FMAM MOSTLY MYSTERY REVIEWS

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 will be posted on FMAM the 1st day of each month. Reviews will be kept on the FMAM website for 12 months.

New reviews this month from:

. Dr. Cynthia Clark . Harriet Klausner .

March 2012

The Cougar's Prey
Larry D. Sweazy
Berkley Books, October 2011, 294 pages, $6.99
ISBN: 978-0-425-24394-7

Westerns are alive and well! COUGAR’S PREY is keeping the tradition of the bonafide western alive.

Texas Ranger Josiah Wolfe is cleared in the death of commanding officer but the press keeps hounding him. Even his town isn’t sure he is free of guilt, so he accepts an assignment that takes him away from everyone. He travels to Corpus Christi incognito to investigate and infiltrate a group of thieves. But nothing is easy. And before long his over his head in danger not only in Corpus Christi but back home as well. The assignment is more than he was given to believe….

Larry Sweazy weaves a fascinating tale with history interwoven throughout to give it the touch of realism. He paints such a picture with his words that you can smell the farm – all of itJ, see the tumbleweeds, and feel the dust on your face and the horses ride. Powerful writing. A good mixture of the western and the mystery!

On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.5.

Reviewed by Dr. Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D. MHt.

Cover Her Body: A Singular Village Mystery
Eleanor Sullivan
Yesteryear Press, 2012, 302 pages, $14.99
ISBN: 978-1-936214-55-6

Adelaide is a midwife in the 1830’s. She is excellent at her job, but one day a young pregnant sixteen year old is murdered. Something that isn’t that common in the small town in Ohio. Murder that is. Adelaide is concerned that the “remedy” she had given the young girl might have caused her death. S such her husband, Benjamin forbids her to investigate. He says he fears that they will be run out of town. But does he have ulterior motives?

Years early Adelaide did make a mistake during the birthing process which cost the life of mother and child. This comes back to haunt her resulting in her being accused in the death of the young girl. She can’t allow this to stand forcing her to investigate to save herself but what she finds scares her even more. Who can she trust? Is anyone, including her own husband above suspicion?

Ms. Sullivan, a real nurse, melds the medical world with a historical mystery to give us a riveting suspense. She writes with the art of a painter putting us right in the middle of this small town that wants to remain isolated from the rest of the world. You can feel the air of secrets and lies all around the town as you are walking with Adelaide. Wonderful!

On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.9.

Reviewed by Dr. Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D. MHt.

Reunion
Carl Brookins
Echelon Press, 2011, $13.99, 264 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59080-668-5

Jack Marston agrees to accompany his significant other, Lori Jacobs to her high school reunion. She hasn’t been back to her hometown in a long time and Jack suspects there is some issue that has kept her away. As a former NCIS investigator, now teacher at City College, Jack is no stranger to investigation however he is not prepared for the body with pitchfork stuck in it he finds on the first night of the reunion. The local cop is new to his job and knows that Jack is a former NCIS investigator – in fact it seems the entire town knows this. Why is that? Why are they so paranoid? What is being hidden?

Being shorthanded the cop asks Jack to help a little, ask some questions - investigate. What Jack discovers is so much more – a town scandal, the reason Lori was resistant to return “home” and that other people are targeted for murder. And before long Jack and Lori are targets.

REUNION is a fast, easy read. It is a tad but hokey in the former NCIS investigator that the town already knew about but aside from that, the story itself is enjoy and suspenseful. As we go from suspect to suspect to witness we are side by side with Jack learning the town secrets. We can smell the must in the barn, the hay, even the weeds. Carl Brookins writes in such a way that you are walking side by side with Jack. You are there. You are part of the investigation

Good read. I enjoyed it!

On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.6.

Reviewed by Dr. Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D. MHt.

McGrave
Lee Goldberg
Adventures in Television, Inc., February 2012, $2.99, 80 pages
E book

Lee Goldberg hits it out of the park again, this time with McGrave. A fun, easy to read novella – perfect for a waiting room or a plane ride.

When McGrave, a LA cop is bested by international thief Sebastian Richter he follows the trail to Berlin. McGrave’s nickname is Tidal wave and he lives up to it in Berlin as he sweeps through not caring about protocol or law. He is a virtual tornado leaving a path of destruction but he also figures out what is really going on. His antics play hell on his assigned partner in Berlin yet there is this interesting subtext of belief in the knowledge that he does know what he is doing even if he is a buffoon. Charming in a DIRTY HARRY sort of way.

Love it!

On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 5.

Reviewed by Dr. Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D. MHt.

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