I love private investigator stories, and the general plot of the kidnapping of an heiress seemed like potential fun. But a good crime story needs plausibility, even with some allowance for suspension of reality as to the premise. It also needs well-drawn characters who make the reader root for (or against) somebody and care … More Alternative to Murder by H.E. Joyce [Review]

Devlin Haskell is a classic hard-boiled private detective, in a modern setting, with a heavy dose of humor. Author Make Faricy has created a character who harkens back to Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe, with a quick wit, a perpetually unrequited love life, and a penchant for getting into trouble. When a bombshell blonde named … More Russian Roulette (Dev Haskell #1), by Mike Faricy [Review]

When a marine with mangled fingers has a chance to return to the scene of his injuries and take revenge on the enemy that maimed him – and at the same time can take revenge for the killing of the woman he loved – the story is bound to be compelling. Add in a new … More A Warrior Still, by M.C. Thomas [review]

A memoir is difficult when the subject is an unexceptional person whose life had few interesting aspects. This would have been a fine short story. “Mommy, am I a real Korean?” her daughter asks her at age five. She thought about it. She had been adopted by a white family after her Korean parents gave … More All You Can Ever Know: A Memoir, by Nicole Chung [Review]

I read this book as part of a reading group and I’ll say up front that this is not my usual genre. There are eight stories in the volume. Six involve a female protagonist who seeks and finds love. One is a cautionary tale from the perspective of an 18-year-old girl about the perils of … More Lightning in the Snow, short stories by Virginia Babcock [Review]

          “You think you can guess where a book is going? Good luck. This is one of the most original plots I can remember.” The mind sleuth series from Bruce Perrin is filled with original plots, psychological investigations, and richly drawn characters. They are also exceptionally well-written, making them a pleasure to read. The Mind … More From the Mind of a Witch, by Bruce Perrin [Review]

This novella introduces the Galactic Culinary Society, a multi-species organization dedicated to exploring the galaxy looking for unique food experiences. Here, the search is for the legendary edible sonnets of Umami – poetry you can taste – which hasn’t been experienced in two hundred years. Our hero, Jeane Oberon, is a human who must match … More The Secrets of Umami (The Galactic Culinary Society) by D. R. Schoel [Review]

I’m a science fiction fan and had positive expectations for Mr. Flynn’s attempt to construct a serial space opera consisting of a progression of short stories. Naturally, the key to success is an opening segment that captivates the reader, who then can’t wait for the next installment. Unfortunately, for all its action, this story falls … More Mara’s Awakening (The Mara Files, Book 1), by Leo Flynn [Review]