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 . Christine I. Speakman . |
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September 2007
Glitter of Diamonds
N.J. Lindquist
Markham , Ontario , Canada , May 2007, $24.95, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0-9685495-9-4
Rico Velasquez has joined the Matrix baseball team from Cuba . He has a magic arm but a temper, a wandering eye, and a taunting nature. He continuously taunts the previous pitcher Armando Santana. His temper has his fans outraged and gives Stasey Simon, a local radio personality plenty of on air fodder. One day she says, someone should knock some sense into him.
In the meantime the owners of the Matrix think that bringing his wife, Alita from Cuba may calm him down. But it doesn’t. It angers him and the woman he’s been having an affair with, Eva. Shortly after the welcome to Canada event for Alita, Rico is found dead: his head knocked in with a baseball bat.
Detective Paul Manzuik and his new partner Jacqueline Ryan get the case and have a plethora of suspects to choose from: Rico’s team mates, his now missing wife, the scorned other woman Eva, his best friend Ferdinand, the Coach, the player Rico replaced Armando, Stasey the radio host, the employees of the Radio station, Ted, Iain, the newspaper sports reporters Kyle and Ginny. Not to mention fans and crazy radio callers. And then Stasey gets attacked by a baseball bat and is left for dead. One suspect cleared. And to complicate things, suspects Kyle and Ginny stumble on another body, that of a Stasey and Matrix fan Lawrence .
Who killed all Rico and Lawrence and almost Stasey?
Although this is a story about a baseball team this is not laden with baseball. It is a mystery. The character Ryan has never seen a baseball game. So, if you fear it would bog you down, fear not.
There are many characters to choose from, a few seem to come out of no where and are superfluous. At times the book is slow but all in all it is an enjoyable read baseball fan or not.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.
Haunted Richmond
Pamela K. Kinney
Schiffer Publishing Ltd. 2007 $14.95 128 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7643-2712-4
We don't usually do non fiction books at FMAM, but keeping with the mystery theme is the book, HAUNTED RICHMOND. HAUNTED RICHMOND takes us on a charming journey through many many haunts in this fair city. From the Governor's mansion to Hawes House to Scotchtown and more, Pamela Kinney takes on a tour not unlike the “Haunts of Richmond” tour. She points out points of interest and how they came to be haunted. I enjoyed my jaunt through the haunted halls and learned a few things along the way. The book is an easy, fats read.
For a quick diversion into the “other” world, check out HAUNTED RICHMOND, it's a delightful journey into the supernatural real world.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.7.
Silenced Cry
Marta Stephens
BeWrite Books 2007 $15.50 279 pages
ISBN: 978-1905202-72-0
Sam Harper accompanies Gillies his partner, searching for Mellows who had supposedly killed someone an hour previously. Arriving at the Roving Dog, a bar, Sam goes in to see Mellows drinking beer as cool as can be. This doesn't make sense to Sam. Would someone who just killed a man, come to a bar and sit there drinking with a woman? Something was amiss. Mellows was to lead them to Owens, who would lead them, well they really wanted Owens, and Sam was concerned about the set up. After asking Chuck, the bartender to call them as Mellows leaves, he leaves to join Gillies outside to wait. Then before he knows it, Gillies is dead and he has shot Mellows. What happened and why? None of it makes sense to him. While sorting it out, his chief calls his dad down for moral support. His dad is a former policeman, shot in the line of duty and forced into early retirement and he knows more about the case than Sam does.
Commissioner Flanagan assigns Martin to the case, a detective the other detective's consider an idiot. Sam is reassigned to homicide and told to stay away from the Owens case. Like he would do that with his friend and partner dead. But in the meantime, he and his new partner, Mann get a dead baby case. While a building is being demolished, the bones of a small infant wrapped in a pink blanket are found. Why was she left in the wall? Who left her in the wall? Who killed her?
Through records Sam and Mann figure out a scared 16 year old rented that apartment pregnant and then gave birth to a screaming baby. Then she disappeared. Sam and Mann track down the 16 year old and find a woman who has gotten her life together, and a teenage girl sitting on the couch. Now they are more confused. But they do not give up and get down to the mystery of the baby.
Sam is haunted by his partner's death and it drives him throughout the book. The sub plots and secondary players are well developed and intriguing. Sam’s dad is involved not only in Sam’s life but he knows more about Mellows and Owens than Sam. What had Gillies gotten himself into? An intriguing story with converging stories and characters. As I was reading SILENCED CRY, I found myself compelled to read more to see if I was right in who was really who and who did what. Who killed the little baby? Why was Gillies killed? Was there a bigger plot? Where did Owens fit into the picture? To get the answers and more read SILENCED CRY, a fascinating journey into deception, lies, and police politics.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.7.
You Should Have Died on Monday
Frankie Y. Bailey
Overmountain Press, July 2007, $9.95 208 pages
ISBN: 978-1570723193
YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED ON MONDAY is the fourth in the series of Professor of criminal justice, Lizzie Stewart. In this book, Lizzie decides to find her mother who had abandoned her at birth. Lizzie was reared by her grandparents who were good to her, but they were not her mother. Lizzie’s boyfriend, Quinn, a police officer and a PI, Kyle Sheppard helps her find her mother Becca Hayes. But of course, nothing is simple. Becca is somehow implicated in a murder that occurred in 1969 and with a gangster no less. But after Becca disappeared, someone did confess to the murder. As Lizzie seeks her mother, she travels to Chicago , where she finds that she was a blues singer and there was some connection to the Black Panthers. Her investigation reveals that her mother fled to Wilmington . So Lizzie follows her trail to Wilmington and then to New Orleans .
As Lizzie travels to discover where her mother went and who she was, Lizzie begins to learn more about not only her mother but herself. Does Lizzie find Becca? Is she alive or dead? Did Becca commit the murder? Are some things better not known? To find the answers read the book. I recommend this journey.
YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED ON MONDAY is a not only a journey of a mystery of who did it but also a social commentary that explores the African-American culture. The weaving of blues and jazz is fascinating and informative. Ms. Bailey has created a clever tale of murder, mystery, family and discovery. She has written a first class story around the mystique of the blues and confronted the typical stereotypes head-on and disproved them. Excellent!
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.6.
Bayou Treasure
Written by Georgia Tribell
Electronic book Publication: May 2007
Cost $6.49
ISBN 9781419909061
Publisher’s website www.cerridwenpress.com
Marie Bernard has the gift of sight; so why didn’t she see the trouble she was in.
Marie’s business is antiques; she ships them to her home in New Orleans all the time. So why does the notorious “problem fixer – illegal problems” Black need her? Is she a pawn to extract revenge on FBI Special Agent LD Carmouche, does LD even know her? The answer is to both questions is, yes. A big resounding, yes, for LD…know her he will.
All right, we have another romance/mystery story. Girl and Boy meet and grate on each other nerves just to wind up in a passionate love affair. Bad guy wants to destroy both. Will they make it out alive? Better, yet, did “Bayou Treasure” and I mix well?
Yes, we actually did. I found “Bayou Treasure” to be a fun read. With this past week passing between damp miserable weather and hot humid temperatures, “Bayou Treasure” was a welcomed relief from long tiring days.
My favourite characters were LD and Black, and I would like to read their earlier encounters as both have a rogueness to them that makes for captivating reading. Marie needed a bit more depth, for me, to be truly appealing. A story with LD’s friend Rob wouldn’t be overlooked, either.
“Bayou Treasure” is a fairly simple tale with enough heat to satisfy those who want it and those who don’t. It gave what I wanted – an easy read for a slow day.
Yes, “Bayou Treasure” was a good mix.
Underdead
Written by Liz Jasper
Electronic book Publication: May 2007
Cost $6.49
ISBN 9781419909344
Publisher’s website www.cerridwenpress.com
What are you suppose to do when the knockout male you spot at the local hotspot is attracted to you?
You dance; maybe kiss; kiss a little more, yeah that makes sense. You don’t want to go overboard considering you’re the youngest teacher at a private school, and this is a faculty function. But, sheesh, how were you supposed to know he was a vampire?
Now Jo Gartner is stuck being “Underdead” not quite alive, but not dead. Maybe she should just let Mr. Hunky Vampire (Will) finish the job and make her a full vamp, would be easier than telling people she’s allergic to the sun. At least she can still eat chocolate.
But what would that do to her possible relationship with Detective Gavin Raines? And what would her mother say!
“Underdead” is a lively, humourous read that took me away for a summer’s afternoon. The murder mystery was woven seamlessly into the background of Jo’s life. Every clue there to be found, and sadly I missed them because of my enjoyment over Jo’s predicament…nicely done Ms Jasper.
I find myself in need of another Jo Gartner fix. Please Ms Jasper, visit Jo again, and again.
North Atlantic Nights
Written by Emmie Graham
Electronic book Publication: May 2007
Cost $7.99
ISBN: ISBN 9781419909122
Publisher’s website www.cerridwenpress.com
Can you be a Marine and find Love?
That’s the question Captain Frank Ballinger, Special Forces Marine, is asking after dancing with Tammie Richards.
Is it possible I can actually cry over a Romance Mystery story? Yes, you’re reading correctly, I LOVE this story. I LOVE these characters. And, yes, I cried during the climatic ending. Yes, I would like another story with Frank and Tammie.
Tammie works as a shipping clerk for CUPP. Frank’s life is a mix of half-truths and endless deployments…what woman would live with that? Tammie would…for the right man.
Both are keeping secrets. Tammie’s losing CUPP containers, and their shipments, only to have the shipments turn up in spanking clean containers with no identification numbers.
Frank’s not the trainer he’s told Tammie. He’s actually the leader of an elite team of Marines ordered to inspect ships without being discovered. What are they looking for?
Are the two secrets connected? Hey, would this be a mystery if they weren’t.
So what is it about this romance that hits a cord within me? I like the slowness of the characters; they’re not jumping each other at first sight. There’s an honesty to them that draws you to them, you want them to find each other…to succeed at love. The mystery unravels simply and the climax is as crushing as it is exhilarating. Both the romance and mystery are balanced within the story.
If you are a romance/mystery fan “North Atlantic Nights” is a must read.
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