Tag: 4 Stars Page 20 of 88

Roxanne (Audiobook) by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson: The Murder Squad Wades Through a Pool of Lies

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On September 30, 2022

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

RoxanneRoxanne

by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: A Kings Lake Investigation, #3
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hrs., 13 min.
Read Date: August 19-23, 2022
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What’s Roxanne About?

Gregory “It’s not lupus” House, MD’s guiding dictum was “Everybody lies.” Every police officer/detective knows and expects this, too. But there are cases where the lies fly thicker than others—this is one of those.

DS Chris Waters and DCI Cara Freeman are called to sign off on an apparent suicide/accidental overdose. But because this isn’t a short story, they both notice some things that make those scenarios highly improbable/impossible, and the Murder Squad takes the case (incidentally, they haven’t had a lot of work to justify their existence, so it’s coincidentally good for them). They soon discover that the victim was a sex worker. This alone pretty much guarantees that everyone is going to be lying to them—her roommates, clients, the people at her former booking service.

Some good breaks, some lucky leaps of intuition—and a little advice from a certain retired detective—help the team get to the truth. A very nice touch was seeing how Waters being a decent guy with a good memory from a previous case or two pay off now. His training served him well.

Just Enough

We get a little more backstory for DCI Freeman here—rounding the character out a bit. It’s nice, but I don’t know that her character needs to be humanized or anything. She’s a driven and highly compartmentalized person, and if we really only see her at work, I think that’s enough. I clearly don’t think that’s the case for all characters in this series (I’m a huge fan of the current romantic subplot for Waters, can’t get enough of John Murray as father, etc.), but for her, I’m content as is.

But hey, if Grainger wants to shed some light on her? I’ll take it—and I thought it was a good way to show what made her into the person she is today.

I’m Not So Sure About This…

This could be spoiler-ish, but I’ll try to keep this detail-free. So when Grainger introduced a whole lot of new characters in On Eden Street, I wondered how he was going to serve them all—and so far, the answer is sparingly. But he’s not ignoring them, and they seem like better people to work with than the characters on the other side of the office back in the DC Smith series. We got to know some of them in On Eden Street, but there was one character Grainger didn’t do much with, but he addressed that this time.

I think it was better to ignore her. Her activities land Waters in some hot water—and it could’ve been interesting to see this play out. It also could’ve been annoying because there’s no way that any reader would believe Chris did something that questionable, and Grainger really couldn’t afford to damage the character at this point. At the same time, it seemed almost too easy for Waters to get out of that hot water. I knew he’d be okay, but he should’ve had to work a little harder for it.

Unless this storyline circles back in a future book, I just don’t understand why it happened. It’s the first time in 11 books that I’m really questioning something that Grainger did.

Gildart Jackson’s Work*

I don’t have anything new to say about Jackson at this point. I thoroughly enjoy his work, I can’t imagine listening to one of this series with anyone else, nor do I think I’d enjoy reading one on my own half as much.

* Yes, I’m just plagiarizing myself at this point—and will likely do so in the future, I’m not creative enough to find a new way to talk about how good he is.

So, what did I think about Roxanne?

This is another winner from Grainger and Jackson. Grainger has this gift for taking what looks like a “small” case, an everyday kind of thing—no grand conspiracy, serial killer, or especially violent death like we so often get in procedurals—the kind of case you expect the police to deal with on a pretty regular basis, and turning it into something as interesting for the reader as a “flashier” case would be in other series.

There’s not a lot of character development going on here—these are all adults who are good at their jobs—they’re gaining experience, getting better at them, and are progressing through their careers/personal lives as we all do. So at this point, it’s about us getting to know them better (this is not, in my mind, contradicting what I said about not needing to know more about Freeman outside of work), understanding them better, and seeing how the past builds on itself. Grainger is able to do this while telling stand-alone stories in a way that few others can. It’s one of the surest pleasures in my life watching him do this.

Not surprisingly to anyone who’s read me before—I strongly recommend this, and all of Grainger’s DC Smith/King’s Lake Investigations series. Solid, entertaining mysteries; characters that will endear themselves to you; and a reliably clever narration (the text itself and the audiobook narrator).

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.

Dead Man’s Hand by James J. Butcher: Welcome to the World of The Unorthodox

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On September 22, 2022

In Urban Fantasy

Dead Man's Hand Dead Man’s Hand

by James J. Butcher

DETAILS:
Series: The Unorthodox Chronicles, #1
Publisher: Ace
Publication Date: October 10, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 384 pg.
Read Date: September 16-20, 2022
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The World of This Novel

This is a Fantasy world where the Muggles (here, they’re called “Usuals”) know about Magic and the Supernatural populace (called “the Unorthodox”). They’re largely not that comfortable with them, it doesn’t seem—and maybe look down upon them. We don’t get a lot of Usual/Unorthodox interaction, so it’s difficult to get a good read.

The Unorthodox are policed by a division of the Department of Unorthodox Affairs called Auditors. They’re witches with the power to enforce the laws governing the Unorthodox. And there are rules governing how the Unorthodox interact with Usuals. We don’t get to see a lot of them here—but you know they exist.

It occurs to me now that we really don’t get that much insight or information about all the situation the protagonists find themselves in (more below). Dead Man’s Hand cares about the story and will let the rest take care of itself. It took me until now (and this is the last section of the post I’m writing) to realize just how little we know because I didn’t care. My mindset apparently was the same as the novel’s: just tell me the story. I got the impression that there were rules and bureaucracy and some sort of history, but my focus was on this case.

That’s kind of cool, really—until it comes time to think about and write about the book.

So What Exactly is Dead Man’s Hand About?

One of our two protagonists is Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby. Grimsby grew up wanting to be an Auditor and tried to work on the requisite skills as much as he could to prepare himself. He’s not the most powerful witch, but he can do a lot with what he has (roughly the equivalent of “street smarts” vs. “book smarts”). He’s flunked out of the Auditor Training Program at the very end and has to go find a job in the Usual world.

He ends up as a performer/custodian at a Chuck E. Cheese-style restaurant, where the animated figures are powered by his magic. It’s humiliating, embarrassing, and eats at his soul. Grimsby went through some big trauma in his childhood; was on the verge of his dreams coming true before that ended; and now he’s scraping by demeaning himself and his abilities. It’s hard to find a character with supernatural abilities downtrodden or pitiful, but…Grimsby is. To put it concisely, he’s a schlub and he’s fully aware of that.

The other protagonist is a Usual who worked with the Auditors, Leslie Mayflower, better known as The Huntsman. He’s responsible for enough death and destruction amongst the Unorthodox that many don’t believe he actually exists—he’s an Urban Legend to keep people in line. In reality, he’s a guy who’s seen too much, done too much, and when personal tragedy hits, he’s done. He retires to drink himself into oblivion to avoid the memories and his own tragedy.

The Auditor who flunked Grimsby is considered one of the most powerful and dangerous witches in the world. Mansgraf is respected and feared—mostly feared. And when the novel opens—she’s been killed in a fairly brutal fashion (the only way she’s going to be able to be taken out). Mayflower spent his career (at least the bulk of it) as her partner—and he’s brought in to look at the scene to see if he can pick up any clues. He comes up with one—and doesn’t share it with the Department—and it points right to Grimsby as his prime suspect.

The Huntsman is back in the saddle for one last ride—to get vengeance, and his target is a man currently wearing a pink tutu with taco wings and an avocado wand. The Taco Fairy at Mighty Magic Donald’s Food Kingdom.

It’s almost patently obvious to Mayflower that Grimsby can’t have killed Mansgraf, but that’s where the evidence points. The Auditors won’t be far behind, and they’ll be less inclined to listen to Grimsby. So Mayflower has to stay one step ahead of them while protecting the witch and using him to help the investigation. The result is a buddy cop kind of story—without that much comedy or much in the way of buddy-ness. The duo drag themselves and fight their way through a variety of hazardous situations facing a variety of supernatural obstacles (some are solid takes on well-established ideas—some are new and surprising twists to them).

Broken Heroes

Mayflower is your typical brooding, laconic, action hero. He’s grizzled, he’s serious, and he really only cares about wrapping this up so he can get back to destroying his liver. But he’s fair, he’s got a strong moral core, and on some level, he feels sorry for Grimsby and wants to help him out. We know just enough of his backstory to understand what kind of man he is and the scars he carries.

We get more information about Grimsby and the hardships he’s endured. His cowardice, his lack of confidence, and his lack of career prospects make him a relatable kind of character, and you want to root for this underdog. Although you (and Grimsby) know that he’s going to need a lot of help from Mayflower to survive, much less succeed here. His problems are both played for laughs and treated with respect—frequently in the same paragraph. He has a genuine reason for being scared by things, but it can result in some laughs/grins. I keep thinking about Arthur from The Tick.

There’s a stoic, stay standing while the waves crash against you, feel to Mayflower’s outlook and the way he treats Grimsby. Yes, life is hard, but keep moving because that’s what you have to do. Whatever problems there are with that worldview, the immediate circumstances the duo finds themselves in, it works. if they survive it, maybe more nuanced approaches and help can be found. But that’s a problem for another day.

Comparing This to that Other Butcher

I really don’t want to spend a lot of time comparing this Butcher to his father, but 1. everyone I talk to about this asks about it and 2. the publisher’s description mentions him, basically inviting the comparisons. I’d prefer to consider him on his own—but here we are.

Honestly, I don’t see a lot of similarities—beyond seeing the influence that Jim Butcher has on many UF series (see Anton Strout, Kevin Hearne, Mike Carey, Benedict Jacka, etc., etc.). Sure, there are similar attitudes portrayed, similar character types and voices, and even a couple of situations that feel like I could easily name some parallels to in The Dresden Files. But again, every time I could point to something and say, “That’s his Dad,” I could point it and say, “That’s Peter Hartog” or “That’s Jacqueline Carey.” So maybe it’s just James J. Butcher.

His writing style is different, the characters aren’t just retreads of Harry or his friends, and the particulars of the plot don’t seem to fit something for Harry.

If you’re looking for someone who writes things in the same general vein as Jim Butcher, you can look to James J. Butcher. But if you’re looking for Butcher 2.0? There are other options that would be better.

So, what did I think about Dead Man’s Hand?

This is a solid introduction to a series. I want more of the worldbuilding, I want to see how Usuals/The Unorthodox interact when they’re not at a lousy restaurant, etc. But I’m more than content to wait for it—like I said, I didn’t really realize what we didn’t get until now.

I would say I’m not a huge fan of the epilogue—the events of it should prove interesting, even if I might want for a different storyline to be pursued—but I don’t like the way it functioned in the novel. Personally, I’d have been happier if it had been a prologue to book 2 or 3, and let the book end without it. I don’t think it was needed, and I think the book ending with Chapter 47 would give a stronger impression.

Aside from that, I really have no complaints about the book—I was solidly entertained and invested from Chapter 1 onward. I don’t know that I can say that I was blown away by anything—but there are some things I’m not talking about here because of space/don’t want to give something away, that I will be talking about for months (and have already started doing so). I’m not going to be announcing to the world that the next Jim Butcher/Seanan McGuire is here. But I will say that this new writer is really good and absolutely worth reading. You’re going to be entertained. Seriously, pick this up just for the kid’s birthday party scenes, and then stick around for the excitement.

In the last twelve months, we had to say goodbye to Jane Yellowrock this year and Alex Verus the year before, I’m glad we got to say hello to The Unorthodox Chronicles now. I think this series could be as long and as satisfying as those if it’s given the chance to grow naturally and doesn’t get overshadowed by Butcher’s DNA.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Berkley Publishing Group 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, the opinions expressed are my own.

Blood Sugar (Audiobook) by Sascha Rothchild, Allyson Ryan: She Didn’t Kill Her Husband, But…

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On September 9, 2022

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

Blood SugarBlood Sugar

by Sascha Rothchild, Allyson Ryan (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: April 18, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 8 hrs., 38 min.
Read Date: August 31-September 1, 2022
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This is one of those books that grabbed my interest and then I immediately forgot about it for months. Thankfully, the library system here had it in their audiobook catalog where I stumbled on it. Knowing what I know about it now, I’m pretty annoyed that I took this long to get to it.

The Hook

The book opens with the protagonist/narrator in a police interrogation room. Ruby Simon is being questioned about her husband’s death. She’s innocent–100% guiltless–it’s clear from the get-go, that she did not murder her husband.

But…there are three other people that Ruby has killed over the last couple of decades. She’s never even been looked at as a suspect in these deaths–they’d previously been judged to be accidental, in fact.

But after death #4, it’s hard to believe that with all this smoke, there might not be a fire.

What Comes After the Hook

The first part of the book focuses on the events in the interrogation room–the detective presses for details on these four deaths, and as Ruby dances around her answers, we get to see her life story in flashbacks. Her childhood (punctuated by a murder), her party days as a teen (punctuated by a murder), her college years and training as a psychologist (punctuated by a murder), and then her falling in love with her husband and beginning their life together (punctuated by his death by natural causes).

The rest of the book focuses on the legal battle that ensues–the investigation that follows, her eventual arrest, the decimation of her career and reputation that results, and the eventual resolution of it all.

Conflicting Impulses

Ruby is a completely horrible person, she’s a murderer–and in two of the three cases, it’s entirely unjustified. The motives behind those two are so…pointless is the best I can come up with. The third murder probably wasn’t necessary, Ruby could’ve found a non-lethal solution to the situation–but you can understand and appreciate why she did it. She deserves to be behind bars (at least), she needs to be tried, convicted, and punished. It’s the right thing.

And yet she’s innocent here. She loved her husband, would never have killed him, and shouldn’t be dragged through the mud over this. The reader/listener constantly finds themselves rooting for this character that in normal circumstances you want to be pursued by a dogged investigator.

It’s similar to Dexter or Hannibal–with them, we embrace their homicidal acts and desires while rooting for them. There’s part of you that wants Dexter to get away with it so he can take down another serial killer. A similar part of you wants Hannibal to slip away from custody because he’s disturbingly charming. But it’s different in Blood Sugar–we have an actual injustice, and we instinctually recoil from that and want her exonerated.

But…you can’t get away from the injustice of her getting away with the other murders.

At the same time, you resent Detective Jackson for doing his job. He’s absolutely wrong about Jason’s death and shouldn’t be in Ruby’s life. But in any other book/series, we’d be rooting for him. He might as well be Harry Bosch or a similar character–he’s got all these pieces before him and is assembling a case that’s 75% correct. He’s doing everything right, and has an actual killer in his sights–and you want him to fail. Not only that, you probably are angry with him and have some active distaste for him.

But if this book was told from his perspective? You’d love him and admire his ingenuity and intuitive leaps.

For a long-time reader of detective fiction, this is a great twist on the conventions.

Ruby’s Antagonist

Someone has to be behind all her problems right? Det. Jackson isn’t going to look into Jason’s death without someone or something prompting him. Once you figure that out–which will probably happen before the actual reveal–it’s delicious. This might be my favorite thing that Rothchild does in this book.

For a book that’s full of confusing impulses for the reader, it’s nice to have an adverse reaction to someone that’s straightforward and uncomplicated.

A Brief Thought about the Narration

Ryan did a great job of this–she made Ruby Simon a human being. Her portrayal helps you identify and embrace Ruby as the innocent–with a shady past. You want to believe her when she says that she’s not a sociopath.

There were a couple of scenes (with one of Ruby’s patients in particular, and some involving Ruby’s dog) where I was moved because of the narration. I don’t know if they’d have been as effective (or affective) if I’d read the book, but with Ryan’s work, I was absolutely gripped.

So, what did I think about Blood Sugar?

I thought this was a great listen–a great experience.

I relished this approach to the story and characters, and the way you were forced time and time again to re-evaluate the characters, their actions, and your reactions to them.

Do I want a steady diet of this? No. Do I hope that a future Rothchild novel is either more conventional–or tweaks conventions in a different way? Absolutely. I can see Rothchild being a Lisa Lutz-type of writer. With stand-alones where you never know what you’re going to get–other than some wry humor, deep characters, and an approach to Crime Fiction that you hadn’t considered before.

I strongly recommend you pick this up in audio or print.

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.

Spider-Man’s Social Dilemma by Preeti Chhibber: A Fun Time with Everyone’s Favorite Webhead

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On September 9, 2022

In Comics, Fiction, Science Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Spider-Man’s Social DilemmaSpider-Man’s Social Dilemma

by Preeti Chhibber

DETAILS:
Publisher: Marvel Press
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 325 pg.
Read Date: September 6, 2022
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What’s Spider-Man’s Social Dilemma About?

So this is a Peter Parker in High School story—he’s been Spider-Man for 6 months or so, he’s fought some bigger villains, but he’s still got a lot to learn. J. Jonah Jameson is campaigning against him. He’s learning how to balance school and web-slinging. It’s definitely set in 2022, and isn’t in a comic timeline or one from any of the movie universes. It feels a little like the early Ultimate Spider-Man, but MJ is closer to the MCU version.

Sandman and Beetle have attempted to steal a 100+-year-old device that is powered by something alien (or so rumor has it). But both of them are acting a little strangely lately—Peter can’t say what it is exactly, but they’re more violent, more determined. He’s still able to hold his own against them, but it’s a little work.

So, what did I think about Spider-Man’s Social Dilemma?

I really don’t have a lot to say about this—it’s a fun Spider-Man story. And who needs more than that? But let me try…

It’s fun and fast-paced, with good action. Chhibber combined tried-and-true Spider-Foes with a new threat, I appreciate mixing the two rather than just giving us one more ride with the Green Goblin—or someone we’re not at all familiar with. The action scenes are handled deftly and you can see them as clearly as if a Romita or a Bagley were bringing them to life.

Chhibber clearly knows this universe well and has a strong affection for the series—and that shines through. I may not have been able to keep up with the comics over the last decade or so, but Spider-Man has long* been my favorite, and to see him handled like this does my heart good.

* In this case, long = since 1980.

Yeah, this is targeted for an MG audience—but it didn’t feel that way. It felt more All-Ages to me. A classic Spider-Man story—with requisite numbers of laughs, action, and optimism. If Marvel Press has Chhibber return (and the stage is set here for a sequel), I’ll be first in line for this. It was a blast.

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 Marauders, the Daughter, and the Dragon by K.R.R. Lockhaven: Adventure and Second Chances on the High Seas

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On September 5, 2022

In Fantasy, Fiction

The Marauders, the Daughter, and the DragonThe Marauders, the Daughter, and the Dragon

by K.R.R. Lockhaven

DETAILS:
Series: The Azure Archipelago, #1
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
Publication Date: August 16, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 331 pg.
Read Date: August 1-3, 2022

A Couple of Preliminary Matters

I was supposed to post something about this a couple of weeks ago in return for my advanced copy—August 23 was my plan—but I just didn’t like anything I wrote there (and have ended up deleting almost all of it, almost everything here is new today). It was one of those perfect-is-the-enemy-of-done situations. I want to apologize to Lockhaven for that, and stress that you should all do what I did: go buy a copy of this book and enjoy a bit of happiness. Also, go check out the Q&A we did about this book.

I’m still not crazy about this post, but it’s done. So it’s got that going for it. Here it is in a nutshell: this novel is appealing, sweet, and earnestly fun. You should read it.

What’s The Marauders, the Daughter, and the Dragon About?

The League of Islands has a new governor. He came to power by tapping into, and exacerbating, human prejudices against other species—orcs, ciguapas, fauns, and so on. One of those humans, is the co-owner of the Red Dragon Inn, John Brine. John’s daughter, Azure (yes, she’s “The Daughter”) is not a fan of the new governor or his “Human First” policies. Years ago, the two were incredibly close, but things have been increasingly strained for some time, her father deciding to close the Inn to accompany the governor on the ship he’s taking to his inauguration, was the last straw. The two have a major blow-up before he leaves.

Azure regrets things almost immediately and tries to catch him before he leaves. It doesn’t work, so she and her friend/companion/might-as-well-be-sister, Robin (a talking bird summoned from another dimension), finagle their way on board. Azure has to swallow her objections and pretend to be a supporter, so she can stay on board and try to patch things up. While there, Azure becomes convinced that there’s an ulterior motive for this voyage and tries to suss it out. Whatever it is, it’s going to be big and bad for a good portion of the populace of the League.

That doesn’t work and Azure and two non-humans on board are cast off and end up on an island. They encounter a group of quasi-pirates (the “Mauraders) who bring them on board and end up agreeing to help Azure put a stop to whatever the governor is up to.

And, yes, there’s a dragon along the way. But I don’t want to tell you anything about him.

The Daughter

It’s Azure’s status as “the Daughter” that provides the heart for the novel—without it, there wouldn’t be a story. She wouldn’t be the protagonist of anything—she’d have stayed home, working in the Inn. She’d likely have griped about the political situation, but wouldn’t have done anything beyond that.

But she loves her father, and can’t stand to see him taken in by this Governor. So she abandons the inn, pushes down her anxieties, and sallies forth to save her father and hopefully, their relationship.

There are other storylines, other emotional arcs—some you may appreciate more than this one. But none of them happens without this—and the novel doesn’t care about the rest as much as it does this one. It’s also incredibly relatable—sure, not every daughter (or son) who reads this will have that kind of relationship with their father (or mother), but there are very few of us who don’t have some sort of relationship they’ll risk everything for.

The Marauders

I do not know how someone couldn’t like this group. It’s a group of men and women who, for various and sundry reasons, have embraced life on the seas, of swashbuckling their days away (at least until they have to embrace responsibility or parenthood)—they’re not ambitious enough to make a serious effort at transporting passengers or cargo. They like the idea of a life of piracy but aren’t that into all the violence or theft and all that. They like to sail, have adventures, and sit around drinking, telling stories, and singing songs all night. If not for the fact I get seasick just thinking about getting on a boat, it sounds like a great life to me. Oh, and that no one should have to hear me sing.

The camaraderie of this group and the way they embrace Azure and the others is more attractive than their way of life. You can’t help but want a group of people like this to spend your days with.

I should mention their songs. I have little patience for songs/poetry/etc. in the middle of a novel. My brain just turns off when I encounter them, despite years of trying to do otherwise—it doesn’t matter how good they might be, I just can’t do them. But these songs? I actually read most of them on my first attempt. And I enjoyed them.

The Dragon

Yeah, this is too risky to talk about without spoilers. There’s a dragon, it flies around doing dragon-y things.

Comparing Lockhaven’s Works

Comparing this novel to Lockhaven’s previous novel is a classic case of comparing apples to oranges (making Zoth-Avarex’s Escape Plan a Clementine, I guess). The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex was a comedy with a bit of satire. MD&D, is a humorous fantasy or maybe a light fantasy (last year, Lockhaven described it as “hopepunk” in our Q&A). The former went for as many laughs as it could while telling a story. This tells a story, and throws in a few laughs (or grins or chuckles) along the way. The comedy isn’t the focus, it’s the characters and their journey.

So, what did I think about The Marauders, the Daughter, and the Dragon?

I want to talk more about some of these characters and ideas—Elijah, the talking skeleton; Nargol and Orok, the orc couple; I don’t believe I’ve even heard of ciguapas before, and now I want them everywhere; Roger, the happy and nice crew member on the Governor’s ship—but in the interest of space, and of just getting something completed, I’m going to pass over it. But I assure you that this collection of characters is just fantastic and you’ll want to spend a lot of time with them.

There is a sweetness to this book that you just don’t find very often—particularly in Fantasy. There is that hope implied in the way Lockhaven described it, and an earnestness, a straightforwardness to almost every character and their motivation that fuels this hope and sweetness. It’s worth reading the novel just for this.

That’s also part of the problem—just about everything is too straightforward, there’s almost no nuance, no shades of anything, no complexity. I’m not saying the book or the characters needed to be complicated, obtuse, murky, or compromised, etc. But it leads to the book feeling shallow on occasion.

The magic system is intriguing—and I’m curious to see how it is expressed outside of the circumstances of this book. I don’t often encounter a multiverse in a fantasy novel, and that alone would almost be enough to bring me back.

While reading, I got caught up in the spirit of the book—that doesn’t happen that often—that hope and earnestness seeped into my subconsciousness and affected how I saw the world for a couple of days. I like this book—I heartily recommend it, and the overall impact more than makes up for any shortcomings (real or perceived). I’m eager to see what lies ahead for Azure and the rest.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion.

4 Stars

Roses for the Dead by Chris McDonald: McDonald Ends This Trilogy with a Bang

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On August 19, 2022

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

Roses for the DeadRoses for the Dead

by Chris McDonald

DETAILS:
Series: DI Erika Piper, #3
Publisher: Red Dog Press
Publication Date: April 13, 2021
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 206 pg.
Read Date: August 15, 2022
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What’s Roses for the Dead About?

Seven years ago, Erika Piper is one of the detectives that arrested the rock star, Johnny Mayhem, for beating his wife to death with a baseball bat. It’s not one of those cases that haunts her, they had solid evidence, made a good arrest, and moved on.

But now, new evidence has been made public that casts doubt on that arrest. Enough doubt that Mayhem is released. He’s angry about the last seven years and the way “the real killer” got away with things, so he’s making not very subtle threats against those who were involved in his arrest and conviction—and the man who held onto that evidence until now.

Under the shadow of Mayhem’s release, Piper returns to work after maternity leave—to a nice, safe, and stultifyingly boring desk job. Which she’s going to make work, she’s committed to the idea—she regrets its necessity, but she wants to be a good mother, and she has plenty of evidence that the DI role is dangerous. But on her first day back—the new DCI offers her old DI position. She needs someone with the experience that only Piper has. Just mentioning the offer causes problems at home, her partner, Tom is dead set against it and makes that very clear. Eventually, she agrees—for one case, and then they’ll re-evaluate.

That one case? The death of Mayhem’s drug dealer—the man who held on to the evidence for all those years. There’s evidence at the scene that ties it to the death of Mayhem’s wife, too. Could this be her chance to redeem herself for the work on the original case?

This is the End?

At this point, the series feels lived in—we’re comfortable with all of the characters and this world. If McDonald hadn’t been making so much noise about returning to it lately, this is where I’d be complaining that he jumped off at the wrong time. We needed more time with Piper’s new boss and partner, and that it’d be good to see Piper functioning in a stable environment for a bit (like she was in the beginning of Whispers). But since it looks like he’s at least thinking of #4, I guess I can spare us all that.

So, what did I think about Roses for the Dead?

If I was ranking them, I’d put the second in the series, Whispers in the Dark, a little higher—and not just because of the shocking mid-book scene. But just a little—I’d have preferred a little more time spent with a couple of the threads in this book (and one more proofreading pass). Those are just quibbles, though. This is a gripping story and McDonald got me chasing a couple of red herrings—I was fully committed to one of them until the moment it became impossible.

I thought the conflict over Piper leaving the desk job for the DI role so soon was resolved a little too easily—but I do appreciate the way that McDonald handled it overall. I just wanted it fleshed out a little more, I think.

That’s twice I’ve said something along the same lines in this section—essentially, I guess what I’m saying is that I liked the book, but it was a bit too lean. Several scenes were a bit too brief, conversations could’ve gone on a little longer—especially the arguments over Piper’s work (and too often she and Tom are just repeating themselves). I’m not asking for another 100 pages, but maybe 20? This is the shortest of the three and it felt like it.

I cannot say enough for both the premise of Roses for the Dead and the resolution of that story. McDonald’s take on this idea was fresh enough to make it stand out among other procedurals. Even if it feels impossible to talk about without spoiling just about everything. The pacing is strong, I can’t get enough of these characters, and the investigation was well-executed—everything you want in a police procedural.

I’m glad I finally got to reading these books, and encourage crime readers out there to pick them up, too.

4 Stars
20 Books of Summer

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.

One Decisive Victory by Jeffery H. Haskell: The Trilogy’s Conclusion is Almost Nothing but Action

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On August 18, 2022

In Fiction, Grimm's War, Science Fiction

One Decisive VictoryOne Decisive Victory

by Jeffrey H. Haskell

DETAILS:
Series: Grimm's War, #3
Publisher: Aethon Books
Publication Date: June 21, 2022
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 416 pg.
Read Date: August 10-12, 2022

What’s One Decisive Victory About?

After the calamitous events at the end of With Grimm Resolve, the Alliance Navy is raring to strike back, but the government has another plan. The last thing they want is another war—they’re still torn over the last one, and they’ll snatch any excuse to avoid the next.

Naval Intelligence’s Admiral DeBeck can’t believe this and can’t stand it. He knows he can’t do anything. But he has a plan that centers on Lt. Commander Jacob Grimm, but Grimm’s going to have to be sacrificed for it to work.

The Caliphate has struck a massive blow to the Alliance and they need to respond or DeBeck (and most of the Navy) is convinced that they’ll be emboldened to attack again and again—until it’s too late for the Alliance to effectively defend itself.

So they’re going to follow through on the plan to dismiss Grimm from the Navy when the Interceptor is taken out of service. Then Grimm is supposed to steal his former ship, head to Caliphate space, free a bunch of their slaves and wreak havoc on the planet that serves as the center of their slave trade. Then he’ll come home and spend the rest of his life in military prison.

It’s a plan so crazy that it just might work. Or it’ll go down in history as one of the dumbest things humans have tried. If it’s the latter, it’s good that only a handful of people will know about it.

Its Place in the Series

I talked about this with the last book, too, but I think I need to touch on it again.

So this is definitely the end of a trilogy—Haskell might have had an idea for a fourth book by this time, but it’s clearly the end of something. Yes, there’s a way for more stories to be told featuring at least some of these characters—I knew that had to be the case going in. But Haskell writes this in a way that you can’t take for granted that anyone is going to survive this book. You can’t guess how successful this mission is going to be until the closing pages.

This is a hallmark and a strength of the series so far—even coming to it when I did, with multiple books released/scheduled to be released, not knowing just how safe any character would be (arguably with the exception of the title character, but I don’t know that you can count on that).

So, what did I think about One Decisive Victory?

Ooh boy, this is about as action-packed as you can ask for. Not that the previous volumes were think-pieces. But One Decisive Victory is able to build on the work already done in establishing the world and doesn’t need a whole lot of new work to set up this novel. Once that little work is done, the brakes come off and it’s all action.

There’s a lot of good character work in the middle of it all—I’d argue it’s the best character work he’s done in the series—but this is about things happening. Grimm and the Interceptor have their work cut out for them and we don’t need to waste time with much else.

The novel was fast, the action was furious, and the story did exactly what you want. I was on the edge of my seat for almost the entire novel and I loved it. I did think the closing pages came close to being cheesy—but Haskell avoided it, and at this point, he’s earned a bit of cheese anyway.

This was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, and the fact it’s become a longer-running series is nothing but a positive. Jump on board.

4 Stars

20 Books of Summer

PUB DAY REPOST: Bark to the Future by Spencer Quinn: Bernie Goes Back to High School

By

On August 9, 2022

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

Bark to the FutureBark to the Future

by Spencer Quinn

DETAILS:
Series: Chet and Bernie, #13
Publisher: Forge Books
Publication Date: August 8, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 320 pg.
Read Date: July 25-28, 2022
Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Chet the Narrator

For roughly a decade now, Chet has been my favorite first-person narrator (at least among those being currently published). This K-9 school dropout is an engaging and personable narrator who will get the reader emotionally invested and charm you within the first few pages after you meet him. He’s optimistic, generally positive, and his unique perspective will make you chuckle frequently while you read a solid P.I. story.

At the same time, there’s an extra level of attention that needs to be paid to what he says so you can pick up what’s actually going on—Chet’s the best kind of unreliable narrator, he’s not being deceptive, he just doesn’t (and can’t) understand what he’s seeing and hearing. But he’s honest and thorough.

So, what I’m saying is, there’s little chance I’m not going to thoroughly enjoy a new Chet and Bernie novel. So going in, expect me to say nice things.

What’s Bark to the Future About?

Bernie’s approached by a panhandler while stopped at a light on a freeway off-ramp, who recognizes Bernie from high school and refuses to take his money. Life’s been harder on him than Bernie, who can’t recognize him at all. Bernie takes him for a burger, and tries to help him out a little—by this time, he’s identified himself. He’s an old baseball teammate, and the two shared a highlight or two of their careers. After their meal, Rocket Saluka has Bernie drop him off on the off-ramp.

But he’d said a thing or two that Bernie can’t stop thinking about, so he goes back the next morning to follow up. Rocket’s nowhere to be found, but someone else directs Bernie to a camp Rocket was staying at. He’s not there, either—and there’s almost no trace of him. Chet does find his distinctive switchblade buried under Rocket’s tent, however—and now Bernie’s even more curious, and he sets out to find his old teammate.

It turns out that there’s quite the history attached to this switchblade, and most of it was shared by other people who were associated with their high school (including one person Bernie knows but didn’t realize was from the same school). What starts off as a way to deal with some unnecessary guilt becomes a hunt for someone responsible for at least one murder—and hopefully, Rocket.

Weatherly and Trixie

I was a fan of Suzie Sanchez and didn’t like it at all when that relationship fell apart, and I wished for more time with the doctor Bernie dated. But now that Quinn has brought Weatherly into the series, I’m glad that things between them and Bernie ended.

Weatherly’s a great addition to the series period—someone in law enforcement that Bernie can talk shop with (who isn’t a former colleague) and who can pitch in when Bernie needs backup. And their romantic relationship is better than Bernie’s had before—there’s a trust, an honesty that was missing with Suzie. Bernie’s learned from his past mistakes and is making sure that he doesn’t make them again. It’s great to see.

I do feel back for Weatherly’s dog Trixie, Chet’s a jealous boy (we are learning), and he’s not doing well with a female counterpart with similar strengths (maybe stronger in a couple of ways than Chet). Yes, she scores a few wins over our narrator, but his feelings toward her color what we’re told about her, and she doesn’t come out looking so good.

We’ve seen something like this with Shooter, Chet’s son. But it’s a little different with Shooter because there’s a somewhat paternal aspect to Chet’s description of him.

We know that Chet can get along with other dogs—but the extended time with Trixie is showing us another side of his personality. You wouldn’t think you’d get that in a dog character, but it’s good to see that Quinn can give us that.

Bernie’s Notoriety

As he’s visiting fellow alumni and other people associated with the case, several people mention how they’d read/seen something about him because of the events of Of Mutts and Men (although one harkened back to Heart of Barkness. I’m glad that there are people out there who know that Bernie Little is out there, doing good work. Most of the time in PI fiction, you get the idea that outside of those close to a case, no one notices that the PI we’re so heavily invested in does anything of note.

But what’s better to me is that Bernie’s getting recognition for this case—one of the first things we learn about him 12 books ago is that he has very definite opinions about water usage and the local aquifer. From Chet, we get some ideas about other things that Bernie cares about, but from his own mouth, we know that he cares about Charlie, Chet, and water (and now, Weatherly). Of all the cases for him to get good PR for, this is the one that’s going to mean something to Bernie.

So, what did I think about Bark to the Future?

Not surprisingly, I liked it. I really did. We get a little character backstory here, we see Bernie as a good father (and a fumbling one), we see development in his relationship with Weatherly, we see the potential for a (small) income stream for Bernie outside the PI business, and there’s an intriguing mystery or two for our heroes to dig their teeth into (literally, for Chet).

Starting with Of Mutts and Men that Quinn’s found another gear. I can’t put my finger on it—I wish I could—but there’s something about the novels that have stepped up a notch or two. The series is always reliable, but these last few have been better than some of the previous. Bark to the Future continues that streak.

I heartily recommend this to you—if you haven’t tried one from this series before, don’t worry—they’re all good entry points. Jump in now, you’ll be glad you did.

Much like Chet and a Slim Jim, I’ve gulped this one down and am ready for my next one.

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, the opinions expressed are my own.

Breaking Point (Audiobook) by C.J. Box, David Chandler: Joe Finds Himself Between Some Rocks and a Hot Place

By

On August 4, 2022

In Audiobook, C. J. Box, Fiction, Joe Pickett, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Breaking PointBreaking Point

by C. J. Box, David Chandler (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: Joe Pickett, #13
Publisher: Recorded Books
Publication Date: August 17, 2015
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hrs., 37 min.
Read Date: July 13-15, 2022
Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

What’s Breaking Point About?

Acquaintance and father of one of Lucy’s best friends, Butch Roberson, is in trouble—he’s been being harassed by some EPA agents and they’ve turned up dead. Joe was the last person to see him before he became a prime suspect in their murder and a subject of a manhunt. Which, in the perverse way that only bureaucrats can think, gets him in hot water.

Joe’s now tasked with helping some contractors track Butch through the wilderness—he really doesn’t want to do it, and almost quits over it. But the way these guys are acting, Joe figures that he’s the only one who can ensure that Butch is brought in alive and with a shot at a fair trial (especially if he can get him into local custody).

Joe’s been in hazardous wilderness conditions before—regularly, from the reader’s point of view—but I think it’s safe to say that these are the most dangerous he’s been in. And the humans (officially and unofficially) hunting for Butch are just making things worse.

Meanwhile, Marybeth is doing a little investigative work on the side for Joe while helping Butch’s wife and daughter through this time. She even sends up a flare hoping to get some help from Nate Romanowski.

There’s a whole lot of moving pieces in this novel, and hopefully, the Picketts and Robersons come out of things alive.

Federal Agencies

Outside of some FBI Agents (maybe only one), people who work for the Federal Government don’t come across well in these books. And Breaking Point is no exception

I don’t know—and really don’t care—how much of Box’s own politics are reflected in these books, but he does a great job of portraying the attitudes of people in Wyoming and Idaho (not that he does a lot of Idaho work, but there’s some). Federal Agents are inherently suspect and will wield their power to damage the way of life of citizens. Sure, there are exceptions, but on the whole, you can’t trust them to do the right thing.

It’s never comfortable reading these depictions of the Federal Government, but if nothing else, it’s good to be reminded of/exposed to the way hunters/ranchers/etc.out here think of them—and why they do.

The Sub-plots

The new head of Game and Fish, Lisa Greene-Dempsey (LGD) is a more interesting foil for Joe than the previous officious penny-pinchers. She’s trying to reshape the Agency in a way that Joe’s not comfortable with, and she’s clearly playing politics with him/his job. But the way she’s going about it—with good intentions, I think—makes her a better character and gives us more interesting reactions from Joe. It’s always better to have competing good intentions than having one side just out to hurt the other/improve themself alone. The whole arc there is one of the best Joe vs. The System stories Box has given us.

I don’t get the Marybeth story, it fizzled on all fronts for me. If it’s to underline the financial hardships the family has gone through, he’s done it more effectively before. If it’s laying the groundwork for something else, on the other hand, great—but I want to see it soon. Generally, Marybeth’s stories are a highlight of these novels but this one fell flat for me.

While Sheridan had a pivotal part to play here, it sort of seems to me that Box doesn’t know what to do with her anymore (ditto for her sisters, but Sheridan’s always shown the brightest among them, so it seems worse). I really hope he does something interesting with her soon, I’m not sure how long I’d have stuck with the series if not for her early on, and I don’t want to not enjoy her in the future.

That Death…

There’s a significant character death that shocked me—both in the manner, the function in the story, and the fact that it happened at all. Box treated the whole thing perfectly.

I’m not going to get into details, but it was a smart, gutsy move.

How’s the Narration?

Chandler has the characterizations down pat—every time he says something as McLanahan (and how great is it to see how things went for him between Force of Nature and this book?) I want to punch the guy in his nose. Which is more violent than I typically get, but that voice is perfectly grating—a wonderful match for McLanahan’s personality.

He’s great even when he doesn’t irritate me—Chandler has brought this series to life, and continues that work here. Really don’t have much else to say.

So, what did I think about Breaking Point?

There’s a great call-back to Savage Run, reminding the reader just how far Joe’s come, and some of the things he’s pulled off in his career.

Box delivers a great thriller here, as we’re used to—with some important character work for Joe—including a move that’ll change his professional life forever.

It’s the thirteenth book in a series, and it’s really difficult to come up with something to say. The storytelling isn’t getting stale, the characters are developing nicely, the premise of the novel rings true, and Box executes it well. It’s an incredibly consistent series, really—not getting much better (nor does it need to), it’s definitely not getting worse.

There’s not much more to say—if you’ve liked most of the previous twelve novels (like I have), you’ll like this one. If you’re intrigued by the idea of a Game Warden getting involved in criminal investigations while dealing with wilderness adventures, you’ll likely enjoy this one, even without the backstory.

Box knows what he’s doing at this point, and even with my quibbles, I figure he’s going to do something in the future to remove them. Give this one a try.

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.

Bark to the Future by Spencer Quinn: Bernie Goes Back to High School

By

On August 1, 2022

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

Bark to the FutureBark to the Future

by Spencer Quinn

DETAILS:
Series: Chet and Bernie, #13
Publisher: Forge Books
Publication Date: August 8, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 320 pg.
Read Date: July 25-28, 2022
Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Chet the Narrator

For roughly a decade now, Chet has been my favorite first-person narrator (at least among those being currently published). This K-9 school dropout is an engaging and personable narrator who will get the reader emotionally invested and charm you within the first few pages after you meet him. He’s optimistic, generally positive, and his unique perspective will make you chuckle frequently while you read a solid P.I. story.

At the same time, there’s an extra level of attention that needs to be paid to what he says so you can pick up what’s actually going on—Chet’s the best kind of unreliable narrator, he’s not being deceptive, he just doesn’t (and can’t) understand what he’s seeing and hearing. But he’s honest and thorough.

So, what I’m saying is, there’s little chance I’m not going to thoroughly enjoy a new Chet and Bernie novel. So going in, expect me to say nice things.

What’s Bark to the Future About?

Bernie’s approached by a panhandler while stopped at a light on a freeway off-ramp, who recognizes Bernie from high school and refuses to take his money. Life’s been harder on him than Bernie, who can’t recognize him at all. Bernie takes him for a burger, and tries to help him out a little—by this time, he’s identified himself. He’s an old baseball teammate, and the two shared a highlight or two of their careers. After their meal, Rocket Saluka has Bernie drop him off on the off-ramp.

But he’d said a thing or two that Bernie can’t stop thinking about, so he goes back the next morning to follow up. Rocket’s nowhere to be found, but someone else directs Bernie to a camp Rocket was staying at. He’s not there, either—and there’s almost no trace of him. Chet does find his distinctive switchblade buried under Rocket’s tent, however—and now Bernie’s even more curious, and he sets out to find his old teammate.

It turns out that there’s quite the history attached to this switchblade, and most of it was shared by other people who were associated with their high school (including one person Bernie knows but didn’t realize was from the same school). What starts off as a way to deal with some unnecessary guilt becomes a hunt for someone responsible for at least one murder—and hopefully, Rocket.

Weatherly and Trixie

I was a fan of Suzie Sanchez and didn’t like it at all when that relationship fell apart, and I wished for more time with the doctor Bernie dated. But now that Quinn has brought Weatherly into the series, I’m glad that things between them and Bernie ended.

Weatherly’s a great addition to the series period—someone in law enforcement that Bernie can talk shop with (who isn’t a former colleague) and who can pitch in when Bernie needs backup. And their romantic relationship is better than Bernie’s had before—there’s a trust, an honesty that was missing with Suzie. Bernie’s learned from his past mistakes and is making sure that he doesn’t make them again. It’s great to see.

I do feel back for Weatherly’s dog Trixie, Chet’s a jealous boy (we are learning), and he’s not doing well with a female counterpart with similar strengths (maybe stronger in a couple of ways than Chet). Yes, she scores a few wins over our narrator, but his feelings toward her color what we’re told about her, and she doesn’t come out looking so good.

We’ve seen something like this with Shooter, Chet’s son. But it’s a little different with Shooter because there’s a somewhat paternal aspect to Chet’s description of him.

We know that Chet can get along with other dogs—but the extended time with Trixie is showing us another side of his personality. You wouldn’t think you’d get that in a dog character, but it’s good to see that Quinn can give us that.

Bernie’s Notoriety

As he’s visiting fellow alumni and other people associated with the case, several people mention how they’d read/seen something about him because of the events of Of Mutts and Men (although one harkened back to Heart of Barkness. I’m glad that there are people out there who know that Bernie Little is out there, doing good work. Most of the time in PI fiction, you get the idea that outside of those close to a case, no one notices that the PI we’re so heavily invested in does anything of note.

But what’s better to me is that Bernie’s getting recognition for this case—one of the first things we learn about him 12 books ago is that he has very definite opinions about water usage and the local aquifer. From Chet, we get some ideas about other things that Bernie cares about, but from his own mouth, we know that he cares about Charlie, Chet, and water (and now, Weatherly). Of all the cases for him to get good PR for, this is the one that’s going to mean something to Bernie.

So, what did I think about Bark to the Future?

Not surprisingly, I liked it. I really did. We get a little character backstory here, we see Bernie as a good father (and a fumbling one), we see development in his relationship with Weatherly, we see the potential for a (small) income stream for Bernie outside the PI business, and there’s an intriguing mystery or two for our heroes to dig their teeth into (literally, for Chet).

Starting with Of Mutts and Men that Quinn’s found another gear. I can’t put my finger on it—I wish I could—but there’s something about the novels that have stepped up a notch or two. The series is always reliable, but these last few have been better than some of the previous. Bark to the Future continues that streak.

I heartily recommend this to you—if you haven’t tried one from this series before, don’t worry—they’re all good entry points. Jump in now, you’ll be glad you did.

Much like Chet and a Slim Jim, I’ve gulped this one down and am ready for my next one.

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, the opinions expressed are my own.

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