Kevin’s reviews of other people’s books
“Many aspects of the overly complicated plot are not explained well.” V.I. Warshawski fans will get mostly what they expect from Sara Paretsky’s newest installment in the long-running series, Overboard. I’m a huge fan of Ms. Paretsky’s writing and V.I. as a character. The story is the usual high-energy, high-peril adventure through the back-streets of … More Overboard, by Sara Paretsky [Review]
Players is a satisfying police procedural with rich characters and a fine, twisty plot. Players is the seventh book in author Mike Markel’s series featuring two police detectives in the fictional town of Rawlings, Montana. This is my first dive into the series, which I picked up because of the subject matter – a murder … More Players, by Mike Markel [Review]
Where Frankenstein meets Christine, The Killer Car in a disturbing gothic romance. In this original but disturbing gothic romance, Frankenstein meets Christine, The Killer Car and a young woman must choose between her father, her virtue, and the man she loves, but cannot touch. It’s not for everyone, but if your taste runs toward steamy … More Let Me Die, by Virginia Babcock [Review]
A masterful expansion of the Oort Federation saga. To the Stars is the second installment in the Oort Federation series, and the sequel to The Icicle, which I read earlier this year. Like many Sci-Fi series, it is essential that you read book #1 before reading book #2. The characters, the villains, the construction of … More The Oort Federation: To the Stars: The Second Oort Chronicle, by Robert Williscroft [Review]
“Witty, funny, and extremely original. This book will take you on a crazy ride filled with adventure, sex, tequila, and intrigue. The author has a deliciously cynical sense of humor that permeates this unique novel. Strap in and enjoy! Your mileage may vary.” This irreverently funny and off-beat novel includes many elements you seldom see … More Rex, the Kid, the Whore, the Witch, and the Scientist, by David Myles Robinson [Review]
Great science fiction writers like Robert G. Williscroft have the ability to explain fantastical concepts that you have never imagined, and make you say “Oh, of course. That makes sense.” In Icicle, Mr. Williscroft answers the obvious question of what happens to a cryogenically frozen head when it is thawed out and reawakened far in … More Icicle, by Robert G. Williscroft [review]
A haunting story set in the late 1930s, Circle of Darkness weaves together a sinister present and a tortured past with exquisite prose and a complex heroine. The author captures the tone and atmosphere of the remnants of Southern aristocracy, clinging to the trappings of wealth even through the Great Depression. Gathered at a lakeside … More Circle of Darkness, by Phyllis M. Newman [Review]
I picked up Dead At Third during a free offer and enjoyed this first installment in Gregory Payette’s Henry Walsh series. Henry is a former Rhode Island cop who moves to Jacksonville, Florida after an incident. He takes a job as head of security for the fictional Jacksonville Sharks baseball club, a major league franchise. … More Dead at Third (A Henry Walsh Mystery), by Gregory Payette [Review]
This bestseller and Reese’s Book Club selection is my book club’s January read. Based on the hype and the 60,000 reviews on Amazon, I had high expectations. The book did not live up to them. I’m certainly not the target audience, and I’ll admit that, as a male, I may be missing the emotional connection … More The last thing he told me, by Laura Dave [Review]
This book is its own genre, to be categorized as gibberish satire fantasy adventure. I happen to be a fan of James Joyce, and have a dog-eared copy of Ulysses on my bookshelf. The Reeking Hegs starts out as a kind of retelling of The Odyssey, written in even more impenetrably language than Joyce, with … More The Reeking Hegs, by Pete Peru and Lord Tupelo [Review]
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