If Clawback is your first Ali Reynolds book, it probably won’t be your last.
Laura Stewart Schmidt: A lifelong reader and writer, inspired as a child by Harriet the Spy and Emily of New Moon. She minored in criminal justice in the hope that it would make her a more effective and knowledgeable mystery writer. Her Young Adult novel, Sweeter Than Life, was published by Martin Sisters Publishing in 2015. She has spent several years working as a community education coordinator, encouraging parents to read to their preschoolers and starting reading clubs for middle-school students. She also worked as a family court advocate for at-risk youth and parents suffering from substance addiction. Laura is also a member of Sisters in Crime and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Origin by Dan Brown / Review by E.J. Boyd
Book of the Day
Everyone’s favorite unintentional sleuth is back! Witness to the murder of a former student and good friend, Robert Langdon finds himself once again in a mad dash, against impossible odds and a ticking time clock, to solve the code, save the girl and … well, not save the world this time. Actually, what he is trying to find out just might devastate the world. But, the truth will out – and with the entire world watching there is not a moment to lose.
Dan Brown’s style is as recognizable as the works of the artists in his books. One may be able to recognize the art of Bernini, Da Vinci, Dante or Gaudé by their signature style, but that does not diminish their work. The details are what make each piece sui generis. Origin has all of the classic elements of a great Langdon novel – a race against time, a beautiful (but unavailable) woman, an unknown mastermind, a zealot, a pawn , a wealthy/powerful friend, his Mickey Mouse wristwatch, the pivotal moment where some element of his swimming prowess saves him from disaster, the works of a famous artist, and the puzzle. But, it is the details that Brown weaves so eloquently into the story that really draws the reader in.
Where do we come from? Where are we going? These are the two questions mankind has tried to answer since time began. Every culture has its own genesis and apocalypse story. The religions of the world are based on these stories. But science has failed to find a definitive answer – until now. Billionaire, futurist, former student and dear friend of Robert Langdon—Edward Kirsch, has found the answers and despite the havoc, his revelation may cause, he is about to share his discovery live and on camera with the whole world. The story begins in Spain at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao where Kirsch and museum director Ambra Vidal have spent weeks planning the event at which he will launch his presentation. SPOILER ALERT! At the penultimate moment, Kirsch is murdered. To solve the murder of his friend and carry out his last wish to share his discovery, Langdon and Ambre Vidal must discover the 47 character password that will launch the presentation. They know the password is a line from Kirsch's favorite poet. But they do not know who that poet is or which poem it might be from. Help comes in the form of Winston, an incredible interactive computer program developed by Kirsch.
Religion versus science, tradition versus innovation, love versus obligation—Origin touches on many of the theological, political, and social arguments currently fueling debates around the world. Readers that are open to such debates will enjoy this book immensely. As always, Dan Brown’s books are well researched and loaded with so many factoids that one must read them at least twice to catch them all. Alas, the burdens we must bear…
The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz / Review by Liz Gatterer
The Silent Corner
By Dean Koontz
Bantam Books
$28.00
ISBN 978-0345545992
Published June 20, 2017
Book of the Day
The Silent Corner
Review by Liz Gatterer
The Silent Corner is the first in the thrilling new series by Dean Koontz. Touching and terrifying, it is the story Jane Hawk, a young widow that will not accept that her husband committed suicide, even though she was the one to discover his body. The man she loved would never abandon her or their son—never. And she will risk everything prove it.
As a trained FBI agent, Jane Hawk has the resources and training needed to thoroughly investigate her husband's death. She sells her house and her car, cashes out her bank accounts and secrets away her son. She buys a car that has been illegally modified to be untrackable by GPS. She buys disposable cell phones and acquires fake identification. She steps into the silent corner - a place where she should be invisible to all of the tracking capabilities of modern society. Step by step she follows a trail that may give her answers—or may take her life...
Fans of Dean Koontz will understand that he has two types of "scary stories". On one side you have books like Ticktock, Odd Thomas, or Ashley Bell—tales that have a touch of the paranormal. They are fun and they will get your heart racing, but, they are not terrifying. Voo-doo dolls, Elvis' Ghost or using "Scrabble-mancy" to devine the future isn't "real". We are protected by the bubble of suspended disbelief. Then, there are the books that could very well be real. For me, these are by far the scarier of the two. That is the kind of book The Silent Corner is. This could really happen. Many of the things that Jane Hawk discovers—are really happening! I now fear of all the tech in my life.
The Silent Corner is very well written. The characters are very well developed with detailed backstories that support their abilities and personalities. Even the minor characters are well defined and their roles are clear. This is where Koontz really shines. He paints with a very fine brush. But, he is never course. Although his stories have a sharp edge, the language and sexual content are more implied than stated. And, of course, there are plenty of dog references. The man does love his Goldens!
The second book in the Jane Hawk Series, The Whispering Room will be released 11/7/2017. Look for that review soon!
Coyote Zone by Kathryn Lane / Review by Robert Selby
Coyote Zone
Kathryn Lane
Pen-L Publishing
$16.99
ISBN 978-1683131083
Published September 27, 2017
Book of the Day
Coyote Zone is the thrilling new installment in the Nikki Garcia series by Kathryn Lane. Once again, Lane takes her readers to exotic locales with glutinous helpings of adventure and intrigue. The heroine, Nikki Garcia is drawn back into threatening circumstances when her client's daughter, kidnapped from the local food court by a Mexican coyote, sends her into undercover work that threatens her life and those of the young victims she needs to rescue.
The setting, as with all of Ms. Lane’s thrillers, is a big part of the story. San Miguel Allende is the historical town in Mexico where the drama begins. As the story unfolded, it was entertaining to recognize how many similar characteristics Ms. Garcia has with internationally renowned author Isabel Allende; whose last name is attached to the town where this story originates by way of her infamous uncle.
Ms. Lane is a master at pacing the “thrill”. She sets the emotional hook the moment the little girl is abducted. The pace intensifies to such heart-stopping degree that it is almost hard to read more—yet, it is impossible to put down. Following the strange turns of events that seem to overshadow every step forward with head shaking steps back, it seems the drama has run it's course, as the young kidnap victim has been returned to her mother. However, by the number of pages left to read, it's obvious that there's a quarter of the story yet untold. It's a rare drama that can successfully take a reader on a roller-coaster ride to a climax, only to realize that it's premature and still lead to an exciting and satisfying end. But when Nikki goes undercover to be taken by the coyote and his small band of kidnappers and killers the adventure begins again.
The first book in this series, Waking Up in Medellin, won the 2017 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Book of the Year Award. Coyote Zone is the perfect sequel. It is a well-written and suspenseful tale that all thrill-seeking readers of adventures will enjoy. We look forward to more Nikki Garcia adventures in the future.
Robert Selby is a screenplay writer, book reviewer, and volunteer at Killer Nashville
Waking Up In Medellin by Kathryn Lane / Review by Robert Selby
Book of the Day
Waking Up in Medellin, by Kathryn Lane, is as hard to put down as an unscratched lottery ticket. With each chapter, the reader is more thoroughly invested than they were at the end of the previous chapter. Nikki Garcia is the accountant version of James, James Bond, and she is sent by her multinational company boss to discern whether reports of financial dirty dealings are true. The antagonist in her story, Señor Manuel, is a bad, bad man, made even worse because he’s filthy rich and blatantly self-important. Even as the story unfolds, the reader, knowing who the bad guy is, is still carried on a roller-coaster of emotional adventure.
Rarely have I read a book that made it hard to even take bathroom breaks. Each time I tell myself to stop at the end of the chapter being read…impossible, the next chapter (and the next, and the next) are a siren’s call. That this author pretty much tells us who the bad guy is from the very beginning seems to make the build-up and plethora of surprises that much more titillating trying to guess how something so obvious could insert such suspense. There is more suspense and romance in this story than a normal helping, in fact, even the romance in this story is filled with suspense.
Our heroine flies from her US corporate office to Medellin, Columbia to ascertain if the president of a major steel production company is guilty of embezzlement. Her financial forensic skills and tenacity are apparent as she bulldogs her way to finding the financial evidence she is after. Unfortunately, people begin to die as a result of these same skills, which gradually brings her closer to meeting the same fate. As much as there is a desire to see where her talents will take her, there is a growing desire to see her back away and leave before she becomes one more victim.
The story has many strong characters and the supporting cast is a necessary part of the story, however, through-out it really comes down to the two main characters, Nikki and her Doctor. There are so many good guys, bad guys, and many that can go either way that the story moves at lighten speed toward an explosive finish. Ironically, encapsulated within the story, are tidbits of fact and interest that are stories within the story and amazingly they add more spice than seems possible, almost as a breather from the ever-building suspense. Grisham comes to mind, a great story accompanied by teaching another culture, as a comparison to this tale.
I would invite every reader of this genre to read the first chapter, but only when there’s time to read the story in its entirety because there is no stopping once you start. It is guaranteed that in addition to a very provocative story, every reader will know more about our first president, and his brother Larry than they knew previously. That nugget alone is worth the price of admission.
This review is reprinted from July 2017
Robert Selby is a screenplay writer, book reviewer, and volunteer at Killer Nashville
Unholy City by Carrie Smith / Review by Sheila Sobel
Unholy City
By Carrie Smith
Crooked Lane Books
$27.99
ISBN 978-1683313298
Published November 7, 2017
Book of the Day
Secrets, lies, and motives abound in the third book in Carrie Smith’s Claire Codella Mystery series, Unholy City. Three bodies and a plethora of suspects bring Detective Claire Codella, Detective Brian Haggerty, and Detective Eduardo Muñoz back together again. The rector, the vestry members, the organist and the homeless men living in the church basement shelter find their lives under the microscopic lens of Detective Claire Codella in this fast-paced mystery set in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Still struggling with post-cancer perceptions of the fragile female and anxious to get back on top of her career, Claire inadvertently snatches the investigative lead on the murder of senior churchwarden Philip Graves from Detective Brian Haggerty, creating tension in both their professional and romantic relationships. As the story unfolds and the body count rises, the lives of the prime suspects unravel and long-standing church associations splinter.
Once again, Carrie Smith deftly weaves common issues which face women in the workplace together with an exciting who-dun-it.
For fans of Silent City and Forgotten City, books one and two in A Claire CodellaMystery series, Unholy City is a must-read. If one is new to the series, Unholy Cityquickly educates the reader to recurring characters. A good standalone, a terrific series.
Sheila Sobel’s debut novel Color Blind was the winner of the 2017 Killer Nashville Reader's Choice Award for Best Tween/YA Fiction and Finalist for the 2017 Silver Falchion Award for Best YA Fiction. She was also nominated for the 2016 Allegra Johnson Prize in Novel Writing through the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program.
As a Senior Auditor for Warner Bros., Sheila oversaw production costs for films including “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” the “Matrix” trilogy, “The Dark Knight” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” After working on 70+ Independent and Studio movies, Sheila stepped away from the film business to complete her first YA novel.
Sheila is a member of International Thriller Writers (ITW), Sisters in Crime (SinC), Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), Children’s Book Writers-LA (CBW-LA) and Women in Film (WIF). She lives in Southern California with her husband, two rescue dogs and one rescue cat.
A Season to Lie by Emily Littlejohn / Review by Sharon Marchisello
A Season to Lie
by Emily Littlejohn
Minotaur Books
$25.99
ISBN 978-1250089410
Published November 14, 2017
Book of the Day
A Season to Lie, Minotaur Books, is the sequel to Emily Littlejohn's compelling debut novel, Inherit the Bones, which was a Killer Nashville Silver Falchion nominee.
The story opens when Detective Gemma Moore returns from maternity leave, trying to ease back into the job on a part-time basis. On her first night, she and her partner Finn are assigned to investigate a prowler reported at the Valley Academy, a prestigious private school. Instead, they discover the stabbed body of a world-famous author who had been masquerading as a visiting professor at the school. In the victim's mouth, they find a cryptic note, "This is only the beginning."
Suspects abound. Teachers, staff, and students are caught in lies. There are reports of a mysterious "Rabbit Man" lurking in the forest surrounding the school. A faceless bully known as Grimm has been terrorizing the students, and everyone wonders if Grimm could be the murderer—or maybe even the victim. And then there's a second murder.
Alistair Campbell, a shady developer who recently came to town with a crew of ex-convicts, begins stalking Gemma's family. Alistair tempts Brody, the father of Gemma's baby daughter, with a lucrative offer to go on the road with him and forsake his promise to be a stay-at-home dad while writing a grant-funded geology textbook.
Although Brody and Gemma are living together and raising their daughter as a family unit, Gemma still can't bring herself to tie the knot. She harbors unresolved feelings of betrayal from an affair Brody had with a co-worker, even though he has assured her it is over for good. In the last book, Gemma resented being paired with Detective Finn, whom she found uncouth and a bit unethical, but in this book, their partnership is blossoming into one of mutual trust and respect, with their diverse strengths complementing each other to solve crimes. I predict romantic sparks in future installments; after all, opposites attract.
A Season to Lie, full of twists and turns, will keep the reader guessing until the end. Emily Littlejohn, a California native who has made her home in Colorado, writes so beautifully about the gorgeous ski-town setting that you can see the majestic Rocky mountains, smell the snow-covered evergreens, and feel the bitter winter cold as you immerse yourself in Gemma's story.
Sharon Marchisello is the author of Going Home, (Sunbury Press, 2014) a murder mystery inspired by her mother's battle with Alzheimer's. She earned 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, does volunteer work for the Fayette Humane Society, and writes a personal finance blog, Countdown to Financial Fitness.
Inherit the Bones by Emily Littlejohn / Review by Sharon Marchisello
Inherit the Bones
By Emily Littlejohn
Minotaur Books
$25.99
ISBN 978-1250089397
Published January 1, 2017
Book of the Day
Inherit the Bones, published in 2016 by Minotaur Books, is a compelling, beautifully written debut novel by Emily Littlejohn. It was also a 2017 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion nominee.
The story screams for a hard-boiled detective, but playing against the stereotype, the protagonist is female, six months pregnant, and conflicted about whether she can trust her baby's father enough to marry him. While Brody is away on an extended business trip, Detective Gemma Monroe is tasked with investigating the murder of a clown from a traveling circus. The young man's throat has been torn open in a jagged wound.
Shortly after the medical examiner performs an autopsy and runs the clown's fingerprints, she reveals to Gemma the identity of the victim: Nicky Bellington, son of the town's mayor, who supposedly fell over a cliff to his death three years ago. (The body was never found.) Gemma must visit the town's most prominent family and inform Nicky's parents, aunt, grandfather, and twin sister Annika that their loved one survived the fall, let everyone believe he was dead for three years, and then came back to town under a false identity, only to be murdered.
Cedar Valley, a small tourist town in the Colorado Rockies, sees very little crime. But its citizens are still haunted by an unsolved mystery from 1985 when two young boys went missing. Although the boys disappeared before Gemma was born, she feels a special connection to the case, because in 2011, while hiking with Brody, she found a skull. The case was reclassified from a disappearance to a murder, and old wounds reopened. Despite exhaustive investigation and attempts to connect the boys' deaths to the murder of a young woman who was found floating in the river shortly after their disappearance, both crimes remain unsolved and most likely unrelated. The boys' killer has been nicknamed "The Woodsman."
But now that Nicky Bellington has been murdered, Gemma starts to uncover clues that may connect his death to the older unsolved crimes. If only she and her fellow police officers can stay alive and out of danger long enough to put all the puzzle pieces together...
Inherit the Bones, is a fast-paced mystery with strong characters and a surprise ending. Emily Littlejohn, originally from Southern California, now lives in Colorado, which obviously inspired the dramatic setting. Look for Sharon's review of the second novel in the Gemma Monroe series, A Season to Lie (November 14, 2017), tomorrow!
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.
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