KN Magazine: Reviews
Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly/Review by Joy Gorence
Dark Sacred Night
By Michael Connelly
Grand Central Publishing
$16.99
ISBN 978-1538731758
Publication Date: April 30, 2019
Book of the Day
Michael Connelly once again has created a riveting, suspenseful novel, Dark Sacred Night. This time, Detective Renee Ballard of the Hollywood Division is called to the scene of a grisly murder at the beginning of her watch. With few clues that would indicate foul play, she heads back to the office only to find Harry Bosch looking through a file cabinet labeled “Detective Cesar Rivera: Hollywood Sex Crimes Unit.” Although Bosch, who does work for the San Fernando PD, has retired, he has promised to look into a decade’s old case of a murdered young girl, Daisy Clayton. It is more than a favor for her mother, Elizabeth. Bosch finally levels with Ballard and explains what case he is investigating. Bosch is drawn to solving this case for personal reasons.
Bosch and Ballard have a penchant for discovering the truth. Consummate detectives, they have a common interest, making justice prevail. The reader soon discovers that their experiences have a thin thread of commonality. When Ballard offers her help to Bosch, he is guarded. They eventually join forces and build a trusting relationship. Connelly creates subplots as Ballard and Bosch work on their independent cases. They each allocate times to work and share information on their “off-time” to bring justice for the murder of Daisy. Their work together heightens the intrigue as they become embroiled in uncovering the truth.
Michael Connelly weaves the narrations of the Bosch and Ballard, which enhances the pace of discovery for the reader. He has joined two outstanding detectives in a case that will leave the reader wanting this dynamic duo to solve more than this one mystery.
Joy Gorence is new to Killer Nashville. She is an author, world-traveler, English professor (ret.), and avid reader. Originally from Long Island, NY she now lives in South Florida with her husband, Bill and their two pampered kitties.
Beyond the Truth by Bruce Robert Coffin/Review by Jim Biggs
Beyond the Truth
By Bruce Robert Coffin
Witness Impulse
$11.99
ISBN 978-0062569530
Publication Date: October 2018
2019 Silver Falchion Winner
Best Procedural
Bruce Robert Coffin's third installment in the Detective Byron Mysteries series, Beyond the Truth is an excellent read. It is a realistic and well researched example of a police procedural. I've not worn a badge myself, but I know plenty that have and believe that this series is about as authentic as it gets.
Detective John Byron of the Portland, Maine police department is called out to investigate a "police-involved shooting". Officer Sean Haggerty, a School Resource Officer for Portland High School was picking up an overtime shift when the call came in about an armed robbery at a local laundromat that was close to his location. He responded, observed two figures running away from the area and pursed them. One of the individuals got away, the other shot at Haggerty who returned fire. Haggerty was unharmed, but the assailant was dead. There was no gun found at the scene, nor bullet casing. It seemed that Haggerty had shot an unarmed man. A man that turned out to be the local high schools top basket star and only 17 years old. But there is much more to the story than what the initial facts reveal.
It's not easy tackling such a tough subject as this, but Coffin did - and did it well. His characters are not perfect people - not the officers, the investigators, the perpetrators, or their parents and Coffin portrays them as they are - warts and all. He doesn't let any of his characters off easy and I admire him for that. His writing style is as detailed and honest as he portrays Detective Byron to be. The subplots are interesting and provide a little relief from the gravity of the main story while not slowing down the pace of the novel. All in all, this is a fine example of what a police procedural should be and I enjoyed it enough to go back and get the first and second novels.
I commend Coffin's willingness to tackle such a timely and divisive topic as this and to write it in such a way that is fair to both sides of the political issue.
Silent Rage by D.E. Funk / Review by Gary Frazier
Silent Rage
By D.E. Funk
Independently Published
$9.99
ISBN 978-1728758923
Publication Date: November 2018
2019 Silver Falchion Winner
Best Suspense
There’s a silent rage brewing inside young Russell Thomas. Bullied, abused, and neglected, both at home and at school, Russell increasingly desires to escape his sorrowful life the only way he knows how: by lashing out at his tormentors. The only question is, can anyone stop his rage before it’s too late?
Libby Teach, herself a survivor of an attempted killer as a young child, is seemingly the only one to recognize the signs in Russell, due in part to her studies in psychology and criminology. But will anyone listen? Will anyone help?
Author D.E. Funk lays out the moral dilemma for her main characters in convincing fashion in her new novel, Silent Rage, won the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Suspense.
Funk, who has graduate degrees in criminal justice and social studies, puts both areas of expertise to good use in Silent Rage, as she capably crafts Russell’s home life: His mother was raped by a serial killer, she’s addicted to drugs, sells herself for sex to help make ends meet, and lives with an abusive boyfriend, Wayne Jetsoe, in a dilapidated, drug-infested trailer park. With odds like those, is it any wonder Russell is so ostracized by his childhood peers and so full of pent-up anger?
Libby’s efforts to intervene on his behalf – both through her police officer boyfriend and in her capacity as his teacher – largely fall on deaf ears. Despite her best efforts, it isn’t long before the killing starts.
While Funk allows her story to fall into some rabbit holes, her realistic portrayal of hardships and circumstances beyond the control of her characters keeps the overall novel grounded. Silent Rage is gripping, bleak, depressing, and, above all, an unforgettable read.
Robert Frazier is a former newspaper reporter and editor. He reviews books for Killer Nashville, BookPage, and his blog. 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.
Fistful of Rain by Baron R. Birtcher/Review by R.G. Belsky
Fistful of Rain
By Baron R. Birtcher
Permanent Press
$29.95
ISBN 978-1579625184
Publication Date: April 2018
2019 Silver Falchion Winner
Book of the Year
Best Action-Adventure
Readers' Choice
I loved Baron R. Birtcher's last book South California Purples, and I've been eagerly waiting for this new one to come out. Wow, I sure wasn't disappointed!
Fistful of Rain is a sequel that picks up with the story of cattle rancher/law enforcement officer Ty Dawson. It's set in 1975, which allows Birtcher to eloquently write about a small town in the West dealing with the aftermath of the chaotic '60s - while at the same time coming to grips with new political issues like Watergate and the end of the Vietnam war.
A seemingly small crime of livestock theft in the area quickly turns into arson and then multiple murders. The violence pits town residents against a mysterious "hippie" commune living on the land there - with Dawson in the middle.
Ty Dawson himself is a fascinating character. A tough lawman (I'd describe him as sort of a cross between Longmire and Matt Dillon) who loves his ranch and his family and always tries to do the right thing in the turbulent world around him.
The story is incredibly compelling too. Lots of twists and turns that stretch back over years, then a mind-blowing ending that puts everything into place.
This is a terrific new book by a terrific writer. Highly recommended!
R.G. Belsky is a journalist and crime fiction author. His newest book BELOW THE FOLD - second in a series,s was published on May 7. Belsky has worked as a top editor at the New York Post, the New York Daily News, Star magazine and NBC News. He has also published 12 mystery novels. Belsky won the Claymore Award at Killer Nashville in 2016. He has finished as a Finalist for both the Silver Falchion and David Awards. And his first Clare Carlson book, YESTERDAY’S NEWS, was named Outstanding Crime/News Based Novel by Just Reviews in 2018 and was also a Finalist for Best Mystery of 2018 in the Foreward/INDIE Awards.
Treachery in Tuscany by Phyllis Gobbell/Review by Joy Gorence
Treachery in Tuscany
By Phyllis Gobbell
Encircle Publications, LLC
$16.99
ISBN 978-1893035973
Publication Date: January 2018
2019 Silver Falchion Winner
Best Cozy
Treachery in Tuscany by Phyllis C. Gobbell captures the essence of Florence and the countryside, which helps to enhance the plot and its subplots. The description “south of the Arno River” (pg. 8) effortlessly transports the reader to the “piazzas dominated by the magnificent churches, Santa Croce and Santa Maria Novella, the Piazza della Signoria with its old Town Hall, and the Medici family’s palace…” (pg.10). Even the lines for the tour and the climbing of the stairs of the Duomo are essential for evoking a taste of the city of Florence. However, it is the last statement, “And that was how I would think of Sophia Costa—Sophie—even when nightmares blurred my memories” (pg.4) that ends the first chapter and entices the reader to continue. Ms. Gobbell keeps one riveted to uncovering the mystery of Sophia’s murder and her connection with the other characters in the book. The narrative’s steady pace builds tension in the plots and subplots.
By placing her characters within the confines of a city draped in historic mystery and intrigue juxtaposed with the essence of the nearby countryside struggling to maintain its identity, the undercurrents of betrayal and duplicity become pronounced. The innocent in these situations become the victims of the deceitful. In Treachery in Tuscany, the fragmentation of relationships becomes evident for all characters involved, which keeps the reader captivated while the setting provides a solid framework for the novel.
The two fragmented sentences that introduce the novel convey Jordon’s emotional reaction to the events she describes to the reader. The realization of finding oneself in another country that one has visited, even briefly, is like greeting an old friend after many years of separation. The excitement and the realization of Jordon’s journey speaks to the audience as her relationships develop through the pages. Her reaction to Sophia, a young girl, who becomes entwined in the mystery, portrays Jordon as a caring mother. Her relationship with her uncle, Alex, also reflects her commitment to family ties, as does her shock in leaning of the conceit of Raffaele, a member of the Moretti family. Her meaningful relationships with other characters are built upon solid foundations. At times, however, her relationship with Paul, her love interest, does present moments of tension that help to move toward a climax in the novel.
Her nemesis in the novel, Bella, is the catalyst for Jordon and Paul’s misunderstandings, which leave the tenacious Jordon at a crossroad in her relationship with Paul. By the end of the novel, however, conflicts are resolved, and Florence, once again holds memories that may propel her to the next encounter.
Joy Gorence is new to Killer Nashville. She is an author, world-traveler, English professor (ret.), and avid reader. Originally from Long Island, NY she now lives in South Florida with her husband, Bill and their two pampered kitties.
A Knife in the Fog by Bradley Harper / Review by Emma Reed
A Knife in the Fog
By Bradley Harper
Seventh Street Books
$15.95
ISBN 978-1633884861
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
2019 Silver Falchion Winner
Best Mystery
A Knife in the Fog is a wonderful read. Not normally a fan of the “Sherlock Holmes” genre, I have passed on reading many such novels, but this one was different. It is written from the point of view of young (29 years old) Arthur Conan Doyle as he assists the London police as a “consultant” investigating the notorious Jack the Ripper. He is joined in his investigations by Professor Joseph Bell, Doyle’s real-life inspiration for the Sherlock Holmes character and an amazing (albeit fictional) Miss Margaret Harkness. What I enjoyed most about this novel was that it was not a Sherlock Holmes inspired story, but a story about events that could have inspired Doyle to write Sherlock Holmes. Fact and fiction are wonderfully blended together.
Writing Historical Fiction is challenging – especially when there are readers, like myself, out there that have to fact check everything, but also when you decide to start with such famous and infamous characters as Arthur Conan Doyle and Jack the Ripper. Bradly Harper’s research is spot on. I could find no fault with what he presented as “facts”. It is his ability to use those facts that made the plausibility of the novel very interesting to me. I believe this story could have happened. The truly fictional characters, like Mis Margaret Harkness, were just as believable and fully developed as the factual characters. The qualities they bring to the story seasoned the tale to perfection.
I really enjoyed that Harper did not try to make Doyle more than he was. There were qualities of Doyle’s character that I found disappointing, but real people are disappointing sometimes. Perhaps it is our warts that make us the most interesting.
Better Days by Len Joy/Review by Kathryn Lane
Treachery in Tuscany
By Len Joy
Independently Published
$9.99
ISBN 978-1717911421
Publication Date: September 2018
2019 Silver Falchion Candidate
BOOK OF THE DAY
Better Days by Len Joy, peppered with humor, is an exciting and entertaining novel. The lead character Darwin Burr, a legendary high-school basketball champion, indirectly reminds me of Rick Blaine in Casablanca in the sense that both men are the epitome of the anti-hero. Darwin avoids taking responsibility for anything beyond his cushy job and family life. That’s where the comparison to Casablanca ends.
Darwin is married to a woman who chides him about his inherent laziness. Manager of an auto parts distribution center and working for his best friend, Darwin’s primary responsibility is pairing up as golf partner with his flamboyant, wheeler-dealer boss – Billy Rourke. Executives of auto parts companies entertain Billy lavishly, and Billy always brings Darwin along, adding stress to Darwin’s marriage. The two men have been friends since their high school days.
Darwin’s wife, Daina, who escaped from Latvia when she was nineteen, expects Dar, as his friends call him, to live the American Dream of getting ahead and making money. Darwin is quite content managing the distribution center and playing golf with Billy.
When it comes to sports, Dar’s heart is in basketball. And it’s Billy’s enthusiastic and charming recounting of the story of Claxton wining the Illinois state basketball championship in ’75 that keeps Dar’s legendary status alive. Billy, in contrast to Dar, is a bigger than life character. Or at least wants to be!
Billy is into everything, including making money on the side. He always counts on his friend and ally Darwin to sign off on the legal documents of his risky deals, a pattern that eventually lands them an FBI investigation.
That’s when Dar’s life begins to unravel. At the same time, he’s asked to step in and help coach his daughter’s varsity basketball team, saving Dar’s sanity from the craziness at work and the FBI probe. But soon complications set in as he falls for the young substitute coach, not much older than his teenage daughter.
Daina, a social worker, contributes her own problems when she brings home a teenage girl from a dysfunctional family who is also the star on the basketball team Dar is coaching. As this young woman walks into the Burr household, so do her problems. By protecting the young woman, Daina’s past emerges, including secrets she has kept hidden from Dar.
A novel with strong characters, each with a unique voice, will captivate you and keep you turning the pages to figure out if Billy is guilty, if Dar is implicated, and what will happen to the Burr family. Will Dar’s anti-hero attitude change him when serious issues arise? Or will he continue down his path of least resistance?
The Hour of Death by Jane Willan/Review by Bill Hopkins
The Hour of Death
By Jane Willan
Crooked Lane
$27.00
ISBN 978-1683317593
Publication Date: October 2018
2019 Silver Falchion Candidate
BOOK OF THE DAY
This is a British village murder mystery. That genre is not as breathless and rapid as a lot of American series, but you have to love this one. The Hour of Death by Jane Willan is the second installment of the series featuring Sister Agatha (a wannabe writer) and Father Selwyn (her confidant). It takes place in Pryderi, Wales and involves the nuns who reside at Gwenafwy Abbey. An unfortunate death takes place in the parish hall. The coppers don’t think it’s a homicide so the scene is swept clean of all forensic evidence. Maybe. Sister Agatha plunges ahead with a murder investigation because she not only wants to be a mystery novelist but also yearns to be a real-life detective.
What I found appealing about this story is the development of characters and the way they behave in the midst of the Welsh countryside side where a nasty old capitalist is determined to destroy a “fairy meadow” and put up cheap houses.
Sister Agatha, with her trusty notebook at the ready, does her best to interrogate people without seeming to be a real detective approaching reluctant suspects. Although I hadn’t read the first in the series, I was able to cobble together the backstory on Sister Agatha. In fact, every page (it seems) reveals some new fact about Sister Agatha or her surroundings. I also appreciate her comments about real-life books she’s reading and about the authors who wrote the books. Add to that, she describes her own book she’s writing and the problems she’s having with her characters in that book. This leads to a bunch of puzzles.
This book made me literally laugh out loud. I’m going back to read the first in the series. I don’t doubt that I’ll be just as entertained by the first as I was the second!
Retired judge Bill Hopkins is from Missouri. His poems, short-stories, non-fiction, and plays have appeared in different venues. Bill is a member of Sisters In Crime, Horror Writers Association, Heartland Writers Guild, and SEMO Writers Guild. He and his wife Sharon Woods Hopkins (also a mystery writer) live in Marble Hill. COURTING MURDER was Bill’s first novel in the Judge Rosswell Carew series. The second novel RIVER MOURN won first place in the Missouri Writers’ Guild Show-Me Best Book Awards in 2014. THE ANGEL SPOKE MURDER, the latest and seventh novel, was published in 2019.
Deadly Relations by P.A. DeVoe/Review by Sharon Hopkins
Deadly Relations
By P.A. DeVoe
Drum Tower Press, LLC
$14.99
ISBN 978-1942667094
Publication Date: February 2018
BOOK OF THE DAY
2019 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Entry
I had never before read any historical mystery set in the Ming Dynasty of China. The premise intrigued me, and I was not disappointed.
Although the story starts a bit slowly, the beginning was a great introduction to the characters. Hong Shu-chang is a young man who has devoted himself to his studies at considerable expense for his parents. His goal is to get a top government position in order to bring status and a secure financial future to his family and his clan. Upon completion of some of his tests, he receives word that his father and uncle have been killed. The killers haven’t been found. This forces Shu-chang to go to his maternal uncle’s home and fulfill the required two years’ mourning with his relative.
While there, he becomes involved in two other murders and becomes friends with a young woman healer named Xiang-hua whose brother is accused of the murders. Together the two set out to clear Xiang-hua’s brother, and find the real killers.
The plot moves at a good pace, and the characters are well developed. The settings were woven in well and it was easy to mentally put myself in this place. I look forward to a sequel that will hopefully pair these two young people together again and perhaps find the thugs who murdered Shu-chang’s father and uncle.
There are many notes in the back of the book on pronunciation, and notes of historical value as to the time in history. I didn’t know that before I read the book, but I didn’t feel like I missed anything. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good story that crosses time and culture.
Sharon Woods Hopkins' mystery series featuring mortgage banker Rhetta McCarter and her '79 Camaro hits close to home. Sharon is a former branch manager for a mortgage office of a Missouri bank. She also owns the original Cami, a restored '79 Camaro like Rhetta's. Sharon's hobbies include painting, fishing, photography, flower gardening, and restoring muscle cars with her son, Jeff. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Guppies, Thriller Writers of America, the Southeast Missouri Writers' Guild, Heartland Writers, and the Missouri Writers' Guild.
The Bad Break by Jill Orr / Review by Sharon Woods Hopkins
The Bad Break
By Jill Orr
Prospect Park Books
$16.00
ISBN 978-1945551208
Publication Date: April 2018
2019 Silver Falchion Candidate
BOOK OF THE DAY
Riley Ellison, an obit-writing, wannabe-full-time-journalist, sleuth solving protagonist, manages to talk her editor into writing Tuttle Corner, Virginia’s biggest crime story, the murder of Doctor Davenport. While detecting and stumbling after leads, Riley tries to untangle herself from an online self-improvement app and the results are both humorous and surprisingly meaningful.
Meanwhile, the mystery of who killed Dr. Davenport moves along with Riley both helping and hindering and getting help from her ex-boyfriend’s pregnant ex-girlfriend, who has moved in next door to Riley. Riley wants to hate her but finds herself captivated by her instead. Her own love life isn’t going so well, and many bumps produce an ending which, as a reader, I hope isn’t the ending. The Bad Break is a great read, a darn good mystery with plenty of humor.
Sharon Woods Hopkins' mystery series featuring mortgage banker Rhetta McCarter and her '79 Camaro hits close to home. Sharon is a former branch manager for a mortgage office of a Missouri bank. She also owns the original Cami, a restored '79 Camaro like Rhetta's. Sharon's hobbies include painting, fishing, photography, flower gardening, and restoring muscle cars with her son, Jeff. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Guppies, Thriller Writers of America, the Southeast Missouri Writers' Guild, Heartland Writers, and the Missouri Writers' Guild.
Deepest Grave by Jeri Westerson / Review by Sharon Marchisello
The Deepest Grave
By Jeri Westerson
Severn House Publishers
$28.99
ISBN 978-0727887948
Publication Date: August 1, 2018
2019 Silver Falchion Candidate
BOOK OF THE DAY
The Deepest Grave, the 11th installment of the Crispin Guest medieval noir mystery series by Jeri Westerson (Severn House) has been nominated for a Silver Falchion award.
Degraded knight Crispin Guest has been banished from the royal court to live with commoners as a tracker, the medieval version of a private investigator. He has an apprentice, Jack Tucker, a reformed cut-purse; Jack and his pregnant wife Isabel live with Crispin.
When the story opens, a local priest, Father Bulthius Braydon of St. Modwen's Church, hires Crispin to investigate terrifying sightings of corpses rising from the graveyard and becoming bloodsuckers. Skeptical, Crispin figures there has to be a logical explanation for the phenomena, but his and Jack's late-night observation trip to the churchyard proves chilling.
The next day, Crispin gets another request for service, from Philippa Walcote, a former lover for whom he still carries a torch. She's married to another man so is totally off-limits. Philippa's seven-year-old son has been accused of murdering a neighbor and stealing the family reliquary, and he risks hanging for the alleged crimes. Philippa implores Crispin to investigate and find evidence of her son's innocence. When he goes to interview Philippa's son, it's like looking in a mirror, and, doing some calculations, Crispin realizes that Philippa's child is also his.
There's a rich back story and history between the characters, but the author skillfully brings a new reader up to speed. The author also does a great job of evoking 14th century London. She provided a glossary at the beginning of the book to explain unusual terminology, but I seldom had to refer to it, as I was usually able to decipher unfamiliar words from their context.
The mystery is cleverly done and the two cases are interwoven. I got the impression that Crispin's character has been somewhat hardened, but in this story, his heart begins opening up.
Jeri Westerson is a native of Los Angeles. In addition to her award-winning medieval noir mysteries, she writes a paranormal romance series. She is active in the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America as well as Sisters in Crime.
Sharon Marchisello (sharonmarchisello.com) is the author of Going Home, (Sunbury Press, 2014) a murder mystery inspired by her mother's battle with Alzheimer's disease, and a nonfiction book about personal finance, Live Well, Grow Wealth. One of her short stories was published in an anthology, Shhhh… Murder! (Darkhouse Books, 2018). 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. Residing in Peachtree City, GA, Sharon does volunteer work for the Fayette Humane Society and the Fayette County Master Gardeners, and she also writes a blog about personal finance, Countdown to Financial Fitness https://sharonmarchisello.blogspot.com/.
Game Piece by Alan Brenham/Review by Jerry Ridger
Game Piece
By Alan Brenham
Black Opal Books
$26.33
ISBN 978-1644370070
Publication Date: October 6, 2018
2019 Silver Falchion Candidate
BOOK OF THE DAY
For many of us, finding a balance between work and home can be difficult. For those in law enforcement seems to be even more difficult and the scale often times tips more toward work. This is true for Detective Barry Marshall of the Temple Police Department in Texas. Marshal is always the last to leave the office. He is driven, conscientious, proud that what he does makes a difference in the world. His wife Erin and their daughter Cailey often take a back seat to “the job” and Erin wants him to make a career change. Just about to head home for the weekend, when the phone rings…
The caller says he has an important lead, and against his better judgment, Marshall sets up a meeting. When he arrives at the proposed meeting place the informant is nowhere to be found – but there are two bodies with their throats cut! And thus, begins a thriller cat-and-mouse chase with the mysterious killer always one step ahead of Marshall. It becomes obvious that this killer knows Marshall and that the goal is to destroy Marshall professionally, personally, and maybe even physically. It is a race to stop this killer and save his family.
Alan Brenham is a former Texas law enforcement officer, a criminal prosecutor, and criminal defense attorney. His real-life experiences are obviously what gives Game Piece its griping level of detail and authenticity. For some authors, making the transition from writing police reports or legal brief to writing engaging fiction can be difficult. But Brenham is a top-notch writer and I truly enjoyed this novel.
Confound It by Maggie Toussaint / Review by Samantha Traci
CONFOUND IT
By Maggie Toussaint
Camel Press
$16.95
ISBN 978-1603815956
Publication Date: June 1, 2018
BOOK OF THE DAY
Killer Nashville 2019 Silver Falchion Nominee
Baxley Powell can’t seem to catch a break. Taking on the otherworldly family business by becoming the county Dreamwalker has presented a fair number of challenges, but lately things have been getting out of hand. Called in to assist the sheriff’s department with the murder investigation of a local drug dealer, Baxley quickly finds herself wrapped up in a mystery involving angry psychics, feuding neighbors and meth-making mothers.
She’s also still dealing with the not-quite-unrequited interest from fellow Dreamwalker Sam Mayes that’s complicated by the fact that her husband is still missing without a trace, all while helping her best friend deal with her own romantic entanglements. And oh yeah - someone might have put a voodoo hex on her. Despite the mounting obstacles, Baxley is determined to see this latest investigation through and find justice for the murdered woman and her orphaned son.
Toussaint’s descriptive writing does a good job of drawing the reader into the rural Georgia setting, and some of the secondary characters really have a “good ol boy” flair that altogether combine for a somewhat humorous and thoroughly southern atmosphere for the Sinclair County resident’s exploits.
Although the story contained more than a few elements of the supernatural, it was easy to suspend disbelief and simply enjoy the adventure. Characters in this universe take such things as Dreamwalking, ghosts and demons as ordinary occurrences, so it was a slightly surreal blend of paranormal problems and the more real-world problems of drugs, single-parent struggles, greed and the violence that accompanies it.
“Confound It” is the fifth book Toussaint’s Dreamwalker series, and as such the reader might feel a little adrift starting with this book. The mystery aspect of the story stands well on its own with a satisfying mix of whodunnit intrigue and a quirky cast of equally suspicious characters; but the steady references to past incidents involving Baxley and her co-horts will definitely make you want to start at the beginning to get the full scoop on the action!
Sam 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!
Gumshoe on the Loose by Rob Leininger / Review by Danny Lindsey
Gumshoe on the Loose
By Rob Leininger
The Mortimer Angel Series (Book 3)
Oceanview Publishing
$26.95
ISBN: 978-1608092741
Coming: April 3, 2018
2019 Silver Falchion Candidate
Book of the Day
I came late to the party. John Leininger’s Gumshoe on the Loose(Oceanview Publishing, 2018) is the third in the Mortimer (Mort, dammit!) Angel series, but my first read. Leininger has managed to drag, infuse and sometimes confuse three – or more – generations of private eye personae into one protagonist, and has updated the expected cast of characters to the 21st century.
Mort and his boss Ma conjure up memories of A. A. Fair’s Bertha Cool and Donald Lam series that were written before Earl Stanley Gardner ‘fessed up about his real name, to include remote motels, Nevada and California desert and beautiful women. Mort himself trends more to Travis Magee, in that he never seems to have a client or sidekick that isn’t a world-stage knockout. Possibly as an olive branch to potential female readers, at least Mort’s women appear to have more brains than he, albeit well hidden by traditional female charms. I mean, how many times does a woman answer her motel room door clad only in bikini panties in real life?
The teen idol rapper Jon-X managed to get himself both shot and left for ransom. Figure that one out. Mort first stumbles, then relies on blind luck while untangling the snarl of gorgeous women, police detectives, sleazy journalist and the like. His Mike Shayne, Mike Hammer personality laced with shades as far back as Johnny Dollar doesn't come into play often, but the long-term PI reader will spot them when they do.
Do the good guys get the girls? Do the bad guys get caught? Who of the two million or so parents would kill a sleaze-ball rapper like Jon-X to keep his or her daughter from running away to become his groupie? Alas, no one knows the answer except John Leininger, and he is apparently delighted to keep the secret well after most of the pages are on the left side of the book’s spine.
Over the top? Yes. Bawdy and rollicking? Oh, yes. Politically correct? Would you really expect that of a hard-boiled PI? Of course not. The girls are too pretty and willing, the desert is too sunny and hot, and the action is not always contained within the plot.
A fun read, and a good one.
Danny Lindsey keeps trying to retire. After a 20-year Army career and a 25-year second one in the private sector, he’s finally settled down. His current gig is as the Veteran Employment Services Manager for a Huntsville, A.L. based non-profit, Still Serving Veterans. Both full careers were characterized by numerous writing assignments, from war plans to operating policies and procedures, then on to white papers, analyses of alternatives and competitive contract and grant proposals. Now his writing consists of blogs for the website www.ssv.org, podcasts for the local NPR affiliate, and a half dozen Pulitzer-worthy, albeit unpublished novels.
Update: Danny won the 2017 Killer Nashville Claymore Award with his manuscript Serial Justice – so he will not be unpublished for long!
Wrecked by Joe Ide/Review by Brad Harper
BOOK OF THE DAY
Killer Nashville 2019 Silver Falchion Nominee
Joe Ide's modern take on Sherlock Holmes in the East LA character of Isiah Quintabe (IQ), and his on-again off-again partner, Dodson, is a roller coaster of a ride from start to finish. This time IQ's client gets him in a no-holds-barred fight with an international "Security" agency with questionable clients, and even more questionable methods.
Ide has the ability to put you on the edge of your seat, and keep you there. I twice had to put the book down and take a break because I was so worried for the heroes. I read the first IQ novel, and was deeply impressed, so was curious to see how they wore with time. His characters do not fade with familiarity, but deepen in personality and insight. I believe this series will have legs for years to come.
No spoilers here, but although the world this modern "Consulting Detective" and his clients inhabit is far from the 221 B Baker Street of Victorian London, the stories are imbued with an intelligence and sense of justice Sir Arthur would recognize right away.
This is the best book I've read this year, and my hat is off to Joe Ide for his fresh take on the fabled detective and his search for justice in an unjust world.
Book of the Just by Dana Chamblee Carpenter / Review by Liz Gatterer
Book of the Just
By Dana Chamblee Carpenter
Pegasus Books
$25.95
ISBN 978-1681778587
Publication Date: October 2018
BOOK OF THE DAY
Killer Nashville 2019 Silver Falchion Nominee
Book of the Just by Dana Chamblee Carpenter is the final book in the Bohemia Trilogy—and it is a wonderful read!
Big news—Mouse has a new baby brother! Unlike most older siblings, Mouse hopes that her father will be so focused on the new addition that he will forget all about her. But, when your father is the Devil you never get what you hope for.
Mouse and Angelo have been hiding with the Martu deep in the Great Sandy Desert of Western Australia. Shut off from the world they have eluded both her father and Angelo’s “father”, the Bishop Sebastian and his Novus Rishi. They have enjoyed being a family and part of a community. The spiritual leader of the Martu, Ngara, knows that Mouse is special. She leads Mouse through a dream that reveals many things, but especially, the location of a “gift” from the Seven Sisters that is waiting for Mouse to find. Angelo pushes Mouse to find the gift. He knows he is Mouse’s greatest weakness. He can see the battle coming and knows that Mouse must learn to control her powers and use every bit of advantage she can find. But Mouse would rather just stay with the Martu and pretend that the outside world just doesn’t exist, her powers don’t exist, and that she and Angelo can just be a happy. But, Heaven and Hell both know that with the right bait every mouse will venture from the safety its hole. Can Mouse escape the traps that are set to snare her this time?
Carpenter has once again woven a wonderful story from the threads of history, mythology, art, fact and fantasy all laced together with emotion—love, hate, faith, betrayal, fear and fortitude. Her ability to create characters that are at once flawed and perfect is a delight to experience. I found myself at times cheering out loud the characters or desperately trying to will not to make the choices that will lead to their downfall. I have cherished each volume in the Bohemian Trilogy and look forward to what Ms. Carpenter will write next.
Liz Gatterer attended Tulane University while living in New Orleans. It was there that she first began working with authors in the printing industry. Originally from Upstate New York, she moved to Nashville with her husband to pursue their careers (his being music). Three (absolutely fabulous) children later, she has returned to the working world in the industry she loves. She currently lives in Spring Hill with said husband and children, dogs, cats, and various other creatures. The necessity of multitasking has led her to an addiction to audio books – but, when able to, she still prefers to curl up with a good book (and a child in her lap).
Bar None by Cathi Stoler/ Review by Joy Gorence
Bar None
By Cathi Stoler
Clay Stafford Books
$16.99
ISBN 978-0978842727
Publication Date: October 16, 2018
BOOK OF THE DAY
Killer Nashville 2019 Silver Falchion Nominee
Events beyond Jude Dillane’s control begin to unfold when Sully, her landlord, asks her to give his key to his fellow worker from the Food Coop. Soon, Jude, a single woman and the part-owner of the Corner Lounge on the Lower East Side, finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. With an evenly-paced narrative, the reader becomes engrossed in the unsettling events that follow. Although the character development leaves some unanswered questions, the setting helps to enhance the mystery that evolves.
Clearly from the opening line, “Somebody had to do it and that somebody was me,” Jude is the narrator and protagonist. In her normal routine of cutting fruit for the drinks that will be needed later, the reader follows Jude as she prepares for the “five to seven Corner Lounge Social Hour.” Her helper and landlord, Sully, arrives late from his volunteer job at the Big City Food Coop. This ex-marine seems to have a special spot in Jude’s life, but the reader never discovers the reason for their closeness. Stoler also never provides the background for Jude’s other relationships beyond cursory descriptions, yet this does not hinder the pacing of the novel or the emotional bond that the reader develops with Jude.
Stoler’s effective use of dialogue moves the plot along from one day to the next. There never seems to be a gap in the setting of the novel. Seamlessly, the background for the mystery is revealed in the conversations between characters as Jude begins to uncover the mystery and get closer to revealing the identity of the murderer. As a true heroine and modern-day woman, Jude seems to be able to balance work, play, and investigation—even if, at a point, she thinks, “Fatigue swooped over me like an eagle zooming in on an unsuspecting field mouse.”
Throughout the novel, Stoler masterfully keeps the reader on the edge of discovery. It is not until the end, however, the reader learns the identity of the murderer—but will it be too late?
In addition to creating a compelling mystery, Stoler has crafted a novel full of good food and drink. She reveals the recipes for some of the menu items offered at the Corner Lounge. A satisfying ending for all.
Joy Gorence is new to Killer Nashville. She is an author, world-traveler, English professor (ret.), and avid reader. Originally from Long Island, NY she now lives in South Florida with her husband, Bill and their two pampered kitties.
Jinx by Ernest Lancaster/Review by Danny Lindsey
BOOK OF THE DAY
Killer Nashville 2019 Silver Falchion Nominee
Ernest Lancaster’s debut novel The Jinx (Fiery Seas Publishing, 2017) is more than just the plot and the characters. It reminds us that there is always more going on with our co-workers, our friends, and even our enemies than we can be aware of. Lancaster peels back more than one layer, character by character, and reveals what each one is, what they are perceived as, and what they want others to think them to be. He gets much closer to portraying our collective nature than most, unusual in a first work.
Memphis is a gritty, little big town. It’s not complicated; blues and barbeque, law and order, pimps and whores coexist there as in any city. Policeman Rick Munro, a fifteen-year-veteran, is a member of the elite TACT, the division made up of snipers and specialists in any type of situation that needs overwhelming force delivered. But Rick has a monkey on his back. Each time he is placed in a new situation, bad things happen – a crash that killed his partner on his first callout, a round that penetrated his targeted victim, passed through a wall and killed a child on another. His personal jinx seemingly won’t be denied.
Lancaster blends Munro’s story with other policemen and -women, both good and bad cops, with politicians, and with pimps and their “merchandise.” He takes us to the limit with all, from whores seeking to leave the life, to cops plotting their own crimes, and to careerists who are willing to further their lot at the expense of peers. He does it by weaving several plot lines into a cohesive story while keeping focused on Munro’s jinx throughout.
Internal strife, the pressure of everyone’s daily lives, and the camaraderie that persists and enables a group to succeed are all explored in a professional manner. Hats off to Ernest Lancaster for the first in what could be good reading for a while.
Danny Lindsey keeps trying to retire. After a 20-year Army career and a 25-year second one in the private sector, he’s finally settled down. His current gig is as the Veteran Employment Services Manager for a Huntsville, A.L. based non-profit, Still Serving Veterans. Both full careers were characterized by numerous writing assignments, from war plans to operating policies and procedures, then on to white papers, analyses of alternatives and competitive contract and grant proposals. Now his writing consists of blogs for the website www.ssv.org, podcasts for the local NPR affiliate, and a half dozen Pulitzer-worthy, albeit unpublished novels.
Update: Danny's 2017 Claymore Award winning manuscript Serial Justice is now available on Amazon!
When Death Imitates Art by P.D. Halt/ Review by Sheila Sobel
When Death Imitates Art
By P.D. Halt
Black Opal Books
$13.49
ISBN 978-1626948877
Publication Date: March 2018
BOOK OF THE DAY
Killer Nashville 2019 Silver Falchion Nominee
Amanda Lee is not having an easy time of it. After giving up her life in the United States for romance and a new life in Germany, everything begins to unravel. When Amanda’s fiancé dumps her, and with her New York life behind her, she forges ahead and creates a new life for herself by partnering with wealthy divorcée, Marlene Eichler, in opening a new art gallery. Just when Amanda is happy again and believes her new life to be firmly established, she is viciously attacked, her gallery partner is brutally murdered and again, her life begins to unravel, only this time, the consequences could be deadly. Not only is Amanda the prime suspect in Marlene’s murder, but she also discovers that she too, is a target. Set in the art world of 1980’s West Germany, P. D. Halt’s debut thriller, When Death Imitates Art, is a fast-paced novel of art, power, murder, and intrigue. P.D. Halt, a native Virginian, and veteran of the advertising world lives in New York and is a member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers.
After thirty-three years and seventy films (including Harry Potter, The Matrix trilogy and Batman, The Dark Knight), Sheila stepped away from the film business to complete her Young Adult novel. Her debut novel Color Blindwon the 2017 Killer Nashville Reader's Choice Award for Best Fiction YA and was a Finalist for the 2017 Silver Falchion Award for Best Fiction YA. Sheila was also nominated for the 2016 Allegra Johnson Prize in Novel Writing through UCLA Extension Writers’ Program.
Sheila is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and Women in Film. She lives in Beverly Hills with her husband, two dogs and a cat. www.sheilasobel.com
A Knife's Edge by Eliot Parker/Review by Jim Reed
A Knife's Edge
By Eliot Parker
Headline Books
$19.95
ISBN 978-1946664426
Publication Date: October 2018
Silver Falchion
BOOK OF THE DAY
A Knife’s Edge by Eliot Parker is a twisted bit of fiction. The sequel to Fragile Brilliance (Roundfire Books 2015), this is not a mystery for the faint of heart – and you will not guess the ending. The Clay Center was twenty years in the making. Completion was only made possible with the generous donation by the BTech company, the savior apparent of economically depressed Charleston, West Virginia. Charleston has been in a downward spiral for a while. The streets are run by gangs and the residents have turned to the absolutely devastating drug Krokodil (Krok). But tonight marks the beginning of a new era – maybe. The drama begins when Sargent Ronan McCullough of the Charleston police department crashes the celebration dinner and reception of a new cancer center at the Clay Center. But he’s not the only one. A car barrels though the windows into the crowded ballroom and chaos ensues. Interestingly, the driver of the van is dead – and was dead before the van crashed the party. In the trunk of the vehicle is the brutally murdered body of Sarah Gilmore, former nurse and current employee at BTech. There is a lot happening in Charleston.
Eliot Parker is a magician at the thriller genre. This is a completely engrossing, high-speed page turner of a book. I truly enjoyed the ride. But, there is more to it than that. Parker has a way of slipping in details quietly that lodge in your subconscious until they assemble into a vivid revelation. He never tells you what is happening. He shows you. Paints the scene and you are right there with the characters experiencing it. That is not an easy trick.
I have not read the first book in the Ronan McCullough series – but it is next on my “to read” list.
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