• July 2023 MBR The Mystery/Suspense Shelf part 2 of 4

    From Midwest Book Review@3:633/280.2 to All on Wed Aug 2 13:50:46 2023
    The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

    A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality
    Kate Khavari
    Crooked Lane Books
    2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
    www.crookedlanebooks.com
    Dreamscape Media
    https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
    9781639102785, $27.99, HC, 352pp

    https://www.amazon.com/Botanists-Flowers-Fatality-Saffron-Everleigh/dp/1639= 102787

    Synopsis: 1920s London isn't the ideal place for a brilliant woman with lof=
    ty ambitions. But research assistant Saffron Everleigh is determined to bea=
    t the odds in a male-dominated field at the University College of London. S= affron embarks on her first research study alongside the insufferably charm= ing Dr. Michael Lee, traveling the countryside with him in response to repo= rts of poisonings. But when Detective Inspector Green is given a case with =
    a set of unusual clues, he asks for Saffron's assistance.

    The victims, all women, received bouquets filled with poisonous flowers. Di= gging deeper, Saffron discovers that the bouquets may be more than just unp= leasant flowers -- there may be a hidden message within them, revealed thro= ugh the use of the old Victorian practice of floriography. A dire message, = indeed, as each woman who received the flowers has turned up dead.

    Alongside Dr. Lee and her best friend, Elizabeth, Saffron trails a group of=
    suspects through a dark jazz club, a lavish country estate, and a glitteri=
    ng theatre, delving deeper into a part of society she thought she'd left be= hind forever.

    Will Saffron be able to catch the killer before they send their next bouque=
    t, or will she find herself with fatal flowers of her own in Kate Khavari's=
    second intoxicating installment.

    Critique: An inherently fascinating and deftly crafted Saffron Everleigh my= stery by talented novelist Kate Khavari, "A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and=
    Fatality" will have a special appeal to readers with an interest in histor= ical mysteries and amateur female sleuths. An ideal and unreservedly recomm= ended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should=
    be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery fans tha=
    t 'A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality" is also available in a digit=
    al book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book=
    (Dreamscape Media, 9781666634006, $22.99, CD).

    Editorial Note: Kate Khavari (https://www.kkhavari.com) is the author of fi= ction ranging from historical mysteries to high fantasy epics. She has her = parents to thank for her fascination for historical mysteries, as she spent=
    the majority of her childhood memorizing Sherlock Holmes's and Poirot's gr= eatest quips. A former teacher, Kate has a deep appreciation for research a=
    nd creativity, not to mention the multitasking ability she now relies on as=
    an author and stay at home mother to her toddler son. She lives in the Dal= las-Fort Worth area of Texas with her husband, son, and a lovely garden tha=
    t contains absolutely no poisonous plants.

    Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River
    Emily J. Edwards
    Crooked Lane Books
    2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
    www.crookedlanebooks.com
    Dreamscape Media
    https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
    9781639102686, $26.99, HC, 288pp

    https://www.amazon.com/Viviana-Valentine-River-Friday-Mystery/dp/163910268X

    Synopsis: 1950, New York. Once again, Viviana Valentine (Girl Friday turned=
    partner to New York's top investigator, Tommy Fortuna) finds herself drawn=
    into a sordid new case when Buster Beacon, a wealthy man of science, becko=
    ns them to a party at his mansion north of the city. There, Buster entertai=
    ns blue-blooded friends as well as investors keen to make a dollar on the m= any advancements made in his home laboratory, but he's been hearing strange=
    noises in the night coming from his expansive estate, and he doesn't know = who to trust.

    Once Viviana and Tommy arrive, the party is snowed in. And suddenly, there =
    is a dead body and nowhere to hide. Who killed the disguised federal agent =
    in their midst? And how have details from the top-secret lab become public?=
    Once chomping at the bit to be brought into this mysterious life, Viviana = wonders if she's ready for the risks that come with the territory - risks t= hat rise treacherously high as the killer targets the next victim.

    Critique: Set in the gritty, noir world of 1950 New York City, the latest a= ddition to author Emily J. Edwards's 'A Girl Friday' mystery series, "Vivia=
    na Valentine Goes Up the River" packs all the elements cozy mystery fans ha=
    ve come to expect in the form of 'an irresistibly clever protagonist, a pos=
    h cast of heroes and villains, and a murder case that could defy even the m= ost seasoned investigator'. A fun read with a narrative driven, plot twisti= ng, and inherently fascinating mystery that plays fair with the reader, "Vi= viana Valentine Goes Up the River" is a highly regarded and highly recommen= ded pick for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense = collections. It should be noted that "Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River" =
    is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), as a complete = and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666633337, $22.99, CD) -- = and it will be also become available in a paperback edition in October 2023=
    (9781639105175, $19.99).

    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.

    The Long Way Back
    Nicole Baart
    Atria Books
    c/o Simon & Schuster
    1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
    www.simonandschuster.com
    Blackstone Audiobooks
    www.blackstoneaudio.com
    9781982115104, $17.99, PB, 384pp

    https://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Back-Novel/dp/1982115106

    Synopsis: Mother and daughter Charlie and Eva never sought social media fam=
    e, but when a stunning photo of Eva went viral, fame found them. Now, after=
    more than two years documenting life on the road in their vintage Airstrea=
    m trailer, the duo has temporarily settled on the North Shore of Lake Super= ior. Eva is happily finishing her senior year of high school and applying t=
    o college, but Charlie longs for the adventures they left behind.

    When Eva goes missing less than a week before her graduation, it's Charlie = who is immediately suspected of foul play -- not just by their fans, but al=
    so by the police and the FBI. As a fight about one more road trip comes to = light, and the truth about their relationship is questioned, Charlie realiz=
    es the rosy facade they portrayed online hid a complicated and potentially = dangerous reality. Now, to clear her name and find out what has happened to=
    her daughter, she'll have to confront her own role in Eva's disappearance =
    -- and whether she knows her daughter at all.

    Critique: An original novel in which author Nicole Baart deftly blends fami=
    ly life fiction with elements of a suspenseful mystery thriller, "The Long = Way Back" is well crafted and absorbing read from beginning to end. While u= nreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Fiction and Lite= rary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists tha=
    t "The Long Way Back" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $= 11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 97817= 97160092, $38.95, CD).

    Editorial Note: Nicole Baart (www.NicoleBaart.com) is the author of ten nov= els, including Everything We Didn't Say. She is also the cofounder of a non= profit and mother of five, who lives in Iowa with her family.

    Relentless Melt
    Jeremy P. Bushnell
    Melville House
    46 John Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
    https://www.mhpbooks.com
    9781685890322, $18.99, PB, 352pp

    https://www.amazon.com/Relentless-Melt-Jeremy-P-Bushnell/dp/1685890326

    Synopsis: The year is 1909, and Artie Quick (an ambitious, unorthodox and i= nquisitive young Bostonian) wants to learn about crime. By day she holds do=
    wn a job as a salesgirl in women's accessories at Filene's; by night she di= sguises herself as a man to pursue studies in Criminal Investigation at the=
    YMCA's Evening Institute for Younger Men.

    Eager to put theory into practice, Artie sets out in search of something to=
    investigate. She's joined by her pal Theodore, an upper-crust young bachel=
    or whose interest in Boston's occult counterculture has drawn him into the = study of magic. Together, their journey into mystery begins on Boston Commo=
    n (where the tramps and the groundskeepers swap rumors about unearthly scre= ams and other unsettling anomalies) but soon Artie and Theodore uncover a s= eries of violent abductions that take them on an adventure from the highest=
    corridors of power to the depths of an abandoned mass transit tunnel, its = excavation suspiciously never completed.

    Will Theodore ever manage to pull off a successful spell? Is Artie really w= earing that men's suit just for disguise or is there something more to it? = And what chance do two mixed-up young people stand up against the greatest = horror Boston has ever known, an ancient, deranged evil that feeds on socie= ty's most vulnerable?

    Critique: With a particular appeal to readers with an interest in historica=
    l fantasy, cozy mystery, and women sleuths in a male dominated society, "Re= lentless Melt" by Jeremy P Bushnell is original, entertaining, and certain =
    to be an enduringly popular addition to community library fiction collectio= ns. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Relentless Melt" is = also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.00).

    Editorial Note: Jeremy P. Bushnell (http://jeremypbushnell.com) is the auth=
    or of two earlier novels with Melville House: The Weirdness and The Insides=
    .. He teaches writing at Northeastern University in Boston. He is also the c= ofounder of Nonmachinable, a distributor of optically interesting zines and=
    artists' books.

    What the Neighbors Saw
    Melissa Adelman
    Minotaur Books
    c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
    www.minotaurbooks.com
    9781250876560, $28.00, HC, 304pp

    https://www.amazon.com/What-Neighbors-Saw-Melissa-Adelman/dp/1250876567

    Synopsis: When Alexis and her husband Sam buy a neglected Cape Cod house in=
    an exclusive DC suburb, they are ecstatic. Sam is on the cusp of making pa= rtner at his law firm, Alexis is pregnant with their second child, and thei=
    r glamorous neighbors welcome the couple with open arms. Things are looking=
    up, and Alexis believes she can finally leave her troubled past behind.

    But the neighborhood's picture-perfect image is shattered when their neighb=
    or Teddy (a handsome, successful father of three) is found dead on the stee=
    p banks of the Potomac River. The community is shaken, and as the police st= ruggle to identify and apprehend the killer, tension in the neighborhood mo= unts and long-buried secrets start to emerge.

    In the midst of the turmoil, Alexis takes comfort in her budding friendship=
    with Teddy's beautiful and charismatic widow, Blair. But as the women grow=
    closer, the neighborhood only becomes more divided. And when the unthinkab=
    le truth behind Teddy's murder is finally uncovered, both Blair and Alexis = must reexamine their friendship and decide how far they are willing to go t=
    o preserve the lives they have so carefully constructed.

    Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "What the Neighbors=
    Saw" is author Melissa Adelman's debut as a published novelist, this deftl=
    y crafted murder mystery is a simply riveting read from first page to last.=
    Certain to be of special and particular interest to readers with an intere=
    st in 'whodunnit' thrillers, "What the Neighbors Saw" is unreservedly recom= mended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be not=
    ed for personal reading lists that "What the Neighbors Saw" is also availab=
    le in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and will leave mystery buffs l= ooking eagerly toward her next deftly scripted novel.

    Editorial Note: Melissa Adelman (https://us.macmillan.com/author/melissaade= lman) was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, a first-generation = American with parents from Haiti and Chile. When she is not traveling the w= orld for her job as an international development economist, her favorite pl= ace to be is at home, an old house full of surprises just outside D.C. Meli= ssa lives with her husband, two energetic little boys, and a long-suffering=
    shih tzu. She holds a Ph.D. and B.A. in economics from Harvard University.

    Flop Dead Gorgeous
    David Rosenfelt
    Minotaur Books
    c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
    www.minotaurbooks.com
    Macmillan Audio
    www.macmillanaudio.com
    9781250828903, $28.00, HC, 272pp

    https://www.amazon.com/Flop-Dead-Gorgeous-Carpenter-Mystery/dp/1250828902

    Synopsis: Retired lawyer Andy Carpenter remembers every dog that's come thr= ough the Tara Foundation's doors, but the most well-known alum of the dog r= escue organization that Andy founded in Paterson, New Jersey, may be Mamie.=
    Adopted by famous actress Jenny Nichols (Andy's high school girlfriend) th=
    e miniature French poodle is now practically a starlet in her own right.

    Andy doesn't hold it against his friend. In fact, he and his wife, Laurie, = have dinner with Jenny while she's in town filming her next big hit. But af= ter an eventful meal, there's a plot twist the next morning that none of th=
    em see coming: Jenny's costar is found dead, a knife in his back. It's not = long before Jenny is arrested for the murder and finds herself in need of A= ndy's legal services.

    While Mamie becomes reacquainted with Tara, Andy's golden retriever, Andy d= igs into the lives of the rich and famous to prove his old friend innocent =
    of murder.

    Critique: The latest Andy Carpenter cozy mystery by novelist David Rosenfel=
    t, "Flop Dead Gorgeous" is a fun read and a 'must' for all dedicated myster=
    y buffs who appreciate a deftly scripted 'whodunnit' story with many an une= xpected plot twist and turn. A thoroughly entertaining read by an author wi=
    th a full mastery of the genre, "Flop Dead Gorgeous" is a top pick for comm= unity library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the grow= ing legions of David Rosenfelt fans that "Flop Dead Gorgeous" is also readi=
    ly available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $= 14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 978125= 0325303, $29.99, CD).

    Editorial Note: David Rosenfelt (https://davidrosenfelt.com), was the forme=
    r marketing president for Tri-Star Pictures before becoming a writer of nov= els and screenplays. "Open And Shut" was his first novel; "First Degree," h=
    is second novel, was named a best book of 2003 by Publishers Weekly.

    The Chateau
    Jaclyn Goldis
    Emily Bestler Books
    https://www.emilybestlerbooks.com
    c/o Simon and Schuster
    www.simonandschuster.com
    Blackstone Audiobooks
    https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
    9781668013014, $27.99, HC, 336pp

    https://www.amazon.com/Chateau-Novel-Jaclyn-Goldis/dp/1668013010

    Synopsis: With the publication of "The Chateau" by novelist Jaclyn Goldis w=
    e are welcomed to picturesque Provence, where the Lady of the Chateau, Sera= phine Demargelasse, has opened its elegant doors to her granddaughter Darcy=
    and her three friends.

    Twenty years earlier, the four girlfriends studied abroad together in Franc=
    e and visited the old woman on the weekends, creating the group's deep bond=
    .. But why this sudden invitation?

    Amid winery tours, market visits, and fancy dinners overlooking olive grove=
    s and lavender fields, it becomes clear that each woman has a hidden reason=
    for returning to the estate after all these years. Then, following a wild = evening's celebration, Seraphine is found brutally murdered.

    At the same time a sinister Instagram account pops up, exposing snapshots f= rom the friends' intimate moments at the chateau, while threatening to reve=
    al more. Can they discover who is behind this lethal act of violence before=
    it is too late for them to avoid suffering a similar fate?

    Critique: An impressively original and plot twisting novel of 'sex, lies an=
    d secrets', Jaclyn Goldis' latest novel, "The Chateau" will be of particula=
    r appeal to readers with an interest in psychological suspense thrillers. W= hile also readily available for personal reading lists in a paperback editi=
    on (9781668013021, $17.00), a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), and as =
    a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781797156125, $39.= 99, CD), "The Chateau" is especially and unreservedly recommended addition =
    to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.

    Editorial Note: Jaclyn Goldis (https://www.jaclyngoldis.com) is a graduate =
    of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and NYU Law. She practiced trust = and estate law at a large Chicago firm for seven years before leaving her j=
    ob to travel the world and write novels.

    Retribution
    Robert McCaw
    Oceanview Publishing
    1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
    www.oceanviewpub.com
    9781608095568, $27.95, HC, 336pp

    https://www.amazon.com/Retribution-Koa-Kane-Hawaiian-Mystery/dp/1608095568

    Synopsis: In the back alley of a bar on Hawaii Island, a young man is found=
    stabbed to death. When Hilo Chief Detective Koa Kane begins investigating = the crime, the murder weapon is recovered only a few feet away from the bod=
    y. Crime scene technicians find fingerprints on the knife -- they are a per= fect match for Koa's younger brother, Ikaika.

    As the brothers scramble to prove Ikaika's innocence, another crime sends s= hockwaves through the Hilo police force. A sniper tries to take out Makanui=
    , Koa's closest colleague. As Koa tries to figure out whether these crimes = are linked, the sinister force continues their killing spree, threatening K=
    oa and his loved ones at every turn.

    Could Koa be the real target? If so, who is behind this trail of retributio=
    n? With his own secret criminal past, Koa confronts an all-out offensive ag= ainst those closest to him and his police force to which he has devoted his=
    life. As the bodies pile up, Koa finds himself the ultimate target of a ru= thless adversary and must risk it all to survive.

    Critique: Another simply riveting novel by an impressively talented author = with complete mastery of the suspense/thriller genre, "Retribution" by auth=
    or Robert McCaw is the fifth in his Koa Kane Hawaiian Mystery Series. While=
    highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense coll= ections, it should be noted for the growing legions of Robert McCaw fans th=
    at "Retribution" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99)=
    ..

    Editorial Note: Robert McCaw (https://robertbmccaw.com) grew up in a milita=
    ry family, traveling the world. He is a graduate of Georgetown University, = served as a U.S. Army lieutenant, and earned a law degree from the Universi=
    ty of Virginia. Having lived on the Big Island of Hawaii, McCaw's writing i=
    s imbued by his more than 20-year love affair with this Pacific paradise.

    The Man in the Corduroy Suit
    James Wolff
    https://jameswolffauthor.com
    Bitter Lemon Press
    www.bitterlemonpress.com
    9781913394844, $15.95, PB, 320pp

    https://www.amazon.com/Man-Corduroy-Suit-Discipline-Files/dp/1913394840

    Synopsis: Leonard Flood is ordered to investigate -- and quickly. Notorious=
    for his sharp elbows and blunt manner, Leonard's only objective is to get = the job done, whatever the cost. When Leonard discovers that he is also a s= uspect in the investigation and that Willa's story is less a story of betra= yal than one of friendship and a deep sense of duty, he must decide whether=
    to hand her to her masters or to help her to escape.

    Critique: "The Man in the Corduroy Suit" is the third title in novelist Jam=
    es Wolf's espionage trilogy "The Discipline Files", which also includes "Be= side the Syrian Sea", and "How to Betray Your Country". James Wolff 's expe= rience as a British intelligence officer for over ten years before leaving =
    to write spy fiction brings a special authenticity to his action/adventure = espionage thrillers. Against the backdrop of increasing Russian spying and = interference (including assassination) in the UK, "The Man in the Corduroy = Suit" is a deftly scripted novel that explores themes of loyalty and betray=
    al in modern intelligence work, threatened from the inside by whistle-blowe= rs, serial leakers and Robin Hood hackers.

    A taut and timely thriller about the thin line between following your consc= ience and following orders, "The Man in the Corduroy Suit" is a riveting re=
    ad and highly recommended for community library Spy Fiction collections. It=
    should be noted for the growing legions of James Wolff fans that "The Man =
    in the Corduroy Suit" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $= 9.99).

    Editorial Note: James Wolff (https://jameswolffauthor.com) grew up in the M= iddle East and was a British intelligence officer for over ten years before=
    leaving to write spy novels. He currently resides in London, England.

    Player's Vendetta
    John Lantigua
    Arte Publico Press
    4902 Gulf Freeway, Bldg 19, Rm 100, Houston, TX 77204-2004 www.artepublicopress.com
    9781558859609, $18.95, PB, 160pp

    https://www.amazon.com/Players-Vendetta-Willie-Cuesta-Mystery/dp/1558859608

    Synopsis: Willie Cuesta (a former Miami Police Department detective-turned-= private investigator), is swinging in his hammock, estimating the number of=
    mango daquiris he can squeeze from a ripe piece of fruit about to fall fro=
    m his tree. He's also waiting for a prospective client who refused to discu=
    ss her case over the phone.

    Ellie Hernandez hasn't seen her fiance, Roberto "Bobby" Player, in ten days=
    , and she wants Willie to find him. Bobby has been obsessed with the suspic= ious death of his parents more than thirty-five years ago in Cuba, and he r= ecently went to the island to find their killers. Only six years old when t= hey were murdered, he was living in the United States, where they were supp= osed to join him. He was one of the "Peter Pan" kids smuggled out when Fide=
    l Castro took over.

    Willie learns the Players controlled one of the most successful casinos on = the island and a large sum of money (half a million dollars) disappeared wi=
    th their deaths. His investigation reveals an assortment of suspicious char= acters who were in Havana when the Players were killed, including a former = Cuban spy now living in Little Havana, Mafia gangsters involved in gambling=
    institutions and even an undercover US intelligence agent. Were they murde= red by the Cuban government for being involved in the counter-revolution un= derground movement? Did the Mafia kill them to steal their fortune? Or did = anti-communist Cubans believe they were traitors and execute them?

    Rumors and questions abound, but when men in rubber masks firing machine gu=
    ns turn up, Willie knows someone is trying to keep a long-buried secret und=
    er wraps!

    Critique: Original, riveting, and with more plot twists and turns than a Di= sneyland roller coaster, "Player's Vendetta" by the gifted novelist and sto= ryteller John Lantigua is a terrific and fast-paced read from cover to cove=
    r. Of special appeal and interest to P.I. mystery buffs and Hispanic Americ=
    an novels, "Player's Vendetta" is the third title in the Willie Cuesta myst= ery series and a highly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Susp= ense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Playe= r's Vendetta" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).

    Editorial Note: John Lantigua (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lantigua)=
    is an award-winning journalist and novelist. His novels include The Ultima=
    te Havana (Arte Publico Press, 2022), Remember My Face (Arte Publico Press,=
    2020), On Hallowed Ground (Arte Publico, 2011) and The Lady from Buenos Ai= res (Arte Publico Press, 2007). His novel, Heat Lightning (Putnam, 1987), w=
    as a finalist for the Edgar Awards Best First Novel. He is the recipient of=
    numerous awards for his journalistic writings, including two Robert F. Ken= nedy Journalism Awards (2004, 2006) and the Pulitzer Prize for Investigativ=
    e Reporting (1999).

    A Crime of Secrets
    Ann Aptaker
    Bywater Books
    P.O. Box 3671, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-3671
    www.bywaterbooks.com
    9781612942698, $18.95, PB, 242pp

    https://www.amazon.com/Crime-Secrets-Donner-Longstreet-Mystery/dp/161294269=
    5

    Synopsis: A city on the cusp of a new century, New York City in 1899 is a c= ity growing taller, faster, a city of new inventions, new ideas -- and old = dangers on its shadowy streets where crime, misery, and murder lurk.

    When Pauline Godfrey, a young woman embodying the coming modern age, is vic= iously murdered, her throat cut, private inquiry agents Finola "Fin" Donner=
    and Devorah Longstreet must navigate a world of violence and passion, lust=
    and betrayal, where duty is twisted into bitter obedience and love is soil= ed.

    Fin, a tough survivor of the dockside slums, and her beloved companion, the=
    elegant, intellectual socialite Devorah, probe deep into the festering sec= rets of a family, the rot and corruption of the police department, and the = sinister world of the city's thieves, whores, and thugs to find the killer.

    Critique: A carefully crafted historical mystery, "A Crime of Secrets" by n= ovelist Ann Aptaker will have a very special appeal to the LGBTQ community,=
    as well as fans of women sleuths having to deal with finding out 'whodunni=
    t' in a dangerous and devious underworld of passion, corruption -- and murd= er. "A Crime of Secrets" is very confidently recommended as a popular pick = for community library Historical Mystery/Suspense collections and for the p= ersonal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs.

    Editorial Note: Native New Yorker Ann Aptaker (http://www.annaptaker.com) i=
    s the author of the Cantor Gold Crime series and has been the recipient of = Lambda Literary and Golden Crown Literary Society Awards. Her short stories=
    have appeared in two editions of the crime anthology Fedora, Switchblade M= agazine's "Stiletto Heeled" issue, and the Mickey Finn crime anthology. Cul= minating a career as a curator for museums and galleries and a professor of=
    Art History, Ann is currently an art writer for various New York clients.

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    Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

    James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
    Midwest Book Review
    278 Orchard Drive
    Oregon, WI 53575-1129

    To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
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    James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
    Midwest Book Review

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