Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller - The Irresponsible Reader

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

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.

Hell of a Mess by Nick Kolakowski: A Whole Bunch of Plans that Don’t Come Together

By HCNewton

On August 8, 2022

In Fiction, Love & Bullets Hookups, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Nick Kolakowski

Hell of a Mess

by Nick Kolakowski

DETAILS:
Series: Love & Bullets, #4
Publisher: Shotgun Honey Books
Publication Date: August 26, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 234
Read Date: August 1, 2022

What’s Hell of a Mess About?

Well, isn’t that a tricky question? There is too much. Let me sum up. There are multiple people who start off intending to commit one crime and end up doing something entirely different.

Fiona’s been hired to steal something, and it’s a timely thing (and she’s not deterred by much), so despite an impending hurricane, she goes for it. Sure, the Inside Man tries to wave her off, but, again—she’s not deterred by much. Which is a shame—she should’ve paid attention to either the weather or the Inside Man. She ends up with a price on her head and multiple people around the city.

While she’s busy, Bill’s trying to prep for the storm in the home they’re squatting in when some police break in looking for the man who lives there. One thing leads to another, and they kidnap Bill, believing he can lead them to the millions his former employer had hidden away.

Thankfully. that assassin they thought Fiona killed at the end of A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps survived—readers knew that, but Fiona and Bill didn’t. Not only did he live, but he’s been keeping tabs on them. He’s been trying to live a different—less lethal—life and he has a chance to help them. Will he be enough?

(I have no idea if the above makes any sense—trying to cram it into three brief paragraphs doesn’t do the plot any favors. In the non-condensed version, it works. Trust me.)

The Unnamed Assassin

Up to the point where it looked like Fiona killed him (maybe a little sooner), I thought that the hitman who was sent after Bill in the first book was the protagonist. His is the only first-person perspective we get through the series—almost like he’s relaying what he knows and hears about this crazy couple while he’s dealing with his own problems like they’re a diversion for him.

His personal arc is very different from theirs—they claim to be trying to get out and live a straight life, if only they get one more decent score to set them up. The unnamed assassin is going a different path, he’s still a violent criminal, but like Jules Winnfield, he’s looking for something more. There are lines he won’t cross anymore (he seems to be making those rules up on the fly, but at least he has them.

As you can probably tell, I find it difficult to articulate his development and role in the series—but using him (sparingly, on the whole) and his arc throughout in juxtaposition to Fiona and Bill adds a layer to these books that few authors would have utilized, but make the whole thing better.

Be sure to check out my Q&A with Kolakowski (posting later today) for more about him.

Unanswered Questions

The thing that really kicks off the Fiona storyline is her stumbling across something she wasn’t expecting while discovering the thing she came to steal wasn’t there. Her discovery of the other nefarious action—and the way she prevented it from being completed*—is what starts the manhunt for her, more than the attempted heist. If she’d just walked away, I think it’s likely no one would’ve come after her.

* It is so tricky to discuss this obliquely.

Then when it comes time for Fiona to go save Bill, that storyline is dropped. Which is actually fine and good, because ultimately what it’s replaced by is more interesting. But in the back of my mind couldn’t stop asking—and, a week later, still can’t—what happened? What led up to Fiona’s discovery? What happened after she and the unnamed killer ran off to rescue Bill?

Typically, leaving these threads hanging would annoy me enough that I’d downgrade a novel over it—but Kolakowski pulls it off. If you’re going to abandon a plotline, this is the way to do it.

That said, I’d pony up twice the typical Shotgun Honey novella price today to get Love & Bullets #5 if it picks up right after this to tell the rest of that story. Maybe thrice.

So, what did I think about Hell of a Mess?

The previous three installments were novellas, but this is a novel, clocking in at 50-100 pages longer than the rest. And it didn’t feel like it at all. It was the same adrenaline-fueled, not-quite-frenzied pace and was over before I was ready for it to be. My daily schedule kept this from being a one-sitting read, but I think I could’ve done it in one sitting without realizing it.

This is pulpy fun. There’s action, there’s heart, there’s comedy (some subtle, some absolutely not), there’s a lot of violence, and you can’t forget the bunch of heartbroken saps that are at the center of things. They’re crooks and killers that really seem like decent people when you stack them up next to the nastier crooks and killers they can’t stop encountering. In the middle of all that chaos (and you can’t forget the chaos of the storm), there’s hope, forgiveness, and love. And who can’t use a little of that?

I don’t know if Kolakowski is going to come back to these characters in the future—I’d be content with what he’s given already, but I also know that I’d jump on any future installments, too. I encourage you to do the same.

4 1/2 Stars

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

On August 4, 2022

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

Breaking 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

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.

Dead Against Her by Melinda Leigh: Bree’s Personal and Professional Lives are in Jeopardy

By HCNewton

On August 2, 2022

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

Dead Against Her

by Melinda Leigh

DETAILS:
Series: Bree Taggert, #5
Publisher: Montlake
Publication Date: May 16, 2022
Format: Paperback
Length: 292 pg.
Read Date: July 28-29, 2022

“The Back of the Book”

(from the author’s website)

Called to an isolated farm to check on an elderly widow, Sheriff Bree Taggert finds a brutal double homicide. One of the victims is Eugene Oscar, the bitter and corrupt former deputy she recently fired.

Working with criminal investigator Matt Flynn, Bree discovers that she isn’t the only one who had a troubling history with Eugene. But someone doesn’t want Bree digging up the past. She becomes the target of a stranger’s sick and devious campaign calculated to destroy her reputation, career, family, and new relationship with Matt. To make matters worse, she’s the prime suspect in Eugene’s murder.

When her chief deputy goes missing while investigating the case, Bree refuses to back down. She won’t let him become the next victim. His life and her future depend on finding a killer nursing a vengeful rage.

I Admit to Some Apprehension

I used this heading last time, and it fits here, too. Maybe “a lot of” would have been better than “some.”

Police protagonists becoming the prime suspect almost never works for me—any protagonist/close associate of the protagonist as the prime suspect, really, but it works less when it’s a cop for me. The stakes are so low there—you know they’re going to be proven innocent the instant you read that in the description, and a lot of the drama associated with their being suspected is going to feel contrived. The fact that it’s her former deputy (and I’m so glad to be done with him!) made it even harder for me to swallow.

When you add to that the “campaign calculated to destroy reputation, career,” yada yada, I’m really disinclined to dive in. You’re not going to find a supervillain waging a campaign against a local sheriff in that part of the world. But that’s all due to whoever wrote the promotional material, because “sick and devious campaign” sounds better than “bitter jackwagon out to smear her reputation” (which is what was really going on, nothing as organized as a campaign suggests).

But, I’m a completionist, I was curious, and Leigh’s earned a little trust (if nothing else from the way she dealt with the last thing I was apprehensive about), so I read this. And I’m so glad I did: the “campaign” was what I described—making it more believable, more insidious, more relevant, and with actual stakes—and if you’re going to make your protagonist someone suspect, both the author and character need to deal with it the way Leigh and Bree do.

Mostly, I need to stop reading the jacket-copy of these books.

Chief Deputy Todd Harvey

I’ve felt this way since book 2 and have stated it when I read 3 and 4—Leigh wasn’t giving Chief Deputy Todd Harvey enough to do. Now, here in book 5, she’s given him two—count ’em, two—storylines. I grant you, the more important one (in terms of this novel) isn’t really what you want to see happen to a character you like—but the execution was great (and it helped with one of the storylines I was nervous about above).

And the one that was less important for this novel is going to stick around for at least a little while, and gives the foundation for more to come—and it shows that Leigh’s thinking of doing things with Todd in the books to come.

Phew.

So, what did I think about Dead Against Her?

This was probably the best of the series so far—it tied up a couple of longer-term stories, pushed some others along in ways that were necessary, and gave us some really good character moments overall.

The case at the center of this was handled really well, too—I liked the way it came together and faked the reader out in just the right way. The mix of local politics, local media, and police work felt genuine and like something that could/would actually happen.

Dead Against Her was an entertaining and satisfying read and made sure that I’m sticking around with this series for a while to come. You should jump on board, I have a feeling it’s going to be around for a bit.

3.5 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.

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

By HCNewton

On August 1, 2022

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

Bark 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

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.

Quick Take Catch-Ups: Some July 2022 Audiobooks

By HCNewton

On July 29, 2022

In (Auto)Biography, Audiobook, Don Winslow, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Non-Fiction

Some quick thoughts on some audiobooks from July—and one I forgot to write about in June. The point of these quick takes posts is to catch up on my “To Write About” stack—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.

Deep Hole

by Don Winslow, Ed Harris (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Audible Originals
Publication Date: May 26, 2022
Format: Audible Original
Length: 1 hr., 4 min.
Read Date: June 9, 2022

(the official blurb)
I don’t know about this. I mean, it’s a short story, so I shouldn’t expect much from this. And it’s a decent story, but…eh. It left me wanting more on just about every front.

But it wasn’t a bad story—which makes sense, Winslow can’t write a bad story—and Harris sells it.
3 Stars

Long Lost

by Linda Castillo, Kathleen McInerney (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: Kate Burkholder, #4.5
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: September 5, 2016
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 1 hr., 25 min.
Read Date: July 7, 2022

(the official blurb)
I wasn’t paying attention when I saw that this was the next entry for this series and checked it out of the library and was more than a little surprised when this wrapped up as quickly as it did. I was relieved, though, I didn’t think I could handle an entire novel where the setup was Kate and Tomasetti on a romantic weekend where they got distracted by a cold case.

As a short story, the concept and execution are just what you want. A nice way to tide the reader over between novels. I liked the resolution, too—sure, I saw it coming a few miles away, but Castillo ended it well.
3 Stars

My Mess Is a Bit of a Life:
Adventures in Anxiety

by Georgia Pritchett, Katherine Parkinson (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: September 5, 2016
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 4 hrs., 15 min.
Read Date: June 28, 2021

(the official blurb)

This is a very amusingly told memoir, and you can see how Pritchett succeeded in comedy writing for TV. At the same time, that’s where it gets tripped up—the memories told are very brief, and almost always seem to be leading to a punchline (not necessarily a funny punchline, but a punchline). The result isn’t so much a memoir as loosely-associated scenes. There is a narrative throughout, but it’s subtle—the effect is like reading a sudden fiction collection that happens to be made up of true stories.

There are some really funny bits, some touching bits, and some good emotional moments. But…ugh. It’s like having a skeleton laid out on a table (I’m thinking of a shot from Bones or CSI: Wherever)—and I’d prefer to see some connective tissue between the bones—and maybe some organs and flesh to cover them, so that it’s an actual memoir, not the rough draft of one.
2 Stars

How the Penguins Saved Veronica

by Hazel Prior, read by Helen Lloyd, Andrew Fallaize, Mandy Williams

DETAILS:
Series: Veronica McCreedy, #X
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: June 16, 2020
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hrs., 44 min.
Read Date: July 7-13, 2022

(the official blurb)
A sweet, almost-paint-by-numbers story of an elderly curmudgeon finding hope, kindness, and family thanks to time spent on a penguin research base in Antarctica.

There’s one scene at the end that serves to answer the reader’s questions that would be better left unanswered. We’d have been better served if we’d been left with ambiguity. Still, for a bittersweet and unnecessary scene, it was effective.

I’m not sure three narrators were necessary—I think any one of the three could’ve handled the whole thing judging by what I heard, but it wasn’t overly-distracting as multiple-narrator audiobooks can be.

I enjoyed the book, it was a perfectly charming and entertaining novel, as negative as I sound to myself—and am glad I finally indulged my curiosity about the book. But…meh. I’ve seen this story before and done better.
3 Stars

The Diary of a Bookseller

by Shaun Bythell, Robin Laing (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: The Diary of a Bookseller, #1
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Publication Date: September 4, 2018
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 9 hrs., 42 min.
Read Date: July 15-19, 2022

(the official blurb)
I guess this would be the cure to any dreams/hopes/aspirations the reader might have to opening/buying a bookstore of their own. And the author certainly makes it clear that no one should do what he does—but it’s not like the book ends with him selling/closing down, in fact, he’s working to keep his store going.

The overall effect was like a James Herriott book—but with used books and readers in place of animals and their owners. Some pretty repetitive stories, just different enough to distinguish them—generally mildly amusing and engaging.

I had fun with it—would’ve enjoyed it a bit more if it were 20% shorter, I think. I do see that this is the beginning of a series. I’ll likely get the next installment, too. But I’m not rushing to do so.
3 Stars

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Crime Fiction

By HCNewton

On July 29, 2022

In Books, Miscellany, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/29/22)

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.

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 Self-Published Crime Fiction–vigilantes, police, private eyes, people who have no business at all near a crime…you name it, I love this stuff. This tl;dr list also proves that I was right to break these lists down by genre.

bullet Kind Hearts and Martinets by Pete Adams—a near-to-retirement D. I. with a rag-tag team investigates terror threats, murders, and bike thefts.
bullet Cause and Effect: Vice Plagues the City (my post about it)
bullet Irony in the Soul (my post about it)
bullet Cats, Cannolis and a Curious Kidnapping by Cheryl Denise Bannerman—a mystery writer finds herself the target of a kidnapper and has to employ everything her characters have done to save her own life. Which sounds more dire than this cute novel actually ever achieves. (my post about it)
bullet Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham—Fiona is a DC in the South Wales Police with a secret diagnosis from her adolescence that gives her a particular and peculiar approach to murder inquiries.
bullet Talking to the Dead (my post about it)
bullet Love Story, with Murders (my post about it)
bullet The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths (my post about it)
bullet This Thing of Darkness (my post about it)
bullet The Dead House (my post about it)
bullet The Deepest Grave (my post about it)
bullet The City That Barks and Roars by J. T. Bird—Anthropomorphic animals in a 1950s-esque civilization, a pair of detectives hunting for a missing colleague. (my post about it)
bullet Death Stalks Kettle Street by John Bowen—a man with pretty severe OCD is sure that people in his neighborhood are being killed, but the authorities don’t see it–and his turn is coming. (my post about it)
bullet DI Hannah Robbins by Rebecca Bradley—DI Hannah Robbins novels follow Robbins and her team as they solve murders–she’s got a great team and the novels have some of the best hooks around.
bullet The Twisted Web (my post about it)
bullet Kill for Me (my post about it)
bullet Dead Blind by Rebecca Bradley—A Detective adjusting to prosopagnosia (“face blindness”) tries to keep the condition under wraps while leading his team investigating an international organ smuggling ring. Great hook, strong execution. (my post about it)
bullet The Butcher by Nathan Burrows—a darkly comic tale about brothers struggling to keep their farm and butcher shop alive, until they develop a new sausage recipe. (my post about it)
bullet The Shoulders of Giants by Jim Cliff—A rookie P.I. (inspired more by fiction than reality), is on the hunt for a missing college student. (my post about it)
bullet Don’t Get Involved by F J Curlew—a slow burn of a novel about some street kids in Kyiv who find a large amount of drugs and a Scottish teacher in town to help their schools. (my post about it)
bullet Criminal Collective by Russell Day—a collection of short stories and a novella from one of my favorite crime writers. (my post about it)
bullet Jeremy Barnes by Robert Germaux—tired of teaching, Jeremy Barnes becomes a P.I. These books have a very Spenser-vibe to them and are great comfort food. I thought I’d read them all, but I just noticed that I overlooked one. Yay!
bullet Small Bytes (my post about it)
bullet Leaving the LAW (my post about it)
bullet Hard Court (my post about it)
bullet In the Eye (my post about it)
bullet Daniel Hays Mysteries by Robert Germaux—Daniel Hays heads the Special Assignment Squad —- a Major Crimes squad set up to help smaller cities in the county around Pittsburgh–hunts down serial killers in these entertaining thrillers.
bullet Small Talk (my post about it)
bullet One by One (my post about it)
bullet DC Smith Investigation by Peter Grainger—I’ve listened to these on audio, but the novels are self-published. Smith is a former DCI who’s voluntarily demoted down to Detective Sergeant so he can actually work cases–in his own idiosyncratic way. There is something indescribably charming about these books, I can see myself re-reading these for years.
bullet An Accidental Death (my post about it)
bullet But For the Grace (my post about it)
bullet Luck and Judgement (my post about it)
bullet Persons of Interest (my post about it)
bullet In This Bright Future (my post about it)
bullet The Rags of Time (my post about it)
bullet Time and Tide (my post about it)
bullet A Private Investigation (my post about it)
bullet Lake Investigations by Peter Grainger—a spin-off/continuation of the above. Just as good, just as addictive.
bullet Songbird (my post about it)
bullet On Eden Street (my post about it)
bullet Catch & Neutralize by Chris Grams—Members of a vigilante group that takes down criminals who’ve gotten away with crimes against women and children find themselves in a very hairy situation. (my post about it)
bullet DoubleBlind by Libby Fischer Hellmann—A Chicago PI looks into the death of a friend’s aunt. She’s also mistaken for an abused wife on the run. One of these is leading to someone trying to kill her. Will Georgia Davis figure out which it is in time? (my post about it)
bullet The Secret of Rosalia Flats by Tim W. Jackson—following the death of his father, a man returns to his Caribbean island childhood home to look into what happened. (my post about it)
bullet Afton Morrison by Brent Jones—the story of a Children’s Librarian with impulses to become a serial killer. No really. It’s twisted. It’s fun. It has some heart, too.
bullet Go Home, Afton (my post about it)
bullet See You Soon, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Nice Try, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Time’s Up, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Cooking for Cannibals by Rich Leder—an Ex-con trying to go straight, a behavioral gerontologist, and a group of senior citizens get into hot water with an experimental drug and competing criminal organizations. (my post about it)
bullet Let There Be Linda by Rich Leder—I can’t sum this up in a sentence or two–a comic crime novel set in L.A. full of interweaving plotlines. (my post about it)
bullet McCall & Company: Workman’s Complication by Rich Leder—a struggling actress takes over her late father’s P.I. Agency (my post about it)
bullet The Lion’s Tail by Luna Miller, Aidan Isherwood (Translator)—a retired physician turns to a new career as a P.I. An early case turns out to be too much for her to tackle on her own and she recruits some help from people in her neighborhood, creating her own Baker Street Irregulars. (my post about it)
bullet San Diego Dead by Mark Nolan—a modern-day privateer and his dog are on the run from a vengeful drug mob. (my post about it)
bullet How the Wired Weep by Ian Patrick—you’re not going to see me say something negative about a Patrick novel, but this one is special. a Gut-wrenching, taught look at a police informant and his detective handler as they try to take down a local drug lord. (my post about it)
bullet The Warrior Series by Ty Patterson—Once upon a time, I think we’d call these books “Men’s Adventure” novels. Former Delta operative (and some friends) now run a covert-ops group.
bullet The Warrior (my post about it)
bullet The Reluctant Warrior (my post about it)
bullet Dead Down East by Carl Schmidt—a part-time PI gets sucked into investigating the death of his state’s governor (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.

On Eden Street (Audiobook) by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson: Grainger is at the Top of His Game for this one

By HCNewton

On July 28, 2022

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

On Eden Street

by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: A Kings Lake Investigation, #2
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication Date: April 28, 2020
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length:10 hrs., 5 min.
Read Date: July 25-27, 2022

What’s On Eden Street About?

Sure, in Songbird we got a glimmer of what to expect from DCI Cara Freeman’s Murder Squad, but this book opens on the first day with the entire team in their office. They expect to get to know each other, spend some time chatting, hear something from Freeman and their new DI about how things are going to go for them—but that doesn’t happen. Before they can much further than hearing everyone’s name, they’re called to investigate a murder. A homeless man’s body has been discovered blocking the entrance to a restaurant downtown.

Instead of through awkward conversations, this squad gets to know each other by seeing them at work—canvassing for witnesses, looking for security cameras, dealing with the officers on-scene, and so on.

They will eventually uncover a connection to a previous case the King’s Lake Central detectives worked on—and encounter a witness that DS Chris Waters encountered in yet another case.

But mostly what they’ll learn is that nothing in this case—nothing—is what it seems. From a blind woman having to “rescue” the detectives from a dog guarding the body, to the identity of the victim, to how easily things can go astray when a helpful and efficient office worker does their job just a little too well…this new squad is going to get off to a very bumpy start.

The Murder Squad

Oh…I really like this new group. There are a bunch of new characters brought in here and we don’t get to spend enough time with them. But I appreciated what time we got with them—I think going forward this is going to be a group of characters I really enjoy—more than the King’s Lake detective squad and the petty rivalries (although those rivalries aren’t gone as is clear in the beginning of this book).

We get to know DCI Cara Freeman better as we spend more time with her—and as Chris gets to work with/evaluate her more. I’m seriously enjoying her.

There’s one new character (name withheld to prevent spoilers/lack thereof) in particular that we get less of than the rest. I think it was purposeful, and I can’t wait to see why that character is on board and what Grainger is going to eventually do with her. I trust that all will be revealed, and I’m super curious.

But the best new addition is the new Detective Inspector. Over the last handful of years, I’ve met a lot of fictional DIs, and I don’t think I’ve met one like DI Green. We don’t get to know him incredibly well or anything, we don’t know what makes him tick yet. But the ticking is a lot of fun to watch.

This is primarily Chris Waters’ series now, however, and we spend the most time with him—and I couldn’t be happier with that. It’s great to watch him develop as a detective and as a person. It’s similar to the evolution of Eve Ronin—this isn’t about the investigations of a seasoned pro, it’s about watching a promising young detective fulfill that promise.

Shadow of D.C.

I’m not sure at this stage of the series who’s having a harder time letting go of DC Smith—the detectives of King’s Lake, the readers, or Grainger.

I liked the way that DC himself appeared in this novel—it felt very natural. And, of course, Chris is going to think about his mentor a lot, as are old colleagues. But it just felt like we got too much about him overall. Too many callbacks, references to other cases, etc. But if you ran down a list of each reference/appearance of Smith in this book, and asked if they should be cut individually, I’d say no to each one—they fit, helped moved things along, served the character and moment…but the cumulative weight of them was too much.

Does that make sense? Any Grainger fans out there have some input for me?

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.

So, what did I think about On Eden Street?

Grainger had a healthy agenda going into this: introduce and begin to establish several new characters, help the existing characters settle into new roles, help us get a better handle on Freeman (who is both new and established at this point), touch base with DC, start a new personal arc for Chris, and, in between all that, tell a good story about a murder investigation. And he succeeds so well on all fronts.

Long-time readers/listeners of this series are used to the way that Grainger will give a resolution/solution to the investigation that will fly against expectations—both of the detectives at the beginning of the book and most of what Police Procedural fans expect to see. It’s largely a given for this series. But to start with a dead homeless veteran as this opens and to end where we do? Nope. No way did anyone see >98% of this coming.

But by the time the book closes, there is simply no other way for things to have gone. Grainger’s at the top of his game here, and it’s to be celebrated. My friends and/or readers—please take my advice and start reading these books, you don’t know what you’re missing.

4 1/2 Stars

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

The Deepest Grave by Harry Bingham: Shotguns and vellum. Churches and saints.

By HCNewton

On July 27, 2022

In Fiction, Fiona Griffiths, Harry Bingham, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Deepest Grave

by Harry Bingham

DETAILS:
Series: Fiona Griffiths, #6
Publisher: Sheep Street Books
Publication Date: June 14, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 488 pg.
Read Date: July 22-25, 2022

‘Suspicious circumstances, sir? I mean, what? An open window, something missing, that kind of thing?’

‘Well, I don’t know about the windows. That part hasn’t been reported to me. But the uniformed ofﬁcer currently attending the scene did say that this woman appears to have been beheaded. I daresay there’ll need to be some further forensic work needed before we can be certain, but it appears that the weapon of choice was an antique broadsword. It’s obviously early days, but I’m going to stick my neck out and say that no, Gaynor Charteris probably did not slip on any stairs.’

What’s The Deepest Grave About?

It’s been 453 days since Fiona’s investigated anything to do with a murder, and she’s getting impatient for something interesting to do. She’s aware that’s a lousy way for a police detective to think, and really can’t find it in herself to care. The crime scene she’s sent to (along with a new DI who is going to make life difficult for her—and she’ll repay in kind) will likely make up for that. I’ll quickly note that this opening scene just might be the most entertaining opening in the series—and definitely one of the more entertaining I’ve read this year.

You don’t get much more interesting in the 21st century than finding a woman decapitated with three spearpoints thrust into her heart. It makes a bit more sense when they learn their victim is an archeologist and professor, specializing in ancient Wales—but only a little bit.

Her new DI wants to focus on “highly disturbed” locals, but Fiona knows that’s wasted time (she wastes it on command, but still). She finds some other crimes in nearby jurisdictions that involve the thefts of largely (monetarily) worthless historical artifacts and documents from about the same era as the dig that their victim was working. Fi doesn’t understand the link or ultimate target of the criminals, but she’s convinced there’s a link. Interrupting an armed individual in the midst of a similar crime only hardens her view.

Her DI isn’t yet convinced but gives her enough rope to hang herself.

And, well, what ensues is both unlike much of what you’ve read before yet exactly what you should expect from a Fiona Griffiths case.

Arthur

One thing that frequently bothers me when I read Crime Fiction is when a significant scientific breakthrough happens—like when Gideon Oliver is part of the discovery of something that alters the foundations of anthropology when Joe Pickett discovers a species hasn’t gone extinct after all, or when Robert Langdon does whatever it is that he does to get to the “real history” of something. When Fiona started messing around with Welsh burial sites and people digging around the legend of Arthur, well, that made me nervous.

However, what Bingham does with this setup is ingenious—we get all the research and history surrounding the legend that the above authors (and others) give. But the book isn’t about Arthur, it’s about looking into him, the artifacts surrounding him—and most importantly, those who are doing the research*.

* This group includes a vicar who is a simply delightful character. A better or more thorough blogger (or just one with better time management skills) would spend some time describing him. I’m going to pretend that I don’t so that you get all the joy of disCovery yourself. I’ll just say that he starts off being a kick and gets better.

A Different Encounter with Death

Was there a moment? I always wonder that. Is there ever an exact moment of death? One microsecond you’re there, the next you’re deﬁnitely not? People, even doctors, always talk as though that partition exists, but personally I doubt it. I suspect that death creeps over us more gradually than that: an ever- dimming sunset, not a sudden rush into night.

Readers of this series know that Fi has…an interesting perspective on death. This leads to a strange attachment that she develops to the murder victims in her cases. While investigating this particular murder, she befriends a woman with a degenerative and likely terminal illness.

Fiona reacts to this in a way that probably deserves a few paragraphs of analysis from better writers. It felt genuine and troubling—maybe frightening. Which led to some rewarding reflection on Fi’s part. In turn, this resulted in some choices on her part that show that Fi’s desire to be part of Planet Normal is within reach. It’s some of the best character development we’ve seen from her for a while.

The Author’s Note

There’s a great, great note after the novel about things like choosing to center so much of this on Arthur as well as describing the kind of mystery novel that Bingham is writing, and what kind of character Fi is, compared to others in the genre over the last century or so.

For those looking to really dig into the character of Fiona Griffiths, this is something you need to read (even if it’s the kind of thing you tend to skip).

So, what did I think about The Deepest Grave?

In addition to the main story, we get some resolution (some that is encouraging, some that isn’t) about some old cases and people throughout this book. Some of Fi’s relationships are changing and she’s changing with them.

This is both a very clever crime and the way that Fiona counters it is equally clever. There’s nothing about this part of the novel that I didn’t like (although there was one red herring that I’d have preferred some more resolution). When Bingham’s on his game, he’s really on it—and this book shows it.

It’s been a few years since this came out, which makes me worry that we’re not going to see another entry in the series—despite what the material at the end of the book suggests. If so, this is a fitting way to see the series end and it will go out on a high note. If Bingham returns to these, I’ll be more than ready—I’m not prepared to say goodbye to Fi just yet if I don’t have to.

4 Stars

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, 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.

Tag: Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller Page 19 of 54

Chet the Narrator

What’s Bark to the Future About?

Weatherly and Trixie

Bernie’s Notoriety

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

What’s Hell of a Mess About?

The Unnamed Assassin

Unanswered Questions

So, what did I think about Hell of a Mess?

What’s Breaking Point About?

Federal Agencies

The Sub-plots

That Death…

How’s the Narration?

So, what did I think about Breaking Point?

“The Back of the Book”

I Admit to Some Apprehension

Chief Deputy Todd Harvey

So, what did I think about Dead Against Her?

Chet the Narrator

What’s Bark to the Future About?

Weatherly and Trixie

Bernie’s Notoriety

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

What’s On Eden Street About?

The Murder Squad

Shadow of D.C.

Gildart Jackson’s Work

So, what did I think about On Eden Street?

What’s The Deepest Grave About?

Arthur

A Different Encounter with Death

The Author’s Note

So, what did I think about The Deepest Grave?

What’s Whispers in the Dark About?

DI Erika Piper

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