Authors - The Irresponsible Reader

Junkyard Bargain

by Faith Hunter
Series: Shining Smith, #2

eARC, 166 pages
Lore Seekers Press, 2021

Read: October 16-18, 2021

Back in March, I talked about this as an Audible Original. And I’m going to borrow from that, but the eBook is a different experience, so we’ll talk about that a little bit, too.

The Law was uncertain. Vengeance wasn’t.

What’s Junkyard Bargain About?

Shining Smith needs to gear up and improve her weapons and armor if they’re going to take on the task they have ahead of them. This means traveling to Charleston, and selling some of the junk from her scrapyard, and making the right deals.

Standing in their way are rival bike gangs, corrupt police, sex slavers, and random other criminals. Whatever else happens—Shining isn’t going to allow those slavers to hang on to their captives (and likely won’t let them hang on to their lives, either). She needs to avoid the police, strike careful deals with the gangs, and survive the rest—all the while she’s noticing changes in her cats and expands the control Shining’s won enhancements have on those closest to her.

It’s really hard to explain without pretty much recapping everything in the first book.

Shining’s Thralls and Allies

This time through the book, Cupcake, Jagger, Mateo, and Jolene—Shining’s Thralls—grabbed my attention to various degrees more than they had before. Don’t get me wrong, this is Shining’s story and she’s a character that’s worth dissecting.

But what Hunter has done with these secondary characters is really interesting. Cupcake, for example, changes a lot over the course of these pages—due to what’s required of her as well as what happens to her. There’s a lot to Cupcake that’s been latent, but she’s never had a reason/opportunity to express. Now she’s been given that opportunity…I can’t wait to see what Cupcake gets up to in the next installment.

The rest of the thralls all end up doing things that Shining doesn’t expect (this is hard to get into while staying away from spoilers). The way this works out both in the closing pages of this book and in the next is likely going to make or break this series.

Getting back to Shining—one thing that Hunter’s protagonists tend to share is that they’re coming to greater understandings of their abilities (and developing them) in each book. This applies just as much to her post-apocalyptic SF hero as it does to her Urban Fantasy protagonists. It’s just about her nanobots instead of magic.

A Different Experience

This isn’t evaluative, I just figured it deserved a mention. While I’ve frequently moved from reading a book to re-reading it via audiobook, I’ve never moved from audio to text before, so this was an interesting experience just for that. For one thing, I finally learned how to spell “Berger chip.”

I did think that I related to the text, story, and characters differently when reading as opposed to listening—although part of that is due to the fact that this was my second exposure to Junkyard Bargain. It’s like getting to read the screenplay/script for a movie/play that you’re familiar with. I did find that most of the characters “sounded” a lot like Khristine Hvam as I read the dialogue.

I’m definitely still going to listen to the third Shining Smith book when it’s released on audio, but I’m also going to be making sure I get the ebook later (which I didn’t do for Junkyard Cats…yet).

So, what did I think about Junkyard Bargain?

I absolutely love this world. I don’t think one more novella is going to be enough to satisfy my curiosity. I’m going to need more somehow—it doesn’t necessarily have to be about Shining Smith.

After Junkyard Cats took several unexpected turns in the latter half, I didn’t know what to expect from this beyond more of the same. This novella may have ended up where it seemed to be heading from the beginning, but the route it took bore so little difference to what was expected that it’s hard to recognize that. Hunter is filling this post-apocalyptic world with more dangers and strangeness than we’d been exposed to last time, and you know the next installment will increase the danger.

When talking about the last book, I said that it was too brief and not deep enough. This isn’t the case this time—and not just because it was 40 minutes longer. This time it felt like there was a solid match between depth and time—to the point I wondered how she fit it all in the novella-length book.

There were some great action scenes, some solid surprises, and good character development. And…cats with telepathy. I can’t wait to see what #3 has in store.

3 Stars

EXCERPT from Junkyard Bargain by Faith Hunter: A Breakfast Conversation

By HCNewton

On October 20, 2021

In Book Tour, Faith Hunter, Fiction, Quotations, Science Fiction

from Junkyard Bargain by Faith Hunter

“I love broccoli,” I said, shoveling beets into my mouth. “I had broccoli pesto once. It’s good.”

“Oh my god, yes. Anything with garlic and pine nuts is good. You ever tried Brussels sprouts pesto? So good! The greenhouse is just blooming up a storm,” she nattered on now that I had contributed to the conversation, once again cheery, her blue eyes sparkling. I ate and heard her say, “That new hemp mesh Mateo and I strung up? The stuff that was left over from shading the greenhouse compound? We put it up on aisle Tango three.”

“Mmm,” I said, now scooping in the pancakes. Trying not to puke at the growing rotten-finger stench.

“This place needs a good cleaning,” she said. “It’s getting kinda rank in here.”

“Right. Soon. New hemp mesh?” I reminded her.

“It’s absorbing and capturing moisture out of the night air like a dream. Come winter, we might bring in enough to actually get a shower once a week.”

That caught my attention. I swigged my coffee so I could talk. She poured me more. “Fresh water?” I asked.

“Nearly a week’s supply for drinking and watering the greenhouse, in a little over ten days,” she said, pouring herself a cup of coffee. “We think we can do twice that in winter.”

My hand, holding the fancy fork, halted halfway to my mouth. “That’s … That’s really good.”

“It’s not a full replacement, yet,” she prattled, “but not bad for summer, and if Mateo and I can get that water tower off the office roof and patch it up, we’ll have a good place to store water.”

Something like pleasure, maybe mixed with joy, flowed through me—a rare and unexpected sensation. “I’m … I’m proud of you, Cupcake.”

Cupcake’s blue eyes widened. Her color went high as she blossomed at the praise. “Eat,” she ordered, pointing at my meal, shaking with elation.

I didn’t praise her enough. I had to remember to do that. I ate. The buckwheat and millet pancakes were tasty enough. The roasted beets were surprisingly sweet and tender.

“It’s good.”

She hid her smile in her coffee cup. That was the thing about thralls. They were eager to please, needed to please, quite literally might die if they couldn’t find a way to serve and didn’t get attention from their nanobot-donor queen. She set down her cup, whipped a nail file out of her pocket, and reached for my left hand. “Not this morning,” I said softly. To keep her from freezing in uncertainty, I continued, “Tell me more about the netting and the free water.” Then, because it made her glow, I added, “This is exciting.”

Read the rest in Junkyard Bargain by Faith Hunter to see what happens from here—and all the new ways that Cupcake finds to serve.

My thanks to Let’s Talk! Promotions for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the book via NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group) they provided.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Junkyard Bargain by Faith Hunter

By HCNewton

On October 20, 2021

In Book Tour, Faith Hunter, Fiction, Science Fiction

Today I’m very pleased to welcome the Book Tour for the e-book release of the second Shining Smith novella, Junkyard Bargain by Faith Hunter. Along with this spotlight post, I have a fun excerpt to share. I’ll be giving my take on the novella a little later. Those links’ll work when the posts go live in an hour or two.

First, let’s take a look at Junkyard Bargain.

Book Details:

Book Title: Junkyard Bargain by Faith Hunter
Publisher: Lore Seekers Press
Release date: October 19, 2021
Format: Ebook
Length: 166 pages
ISBN: 9781622681648

Book Blurb:

Sometimes before you can face your enemies—you need to confront yourself.

Time is running out for Shining Smith and her crew to gather the weapons they need to rescue one of their own. But will they even make it to the ultimate battle? First, they’ll need to hit the road to Charleston—a hell ride full of bandits, sex slavers, corrupt lawmen, and criminal bike gangs looking to move in on Shining’s territory.

Shining’s human allies will do anything to protect her—because they must. But will victory be worth it if she must compel more and more people to do her bidding? And will her feline warriors, the junkyard cats, remain loyal and risk their lives? Or are they just in it for the kibble?

Purchase Links

Barnes & Noble ~ Amazon

About Faith Hunter:

Faith Hunter is the award-winning New York Times and USAToday bestselling author of the Jane Yellowrock, Soulwood, Rogue Mage, and Junkyard Cats series. In addition, she has edited several anthologies and co-authored the Rogue Mage RPG. She is the coauthor and author of 16 thrillers under pen names Gary Hunter and Gwen Hunter. Altogether she has 40+ books and dozens of short stories in print and is juggling multiple projects.

She sold her first book in 1989 and hasn’t stopped writing since.

Faith collects orchids and animal skulls, loves thunderstorms, and writes. She likes to cook soup, bake bread, garden, and kayak Class II & III whitewater rivers. She edits the occasional anthology and drinks a lot of tea. Some days she’s a lady. Some days she ain’t.

Find Faith online at:

Website ~ Facebook (official) ~ Facebook Fan Group ~ Twitter ~

Yellowrock Securities website ~ Gwen Hunter website

My thanks to Let’s Talk! Promotions for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the book via NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group) they provided.

PUB DAY REPOST: It’s a Wonderful Woof by Spencer Quinn: Chet’s on the Search for a Missing PI

By HCNewton

On October 19, 2021

In Chet and Bernie, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Spencer Quinn

It’s a Wonderful Woof

by Spencer Quinn
Series: Chet and Bernie, #12

eARC, 272 pg.
Forge Books, 2021

Read: September 13-14, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s It’s a Wonderful Woof About?

Someone comes to the Little Detective Agency to hire them, but it’s just not the kind of case that calls for Bernie’s strengths, but he knows just the right guy for the job, Victor Klovsky. The two had recently run into each other on different cases, and Bernie’s been reminded that Victor isn’t cut out for the more, shall we say, physically demanding cases—but he’s great at the stuff you can do behind a desk, which is what this case calls for.

Also, I think Bernie feels sorry for the guy and thinks he can do him a favor by sending work his way to make up for the way things went during that recent encounter.

You know what they say about roads and best intentions, though. It’s not long before Victor has gone missing—a very concerned mother (who has less confidence in his abilities than Bernie does) hires Chet and Bernie to find him. It turns out that not only Victor is missing, but his client is, too.

There’s nothing about this case that suggests a cushy desk job anymore—a strong sense of violence surrounds the disappearances—and other elements of the case as it develops. Can Chet and Bernie sniff out what happened to them, and what the relationship is between these disappearances, Mary and Joseph fleeing to Egypt, Caravaggio, and an old Spanish mission?

Relationship Issues

This is news to no one that has read one book in this series, but Bernie’s not good at relationships. Expressing himself to a woman he cares about is not a skill he possesses (I’m sure Chet would differ with me here, but I stand by it).

His current relationship is still pretty new—and seems to be going pretty well. But that’s all stuff that happened since Tender is the Bite. It doesn’t take him too long to mess things up with Weatherly. Both his reaction to this throughout the novel and the way it started felt different than the way he’d put his foot into it with Suzi (but not completely). The relationships between Bernie and the two women are notably different—which is a relief, too often in situations like this it feels like a duplicate of a previous romance.

A Very Bernie Christmas?

It would be very easy to forget that this is a Christmas/Holiday Themed novel—I did more than once, and I was expressly looking to see how Quinn dealt with it.

However, when the holidays do come up? It’s great. There’s a Hannukah scene that I just loved, and…well there are a couple of great other scenes about the holidays, but my no-spoiler policy stops me from getting into those.

Language Choice

This isn’t a big deal—I don’t want to make a proverbial mountain out of anything. But it struck me that Bernie’s language is a bit stronger than usual. I don’t want to take the time and do word counts or anything—I’m lazy and I’m not going to buy e-copies just to document this point. This book is still PG-13, but it jumped out at me and struck me as different—and I’m curious about it.

So, what did I think about It’s a Wonderful Woof?

I had a blast with this—there was a time 5 or 6 books ago, that my interest in the series waned a bit—I still enjoyed the books, but they didn’t grab me the way the initial novels did. That’s gone, and I have to wonder what was wrong with me—Quinn and Chet are as fresh and entertaining now as they were in Dog Gone It.

There’s heart, there’s excitement, there’s humor, there’s the devotion that only a dog can have for their human, and you even can even learn a little bit about art history. Throw in a little holiday magic and you’ve got yourself another winner in this series.

Go read this—which readers of this series probably don’t need me to say. But if you haven’t read any before, this functions well enough as a jumping-on point, just be prepared to make some time for the previous 11 novels. You’re going to want to read them all.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Macmillan-Tor/Forge via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Pub Day Repost: Best in Snow by David Rosenfelt: Tara Digs Up Trouble for Andy

By HCNewton

On October 19, 2021

In Andy Carpenter, David Rosenfelt, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Best in Snow

by David Rosenfelt
Series: Andy Carpenter, #24

eARC, 320 pg.
Minotaur Books, 2021

Read: September 10, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Best in Snow About?

After a snowstorm dumps a healthy amount of snow on the ground, Andy takes his dogs for a walk. Tara, his beloved golden retriever goes digging in that snow and uncovers a body. Not just any body, it turns out, but the mayor.

The evidence points to a reporter that used to work for Andy’s friend, Vince, at his paper. Despite this scandal that he kicked off last year centering on the mayor, Vince believes him and supports him the best he can. One way Vince supports the reporter is that he gets Andy to defend him.

Also, instead of Andy taking in the suspect’s dog for the duration of the trial, Vince does it this time. Vince is not a dog person—he’s not much of a people person, either, so readers can imagine how his housing the dog will go.

Comfort Food

I’m pretty sure I’ve said this (or something like it) before—it’s hard to track in a 24 book series just what I’ve said. But these Andy Carpenter books literary comfort food. You know what you’re going to get, you know you like it, and it just makes you feel good.

For example, you know when it gets to the part about jury deliberation, Andy’s going to say and do a few things. And it’s just as enjoyable to see him say that in this book as it was 20+ books ago.

That said? Rosenfelt managed to surprise me a couple of times and did some stuff in the courtroom that I haven’t seen from him before.

Holiday Content

In the last few years that Rosenfelt has been doing these Christmas-y themed books, I’ve always been mildly surprised at how low little “Holiday Content” there is in the book. This one seemed to be the lightest on Christmas/New Year’s material.

Yeah, the weather and dates help ground the action and show how fast things are moving in terms of the trial. But there’s not much more to it than that. Basically, this is just an excuse to get another Andy Carpenter book this year. And I’m fine with that.

So, what did I think about Best in Snow?

I really enjoyed this—the case was a good puzzle. The courtroom antics and strategies were up to Rosenfelt’s usual standards (maybe a little better than some). The little bit of action that crept in (mostly involving Marcus) was great, too.

The members of Andy’s team were as entertaining as usual and, of course, so were the dogs (including Vince’s new charge).

If you’re a long-time reader of the series, you know what you’re going to get here—with a couple of surprises. If you haven’t tried this series yet, you really should—this is as good a place as any. But once you start, you’ll have a hard time stopping. That’s not a warning, that’s an assurance.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Dead Mercy by Noelle Holten: An Apt Title for A Grim Thriller

By HCNewton

On October 18, 2021

In DC Maggie Jamieson, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Noelle Holten

Dead Mercy

by Noelle Holten
Series: DC Maggie Jamieson, #5

eARC, 416 pg.
One More Chapter, 2021

Read: October 4-5, 2021

What’s Dead Mercy About?

The closing chapter of Dead Secret set this up (as Holten is so good about doing): a business has gone up in fire and a body has been found inside—possibly the body of someone Maggie’s worked with in Probation. From the start, this case has its hooks in Maggie.

It’s soon decided that the body was the source of the fire—and before the victim had been set ablaze, he’d been restrained and had teeth pulled. The killer had wanted to punish him, not just kill him.

Soon another victim is discovered—and the team has to race to find a connection so they can prevent anyone else from suffering this fate.

When the link is finally discovered, it suggests potential new victims as well as several suspects. It also shines a bright light on a striking failure of the criminal justice system.

Bethany and Kat

Back when I talked about Book 3, Dead Perfect, I wrote that they were overworking PC Bethany Lambert, “Miscellaneous errands, thankless tasks, things requiring technological expertise, and more fall to her. I lost track of how many things Maggie threw her way to do—on top of her own assignments. I have multiple notes about how they’re working this woman to death.” They’ve yet to let up on her—however, it’s talked about both as the way she likes to work and as something other people are concerned about. This is efficiently done—the characters around her get to be observant and sympathetic, and they can continue to throw too much work at her so Holten doesn’t have to create 2-3 more characters to keep the stories moving at that pace.

Dead Perfect was also where DC Kat Everett was added to the team—she’s better integrated into the action over the last couple of books now and I really enjoy her. I’m ready to read a spin-off series focusing on her now, either in her same assignment or transferred somewhere. Her brashness would make for a fun protagonist (not that Maggie isn’t brash, but hers is a side-effect of her impetuousness).

A Refreshing Approach

With most police procedurals you get the maverick, lone-wolf detective—maybe with a couple of people they trust. Or (particularly with UK-based procedurals), you get a focus on a detective squad. With the Maggie Jamieson books, we get a good look at her squad, probation services, and other social services.

Not just as a drop-in for a convenient bit of information, either. But characters that matter, there’s interconnectedness between the groups and it’s good to see the flow of information (formally, informally, unauthorized) informing the investigations. I like seeing that approach, and I like to think it reflects reality far more than any lone-wolf thumbing their nose at regulations.

Although, the pathologist still seeming to hold a grudge over one of her staff being (justifiably) questioned a while back seems to be petty. Which, so it’s not all super-professional and mutually helpful.

Let’s Hope This Is Fiction

Not every author spends too much time on the motivation behind the killings, but an author that gives a believable motivation separates their work from the pack. This is another of those areas that Holten excels in.

Yes, this is a work of fiction. Yes, things are heightened. But when you read this, there’s going to be a voice in the back of your head saying, “I could see that happening.”

Not only that, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re going to be a little conflicted about the crimes. Odds are, you’re not going to be hoping that Maggie and her team fail, or that the killer (killers?) gets away with it. Buuuut…once you understand the motive pushing the killer(s), you may not feel that bad about what happens to the victims.

So, what did I think about Dead Mercy?

Holten’s got this down now—the characters and world are well established, as are the relationships in them. Despite the relatively brief chronology between books 1-5, there’s been some decent character growth on several points, too. So a new Maggie Jamieson thriller is a chance to spend some time catching up with new acquaintances while getting to go for a pretty intense ride as those acquaintances try to stop a brutal killer.

Okay, maybe that’s not the ideal way to catch up and check in on anyone, but it’s a pretty exciting read.

Crime Reads had that piece a couple of weeks ago discussing “all crime is cyber crime,” which was ringing in my ears as I read this. This very visceral series of murders is evidence to support that thesis—cyber-policing wasn’t enough to stop the series, either, but it played its part. Holten’s always been good at balancing the computer-work and the boots-on-the-ground policing but might have outdone herself here.

The accent does fall on the physical world, of course, given the nature of the crimes. If your stomach doesn’t church a little at the description of the murders (likely both as they’re happening and as the pathologist breaks them down), you’re made of pretty stern stuff. Thankfully, Holten’s narration doesn’t ever seem to relish in the disturbing details as too many do.

Basically, this is a top-notch thriller with a lot for the reader to chew on as they’re burning through the pages.

It does appear that this is going to be the last Maggie Jamieson book–at least for a while. I’m hoping it’s just a break, and we get back to Maggie and the rest of the Major and Organised Crime Department soon. If not? These five books are a great set and I (again) strongly recommend them to you.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from HarperCollins UK via NetGalley in exchange for this post — thanks to both for this.

4 Stars

Tear It Down by Nick Petrie: Things Get Rough for Peter in the Home of the Blues

By HCNewton

On October 15, 2021

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Nicholas/Nick Petrie, Peter Ash

Tear It Down

by Nick Petrie
Series: Peter Ash, #4

Hardcover, 368 pg.
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2019

Read: October 9-11, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

Outside, the air was thick and threatening rain. Spring in Tennessee. Peter strode across the wide concrete apron toward the road.

Go to Memphis, June had said. Eat some barbecue, listen to music, have some fun.

So far there had been no barbecue and no music.

Was it wrong that he might be having fun?

What’s Tear It Down About?

Peter’s been recuperating and rehabbing from his injuries from Light It Up at June’s—he’s about as recovered as he can be and is spending his time doing some upkeep and repairs on some of the buildings. But being in one place for so long is getting to him. He doesn’t see it, but June does.

June has a friend, Nadine, in Memphis. She’s a photographer who’s done a few tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, embedded with various groups. She’s back home in Memphis and has recently purchased a house at auction. Since then, she’s been harassed and could use some help. So June sends Peter off to lend a hand.

The morning before he arrives at Nadine’s, someone had driven a dump truck through the front of her house and then ran off. The truck is still there, which is what’s keeping some of the walls from falling. Clearly, he’s got his work cut out for him.

The work gets complicated the next day when Peter’s carjacked. No, really. A teenager with a pistol sticks Peter up, stealing his truck (with all his tools, food, and weapons) in the back. Peter likely could’ve stopped him, but chooses to let the kid get away with it for some pretty good reasons.

So now, he has to try to stop further attacks on Nadine, help her rebuild the house that she’s determined not to leave, and get his truck back. Oh, and immediately following the carjacking, Peter offended the drug lord who runs most of the crime in that part of Memphis—but you’ll want to read all that for yourself.

A Man Called Lewis

Lewis decides that Peter needs help (with a little input from June) and shows up just when things are getting hairy.

If I’ve noticed it before, I don’t remember—but Lewis here is essentially Robert B. Parker’s Hawk. There’s one conversation between Lewis and Peter that could’ve been lifted straight from a Hawk and Spenser conversation by Parker/Atkins, too.

It works, too, don’t get me wrong. I am kicking myself a little for not having seen it before, but I don’t think it was as strong—maybe that’s because of the themes/circumstances in this book that it stands out so much.

So, what did I think about Tear It Down?

There’s a significant racial component to the events and circumstances of this book. This added a little depth to the novel, it’s about more than people trying to get money and power, as is usual for these books. Sure, there’s money and power at the root of a lot of what’s going on here—but there’s a degree of hate that wasn’t around either.

There are also two characters who are just trying to survive in a world that seems hostile—and increasingly so—to them. They just need a break, a chance to do something, but it’s taken from them at every turn. The question for them is what they do in these circumstances—and what the results of their choices will be for those around them.

There is a significant toll on those who just happen to be near Peter and Lewis when things get ugly between them and those who are harassing Nadine. Peter notices this and it bothers him—it’s one thing in war for there to be collateral damage, but there was no reason for anyone injured (or worse) here to be in danger. It will be interesting to see if this experience has an impact on how he deals with things in the future.

This one had it all—great action, a compelling story, some good social commentary, and some time with characters I’m really growing attached to. Nick Petrie and Peter Ash continue to be a winning combination.

4 1/2 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

It’s a Wonderful Woof by Spencer Quinn: Chet’s on the Search for a Missing PI

By HCNewton

On October 14, 2021

In Chet and Bernie, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Spencer Quinn