Home » mystery (Page 47)
Category Archives: mystery
Pot Luck–title is a play on words, but I won’t spoil it for you!
Pot Luck
by Kendel Lynn
Pot Luck by Kendel Lynn is a cozy mystery with a fantastic plot–so many twists and turns, surprises, and suspects that it makes your head spin. Elliott (Elli) Lisbon is the Director of the billion-dollar Ballantyne Foundation. Since she often finds herself in the middle of other people’s problems, she is also in “hot pursuit” of her PI license with only “four thousand hours” until she becomes official.
The story is sprinkled with humor through references to Elli’s OCD regarding cleanliness issues and to her temporary responsibility for two adorable pug puppies, Colonel Mustard and Mrs. White, named for characters in the board game Clue. Interactions with other characters also provide amusing dialogue.
The setting is a beach resort area, Sea Pine Island, near Savannah, providing both exotic beach life and glimpses of higher and lower echelons of Southern society. There is a love interest for Elli as former FBI agent Nick Ransom, who is currently working as a lieutenant in Sea Pine Island, interacts with Elli. Tight lipped, he is actually not a valuable resource in solving cases, but Elli is attracted to him and is not deterred in her investigative work by his efforts to discourage her for her own safety.
There is a subplot involving Lucy, a former friend of Elli’s, who is currently working as a PI. The backstory may be explained in a previous book as this is the fourth in the Elliott Lisbon Mystery Series. In Pot Luck they have a strained relationship, and Lucy has an deep resentment of Elli. She blames Elli for not keeping in touch over the years, but their issues seem to go deeper than is explained in this book.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery & Thriller
Notes: The author included several phrases that I found irreverent. One example is “For the love of Jesus in a jumpsuit.” I realize this would not bother all readers and is mild compared to that found in many books. It actually would not keep me from reading another book by this author, but I did not appreciate its inclusion nor did I think it added authenticity to the work. It seemed strained.
Publication: Henery Press–December 13, 2016
Memorable Lines:
My thoughts were jumbly which set my very mild OCD on edge. Like the very sharp edge of a very tall cliff over a very deep canyon.
The Red Queen Rules–timely themes
The Red Queen Rules
by Bourne Morris
Bourne Morris’ first mystery surprised her by becoming a trilogy. The Red Queen Rules is the third in the set of books called the Red Solaris Mystery Series. The saga of Dean of Journalism Red Solaris could acceptably end at the conclusion of The Red Queen Rules, but with some persuasion the author could also reasonably extend the series.
Sexual slavery is one of the themes of this book as Red, so nicknamed for her red hair, tries to help a university student locate a cousin and persuade her to leave her pimp and enter rehab. Red’s hunky boyfriend goes undercover to help and all of the characters are in danger as they interact with the murky underworld of drugs and pimps.
Another theme deals with freedom of speech as a group called The Purists invite a radical leader to speak at their university. Administrators, such as Red, have to deal with free speech issues versus hate speech. They have to decide if students should be protected from differing ideas or taught to listen and respond constructively.
Danger lurks in every corner in this fast moving story. Its characters are well-developed and its themes relevant. This is the second book I have reviewed this month that involves sexual slavery, an issue which until recently was ignored, distorted, or denied in many circles. The story takes place in Nevada in a small university town as well as in Reno.
My only criticism is tongue in cheek. Just as the “Gilmore Girls” are always eating junk food, the characters in The Red Queen Rules are always drinking–coffee at a café, sodas and water at meetings, hot tea with friends, and the occasional glass of wine. They never lack for a good beverage!
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery & Thrillers
Publication: Henery Press–December 6, 2016
Memorable Lines:
Three notions really bugged me. The first was that college students were so fragile that they needed to be spared from hearing ideas and opinions that might offend their personal sensitivities. Second was the use of someone else’s race, religion, sexual orientation or physical appearance as a weapon in a dispute. And third was the difficulty too many people have distinguishing between one and two.
“College is supposed to be a place where you encounter upsetting ideas and theories. And learn to deal with them.”
Skydive–a cozy with a serious theme
Skydive
by Susan O’Brien
Skydive, the third book in the Nicki Valentine Mystery Series written by Susan O’Brien, worked well for me as my first read in this series. Background details from the first books were neither overdone nor too scanty to follow the action. Skydive is a cozy mystery in the typical sense, but there is a serious theme that goes beyond what is usually present in a cozy mystery. It examines the dilemma faced by children who have been in the foster system but are dumped without supportive resources when they turn 18. Happy Birthday! They may have high aspirations, but the reality is that they have few options, making them vulnerable emotionally and physically to those who would use and abuse them in horrible ways.
Nicki Valentine is a single mom with a PI license and a handsome boyfriend, Dean, who works in the same field. Her best friend, Kenna, is an inexperienced PI, but a trained fitness instructor. Nicki and Kenna have huge hearts and are open to doing whatever is necessary to help others. They also get each other into and out of trouble with frequency.
This is a great cozy with lots of twists and turns as Nicki takes on a case, expecting nothing in return, to help an inmate by locating her daughter who has been recently exited from the foster care system. The case is much more far reaching than expected. The details would be spoilers, so I won’t reveal the directions her search took her. Suffice it to say that the plot is both interesting and intricate. I particularly like Nicki and wanted her to succeed in both her personal and professional struggles.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Cozy Mystery
Publication: Henery Press–November 29, 2016
Memorable Lines: People are capable of more than they know–both good and bad.
A Composition in Murder–Do y’all want a glass of Meemaw’s Tea?
A Composition in Murder
by Larissa Reinhart
I have read a variety of books recently: some YA/Teenage, general fiction, and historical fiction. Although I enjoyed reading and reviewing them, it was time for a break. Fortunately, next in my queue was a cozy mystery–always good for a mental getaway with an interesting puzzle, a smart and sassy heroine, witty dialogue, and definitely lacking an excess of horror, gore, or inappropriate language. Just a good diversion.
A Composition in Murder was just what I needed. Although this is the sixth book in the Cherry Tucker Mystery series, it was the first for me. I enjoyed meeting Cherry, a somewhat down on her luck artist teaching seniors at an independent living center in Georgia, complete with sweet tea when y’all are thirsty. Cherry gets involved in the affairs of two influential families in Halo and finds herself and some of her senior friends in danger. Will her special deputy, Luke, be able to save her from her too helpful self? Will Cherry be able to get kidnapping charges against her brother dropped? And who is responsible for the deaths in the “Meemaw’s Tea” family?
The author has created a delightful supporting cast of characters at Halo House. My favorite is Ada who never can seem to get Cherry’s name right. Are seniors above a little passive/aggressive teasing parading as a bad memory? At Halo House they can do that and maybe more!
This book works fine as a standalone, but I would love to go back and read the first books in the series to see more of Cherry in action. It would also flesh out some of the background storylines that I want to know more about. Bring on more Cherry Tucker Mysteries!
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Cozy Mystery
Publication: Henery Press–November 15, 2016
IQ–psychological study wrapped in a mystery
IQ
by Joe Ide
IQ is a novel about Isaiah, a very intelligent, young black man destined for greatness. Unfortunately, he is sidetracked by a series of events, some of his own doing, but mostly outside of his control. Through the deaths of family members he is left to fend for himself, finding his way through an urban jungle. Operating on both sides of the law and seeing the devastating consequences of gangs and crime, Isaiah devotes himself to solving cases pro bono to help others and occasionally to make money to support a special crime victim.
The characters in IQ are well-developed, especially Isaiah and his crime and investigative partner Dodson. The plot is developed almost as two separate stories which are in fact inseparable. The main focus, the mystery, is a rap singer who has a contract out on his life. He hires Isaiah to find out who is trying to kill him. The other story, which is just as important, goes back in time and shares Isaiah’s journey from child being raised by his older brother to independent detective. That road was neither easy nor pretty. The back and forth in time could be confusing, but it is not. The chapters are not only numbered, but also titled and, most importantly, dated.
Usually repetitive bad language causes me to dislike a book. I find IQ to be an exception. When inappropriate language is not needed, it is not used. When the story is centered around the black gangsta, rapper culture, swearing and cussing are appropriate for the characters. If they sounded like preachers, the story would lose authenticity. Joe Ide, the author, is a good wordsmith. I could feel this: “Isaiah and Dodson hadn’t spoke the whole way over, the tension like a stranger in the car.”
The plot has many twists and turns that kept me interested for the duration. Isaiah is a complicated, resourceful character and I find him to be likable. I was rooting for a successful resolution to the mystery and to Isaiah’s struggles. You’ll want to read this book yourself to see if either is achieved.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Mulholland Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Girl from Venice–WWII setting
The Girl from Venice
by Martin Cruz Smith
The Girl from Venice is the tale of Cenzo, a very versatile and capable Italian fisherman, and Giulia, a young Jewish lady. Their lives intertwine in World War II in 1945 in Venice in the midst of conflicting players: Nazi soldiers, Mussolini’s Blackshirts, and the equally deadly Partisans. This work of historical fiction is a combination of thriller and mystery with a little romance thrown in.
I had conflicting feelings about The Girl from Venice. The plot has some interesting twists and turns. Part of this novel revolves around the many different ways of fishing in the lagoons near Pellestrina. I thought the story was a little slow in its extended descriptions of the art of fishing, but many of the details were essential in the plot progression. They explain how Cenzo and Giulia were able to deceive the Nazis searching for Giulia as well as how Giulia transformed from a wealthy, highly educated Italian Jew into a skilled fisherman in her own right.
The author had a lot of decisions to make about the reader’s background knowledge concerning Italy and its politics in 1945. He did a good job of supplying necessary details without oversimplifying or being pedantic.
The setting varies between city and fishing village. There are complicated family relationships involving Cenzo, his mother, two brothers and sister-in-law, and through those relationships we discover more about each character. The character of Giulia, however, is mostly undeveloped. We want to know more but are left unsatisfied.
As the story ended, so did its unfulfilled promise. The idea was a good one, the setting was interesting, but none of the characters were particularly engaging or well-developed. There was one major twist in the plot, but otherwise it seemed to just keep plodding along. It took me many days to read it just because nothing kept drawing me back. Not one to usually comment on a book’s cover, I must say the cover was outstanding–dramatic and perfect for this book.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Simon & Schuster for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Candidate–Echoes of today’s political climate and THEN…
The Candidate
by Lis Wiehl
I read The Candidate with about twenty days left until the U.S. presidential election of 2016. As I began the book, there were certainly echoes of today’s political climate and I feared for a lack of originality. I am pleased to say that the storyline quickly deviated into a very riveting, original plot while maintaining a theme of potential world domination that reflects the very real fears that many harbor today.
The main character is a top journalist with her own show, The Erica Sparks Effect. The author of The Candidate, Lis Wiehl, is a lawyer as well as a legal analyst appearing on many TV shows as a commentator. She brings authenticity to her novel. I admit going into the book with a bias against the media; there seems to be little integrity in the field today, little honest reporting. Those hired as “reporters” seem determined to opine outside the confines of an editorial piece. The fictional Erica Sparks, however, is different and refreshing. She sees her job as reporting the news, not making it or persuading others to view events through her political lens.
When some oddities appear in one presidential candidate’s campaign, she risks her life to discover the truth that could affect the nation and the world. Even as she is immersed in these events, the private side of Erica Sparks is revealed as we see her struggle with balancing the work she thrives on with her desires to be a great mom to the daughter she adores. She also has to work through feelings for Greg with whom she is trying to maintain a long distance relationship.
I recommend The Candidate. It has lots of twists and turns in the plot, a likable and well-developed main character, suspense, and political intrigue.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Thomas Nelson for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Send in the Clowns–outstanding cozy mystery
Send in the Clowns
by Julie Mulhern
The Country Club Murders is a series of cozy mysteries set in in the early 1970’s. Send in the Clowns is the fourth in the series and the second one I have read. While there is a lot of serious crime in this tale, Julie Mulhern knows how to write with humor and keep the reader coming back. I honestly had trouble putting the book aside at bedtime. Then I devoured the last half the next morning.
There is no waiting for the book to get interesting. In the first chapter, Ellison, who seems to attract handsome men and dead bodies, has to go to a haunted house to retrieve her teenage daughter. While there she has an encounter with two clowns, one of whom calls her by name and then dies in her arms. There are many more twists and turns in the plot which keep interest at a high level all the way through.
The likable Ellison Russell may have been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but she is no stranger to personal tragedies and horrors. The story is told from her perspective. The dialogue intermixes what Ellison says (in quotes) with what she thinks so well that her character takes on a reality not possible with third person narration. The way she is presented makes it very easy to identify with her and her struggles to get the men in her life to see her as capable and independent. Remember, this is the early seventies, an era when women are still expected to emerge from college with an “MRS.” degree.
One of my favorite aspects of the book is the setting of the seventies. The little details are right on target, but not forced. There is shag carpeting and the only telephones are those that are attached to the wall. The diet soft drink of choice is Tab, and a plaid coat in shades of plum and hunter green echoes one I wore in that time frame. Probably one of the best and most subtle references to an earlier time is Ellison’s admonition to the teenagers as they exit the car: “Lock your door.” Each door needed to be locked manually by the passenger.
I have absolutely no negative criticisms for this book. In fact, I am going to return to the series to read the two out of four that I have not read yet. Additionally it is important to note that reading them out of sequence did not detract from my pleasure in reading these mysteries. Send in the Clowns has everything you want in a cozy–a fast pace, intricate turns in the plot, interesting characters and setting, a little romance with the requisite tension, and a good resolution.
This book is scheduled for publication on October 25, 2016.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Abstract Aliases–part of a cozy mystery series with an art world focus
Abstract Aliases
by Ritter Ames
Abstract Aliases is the third book in the cozy mystery series Bodies of Art written by Ritter Ames. A typical cozy mystery series continues from book to book with the same main characters. Each novel has a unique plot, and the author only has to fill in some background information about the characters and their relationships for the reader to be ready to enjoy the story. Abstract Aliases is different because the plot continues into the next book. This format is not a bad thing, but the reader should be aware of it.
Laurel Beacham is an art recovery expert with high end tastes (Fendi purse) and great survival skills (telescoping baton). She rarely knows who to trust as the complicated plot keeps tossing surprises her way. The person she most wants to trust is the handsome and resourceful Jack Hawkes, but he has mysterious connections and reveals little about himself. Together they try to unravel the murders of forgers, an office break in, and the identity of the enigmatic Ermo Colle.
I read Abstract Aliases as a stand-alone and I enjoyed it. It had an engrossing plot, well-developed main characters, and multiple interesting settings as the characters travel the world seeking to unravel a multi-faceted mystery. There are abundant surprise twists to the story. Although not an art historian myself, I took pleasure in reading about famous works of art and museums and learning about the world of forgery.
I recommend Abstract Aliases to cozy mystery lovers, but I suggest reading this series in sequence. It will make much more sense, and you will have a better understanding of the minor characters.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is scheduled for publication on October 11, 2016.
Lethal Lifestyles–so many characters!
Lethal Lifestyles
by LynDee Walker
I read and really enjoyed Cover Shot, the fifth cozy in the Headlines in High Heels Mystery Series. Therefore, I looked forward to reading Lethal Lifestyles, the sixth book in the series by LynDee Walker, which is scheduled to be published on September 27, 2016.
I have one problem with Walker’s latest book, and it is a difficulty that sneaks up on many cozy mystery writers. There are so many minor characters, either possible suspects or helpful sidekicks to the sleuth, that few are well-developed enough to be memorable. For once, I was very glad to be reading an e-book so I could search quickly for the introduction of the various characters and thus identify their roles. At first I thought the fault was mine. Late in the book, however, a character named Chad contributes an important clue via a text message to his wife. In searching the name, I confirmed that Nichelle, our crime reporter in high heels, had in fact contacted him earlier in the book, but the reader is given no information about his relationship to Nichelle’s good friend, Jenn. This was probably the most egregious example.
While this overabundance of characters is a problem in Lethal Lifestyles, it is also indicative of what makes this book a really good cozy mystery–an intricate plot with lots of puzzle pieces to keep the reader interested. The story centers around the wedding of two of Nichelle’s co-reporters. Nichelle, as maid of honor, is acting as a wedding planner for the couple and wants the wedding to be perfect. Unfortunately, a man is found dead at the site of the rehearsal dinner, and the groom is implicated. Nichelle has one week to clear the groom’s name by finding the murderer. Clues that are reasonable go off in all directions. The author brings it all together with a very surprising ending.
I do recommend Lethal Lifestyles if you enjoy cozies. In addition to great mystery elements, you will find humor and romance. The only mystery remaining to me is how Nichelle manages to do all that sleuthing in an assortment of stilettos and one good pair of wedges. It makes my feet hurt just to think about it.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
education pathways 