Hunter's Moon by Don Hoesel is a really good book. Read it. I’m fairly confident you’ll like it, especially if you like well written, interesting characters, a well written, compelling story line in addition to intrigue and mystery with a dose of suspense on the side. From the publisher’s description: Every family has secrets. Few will go as far as the Baxters to keep them. Bestselling novelist CJ Baxter has made a career out of writing hard-hitting stories ripped from his own life. Still there's one story from his past he's never told. One secret that's remained buried for decades. Now, seventeen years after swearing he'd never return, CJ is headed back to Adelia, NY. His life in Tennessee has fallen to pieces, his grandfather is dying, and CJ can no longer run from the past. With Graham Baxter, CJ's brother, running for Senate, a black sheep digging up ...
Category Archives: Mystery/Suspense
Burn
When I mentioned on my personal blog that I was reading Ted Dekker and Erin Healy’s novel Burn, I received a surprised email from a friend and fellow blogger. Seems my friend knows something of Dekker’s novels which are by any accounts unusual to say the least, and she was curious about my like or dislike of his work. I have to say, some of his novels I have loved, The Circle Trilogy to name three. Some of his novels, well, weren’t exactly my favorites. Burn, however, is a book I both enjoyed and recommend to you. From the publisher’s description: The past Janeal thought had burned away is rising from the ashes. Years ago, the Gypsy Kumpania where Janeal Mikkado lived was attacked by outsiders. With her best friend about to be consumed by a fire, Janeal had two options: try to save ...
A Reliable Wife
Quite frankly, A Reliable Wife is very, very, very much not my style of book. At all. It arrived, unannounced, as a review copy in the mail and my first inclination was to not read it. However, then I read the back cover description of how this was a historical thriller about an unassuming mail bride who comes to her new husband with sinister motives. Ok, not like I have any such tendencies myself, but it did sound like a compelling story. Plus, I have to admit that this is one where the cover art did me in. I took to my bed, sick with a cold, and grabbed this one with the stack that was ...
Less than Dead
Quick! Pop quiz! Ready? Define “forensic entomology” and write a short paragraph discussing its possible use in contemporary fiction. Go! Stumped? Yeah, me too, until I picked up Tim Downs’ bug man novels featuring, you guessed it, a forensic entomologist, Nick Polchak. Unsure what forensic entomology entails? It’s the study of insects and their, um, interaction with dead bodies. Yeah, really. As a premise for a novel it’s unusual to be sure but in the case of the Bug Man books it’s not only unusual, it’s both interesting and entertaining. In Less than Dead, Nick travels to Virginia to uncover the secrets behind some strange remains found on the property of a wealthy U.S. senator making a bid for the White House. From the publisher’s description: Dogs have long been man's best friend, but the Bug Man's friend is a rare breed . . . the cadaver dog. All ...
On Reading: How to Read a Brandilyn Collins Novel
I was a little unprepared when I opened my first Brandilyn Collins novel. Notwithstanding, I decided to write a tutorial so none of you have to experience this misfortune. I don't know how I've gone this long without reading her books. Making up for lost time I read two crime novels in less than two weeks. To date she has published 19 novels, is an accomplished speaker who loves to connect with readers through her popular blog Forensics and Faith as well as her Facebook page. Buy a book, check out her blog and give her a shout on Facebook. Don't forget to tell her I sent you. Without any further ado, here's my how-to:
When She Flew
I like a good thrilling mystery (almost) as much as the next guy, but they do seem to often be written with guys in mind. I know that there are some authors, Cornwell and Evanovich come to mind, who are women who write for women, but in general, this genre seems to be dominated by men. Though I haven't read those other women, When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge seems to fit into this mystery/thriller/cop drama for women genre. When She Flew tells the story of a 13-year-old girl and her father, who are discovered by some bird-watchers in their permanent encampment in the woods where they live, which brings up the question of neglect. When the police get involved, instead of it being about what's truly right for the girl and her father, ...
Books on Screen: The Men Who Stare at Goats
I knew that The Men Who Stare at Goats was based on a nonfiction book, because I had heard the author on NPR. I haven't seen the movie, and honestly, I'm not too sure about it. I don't always "get" (or appreciate perhaps) the humor in some of George Clooney's movies. But he is George Clooney, and that's not all bad. I receive the School Library Journal newsletters. The one I received this week linked to an excellent comparison of The Men Who Stare at Goats book to the movie. Instead of posting a new original post, I'm glad to link to Joy Fleishacker's post exploring Book Tie-Ins. The Box is based on a short story by Richard Matheson and is also profiled in the article. My friend recently saw the movie and reported ...
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Jennifer Donovan
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