“The Jenny Starling Series.” Faith Martin, author (Joffe Books). I don’t usually review an entire series, but I’ve been binge-reading during the pandemic, so it’s more efficient to review all the books. Because these novels are all republications (pen name to real name?), they’re definitely “evergreen”—no ground-shaking themes here, and pre-Brexit and pre-pandemic, but still as fresh and entertaining as the day they were written.

This seven-book series is all British-mystery storytelling. It takes place in the Thames Valley region, which includes Oxford and other delightful places northwest of London. (My own mystery/thriller, Rembrandt’s Angel, starts in that area as Esther Brookstone visits a school chum in Wantage and a professor at Oxford.)

The protagonist is a cook, a “Junoesque woman” of ample but sculptured feminine proportions, and not a Miss Marple-like old lady at all. I suppose she might take on jobs where a murder isn’t committed, but her posts in the novels are ones where at least one corpse appears. There’s often a Christie-style tell-all denouement at the end where the cook divulges what led her to solve the crime, showing the coppers how proper sleuthing is done. In each book, the authorities have a love-hate relationship with the cook because of this.

There are a few laughs here and there, but these aren’t cozies (heaven forbid!)—they’re deadly serious cerebral mystery/thriller novels. Digging into the first with trepidation—the hype “a mystery with lots of twists and turns” seems superfluous and frankly discouraged me—but I was pleasantly surprised, so I kept going through all seven books! The cook’s menus are interesting in themselves for those readers who also have gastronomic interests, but reading these novels was a lot more fun than seeing more COVID-19 stats on every TV network (I wonder what the BBC is doing). (Don’t get me wrong. The public must be informed, but we also need a break from time to time.)

I have two nits to pick, both of them a bit technical and maybe not important to most readers. First, the author has a bad habit of telegraphing a future event, incorporating teasers in the stories, if you will. These almost need a “spoiler alert” warning. Second, there’s also a lot of head-hopping, i.e. abrupt changes of point of view (POV), that made this reader say, “Huh? How did s/he know that?” Of course, the two nits are related, because the first is just an abrupt transition into the omniscient POV. (It’s interesting that the author attempts to correct this in heer Hillary Greene series, also republished. Someone must have told her to fix this, but the telegraphing still remains and her solution of breaking up prose into tiny sections to solve the second problem is almost comical at times.) Maybe British readers don’t mind these quirks, but I believe it’s sloppy writing and amateurish.

Other than those two nits, I found these novels quite entertaining…and I’m now onto Hillary Greene #3, another series about a clever DI in the Thames Valley PD with a lot of baggage. Stay tuned…but that series is even longer!

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Comments are always welcome!

The “Esther Brookstone Art Detective” Series. Do you want to read some mystery/thriller novels that motivate you to keep turning the pages? Wags at Scotland Yard call Esther Brookstone Miss Marple and Bastiann van Coevorden, her beau, Hercule Poirot, but their adventures are very twenty-first century. In Rembrandt’s Angel, Esther obsesses with recovering a painting stolen by the Nazis in WWII. In Son of Thunder, she obsesses with finding the tomb of St. John the Divine. Both obsessions lead her and Bastiann into dangerous situations. Available in print format from your favorite local bookstore, Amazon, and the publisher, Penmore Press; and in ebook format from Amazon and Smashwords and all the latter’s affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.) and lending and library services (Scribd, Overdrive, Baker&Thomas, Gardners, etc.).  A third novel featuring this crime-fighting duo is in the works.

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!

A Palette for Love and Murder. Saralyn Richard, author. This well-plotted mystery and crime novel, along with its excellent characterization, is even better than the author’s first, Murder in the One Percent, which is saying a lot (the latter won a prize). Shortly after I reviewed that first book, I asked the author about plans for a sequel. She promised one, I eagerly awaited it, and here it is—and it’s a winner too!

My readers probably know that stolen art (The Collector and Rembrandt’s Angel) and lost art (Son of Thunder) are among my favorite themes. Here the story starts when two pieces painted by Brandywine Valley artist, Blake Allmond, are stolen. Detective Parrott takes the case, and the game’s afoot. I felt right at home immediately. The author even mentions the stolen artworks from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston (they play an important role in The Collector). (We used to live in the Boston area and were shocked when we heard about that 1990 theft.)

Having read book #1, I also felt right at home with Detective Parrott from the West Brandywine PD. But another important character is now added to his life, his new wife Tonya, who suffers from PTSD due to her service in Afghanistan. She plays an important role in the story in addition to providing a bit of romance in her cop husband’s life.

Yet this is a murder mystery, so we need a murder victim. Allmond is murdered even before Parrott can interview him about the stolen paintings. This sets up a tense situation between NYPD and the local Brandywine police because the former are in charge of the murder investigation, the latter are in charge of investigating who stole the artworks, and, as you might expect, they step on each other’s toes due to the overlap of the cases.

Suspects start appearing: a ne’er-do-well nephew of the murdered artist; that artist’s live-in girlfriend, an ex-nun with a past; the nephew’s girlfriend and her brother, a landscaper at the artist’s estate; and the owner of an art gallery who was jilted by the artist’s sister. Which ones stole the paintings? Which ones murdered the artist? And how are they related? You now have a hoppy IPA for any lover of murder mysteries!

Parrott continues his expert sleuthing in a way that would make his old alter-ego Hercule Poirot proud. (Okay, the author doesn’t exactly mention that, but the analogy is sound.) Moreover, he’s my kind of guy! He likes his coffee “…delicious, strong and woodsy, and almost scalding…” (I’m not sure about the “woodsy”—I’m not partial to “chicory coffee,” for example, although I drank some in Orleans once just to try it). The author echoes several of my drinking preferences, in fact. The serving of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio reminded me of a night in Boston’s North End where everyone in our four-member dining party drank a full bottle; the requisite visit to Mike’s Pastry followed (but we didn’t see Bill Clinton); and public transportation was used afterwards.

Readers, led along by Parrott, have to face lots of twists and turns as the two cases near resolution. Like many mysteries, there are some thriller elements in this story, probably more so than in the first book, which is more a classic Christie-like who-dun-it. Sexual relationships are a bit more complicated here too, to say the least, and are something Christie would never have written about. None of those are explicit, although some are implied in the paintings considered. Neither is the violence explicit, but the story is one for our times, and features the differences between one-percenters and the rest of us, as well as the similarities.

I put this book down with reluctance after reading most of it in one sitting, thereby forcing myself to take my time and savor the last few chapters in the next day’s reading. It’s that kind of book. You probably will feel the same way.

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Comments are always welcome.

Just a note about availability: The above book is available in ebook and print format at Amazon and from the publisher, Black Opal Books; it will also be available real soon in all ebook formats at Smashwords, as well as all their affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.) and lending and library services (Scribd, Overdrive, Bakers & Taylor, Gardners, etc.); and it will be available at your local bookstores (if they don’t have it, ask them to order it). I read the Kindle version.

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!

(Daniella Bernett, Lead Me into Danger, Black Opal Books, 2015.)

Readers of this blog know that I love British-style mysteries. Here’s one that’s a bit different, a tightly written international mystery/suspense novel. Lead Me into Danger will keep the reader guessing.

Emmeline Kirby is an investigative reporter for the Times who has a bit of personal baggage, both in her family history and in her relationship with jewel thief Gregory Longdon. As in any Christie novel, she becomes involved in a murder mystery. The plot is clever and the characters complex, covering a wide spectrum of humanity. The settings are London and Venice.

A fellow reporter, Charles Latimer,  is pursuing a story that involves a Russian mole in the British foreign office. An attempt is made on the reporter’s life in Venice, and he’s finally murdered in Emmeline’s apartment in London. She decides to continue pursuing his story and bring his murderer to justice with the help of a Scotland Yard chief inspector and Longdon’s.

Of course, that Metropolitan Police inspector Burnell (he appears in other books in the series, along with Kirby and Longdon) is what makes this a British-style mystery, one written by an American (both my books Rembrandt’s Angel and Son of Thunder follow that plan, so the author and I must share a love for British-style mysteries). That inspector isn’t the main character, but he reminds me a lot of P. D. James’s Dagleish and other favorites…and that’s a good thing.

Lots of twists and turns in the plot here. There’s also enough international intrigue to call this a spy novel, and enough action to call it a thriller. Thank you, author Bernett! I’m already reading #2, and she has a new one out in the series. How did I miss these wonderful books? I must catch up.

(For more about mystery author Daniella Bernett, see the above interview.)

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Comments are always welcome.

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!

Game Piece. Alan Brenham, author. This mystery/thriller novel won a Readers Favorite award, so I thought it had to be good. Right? Wrong! It’s an excellent addition to the crime fiction literature. It reminded me of the early Bosch books—they were even mentioned as reading material in the novel.

Barry Marshall is a detective in the police department of Temple, Texas. People he’s had problems with in that job are turning up dead. The serial killer always phones Barry to gloat after murdering another victim. A witness is also killed, and another one is injured in a deadly hit-and-run—the killer wants to leave no witnesses of his heinous crimes.

Barry’s job is dangerous—any cop’s is—so Barry’s wife Erin wants him to quit. One reason: her favorite uncle who worked undercover was murdered. She’s making her husband miserable with her constant nagging. She becomes even more irate when she receives pics of Barry hanging out with another woman. She kicks him out.

Will Barry survive all this stress in his professional and private lives? No spoilers here, but you can imagine he won’t have an easy time of it. The classic ploy of making your main character jump through dangerous hoops works well here with the addition of the cops-make-bad-husbands theme. The author’s background also adds gritty reality in this crime drama filled with interesting, complex characters living in a small town that could be Anytown, USA—here a town in Texas.

It’s hard to find negatives in this story. Erin’s over-the-top reaction to the photos bothered me a bit. She and Barry have been married a while, so she should know her man. It’s petty of her to not give him a chance. In her defense, she hangs with three divorcees who have good reasons to hate philandering husbands. She’s a pharmacist, though, so she’s intelligent enough to filter our her friends’ advice and think of Photoshop—it’s the 21^st century, after all! Barry thinks of it, although he’s slow to make the connection to the serial killer, who is out to destroy him completely.

Another negative: Right from the start, it’s obvious that there’s a mole in the police department (or maybe I just write too much mystery and crime myself?). Someone is providing insider info to the killer. We’re not given enough clues about who the mole is, though, so that comes as a surprise, with a wee bit of Deus ex Machina as an added ingredient.

These are minor negatives in a damn good story filled with positives, enough twists to keep mystery fans happy and enough thrills for fans of the thriller genre too. Stories of serial killers abound; this one rises above the norm.

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Comments are always welcome.

Son of Thunder. #2 in the “Esther Brookstone Art Detective Series,” this sequel to Rembrandt’s Angel has Esther Brookstone, now retired from Scotland Yard, obsessed with finding St. John the Divine’s tomb, using directions left by the Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli. Esther’s search, the disciple’s missionary travels, and Botticelli’s trip to the Middle East make for three travel stories that all come together in one surprising climax.

Esther’s paramour, Interpol agent Bastiann van Coevorden, has problems with arms dealers, but he multitasks by trying to keep Esther focused and out of danger. The reader can also learn how their romance progresses, as well as travel back in time to discover a bit about Esther’s past with MI6 during the Cold War.

It might seem like The Da Vinci Code, but the historical references here are confirmed as true and a product of my extensive research. History, archaeology, romance, religion, and art make for a tasty stew in this moving, moralistic mystery/thriller novel soon to be published by Penmore Press. While it can be read independently from the first book, you can learn more about Esther and Bastiann in Rembrandt’s Angel, available in print and ebook formats at Amazon and from the publisher, and in ebook format at Smashwords and the latter’s affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.) and lenders (Overdrive, etc.). Son of Thunder will be available at the same places.

Both are entertaining stories for your fall reading.

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!

Edinburgh Twilight. Carole Lawrence, author.* Talk about satisfying two of my reading preferences at once! Hmm…maybe three: this novel’s setting is Ian Rankin’s dark Edinburgh underbelly, only in 1880; it’s a British-style mystery, with a Glasgow-born inspector playing the major role; and it’s first-rate historical fiction in addition to being an excellent mystery/crime story. I could hardly put this one down long enough to sip my Jameson!

Inspector Hamilton is a complex character with as much baggage as Rankin’s Inspector Rebus, and then some. He lost his parents in a terrible fire, and he has the burn scars to prove it. The arsonist was never captured, which is Hamilton’s motivation for becoming a policeman, although his father was also one. (Makes you wonder if the arsonist was on a payback mission, but the author doesn’t even hint at that. Maybe for later novel?)

The reader also is introduced to Hamilton’s Aunt Lillian, a Miss Marple/Esther Brookstone-type saucy character who often slips back into her Glasgow accent. That’s my only complaint, because the author’s transliteration of that accent propagates along with the tale—she should give the reader the initial flavor and then forget about it. The reader also meets Hamilton’s boss, assistant, and a street urchin who becomes essential to Hamilton’s investigation. All wonderful characters.

Not so wonderful is the serial killer. He’s on the loose, and Hamilton wants to find him as soon as possible before he kills again. Hamilton is unsuccessful, though, so the mystery and suspense builds, as the killer matches wits with the detective and his aides while killing again. Through it all, the reader discovers the vast gulf between rich and poor, the plight of Irish immigrants in the city, and the dark evil that can lurk in criminal minds.

Standard plot, right? Okay, but the interesting characters, all different, and noir setting make up for the weak plot. And remember, this is 1880, so the era also contributes to the setting. The author’s mesmerizing skill with words far exceeds the magical prowess of her villain.

In spite of the plot, this story is a well written  mystery/crime novel. For any newbie author looking for examples on how to write them, studying how it’s put together will be enlightening. I’ve already finished #2 number two in the series, and I understand the author is strolling the streets of Edinburgh in preparation for #3. Good luck to her.

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*Note from Steve: I will no longer indicate either publisher or date of publication in my book reviews. I usually don’t indicate price either. This allows “evergreen books,” which I often read, play on an equal playing field with recently published books—same for indie, small press, and Big Five books. If interested, the reader can follow the links I give here to Amazon, where the cover, blurb, and “peek inside” can provide more information than I can in my brief reviews.

And, as strange as it seems, you should not pay much attention to those book reviews, of my books or anyone else’s, especially those on Amazon or even my own reviews. Instead use the information I’ve indicated for your final buying decision. You have a right to make your own reading choices—they’re completely subjective, after all. The fact that I like or dislike a book or certain elements in it is only my opinion—yours might be entirely different, and I wouldn’t want you to accuse me of leading you astray.

Of course, I have no ax to grind here, and I don’t play favorites.

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Comments are always welcome.

Son of Thunder. #2 in the “Esther Brookstone Art Detective Series.” This sequel to Rembrandt’s Angel has Esther Brookstone, now retired from Scotland Yard, obsessed with finding St. John the Divine’s tomb, using directions left by the Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli. The disciple’s missionary travels and Botticelli’s trip to the Middle East make for three travel stories that all come together. Esther’s boyfriend, Interpol agent Bastiann van Coevorden, has problems with arms dealers, but he multitasks by trying to keep Esther focused and out of danger. The reader can also learn how their romance progresses. History, archaeology, romance, and art make for a tasty stew in this mystery/thriller novel soon to be published by Penmore Press in print and ebook formats. While it can be read independently of the first book, you can learn more about Esther and Bastiann in Rembrandt’s Angel—available in print and ebook formats at Amazon and in ebook format at Smashwords and the latter’s affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.) and lenders (Overdrive, etc.).

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!

Winter World + Solar War. A. G. Riddle, author. Okay, I haven’t read #3 yet—it’s a pre-order with an ugly cover, and I rarely sign up for them. (Why should I make a cash advance to Amazon?!) So far the series is a combo of post-apocalyptic and military sci-fi. And, so far, while a wee bit predictable, it’s better than the author’s other books, which is saying a lot—they were good, and so are these. There are only so many themes in sci-fi, so the stories often boil down to variations on themes. To wit…

The theme here, at least in the first two books, is similar to my Chaos Chronicles. An apocalypse occurs and humanity endeavors to survive it. In my case, humanity as well as bad ETs cause the problems. In Riddle’s, a collective intelligence formed by many galactic civilizations brushes away primitive civilizations like they were annoying gnats. If this reminds you of my own Swarm, good—that means you’ve already read my trilogy. If not, you might want to compare. My Swarm is aloof and impersonal; Riddle’s Grid is all that and evil—apparently bad ETs are welcome to join as well as good, and the bad corrupt the good. Swarm tries to stop the evil ETs.  Mind you, I haven’t read #3. In spite of murdering billions of humans, maybe the Grid will turn out to be good?

Novel #1’s plot does have a twist. Maybe Riddle doesn’t believe in global warming? In any case, we do not have a global summer as the Earth turns into Venus, as one might expect from our current and very real climate crisis. The Grid goes around stealing the energy out of suns like ours, so that swatting of gnats is realized in our solar system by causing global winter on Earth via blocking the sunlight. That premise is a bit absurd. If the Grid were truly aloof and uncaring, they’d just construct a Dyson sphere between Earth’s orbit and be done with it! Of course, there would be no story then.

The story in Winter World becomes stopping the Grid’s deep-freeze attack on Earth. The reader is introduced to ex-prisoner and super-genius James as well as lovely astronaut Emma, who’s the only survivor of the Grid’s attack on ISS. They come together in those trying circumstances to lead the charge against the Grid…and find a bit of romance in a post-apocalyptic winter (lots of snuggling).

Novel #2’s plot is about the counterattack from the Grid and the aftermath. Asteroids are involved as the Grid avenges the dinosaurs. With all that energy they’ve collected, why doesn’t it just turn Earth into nuclear glass? The author posits it’s because that would be a waste of energy, and the Grid doesn’t like to do that. Hmm. With all the stars in the galaxy, you’d think the Grid doesn’t have to worry about wasting a few nukes. Of course, that would end the story too, and eliminate another tale of survival and the few remaining humans fleeing Earth for a new home around a red dwarf (yeah, the Grid isn’t interested in those puny little stars). Another twist…maybe? Guess who helps the humans on the multi-century-long trip. That trek also occurs in my Chaos Chronicles; readers can consider both an homage to Brian Aldiss.

(more…)

The Bottom Dwellers. Leah Devlin, author (Penmore Press, 2015). Dr. Lindsey Nolan is an unstable genius with her original designs of new medical apparatuses, and she has a drinking problem. A competitor has a jealousy problem. And a homeless, teenage prostitute named Maggie has a drug problem. These are the bottom dwellers in this story.

Everything starts in Woods Hole, Massachusetts (beautiful spot, by the way, along with the whole Cape), where Lindsey works, drinks, and plays. But there are three parallel stories here., sometimes abutting, other times not. The story moves quickly on to a rehab facility. Will Lindsey pull her promiscuous life together and remain sober? Will Maggie overcome her substance abuse? And will Lindsey’s competitor take advantage of Lindsey’s absence from Woods Hole?

Almost every chapter is divided into sections corresponding to the three main characters—nothing new about dividing chapters, of course. Each section is in that character’s point of view—unusual, but not new either. But each section could be a chapter in itself, which makes the chapters a bit lengthy sometimes. That’s a different organization for a novel, but it works here. And be assured that the relationship between the individuals is finally defined.

I’ve been wanting to read this first book in the “Woods Hole Mysteries” after I read and reviewed #2, Aegir’s Curse. The Bottom Dwellers is grittier and deals with the underbelly of what goes on in our society a lot more. The story reads like a therapist’s chronicle of three personality disorders. There isn’t much of a plot, but readers who like character-driven stories will surely find many interesting characters here. In fact, this novel is probably more current today than when it was written, a true “evergreen” book that offers more evidence, if readers need it, that authors’ backlists contain many interesting stories.

For those readers who like more plot-driven stories, consider this book a prequel to Aegir’s Curse, which is a  mystery/thriller novel with a terrific plot involving two of the main characters from The Bottom Dwellers. Both books are well written but completely different. I wonder what #3 in the series, The Bends, will be like. Stay tuned.

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Comments are always welcome.

Rembrandt’s Angel. “You’re an elitist.” “And you’re a killer. I prefer to be an elitist.” Ex-MI6 agent and current Scotland Yard Inspector Esther Brookstone becomes obsessed with recovering a Rembrandt painting stolen by the Nazis in World War II. Interpol agent and paramour Bastiann van Coevorden tries to control her obsession and keep her safe. Their quest to recover the painting leads them to an international conspiracy that threatens Europe. Published by Penmore Press, this mystery/thriller is available in ebook and print format from Amazon and as an ebook version from Smashwords and its affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.) Also available from the publisher or your local bookstore (if they don’t have it, ask for it). A sequel is coming.

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!

The Clock. Leonardus G. Rougoor, author (Black Opal Books, 2017). Siblings Elizabeth and Matthew Janssen, seventeen and eighteen, take a long summer vacation on Cape Cod with their parents. On their arrival, they start to explore their vacation cottage and discover a secret room containing an old grandfather clock with instructions inside on how to operate it as a time machine.

The time-travelers eventually discover two past murders and one suicide, the murders committed against Alice and John, kids living in the 1920s. Is Alice’s irascible uncle responsible and feeling so guilty he commits suicide? Are two evil strangers his accomplices?

In speculative fiction literature, a reader can find time-travel romances, fantasies, thrillers, and horror stories. This novel could be called a time-travel mystery for young adults. It reminded me a bit of The House with a Clock in Its Walls without the nightmarish and slimy stuff. The murders are treated in an antiseptic fashion without a lot of blood and gore—minimalist writing at its best because young readers with active imaginations can visualize them easily enough.

The author uses the present tense with an omniscient point of view, even to describe the past. That was a little bit quirky, but I quickly became accustomed to it; it works. The plot moves along from its idyllic beginnings to its harried climax. There were a few missing things in the denouement that left me dissatisfied (I won’t go into them—no spoilers here). The characters aren’t very complex, though, and the Janssen family is a bit too perfect. Alice’s uncle is the most complex character and therefore the most interesting, but we don’t see enough of him.

The novel is very enjoyable and almost seemed to transport me to that simpler 1920s life from the present of Elizabeth and Matthew—tranquil horror, if you will. Well worth the read for any young adult or adult who is young at heart. It made this old curmudgeon feel young again…and brought back fond memories I’ve had with rentals on Cape Cod!

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Comments are always welcome.

“Detectives Chen and Castilblanco Series,” the National and International Novels. In Angels Need Not Apply, the two NYPD homicide detectives join a national task force to go after a drug cartel leader who has an insidious plan. In Aristocrats and Assassins, the detectives are in Europe, fighting a terrorist who is kidnapping European aristocrats. In Gaia and the Goliaths, they learn about a plot conjured up by a US energy company and a Russian oligarch and set out to stop it. All these ebooks are available on Amazon and Smashwords and the latter’s affiliated retailers (Apple iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.). Current, pithy, and exciting, this is great summer reading!

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas! 

Sins of the Sister. Zari Reede, author (Black Opal Books, 2018) Lana has been looking for her twin sister, Dania, who was abducted three years earlier. In the opening scene, Lana meets the sex traffickers who she’s been pursuing, thinking they’re somehow involved with Dania’s disappearance. But there’s another candidate too, a mad gamer who carries his role-playing too far. Lana knows her sister’s alive because she can sense how her captor tortures her and abuses her sexually. If he’s the role-player, he’s bent on “cleansing” the girls he captures for Mother before killing them.

My first impression was that this story is really creepy, but on the Goldilocks scale, it’s probably just right. It could be a model for anyone wanting to write a horrific crime story. The plot moves along as the reader follows Lana’s pursuit of clues and her missteps. Parallel stories are found about Dania’s two potential captors; Lana’s friendship with Favor, her martial arts instructor; and her romantic feelings in her love-hate relationship with Norris, the cop who seems to have given up on finding Dania. The characters seem like real people—creepy villains, misguided teens, and good people with flaws, all examples of the wide spectrum of human behavior.

On one hand, this is a mystery/crime story with Lana playing the role of the PI (she inherits an agency). The connection Lana has with her twin adds a bit of paranormal flavor. The point of view (POV) flips back and forth between Lana and the gamer at first. That might be a bit disconcerting to some readers, especially when they’re inside the monster’s insane mind, but as a reader I always enjoy the use of this technique. Readers will know who he is before Lana does, which suggests this book is also a thriller. The parts involving the sex trafficker, whose POV isn’t shared, is more a standard mystery with interesting little twists and one major one.

I won’t dwell on the cast of characters. There are so many, which makes this novel complex and interesting. The writing is superb. Let me include one quote I hope to always remember: “…in the river of life, relationships pooled up in eddies, sometimes churning forever, while others swept around the bend, lost except in the memory of those who once cherished them.” That’s a meta-theme for this novel: relationships. I’ll write no more about it. You should just read it…and enjoy the story.

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Comments are always welcome.

“Detectives Chen & Castilblanco Series,” the NYC novels. In The Midas Bomb, terrorism and Wall Street excesses go hand-in-hand, with an evil genius lurking in the wings. In Teeter-Totter Between Lust and Murder, Castilblanco is out to prove that Chen is innocent of murder. In The Collector, the detectives find that sex trafficking and stolen art provide an unusual mix. And in Family Affairs, Castilblanco helps some family members who are in trouble. All these ebooks are available on Amazon and Smashwords and the latter’s affiliated retailers (Apple iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.). Current, pithy, and exciting, this is great summer reading!

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!

Happy July Fourth to all U.S. readers of this blog! Celebrate, be safe, and be responsible.

[Note from Steve: For an interview with this author, see the previous post.]

The Case of the Missing Mobster. Harol Marshall, author (Black Opal Books, 2019). When wannabe actress Sally Martin walks into PI Polly Berger’s office, Polly is glad to get the case of finding her client’s missing husband Ricky Martin—another wannabe actor, not the singer. But the case becomes complicated. Her client knows things the local Hollywood cops don’t know, and the local FBI agents, who start tailing Polly, won’t admit to knowing either. Part of Sally’s extra knowledge involves Lenny Spinoli, who Sally says was Ricky’s friend; his body just washed up on a beach.

There’s a good cast of characters here that includes Polly’s sidekick Bernardo “Bunny” Contreras and several “contacts” Polly works with, and other friends. The plot has enough twists and misdirects to please any fan of the mystery/crime genre, and with Polly in the first person, the reader will discover them right along with Polly. There’s serious business afoot too, but the overall tone is tongue-in-cheek, especially with Bunny, who moonlights as a standup comedian. That fits the Californian laid-back lifestyle. I should mention that Bunny’s girlfriend is Polly’s twin sister Franny, a fact used to confuse the FBI, for example. Franny and Rosa, who does tarot card readings in the office below Polly’s, add more color to the plot.

The author is a fan of Perry Mason, but the style here reminds me of both Robert Parker and Carl Hiaasen. LA is neither Boston nor Florida, of course, but having a bit of fun among the serious goings-on characterizes Ms. Marshall’s main character’s adventures as well as those of the other two authors’.

There were a few references to pop culture that tickled my fancy too, and a revisit to my old California haunts was frosting on the cake. Readers will enjoy this novel as much as I did, I’m sure.

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Comments are always welcome.

The Last Humans. Ex-USN diver Penny Castro surfaces from a forensics dive for the LA County Sheriff’s Department to find her fellow deputies and a witness dead from a plague that sweeps around the world, killing billions. Follow her adventures in this post-apocalyptic SoCal landscape as she finds other survivors, some friendly and others violent. Their struggles aren’t for the faint of heart, but Penny and her companions show mettle and ingenuity as they deal with a world gone mad. Available in print and ebook format on Amazon and in ebook format on Smashwords and all the latter’s affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.).

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas.