Review: Suddenly Deadly by Lo Monaco

 

Genre: Detective Mystery

Description:

“Terry is hired by Naydeen, to find her cousin, Wayne. Naydeen’s brother, Artie, has been murdered and she needs to tell Wayne what happened. Artie’s lover, Sean, an old friend of Terry’s, has been arrested for Artie’s murder and begs Terry to find the real killer. He says the police don’t know that Artie had a carry-on bag full of money in his closet and he’s scared silly thinking that it was money from drugs.

When Terry finds Wayne, he’s terrified and says Naydeen only hired Terry to find him so Naydeen could kill him.

Can Terry find who killed Artie? Or is Sean really guilty? Has Naydeen used Terry to find Wayne to kill him?

Things become even further tangled by Terry's growing feelings toward Wayne and the questioning of her own abilities to unravel a convoluted and confusing case of deceit, betrayal and death.”

Author:

A Californian who lived in Italy for 16 years, has worked as an opera singer as well as a fingerprint technician for the local sheriff and a group counselor for juvenile offenders, Lo Monaco has lived an interesting life thus far. This is the third installment in the Terry Strong, PI, mystery series.

Appraisal:

An engaging mystery that kept me guessing to the end. Terry Strong starts out with one goal, to find Wayne, the cousin of her client Naydeen. She wants Terry to find him to let him know that Naydeen’s brother, Artie, was murdered by his lover. Terry realizes Sean, the accused murderer, is an old friend she’d lost touch with. Before long she’s questioning whether Sean is actually the murderer and wondering whether her client is telling the truth about what is going on. It isn’t long before Terry’s no longer trying to solve the mystery she was hired to (that didn’t take long to nail down), but instead trying to determine who killed Artie. She doesn’t lack in viable suspects and at some point I thought every one of them was the most likely, starting with Sean when we first find out about the murder and that he’s in custody, to the actual culprit. I don’t think it is a spoiler to say Terry finds the guilty party, but getting there keeps her guessing and will keep you guessing and entertained.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

This is the third book in this series, but it stands alone. I didn’t feel I was not following the story in spite of not having read the first two in the series.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Review: Hot Ash by Russ Colchamiro

Genre: Detective Mystery/Science Fiction

Description:

In the far future when technology has the power to repair tears in the fabric of space, private investigator Angela Hardwick is hired to resolve a case as old as civilization: infighting over family wealth.

Author:

“Russ Colchamiro is the author of the sci-fi mystery novels Crackle and Fire and Fractured Lives, featuring his hardboiled intergalactic private eye Angela Hardwicke. He is also the author of the rollicking time travel/space adventure, Crossline, the SFF backpacking comedy series Finders Keepers, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, editor of the sci-fi mystery anthology Love, Murder & Mayhem, and co-author of the noir anthology Murder in Montague Falls.”

Appraisal:

Hot Ash uses science fiction as a backdrop for a private investigator yarn that would be as much fun to read if were set in the Pinkerton’s wild west or Raymond Chandler’s mid-twentieth century America.

The locale is a place called Eternity, which is home to people charged with preventing the universe from unravelling, but that’s not the focus of the story. It’s all about greed, jealously and betrayal. A world of ultra-high tech does not purge humanity of its deadly sins.

PI Angela Hardwick is a hard-shelled, wry-witted absentee mom with a tender side. She can kill bad guys even as she worries about her protegee losing his youthful innocence. Their relationship mirrors a parent’s angst at seeing a young-one come of age, challenge parental authority, and ultimately become the caretaker to some degree.

Lest readers focus on the SF elements, author Russ Colchamiro brings them home to the story’s theme with the presence of laptop and tablet computers and the enduring popularity of zombie movies.

The novel has the requisite plot twists, white-knuckle action and sardonic conclusion of a hard-boiled mystery, all told with consummate skill.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Hot Ash is Colchamiro’s third Angela Hardwick novel and is the only one I’ve read. It reads fine without the backstory of the first two.

Format/Typo Issues:

None

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: Sam Waite

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Review: Viking P.I.: Season one by Tommy Ueland

 

Genre: Detective Mystery/Short Story Collection

Description:

“After a failed career in writing crime, Norwegian author, Tommy, decides to try his hand at actually preventing crime as a private investigator. How hard can it be, right? The aptly named ‘Viking P.I.’ soon discovers that he has a real talent… for failing!

Case after case, Viking P.I. realizes he has bitten off more than he can chew, but he’s too far in it now. Maybe he’ll actually get better at it if he just keeps trying… or maybe he won’t.

Whether it’s a missing dog, a haunted house, cheating spouses or hunting trolls, Viking P.I. is probably (not) the man for the job! But he’s going to try his best, and there may be a few surprises in store for him along the way.

This series of 6 short and hilariously funny cozy mysteries are sure to make you smile and are the perfect companion for your coffee break. These quick-read mysteries are short and snappy, but full of sweet charm and intrigue.

Will Tommy be able to solve the crimes and make a career for himself in the ‘dark’ underworld of trivial crime investigation? Who knows! You’ll have to read to find out.”

Author:

This collection is Tommy Ueland’s first published book with several others in the works including one written in his native language, Norwegian. For more, visit his website.

Appraisal:

This is the first volume of a series of what the author is touting as “coffee-break mysteries.” At a couple thousand words apiece, these six mysteries are just the right length to read over that cup of java on your coffee break. The author calls them quirky in a short thank you note at the end of the book and I think that’s about as perfect a one-word description as there is for what you’ll find here. That the protagonist is named Tommy, just like the author, and decides to try his hand at private investigation after repeated failures as an author, need not be foreshadowing, at least if enough mystery fans give this book a try. I found these stories to be fun reads and my only significant complaint would be that I’d like more.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language, kind of.

Format/Typo Issues:

For a book this short the number of proofing errors I spotted was pushing the limits of what I find acceptable. It wasn’t quite enough for me to start knocking off stars, but close.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 12-13,000 words

Review: Mr. Menace by R. Michael Burns

 Genre: Suspense/Detective Mystery/Noir

Description:

“When a mysterious woman begs detective Frank Orpheus to help her find a missing person—herself—he is intrigued on more than just a professional level. The perplexing puzzle of his client’s lost memory is the most interesting case he’s gotten in years…and the fact that she’s rich and gorgeous doesn’t hurt his enthusiasm, either. 

Despite dire warnings from his devoted and prescient secretary Cass, Frank takes the job. But even as his fascination with the mysterious Lady in Gray flares into passion, Frank finds himself drawn into a shadowy underworld populated by devilish dilettantes and notorious criminals…all of them the puppets of the cryptic crime lord known only as Mr. Menace. A man who traffics not just in drugs and booze, but—possibly—in souls.

As Frank uncovers the clues that might lead him at last to lost identity of the Lady in Gray, he learns that her world holds dangers far more diabolical and deadly than knife-wielding thugs and insidious criminal syndicates.  Frank’s obsession with his strange client could get him and the people he cares about killed— or worse. The closer Frank gets to finding the answers, the more he suspects that the truth might be too terrible to live with. Just who—and what—is this woman he’s fallen for?

 And how hard, and how far, will he finally fall?”

Author:

“R. Michael Burns is an October child and Colorado native with a background in theater, creative writing, philosophy, and other dark arts.  He has published short stories in the horror, science fiction, fantasy, and mystery genres, as well as the horror novel Windwalkers. After earning degrees in English and Philosophy, he taught for the better part of five years in Japan, both in public schools and in a private English conversation school.  During that time, he traveled extensively around southeast Asia. Three of his Japan-based fantasy tales have appeared in Heroic Fantasy Quarterly's Best Of anthologies, and his articles on the craft of fiction have been recognized by Predators and Editors and are taught in several college creative writing courses.  He currently resides in Florida where he teaches English and coaches his school's speech and debate team.”

Appraisal:

One thing I can say about this book is that it is different. In many ways I’m not sure quite what to make of it.

It starts out not unlike a typical detective novel. A private investigator, Frank Orpheus, has a potential client come to his office with a need that is outside the realm of his typical cases, things like finding out if a spouse is cheating or someone is attempting to defraud their insurance company. In this case his new client wants him to figure out who she is, because she’s lost all memories. It’s like she woke up on the street with no idea of who she was or where she lived. Her clothes indicate she’s well-to-do and the pocketful of large bills she has to pay him indicate she’s not just a mentally ill homeless person, but the vibe he’s getting is strange. His secretary tries to convince him to not take the case, but he’s curious and, if we’re going to be totally honest, that he finds her attractive figures into his decision to take this on.

When this story is taking place isn’t obvious. Going in I assumed it was contemporary, but various anachronisms that popped up (things like landline phones and phone booths, taking pictures using film, or not using modern technology of any kind at any point where they’d obviously be used today) told me it was sometime in the distant (but not ancient) past, Sometime in at least the 70s or 80s, but conceivably decades earlier.

As the story goes on it gets stranger and stranger. Frank finds some of the answers he’s looking for, but what to do with that knowledge and figuring out how to get his client back to who she was mentally proves not so easy. As the story goes on it becomes darker and darker, and goes from what I’d consider a hardboiled or noir detective story into what might be termed supernatural and almost surely into the realm of horror. How everything resolves, and where our main characters, Frank, his secretary Cass, and our mysterious client, end up by the end is nowhere near what I’d have guessed as one strange twist after another led us down many different roads and extremely dark alleys to a strange finale.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some mild violence and adult content.

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an ARC (advanced readers copy) and I can’t judge the final product based on this.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Reprise Review: The Five Faces (The Markhat Files) by Frank Tuttle

Genre: Urban Fantasy/ Detective/ Mystery

Description:

“It starts as a typical day in the park, with Markhat tracking a bully the law won’t touch, and promising a little girl he’ll find her missing dog, name of Cornbread.

But as the sun sets over Rannit, a new menace creeps out with the dark. There’s a killer on the loose, and Markhat the finder suspects magic behind the murders. Each victim receives a grisly drawing depicting the place, time, and manner of death. Not a single victim has escaped the brutal fate drawn for them—and now Markhat’s own death-drawing has arrived.”

Author:

“Frank Tuttle lives and writes in the perpetually humid wilderness of North Mississippi. Frank tried to be a proper Southern author and write about pickups and hound dogs, but trolls and magic kept creeping into his stories, so Frank is a fantasy author. Although hounds do make occasional appearances in his fiction.”

To learn more about Frank Tuttle you can check out his website. However, I suggest following his blog, it is always entertaining.  Of course you may also stalk him on Facebook.

Appraisal:

I have been reading Frank Tuttle’s Markhat books since I got my very first Kindle. He quickly became one of my favorite Indie authors. I love the fantasy world and the quirky characters he has invented for this series. So, I was excited when he submitted The Five Faces to Books and Pals for a review and I jumped on it. Needless to say it didn’t take me long to settle back into Markhat’s magical world, there is a noir feel to the mysteries and Mr. Tuttle has recently employed steampunk in the mix. I love the way Indie authors can play around with genres.

Markhat is a finder, a private investigator, who has a capricious relationship with the local law enforcement of Rannit. The story begins with Markhat looking for a young girl’s stolen dog and quickly escalates into a mystery much more complicated and far reaching than dog theft. The plot moves at a nice pace as it twists into the devastating potential of unraveling the whole universe as human soul theft becomes the theme. With the help of Mama Hog, Granny Knot, Buttercup, Stitches, and Evis, Markhat has to fit the pieces together to save himself and the world as they know it from an evil spirit seeking his own godhood.

Mr. Tuttle has a talent for developing his characters with dialog that I really appreciate. I love the banter and self-deprecating humor that he excels at. I also like the elements from our world that he weaves into his unique fantasy world of human characters along with wand-wavers, undead, trolls, banshees, soothsayers, and vampires.  I am not quite sure what to make of the slilth, but I like what he did with it at the end of the story. I am laughing right along with Stitches. I also have to laugh at the Brown River Bridge clown patrol, they add an interesting touch to Rannit’s unsavory population.

If you enjoy noir detective stories with a human element in a paranormal atmosphere you are bound to enjoy The Five Faces or any of Frank Tuttle’s Markhat series for that matter.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

The Five Faces is book 6 in the Markhat series. I think this book could be read as a standalone, however some character nuances would be missed. I don’t think that would lessen your enjoyment of the story.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no significant errors in editing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Review: The Darker Carnival by @Frank_Tuttle

Genre: Urban Fantasy/ Detective/ Mystery/ Adventure/ Magic

Description:

“When Dark’s Diverse Delights arrives by night to set up shows and rides that promise fun and excitement for one and all, the outskirts of Rannit begin to look disturbingly like the nightmares that plague Markhat’s sleep.

Mama Hog has sent him a new client, a cattle rancher with a missing daughter. Markhat’s search reveals genuine terrors lurking amidst the carnival’s tawdry sideshows, where Death itself takes the main stage every evening, just past midnight.

The orchestrator of the murderous, monstrous mayhem is the mysterious carnival master, Ubel Thorkel. And after Buttercup the Banshee is threatened, Markhat is in a race against time to find the carnival’s dark heart and strike it down once and for all—or die trying.”

Author:

“Frank Tuttle lives and writes in the perpetually humid wilderness of North Mississippi. Frank tried to be a proper Southern author and write about pickups and hound dogs, but trolls and magic kept creeping into his stories, so Frank is a fantasy author. Although hounds do make occasional appearances in his fiction.”

To learn more about Mr. Tuttle’s series, The Markhat Files, and his other Young Adult series, Paths of Shadow, check out his website. I also recommend checking out his highly entertaining blog or stalking him on Facebook.

Appraisal:

In this ninth book of The Markhat Files, I see changes on the horizon. Markhat’s world is shifting. Characters are transforming, growing in ways I would never have foreseen. However, Markhat’s expanding abilities are not surprising to me. I think past installments of the series foreshadowed these changes. This story also introduces two new personae who will no doubt be appearing in future sequels. One mystical, named Shango the storm-sniffer, and the other a runt of a troll named Slim. Up until this story, I felt that most of The Markhat Files could be read as standalone books and in almost any order. While this is still true of the overall book, the secondary characters are gaining importance in the continuing story line and many nuances may be lost when read out of order.

If you are one to feel uneasy about carnival sideshows and clowns, you may find The Darker Carnival unnerving. What starts out as a simple missing person investigation quickly turns dark and nefarious. This is no ordinary carnival; magic compels everything about Dark’s Diverse Delights. When Buttercup is captured, it becomes personal for Markhat and Mama Hog. With Evis deathly ill and Stitches indisposed, it is left to Markhat and Mama Hog to get to the heart of the carnival and set things right again. It is a rollercoaster ride of twists and dead-ends until puzzle pieces start falling into place. Then Markhat finds himself confronted with something he never imagined he would find himself doing or having the will to carry out.

This is a game-changing installment in The Markhat Files and I am looking forward to further additions. Frank Tuttle’s books are, as always, a must buy for me.

Buy now from:       Kindle US        Kindle UK

FYI:

The Darker Carnival is Book 9 in Mr. Tuttle’s series, The Markhat Files. I think this book could be read as a standalone; however, some character nuances would be missed. I don’t think that would lessen your enjoyment of this story.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no significant issues with proofing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Print Length: 226 pages

Reprise Review: The Hunt for the Well Hidden Treasure / Bob Sheard and Timothy Taylor

Reviewed by: Michael Thal

Genre: Middle Grade/Action & Adventure/Mystery & Detectives

Approximate word count: 40-45,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Timothy Taylor traveled around a lot as a kid to places like California, Massachusetts, and Saudi Arabia. He loved reading mysteries and decided he’d write one too for kids like his son.

Bob Sheard, a web publisher, enjoys writing, investing, and spending quality time with his wife and two children in and around Cincinnati, Ohio.

Description:

Will Grainger is new to Knightsbridge, California. Since his parents’ separation, Will has relocated five times in six years. This time, Will is hoping to establish some roots and make a few friends. When the remains of the notorious Spanish pirate, El Cazador are unearthed in Knightsbridge, gold fever erupts, bringing thousands of treasure seekers to the sleepy California town.

Appraisal:

In a fast-paced descriptive style middle grade students enjoy, the writing team of Bob Sheard and Timothy Taylor tell a fascinating story of friendship, mystery, and adventure.

While researching in the town’s public library, Will meets other seventh graders with treasure fever. Mikey is an electronics buff, Susan is a computer wiz, and Evelyn has an amazing aptitude for photography. Joined with Will’s knowledge of the outdoors, these young sleuths are seemingly unbeatable, except for the fact that professional treasure hunters are on their tail willing to prevent their success at all costs.

The Hunt for the Well Hidden Treasure is an exciting read for kids, teens, and adults alike.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

The Five Faces (The Markhat Files) / Frank Tuttle

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Urban Fantasy/ Detective/ Mystery

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

“Frank Tuttle lives and writes in the perpetually humid wilderness of North Mississippi. Frank tried to be a proper Southern author and write about pickups and hound dogs, but trolls and magic kept creeping into his stories, so Frank is a fantasy author. Although hounds do make occasional appearances in his fiction.”

To learn more about Frank Tuttle you can check out hiswebsite. However, I suggest following his blog, it is always entertaining.  Of course you may also stalk him on Facebook.

Description:

“It starts as a typical day in the park, with Markhat tracking a bully the law won’t touch, and promising a little girl he’ll find her missing dog, name of Cornbread.

But as the sun sets over Rannit, a new menace creeps out with the dark. There’s a killer on the loose, and Markhat the finder suspects magic behind the murders. Each victim receives a grisly drawing depicting the place, time, and manner of death. Not a single victim has escaped the brutal fate drawn for them—and now Markhat’s own death-drawing has arrived.”

Appraisal:

I have been reading Frank Tuttle’s Markhat books since I got my very first Kindle. He quickly became one of my favorite Indie authors. I love the fantasy world and the quirky characters he has invented for this series. So, I was excited when he submitted The Five Faces to Books and Pals for a review and I jumped on it. Needless to say it didn’t take me long to settle back into Markhat’s magical world, there is a noir feel to the mysteries and Mr. Tuttle has recently employed steampunk in the mix. I love the way Indie authors can play around with genres.

Markhat is a finder, a private investigator, who has a capricious relationship with the local law enforcement of Rannit. The story begins with Markhat looking for a young girl’s stolen dog and quickly escalates into a mystery much more complicated and far reaching than dog theft. The plot moves at a nice pace as it twists into the devastating potential of unraveling the whole universe as human soul theft becomes the theme. With the help of Mama Hog, Granny Knot, Buttercup, Stitches, and Evis, Markhat has to fit the pieces together to save himself and the world as they know it from an evil spirit seeking his own godhood.

Mr. Tuttle has a talent for developing his characters with dialog that I really appreciate. I love the banter and self-deprecating humor that he excels at. I also like the elements from our world that he weaves into his unique fantasy world of human characters along with wand-wavers, undead, trolls, banshees, soothsayers, and vampires.  I am not quite sure what to make of the slilth, but I like what he did with it at the end of the story. I am laughing right along with Stitches. I also have to laugh at the Brown River Bridge clown patrol, they add an interesting touch to Rannit’s unsavory population.

If you enjoy noir detective stories with a human element in a paranormal atmosphere you are bound to enjoy The Five Faces or any of Frank Tuttle’s Markhat series for that matter.

FYI:

The Five Faces is book 8 in the Markhat series. I think this book could be read as a standalone, however some character nuances would be missed. I don’t think that would lessen your enjoyment of the story.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no significant errors in editing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five stars

The Hunt for the Well Hidden Treasure / Bob Sheard and Timothy Taylor

Reviewed by: Michael Thal

Genre: Middle Grade/Action & Adventure/Mystery & Detectives

Approximate word count: 40-45,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Timothy Taylor traveled around a lot as a kid to places like California, Massachusetts, and Saudi Arabia. He loved reading mysteries and decided he’d write one too for kids like his son.

Bob Sheard, a web publisher, enjoys writing, investing, and spending quality time with his wife and two children in and around Cincinnati, Ohio.

Description:

Will Grainger is new to Knightsbridge, California. Since his parents’ separation, Will has relocated five times in six years. This time, Will is hoping to establish some roots and make a few friends. When the remains of the notorious Spanish pirate, El Cazador are unearthed in Knightsbridge, gold fever erupts, bringing thousands of treasure seekers to the sleepy California town.

Appraisal:

In a fast-paced descriptive style middle grade students enjoy, the writing team of Bob Sheard and Timothy Taylor tell a fascinating story of friendship, mystery, and adventure.

While researching in the town’s public library, Will meets other seventh graders with treasure fever. Mikey is an electronics buff, Susan is a computer wiz, and Evelyn has an amazing aptitude for photography. Joined with Will’s knowledge of the outdoors, these young sleuths are seemingly unbeatable, except for the fact that professional treasure hunters are on their tail willing to prevent their success at all costs.

The Hunt for the Well Hidden Treasure is an exciting read for kids, teens, and adults alike.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Rigor Mortis / Jeni Decker

This is the second half of a double shot. This morning we had a much different take on the same book from Keith Nixon. I believe both reviews are correct. Feel free to discuss in the comments.

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Thriller/Crime Fiction/Detective Mystery

Approximate word count: 50-55,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

“Jeni Decker lives on a farm in rural Michigan with a bunch of animals (human and canine), and her albino frog, Humbert Humbert.”

Decker has written multiple books, both traditionally and independently published.

For more, visit her website or blog.

Description:

“Dex Morneau is a self-described long-haired heap of sinew and gristle, with too few clients and too much drinking time on his hands. He's comfortable in his own skin, uncomfortable around anyone else's - tired, apathetic, and generally resigned to both, due to his propensity toward circumspection.

He supplements his private detective work with process serving, and is none too happy about that fact. Six months ago, Carla Danning sauntered into his life, all tits, temperament and testicular torture, and she's been an invective-spewing shackle around his tackle ever since.”

This is the first book in the Dex Morneau series. Book two is also available.

Appraisal:

Rigor Mortis is both just like other mystery novels featuring a private investigator and his trusty sidekick, and completely unlike those same books. The primary mystery is finding a missing person for a client with all the investigation and questioning of people, consideration of motives others might have to do the person harm, and blah, blah, blah. You know the formula. There are some interesting twists in that story line and it is well done, but it isn’t what sets Rigor Mortis apart from the pack.

That Dex Morneau’s “trusty sidekick” just showed up one day and convinced him to give her a job, yet remains a mystery to him and, from what he’s able to find, has no history prior to starting work, is the mystery that drew me in the most.

And then there is Decker’s writing style. In many ways it feels like a classic hard-boiled detective, if a touch more literate. But it is a unique voice. Sometimes it threw me with a word choice, as in the very first line, “The human body demurring to death is never pretty.” I had to read that again and then spend a few seconds pondering the use of demurring. A perfectly good word for what is being described, but hardly typical. Other times, these same word choices resulted in lines that left me slack jawed. One example is in Decker’s book blurb, lifted directly from Morneau’s description of Danning near the beginning, where he describes her as having, “sauntered into his life, all tits, temperament and testicular torture, and she's been an invective-spewing shackle around his tackle ever since.” I know, alliteration and rhyme are nothing new, but are seldom done that well. Another example comes later when Morneau says this about Danning:

Carla’s one of those “it’s written all over her face” kind of gals. I’m guessing she’s horrible at poker. Expressive is the word that comes to mind. She doesn’t seem to have an internal edit button. You know, that thing that keeps the average person from dropping the f-bomb at a PTA function… or the Vatican.

Rigor Mortis had me alternating between laughing, trying to fit the puzzle pieces together, and muttering to myself, “Damn, that was a great line.”

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of typos.

Rating: ***** Five stars

Rigor Mortis / Jeni Decker

This is the first half of a double shot review. For the second half of the double shot (this afternoon, US time) you'll get my (BigAl's) review of the same book. To whet your appetite I'll say that I understand and agree with Keith's take, but mine is very different. I'm anticipating some discussion. :)

Reviewed by: Keith Nixon

Genre: Thriller/ Crime Fiction/Detective Mystery

Approximate word count: 50-55,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Jeni Decker lives on a farm in Michigan with her family. She is the author of several books. Rigor Mortis is the first about PI Dex Morneau.

You can learn more about the author here on her website or blog.

Description:

Dex Morneau, down at the heel PI, is hired to investigate the disappearance of a client’s cousin, Crystal Bell. They quickly happen across her body. As Dex and his recently acquired assistant, Carla Danning, try to find the killer they become embroiled in a plot much wider than either expected.

Appraisal:

Sometimes stories require a suspension of disbelief from the reader / watcher. In the case of Rigor Mortis there were several instances where this was needed. Unfortunately these were so large that it took the shine off the story for me. More on this shortly.

Rigor Mortis is written in the first person, observed through Dex’s eyes. He’s a man with a deep seated problem which he deals with by drinking to excess. 

Excessive excess. Over time we learn that Dex used to be a writer and gave it all up. Which brings in Carla.

Provocative (verbally and bodily) she has major problems too. These, and how she ends up with Dex, which are explained as the story unfolds.

The pair investigate the death of Crystal Bell, a cleaner and employee of a local company. The story itself was relatively well written and the pace clips along. However there were several elements that I struggled with. First is the constantly provocative nature of Carla. Rather than being sassy and driven I found her crude and slightly irritating. Then there’s Dex, he’s a bit too much of a drunk.

Then we come to the suspension of disbelief. The crux of the story is there’s been a massive oil spill. Basically it’s massive and no-one has paid it any attention. Really? A few cleaners locally to mop up tonnes of material? I don’t think so. It would be all over the news. Sorry, too much of a stretch.

And how Carla ended up with Dex? Also a stretch.

Not a bad story, but it just didn’t capture me.

FYI:

Plenty of swearing.

Format/Typo Issues:

None.

Rating:  *** Three Stars

Broken Wings / Henning Brazer

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Crime Thriller/ Detective/ Serial

Approximate word count: 10-15,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: YES  Paper: NO

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Author:

Henning Brazer is the author of Bloodhound (Dixie Bannerman Series) and the children’s book Darrel and the Moon Balloon. He is also the illustrator and writer of digital comic books like Brave New World and Macabre Squad. Check out his website for these interesting nuggets. 

Description:

Broken Wings is the sequel to the thriller Bloodhound, featuring Dixie Bannerman, a detective with a super sense of smell. In this book he attempts  solving the murder of his friend Gus Bridle.

Appraisal:

I picked this novelette to review because I read Bloodhound back in February of 2011 and I enjoyed the quirky character of Dixie Bannerman. He was original, intriguing, and a likable guy. However, so many monstrously terrible things have happened to the people around him, who he cared for, that he has turned cynical, hateful and arrogant. I can not fault him for being cynical, but I was left without the likable guy I knew before.

New villains are introduced in this addition to the Dixie Bannerman Series, although The Beast is still out there watching and waiting for his perfect time to strike again. While Dixie is investigating a new pair of serial killers that are terrorizing London, Tracy Ray, an investigative reporter, is on her own mission to track down The Beast. The villains were all fully developed with their own apathetic goals. Both storylines move at a nice pace with a few interesting plot twists that will allow the story to continue.

I think this could be a promising series for those who enjoy thriller detective stories. I also think it deserves another round of editing to polish up some simple editing errors.

FYI:

This book contains adult language, graphic images, and situations that may be offensive to some.

Although Mr. Brazer begins with a “What’s Happened Before” and a “Who’s Who” I believe it is best to start with Bloodhound to get a better feel for the characters as the series builds upon itself. This book contains British spelling and a couple of acronyms I had to look up.

Format/Typo Issues:

There are a small number of editing errors ranging from wrong words caused by extra, missing, or jumbled letters (her/here, no/not, and Mary/Myra), wrong verb tenses, or strangely worded sentences that may be British-isms. 

Rating: *** Three stars