Mysterical-E

Book Reviews

Viper by John Desjarlais

Viper, the sequel to Bleeder, is a fast paced, tension-filled thriller. Weaving together the many strands that make the work of Desjarlais distinctive, Viper does not fail to please those who like a book filled with suspense and action. Selena De La Cruz indulges her fondness for high-end shoes while working as an insurance agent and trying to put her past, as a DEA agent, behind her. But she isn’t allowed to forget. Her old enemies won’t permit that. A man known as "The Snake" is a ghost from Selena’s past and is now intent on killing her. Of the many facets this book shows readers, none of them disappoint. You may not be able to put this book down once you start reading.

The Pink Tarantula by Tim Wohlforth

Crip and Henrietta may be California private eyes but they’re anything but what you might expect. Confined to a wheelchair, Crip's sidekick is pierced, green-haired Henrietta. The Pink Tarantula consists of nine pieces or episodes which cover not only various cases but also track the growing relationship of Crip and Henrietta. Hardboiled, exciting, and bound to attract a following, these stories are sure to please the most demanding readers.

Fallen From Grace by J.R. Lindermuth

A well-researched historical, a western, a bit of romance, and a mystery all rolled into one good piece of fiction that will certainly have enthusiasts of each genre singing its praises. Arahpot, Pennsylvania’s Sheriff Sylvester Tilghman’s biggest problems seem to be finding a new deputy and convincing his ladyfriend, Lydia, to marry him. But the town’s sleepy peace is shaken with a fatal stabbinbg. Tilghman has seen the victim before, in an argument with one Valentine Deibert, a new citizen of Arahpot. Deibert denies knowing the victim but Tilgman is unconvinced. When the victim’s widow arrives in town and another murder shocks the town, things get moving. Lindermuth has provided readers with a work to savor as it draws them in. The plot is handled well as are all the elements and characters.

Opal Fire by Barbara Annino

Annino’s book is one wild ride. Stacy is just an ordinary person whose life happens to be touched by the supernatural. Witches are even part of her family. But there’s also a shady side to the other, non-witch side of her family. When a cousin’s bar burns down, things once hidden are now out in the open. Trying to prove the fire was not arson, Stacy finds herself in the middle of a much more serious and involved murder investigation. The book is fast-paced and filled with humor and surprises. There are family secrets that even Stacy couldn’t imagine and plenty of plot twists to keep a reader engaged. The characters are believable and the humor is well done.

A Patchwork of Stories by Kaye George

Kay George offers up quite a varied patchwork quilt for readers. All the stories in this collection are winners. If you like dark tales that make you think, this is a collection for you. If you like stories that stretch the boundaries of a genre, this is a collection you’ve got to pick up.

Cold Comfort By Ellis Vidler

Romantic suspense can be fast-paced and exciting and Vidler proves it with Cold Comfort. Claire Spencer runs a shop, quite a cozy little shop with nothing more dangerous than sweet holiday ornaments. Until she returns home one night to find that someone wants to murder her. Her friends convince her to get protection. The tall, handsome, law enforcement type of protection. And Ben Riley steps in to guard her and to try and discover who wants Claire thrown under Santa’s sleigh. Working that closely together, even without mistletoe, is bound to bring people together romantically which is exactly what happens to Claire and Ben. Plots twists, surprises, and lot of romance make this a good read.

Inhuman Condition by Kate Thornton

This collection forces the reader to reexamine their perception of the world around them. Are we really seeing what we think we’re seeing, or, is there something else going on? Or, do we avoid seeing what we actually see because it’s part of the unknown which is frightening and disturbing and not easily understood? The stories range from mysteries to fantasy and lots of genres in between. They’ll make you think and look around to make sure that what you’re perceiving is not some invention of your mind to avoid what’s really there. At the edges of these feelings we have about the world around us, is the question: what does it mean to be human? You won’t go wrong in reading this book.

Deadly Reunion by June Shaw

If you like cozies, then this one, which takes place on the high seas, is going to satisfy. For those who’ve taken a cruise, you’ll feel right at home. If you haven’t, don’t let this murderous voyage deter you. Cealie Gunther joins a small handful of old classmates for a reunion of sorts while on an Alaskan cruise. Part of the reunion is centered around helping one of the old classmates with a problem she has. Cealie’s same-age uncle who is now her aunt is part of the reunion and does her best to make things exciting. Also along on the cruise but not part of the reunion is Cealie’s restaurateur lover Gil and several others. When someone is killed early in the cruise, Cealie can’t help but try to solve the murder. She noses around in her classmates’ lives trying to catch the killer and keeps rebuffing Gil’s marriage proposals. Disappointingly, Cealie also rejects her son with whom she’d planned a visit when the boat docked at one of the Alaskan ports. She rejects him because he tells her he is gay and introduces her to his new boyfriend. Abruptly cutting short the visit with the son, she turns her back on him and returns to the security of the ship and her investigation of the murder. As the cruise chugs along, Cealie gets closer to the answers she seeks.

Thorns on Roses by Randy Rawls

When the Thorns on Roses gang kills the daughter of Tom Jeffries, the ex-cop decides to look for justice. But his version of justice is more like revenge. Tom systematically kills the gang members one by one. At the same time, the police naturally take an interest and begin to close in on Tom. The characters are well rounded and the South Florida setting is handled nicely. The plot is straightforward but satisfying. Rawls keeps the suspense going and keeps the reader turning pages.

Murder New York Style Fresh Slices ed. Terrie Farley Moran

If you love New York, you’ll be thrilled about this collection of tales written by
members of the New York/Tri-State chapter of Sisters in Crime. Like the city it honors, this collection has it all and will satisfy even the most well read. The crimes take place in lots of NY locales, not just Manhattan, though it gets a great share of the stories. The characters are many and varied and give a real flavor of the diversity the city encompasses. As will all anthologies, the styles are as different as the contributors. This collection brings some happy moments with old favorites as well as with some newcomers. The stories range from the gritty realistic variety to some with ghostly or even vampiric flights of imagination. This is not a hit or miss anthology. Every entry is top notch.

Fever Dreams by Dennis Palumbo

In Palumbo’s second mystery outing, sleuth and psychologist, Daniel Rinaldi makes another appearance. Called in to question the lone survivor of a hostage situation and bank robbery, Rinaldi finds himself in the middle of a complex plot. Caught up along with the psychologist are Officers Polk and Lowrey who are wrking the original case. Rinaldi and Lowrey find themselves facing not only the twists and turns of the case but also confronting their growing mutual attraction. There are plenty of complications and characters to keep a reader busy turning pages.

Ruth Sims – The Pride Pack Books:

Ruth Sims, author of novels and short stories, has just had three middle reader novels republished after many years out of print. Sims is an effective writer and works in a number of genres. These three novels center around a group of kids, The Pride Pack, who make it their business to solve mysteries. The three novels have well written characters and plots that any middle reader will find interesting.

Who Framed Lorenzo Garcia?

Gay teen Ramon Torres, thinks he has finally found a stable home after being kicked out by his parents and a number of foster homes. This time, a gay cop with a longing for a family, has taken him in and given Ramon the stability he needs. The cop now wants to adopt Ramon and this is just the beginning of their troubles. There are more than a few bumps along the way, including a homophobic case worker and a frame-up for his would-be parent that has the cop in serious trouble. Serious enough to have Ramon taken away along with the idea of adopting him. Sent to live in yet another foster home, Ramon decides to get his friends together to find out who is framing the cop. The friends are a group from the Gay & Lesbian Center and they begin calling themselves the Pride pack. The story moves along quickly and is a satisfying read.

The Case of the Missing Mother

The Pride Pack moves into action again when Rebecca, a fifteen year old student, enlists their help in finding her mother’s partner, Maia. This was not easy for Rebecca to do since she is not entirely happy about having two mothers. But her misgivings about her mother’s life turns to concern when Maia goes missing. Once agaon, Sims delivers a good story with well-drawn characters and a plot that moves along.

The Quarterback’s Secret

What’s a gay athlete to do? The word of sports and jocks remains one of the bigger homophobic bastions. So when high-schooler and popular quarterback, Ben realizes he’s gay, he knows that if he wants to remain popular, he’ll have to stay closeted. Though he interacts with the Pride Pack kids, he lies even to them. Until, that is, Ben finds himself plunged literally into a mess which may lead to his secret becoming public.

Prove a Villain by K.C. Warwick

Elizabethan England is the setting for this well done mystery. Hugh Seaton tailor for the acting company known as Strange's Men and former lover of Christopher Marlowe finds himself in the middle of a murderous situation. Marlowe, suspected of stabbing one of the actors to death has to be hidden until the crime can be solved. Seaton provides cover for Marlowe. The playwright decides he’d like to take up with Seaton again. Hugh isn’t convinced this is the right thing for him to do, especially as a younger actor, Barnaby Winter, is also trying to win Seaton for himself. The mystery deepens and the plot is filled with twists and turns enough to keep any reader reading. Will Shakespeare even makes an appearance. The characters are written with care and become believable people on the page. If historical mysteries with a touch of romance are your thing, this book will make you a happy reader.

Home Fires Burning by Charlie Cochran

World Wars One and Two provide the backgrounds for the two stories in this volume. "This Ground Which Was Secured At Great Expense" takes place in 1914 as WWI is just getting underway. Nicholas Southwell is called to serve in the armed forces and leaves behind Paul Haskell, a man he loves but cannot find the courage to tell of that love. In the fog of battle, Southwell meets Phillip Taylor and together they explore the physical love Southwell was never yet able to express. Once the war is over, Southwell may have to choose between Haskell and Taylor. In "The Case of the Overprotective Ass" readers get a taste of post-War Hollywood with two film stars entertaining audiences as Holmes and Watson. They are presented with a real-life opportunity to investigate in a missing person case and neither shrinks from the idea. However, real life turns out to be lots more complicated and dangerous than their on-screen antics. But a series of threatening letters-and an unwanted suitor-make real life very different from the movies. Cochrane writes with flair and creates believable characters and situations.

Fish Tales: The Guppy Anthology

The Sisters in Crime GUPPY Chapter has put together a clever, well-done, themed anthology. From the cozy to the hardboiled, this book covers the range and does it with hugely talented pool of writers. The twenty-two tales contain variety enough to keep any reader entertained. Clever plots and well-drawn characters make this an anthology worth reading. The Guppy offering allows you to find new voices in short mystery fiction and delight in the work of some writers you may already know. It’s deliciously criminal fun.

Magical Alienation by Kris Neri

Paranormal mysteries are still riding high and will probably continue having a loyal fan base for quite a long time. One of the bright spots in this niche is Neri and in this, her second Brennan and Haggerty novel, she shines again. Brennan, a psychic in name only, is paired with Haggerty who has the real psychic power but can’t allow others to know that. Haggerty uses Brenan as her mouthpiece, allowing Brennan to use her “powers” to solve crimes. This outing has the duo contending with some primal forces and dangerous foes. Neri handles it all with aplomb and style. If you like your mystery with a twist of the supernatural, you’ll more than enjoy Magical Alienation. There are plots twist and fully realized characters and enough action to satisfy most any reader.