Kevin’s reviews of other people’s books
“A sophisticated action thriller with a deep heart.” Victoria Westfield’s new thriller (with an undercurrent of repressed romance) is an engrossing read, particularly if you enjoy foreign settings, in this case, Italy. The protagonist, Genie, is a travel writer, nearing the end of a trip to Rome and vicinity, when she sits down at a … More She Knew Too Much, by Victoria Westfield [Review]
“An action-packed short story and a great prequel to the series.” This short story is quick and action-packed. Holly and Nova are on a strike team taking out an arms dealer and his pedophile brother. Nova is the new guy. After the mission, Holly has another chore. This one is personal. When Nova tags along, … More The Debt You Pay by Robert Swartwood [Review]
“A reasonably pleasant story for a long train ride, but without anything outstanding that will make me want to run out and buy the author’s other books.” This short novel is branded as Fenburne Murder Mysteries 2. I did not read book 1, but picked this up during a free promo. Fenburne refers to a … More The Restless Dead, by E.G. Ellory [Review]
I’m a fan of Logan McKenna and this series and Stone Cold is a great addition. Logan volunteers to work with a retired cop on a group of cold case murder files when a long-dead body is unearthed during construction of a new housing development. The skeleton is Brooke, a 16-year-old girl who went missing … More Stone Cold (A Logan McKenna Mystery) [Review]
Rebecca Forster is a best-selling author of more than 40 crime thrillers. I recently picked up The Mentor during a free promo. It is one of her early books, and it reads like an early novel. Some good, some bad. The baseline story is about a pair of federal prosecutors preparing for the trial of … More The Mentor, by Rebecca Forster [Review]
“This is a deeply plotted and multi-layered story that is definitely not fully over when the last page is turned.” This is the first book in what will be a series (additional books not yet written) featuring Clearwater, Florida homicide detective Karen Skaryd (Scare -id) and her husband, plumber and hybrid rose horticulturist, Brock. The … More Death in Utopia by Phillip Vega [Review]
“There is a story here, and I’m hoping that the upcoming motion picture will distill this book down into something watchable. My advice is to wait for the movie.” This cozy mystery is 90% cozy and (at best) 10% mystery. The story meanders and meanders. The prose is packet with description of unimportant things, characters … More The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman [Review]
“What makes this story fly is the dialogue. It’s crisp, witty, and carries the narrative of the story without much “inside the head” of the characters exposition.” The (lucky) thirteenth book in John C. Daglish’s “City Murders” series brings us to Kansas City. This author has an amazing ability to capture the specific locations and … More Kansas City Homicide, by John C. Daglish [review]
“I highly recommend this series, and Devil’s Claw is a key cog in the development of Logan’s relationships and her very entertaining world.” This is the third book in Ms. Davisson’s wonderful Logan McKenna series. I am a Logan fan and this story is filled with the author’s very real and human characters, which is … More Devil’s Claw, by Valerie Davisson [review]
“Science Fiction at its best — where the story and the characters are the stars and the social issues are compelling.” Science Fiction is at its best when the futuristic or other-worldly setting is merely the stage for a story about larger issues and meaningful relationships. Transference is an excellent example. The story is about … More Transference, by Ian Patterson [Review]
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