Reviewed by Vero Caravetta

The Serpent and the Scorpion
Langley-Hawthorne, Clare

Historicals never fail to please, especially one done as well as this. Langley-Hawthorne's second historical featuring heiress Ursula Marlow (after Consequences of Sin ) is an intriguing mix and will hold your attention. Ursula struggles to maintain control of her late father's textile empire and on a business trip to Egypt finds her life complicated by the death of a new friend, the mysterious wife of a wealthy Russian. Then, a fire in one of her factories reveals, among the charred remains of the building, the body of a young woman killed before the fire started. In making sense of these deaths, Ursula faces financial ruin as someone appears determined to put her out of business. To add to her difficulties, her romance with Lord Oliver Wrotham is stalled because of her unwillingness to accept the subservient role of wife demanded by Edwardian society.
This mystery is fun, filled with a good grasp of history, and ends with a cliff-hanger enticing readers on to the next book.

Random Victim
Black, Mike

he murder of Miriam Walker, a judge, had a high profile in the middle of a tough re-election campaign, so the Cook County sheriff assembled a task force including Sergeant Frank Leal to get results. Leal still recovering from the death of his partner and wounds of his own, finds working as part of a team to be tough. Leal isn't even sure he can trust the rest of the team but once on a job, he usually finishes it. A lot of people don't want the case solved including Miriam Walker's husband and the men he hired to kill Miriam. So Leal has his work cut out for him. A police procedural written by an insider is something to look forward to. That's not to say there aren't fine novels of the genre written by non-cops but an insider's work has a sense of familiarity and authenticity that others do not. Mike Black knows the jargon, the internal politics, and the characters. He knows the work inside and out and how an investigation is driven. The players are all familiar to him from criminals to cops, to state officials and everything any of them can do to impede an investigation. Black's experience shows in a way that makes a reader take notice. What's more, his pacing is good; even the dull plodding work of investigating a crime is made palatable. He keeps the book moving and alive with unforgettable characters. The writing is fresh and helps keep the book moving. All in all, this is a police procedural you won't want to miss.

Olive Horseshoe
Small, Ben F.

The book opens with an excessively brutal murder and throws the reader headlong from there into a mystery that takes a lot of twists and turns, uses a number of exotic locales, and ends up with a more or less, if not entirely believable, good ending. Denton Wright, a more than eccentric young billionaire, delves into the reasons behind his father's murder. Arriving home after being completely out of touch with the world, Wright finds that his father has been murdered and that his life (as well as his apartment) has been turned upside down. Discovering that another man was murdered with his father, Wright flies to California to enlist the help of the other victim's daughter. Small does a good job of making the reader feel that she can't trust anyone and along with Wright, is always making sure to look over her shoulder. You'll discover, along with Wright and his team, the reasons behind the murder of his father, and the actual shadowy characters behind it all. The pace is fairly quick and there are quite a lot of interesting characters making it an interesting read.

Cheating Chance
Buchanan, James
MLR Press

Brandon Carr is in the closet and very cozy there. Carr is a vice detective for Riverside Police and knows how to control and sublimate his desires. He's mastered it all, or so he thinks. Then Nevada Gaming Commission Agent, Nick O'Malley, enters his life and makes Brandon 's closet a not very comfortable place. O'Malley is out and comfortable that way. O'Malley also knows that Brandon Carr is what he's been looking for. But knowing and getting there are two different things. Both characters are complicated people and don't make it easy for themselves. Neither does the world they live in. Circumstances don't make it easy and Nick's job gets him into a mess, which Brandon must solve. Murder, drugs, money laundering – it's all in this book. There's a lot of everything is thins book – cops, sex, and mystery. You'll get entangled in this story as surely as the characters get entangled in the sheets. Don't miss out.

The Good Thief
Buchanan, James
MLR Press

Caesar Serrano is unusual, he's a "good" thief. A burglar on the outside and a sensitive guy on the inside. Graduating from little thefts to housebreaking, Caesar finds himself in constant trouble. Handsome and sexy, Caesar has his share of adventures, one of which leads him to Nate, the All American Boy that changes his world. Caesar is used to nearly anonymous one night stands, so he has no trouble deciding to spend the night with Nate. But in the morning, he discovers Nate is a cop and leaves in an hurry. Except it isn't that simple – another chance encounter leads to another session between the sheets. And then another until Nate seems to be a regular feature in Caesar's life.
When Caesar, during one of his break-ins, finds child pornography, he can't ignore it and reaches out to Nate for help. The plot takes off from there and manages to take the reader on a sexy thrill ride. There's plenty of sex and mystery in Buchanan's book, as well as some interesting characters and a lot of fun.

Stuff Dreams Are Made Of
Bruns, Don

This is Bruns's second mystery featuring best friends Skip Moore and James Lessor (after 2007's Stuff to Die For). This time, the pair decides to make money serving food to the attendees of a tent revival at Oleta River Park near Miami, led by Rev. Preston Cashdollar. Skip and James eventually fiond that certain of Cashdollar's associates have met untimely ends. Particularly disturbing are two unsolved murders— Cabrina Washington, an African-American teen rumored to have had an affair with the married Cashdollar, and Fred Long, conservative U.S. senator from North Dakota and enemy of Cashdollar. Then Barry Romans, right-wing talk-show host and critical of Cashdollar, is shot. Skip and James once again turn amateur sleuths. The pair of amateurs is likeable enough and the mysteries they have to solve are involving. Readers of bruns's other work will enjoy this, and if you're new to his mysteries, this series is a good place to start. It's funny, engaging, and will keep your attention.

Reviewed by J. DeMarco

Deadly Nightshade
Banis, Victor
MLR Press

The police are convinced they are dealing with a killer drag queen when witnesses to a murder describe the perpetrator. Tom Danzel, a veteran detective woekinf homicide, and rookie, Stanley Korski, are pairedto work together on this crime. Danzel and Korski didn't ask to be partnered-up but now they have to deal with each other as well as the muirderer.
Stanley is decidedly gay; Tom is flirting with homophobia. Neither is totally happy, well, maybe Stanley is kind of giddy. After all, he gets to deal with hunky Tom as well as play detective on his first homicide case. And deal with Tom he does – taking every opportunity to push his buttons and dig beneath the surface of the hot detective. After a bumpy start, Tom and Stanley begin to warm to one another. Stanley is quite funny when he's jealous about Tom and any queen within a mile who ogles him. Tom is equally funny dealing with Stanley 's barbs and incitements. Though the tension of this love-hate relationship is high, so is the comedy. Tom makes a good “straight” man to Stanley 's comic role. Both are well suited to their parts. As the story develops, the reader can see a definite affection developing between the ill-paired detectives.
The killer inevitably strikes again and a sense of urgency overtakes the pair. They are forced, well, Tom is forced, to hang out in local drag bars with Stanley, who is happy just to be at his side.
As the investigation intensifies, so does Tom's confusion at his feelings for Stanley . This is a twist that flirtatious Stanley not so secretly hoped for. Then disaster strikes when Tom is targeted by the killer and realizes that he's seen that face before.
Deadly Nightshade will appeal to those who like police procedurals, to those who enjoy quick and witty repartee, and to anyone who enjoys a good mystery mixed with a little romance on the side. It's a well-written story which holds the reader until the surprising conclusion. Banis develops his characters well and makes them real with flaws and quirks and all the necessary things to make the reader fall for them as people.
Banis has fun when writing his books and it's evident. The best thing is that this attitude translates to the reader as well.
Deadly Nightshade is a book to enjoy and lose yourself in for a little while.

Death of a Pirate King
Lanyon, Josh
MLR Press

This is the fourth in the Adrien English Mystery Series by award winning author Josh Lanyon. In this installment, gay bookseller and reluctant amateur sleuth Adrien English's writing career is taking off. Murder Will Out, his first novel, has been optioned by actor Paul Kane. But murder makes an appearance at a dinner party, and Adrien's former lover, closeted detective Jake Riordan, now Lieutenant Riordan of the LAPD arrives on the scene. Which, needless to say, complicates things for Adrien and his sexy new boyfriend, UCLA professor Guy Snowden.
Adrien is once again pressured, this time by Paul Kane, one of the murder suspects, to investigate the murder. Adrien finds himself in a corner – he wants to see his book made into a movie but he's not crazy about Paul or the entire situation. But he doesn't have much choice and so agrees. Of course, complications on the home front, by way of Guy's new demands, add to Adrien's dilemma.
Lanyon really excels in this book adding a real winner to the series which had a boatload of fans. This mystery delves deeper into the personal lives and relationships of this characters and that makes it all the better. because he has written more than another great murder mystery starring his two flawed protagonists. Readers of the series will notice just how the characters have developed over time and will be interested to see how those developments have affected things.
Lanyon is a great writer who spins a tale that you'll find hard to put down. He only gets better each time out and this book is proof. He uses humor but there's a lot more to his writing and his characters. He tells a good story and the mystery is as involving as any you'll find.
If you haven't discovered lanyon's books yet, this is a series you'll want to read – start at the beginning with Fatal Shadows, A Dangerous Thing, The Hell You Say, and then dive into the Pirate King.

Resurrection Diva
by Eva Batonne
Zumaya Enigma

Joan Lambert is living the LA dream except it's turned into a nightmare. She's got a lot on her plate: a dead rich girl, nine missing women, a stray dog and a missing ten-year-old boy. She's also got an ex who is stalking her, and a dark past she'd rather not remember. Her partner, Gus VanChek, movie buff and life coach, saves her from descending into a total nightmarish scene. And even love makes an appearance in the form of an Italian environmentalist who she meets at an SM club during an undercover investigation. Then Joan is taken hostage by a brutal female villain and discovers something that could break the case.
Batonne delivers a noir tale that is action-packed, well written, and engaging. Hard boiled describes this detective novel that you won't regret spending some time with. There are plenty of fascinating characters and lots of twists and turns which will keep you anxious to get to the next chapter. Batonne's writing helps carry the day and allows the reader to become pleasurably immersed in the intrigue and suspense that she is so deft at spinning. She creats characters who are interesting for all their complexity who are also tough and driven.
Batonne delivers a great book here and one you won't want to miss.

Mexican Heat
Laura Baumbach & Josh Lanyon
MLR Press

This book marks the beginning of a new romantic crime series combining the talents of award winning authors Laura Baumbach and Josh Lanyon. Detective Gabriel Sandalini, tough and observant, will do whatever it takes to get crime boss Ricco Botelli. If he has to go undercover, deep undercover, where his life is on the line, that's what he'll do. And is just what he does when he takes a job as one of Botelli's hired guns. But there's always a glitch even in the best laid plans, isn't there? And love comes knocking at Gabriel's door in the form of the sexy lieutenant of a rival Mexican drug lord. Thus begins a delicate dance in which secrets and danger mix to keep their fragile bond in as much danger as possible. Not to mention the peril to their lives.
The combination of Baumbach and Lanyon is a winning one and readers will definitely not be disappointed. Their writing sparkles and their characters are as complex and as interesting as you'll find anywhere. You'll find an interesting plot but also an interesting exploration of a romance which includes a nice twist. Baumback and Lanyon make a great writing team and readers of this book will look forward to the next. There's also a good helping of hot sex that will get you tingling in the right places and making some Mexican Heat of your own.

Angel Land
Banis, Victor

Ravaged by a deadly plague in the late 21 st Century, the United States has reorganized itself into The Fundamental Christian Territories, where Catholics, Baptists and Jews are registered as heretics, and gays are herded into walled Zones of Perversion. Harvey Milk Walton finds his way to the ghetto in Angel Land, oldest of the territories. A legend in that land says that his martyred namesake will one day return to lead his people to freedom. But speaking of such things is punishable by death. In this horrifying totalitarian society, two men fall in love, and dream of escape.
Angel Land will take hold of you from the first page and keep you enthralled until you reach the end of the story. The characters are quite real and done to perfection id Banis's inimitable style. The hero of the piece is a person the reader gets to know and have some affection for; Harvey Milk Walton is viewed by some as the savior of the legend but for others, he's trouble. Banis keeps the reader turning pages to answer the fundamental questions of the book – about love and freedom and self-acceptance and justice. As with all of this storyteller's work there is humor as well as high drama. And all of it entertains.

The following reviews are by Dawn Dowdle mysterybks@yahoo.com

Visit her site at: www.mysteryloverscorner.com

The Sudoku Murder
by: Shelley Freydont
Carroll & Graf

Katie McDonald's old friend Professor P. T. Avondale has asked her back home to help him with a problem. So Katie takes a break from her mathematical think tank job. In school Katie was a "geek" and never fit in. That is until the professor took her under his wing at his puzzle museum.
When Katie arrives, she finds the puzzle museum isn't looking so good any more. Plus the mean receptionist doesn't make visitors feel welcome. The professor tells Katie that the bank has threatened foreclosure, and he wants her help in finding where the payments went. When she finds the professor stabbed to death, she knows something is definitely amiss.
This was such a fun mystery to read. I found myself not wanting to put it down to figure out who did it and why. Katie is such a fun character, too. The author did a great job of intertwining information about Sudoku along with the fabulous mystery. It makes for such an enjoyable cozy mystery read.

Cruel Intent
By: J. A. Jance
Touchstone

Ali Reynolds is in the process of having her house renovated in Sedona , AZ , by contractor Bryan Forester. That is until Forester is arrested for the brutal murder of his wife Morgan. Ali doesn't believe he's guilty and sets out to look into Morgan's life.
She finds Morgan had been dating men through singleheard.com, a site set up for married people to find others willing to have an affair. So Ali joins to see if there could be any correlation with why she was murdered.
Leland Brooks, her inherited butler and personal assistant, continues to coordinate the renovations when Forester's men decide to stay on the job. What a great help he is!
Once Bryan is out on bail, he notifies Ali that the money she gave him for her new kitchen cupboards is missing. His wife had always done the books. He has discovered she was embezzling money from him. Ali, believing in Bryan , pays the cupboard contractor directly as she wants to have the upcoming Thanksgiving dinner in her newly renovated house.
Yavapai Co. Sheriff's Detective Dave Holman believes Bryan to be guilty and isn't too happy with Ali for supporting him. Ali and Dave have had an on again off again relationship. This just strains it further.
To complicate things further, Chris, Ali's son, has recently become engaged to a coworker. Edie, Ali's mom, unknowingly puts a strain on this new relationship when she "helps" them with their engagement party.
Plus Edie has just purchased a pink taser. Ali's father fear she will get herself into big trouble with it.
As the holiday looms closer, Ali finds herself deeper and deeper in internet stalking and danger.
I love this series. Ali is such a wonderful character. I think the addition of Leland Brooks to the series was terrific. Ali's family always provides a lot of material for the series as well.
I think the internet stalking is such a timely subject and was handled so well in this book. It really helps people to think before putting information out there and believing everything people say.
This fast-paced mystery thriller will keep you turning the pages.

Eggs In Purgatory
By: Laura Childs
Berkley

Suzanne, Toni, and Petra have opened the Cackleberry Club café in Kindred, TN. Each of the women lost their spouse: one to death, one to Alzheimer's and one to another woman, and they enjoy the time they spend working together.
Brian, the lawyer for Suzanne's husband's estate asks her to meet him in the parking lot for her to sign some papers. When she goes to meet him, she finds him murdered. Later she sees a pickup truck being followed by an SUV. Wondering if they could somehow be involved, she follows them, only to see the pickup truck tip over and the SUV flee. Teddy Harlingen, who first saw Brian dead in his car, is dead. Suzanne is sure the deaths are linked together.
Suzanne's husband's firm is being investigated for million dollar kickbacks, and soon Suzanne finds herself and her dead husband in the thick of this as well. Feeling her husband was not involved, she begins to investigate and finds a link to the other two dead men. Who else is involved? Can Suzanne, with the help of her friends, find the culprit before he finds her?
This is a great new cozy series. I enjoyed it immensely and can't wait to read the next. The three friends and the small town setting are fabulous. The author does a great job of crafting and intertwining the plots. Her characters are very likeable and believable.

Run Into Trouble
By: Alan Cook
Authorhouse

Oliver Drake and Melody Jefferson are paired up as a team in the race Running California. It begins near the Mexican border and continues up the California coast. Strange they would be paired together since they were spies together in Europe . No one should know. Do they?
Giganticorp, a California company providing weapons to the military, is sponsoring the run. Casey Messinger, CEO, has high aspirations for himself as well as Giganticorp. Is there anything that can stop this race?
I really like books by this author. This is another great one. The characters are interesting, and the plot is well laid out. There are plenty of red herrings and twists to keep the reader guessing. The scenery of this book is great as well. I often felt like I was out there running with them.

Stiffs And Swine
By: J. B. Stanley
Midnight Ink