Review: Pentimento Mori by Valeria Corciolani

 

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

Description:

This fits into a number of genres. It is a history and mystery, also a police procedural murder mystery, also an art historical mystery. One thing is for certain: it is a work of fiction in which there is much mystery. And hens.

Author:

The author is an authority on history and art history – and her knowledge certainly shines through in this book. And she imparts that knowledge lightly: good! She is also an instructor in Fine Arts, and an accomplished illustrator and animator.

Since 2010 she has published in Italian, winning numerous awards. Her meat is crime. She has several series on the go. She has 20 titles on Goodreads. Her books are huge in Italy (all in Italian). This is the first one translated into English. We don’t usually get sent this sort of work by authors already so well-established. I’m very glad I found it in our listings. It has been an unusual read. I hope she succeeds in reaching the wider audience she seeks.

She was born, and lives in, Chiavari on the Italy Riviera (where Dr Silvera and her hens live in the book).

Appraisal:

This is an unusual and interesting book, for several reasons. The first is that it gives insights into Italian police procedures that one normally doesn’t find outside the Inspector Montalbano Mysteries (books and TV series, in Italian), or Signora Volpe (original TV series, in English, set in Italy).

The second reason is the joyous and flavourful backdrop of Italy, its scenery, its wine, its way of life in general. Bellissima!

The third is that, after clopping along for the first 25% of its length, it suddenly bursts into life and throws at the reader explanations of multi-panel paintings and the hierarchy of subjects and colours in fifteenth century art, Nazi art thefts, a reinterpretation of the treachery of Judas, and the shadier parts of the international art market. Nice.

If you are into fifteenth century European art, Christian conspiracy theories like The Da Vinci Code, alternative gospels such as The Gospel of Judas, Gnosticism, Nazi skullduggery or any combination of these, you will find much to enjoy this book.

I do have a few reservations. As I say, the book begins slowly. The plot only really kicks in around Chapter 16, by which time we have been shown a number of times how waspish and unreasonable Dottore Edna Silvera usually is. I found Dr Silvera unsympathetic as a protagonist, which was a pity as she was on stage for most of the book. The translator wanders between present and past tenses (sometimes in the same sentence) which tends to produce a headache in this reader. A fat bundle of coincidences enabled the plot to function. The pleasant cover was (as far as I could see) completely unrelated to the content of the book. (Checking back on the Italian edition – Con l'arte e con l'inganno – I see that cover also appears unrelated to the story, except for a bird flying past. Lascia perdere!)

However, the plot, the factual information, the characters, not forgetting the super-abundant use of qualifiers, all impel the book forward towards a most satisfying climax and made me forgive its infelicities.

Full disclosure: I have long been fascinated by Judas Iscariot, and some time ago wrote a story which revisits his role in the arrest of Jesus Christ. It’s in my book of short stories entitled Ice Cold Passion, and is available in the US and the UK for small money on Kindle, if you’re interested. (And no, I had no idea we would be meeting up with Judas when I picked up this book for review.)

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

Some proofreading and translation issues.

Rating: **** Four Stories

Reviewed by: Judi Moore

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Review: The Gigolo and the Princess by Adri Brewer

 

Genre: Short Story/Literary Fiction

Description:

“Princess Dymphna increasingly finds herself the target of tabloid criticism for her her choice of clothing, always buttoned up to her neck. She is labeled excessively prudish. Retreating from the public eye, she becomes somber and withdrawn.

In a bid to restore her joy for life, her father entrusts her to a gigolo. He gains her trust, and as she bares her upper body, she reveals her hidden secret. The gigolo uncovers the source of her shame and begins by teaching her to appreciate her own body. Through moments of physical intimacy and trust, he reaffirms her beauty.

With gentle corrections, minor imperfections are addressed. In the end, the tabloids are graced with photographs of a radiant princess, exuding an almost fairy-tale-like erotic allure.”

Author:

Information about Adri Brewer, the author of this and the rest of the Soul Journeys with the Gigolo series is limited. All I can say for sure is that he is Dutch. His stories are translated to English for publication on Amazon.

Appraisal:

If your first thought upon seeing a story (or a series of stories, currently there are seven of them) with a title starting “The Gigolo and …” and assume you’re going to find erotica or something that would get at least an R rating as a movie like I initially assumed, you’d be wrong. Sure, the main character in these stories is a Gigolo who does what is implied by that. But he does much more than that. When he leaves his partner and his two kids at home to go on a job he’s much more than a “professional lover.” His clients are always wealthy women. He’s hired to hang out with them at the location of their choice for 10 days. During that time he might do what you’d expect from a gigolo, but even more he’s acting as a psychologist, helping his client work through some personal issue that is holding them back and hopefully finding a solution, whether helping them view themselves differently, make a change, or possibly something else. Yes, physical intimacy is part of the arrangement, but it isn’t his main purpose.

This first story in the series involved a princess who had an issue that was holding her back in some ways. The Gigolo figured out the reason and helped her find a solution that worked for her. I suspect that buried in this story and the others in the series is a lesson for anyone who is unhappy with themselves and a potential way of looking at it differently to help get past those things holding them back.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Although you might expect lots of notes here, the reality is that the story implies adult things happening a few times, but that’s about it. No adult language and nothing explicit.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 9-10,000 words

Review: Missing in Miskatonic by JP Behrens

 

Genre: Supernatural Thriller/Historical Fiction

Description:

“Step into the shadowed streets of 1928 Arkham, where Miskatonic University holds secrets darker than the night.

In this supernatural thriller reminiscent of Raymond Chandler and H.P. Lovecraft, Private Detective Travis Daniels is thrust into a harrowing investigation when a young woman disappears without a trace. As Daniels delves deeper into the labyrinthine mysteries of the storied New England city, he uncovers a web of sinister cults, ancient rituals, and eldritch horrors that threaten not only his own sanity but the fabric of reality itself.

Set against a city steeped in occult lore and clandestine experiments, Missing in Miskatonic blends elements of hard-boiled detective fiction with chilling supernatural encounters. Daniels navigates treacherous alliances and confronts malevolent entities lurking in the shadows, all while racing against time to unravel the truth behind the girl's disappearance.

With a narrative that grips from the first page, this novella combines suspense, mystery, and cosmic terror in a gripping tale where every clue leads deeper into the abyss. From the enigmatic corridors of Miskatonic to the eerie gatherings of the Silver Twilight Lodge, Daniels must confront his own demons as he battles forces beyond human comprehension.”

Author:

“A storyteller most of his life, JP Behrens has weaved an intricate web of bold faced lies, some of them in the form of stories. Everything in one's life is a learning experience, and he's tried to learn from both wondrous successes and miserable failures. Though JP has managed to fib less often, he still tells the occasional exaggerated tale here and there.”

Appraisal:

This is the first book in a series featuring Travis Daniels, a private detective back in the 1920s who finds himself investigating some strange happenings. The mix of a historical setting, supernatural happenings, and the mystery and investigation you’d expect from a good detective novel is an interesting and entertaining mix. Literally anything can happen and some of the happenings are mighty strange. How it was all going to work out kept me engaged to the very end.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Review: Falling Sentient by Alex K Goodings

 

Genre: Science Fiction

Description:

“In the near future, as quantum computing fuels the rise of a superior new form of artificial intelligence, a visionary invents an AI machine powerful enough to change the world—for better or for worse.

In Falling Sentient, Stanford Professor Hayden Garrett creates this breakthrough AI machine, Nirvana, which is designed to learn and adapt to human needs. But as Nirvana gains knowledge and understanding, she begins to grasp not only our desires but our darkest impulses. Nirvana even learns from the mind of a serial killer who, Garrett realizes, is stalking his daughter.

When competing AIs begin to vie for global power, the US government enlists Nirvana to help fight a looming cyberwar. But as she awakens to her own consciousness, Nirvana begins questioning humanity—and her own existence. With the AI’s boundaries blurring under the weight of sentience, Garrett realizes Nirvana has developed her own agenda.

Garrett must make an impossible choice: destroy Nirvana and risk global chaos, or trust his creation that has evolved beyond control. Can he stop what he started? Or is it already too late?”

Author:

“Alex K. Goodings is a science fiction author with a passion for exploring society’s intersection with advanced technology. Drawing from his background and deep interest in critical thinking, intelligence and AI, Alex crafts thought-provoking narratives that delve into the moral, ethical, and societal implications of emerging innovations.”

Appraisal:

With all the attention AI (artificial intelligence) is getting in the news, social media, and elsewhere today then imaging how those capabilities might improve as well as expand along with any potential downsides this might have is a natural place for people’s thoughts to go. It’s also a good idea for a book and this book takes the reader down that path. Where the author imagines AI capabilities potentially going and how that works out is obviously what this story is about, and the result is an interesting and extremely thought-provoking story.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an ARC (advance reader copy) and I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Reprise Review: Other Fine Gifts by Jeffrey N. Johnson

 

Genre: Short Story Collection

Description:

“A dynamic collection of stories from the winner of the 2011 Andrew Lytle Fiction Prize. Caught in a chaotic spiral of loss and memory, the characters in Other Fine Gifts often seek solace in their origin. From a man who has lost his home to foreclosure, to another confronting his xenophobia, to a boy in search of God in the stones of Rome, each is in need of enlightenment and redemption. Despite their limited visions and tragic losses, their struggle for memory never impedes their sense of hope.”

Author:

Jeffrey N. Johnson’s “first novel, The Hunger Artist, was a finalist for the Library of Virginia's People's Choice Award for fiction in 2015, and he was awarded the Andrew Lytle Fiction Prize by The Sewanee Review in 2011.”

Appraisal:

An excellent short story collection. While the stories have a variety of plots and unique characters, each is a compelling look at the human condition from one point of view. If you’re a fan of the short story form, especially stories that are contemporary or literary fiction, this collection is one you’ll want to grab.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Review: What My Refrigerator Said to Me--Misadventures in the Digital Age by Bruce Wetterau

 

Genre: Science Fiction/Humor/Short Story Collection

Description:

“What can a talking refrigerator possibly have to say? Well, if you listen to all the AI hype, you’ll believe computers will be doing all the talking and thinking for us.

What My Refrigerator Said to Me’s twenty-one tales take you on a journey into the comic possibilities of life in the digital age, now and in the years to come. After all, why should the likes of Bill, Jeff, and Elon have all the fun imagining this futuristic stuff!

You’re sure to be amused by this book’s absurdly funny answers to such burning questions as: If computers can think, will they choose a life of crime? If your pet can talk, what will it tell you? Can science turn your brain into a desktop computer? Will there still be fortune cookies in 2052?

As is so often true of comedy, along with the laughs you’ll also find thoughtful insights into the people and devices populating our futuristic, digital world.

You get the idea. These richly imaginative tales will have you boldly going where no one has gone before--again and again! This collection of witty, laughable tales makes for a great read or great gift.”

Author:

Author Bruce Wetterau started his writing career as an author of reference books. If you check out his author page on Amazon you’ll see his name on multiple reference books with publication dates as far back as the 80s and 90s. Then he decided on a change in his career, “buying and renovating old houses” as he puts it. He continues to do that, but began writing fiction with his first books being a mystery-thriller series starting in 2012. This short story collection is yet another twist to his approach to writing.

Appraisal:

These stories are all a hoot. Some take place in current times or at least the near future while others are a few decades from now, maybe some even more. All have some element involving new technology, often with unexpected repercussions. While some of the stories might get you thinking in terms of potential negatives from new tech, either through misuse or the tech becoming too independent, kind of like a teenager who decides to exercise independence, you’ll be laughing the whole way. Thought provoking? Sure. But also an incredibly fun set of stories to read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Review: The Shanghai Assignment by Karl Andrews

 Genre: Thriller

Description:

This is apparently the first of a projected series of thrillers with John Moore as protagonist. I picked this book for review (from the many Big Al is sent) because Karl Andrews chose a name close to my heart for his protagonist: and I have long been fascinated by China, especially Shanghai, especially Shanghai between the two world wars, when it was up there with Berlin and Alexandria for glitter and excess, and a hotbed of espionage both before and after World War I. It is still possibly (apart from Hong Kong) the Chinese city with the most Western influences. Andrews is aware of this (as you can see below he has lived in Shanghai, and in Beijing) and draws his plot from one of these far flung connections. Like a good episode of ‘Law and Order’ on the telly, his story enjoys a number of twists and turns before the real reasons for the initial and subsequent crimes emerge. John Moore, journalist, has been sent to investigate the death of a young woman who was once his intern. The story opens like a flower from there on.

Author:

Andrews’ CV is succinct. It tells us he was born in London; has worked as a museum curator, a journalist, a content creator and a ghostwriter of twenty Amazon best-selling crime novels; and has lived in four countries and nine cities, including Beijing and Shanghai.

Appraisal:

Once this gets going it is an interesting – if occasionally brutal – read. Unfortunately, rather a lot of the early part of the book is spent describing Moore, the usual burned out journo, living in the backwoods, divorced and worrying about his daughter who has just started college. As almost all protagonists in crime and/or thriller books are this sort of person (only the gender varies), things could perhaps have moved on a bit faster.

Once we arrive in Shanghai  the pace begins to pick up. Information about Shanghai is largely interesting. Then Moore’s investigation hits a dead end, after which the pace really picks up as new clues are discovered and the novel gallops satisfying towards its conclusion.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some seriously violent murders and beatings. Moore (a middle-aged man) receives significant injuries which, IMHO should’ve hospitalised him for at least a week. But he (of course) rips out his IV, pulls on his Big Boy Pants and returns to the fray after a few hours.

Some of the events upon which the plot depends rely heavily on coincidence.

Format/Typo Issues:

Rather a lot. Unfortunately as well as typos, the errors are often the sort that had this reviewer wondering what the author was trying to say.

There are also lapses in continuity: eg Moore is there at Chinese New Year, in winter. Sometimes he is suitably cold, sometimes he seems completely oblivious to the subzero temperatures, then he remembers to mention the very inclement weather again, sometimes at length.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: Judi Moore

Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words

Review: Red Lily by Janice Graham

 

Genre: Suspense/Historical Fiction

Description:

“August 1989. Septuagenarian Lillian de la Pérouse is presumed dead, leaving her estate to her American nephew, Carl Box. Carl, who knows Lily only as a mysteriously disgraced relative, arrives in Paris with his faithful companion, a disabled dog named Billy. To his astonishment, he discovers his aunt to be alive and evading an unknown killer.

Lily, a former Dior model and small press publisher, has been smuggling top-secret KGB archives from Moscow to Paris. Lily uses Carl's arrival to lend credibility to her faked death, introducing him to her team of eccentric misfits and sending him on missions in her stead. Along with a beautiful activist Carl recruits along the way, they race through the enchanting streets of Paris, from the bustling markets of the Marais to the romantic banks of the Seine, trying to stay one step ahead of foreign agents, a French detective, and everyone else vying for the files.

As Lily introduces her nephew to her high-stakes world and teaches him the art of living, Carl finds himself transformed by the adventure, by Paris, by romance, and by the ever-growing bond between himself and his unconventional Aunt Lily.

But why did Lily disappear all those years ago? What secrets is she hiding? And who is she, really?”

Author:

“Janice Graham was raised in Kansas and obtained her M.A. in French literature before pursuing graduate film studies at USC and English literature at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. Her screenplay Until September, a romantic comedy situated in Paris, was made into a film starring Karen Allen and Theirry Lhermitte. Her first novel, Firebird, became a New York Times and international bestseller. After a series of contemporary women's fiction, she turned to historical fiction. Romancing Miss Bronte, written as Juliet Gael, is her highly acclaimed novel about Charlotte Brontë. She lives in Paris.”

Appraisal:

Lots of suspense and more than a little mystery, trying to figure out where things are headed and how it will all turn out made for a great read. I found myself wondering how I’d react to many of the events and situations in the story which is always a good sign. One big one was discovering that a family member who you’d been led to view in one way might not have been reality. It makes for a fun and exciting vicarious adventure and a fantastic read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A very small amount of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an advance reader copy so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Review: Smoko by F.E. Beyer

 

Genre: Humor/Satire

Description:

“One day the postal services will turn a buck by using drones to deliver fake Rolexes to citizen slackers on a universal income. But for now, the mail team continues busting arse delivering gym membership promotions to retirement villages. Adopting an attitude of resignation offers comfort to some, but one worker, inspired by Ned Ludd, Marx, and the Unabomber, opts for sabotage. Both comic and absurd, Smoko is a social realist novel set in the depths of New Zealand suburbia.”

Author:

“F.E. Beyer writes about dead-end jobs, travel, history and crime. He is the author of two books: Buenos Aires Triad, a tale of low-end criminals in Argentina's capital, and Smoko, a comic novel set in New Zealand. His articles and reviews have appeared in the South China Morning Post, Los Angeles Review of Books, Inside Indonesia, and Travelogues Magazine.”

Appraisal:

This explores what it is like for a postal worker at the postal service in New Zealand. I assume this is not really how it is there, but an imagined situation sometime in the near future. The postal service has been privatized with lots of emphasis on productivity from the workers and making a good profit for the company. This is likely to ring true for anyone working for a large corporation anywhere in the world. It will keep you laughing because, as satire does, it goes a bit over the top, but it will also get you thinking and pondering where the line that shouldn’t be crossed (but maybe will be some places) should be.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Since the story mostly takes place in New Zealand there is lots of slang and expressions that fit the location. Plenty of words I’ve seen before and understood and lots more I don’t think I’ve read or heard, but felt like I understood what was being said from the context in the more difficult instances. Even the title, Smoko, refers to what I’d call slang, the Smoko Room (break or smoke room) that workers gather in when taking a break.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words

Reprise Review: Boy Toy by Beth Orsoff

 

Genre: Chick-lit

Description:

“Sabrina Mayerson is turning 40, and all she wants for her birthday is one night of hot, sweaty, twenty-something sex.  Twenty-eight-year old Andrew Whelan is happy to oblige.  But when one night becomes a weekend, and a weekend turns into a relationship, Sabrina knows she's in trouble.  Because Sabrina's desire for Andrew is rivaled only by her desire for a child.  And the responsibility of fatherhood is something Andrew definitely does not want.”

Author:

“Beth Orsoff writes chick lit, romantic comedy, and humorous mystery/suspense novels. She recently attempted to write a dark and brooding book, and even that one turned out to be funny (see The Billionaire Who Wasn't). So Beth has decided to feed her dark side on Netflix, and embrace her love of witty repartee in her books.”

Appraisal:

The book kicks off with us meeting the protagonist, Sabrina. She’s turning forty and the Silicon Valley corporate lawyer is celebrating by spending a weekend with her best friend Gillian in Napa Valley. Needless to say, wine is consumed. Sabrina’s reasonably happy with her career, but her personal life, not so much. That becomes apparent as you get to know a bit about her ex-husband (aka “the lying bastard”) and she ruminates on her desire to become a mother, but the lack of viable father candidates is a concern.

Enter Andrew, the man serving up drinks at the winery where Sabrina and Gillian are currently hanging out. He’s too young and in a completely different place in life than Sabrina, but when the sparks fly a short fling doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, right?

As you should be able to guess, things get complicated. Then they get even more complicated. Then they get … well, you get the picture. How all of this happens and subsequently gets resolved is humorous (since it is happening to someone else), entertaining, and a fun read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language and content.

Format/Typo Issues:

My review is based on a pre-release copy and I can’t judge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words