Kevin’s reviews of other people’s books
“A bit of detritus not worth the time spent swiping the 44 pages. You have been warned.” This short novella (billed as a novel) appears to be either entirely AI generated, without any proofreading by a human. It is that, or it is the worst-written story I have ever encountered. It does a great disservice … More The Perfect Murder, by E.N. Williams
“I have a new favorite fictional police officer and his name is Silas Lopez.” I have a new favorite fictional police officer and his name is Silas Lopez. In this debut novel, Christopher Mirabile has created a character with heart, humor, wisdom, perspective, and a huge likeability factor. Silas is the titular “washashore,” something that … More The Washashore, by Christopher Mirabile [Review]
“If you enjoy world-building and immersing in a fantasy world with engaging detail and likeable (if sometimes bumbling) characters, you can hunker down for a good long spell of being fascinated by the world of Rhone and Stone.” This was my first exposure to Strider Kussman’s Rhone & Stone series. The author gave me a … More Recalled: The Adventures of Rhone & Stone (Rhone & Stone, book #3), by Strider S.R. Klusman [Review]
“If you love to be surprised by twist after twist, and don’t mind being manipulated and given false information in the thoughts of the first-person narrator, you will love this story. If you don’t appreciate the author’s manipulation – wait for the movie. I think it will be very good.” There is a lot good … More My Husband’s Wife, by Alice Feeney [review]
“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]
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