“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]
“I wish that first scene had been a stand-alone short story and I could have stopped there.” This book was selected by my book club. I was expecting witty, clever, and engaging, and the story starts out exactly that way as Maud, our 88-year-old heroine, is visited by two police inspectors. It seems a man … More An Elderly Woman Must Not Be Crossed, by Helene Tursten [Review]
This book is not a traditional mystery. The interest for the reader is not in what happened, but rather in experiencing how the characters react as they discover what the reader already knows. This book is marketed as a “Psychological thriller.” For readers who enjoy getting deep inside the heads of characters and experience the … More Free Fall, by Nina Atwood [Review]
“a fascinating story . . . and historical record that’s worth studying. Unfortunately, Mr. Figueredo fails to make the story into a compelling novel.” Breaking Arrows, by Luis Figueredo [Review] The Chief of the small Kialegee Tribe in a suburb of Tulsa, Oklahoma is driven to despair following the death of his grandson. After years … More Breaking Arrows, by Luis Figueredo [Review]
“A short story mystery that hits every cliche.” S.K. Winters’ short story is described on its Amazon sale page as “A Thriller” (it’s not) and is not branded as a short story (which it is). Don’t expect a novel or a thriller. What you can expect is a quick read that is long on descriptions … More The Mansion, by S.K. Winter [Review]
“As a jumping off point for discussing these significant social issues, the book is a success. But as a story about Stephanie, the book misses the emotional mark and it is structurally challenged.” Ms. Kiser’s memoir (a book club read for me) succeeds in raising many important social issues through her journey working in her … More Wanted: Toddler’s Personal Assistant, by Stephanie Kiser [review]
[This article was originally published as a two-part feature in InD’Tale magazine, which has since gone out of business. Reprinted here so folks can find it.] As an independent author, I’m always trying to promote the first two books in my crime-thriller series to potential buyers. I frequently hear the question: “Is it available … More Self-narrating your audiobooks – learn from my mistakes
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