The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Austin Noir
Hopeton Hay, editor
Scott Montgomery, editor
Molly Odintz, editor
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781636140896, $16.95, PB, 296pp
https://www.amazon.com/Austin-Noir-Hopeton-Hay/dp/1636140890
Synopsis: Co-edited by the team of Hopeton Hay, Scott Montgomery, and Molly=
Odintz, "Austin Noir" from Akashic Books features new and deftly crafted s= hort stories by authors Gabino Iglesias, Ace Atkins, Amanda Moore, Jeff Abb= ott, Scott Montgomery, Richard Z. Santos, Alexandra Burt, Lee Thomas, Miria=
m Kuznets, Jacob Grovey, Chaitali Sen, Molly Odintz, Amy Gentry, and Andrew=
Hilbert.
Critique: Each featured short story comprising "Austin Noir" is a memorable=
gem of a suspense thriller that will be of special appeal to readers with =
an interest in succinct, memorable, impressively original, and skillfully w= ritten mysteries. While especially and unreservedly recommended for communi=
ty library Crime Fiction anthology collections, it should be noted for the = personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Austin Noir" is als=
o readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Hopeton Hay (
https://twitter.com/diversebookshay) is a b= ook talk show host and producer based in the Austin metro area who has been=
interviewing crime-fiction authors since 2009. Currently, he hosts and pro= duces the Diverse Voices Book Review podcast which features a monthly crime= -fiction episode.
Editorial Note #2: Scott Montgomery (
https://crimereads.com/author/scottmon= tgomery) became immersed in the crime-fiction scene while working at the My= stery Bookstore in Los Angeles. In Austin, he has continued to work as a bo= okseller at BookPeople, specializing in the genre. His writing has appeared=
in Shotgun Honey and the anthologies Murder on Wheels, Lone Star Lawless, = and The Eyes of Texas.
Editorial Note #3: Molly Odintz (
https://crimereads.com/author/molly-odintz=
) is the senior editor of CrimeReads. Her essays and criticism have appeare=
d in the Paper Brigade and the Austin Chronicle.
Murder in the Highlands
Debbie Young
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781804831267, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 323pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/uk/search/Murder%20in%20the%20highlands
Synopsis: A relaxing Highland tour becomes quite the opposite when a fourso=
me find themselves investigate a murder by the shores of the great Loch Nes=
s. The untimely death prompts octogenarian sleuth Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe=
and her pensioner friends to investigate.
A getaway next to Loch Ness offers more mystery than the holidaymakers have=
bargained for. It's not just Nessie lurking around the eerie shores.
Lady Marjorie is frequently at odds with her cousin-in-law, Edna Parkinton,=
but they agree on one thing. They are determined to track down a killer. M= eanwhile, Horace Tyler and Frederick Mackworth are distracted by an attract= ive newcomer who threatens to divide the foursome.
Critique: "Murder in the Highlands: is the humorous second book in the Lady=
Marjorie Snellthorpe Mystery series novelist Debbie young. This original a=
nd cleverly crafted 'whodunnit' will have a very special appeal for mystery=
buffs who enjoy twisty red herrings, dastardly deaths and laugh-out-loud m= oments in an unreservedly recommended Scottish Highland thriller. Simply st= ated, "Murder in the Highland" is a strongly recommended pick for personal = reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Debbie Young (
https://authordebbieyoung.com) has an informa= tive personal and professional website at
https://authordebbieyoung.com
Murder At Waldenmere Lake
Michelle Salter
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781837510498, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 458pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-at-waldenmere-lake-michelle-salter/= 1142867980
Synopsis: in 1921 a murder shocks the small town of Walden. And it's only t=
he beginning!
Local reporter Iris Woodmore is determined to save her beloved lake, Walden= mere, from destruction. After a bloody and expensive war, the British Army = can't afford to keep the lake and build a convalescent home on its shores y=
et they still battle with Walden Council and a railway company for ownershi=
p. But an old mansion used as an officer training academy stands where the = railway company plans to build a lakeside hotel. It belongs to General Chev= erton -- and he won't leave his home.
When the General is found murdered, it appears someone will stop at nothing=
to win the fight for Waldenmere. Iris thinks she can take on the might of = the railway company and find the killer. But nothing prepares Iris for the = devastation that's to come...
Critique: A clever, fun, and original 'whodunnit' murder mystery, "Murder A=
t Waldenmere Lake" is a simply riveting read from first page to last. This = large print paperback edition from Boldwood Books is particularly recommend=
ed for both the personal reading lists of dedicated 'whodunniit' mystery bu= ffs and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Michelle Salter (
https://www.michellesalter.com) is an hist= orical crime fiction writer based in Hampshire, United Kingdom. Many of her=
novels are set in the area where she lives and are inspired by real-life e= vents in 1920s Britain. She can be followed on Facebook:
https://www.facebo= ok.com/MichelleSalterWriter and on Twitter: @MichelleASalter
Midsummer Mysteries: Tales from the Queen of Mystery
Agatha Christie
William Morrow Paperbacks
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063310957, $18.99, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Midsummer-Mysteries-Tales-Queen-Mystery/dp/006331095=
3
Synopsis: Summertime -- as the temperature rises, so does the potential for=
evil. From Cornwall to the French Riviera, whether against a background of=
Delphic temples or English country houses, Some of Agatha Christie's most = famous characters solve complicated puzzles as the stakes heat up.
With the publication of "Midsummer Mysteries: Tales from the Queen of Myste=
ry ", all mysery buffs in general, and the legions of Agatha Christie fans =
in particular, are invited to enjoy the plot twists and red herring embedde=
d 'whodunnit' conundrums from a master of the genre.
"Midsummer Mysteries" includes: The Blood-Stained Pavement; The Double Clue=
; A Death on the Nile; Harlequin's Lane; The Adventure of the Italian Noble= man; Jane in Search of a Job; The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim; The Idol = House of Astarte; The Rajah's Emerald; The Oracle at Delphi; The Adventure =
of the Sinister Stranger; The Incredible Theft.
Critique: Originally published in 2021 by HarperCollins, this new paperback=
edition of "Midsummer Mysteries: Tales from the Queen of Mystery" is a 'mu= st' for the legions of Agatha Christie fans and for all community and acade= mic library Agatha Christie mystery/suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Agatha Christie (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Chris= tie) was born in Torquay in 1890 and began writing during the First World W=
ar which ultimately resulted in more than 100 novels, plays and short story=
collections. She was still writing to great acclaim until her death, and h=
er books have now sold over a billion copies in English and another billion=
in over 100 foreign languages. Yet Agatha Christie was always a very priva=
te person, and though Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple became household names=
, the Queen of Crime was a complete enigma to all but her closest friends.
Obelists at Sea
C. Daly King
American Mystery Classics
https://www.mysteriousbookshop.com
9781613164150, $25.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Obelists-at-Sea-Daly-King/dp/1613164157
Synopsis: The smoking room on a transatlantic cruise ship is bound to be a = hotbed of activity -- but it's less common for it to be the site of a murde=
r. Yet, when the lights flicker aboard the luxury Meganaut, making its way = from New York to Paris, this is precisely what happens; in the darkness, a = gunshot rings out, and when the light is restored, a man is found dead. The=
situation becomes all the more curious when it's discovered that the decea= sed had apparently ingested cyanide just seconds before being penetrated by=
the bullet.
Luckily, for the other passengers, there are two detectives aboard the Mega= naut, ready to leap into action. There are also four psychiatrists, and tho=
se psychiatrists convince the captain to let them take a stab at solving th=
e crime, using their professional understanding of the human psyche to dete= rmine who could have been capable of such a crime -- and why. But will they=
be able to deduce the puzzle's solution before the killer strikes again?
Critique: The first of seven novels by psychologist C. Daly King, "Obelists=
at Sea" is intelligently crafted and thoroughly enjoyable Golden Age myste=
ry novel featuring an atmospheric setting, carefully placed clues, and a co= mplex whodunnit plot explained with sharp-witted ratiocination, Originally = published in 1932 and now brought back into print for a new general of appr= eciated readers as part of the American Mystery Classics series, "Obelists =
at Sea" by C. Daly King is especially and unreservedly recommended for comm= unity library Cozy Mystery collections. It should be noted for the personal=
reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs with an interest in traditional '= whodunnit' murder mysteries featuring amateur sleuths that "Obelists at Sea=
" is also available in a paperback edition (9781613164167, $15.95) and in a=
digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: C. Daly King (1895-1963) was an American psychologist and d= etective story writer. He was born in New York City and educated at Yale Un= iversity. After fighting in World War I, he worked in textiles and in adver= tising before returning to school to study psychology, with a particular fo= cus on sleep and consciousness. In the 1930s, King published nine books tha=
t quickly established him as a master of the Golden Age mystery, but ceased=
writing fiction with the advent of World War II. (
https://www.fantasticfic= tion.com/k/c-daly-king)
The Mill House Murders
Yukito Ayatsuji, author
Ho-Ling Wong, translator
Pushkin Vertigo
c/o Pushkin Press
www.pushkinpress.com
9781782278337, $15.95, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mill-House-Murders-Classic-Japanese/dp/1782278338
Synopsis: As they do every year, a small group of acquaintances pay a visit=
to the remote, castle-like Water Mill House, home to the reclusive Fujinum=
a Kiichi, son of a famous artist, who has lived his life behind a rubber ma=
sk ever since a disfiguring car accident.
This year, however, the visit is disrupted by an impossible disappearance, = the theft of a painting and a series of baffling murders.
The brilliant Kiyoshi Shimada arrives to investigate. But will he get to th=
e truth, and will you too be able to solve the mystery of the Mill House Mu= rders?
Critique: A fun read and a classic Japanese locked room mystery with an ing= enious conclusion from Yukito Ayatsuji (the author of The Decagon House Mur= ders), and translated into English for the first time by Ho-Ling Wong, dedi= cated mystery buffs will not want to miss "The Mill House Murders", a beaut= ifully constructed, highly entertaining and atmospheric murder mystery with=
a propulsive plot. "The Mill House Murders" is a compelling, page-turning = read from start to finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended fo=
r community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for th=
e personal reading lists of traditional detective 'whodunnit' mysteries in =
a Japanese setting that "The Mill House Murders" is also available in a dig= ital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note #1: Yukito Ayatsuji (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukito_Ay= atsuji) is a Japanese writer of mystery and horror novels. He started writi=
ng as a member of the Kyoto University Mystery Club, a society dedicated to=
the writing of fair play mysteries inspired by the Golden Age greats. The = Decagon House Murders was Ayatsuji's debut and is considered a landmark cri=
me novel in Japan, where it revived the traditional puzzle mystery format a=
nd inspired a new generation of writers. The Mill House Murders is the sequ= el, again starring the great detective Kiyoshi Shimada.
Editorial Note #2: Ho-Ling Wong (
https://mysteriesahoy.com/category/transla= tor/ho-ling-wong) is a translator currently living in the Netherlands. Heis=
also both a Member of the Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan and former=
member of the Kyoto University Mystery Club.
The Magistrate
Brian Klingborg
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250855015, $28.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Magistrate-Inspector-Lu-Fei-Mystery/dp/1250855012
Critique: A group of high-level civil servants has a tight grip on the exte= nsive graft and corruption in Northern China's Harbin Cit. for years the me= mbers of this group (the so-called Nangang Benevolent Association) have rak=
ed in untold riches at the expense of ordinary citizens. But now they are b= eing targeted by a shadowy figure who calls himself the Magistrate. Some of=
them have been boldly kidnapped off the streets, then threatened, beaten, = and worse. Others are in hiding hoping to avoid the Magistrate's men, deter= mined to find and eliminate their unseen foe. A brutal murder investigation=
with connections to corruption at the very highest level threatens not jus=
t the career but also the life of Inspector Lu Fei.
Critique: "The Magistrate" is author Brian Klingborg's latest mystery novel=
featuring the Chinese detective inspector Lu Fie. Original, deftly crafted=
, and with more plot twists and turns than a Chinese Dragon Dance, "The Mag= istrate" is unreservedly recommended as a top pick for community library My= stery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lis=
ts of mystery buffs with an interest in police procedurals and internationa=
l crime novels that "The Magistrate" is also available in a digital book fo= rmat (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Brian Klingborg (
https://www.brianklingborg.com) has both a=
B.A. (University of California, Davis) and an M.A. (Harvard) in East Asian=
Studies and spent years living and working in Asia. He currently works in = early childhood educational publishing and lives in New York City. Klingbor=
g is also the author of Kill Devil Falls.
The Murder of Anton Livius
Hansjorg Schneider, author
Astrid Freuler, translator
Bitter Lemon Press
www.bitterlemonpress.com
9781913394875, $15.95, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Livius-Inspector-Hunkeler-Investigates/dp/191= 3394875
Synopsis: Hunkeler must deal not only with the quarrelsome tenants of the g= arden but with the challenges of investigating a murder that has taken plac=
e outside his jurisdiction, across the French border in Alsace. The clues l= ead to the Emmental in Berne, and then to Alsace where wounds from the Seco=
nd World War have never healed.
Series: Inspector Hunkeler is close to retirement age, gruff, intuitive, an=
d endowed with a deep sense of psychology and a horror of social injustice.=
It feels like Hunkeler investigates mostly by spending time in the bars an=
d inns of his beloved city of Basel and in neighboring Alsace where he shar=
es a small farmhouse with his long-suffering 'girlfriend' Hedwig in a harsh=
winter with unusually heavy snowfall and persistent sub-zero temperatures.
A riveting crime thriller, it emphasizes that as an outsider, Hunkeler is a= live to class differences and social milieux. The contrast between the xeno= phobia of the local police and the Swiss press and the desperate, often lon= ely, world of Balkan and other immigrants informs the story.
Critique: It is interesting to note that the neighboring cities of Basel an=
d Alsace are evoked with great love by author and novelist Schneider -- who=
in real life lives on the same street and frequents the same bars and rest= aurants as his fictional detective, Inspector Hunkeler. "The Murder of Anto=
n Livius" is the third title in the Inspector Hunkeler series published in = English. The first was The Basel Killings published by Bitter Lemon in 2021=
, winner of the Friedrich Glauser Prize, Germany's most prestigious crime f= iction award. The second was Silver Pebbles, a beautifully crafted thriller=
about stolen diamonds, drug couriers and people accidentally caught in a v= ortex of crime. A deftly crafted crime thriller ably translated into Englis=
h by Astrid Freuler, "The Murder of Anton Livius" is an eloquent, compellin=
g, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists and comm= unity library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note #1: Hansjorg Schneider (born 1938) lives in Basel and began = his professional career as a journalist and essayist. He is the author of a=
number of highly acclaimed plays and of the bestselling Hunkeler crime ser= ies, now with ten titles published. "The Basel Killings" was awarded The Fr= iedrich Glauser Prize, Germany's most prestigious crime fiction prize. He h=
as a website page at:
https://www.bitterlemonpress.com/blogs/authors/hansjo= rg-schneider
Editorial Note #2: Astrid Freuler (
https://aftranslations.co.uk) lives in L= ydney, Gloucestershire, England. She is a translator from German and has pu= blished translations of non-fiction and fiction, including the crime thrill=
er A Shadow Falls by Andreas Pfluger, published by Head of Zeus.
The Way of the Bear
Anne Hillerman
Harper
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780062908391, $30.00, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Way-Bear-Novel-Leaphorn-Manuelito/dp/0062908391
Synopsis: An unexpected death on a lonely road outside of Utah's Bears Ears=
National Monument raises questions for Navajo Tribal Police officers Jim C= hee and Bernadette Manuelito. Why would a seasoned outdoorsman and well-kno=
wn paleontologist freeze to death within walking distance of his car? A sec= ond death brings more turmoil. Who is the unidentified man killed during a = home invasion where nothing much seems to have been taken? Why was he murde= red?
The Bears Ears area, at the edge of the Navajo Nation, is celebrated for it=
s abundance of early human habitation sites and the discovery of unique fos= sils which revolutionized the scientific view of how early animals dealt wi=
th their changing world. Chee and Manuelito appreciate the area's scenery a=
nd wealth of human and scientific resources, but their visit to this aching=
ly beautiful place is disrupted by a current of unprecedented violence that=
sweeps them both into danger. Illicit romance, a fossilized jawbone, hints=
of witchcraft, and a mysterious disappearance during a blizzard add to the=
peril.
It takes all of Manuelito's and Chee's experience, skill, and intuition to = navigate the threats that arise and see justice served.
Critique: Another original and riveting novel from the mind and imagination=
of Anne Hillerman, "The Way of the Bear" will prove to be a high demand ad= dition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be note=
d for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs in general,=
and the legions of Hillerman fans in particular, that "The Way of the Bear=
" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99). Librarians s= hould note for their collections that there is also a complete and unabridg=
ed audio book (Harper Audio, (9780063291898, $34.99, CD) and a special pape= rback edition (Harper Large Print, 9780063297814, $34.00, 416pp).
Editorial Note: Anne Hillerman (
https://www.annehillerman.com) is the autho=
r of the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series. The Way of the Bear is her eigh=
th novel in this series, which was originally created by her father, Tony H= illerman.
Lay This Body Down
Charles Fergus
Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781956763447, $26.99, HC, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lay-This-Body-Down-Mystery/dp/1956763449
Synopsis: "Lay This Body Down" by Charles Fergus is the third title in his = Gideon Stoltz Mystery series and takes place in 1837 during one of the most=
horrific periods in pre-Civil War America, when human beings were consider=
ed chattel and both northern and southern states grew rich from slave labor=
..
A Pennsylvania sheriff like Gideon could choose to uphold the federal Fugit= ive Slave Act of 1793 or defy that racist law at great peril. Gideon and hi=
s wife True must solve a murder, bust a kidnaping ring, and help one unforg= ettable boy who has fled north from a Virginia plantation, courageously cho= osing his freedom above all else.
Critique: "Lay This Body Down" is written by novelist Charles Fergus with t=
he vivid, atmospheric prose that has imbued the previous two novels ("A Str= anger Here Below" and "Nighthawks Wings") comprising this superbly crafted = series featuring the life and times of an early American backwoods town and=
its hardscrabble citizens. Of particular interest to fans of police proced= urals, Civil War era novels, and suspense thriller reads, "Lay This Body Do= wn" is especially commended for community library Historical Mystery collec= tions. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lay This Body Do= wn" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Charles Fergus (
http://www.charlesfergus.com) is the author=
of twenty books. The Gideon Stoltz mysteries are set during the Age of And= rew Jackson, a time when the foundations of the modern United States were b= eing laid. It was a tumultuous era with many echoes of our current day: con= troversy raged over foreign immigration, prison reform, free education, rel= igion, gun violence, a growing inequality of wealth, who should have the ri= ght to vote, states' rights versus federal oversight, and that overarching = and hugely incendiary issue, slavery.
Go Find Daddy
Steve Goble
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608094479, $27.95, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Go-Find-Daddy-Runyon-Mystery/dp/1608094472
Synopsis: When a cop is murdered in rural Ohio on Donny Blackmon's property=
, the case seems open and shut. Donny must've done it -- after all, he's a = known cop-hater, and he's already fled.
Believing her husband is innocent, Donny's wife calls Whiskey River Investi= gations, the new one-man PI agency run by former sheriff's deputy Ed Runyon=
, to see if Ed can find her husband.
Ed isn't sure he'll take the case until he visits the Blackmon family home = and meets Donny's daughter, who has just been diagnosed with cancer -- and = Donny doesn't know. When Donny's daughter asks Ed to "go find Daddy", Ed kn= ows he has to find Donny before the police do, whether or not he's innocent=
..
Ed soon realizes finding Donny won't be an easy job: Donny trusts no one, a=
nd he's gone completely off the grid. But Ed finds something the police hav=
e missed and begins piecing the puzzle together. The closer he gets to the = truth, the more danger he finds. But he took the job, so Ed is going to fin=
d Donny Blackmon -- or die trying!
Critique: Adeftly constructed crime thriller, "Go Find Daddy" by novelist S= teve Goble will have a very special attraction to readers with an interest =
in Private Investigator mysteries. With more unexpected plot twists and tur=
ns than a Coney Island roller-coaster, and studded with memorably distincti=
ve characters, "Go Find Daddy" will be a much appreciated acquisition for c= ommunity library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the p= ersonal reading lists of detective crime novel fans that "Go Find Daddy" is=
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Steve Goble (
https://stevegoblefiction.wordpress.com) is a = lifelong Ohio resident and a former journalist. He now works for an SEO com= pany as he reinvents himself as a mystery novel writer. Go Find Daddy is th=
e third novel in the Ed Runyon Mystery Series, following City Problems and = Wayward Son.
Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man
Emily J. Edwards
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639101825, $28.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Viviana-Valentine-Gets-Friday-Mystery/dp/1639101829
Synopsis: New York City, 1950. Viviana Valentine is Girl Friday to the city=
's top private investigator, Tommy Fortuna. The clients can be frustrating,=
and none more maddening than fabulously wealthy Tallmadge Blackstone, who = demands Tommy tail his daughter, Tallulah, and find out why she won't marry=
his business partner, a man forty years her senior. Sounds like an open-an= d-shut case for a P.I. known for busting up organized crime -- but the next=
day, Viviana opens the office to find Tommy missing and a lifeless body on=
the floor.
The cops swoop in and Detective Jake Lawson issues a warrant for Tommy's ar= rest. Desperate to clear Tommy's name, Viviana takes on the Blackstone case=
herself. When she goes out for a night on the town with the heiress, she b= egins to learn the secrets behind Tallulah's headline-grabbing life. Meanwh= ile, Lawson is itching to solve his murder case, and continues harassing Vi= viana for answers -- until she's the victim of a series of violent attacks.
But Tommy's still missing, and Viviana is scared. As she digs into the dirt=
y history of the Blackstone empire, she suddenly realizes the true danger a=
t hand. Now, it's up to her to find her missing boss and make sure he doesn=
't turn up D.O.A.
Critique: "Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man" is a fun read from beginning to = end, and one that will be of particular interest to readers of Cozy Mysteri=
es featuring an amateur female sleuth confronted with having to solve a mur= der mystery that has more plot twists and turns than a Disneyland roller-co= aster. Novelist Emily J. Edwards is a master of the genre and "Viviana Vale= ntine Gets Her Man" (part of the author's Girl Friday mysteries series) is =
a strongly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense colle= ctions. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated = Cosy Mystery fans that "Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man" is also available i=
n a paperback edition (9781639104277, $18.99), in a digital book format (Ki= ndle, $13.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Medi=
a, 9781666620825, $22.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Emily J. Edwards (
https://www.msemilyedwards.com) earned he=
r degree in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College and to=
ok the long road to becoming an author, working for over a decade as a wine=
and spirits journalist, radio producer, and podcaster.
A Novel Disguise
Samantha Larsen
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639103461, $19.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Novel-Disguise-Lady-Librarian-Mystery/dp/1639103465
Synopsis: Miss Tiffany Woodall didn't murder her half-brother, but she did = bury him in the back garden so that she could keep her cottage. Now, the co= nfirmed spinster has to pretend to be Uriah and fulfill his duties as the D= uke of Beaufort's librarian while searching Astwell Palace for Uriah's miss= ing diamond pin, the only thing of value they own. Her ruse is almost up wh=
en she is discovered by Mr. Samir Lathrop, the local bookseller, who tries =
to save her from drowning while she's actually just washing up in a lake af= ter burying her brother.
Her plan is going by the book, until the rector proposes marriage and she s= tarts to develop feelings for Mr. Lathrop. But when her childhood friend, T= ess, comes to visit, Tiffany quickly realizes her secret isn't the only one=
hidden within these walls. The body of a servant is found, along with a co= llection of stolen items, and someone else grows mysteriously ill. Can Tiff= any solve these mysteries without her own disguise being discovered? If not=
, she'll lose her cottage and possibly her life.
Critique: Set in 1784 London, "A Novel Disguise" by Samantha Larsen has eve= rything a cozy mystery fan could want -- an historical mystery featuring an=
amateur female sleuth having to solve a murder mystery or suffer the most = dire consequences if she fails. Memorable characters and deftly crafted (an=
d surprising!) plot twists make "A Novel Disguise" a riveting read from cov=
er to cover -- and will leave the reader looking eagerly toward Samantha La= rsen's next murder mystery! While highly recommended as a popular addition =
to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for t=
he personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "A Novel Disg= uise" is also available in a digital book format (Kidle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Samantha Larsen (
https://crookedlanebooks.com/samantha-lars= en) has degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of Reading (B= erkshire, England), and the University of North Texas.
Forgotten War
Don Bentley
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593333563, $28.00, HC, 464pp
https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-War-Matt-Drake-Novel/dp/059333356X
Synopsis: As a team, Matt Drake and his partner, Frodo, have watched each o= ther's backs through some very dark days. But one thing they've never doubt=
ed was their commitment to each other -- until now!
Frodo has been accused of a war crime ten years after leaving Afghanistan. = Matt is determined to prove his friend innocent, but what will he do when h=
e finds that his closest friend has secrets he won't share?
Critique: As a an author of military and espionage thrillers, novelist Don = Bentley is able to bring a vivid sense of realism to his stories because of=
his own military and FBI careers. "Forgotten War" is a compelling and comp= ulsively page turner of a narrative driven story and highly recommended for=
both personal reading lists and community library suspense thriller fictio=
n collections. It should be noted that "Forgotten War" is also readily avai= lable in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Don Bentley (
https://donbentleybooks.com) is the author of = the Matt Drake series (Forgotten War, Hostile Intent, The Outside Man, With= out Sanction) and three Tom Clancy novels. Bentley spent a decade as an Arm=
y Apache helicopter pilot and deployed to Afghanistan as an air cavalry tro=
op commander. Following his time in the military, Bentley worked as an FBI = special agent and was a SWAT team member. Bentley is also a graduate of the=
Seton Hill University Writing Popular Fiction MFA program.
Not So Perfect Strangers
L. S. Stratton
Union Square & Co.
unionsquareandco.com
9781454947431, $16.99, PB, 320pp
https://us.amazon.com/Not-So-Perfect-Strangers-Thriller/dp/1454947438
Synopsis: Tasha Jenkins has finally found the courage to leave her abusive = husband. Taking her teenage son with her, Tasha checks into a hotel the nig=
ht before their flight out of D.C. and out of Kordell Jenkins's life foreve=
r.
But escaping isn't so easy, and Tasha soon finds herself driving back to he=
r own personal hell. As she is leaving, a white woman pounds on her car win= dow, begging to be let in. Behind the woman, an angry man is in pursuit. Ta= sha makes a split-second decision that will alter the course of her life: s=
he lets her in and takes off.
Tasha and Madison Gingell may have very different everyday realities, but w= hat they have in common is marriages they need out of. The two women want t=
o help each other, but they have very different ideas of what that means.
They are on a collision course that will end in the case files of the D.C. = MPD homicide unit. Unraveling the truth of what really happened may be impo= ssible and futile. Because what has the truth ever done for women like Tash=
a and Madison?
Critique: A deftly crafted combination of domestic thriller and a murder na= il-biter of a read from first page to last, "Not So Perfect Strangers" by n= ovelist L. S. Stratton is unreservedly recommended pick for community libra=
ry Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the pe= rsonal lists of interested readers that "Not So Perfect Strangers" is also = readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: L.S. Stratton (
https://crimereads.com/author/lsstratton) is=
an NAACP Image Award-nominated author and former crime newspaper reporter = who has written more than a dozen books under different pen names in just a= bout every genre from thrillers to romance to historical fiction.
Tina, Mafia Soldier
Maria Rosa Cutrufelli, author
Robin Pickering-Iazzi, translator
Soho Crime
c/o Soho Press
853 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
www.sohopress.com
9781641294249, $24.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tina-Mafia-Soldier-Maria-Cutrufelli/dp/1641294248
Synopsis: Sicily, 1980s: When she was just eight years old, Tina watched as=
her father, a member of Cosa Nostra, was murdered in cold blood. Now a tee= nager, she terrorizes her hometown of Gela, having made it her mission to j= oin the mafia, an organization traditionally forbidden to women as made mem= bers. Nicknamed a masculidda, or "the tomboy", Tina has taken charge of her=
own clan, and is notorious for her cruelty and reckless disregard for soci= etal expectations.
When a news article is published about Tina's latest crimes, a teacher livi=
ng in Rome feels compelled to write a novel about her -- even though it mea=
ns returning to her native Sicily to gather material. She and Tina circle a= round each other in a dangerous dance of obsession and violence until their=
first, and last, explosive meeting.
Critique: Deftly translated into English for an American readership by Prof= essor Robin Pickering-Iazzi and a simply riveting read from for page to las=
t, "Tina, Mafia Soldier" is author and feminist icon Maria Rosa Cutrufelli'=
s seminal exploration of gender identity, organized crime, and clear-eyed p= resentation of an unseen side of the mafia. While unreservedly recommended = for community library Crime Fiction collections, it should be noted for the=
personal reading lists of readers with an interest in Mafia and organized = crime thrillers that "Tina, Mafia Soldier" is also available in a digital b= ook format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note #1: Maria Rosa Cutrufelli (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar= ia_Rosa_Cutrufelli) was born in Messina, Sicily and raised shuttling back a=
nd forth between Sicily and Bologna; she now resides in Rome. A major figur=
e in Italian feminist movements, she boasts a long, prolific career as a jo= urnalist, cultural critic, and novelist. After earning her degree in Litera= ture from the University of Bologna, she founded and directed the journal T= uttestorie. She also authored several works of travel literature, largely d= evoted to Africa, where she lived for three years. Her works have been tran= slated into some twenty languages.
Editorial Note #2: Robin Pickering-Iazzi is Professor of Italian and Compar= ative Literature at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Among her publi= shed works in translation are the novel Suspicion by Laura Grimaldi, Unspea= kable Women: Selected Short Stories Written by Italian Women during Fascism=
, and the widely acclaimed Mafia and Outlaw Stories from Italian Life and L= iterature. (
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3DN57W5tkAAAAJ)
Her Deadly Game
Robert Dugoni
www.robertdugonibooks.com
Thomas & Mercer
9781662500190, $28.99, HC, 396pp
https://www.amazon.com/Her-Deadly-Game-Robert-Dugoni/dp/166250019X
Synopsis: Keera Duggan was building a solid reputation as a Seattle prosecu= tor, until her romantic relationship with a senior colleague ended badly. F=
or the competitive former chess prodigy, returning to her family's failing = criminal defense law firm to work for her father is the best shot she has. = With the right moves, she hopes to restore the family's reputation, her rel= ationship with her father, and her career.
Keera's chance to play in the big leagues comes when she's retained by Vinc=
e LaRussa, an investment adviser accused of murdering his wealthy wife. The= re's little hard evidence against him, but considering the couple's impendi=
ng and potentially nasty divorce, LaRussa faces life in prison. The prosecu= tor is equally challenging: he is Miller Ambrose, Keera's former lover who =
is eager to destroy her in court on her first homicide defense.
As Keera and her team follow the evidence, they uncover a complicated and d= eadly game that's more than Keera bargained for. When shocking information = turns the case upside down, Keera must decide between her duty to her clien=
t, her family's legacy, and her own future.
Critique: Another simply riveting novel from Robert Dugoni, "Her Deadly Gam=
e" is original, deftly crafted, and a fun read from first page to last for = anyone with an interest in murder mysteries and suspense thrillers. While u= nreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections,=
it should be noted for the growing legions of Robert Dugoni fans that "Her=
Deadly Game" is also available in a paperback edition (9781662500183, $16.= 99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Robert Dugoni (www.robertdugonibooks.com) is the author of = the Tracy Crosswhite series; the Charles Jenkins series; the David Sloane s= eries; and the stand-alone novels The 7th Canon, Damage Control, The World = Played Chess, and The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell. He is the recipient o=
f the Nancy Pearl Book Award for fiction and a three-time winner of the Fri= ends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwe= st. He is a two-time finalist for the Thriller Awards and the Harper Lee Pr= ize for Legal Fiction, as well as a finalist for the Silver Falchion Award = for mystery and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Awards.
Death Watch
Stona Fitch
https://www.stonafitch.com
Arrow Editions
c/o Concord Free Press
https://www.arroweditions.com/about
9780990805953, $18.95, PB, 250pp
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Watch-Stona-Fitch/dp/0990805956
Synopsis: Coe Vessel, son of a legendary adman, lands the much-anticipated =
ad campaign of artist-provocateur Watanabe's latest creation, a mysterious = watch called Cassius Seven. The enigmatic Watanabe claims the watch can kil=
l its wearer. Convinced it's a high-art hoax, Coe and his team of renegade = creatives work furiously to land the campaign and persuade the world that t=
he watch (rebranded as Death Watch) is the must-have accessory for end-time=
capitalism.
Thanks to the team's inventive launch, Death Watch finds eager buyers among=
the brazenly cocky, thoroughly disillusioned, and silently suicidal. Death=
Watch soon becomes a cultural phenomenon, harbinger of a new nihilism, and=
a target for moral outrage. Exactly what Watanabe envisioned. But his hoax=
turns horrific when the watches start going off, killing their wearers.
Appalled, Coe and his team reverse course and work feverishly to alert woul= d-be customers. But can they stop the juggernaut they set in motion?
Critique: Unique, original, fascinating, and one of those novels that will = linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book is finished=
and set back upon the shelf, "Death Watch" by Stona Fitch is especially an=
d unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Humor/Sa= tire Fiction collections. With a special appeal for those with an interest =
in a distinctive and all-to-believable premise, it should be noted for pers= onal reading lists that "Death Watch" is also available in a digital book f= ormat (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Stona Fitch (
https://www.stonafitch.com) is the author of s= even novels. He is the founder of Concord Free Press, a revolutionary non-p= rofit publisher that inspires generosity among readers. Since graduating fr=
om Princeton University, Stona has worked as a daily newspaper reporter, di= shwasher, musician in a popular country-punk band, director of a non-profit=
organic farm, and communications consultant.
But Now I See
Bill Stackhouse
http://billstackhouse.com/index.html
Independently Published
9798844179556, $17.95, PB, 260pp
https://www.amazon.com/But-Now-See-McAvoy-Mystery/dp/B0BVTGDLRC
Synopsis; Even with a left leg shattered by a drug dealer's bullet and a me= dical retirement from the Detroit Police Force, former homicide captain Ed = McAvoy feels he's too young to be put out to pasture. Accepting the job as = Police Chief of Peekamoose Heights, in New York's Catskills, he figures it = will be sort of like running a country club. After all, how much crime can = there be in a quiet, little village?
McAvoy soon discovers that his skills as a homicide detective will not atro= phy from lack of use in Peekamoose Heights. Murder, as it turns out, is an = equal opportunity crime that not only resides in large bustling cities like=
Detroit, but in sleepy Catskill villages like Peekamoose Heights as well.
Porky Jarvis, co-owner of The Plough & Whistle Pub in Peekamoose Heights, h=
as been selected as one of the guest chefs for the 'Gastronomy and Great Es= tates on the Hudson' tour -- a nine-day roundtrip cruise from New York City=
to Kinderhook to visit the historic mansions that dot the Hudson River sho= reline, sandwiched between two two-day sightseeing excursions in Manhattan.
Figuring that he has earned a long overdue vacation, McAvoy signs up for th=
e tour along with Porky's sister, Stevie Henderson, even though, due to a p= revious commitment on Porky's part, Porky and Stevie, and therefore McAvoy = will have to leave the tour after dinner on Day #5.
When one of the members of the tour group is murdered, the Ulster County Sh= eriff tasks the former Detroit Police Force Homicide Captain with discoveri=
ng who did it. Not so simple a task. First, McAvoy must figure out if the v= ictim was, indeed, the intended target or simply collateral damage in a bot= ched attempt at the assassination of someone else.
Many questions. Few answers. And a secret group, monitoring McAvoy's every = move, who would like to keep it that way.
Critique: "But Now I See", is the eighth Ed McAvoy Mystery by novelist Bill=
Stackhouse and continues to showcase the author's genuine flair for origin= ality and offering the distinctive kind of narrative driven storytelling st= yle that is his hallmark as a storyteller -- keeping his reader's riveted a= ttention from first page to last. Of special appeal to readers with a parti= cular interest in police procedural style murder mysteries, "But Now I See"=
is a highly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense col= lections -- as well as being available for the personal reading lists of de= dicated mystery buffs in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.95).
Editorial Note: Bill Stackhouse (
http://billstackhouse.com/index.html) scri= ptwriting credits include training films and promotional videos for NASA's = Marshall Space Flight Center, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, a=
nd the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to name a few. He has also written num= erous radio and TV commercials. Four of Bill's seven stage plays (The Best = Laid Plans, The Early Bird, To Serve and Protect, and A Tradition of Servic=
e) have won local, statewide, regional, and national contests.. In addition=
to playwriting, Bill has directed many productions for various community t= heatres. For a very brief time, he even had a theatre company of his own th=
at toured six mid-size cities in Northern Alabama and Southern Tennessee.
Defcon
Michele Packard
Independently Published
www.michelepackard.com
9798987607701, $5.99 ebook, $11.99 paperback, $19.99 hardback
https://www.amazon.com/DEFCON-Thriller-AESOP-Michele-Packard/dp/B0C1DV22MR
Prior fans of genetically enhanced superwoman Matti Baker will welcome her = return in Defcon, while newcomers will easily fall into her world. This is = because Matti employs a feisty voice in describing an encounter which once = again tests her ability to survive, protect her family, and prove effective=
in her efforts to thwart the bad guys and support everything she loves.
Matti is one of a triplet of enhanced children. Her strong family ties have=
resulted in prodigy who also have extraordinary abilities, and who join he=
r in her efforts to neutralize threats to the U.S. Even seasoned thriller r= eaders will be surprised and amazed by Defcon because Matti's character is = spunky, sassy, and infused with proactive thinking and behaviors that trans= late into a passionate story infused with history and social observation.
Matti's opinions and examinations offer unexpectedly astute considerations =
of American ideals gone awry as the intrigue and confrontations play out. T= hese thought-provoking, critical inspections, delivered in a brazen staccat=
o first-person reflective voice, are part of what brings not only Matti and=
her family to life, but the principles they are fighting for in Defcon.
Another unusual device linking action with a contemporary, realistic punch =
is the ongoing allusions Matti makes to popular music and songs which pop u=
p in her mind as she undertakes her missions. These cement her activities w= ith a blend of drama and social reference that compliment the cat-and-mouse=
actions of intelligence, counterintelligence, and unconventional warfare t= hat encircle her life to threaten all she loves. The challenge lies in what=
label to assign Defcon, because it doesn't fit neatly into any pat genre r= ead.
Military in nature, but with a psychological force that lends it a deep per= sonal flavor; thriller in action, but tempered by family relationships and = close friendships; and flavored by political and historical information tha=
t invite debate and thought, Defcon is quite simply a standout for its adve= nture, tone, and powerful, female-driven protagonists. Libraries seeking ex= traordinary characters and stories which are nearly impossible to put down = will find Defcon an outstanding choice that holds the promise to attract a = wide audience.
The Indian Defense
Jay Perin
East River Books
www.EastRiverBooks.com
9781736468067, $4.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Beijing-Blunder-Historical-Political-HUNDRED/dp/1736= 468073
Because The Indian Defense: A Historical Political Saga is the fifth book i=
n the political thriller series One Hundred Years of War, it's recommended = that readers of The Indian Defense will have read these predecessors becaus=
e their rich history, continued here, should ideally be in the back of the = mind when embarking on this latest adventure.
This story opens in 1989, where an ex-president crippled and incapacitated =
by an assassination attempt somehow appears to remain a key player in the p= olitical struggles which are emerging. It seems that stepbrother Godwin Kin= gsley has won, and is building his business empire around the world with a = clever eye to disabling any semblance of rebellion in any of Temple's peopl=
e or others who defy his bids for power.
With Temple's daughter Lilah on the run from powerful hit men, Temple disab= led, and Kingsley's plan to rule the oil sector firmly in place, it would s= eem a slam dunk that nobody can change the fateful progression of his wide-= reaching powers. Nobody, perhaps, except his friend Noah and a family secre=
t that could penetrate the cloak of power and secrecy that surrounds Kingsl= ey's world.
Jay Perin highlights the thrill in the thriller genre as his world-hopping = adventure carries a host of characters into unfamiliar territory, foreign c= ultural encounters, and figures who prove just as powerful, in their own wa= ys, as Kingsley or Temple. A cat-and-mouse game evolves, with American poli= tics one of the main prizes as the characters hit, miss, and strategize the=
ir next moves.
As Lilah's foray into India provides her with tools to not just recover fro=
m the blows of but defy the forces pitted against her, readers follow her i= nto an international journey replete with confrontations.
From fake bank transactions and events that place a former attorney's reput= ation on the line to exiles that concoct a new strategy to confront the for= ces that have transformed their lives, Jay Perin explores social, legal, an=
d political changes through the eyes of characters who each hold their own = special interests at heart.
Replete with risk-taking decisions, startling revelations, and a plot that = toes the line between thriller and real-world historical facts, Perin's car=
e in extracting events from politics of modern times, but couching them in =
a way that maintains distance from any association with real-world politici= ans, creates an especially adept dance between fact and fiction. This will = draw a wide audience with the flavor of high drama and the not-quite-real f= amiliarity of historical touches.
It's also important to note, that this point, that the One Hundred Years of=
War series is an adaptation of the Mahabharata, the Indian epic mythology.=
The presence of so many seemingly disparate elements would seem to portend=
a complex and weighty read, but The Indian Defense represents an accessibl=
e, thought-provoking, thoroughly engrossing story that enhances the series =
as a whole.
It is highly recommended for libraries and readers seeking the intersection=
of fiction, fact, and the well-developed tension of a compelling political=
thriller.
The Miracle at Assisi Hill
Pat Camalliere
Campat Publications
9798987162408, $24.95 Hardcover/$17.95 Paper/$5.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-at-Assisi-Hill/dp/B0BLB35PXV
The Miracle at Assisi Hill is a Christian mystery that follows the investig= ation of battle-torn amateur historian Cora Tozzi, who is recovering from t= ongue cancer and tackling her religious questions in a convent. When she be= friends a nun with a secret and faces her husband's own serious illness, al=
l her prayers seem for naught. Or, are they?
The juxtaposition of a quest to solve a mystery combined with spiritual ins= pection creates a story which will prove especially compelling to Christian=
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