FMAM MOSTLY MYSTERY REVIEWS
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THE FMAM MOSTLY MYSTERY REVIEW is the place to come
to find out what to read next. Want to know what readers are saying
(as opposed to critics) about the books you see around you? You’ve
come to the right place! And, if you appreciate a critical review
we’ll have those, too. Come in, sit down and see what’s
write with the world! (Or, right in the world of write!) New reviews this month from: . Dr. Cynthia Clark . Harriet Klausner . Bob Boan . Anne K. Edwards . Ginger Hanson . |
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April 2011
Murder is a Family Business Book One of The Alvarez Family Murder Mystery series
Heather Haven
Museitup Publishing, Mystery, 2011, 183 pages
ISBN: 978-0-9865875-9-7
Lee Alvarez works for her mother as a PI. Now this is no ordinary PI agency with a mother like Lee's - tough business woman yet all love. In this case, Lee is monitoring a man suspected of cheating on his wife. As she sits vigil on him, rain pours. To get a better vantage point, Lee moves in closer and trips soaking her through and through. Seeing the lights off and being soaked to the bone Lee decides to call it a night. But before she does she hears a tiny cry and discovers a kitten as drenched as she. She scoops up the kitten and drives off. But something nags at her and she returns to the building. Ignoring everything her mother has said, Lee enters the building to find the man she has been investigating has been murdered. When was he murdered? Who murdered him? Lee was vigilant in her monitoring or was she?
After hours of cross examination by the police, Lee instead of going home pulls over to the side of road to go over the events of the evening. She falls asleep with her kitten curled around her neck. When she finally arrives home, her mother and her Uncle Tio (newly living with her mother) are frantic. But Uncle Tio is drawn to the kitten. Not wanting to part with the kitten at this point, Lee decides to give Uncle Tio a job — look after the little one while she is away and she not only does she get to keep the kitten but Uncle Tio gets something to do to help him out of his funk, Lee's brother Richard is a computer expert. She frequently turns to him for help. Together, the entire family solves crimes. In this case, Lee feels she must find out who killed the man she was sent to watch. And what she discovers is far more complicated than a cheating husband. As we romp through the investigation with Lee we see humor, a wonderful loving family that sometimes is not so loving, and a delightful mystery.
Ms. Haven weaves her words in such a way that we are standing right there with Lee. We can smell the salt air, feel the fur of the kitten, smell the food cooking in the diner.
Wonderful! Charming! Fun. MURDER IS A FAMILY BUSINESS is an easy, fast read. The characters are not only quirky but loving and you want more of them! I thoroughly enjoyed MURDER IS A FAMILY BUSINESS and I Can't wait for next in the series.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 5.
Reviewed by Dr. Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D.
Dirt
Stuart Woods
Harper Collins, 416 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-061711923
A vicious nationally syndicated gossip columnist, Amanda Dart, is caught with her pants down, literally, and her mouth engaged. Amanda is photographed in that compromised position with a married real-estate magnate in his exclusive Manhattan hotel room. A fax named "DIRT" containing a photo as well as details of Amanda's tryst is sent to a number of prominent people and major media outlets. She turns to a retired policeman and erstwhile lawyer, Stone Barrington, to find out who is out to get her. …Matters take an unexpected turn as Barrington searches for Ms. Dart's antagonist and he is caught with his pants down, figuratively.
Woods has an extensive cast of characters. He continually builds his principal characters. He provides the basic insight at a character’s introduction before exposing new tidbits periodically. One eventually comes to know and understand the personalities of the characters, complete with flaws and blemishes. Stone and Amanda are joined by the beautiful Arrington, Stone's love interest, and Dino, Stone's friend and former partner on the NYPD.
Woods spins Dirt in such a graceful fashion that the reader is not required to be an intellectual athlete. His characters are above average, yet believable. The plot is easy to follow even though there is the obligatory change of directions. This book is recommended for those readers who can enjoy a well-told tale without superhuman characters, either physical or mental.
Got No Friend Anyhow: A Maxx Maxwell Mystery
Peggy Ehrhart
Five Star, 242 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1-59414-932-0
Share the blues with Maxx Maxwell as she mourns a lost friend and fellow blues enthusiast. Maxx sings with her own band and is trying hard to catch the ear of fans. But, how can she succeed if the band's new CD isn't ready because the guy putting it together is murdered?
In trying to find the master of the CD she is drawn into trying to catch the killer of Rich Schneider who was also her lover. She meets new people who knew Rick and learns dark secrets of his past. Was it someone new in his life or one of the secrets from the past or a combination of both that brought about his death? Maxx must follow the clues presented to find out, perhaps at the cost of her own life.
This is a tale any reader will enjoy. There is something for everyone. If you enjoy the blues, the associated blues clubs, the musicians and singers, you will glory in immersing yourself in the descriptions of clothes and settings and the varied fun characters you'll meet within these pages. You'll follow Maxx closely as she tries to figure out who killed Rick and why. And you'll love her new pet.
I'm pleased to recommend this tale highly as a mystery any fan will enjoy. It offers a change of pace and setting for those fans who read the straight amateur sleuth tales and, if you aren't acquainted with the world of the blues, it will open the door to a new and interesting area of the music world.
Enjoy. I sure did and I look forward to talented author Peggy Ehrhart's next book. You will too.
Death Walked In
Carolyn Hart
Avon Books, 304 pages
ISBN-13: 098-0-06-072414-6
Burglary, murder, missing gold coins and the involvement of Annie and Max Darlings' new house take the readers of talented author Carolyn Hart's cleverly crafted tale Death Walked In into the world of Broward's Rock and the residents who will seem like old friends to new and old readers of Ms Hart's other books. I know I always enjoy new sleuthing adventures of Annie Darling who runs the mystery bookstore Death on Demand and I'm sure you will too.
When the thief hides stolen gold coins in the cemetery behind Mrs. Jamison's house and she finds them, she moves them to a new hiding place and calls Max Darling. He won't take the call due to a bad misadventure that left him distrustful of women needing his help so his secretary calls Annie who goes to Mrs. Jamison's house to see what is going on. She finds the lady has been murdered.
Shocked to find their new house may become part of a crime scene after shots are fired there, Max and Annie are somewhat relieved to find a kindly stranger has taken up residence nearby and is willing to keep an eye on their house. They are left wondering why their house should become involved in Mrs. Jamison's murder when they didn't know her. Shortly thereafter, however, they learn the connection between murder and their house and that knowledge brings danger with it.
Death Walked In is a well told tale with plenty of action and interesting characters. Once you read it, you will be looking for other books by this imaginative author. And you will enjoy each one as much as this one. I know I did. I'm pleased to highly recommend this and Ms Hart's other books.
Pronto
Elmore Leonard
Harper, 400 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-202031-4
Elmore Leonard came to my notice when I read his book Out of Sight which was made into a movie and then a short-lived TV series. I read and watched all three, enjoying the famed Leonard mix of intriguing characters, fast pace and sparkling dialog. Last year’s hype for the new FX series “Justified” caught my attention because the show is based US Marshal Raylan Givens, an Elmore Leonard character from Pronto. I decided to review Pronto because I wanted to read more about Givens.
If you’re a fan of the TV series, don’t be misled by the cover. Although the front and back cover blurbs promise the reader a story “featuring” US Marshal Raylan Givens, this edition of Pronto is a reprint of a book published in 1993. That means Pronto isn’t all about Givens, he's one of many characters.
Pronto is about a Miami bookmaker named Harry Arno, who has been set up by the Feds to squeal on his wiseguy boss. Harry runs off to Rapello, Italy, to avoid the situation, but everyone follows: his girlfriend, Italian hitmen, and Givens. A self-centered old man, Harry isn’t too happy when his retirement plans go awry. It’s up to Givens to extricate him from the mess and the marshal shines as a character willing to help someone make the best of a bad situation.
It’s easy to see why Raylan Givens was plucked from this book to become the hero of his own TV series. He is the most sympathetic and heroic character in the story. Assigned to protect Harry after the Feds spread their rumors, the reader discovers Harry and Raylan have a prior history. Harry escaped from Raylan several years previously when Raylan was transporting him from Miami to Chicago. The incident is a black mark for Raylan and it doesn’t help his career when Harry sneaks off again while under his protection.
The constellation of criminal characters is typical Leonard, the pace fast and dialog true to his style. The main flaw, inherent in reprints, is the timeline. A major thread of the story is Harry’s experiences in Italy during World War II. They draw him back, first as a tourist and now to retire. This worked in 1993 because Harry was sixty-five years, but World War II veterans are now twenty years older. As a historian, I found the time lapse and references disconcerting. As a writer, I know today’s reader could have been set in the story better with an identifying year on page one.
Although Raylan Givens has a supporting role, Pronto paints a portrait of him that dovetails well with the series. While not all the background story followed him to TV, Pronto provides insight into his character and his Kentucky roots. Leonard fans will enjoy
revisiting this novel while fans of “Justified” will gain insight into the character of Raylan Givens.
"Justified" returns to FX in February 2011.
Reviewed by Ginger Hanson
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