Category: Fiction Page 98 of 348

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

I don’t know how I ended up on the radar of Children’s and Picture Book authors—particularly so many from Israel. But I’m just glad I did, these are guaranteed dashes of brightness and diversity to my reading schedule. I somehow neglected to cover this section of books last year, so here’s my catch-up. Highlighting some of the self-published Children’s/Picture Books that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—just a sentence or two. Hopefully enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

bullet Snobbity Snowman by Maria Bardyukova & Quiet Riley, Jr.—Snobbity is a snowman with an attitude (at least at the beginning). I loved the art. (my post about it)
bullet Elephant Wind by Heather L. Beal, Jubayda Sager (Illustrator)—A scientist explains a tornado to a daycare class. (my post about it)
bullet Hurricane Vacation by Heather L. Beal, Jasmine Mills (Illustrator)—Lily and Niko are visiting their family when a Hurricane Watch is issued, so they join their family in preparing the house for the storm and getting ready to go to a shelter. Along the way, they learn about what a hurricane is as well as all the ways that people can protect themselves, themselves, and so on. (my post about it)
bullet Tummy Rumble Quake by Heather L. Beal, Jubayda Sager (Illustrator)—A daycare class learns about earthquakes and earthquake safety. (my post about it)
bullet Bearded by Jeremy Billups—A Bearded Bear and a Red-Haired Little Girl go on adventures all over the world with an assortment of different animals. I love this art (and have a print of one illustration hanging on my office wall). (my post about it)
bullet Bearded Too by Jeremy Billups—A fun and fitting sequel to the above. (my post about it)
bullet Sea This and Sea That by Jeremy Billups—Set in a “crowded, hectic and gruff” city under the sea, with one quiet spot—The Sea This and Sea That Below the Seashore. Missus Bluffington gives a couple of kids (and the reader) a through her very unusual place, full of all sorts of sea creatures, sea plants, fish, and an octopus that shows up in some unusual places. (my post about it)
bullet Mike Nero and The Superhero School by Natasha Carlow, Kyle Stephen (Illustrator)—It’s Mike’s first day at a new school—he meets his principal and some incredible children and learns a little about the superpower he has within himself—and those inside other students, too. (my post about it)
bullet Be Brave, Little Puffy by Arline Cooper—A puffer fish gets tired of being a puffer fish and tries out life with other kinds of fish. (my post about it)
bullet Kitties Are Not Good To Eat by Cassandra Gelvin—A board book/electronic equivalent full of cat photos and handy tips like the title. (my post about it)
bullet Vernon the Vegetarian Lion by John Hughson, Ali Smith (Illustrator)—Vernon tries out vegetarianism. It goes as well as you’d think. (my post about it)
bullet Meeting of the Mustangs by Cathy Kennedy—This is for kids older than the rest on this list (7+ was my guess). A story of a wild mustang growing up. (my post about it)
bullet The Fed-up Cow by Peta Lemon, Maria Dasic Todoric (Illustrator)—Hilda the cow tries out the lives of other animals before learning to accept herself. (my post about it)
bullet Noam’s Monsters by Shai Levinger, Kaustuv Brahmachari (Illustrator), Ephrat Abisror (Translator)—Written by a Clinical Psychologist, this is about a boy struggling with anxieties and fears. Hopeful yet honest. (my post about it)
bullet Moshe Comes to Visit by Tehila Sade Moyal, Fatima Pires (Illustrator)—A young boy discovers that everyone is afraid of something. (my post about it)
bullet Bear with Bear by Hagit R. Oron, Galia Armeland by Hagit R. Oron, Galia Armeland (Illustrator)—A young boy tries to choose a pet. (my post about it)
bullet Bravo and Elphie by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron (Illustrator)—Ephie and her pet have some struggles at the playground. (my post about it)
bullet Elphie and Dad go on an Epic Adventure by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron (Illustrator)—An imaginative dad turns running errands with his son into an epic adventure. (my post about it)
bullet Elphie Goes Trick or Treating by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron (Illustrator)—The title pretty much sums it up. (my post about it)
bullet Elphie Meets the End of The World by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron Misgav (Illustrator)—Elphie is playing hide and seek with Phante and Phante’s older brother comes in talking about how he saw on the news that the world ending. Eliphie doesn’t take the news well and runs home to hide. Mom and Dad try to comfort and assure him. But it doesn’t really take—so they decide that if the world is going to end, they might as well make a party of it. That seems to work, and in the end, drives home the lesson that every day—even our last—ought to be enjoyed as a gift. (my post about it)
bullet Practice Makes Perfect by Michael Portnoy, Adelia Drubetski (Illustrator), Freda Zolty Kovatch (Translator)—Madam Fly’s two sons are musical geniuses, or something like it—because she’s convinced they should put on concerts despite having no experience with playing whatsoever. Experience and the crickets who run the local music shop try to teach them an important lesson when it comes to music (or just about anything). (my post about it)
bullet The Incredible Ordinary Hero or The Brave Bystander: Burns by Aida Rascanu, Beatrice Magriniby Aida Rascanu, Beatrice Magrini (Illustrator)—a double-whammy of a lesson for the readers/audience. First, there’s a discussion of what it means to be a hero (doing things that are heroic) and there’s a little first aid lesson—age-appropriate, mind you—to help parents/teachers train up young ones. (my post about it)
bullet The Flying Frog and the Kidnappers by David Yair, Ilana Graf (Illustrator), Natalie Jackson (Illustrator)—4th in a series of 11 (so far, anyway). This series for beginning readers is about Quack, a flying frog, who helps some siblings fight crime. Obviously, in this case, they’re up against some kidnappers. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published “General” Fiction

By HCNewton

On July 25, 2022

In Books, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/25/22)

Because I completely forgot to plan, I didn’t have a lot of new-to-me Self-Published works to talk about this week, so primarily I’m dusting off and updating these posts from last year—highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—just a sentence or two. Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today we’re going to be looking at General Fiction (for lack of a better term)—there’s some Lad Lit, a dash of historical fiction, some humor, a couple of things I don’t know how to categorize beyond “Fiction”, and a bit more. Hopefully, you can find something that tickles your fancy.

bullet Dispatches from a Tourist Trap by James Bailey—Jason (see below) and his mother move from Seattle to a small town in the middle of Washington to stay with her parents as she establishes a life away from her husband. Hilarity and conflict ensue. (my post about it)
bullet The First World Problems of Jason Van Otterloo by James Bailey—an epistolary novel (through emails) from a 13-year-old whose life is turned upside down in 2003 Seattle. A lot of heart and a few laughs. (my post about it)
bullet The Glamshack by Paul W. Cohen—A lifestyle reporter’s obsessive love for a woman and the havoc it wreaks on his life. (my post about it)
bullet The Chronicles of Iona: Exile by Paula de Fougerolles—The first novel in a series about the founding of Iona. Some historical fiction with a hint of Fantasy. (my post about it)
bullet Not Awkward by Matthew Hanover—a young man attends the funeral of his ex’s father and gets roped into staying during shiva in the days leading to his wedding. Nah, not awkward at all. (my post about it)
bullet Not Dressed by Matthew Hanover—Hanover’s (seemingly) effortless charm makes this “romantic comedy of how love goes wrong—and right—when you’re a twenty-something still figuring out how to adult” a real winner. (my post about it)
bullet Not Famous by Matthew Hanover—Hanover’s first novel is about a guy who falls for a socially awkward musician. It will steal your heart. (my post about it)
bullet The Flight of the Pickerings by John Grayson Heide—a heart-warming story about an older couple dealing with dementia and the end of their life together get their world turned upside down when their rebellious teenage grandson comes to live with them. (my post about it)
bullet Didn’t Get Frazzled by David Z. Hirsch, MD—a bildungsroman following a 20-something through his 4 years of medical school: from Gross Anatomy to the verge of residency. (my post about it)
bullet Love and Other Monsters in the Dark by K. B. Jensen—I could probably put this on most of my Self-Published Fiction lists, so I’ll limit it to this one. It’s sort of the same genre as The Twilight Zone—SF, Fantasy, Horror, Crime. Sudden Fiction and Short stories that’ll knock your socks off. (my post about it)
bullet XYZ by William Knight—A mature, old-school programmer has to start his career over at a 21st Century Startup as his family life falls apart in every way imaginable. Clearly a comedy. (my post about it)
bullet Dirt Road Home by Alexander Nader—A lot of charm fills this YA(ish) Coming of Age story about a teen forced to move from Detroit to a small town in Tennessee before graduation. (my post about it)
bullet Coffee and Condolences by Wesley Parker—A widower tries to begin recovering from the deaths of his wife and children by reconnecting with his step-sister and maybe finds love. (my post about it)
bullet Headphones and Heartaches by Wesley Parker—A teen finds home, safety, and love in a Foster Home, but is torn about leaving his mother behind. One sentence doesn’t do it justice, I simply loved this one. (my post about it)
bullet The Summer Holidays Survival Guide by Jon Rance—an out-of-shape teacher tries to prepare for a half-marathon while surviving the summer with his three kids, a marriage on the rocks, and his father (with dementia) moving in. (my post about it)
bullet The Crescent and the Cross by Kurt Scheffler— the story of The Battle of Tours (in 732) and events leading up to it, told through the lives of people close to Charles Martel and Charles on the one hand and a couple of the leaders of the Muslim forces involved in the Arab invasion of France. (my post about it)
bullet In Ten Years by Ian Shane—The reductionist description is “A 21st Century When Harry Met Sally“. We watch a couple of college friends over 18 years start to figure out that they’re in love. Hilarious and sweet. (my post about it)
bullet Postgraduate by Ian Shane—When your life falls apart, why not take your college radio show and turn it into an Internet radio show? And then, why not attend a reunion with the old college radio gang, including “The One That Got Away” (because you foolishly dumped her)? (my post about it)
bullet KA-E-RO-U Time to Go Home by B. Jeanne Shibahara—I’m so glad the blurb contains a one-sentence description because I couldn’t write one: “Desert-dweller Meryl travels to Japan, returns a WWII flag, and brings home an understanding of life that opens her heart for the unexpected.” (my post about it)
bullet Lingering by Melissa Simonson—It’s sort-of SF, sort-of a Thriller, but not really either, so I put this here. This is a novel about grief, about dealing with death—while telling the story about an effort to design an AI to mimic a dead loved one in order to help a survivor cope. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Whispers in the Dark by Chris McDonald: Is DI Piper a Match for this Cunning Killer?

By HCNewton

On July 22, 2022

In Chris McDonald/Frost, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Whispers in the Dark

by Chris McDonald

DETAILS:
Series: DI Erika Piper, #2
Publisher: Red Dog Press
Publication Date: November 14, 2020
Format: eBook
Length: 311 pg.
Read Date: July 20, 2022

What’s Whispers in the Dark About?

DI Piper is pulled away from her partner Liam’s wedding reception to take over at the scene of a murder. A good friend of her DCI is one of the victims. DCI Clive Burston and a drug dealer have been shot and killed. The way it looks, if a gun had been recovered at the scene, she’d have concluded that Burston shot the dealer and then himself. But clearly, that can’t be the case.

Then another pair of bodies shows up—it also consists of a member of the same gang as the dealer and someone who has no connection to him—or crime at all.

Just what is going on? And how is she supposed to stop it?

DI Erika Piper

Piper’s still dealing with the trauma—physically and psychologically—from the events prior to A Wash of Black—and she’s picked up a little more on the psychological side. But she’s clearly in a better place than she was when we met her. There’s a confidence to her that wasn’t there in the last book—you can see it in both her interactions with her colleagues and the way she goes about the investigation. She’s not trying to prove that she’s ready to work anymore.

She still has work to do—no doubt about that—but she’s on the right path, and it’s nice to see McDonald showing that. It’s some subtle work and well done.

Now, how the events of this novel will set her up for whatever book 3 throws at her, I don’t know. I’m looking forward to seeing how she deals with it.

So, what did I think about Whispers in the Dark?

McDonald gives Erika and Liam some strong moments—individually and together—outside the case, and I was taken aback by how invested I was in these characters before the halfway point of their second book! There were some sweet moments, and a couple that got me a little misty (for both “positive” and “negative” reasons)—I was impressed at how efficiently he was at some of those, just two or three sentences that hit the emotions just right. And then there’s the scene that made me say things about McDonald that I should probably apologize to him for.

If he’s that good with the subplots, of course he’s going to nail the main story. This is a classic mystery—the killer, the motive, how the detective figures it out, how the killer comes into contact with the victims—it’s all tried and true, and McDonald delivers it well. But how the killer does it? I don’t think I’ve seen that before (eh, maybe something like it—but not as effectively portrayed). It’s a very clever take on this story. The personal stories and the way Piper and the others go through the investigation—the ups, downs, and the unexpected—that’s what separates these books from the rest.

It occurs to me, that if you removed the names and the personal subplots, and just told me the plot of this novel, I’d think you were describing one of Noelle Holten’s DC Maggie Jamieson. The twisty sort of mix of technology, motive, and execution behind the crimes fits in Maggie’s world as well as in Erika’s. Fans of one should definitely check out the other—although A Wash of Black wouldn’t have worked as well as a Maggie Jamieson book, so I’m not saying the two series are in lockstep—just that two of my recent favorites have some overlap.

Top-notch writing—there’s a couple of scenes that are so well described I feel like I was in the room with them—a great mystery, and some characters that’ll become favorites. Get your hands on this series, reader.

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.

The Prince of Infinite Space by Giano Cromley: Stumbling Toward Adulthood

By HCNewton

On July 21, 2022

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

The Prince of Infinite Space

by Giano Cromley

DETAILS:
Series: Kirby Russo, #2
Publisher: Propertius Press
Publication Date: August 2, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 264 pg.
Read Date: Jane 18-19, 2022

What’s The Prince of Infinite Space About?

Kirby Russo, a “troubled youth” from Montana has been at the Haverford Military Institute in North Dakota just long enough to start to change his behavior and think about things in a different light—but not so long that he’s totally bought into the system. He’s still largely an outsider—and likes it that way.

He’s assuming that he’ll have a leadership position in the school newspaper—his one real passion—at the beginning of his Senior Year. When that doesn’t happen, he (unlike the reader, who can see it coming from the moment he starts talking about it) goes off the deep end. All the progress he’s made, all the evolution he’s been going through is out the window, and his demeanor, attitude, and focus shifts. He just doesn’t have anywhere to shift it to, so he spends the first few months of the year completely aimless.

The closest thing he has to a goal comes from a picture he saw in a Chicago newspaper. His long-lost love is shown (under an assumed name) in a homeless camp. He starts to fantasize about reuniting with her—but how can he get to Chicago?

Then his Original Biological Contributor shows up unannounced. He’s never met his father, and has heard little good about him over his life. But when his father introduces himself to Kirby and asks to take him to meet his dying grandmother outside of Chicago, Kirby seizes the opportunity.

He can escape the Institute, learn something about his father, and get close enough to Chicago that he can probably find a way to the city.

It ain’t much, but it’s a plan.

Time Period

It’s a little disconcerting reading something that’s probably considered Historical Fiction set during the protagonist’s Senior Year in high school when you share the same Senior Year. Outside the discussion of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the U.S. response, there’s not a lot of references to people and events of 1990. I’m fine with that—we don’t need an Ernest Cline-level of name-dropping to establish the setting.

I’m not convinced that Cromley’s 1990 matches up with reality that well. If Kirby’s world was looking at the 2003 invasion of Iraq, I probably wouldn’t have blinked. But the attitudes that Kirby encounters—in particular on the streets of Chicago—seem to fit the early 2000s more than the early 1990s.

So, what did I think about The Prince of Infinite Space?

The writing really sang (after a heavy-handed first sentence)—I chuckled a lot, and the descriptions were fantastic and real. His depcition of Chicaco alone made this worth the read. Cromley hits all the emotions and the big moments just right. The novel moved along quickly (possibly too quickly), and you get taken along with the characters effortlessly. Kirby’s a wonderfully flawed character—he’s a self-absorbed, petulant, immature twit. But he’s at the time of life where he’s supposed to be one, so that’s a win.

But unlike many of those characters, you get drawn into his character. You like him just enough, get invested in him enough that you want to see him mature, you want to see the coming-of-age in action. You don’t just want to write him off and go read about someone else.

This feels like the bones of a good novel—there’s not enough meat on it. Or, to change the metaphor, it’s like a chili that you serve too quickly, without letting the flavors develop while simmering a decent amount of time. There’s a compliment here—I liked it, I just wanted it to be better, I wanted more of everything.

This is a sequel to The Last Good Halloween, which probably tells about the delinquency (perceived or real) that sent Kirby to the Haverford Military Institute. It’s utterly unnecessary to read before this, but I’d imagine those who had read it will be a bit more satisfied after seeing what happens to Kirby.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author and Lori Hettler of The Next Best Book Club in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

3 Stars

With Grimm Resolve by Jeffrey H. Haskell: Buckle Up, Grimm and the Interceptor are Back!

By HCNewton

On July 20, 2022

In Fiction, Grimm's War, Science Fiction

With Grimm Resolve

by Jeffrey H. Haskell

DETAILS:
Series: Grimm's War, #2
Publisher: Aethon Books
Publication Date: May 17, 2022
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 373 pg.
Read Date: July 15-18, 2022

“Kim, any ideas?” he asked.

He didn’t need to tell her what for— her stations repeated everything he saw and kept her apprised of the situation.

“Other than we run? Nothing, sir. I know that’s not what you were hoping to hear.”

“I can’t expect you to solve the impossible every day. Maybe just on Tuesdays,” he said with false cheer.

What’s With Grimm Resolve About?

Grimm’s back from command school and the USS Interceptor is back on patrol. His crew has become the well-oiled machine he knew they could be. There’s been a little shuffling of the crew between books, but by and large, those secondary characters you enjoyed before are back and ready for more.

I really don’t know what else to say shy of recapping the whole novel—the crew looks into a distress call on a fairly remote station, and finds both action and a mystery. Chasing breadcrumbs leads them to a couple of discoveries that blow their minds (and don’t do wonders for the structural integrity of the ship, come to think of it). Coupled with what they uncovered/witnessed in the first volume, Grimm and his crew know that things for their Navy and the Alliance will never be the same.

Its Place in the Series

Initially, I saw this advertised as a trilogy (and it still looks like one on the publisher’s website, as of the time I write this)—and there’s at least one reference in the book to a trilogy.

However, Amazon tells me there’s a fourth book coming in September. I’m refusing to read anything about it, so I don’t inadvertently learn anything about the third volume, One Decisive Victory. But I can’t stop speculating—was there just too much to wrap up in One Decisive Victory, so Haskell had to split it? (I can 100% believe that given the events of this book) Did he finish the trilogy and decide he was having too much fun/success to leave it there and came up with something new? (Another theory I could absolutely believe).

Regardless, With Grimm Resolve functions as a middle novel of a trilogy—it’s darker, the stakes are higher, and it certainly appears that Grimm, the Interceptor, her crew, and potentially the entire Alliance are in dire straits—straits so dire I should probably capitalize them. At the same time, we get a complete story here—Haskell only leaves the minimum unresolved. There’s clearly more to come, but we get a resolution on most of the important events here. One Decisive Victory will be about the repercussions of this novel.

So, what did I think about With Grimm Resolve?

Against All Odds started slowly, establishing the status quo for the Navy, the political realities in the Alliance, and the state of relations with other governments—in addition to everything about Grimm and the Interceptor. Once that’s established, he takes the brakes off and it becomes a thrill ride. As we start this novel by focusing on a different group and their activities threatening the Alliance, I assumed we’d get something similar.

And we sort of do—but it’s quicker, Haskell doesn’t have much to do in order to orient his readers, and the action hits before we’re a quarter of the way in—and it really doesn’t let up. Yes, there are moments of rest for the reader and characters, it’s not all danger and combat for the last three-quarters. But the plot doesn’t stop and no one gets out of the woods until the end. There’s a tension throughout that doesn’t let up.

Along those lines, I should mention a nice trick by Haskell. The series is called Grimm’s War, and whether it goes on for one or two (or more) books, you know Grimm makes it through Book 2, or the series would be called something else. Yet, there’s more than once where you can see Grimm being killed and you can’t help but wonder if Haskell has fooled you into thinking he’s safe. I love that he was able to do that.

With Grimm Resolve ended in a way that made me consider tossing off my schedule and jumping on to the next one right away. I’m thoroughly enjoying this series and can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t. Give this series a try!

4 Stars

The Self-Made Widow by Fabian Nicieza: The Housewife Detective and the Disgraced Journalist Face Off with a Devious Mind

By HCNewton

On July 19, 2022

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Self-Made Widow

by Fabian Nicieza

DETAILS:
Series: Suburban Dicks, #2
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: June 20, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length:388 pg.
Read Date: July 7-11, 2022

[Det. Rossi] heard [Andi] sigh over the phone. He hated when she sighed. It was one of the few childish affectations she had, but he also knew that meant she was either frustrated, disappointed, or, worse, thinking something through.

Or even worse, he corrected himself, all three combined.

He suspected this was an “even worse” scenario.

What’s The Self-Made Widow About?

Andrea Stern’s social circle is shaken up when the husband of one of her friends dies suddenly. Many knew of his heart condition, so it wasn’t a total surprise, but it still wasn’t expected. Everyone rallies to support his wife and sons through this trying time.

During the funeral, however, Andi’s Spider-Sense starts tingling, and she starts to put some things that she’s noticed together—leading her to a daunting conclusion. Meanwhile, Kenny Lee, her collaborator in the exposure of the conspiracy and murder last year, gets an anonymous phone call saying that his death wasn’t due to natural causes, but that he was murdered by his wife.

Finding themselves interested in the same case again, they divvy up the avenues of investigating and get to work.

Kenny Lee

He was thirty years old and the only meaningful relationship he’d ever had in his life was with the fear of being in a meaningful relationship.

Kenny’s life since their last investigation has changed the most—he’s no longer a disreputable journalist, that case reestablished his reputation, got him some great publicity, and frequent TV exposure. He’s set to release his book about the murders/investigation in a few weeks and the Netflix documentary series will follow soon after that.

He is, for Kenny, back on top of the world—he’s bought a new car, is taking better care of himself, has a better attitude toward life, and maybe has a girlfriend. But it’s not enough—he’s restless, he realizes early in the novel that he needs to be chasing a story. Something makes him take another look at this death and he starts to ask questions.

He ends up using the team he has working with/for him on the documentary to help with the legwork, I really didn’t think that the novel’s cast needed to be bigger—but man, I had a lot of fun with this group. Most of them aren’t investigators, but (like with so many in this series) that’s part of their charm—and maybe the secret to their success.

I can’t help but wonder that the same impulses that led to his earlier professional downfall are being held back by his current wave of success. If that success slows or wanes, will that come back, leading him to a new round of scandal, possibly derailing Andie’s work? Or maybe making him a target for her?

Andrea Stern

Her insecurities kicked in. What was it about her that alienated people? She knew she was arrogant, sarcastic, and judgmental, but was that reason for people to be so wary around her?

Things haven’t been good for Andi and Jeff in the months since she uncovered the murder/had their fifth child. Long-simmering resentments and arguments have heated up. Andi hasn’t gone to work full-time or anything, but she has consulted with the police a little bit, and she’s clearly interested in doing more—if she can figure out how to do it. Jeff is not at all supportive of this, but Andi’s not deterred for a moment.

What does give her some pause is the effect that this particular investigation is having/going to have on her children and her friends. Yes, she’s (mostly) privately been judging the other moms, but they’re her social circle and have been for years. Can these relationships survive the secrets she will have to dig up and expose?

Thankfully, the friend she made last year, Sathwika* is encouraging, and supportive—and jumps into assisting Andi with both feet. Sathwika gets Andi more than anyone else seems to, and Andi may just have to rely on her alone after all this shakes out.

* This post is too long as is, so I won’t talk more about her now, but I need to spend a few paragraphs on Sathwika when I talk about the next novel.

That’s just what’s going on in the background—proving that Derek was killed is going to be hard enough. But then how is she going to prove her friend did it (assuming she is the one)? Is it all worth it? What will she gain and lose here?

Ruth Stern

…she also couldn’t accept someone getting away with murder.

Her first thought was: How does Mom do this?

But Ruth’s next thought, immediately coming after the first one, and bringing both excitement and trepidation in its wake, was: How do I do it better?

Like Anci in the Slim in Little Egypt books and Auri Vicram, one thing that almost always works for me is a daughter of a mystery protagonist taking it upon themselves to jump into mystery-solving (or being recruited to help). There’s a mixture of eagerness, naiveté, inventiveness, and immaturity that adds a freshness to a type of novel that can seem familiar before you even read it.

Ruth helped out her mom a little bit in the previous book, but she’s called upon to do more now. One of Molly’s sons is in her grade and they’re friendly with each other. Ruth uses this to get a better picture of life in the Goode household—both before and after Derek’s death.

It’s not the easiest thing for her to do—it feels like she’s betraying her friend. She knows the toll it takes on her mother’s relationships, and can understand that. But she continues to emulate her mother, driven by similar impulses. Ruth is one of the aspects of this series that works best, and I hope Nicieza continues to bring her in.

Molly Goode

Ohhh, Molly is possibly my favorite antagonist of the year. She’s the kind of woman that Bernadette Fox would feud with in the neighborhood or school. You can see her bullying mothers in a PTA meeting for not bringing the right kind of gluten and allergen-free goodies to a Bake Sale, or bringing the wrath of the HOA on someone who has let their grass get too long. She’s a meticulous planner, always gracious, with perfect children, and a (until he died) husband successful enough to enable her to live the kind of life she’s wanted.

In short, she’s the last person you’d suspect of a devious, premeditated murder. But then again…

What kind of person would you have to be to commit murder when one of the people closest to you solves murders as a hobby?

So, what did I think about The Self-Made Widow?

This was not a whodunit—both Kenny and Andi had a target in mind when they started looking into Derek’s death. It was a howdunit, a little bit of a whydunit—and, sure, a wasitdun? Then the biggest question—how could they prove any of it? I absolutely loved how they had to approach this one—I can’t think of a novel with an alibi like this one. This is a master class in how to put together a mystery novel for those readers who’ve read too many mystery novels.

My biggest (only?) complaint is that there’s a new Chief of Police in town, and we don’t spend nearly enough time with him—I hope that changes in the future, I liked him and think it’d be fun to see him lock horns with Andie more (and/or work alongside her).

For both Kenny and Andie, Suburban Dicks* was about them getting back to what they wanted/needed to be doing with their lives—Kenny needed to do some real reporting, and shake the scandal off; Andie needed to stop forcing herself into the mold of perfect suburban wife/mother, and do some profiling/investigating. This book focuses on some introspection for the two of them, what’s important to them? Are the choices they made last year—or this year—worth it to them? What made them this way? Between what we see about them in these books, we have a foundation for what’s to come (hopefully in many books).

* We get a nice dash of meta-humor about the title, incidentally.

It’d be easy to talk up the humor of the book—but it’s not a comedy. It’s comedically told—and there are some moments of slapstick—but at its heart, The Self-Made Widow is a murder mystery (with some other crimes thrown in for good measure). There’s a lot of darkness under the laughs, and readers should be prepared for that.

There’s a lot to chew on here when it comes to our protagonists as well as many of the supporting characters. Add in the murder and what they have to do to resolve things, and you’ve got yourself a great read. But you also get Nicieza’s laugh-out-loud humor, sharp observations, and strong narrative voice. If this novel had only one of these elements—character, plot, and writing—and it’d still be something I recommend. All three? Fuggedaboutit.

5 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, the opinions expressed are my own.

Condemned by RC Bridgestock: This DI has Two Cases that Couldn’t Be More Different

By HCNewton

On July 15, 2022

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Condemned

by RC Bridgestock

DETAILS:
Series: DI Charley Mann Crime Thrillers, #2
Publisher: Canelo
Publication Date: Canelo
Format: April 8, 2021
Length: 266 pg.
Read Date: July 13-14, 2022

What’s Condemned About?

DI Charley Mann is called out to look at a probable arson at a house that’s set for demolition. It takes no time to determine that, yeah, it was arson—but since the house was abandoned and set to be torn down, no one cares to invest the resources to investigate further—what’s the point?

Charley was curious about the house—since before she grew up in the area, there were stories about the manor house. Many (especially area children) call it haunted. Who wouldn’t be curious?

Then the demolition company finds two bodies at different locations in what little of the building still standing just before they finish their job. And now it’s time for Charley and her detectives to get to work. One body was tucked into a hidden compartment behind a fireplace, it’d been behind there for weeks—maybe a few months—and was the victim of a gunshot. The other body was hidden in the basement and seems to have been interred in the manner of a pagan ritual—possibly killed that way, too. That body has been in the basement for several decades, maybe a century.

Two homicides in one house. Two cases that couldn’t be more different. This is going to take a lot of work, and a decent amount of luck for Charley and her team.

Grinding Slowly

In Police Procedural novel after Police Procedural novel, inevitably one character will say something to another about how forensics don’t get results as quickly as they do on TV. We all know this, anticipate this, and are ready for it. But, boy howdy, do things move slowly in West Yorkshire—they’re probably more realistic than many of the other procedurals that make the same disclaimers.

The same things go for interagency communications—when Mann gets a call from some other law enforcement agency for information, etc. it’s frequently long enough ago that I’d wondered if Bridgestock had just left that hanging, or decided to not pursue that line for whatever reason.

I absolutely believe that Bridgestock is more realistic in this than the majority of their contemporaries. How does anything get done? Sun Tzu had no idea about the pace of 21st Century bureaucracy when he wrote, “Wheels of justice gind slow but grind fine,” but the man was prophetic. I just hope he’s as accurate about that fine grinding…

Trusting the Reader

While I have been enjoying this series—there’s been something nagging me about the writing (well, a few things, but let’s just focus on one). RC Bridgestock doesn’t trust their readers. After illustrating (or sometimes before) what a character is thinking or feeling, they state it. They explain a joke—or a pretty clear statement.

One example:

‘He comes across as dodgier than a care salesman,’ Annie said, ‘and car salesmen are well dodgy!’

‘Not all of them, Annie,’ Charley chuckled.

What reader isn’t aware of the general view of car salesman as being unreliable, honesty-impaired, shifty—in short, dodgy? Who (in the conversation or reading it) needs Annie to elucidate that? Then to add Charly’s disclaimer and chuckle? It’s like the old 70s/80s shows that end with a punch line and then a freeze frame showing the entire cast laughing. Cut that section at “Annie said.” Then you move on to the next scene—it’s punchier, it displays the necessary information about the suspect and the requisite jaded cop humor (it’s good to see Annie getting experienced enough to show that, by the way), and trusts the reader to know how people are going to react. It also cuts a little of Charley’s sanctimoniousness, no one needs her to defend car salesman in that conversation.

Bridgestock does this kind of thing all over the place. It’s not needed, it’s off-putting, and it slows everything down. Especially with all the—very necessary—exposition in this book, the last thing you need is to let things drag.

So, what did I think about Condemned?

I’ve had a good time with the first two books in this series—I think I enjoyed this one a bit more than the predecessor. Charley’s a good protagonist—dogged, determined, and flawed. Just what you need. A good leader, but not a perfect one. The rest of the cast of characters are just as promising, they’re the kind you want to watch grow and develop and be fleshed out.

In this book, Bridgestock has given two of the detectives on Charley’s team interesting backstories—and added to the backstory of one other. I don’t know that they’ve done enough with them to justify the time spent—but there’s promise for the future. I hope they deliver on that promise.

The mechanics of the writing still bother me—there’s one chronological flub that I keep tripping on—but I find the cases, the storytelling, and the characters engaging and compelling enough to keep me going and I can gloss over 99% of the problems. The procedural aspects seem as sound as they can be. Two murders at the same location that are clearly unrelated? That’s a great hook, and once you dive in you have to know how they’re resolved.

I do recommend this—with a couple of qualifications—you’re going to have a good time with it, and probably (like me) be ready to come back for more.

3 Stars

Songbird (Audiobook) by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson: Passing the Baton

By HCNewton

On July 14, 2022

In DC Smith & Kings Lake, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Songbird

by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: A Kings Lake Investigation, #1
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication Date: September 18, 2019
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 15 hrs., 6 min.
Read Date: June 27-July 1, 2022

DCI Reeve was in the room now, accompanied inevitably by Detective Chief Superintended Allen. Another promotion, how was that possible—what did he actually do all day but get in the way of more junior officers trying to solve crimes and bring about convictions. Waters stopped that train of thought. Over time, we all become our fathers and mothers, that’s a sort of natural process. But surely we don’t all become our first Detective Sergeant as well.

What’s Songbird About?

It’s the first murder that’s fallen under the jurisdiction of King’s Lake since Chris Waters was promoted to Detective Sergeant, and it’s time for him to step up.

There’s been a killing at a caravan site that’s well-known to Waters, and he knows the manager. This will both work for and against him, but early on it gives him some confidence—he knows this area and doesn’t have to learn anything about his surroundings. He needs all the confidence he can get.

DI Terek and DCI Reeve take the lead on this investigation (Reeve’s much more hands-on than her predecessor, and things are better for it). Some very convincing evidence leads them to focus on a suspect early, and they go about building their case.

For reasons he can explain, and some that remain ineffable, Chris Waters doesn’t believe in their suspect’s guilt and Waters follows his mentor’s example and sniffs around a little himself. He doesn’t have the relationship with his superiors that DC Smith did, though, so he has to be careful about it. Thankfully, Serena Butler (when she’s not giving him grief over his promotion), agrees with him and the two are able to come up with some compelling reasons to look elsewhere for the guilty man.

Passing the Baton

It’s a tricky thing that Grainger tries here—the series protagonist is gone, and yet it continues. It reminded me of when Kyra Sedgwick’s Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson left The Closer and the show became Major Crimes, and the team was then led by Mary McDonnell’s Capt. Sharon Raydor. The tone shifted, the characters got to grow and develop in different ways, the team functioned differently, and the approach they took to closing cases changed, too. But the show still worked.

Grainger’s always kept a broad view of the characters while focusing on DC Smith in the past—now we spend a little more time with everyone, but the focus is on Chris. That alone will change how things go—Chris has less experience to draw upon, he’s not quite as jaded (but he’s getting there), and generally sees things differently. The introduction of Cara Freeman and her methods to the mix also changes things (sure, she’s been around for a while, but we really see her at work here).

So the series continues, it just looks and feels a little different. But the core of the storytelling seems like it’s going to persevere.

Gildart Jackson’s Narration

It’s a subtle thing, but I thought I picked up a little change in the narration—it’s got less of “DC’s voice” but it’s still distinct from other books that Jackson’s narrated. Maybe it’s all in my head, but I think I can tell the difference in his approach to the books. It doesn’t matter, Jackson’s voice and characterizations bring me to King’s Lake Central they bring the world to life. Another great job by Jackson.

So, what did I think about Songbird?

Okay, the initial suspect was clearly innocent—and it took far, far too long for someone to figure out where the evidence that implicated him came from—it was maddening yelling at my phone, waiting for them to get there. But it was satisfying very satisfying when they finally put two and two together.

And for readers of procedurals, the guilty party was pretty clear all along—but getting to the motive and then working the case so that they had evidence to arrest, that was great. Watching Waters and the rest carry on Smith’s mission was exactly what a fan wants—and the new DCI in charge of the Murder Squad, Cara Freeman has her own style and pace that makes for a pleasant new dynamic.

The plot part of this novel wasn’t Grainger at his best, but it was close enough (so close). But the heart of this book was on the transitions—the team moving on from DC, the further establishment of the Murder Squad, Waters transitioning to DS (and people getting used to that), DC transitioning to his new life—plus some personal stuff that I don’t want to spoil. And Grainger absolutely nailed it.

As this is a transition point—it’s a great time to jump in. Yeah, there’s a lot of backstory, but none of it is necessary to get 98% of this book.

This had to be a tricky needle to thread for the series (singular or plural, take your pick), and Songbird pulled it off. I’m not at all surprised to see it, but I’m very pleased.

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, the opinions expressed are my own.

The Botanist by M. W. Craven: Nothing is Without Poison

By HCNewton

On July 11, 2022

In Fiction, M. W. Craven, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Washington Poe

The Botanist

by M.W. Craven

DETAILS:
Series: Washington Poe, #5
Publisher: Constable
Publication Date: June 2, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 429
Read Date: July 5-6, 2022

Poe nodded. ‘I hate locked room mysteries,’ he said.

What’s The Botanist About?

There’s little that mystery readers/watchers enjoy more than a locked-room mystery, but you can understand why someone who actually has to solve mysteries for a living isn’t quite a fan.

And that’s not good for him because there are two cases in this book involving locked room mysteries—one Poe and Tilly are assigned to, one they take because they’re asked (and would take on even if they weren’t).

It occurs to me that I should probably define the term I keep using, just to be careful. Last year, Gigi Pandian (no slouch when it comes to locked-room mysteries) provided one on CrimeReads:

Locked-room mystery: A crime has been committed in a room or other location that’s been sealed from the inside, with no way out. An example is a dead man found inside a windowless room that’s been sealed from the inside, dead from a gunshot wound that people outside the room heard fired, yet inside the room there’s no gun and no way for the culprit to have escaped. Thus a locked room is only part of the equation; the key is that the situation appears impossible.

And Poe has two cases to work through. Should be easy, right?

Case #2 (Chronologically, Anyway)

Back in 2020, when I posted about The Curator, I said: “I know it’d be pushing things to have [Estelle Doyle] play a larger role in these books than she does, but the few scenes we have with her are just not enough to satisfy.” I’m so glad to be wrong—Doyle does play that larger role here, and it’s as good as I’d hoped it’d be.

Doyle, I should probably say, is a forensic Pathologist—one of the best around. She’s Poe’s go-to person any time he had questions about something wet and organic.” She shamelessly and aggressively flirts with him, going out of her way to make him uncomfortable—we’re told that “Poe was terrified and bewitched in equal measure.” Some things never change—in 2018’s Black Summer, Poe thinks she’s “incredibly sexy and utterly terrifying.”

And she’s been arrested for her father’s murder. Her comment to the police? “Tell Washington Poe.” That’s all she has to say to get Poe on the case, subverting the work that the DCI (and the rest of the Northumbria police) have done on the case.

There’s no evidence that anyone but Estelle or her father was in the house the day he was shot. There’s also no gun. Is it any wonder that Poe hates locked room mysteries?

Case #1

So the case that DS Washington Poe is supposed to be working on is hunting down a poisoner that the press has dubbed The Botanist.

His victims are high-profile figures, generally in the news for less than admirable activities/views (a racist political analyst, etc.). He mails them a poem and a pressed flower, and then they die a few days later. It doesn’t matter what precautions they take, how involved the police are, how secure their living space is…they die. It’s that simple.

Because these are notorious figures, The Botanist quickly develops a fan base—people are celebrating him, making him into a folk hero of sorts. There’s a lot of pressure on Poe and the other detectives working the case to put an end to his career before he inspires copycats/disciples. The dynamic of a large degree of public sympathy for the killer is a new angle for this series, and I really appreciated it.

A Quick Word About Tilly

I’ve been anticipating what Poe might need next and I have a program running. It’s called RipplePlace and I expect the results in approximately ninety seconds.’

‘And what’s that?’

‘It’s a search and merge algorithm, sorting key data into lexicographical order,’ Bradshaw explained, explaining nothing.

And with that she left the room. Doyle looked at the empty doorway in amusement. ‘I think she may be my favourite person ever,’ she said.

Poe nodded. ‘You understand any of that?’ he asked.

‘Not a word.’

Tilly Bradshaw isn’t as prominent in this novel as readers are used to—and really couldn’t be, because of all the other characters running around, and the way that the story had to be paced. But even when she wasn’t “on camera” (if you will), she was a presence—people were sharing some tidbit about her, using something she’d dug up, etc.

And when she was “on camera”? It was gold. She’d pull off some sort of wizardry with tech, get some sort of data put together in a way no one else would, or would say/do something to make you grin (at least). She really is a great character. It’s hard to disagree with Doyle, she just might be my favorite.

So, what did I think about The Botanist?

Poe had seen people die before. Too many times. Perceived wisdom was that police officers became desensitised to death, but he wasn’t sure it was true. It certainly wasn’t for him. The dead stayed with him. Haunted his dreams and occupied his waking thoughts. They were the soundtrack to his life and the day he couldn’t hear them would be the day he handed in his warrant card. Poe needed to live among the dead. It was how he protected the living.

One of my favorite days the last few summers have been the day the new Washington Poe/Tilly Bradshaw book arrives—topped only by the day I get to start it. This year has been no exception—I finished it five days ago, and am still riding the high.

Time with these characters is like walking into Cheers—you know everyone, you enjoy their company, the only thing you don’t know is what escapade they’re in the middle of. Sure, Sam and the gang were never on the hunt for a serial killer,* but you get my point. Craven takes some of the relationships in new directions here, brings in some new figures, and generally keeps them from being stale—but Poe, Tilly, Flynn, and Doyle are who we’ve come to know and love(?) over the last four novels.

* Or did they? I don’t know—they got into some strange areas there in Season 11.

The cases were just great. Estelle’s case was on the easy side for the reader to suss out (and I was close to right on the motive, as right as Poe was)—but that didn’t make it any less satisfying to read. And the reveal (and the events that led to it) were pulled off so well that I’m not going to complain a bit.

The solution to The Botanist case, on the other hand, was brilliant. I don’t want to say more than that so I don’t tip off anyone, but when the pieces started fitting together enough that you could see the solution coming? I had to stop for a minute to laugh at how perfect it was—but it’s one thing to figure out how the killer’s doing something, it’s a whole nother thing to catch him. Craven’s ending was fantastic—when I was finished, I wrote my last note: “the last 30 pages made me happier than almost anything else this year.”

For me, one of the best parts was how much of this book is dependent on characters other than our protagonists. Absolutely, the cases don’t get solved without Poe and Tilly—their investigations, research, bold moves, etc. are essential. But the secondary characters are are who provide the brilliance, the plans, and the insights that stop the Botanist and set up the dynamite conclusion. The day isn’t saved without our hero, but Poe doesn’t save the day. Fans of the series aren’t going to mind it because of the way that Craven has constructed this universe—he’s set up the other characters to be the kind of people that operate at Poe’s level (if not beyond it), so by all means, let them shine. Also, it makes the whole series more grounded, more believable if it’s not always Washington Poe who solves everything.

Clearly, I loved this. I strongly recommend it—and everything Craven’s written. Now it’s time for me to start waiting for my favorite day of the summer of 2023.

5 Stars

Short Tails by Spencer Quinn: Too Short, but a Lot of Fun

By HCNewton

On July 8, 2022

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

Short Tails:
Chet & Bernie Short Stories

by Spencer Quinn

DETAILS:
Series: Chet and Bernie
Publisher: Forge Books
Publication Date: June 28, 2022
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 90 pgs.
Read Date: July 7, 2022

I grabbed him by the pant leg, which was how we closed our cases, me and Bernie.

“Aieee! Aieee!”

Oh, come on, Chuckie! Suck it up. My teeth were barely engaged at all. But the funny thing is that when that Aieee sound is in the air, they—meaning my teeth—get this sort of…urge.

“AIEEE! AIEEE!”

What’s Short Tails About?

This is a collection of short stories from the Chet & Bernie series. I don’t normally do this for short story collections, but the collection is brief enough that I can get away with it, let’s take a quick look at each.

Upper Story

I want to say that this takes place during Scents and Sensibility, but I can’t swear to it (if it didn’t, I might as well have). Bernie’s in the hospital, so Chet’s staying–and working with–their friend, Rick Torres. This story is heavy on Chet’s actions and his contrasting appraisal of working with Bernie vs. Rick. As you’d expect, the comparison does not go in Rick’s favor (no matter that he’s freer with the Slim Jims).

It’s a very short story with a great emotional punch and some good chuckle-inducing lines. I’d have honestly expected this to be last in the collection because of that–but what do I know?

The Iggy Papers

This is probably the most satisfying story in the bunch. Like with The Iggy Chronicles, this focuses on something to do with Mrs. Parson’s medical care. Bernie gets to flex his investigative muscles here a bit more than in the other stories from the book, and Chet’s major contributions come from his commentary and interaction with Iggy.

This is everything that a Chet and Bernie short story should be.

The Numbers After Two

It’s been a bit since we got to see Bernie’s head for finances on display (more accurately, total lack of one), this story gives us a tale about an interrupted vacation for the detectives and a chance to see Bernie’s gullibility on display.

I know that it’s good to see Bernie’s fallibility–Chet tends toward hagiography when he describes Bernie. We need to see him stumble outside of his romantic relationships–but I have such trouble buying that he can be as gullible as he so often is when it comes to financial schemes and yet be such a good detective. Still, this is who he’s been since Day 1 of the series, so we need to see it every now and then.

The story isn’t all about watching the train wreck of Bernie making a bad investment*, but it’s the heart of it–the rest of the story makes up for that part of it, and it ends on a good note (as it started).

* That feels like a spoiler, but if you don’t know what’s going to happen the instant that Bernie gets a wad of cash, you haven’t been paying attention.

So, what did I think about Short Tails?

These were cute stories, but there were too few of them. If this collection was 2 or 3-times as long? I’d have been as happy as a dog with a new Kong. I had fun with this, but it was just enough to satisfy me. But not much more than that.

Still, I’ll take any excuse to read a Chet & Bernie story, and I figure most of Quinn’s readers will, too. So yeah, I recommend it.

3 Stars