The Eighth Detective is a clever thinking-man’s thriller that uses golden-age mystery tropes in an imaginative way. It’s a modern homage to the genre. And, surprisingly, a debut! It’s 1930 in Spain. Megan, Henry and Bunny meet to discuss their old Oxford school days. Bunny says, “The three of usContinue Reading
Armchair detectives, rejoice! The Honjin Murders has an ingenious puzzle to solve with fair clues and sneaky red herrings aplenty. “A locked room murder, a red ochre-painted room and the sound of the koto…” The Honjin Murders is the first (of 77!) in a famous series of Japanese detective novels.Continue Reading
His & Hers is a true cat and mouse story. Or maybe cat among the pigeons is a better analogy. It is my favorite book so far this year for its completely original story and especially for its many twists and turns in the plot. For two years, Anna AndrewsContinue Reading
Roxane Weary is the bisexual private investigator in Once You Go This Far, the fourth book in this noir series. Roxane has family drama, relationship issues, and now a suspicious death to investigate. While waiting for her brother to join her on a hike, she hears a woman, Rebecca, fallContinue Reading
My Review of ROAD SEVEN by Keith Rosson “It was a help wanted ad from a monster hunter.” Who doesn’t sometimes dream of dropping their real life on its head and scooting off to parts unknown? Brian, the perpetual and soon-to-be ex-Ph.D. candidate who lives with vicious headaches and writer’sContinue Reading
Life. It’s complicated. On her fortieth birthday, Livia has a secret—maybe more than one—to share at her birthday party. What is The Dilemma that has Livia so frazzled? Adam and Livia are dating the summer between high school and college when Livia ends up pregnant. Livia’s parents disown her endingContinue Reading
Kate’s brother, Frank, has separated from his spouse, Gary, and needs a house sitter. His house is in the eco-exclusive town of Greenloop in Washington state. Kate is an over-scheduled LA CPA who is married to the consistently unemployed Dan. She believes house sitting will be a way to relaxContinue Reading
The Face of Struggle is an excellent example of how art alone can tell a story. There are no words—only pictures explaining the tale. The pictures are drawn like woodcuts. They use only black, red and negative white space to show the plot. And what a timely storyline! Trump supportersContinue Reading
Six Word Wonder is a book for people with little time to read and/or short attention spans. Only one person ahead of you in the grocery store line? You still have time to read one or two of these concise little stories. I have to admit I was skeptical. HowContinue Reading
My Review Can words jinx someone? In Booked for Death, B&B owner Charlotte is hosting a Josephine Tey book week with War of the Roses-themed events. When a guest named Lincoln, insinuates Isabella, the founder of the B&B, came about her wealth in a shady way, Charlotte states, “The lastContinue Reading
Final Cuts is an anthology of eighteen “all new dark and strange fiction inspired by cinema and television.” As with all anthologies, the stories vary in skill-level. However, these tales also swing wildly in genre. All have horror settings or themes. But some are also thrillers, fantasy, and romances. MyContinue Reading
A book club’s evening is shattered when one member is found strangled on the study floor. The motive evolves into the Study of Secrets of the remaining three members of the club. Good thing that the college professor, intrepid researcher and part-time sleuth, Lila, is on the scene. Lila isContinue Reading
Well-researched scientific, but without science jargon, study on how COVID-19 started, what warnings were ignored, and how we can do better in the future. Because, unfortunately, there are more pandemics in humanity’s future. Questions and Answers from the Book When did Chinese scientists first talk online about the mysterious pneumoniaContinue Reading
“You’re not going to believe this, but I found another dead body.”—from Marshmallow Malice, the fifth entry in excellent Amish Candy Shop Mystery series. Bailey is a busy woman. She is the co-owner, with her Amish grandmother, of Swissmen Sweets in rural Harvest, Ohio. Bailey is also the host ofContinue Reading
Something evil lurks inside a Long Beach warehouse in A Walk Through Hell. Two FBI agents, Goss and Hunzikker, walk into a warehouse never to return. An eight-person SWAT team is sent in to find the missing agents. Thirty seconds later, they come out talking of dread and someone comingContinue Reading
Anything, like Shakespeare for Squirrels, that makes me laugh out loud this much in these troubling times deserves 5 stars! Oh, dang, I’ve spoiled the ending! Meet Pocket of Dog Snogging upon Ouze, all-licensed fool to kings etc. He and the large ninny Drool are set adrift by pirates withContinue Reading