Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin
Genre: Humor /Mystery /Adventure
Approximate word
count: 45-50,000 words
Availability
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate
page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store
Author:
“Barbara Silkstone is the
best-selling author of the Wendy Darlin Tomb Raider series ~ Mystery Comedies
featuring Wendy Darlin, Miami real estate broker and part-time Tomb Raider.
Silkstone enjoys doing playful things with language as she writes criminally
funny tales ripped from the headlines...shaken, not stirred, and served with a
twist and a chuckle. She lives in south Florida where she survives on buttered
popcorn and fried chicken... extra crispy.”
You can find out more about Ms.
Silkstone at her website or connect with her on her blog or Facebook. Ms.
Silkstone has also recently opened another website that has nothing to do with
books. “The Second Act Café is a place for those lingering on either
side of fifty. It’s about getting even by having fun. Life truly should be one
long laugh.” Her books are also available on Audible.com.
Description:
“The legendary mastermind
criminal and mummy thief, Kyzer Saucy, strikes again. Part-time tomb raider and
full-time real estate broker, Wendy Darlin joins her lover, archaeologist Roger
Jolley as they struggle to save a rare Miami mummy from the clutches of this
evil genius. Can Saucy be stopped before he kills again? Meanwhile can Wendy
keep her promise to Alfred Hiccup as he attempts to transmigrate from the
afterlife? Or has Wendy finally made one promise too many?”
Appraisal:
As always Wendy hits the ground running. She just happens to
be in the wrong place at the wrong time with hormones raging. Ms. Silkstone's
plots are character driven and I am not sure she has any control over Wendy at
all. She is a smart, take control type of heroine and doesn't let anything get
in her way, besides holes in fabric, water in her face, or heights.
Miami Mummies is a homage to Alfred Hitchcock with
character names such as Alfred Hiccup, Tippy Henman, Gary Grant, and Stewart
James. Tippy's construction site, where the mummies were found, is the old
Bates Hotel. In a secondary plot Alfred Hiccup, Wendy's mentor, recruits her to
repossess, it's not stealing if it was originally stolen from him, a
bronze Remington statue that has been
located in the lobby of the Cowboy Pension Fund on the top floor of the North
by Northwest Financial Center in Miami. You can tell Ms. Silkstone had a lot of
fun weaving this story and the Hitchcock elements together. I found myself
chuckling through it all.
This is not just slapstick humor, there is a good mystery,
unscrupulous political figures, evil lobbyists, a spoiled heiress, and a
radical spinoff tribe of Seminole Native Americans trying to protect what may
be an old Tequesta Indian burial site. Unfortunately, Roger Jolley is away on
other mummy business involving the world’s most notorious mummy thief, Kyzer
Saucy, who wishes to totally eliminate Roger by crafting an exotic demise.
However, when he hears about the archaeological finds around Miami he joins
Wendy in her quest to get to the truth about the Miami mummies.
I was glad to see more of Kit Kennedy in this book. He is a
lot of fun to have around. I did fear for his safety a time or two through some
of the plot twists. Ms. Silkstone does an excellent job bringing her story to
life using recent headlines in Miami's news while making it a fun romp through
Alfred Hitchcock's movie portfolio. There are a couple of new characters
introduced who may make appearances in future books, it will be interesting to
see. There is no cliffhanger at the end of this story but some things were not
tied up in a neat little bow leaving openings for further adventures.
FYI:
Miami Mummies is the fourth book in the Wendy Darlin Tomb Raider series.
While it could be read as a stand-alone I would recommend reading Wendy and the Lost Boys, London Broil, and Cairo Caper for a complete appreciation of the characters.
While it could be read as a stand-alone I would recommend reading Wendy and the Lost Boys, London Broil, and Cairo Caper for a complete appreciation of the characters.
Format/Typo Issues:
I found no significant issues.
Rating: ***** Five Stars
13 comments:
Thank you for this wonderful five star review. Wendy was so inspired she just headed out on another adventure.
Love Barbara's wacky humor. I'm glad you do too, Big Al. Great observation that Barbara may not have any control over Wendy at all :-) Happy to hear there's another Wendy adventure on the way, Barb!
Thanks, Anne, but I can't take credit for this one. This was ?wazithinkin's review.(Which doesn't mean I don't like Barbara's books, because I do.)
Thanks for dropping in and commenting Ms. Silkstone. Wendy is such a unique character. I loved the Hitchcock element in this book.
Thank you for commenting, Ms. Allen. I look forward to more Wendy adventures also.
Great review, wazi. You had me laughing in all the right ways. Sounds like an unusual series.
Thanks, Pete. Ms. Silkstone has developed a unique character with Wendy Darlin, she is a lot of fun.
I'm a big fan of Barbara's so can't wait to read this! Great review :) xx
Sounds like a hoot. Love the cover, Barbara. :)
Great review, wazithinkin.
Thank you for all your kind comments. And you are correct, ?wazithinkin. I have no control over Wendy. She embarrassed the heck out of me when she was laying on that gynecologist's table. I never know what's going to come out of her mouth.
Thanks for dropping in and commenting Ms. Hodge.
Vicki, I think the Windy book covers are alone are entertaining. Thanks for the kind words.
Ms. Silkstone, that scene was hysterical. I'm pretty sure that is when I decided you had no control over Wendy. LOL!
?wazi,
But don't you hate when that happens? There you are on the doctor's examination table one minute, and the next....
Honestly Ms. Silkstone, I can't say I have ever had a moment like that! I would like to thank you though, for glimpses into what it must be like to live in your head. :D
Post a Comment