CYNTHIA LEA CLARK, PSY.D. - MOSTLY MYSTERY REVIEWS
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Former Miss Chicago (Miss USA), Cynthia Lea Clark continued school, graduating from Northwestern University (multiple degreed), attended nursing school, and became a Firefighter Paramedic. After working as an actress in Chicago, she moved to Los Angeles where she worked on many television shows, such as DAYS OF OUR LIVES and STAT, while continuing her education with a Masters in Psychology and then a Doctorate of Psychology. While working on STAT, she was stalked which led her to work in Forensic Psychopathology. She has over 70 interviews with serial killers, mass murderers, etc. Today she mixes Forensics with writing and acting. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, Kiss of Death Chapter of RWA, International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, and the American College of Forensic Examiners International. |
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November 2006
CARBS
AND CADAVERS
J.B. Stanley
Midnight Ink
September 2006 $12.95
288 pages
ISBN: 0-7387-0913-1
After divorce and the death of his mother, Professor James Henry leaves
his job as English Lit Professor to return to his hometown to tend to
his widowed father. He's pretty sad about life and his added poundage
doesn't help, so when Lindy, the art teacher asks to hang her supper club
for dieters in the library, Henry decides to join the group.
The supper club is small and includes Lucy Hanover. Lucy works in the
Sheriff's Department but really wants to be a deputy. The town bully Brinkley
Myers dies on the bakery floor, giving Lucy the idea that if she can solve
the case, maybe she can become a deputy.
She turns to her pals in the supper club for help and together they investigate
Brinkley's death. But nothing is easy, and soon the team has to battle
sweets, food desires and the murderer.
Before they can lose weight, another dead body is found. Can they shed
pounds and solve the murders? To find out you'll have to read, CARBS AND
CADAVERS.
J.B. has written a delightful cozy that deals with the woes of dieting
and leads us on a romp through mystery and mayhem. Throughout the book
she adds nutritional facts and information for us to digest.
A cute book. An easy, fast read.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.8.
Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D.
THE
HEAT OF THE MOON
Sandra Parshall
Poisoned Pen Press
$24.95
292 Pages
ISBN: 1-59058-256
Rachel Goddard has returned home after college to work as a veterinarian
in the local vet's office. Everything seems to be great until a Basset
hound struck by a car is brought in for care. Rachel experiences a vision
of a little girl screaming in the rain, when the dog's owner's little
girl screams for her mommy. The vision is that of her sister Michelle,
yet that memory makes no sense to her. Their mother would never have allowed
Michelle alone in the rain, not even for even a moment. The feeling associated
with the vision unnerves Rachel so much that she feels she must get to
the bottom of it.
Her mother, Judith, is a psychologist, has both her grown daughters living
with her.
Michelle, Rachel's younger sister, is seeking her doctorate in psychology.
When Kevin, a boyfriend from Michelle's past returns to rekindle their
former relationship, Michelle is excited and thrilled. While looking at
Michelle's recent pictures he asks about their baby pictures, which prompts
Rachel to seek them out. Michelle glows in the light of Kevin until the
next day when she proclaims he is gone, out of my life. She is no longer
interested in him.
Rachel is perplexed by this sudden change of feelings and is even more
determined to investigate her vision. Her mother stonewalls her as to
questions about her father and the baby pictures, claiming that the car
accident that took his life all those years ago is still so painful she
can't bare to talk about it or look at the pictures.
And then at work, the new owner of the clinic, Dr. Lucas Campbell, is
falling in love with Rachel and complicating issues. He offers his support
while attempting to court Rachel.
As Rachel embarks to discover more about her father, she learns secrets
that can kill.
THE HEAT OF THE MOON is a foreseeable tale of dishonesty and fraud. Although
it is an easy read, I found it predictable and in some spots banal.
However, if you would like a fast, easy read it is enjoyable in its purist
form.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.
Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D.
BY
THE CHIMNEY WITH CARE
A HOLIDAY CRIME ANTHOLOGY
Edited by Tony Burton
Wolfmont Publishing
October 2006 $12.95
208 pages
ISBN: 0-9778402-3-9
BY THE CHIMNEY WITH CARE is a delightful collection of short stories and
prose dealing with crime during the Christmas season. There are tales
of humor, of crime, of pathos, and of redemption.
The conning of a con is charmingly played out in John M. Floyd's short
story "Christmas Gifts."
Frank Zafiro's "Three Days of Christmas" is a cross between
a police procedural and a Christmas tale with human frailty thrown in.
A touching, powerful short story. Like all the stories in this collection.
This book is a take-with-you, read-it-anywhere kind of book. It will bring
a tear, make you laugh, as well as make you think.
It's fun and enjoyable. And profits from the sale go to benefit Toys for
Tots. Two bonuses: enjoyable reading and toys for tots!
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 5.
Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D.
THE
NEXT TIME YOU DIE
Harry Hunsicker
St. Martin 's Minotaur $23.95
304 pages
ISBN: 0312348509
Lee Henry Oswald, a PI in Dallas , accepts what he thinks will be an easy
retrieval job from a Baptist preacher claiming that an employee file has
been stolen. But nothing is what it seems and nothing is easy.
Lee runs afoul of a psychopathic hit man he calls Bullet Head also searching
for the same file. But when Lee shows up at the suspected thief's home,
the file folder is empty and the thief is dead. Of course, Lee is questioned
in the thief's murder and is under suspicion, so he accepts a Senator's
job that takes him out of town.
Again, he thinks it's a simple extortion case, and again, trouble follows
Lee. Senator Black has been told his friend's family will be slaughtered
unless he votes their way on an environmental bill, and they will start
with his goddaughter Tess McPherson. So, Lee sets out to protect Tess,
but when there is a violent encounter at her apartment he suspects that
both of his cases are related.
And to make matters more complicated, a dear friend, Billy Barringer,
that he had turned into the police years prior, and had died in a prison
escape, seemed to be popping up in the two cases. Or someone who wanted
Lee to know there was some sort of connection to Billy, but what is it?
What is in this file that has so many people hunting for it and killing
for it? And how is that file connected to Senator Black?
This is a hard boiled PI book and is an easy read but predictable. Harry
Hunsicker paints a clear picture of his characters and who they are. I
did enjoy Mr. Hunsicker's style and would read him again.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give him a 4.8.
Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D.
DANGER
IN THE AIR
R.M. Jackson
Publish America $21.95
July 19, 2006
272 pages
ISBN: 1424143233
Jane Logan is on a trial basis with Global Airlines. She isn't just an
engineer; she's a problem solver so she should not have been surprised
when she was put on their committee to get to the bottom of what or who
had been plaguing their planes with mishaps. The latest being one that
brought down the very plane Jane herself was on in an emergency landing.
Joining her on that fateful flight is the very sexy Senator Gerber. The
plane lands with a few bumps and bruises as everyone deplanes, and all
seems well, until the pilot fails to deplane. And then Jane hears he is
dead. Confused by this, she is stopped from immediately looking into it
as the sexy Senator and airlines owner Mr. Reynolds seem to be mixing
it up. There is no love lost between the two. Waiting for another plane
to rescue them from their location, Jane and the Senator have dinner and
enjoy the night. After all, as he puts it, what could bring two people
closer than almost dying together? Later Jane is told the pilot committed
suicide. She is troubled by this.
Jane is sent to Sherman to investigate for the committee where after talking
to Blackie, who has been trying to pick up Jane since she came to Global,
she is approached by Benny, another employee. He says he must speak to
her and he will meet her the next morning but he doesn't show. Later,
she hears that he has committed suicide. Jane doesn't buy it, but she's
the only one. Blackie tells her that Benny was having trouble at home,
his job was in jeopardy, and he was a perfect candidate for suicide.
The committee is disband with no answers but Jane feels that there must
be an answer, when to her surprise Benny's widow, Sylvia contacts her
and asks to talk to her. She agrees, and is shocked to see Blackie get
off of Sylvia's plane. She waits, and no one else disembarks, but the
paramedics head toward the plane. Soon, she sees, a very pregnant woman
on a stretcher in a checkered outfit being carried off. From the placement
of the sheet, she knows she is dead. As the flight attendant passes her,
she inquires about the passenger, “Oh, it's sad, she
worked for the airline, and her husband just died.â€ù
Then Jane knew there was a third death and she wasn't buying another suicide
or the drug overdose they were labeling it.
DANGER IN THE AIR is a fast paced, I-can't wait to read the next page
mystery. R.M. Jackson gives you a host of characters to choose from in
this whodunit. She has fun with her characters, making them colorful,
fun, slimy, and jerks. I enjoyed DANGER IN THE AIR immensely although
it was somewhat predictable and I was disappointed in the ending. For
me, there was this great build up, to a small finish. But all that considered,
I would read more by Ms. Jackson as I did enjoy her cast of characters,
her style and her technique.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.7.
Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D.
MURDER'S
OUT OF TUNE
Jeffrey Miller
ECW Press $15.95
214 pages
ISBN: 10-1-55022-703-3
Appeals Court Judge Ted Mariner and his feline friend Amicus Q.C. (Questing
Cat) journey through being evicted from their home as Amicus's master
is suspected of cheating with his law clerk, and having to determine if
Cheshire, an award winning sax player, killed Billy Wonder, the pianist
and leader of his quartet riddled with professional jealousies.
Amicus narrates our journey through their ups and downs, pitfalls, and
notorious women to find out who killed Billy Wonder. Judge Mariner finds
himself right in the middle of it all. Mistaken identity, complaints,
dead bodies all create road blocks to defending Cheshire .
Jeffrey Miller uses his post graduate degrees in English to intertwine
literary references of Victorian poetry. Amicus is a cute, likable narrator
that takes us on a fun ride through his eyes into the human world and
a trial.
Enjoyable reading.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.3.
Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D.
Cynthia's Archived Reviews
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