Review: Bury The Bodies by Keith Nixon

Genre: Police Procedural/Mystery

Description:

“A missing son, a web of lies, a murder covered up.

Detective Inspector Solomon Gray is getting closer to finding his son, missing now for over a decade. He’s on the trail of a bent cop, Lewis Strang, who appears connected to the disappearance, all those years ago. But Strang is untouchable, a star of the Metropolitan police force. Once more, Gray must blur the line between right and wrong.

When the body of a young black man turns up on a Margate back street it seems to be yet another drug related crime. Margate is currently the focus of a special operation, codenamed Pivot, to take down local suppliers. But Gray discovers there’s more to the case than initially meets the eye.

And Gray has his own problems to deal with. First there’s the public investigation into the death of Gray’s ex-boss, DCI Jeff Carslake and then Gray’s estranged daughter, Hope, turns up on his doorstep – she’s pregnant and left the child’s father.

As Gray investigates he discovers the truth about Tom and who took him. A truth that is even more shocking than Gray ever expected…

Set in the once grand town of Margate in the south of England, the now broken and depressed seaside resort becomes its own character in this dark detective thriller, perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, Stuart MacBride, and Peter James.

Bury The Bodies is the fourth book in the series featuring Detective Sergeant Solomon Gray. Buy it now to discover if, in this, the final chapter, Gray will finally find out what happened to his long missing son.”

Author:

“Keith Nixon is a British born writer of crime and historical fiction novels. Originally he trained as a chemist, but Keith is now in a senior sales role for a high-tech business.

Keith currently lives with his family in the North West of England”

For more from Mr. Nixon, visit his website and like his Facebook page.

Appraisal:

Finally. As the description says, so I can’t be accused of being a spoiler, in this fourth installment in Nixon’s Solomon Gray series, we along with Gray find out what happened to his son. Or do we? The description above I stole from the book’s Amazon listing makes it appear as though this fourth book is the final book in the Solomon Gray series, and yet there is a book 5 also listed on Amazon. Hmm. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

In addition to searching for his son, trying to figure out what happened to him and who was responsible, Gray also has lots of other crimes he’s investigating and trying to bring the guilty parties in to pay for their crimes. Just when you think you have a handle on what’s going to happen, something changes and you’re wondering again. But maybe this will be the book where Gray finally figures something out that has been haunting him through the series thus far. I’m not going to tell you if he does or not. It’s a fun and intense read, regardless of the answer to that question.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Reprise Review: Adventures of the Tooth Fairies: The Wobbler! by S. de la Perrelle

Genre: Middle Grade

Description:

“When Isabella, the tooth fairy, falls foul of a trap to capture her, it is up to her lifelong friend, Jamie, to mount a fearless rescue.

Isabella is not only captured but she also loses her magical powers; she is a prisoner with no means of escaping by herself.

Her only chance of freedom is if Jamie realizes that she is missing and can get to her before it is too late.

Will Jamie find Isabella?

Will he suffer the same fate as his lifelong friend?

Will they manage to escape and return home safely?

This is an original story with a modern twist on the classic tooth fairy character.

The fairies are both male and female and they use computers to hold their tooth schedules.”

Author:

An English native, de la Perrelle is fulfilling her lifetime dream to write after a long and successful career.

For more, visit de la Perrelle’s Facebook page.

Appraisal:

“Crash, bang, clang, clatter! Isabella was rudely shaken from her peaceful slumber.”

A simple, yet powerful, first two lines that struck me as especially good. Already, we have a conflict developing to pull the reader in. It worked for me and it worked for “The Princess,” my nine year-old granddaughter, who assisted me with her thoughts on The Wobbler! This is the first of three books planned in a series of tooth fairy adventures. It’s well edited with a modern fairy tale storyline and story world that should appeal to children of many ages. The vocabulary and length are perfect for ages eight to ten and would be ideal for a parent or older sibling to read to younger kids.

The Princess enjoyed The Wobbler!, giving it a letter grade of A-. Her favorite part was when the main character, Isabella, got “trapped.” I don’t want to say too much about this to avoid spoilers, but I can say that this happens relatively early in the book and is the first major crisis, setting up the rest of the story. The Princess was drawn into Isabella’s dilemma, wondering, “what’s going to happen next?” Strange (at least to me) was when I asked The Princess her least favorite part of the story and she said it was Isabella’s “complaining” after getting trapped. This didn’t seem extreme to me and only emphasized her desperate situation. I guess The Princess wanted her to “suck it up” and get on with problem solving, trying to figure out how to get out of the trap.

Although The Princess liked the book, she suggested that, while kids up to nine or slightly older would enjoy reading The Wobbler!, the book was ideally suited for reading to younger kids who “still believe in the tooth fairy.”

Buy now from:       Amazon US           Amazon UK

FYI:

UK spelling conventions.

The book has some illustrations that render well in black and white for an eink Kindle, but to get the full flavor, a Fire or other color capable reader or app would be slightly better.

Added for Reprise Review: Adventures of the Tooth Fairies: The Wobbler! by S. de la Perrelle was the WINNER in the Children's Books category for B&P 2013 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran February 14, 2013.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl with input from The Princess

Approximate word count: 10-15,000 words

Absolution by D.V. Berkom

Genre: Thriller

Description:

“There’s only one sure way to stop a terrorist…

Former assassin Leine Basso has severed ties with everyone she loves to keep them safe while she hunts for the ruthless terrorist, Salome. There are rumblings that the French-born assassin is planning another attack and Leine’s determined to stop her before it’s too late.

Can Leine thwart her plans, or will Salome’s own twisted vengeance mean the end for Leine and everyone she loves?

From London to Edinburgh to the City of Angels, Salome’s making a comeback—and that comeback includes killing Leine.”

Author:

“DV Berkom is the USA Today bestselling author of two action-packed thriller series featuring strong female leads: Kate Jones and Leine Basso. Her love of creating resilient, kick-ass women characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages. After a lifetime of moving to places people like to visit on vacation, she now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and several imaginary characters who like to tell her what to do.”

Appraisal:

In my review of Dark Return, the prior book in this series, I talked about how the protagonist, Leine Basso, is constantly doing a balancing act between good and evil. She’s helping protect good people from evildoers, but sometimes the things she does to do so would be considered evil if the situation was just a bit different. I also felt that she ended that last book out of balance, leaning a bit too much to the dark side.

This next installment is almost a continuation of that last volume, with Leine in search of the same evildoer and having to protect some of the same people from her. As in all the books in this series, things get intense. Typically, when I’m reading a thriller, especially a series like this where I’ve seen the heroine come out on top over and over, I may not know how they’re going to get there, but I anticipate they’re going to. Unlike the norm, reading Absolution I was fearful that some of the good guys weren’t going to make it, either Leine or one or more of the people she loves the most. Telling you whether my fears were justified or not would be a spoiler, so I won’t. You’ll have to find out for yourself.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Review: The Patron’s Wife by Mark D. Giglio

Genre: Romance/Fantasy/Superstition

Description:

“After a failed love affair, Emilio Aguilar journeys to El Paradiso: a vast plantation in the Ecuadorian highlands.

Hoping to retreat from civilization and temptation, he settles in and promises never to get involved with a married woman again.

But soon, he meets Alma - the beautiful, unhappy wife of El Patròn - and is drawn to a magical world of spirits and ancient power.

Can Alma conquer her spirit animal - the jaguar - and save her soul, or will they all be swallowed by jealousy and madness? And in the end, can Emilio stay true to himself?”

Author:

“Mark Giglio is a writer, artist and award winning furniture maker living in San Diego County, California. His education in creative writing and lifelong interest in history bring him to writing the Alchemist Gift book series.

From a long line of artists and craftsmen, he has the vocation of Furniture Maker and is the creator of the Alchemist Series of Art Furniture available on his website.”

Appraisal:

Emilio Aguilar (or is it Aguila?) is suffering from a bad breakup with a married woman. He takes a job in the Ecuadorian jungle to design a plan for solar panels for Senior Hector Alvarez, the owner of a coffee plantation called El Paradiso. When Emilio meets Alma Alvarez he is immediately captivated by her beauty and her love of poetry. Alma has a touching story on how she came to stay at El Paradiso. As the years passed she became fascinated with the spirit of a Jaguar. Now, she is being consumed by the spirit and can’t break loose alone.

So, here we are with a story of a weak female who needs rescuing. Emilio is hardly the hero she needs. As the plot thickens and becomes more desperate the plot twists. Bad decisions lead to unforeseen consequences. I became bored quickly with several stupid decisions on all their parts.

The prose describing the landscape of the different areas of the plateau was well written and it made it easy to step into the scenery. I also enjoyed the mysticism of the local stories. Bottom line is that this book wasn’t for me, that doesn’t mean it is a bad story.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words

Reprise Review: The Baker's Man by Jennifer Moorman

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/Chick-Lit

Description:

“Moorman weaves the tale of a young woman whose grandmother’s secret—and the ancestry of her grandfather—are about to change her life forever.

Anna O’Brien has inherited more than her grandmother’s talent for baking and her bakery. When her boyfriend of two years accepts an architectural job with a firm in Napa Valley, with no plans to include her, she is forced to face an uncertain future. One late night in the bakery with her best friend, Lily, they have a little too much to drink and follow a mysterious recipe of her grandmothers with a secret ingredient. The next morning she wakes up to find Elijah, a handsome stranger, baking donuts in her kitchen and things rocket out of control.”

Author:

Jennifer Moorman was born and raised in Tifton, Georgia and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She majored in English/Creative writing at MTSU. I picked this up from her website. “My life is a writer’s journey through the ramblings in my cluttered mind, the stories demanding to be written, my travels along forest pathways, and my search for the ever-elusive unicorn and the end of the rainbow.”

The Baker’s Man is her debut novel.

For more, visit Moorman's website.

Appraisal:

I found this book to be a magically enchanting tale that weaves in just enough reality to suspend my disbelief. Anna has always lived her life to please others, but when Baron decides to take a job across the country, she decides she needs to take charge of her own life and follow her heart. Anna has internal and external forces pulling her in different directions; she knows she wants to continue making pastries, but perhaps not in her hometown of Mystic Water. There is a perfect place by the sea and an offer has been made, but to move there will disappoint the hometown folks, her mother, and her friends. The relationship with Baron is also unsettled, they were both comfortable with each other and neither is ready to give it up, although they know it is over. Anna’s biggest problem is she is not ready to believe this mysterious force that draws her to Elisha is real, she doesn’t trust the magic. When her friend, Tessa, falls head over heels for Elisha, Anna tries to take a step back. This story explores friendship, forgiveness, and the possibilities of following your own heart. When Elisha, her dough-boy, starts growing into his own person things get very complicated and there are a couple of unexpected twists. The dialogue reads true and humor is expertly woven into this heartwarming journey.

I couldn’t help but love Jennifer Moorman’s prose, each of her characters and places had distinctive smells that Anna identified with them. Her mother smelled of ripe cherries or rotten cherries depending on her mood, her father like green pine or freshly cut grass. Elisha smelled of rosemary, cinnamon, spicy chocolate and melted sugar. How could you not love that?

This is one of those stories I had trouble assigning a genre to, so I went back to Donna Fasano’s guest post defining romance and chick-lit. I decided it was chick-lit with a strong romantic element, although I do not claim to be an expert on this subject. But I will tell you, if you like foodie fiction or chick-lit you will love this story.

Buy now from:    Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Added for Reprise Review: The Baker's Man by Jennifer Moorman was a nominee in the Chick-Lit category for B&P 2013 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran February 24, 2013

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no significant errors or issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Review: Shady Park Panic by Rea Keech

Genre: Satire

Description:

“A school shooting and groundswell of demand to arm teachers challenges a young reporter for the Shady Park Ledger to find out and report what really happened. Everyone is sure the shooter was a terrorist. A woman who wears a hejab is arrested, but Anthony believes she's not guilty and works to find out who is. Luckily he has the help of the beautiful Pari, who encourages him to keep reporting the facts they find despite the publisher's threats to fire both of them.”

Author:

“Rea Keech has lived in Severna Park, Maryland, in the same house since 1980. He enjoys sailing on the Severn River and writing. His previous novel, First World Problems, is the beginning of a series set in Shady Park.”

Appraisal:

This is satire and, like satire should, takes aim at reality by presenting it as a slightly over the top story. In this instance the targets of that satire are people who stake out various political positions as well as news media (specifically local news media). Done right satire will make you laugh and also make you think, possibly learning something in the process, maybe viewing some things differently. (Maybe not.)

Satire is tough. Hitting the ideal sweet spot with a story means coming up with something that the reader can almost believe, but not quite. Too far out there and it’s tough for the reader to play along. But not far enough and it feels like it is real (or easily could be). Recent political happening have made hitting that always moving spot more difficult. (Maybe you haven’t read anything from The Onion or The Borowitz Report lately that you believed was true, but I sure have.)

Shady Park Panic wavered from the sweet spot a bit, but not very often or by very much. It was an enjoyable read that made me laugh, got me riled up a time or two, and got me thinking more than once. All in all, a solid effort in my book.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

This is book 2 of a series. I hadn’t read book 1 and didn’t feel that this was an issue in following this story.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Reprise Review: Hieroglyphs by Shana Hammaker

Genre: Memoir

Description:

“Words are puzzles. Words are lies. Words are power. Words are hope.

Hieroglyphs is a dark and unique coming-of-age story.

Shana Hammaker was the second of three girls born to young and ill-equipped parents. She and her sisters grew up under some of the most harrowing conditions you’re likely to encounter in print.

Shana spent her formative years dueling against a drug-addicted mother, an uncaring father, and a cruel stepmother. She lost her virginity to a trusted family friend before she could ride a bike. And she was ultimately abandoned by her family and the child welfare system. At seventeen, Shana’s childhood ended on the street.

Through it all, Shana found strength and comfort in words. Words are everything. Words can uplift and they can condemn. Words can name you and give you strength. Words are puzzles. Words are power. Words are lies. Sometimes words create. Other times they destroy.

Words can turn a rape victim into a whore.

But words are also HOPE.”

Author:

Shana Hammaker is the author of the Twelve Terrifying Tales for 2011 series, where a different short thriller was released each month, and another memoir, The Cookie Dumpster. Follow Shana on Twitter or check out her Amazon Author page.

Appraisal:

Last year when I read and reviewed The Cookie Dumpster, Hammaker’s memoir about her time living on the streets of Santa Cruz, California, I praised the book for its authentic, unvarnished look at the plight of the homeless. But I also begged for more. The Cookie Dumpster covered a very specific and relatively short period of Hammaker’s life, but I thought there was more to tell and suggested her story cried out for a prequel, telling us what brought her life to the point where living on the street was her only, or at least best, option. The Cookie Dumpster ended at a logical point in Hammaker’s life, a turning point where her life was changing, but it felt like there was a possible sequel there as well.

Hieroglyphs is both prequel and sequel, starting with Hammaker’s childhood, deftly covering the time chronicled in The Cookie Dumpster without feeling like anything is being skipped for those who haven’t read Hammaker’s first memoir, and without feeling like covering old ground, for those who have. It then finishes with the next chapter of her life, ending at another logical stopping point. I got what I’d wished for.

There are many lessons or insights to be gained from the author’s life, starting with how much the luck of the draw influences the life you lead and ending with the realization that what politicians describe as “the safety net,” while imperfect and flawed, is much better than the alternative. Running through the story is a constant refrain of the power of words, for both good and bad, which gives insight into why Hammaker gravitated towards the writer’s life.

Buy now from:    Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult content.

Added for Reprise Review:  Hieroglyphs by Shana Hammaker was a nominee in the Memoir category for B&P 2013 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran January 3, 2013.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 15-20,000 words

Review: The Corpse Wore Stilettos by MJ O'Neill

Genre: Cozy Mystery/Woman Sleuth

Description:

“Since Kat Waters’s father took a trip to the slammer on what she’s sure are trumped-up racketeering charges, life’s been tough. All their assets are frozen, and she’s down to the last few pairs of Jimmy Choos she can swap for rent. To keep her family out of the homeless shelter, the former socialite took a job at the local morgue—a job she’s about to lose when the body of a murder victim goes missing on her watch.

While Kat’s processing the latest victim in the prostitute serial killings, ex-Special Forces soldier Burns McPhee strolls in with an air of confidence, expecting access to the Jane Doe. While Burns tries to flirt his way into examining the latest victim, whom he thinks is connected to the death of his best friend, someone else steals the body right out from under them.

Dodging questions from the cops and kidnapping attempts from a body-snatching psycho, Kat and Burns forge a deal. He’ll clear her name and keep her safe if she gets him information on her peculiar coworkers, one of whom he’s certain is involved with the body heist. But digging up secrets can lead to a lower life expectancy. The unlikely team will need all their talents not to end up as the morgue’s next clients while they hunt for a murderer, the missing corpse, and a pair of diamond-studded stilettos.”

Author:

MJ O'Neill: “As the owner of a boutique chocolate factory in Atlanta, MJ O'Neill loves to write lighthearted, romantic mysteries with a sweet twist. She has a degree in business communications from North Carolina State University. When she's not spinning a sweet yarn or creating delicious confections, she spends time with her husband, their kids, a hyperactive cocker spaniel named Devo (after the band), a princess tabby cat named Twilight (before the book stole her name) and a collection of stray fish. The whole gang can be found tooling around the back roads of the South in their RV where MJ uses the downtime to hatch her next sweet plot.”

Appraisal:

Katherine Waters is a socialite who had a lucrative career and a fiancé in Boston until her father was sent to prison for racketeering. Her fiancé dumps her and she leaves her job to move back to St. Louis to help her mom and grandmother since all of their finances have been frozen. They also had to leave their elegant family home. Grandma’s friend Claude, helps them find a small house they can rent, he also helps Kat find employment at a hospital morgue utilizing her minor in biology.

Things go amok for Kat when a body is stolen from the morgue one evening while covering for a fellow employee. The cast is full of oddball characters that range to fellow employees, doctors, hospital security, and the Russian mob. Kat takes it upon herself to try to recover the stolen body, or at least find out what happened to her since the detectives don’t seem to appreciate the details of the crime she gives them. The over-the-top storyline is humorous as it twists into areas I would have never expected. While the story arc of the corpse is resolved there is a larger arc that concerns Kat’s father’s incarceration. And who exactly is Claude? And will Kat ever give Burns McPhee a chance to become more than a friend? And what does Simon think Kat has that belongs to him? Dun, dum, dunnnnnn…

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

  

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words

Review: The Gravedigger by Rath Dalton

Genre: Coming of Age/Horror/Short Story

Description:

“Dirk Armen Bohler, a German boy growing up in a French-Canadian neighborhood, makes his way through youth during the depression years. Squeezed between poverty and a failed father figure, he struggles to find his place.”

Author:

Whether the author is using a pen name or actual name, details about him (or could Rath be a her, I’m not sure) are skimpy.

Appraisal:

Twelve year-old Dirk Armen Bohler goes by Armen or Armie. Why he doesn’t go by his first name is at the heart of this story. It has a touch of horror having to do with the Gravedigger the title refers to, but at its heart it is a coming of age story set during the 1940s as the country was coming out of the depression and the second world war was beginning. Although fiction, the story is largely based on the true story of the author’s father-in-law.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 11-12,000 words

Review: Rejections from a Literary Agent: Discouraging Writers, One Bad Query at a Time by G. Randy Kasten

Genre: Humor

Description:

“Satirical humor books have built success on very serious topics — Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson (mental illness), Shi*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern (awkward relations) and Calypso by David Sedaris (alcoholism, suicide) — but no one has yet written anything funny about the arduous process of trying to snag a literary agent.

Rejections from a Literary Agent: Discouraging Writers, One Bad Query at a Time includes the fictional Ribbons Literary Agency website, twenty-three invented query letters, sample pages from hopeful authors and blunt responses from senior agent Marcie Ribbons.

Responding to queries for multiple genres and occasional bad querying etiquette, Ms. Ribbons shares her editorial wisdom with the impatience of a Judge Judy. Wounded aspirants sometimes write back after rejection and a story arc plays out.”

Author:

G. Randy Kasten is a former child actor, turned attorney. He’s also a wordsmith in multiple ways, writing fiction, non-fiction, songs, and plays. A long-time resident of the East Bay near San Francisco, Kasten relocated a few years ago to Northwestern Washington. For more, visit his website.

Appraisal:

As the book’s description explains, this book is made up of a series of three things repeated over and over. First an author’s query to a fictional literary agency, then a sample of the book the author has written (or maybe is proposing to finish writing), and last the literary agent’s rejection of the proposal. Once I thought the agency was going to agree to represent the author, forgetting the first word in the book’s title is “Rejections” so … spoiler alert … that can’t happen.

My feelings about this book are conflicted in some ways. The author says he’s received a lot of rejections from agents over the years and, possibly needless to say, as far as I can tell no agent was responsible for the publishing of this book. An agent might be able to see the humor here. An author, published or not, or anyone who has some experience with or even just basic knowledge about the publishing business and the struggles an author goes through to get published the traditional way will definitely be chuckling as they read this. A typical reader might get the humor, even if it didn’t speak to them on the same level as it would to a wannabe author. But they might not.

As someone who claims not to be a writer, but who does write a lot of reviews for a book review blog, I found myself sympathizing with what is in essence the antagonist in this book, the agent. That was a strange feeling since my feelings about agents in the publishing process are mixed. But having rules for submission to be considered for a potential review myself, when the agent rejected a submission because the author didn’t follow the submission instructions it was all I could do to resist yelling “YOU GO GIRL” at the top of my lungs.

I also found myself cringing at typos and grammatical issues that I’d normally have flagged as issues, then realizing that, for example, when the fictional author refers to a small glass container as a vile it was an intentional mistake, which becomes apparent when the agent mentions it in her rejection. That I had a vial reaction (sorry, couldn’t resist) was maybe even what that author (the actual, non-fictional one) wanted.

If you’re looking for a light, humorous read and the description of this book draws you in, you’re probably the perfect reader for it. It’s a fun read for those who fit the target audience.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

Lots of typos and grammatical issues, but as mentioned in the appraisal, the vast majority of them clearly are or easily could be on purpose.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words