Book Review: A Murder Most Fowl by Carmela Dutra (Food Truck Mysteries #1)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Story does draw you in

Cons: Could have used some work to make it better

The Bottom Line:

When contestant dies

Food trucks become dangerous

Book could be better

This Debut Wasn’t Quite My Chicken Wing

When I spotted A Murder Most Fowl by Carmela Dutra, I couldn’t resist. Culinary cozies always catch my eye, and this one was set in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I grew up near there. I just had to give it a try. Sadly, it didn’t quite work for me. 

The book introduces us to Beth and Seth Lloyd, twins who have inherited a chicken wing themed food truck from their aunt Dolly. Beth has gotten the idea to enter them in a reality TV show for a food network, and Seth is going along for the ride. 

Unfortunately, among the competitors is Benji, a fellow food truck owner that Beth knows all too well. Another local, they have clashed in the past. So when Benji turns up dead in his truck at the end of the first day of filming, Beth finds herself answering lots of questions. Can she get a few answers of her own to figure out what really happened?

The book started out well. I was laughing at the first couple of chapters, and settled in for what I hoped would be a good read. Then the problems started. 

The first was the plot. While it started quickly, this was a classic example of events masking any real investigation. We learned little about any suspects and rehash the few things we do learn. Beth does figure some things out near the end, but we don’t learn what they were until later. I did feel the solution answered my questions, but I would have appreciated a bit more sprinkled throughout the book. 

As I said above, the suspects are pretty flat. Honestly, I had a hard time keeping most of the other contestants straight. Some of the other supporting characters did fare a little better. 

Even our main trio of Beth, Seth, and their friend Rylie were only a little better. I felt like their reactions to things was a little over the top. I found that funny early on, but it wore thin before the book was over. And Beth missed a few obvious things and was a bit too stubborn as things went along. 

Even the location turned out to be less than I’d hoped for. The setting was fictional, which I get and can enjoy. But there was little to anchor it to the San Francisco Bay Area. But I would bet that others have felt that way about fictional settings near areas they know well. 

This is one of those cases where the book’s flaws are obvious, but it doesn’t mean the book was bad. I still got caught up in the story as I was reading it. It just wasn’t as good as I’d hoped for. 

Yes, this is a culinary cozy with a couple of recipes at the end. They do sound good. 

If A Murder Most Fowl really appeals to you, give it a shot. You might find that you enjoy it more than I did. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

Book Review: Whiskey Business by Adrian Andover (Mixology Lounge Mysteries #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Characters, setting, and a good mystery

Cons: A minor niggle or two, but nothing major

The Bottom Line: 

Body in alley

Reece must find the killer

In this strong debut

Reece Finds Murder In His New Business

When I was at Malice Domestic this last spring, I met Adrian Andover, who was there promoting his debut mystery. Whiskey Business sounded like a lot of fun, so I kept my eyes open for the announcement that ARCs were ready and quickly requested one. I’m glad I did because I enjoyed this cozy. 

This book introduces us to Reece Parker. He’s recently opened Subplot, a literature themed cocktail lounge in his small town in Pennsylvania. He’s slowly gaining customers, but he’s still looking for any way to bring in new customers, so he gladly agrees to host a monthly whiskey club. The first meeting is a little on the rocks thanks to a new member who is arrogant and pushy. He’s obviously getting under the skin of the members, especially one, who tries to call him out on his behavior. 

Later that night, when Reece goes to take out the garbage, he finds the new member’s body in the alley behind his lounge. Afraid it might reflect poorly on his business, and afraid the police might use it to make his life miserable, he starts investigating. Can he find the killer?

This book has the cozy vibe down perfectly. I don’t drink, and I’d still love to visit Subplot. The descriptions make it warm and inviting, and I love the drink titles, which are riffs on classic literature. Yes, I’d be sticking to the non-fiction mocktail side of the menu, but I think I’d enjoy a visit. 

Of course, I’d want to visit between murders. This book does a great job of balancing introducing the characters and setting up the story. It’s obvious who the victim will be, and we really don’t waste that much time before he dies. From there, we get some good surprises and clues as well as red herrings until we reach the satisfying conclusion. A couple of things could have been smoothed out, in my opinion, but that’s a minor point that probably only I would care about. 

In addition to opening his cocktail lounge, Reece is also struggling with his sexuality, having recently broken things off with his fiancée because he’s finally admitted to himself that he’s gay. Granted, I haven’t read too many stories with gay main characters, but usually they are further along this journey. I appreciated how this subplot was handled since Reece is still coming to terms with what this means for his future. 

And the rest of the cast? They are outstanding as well. We get a clear picture of them, series regular and suspect alike. Just like the setting, they give off the cozy vibes. I can feel the love they have for each other, and I want to spend more time with them. 

While I consider this a culinary cozy, there aren’t any recipes at the end. Since I don’t drink, that’s not an issue for me, and not all culinary cozies have them.

Whiskey Business is a strong debut. You’ll be glad you picked it up. Me? I’m looking forward to my next visit already. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Book Review: The Last Line by Scott Lyerly (Ellie Marlowe #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters in intriguing mystery

Cons: Ellie’s Tourette’s overwhelms; some head hopping

The Bottom Line:

Opening night death

Did murder happen on stage?

Strong leads pull you in

Murder in a Teacup…Live on Stage!

I bought two theater based mysteries when I was at Malice Domestic in April. The second of those was The Last Line, and it entertained me from the first line to the last. 

Our protagonist is Ellie Marlowe, who runs a small theater in Massachusetts. It’s struggling to survive, but she’s hopeful that the latest play, Murder in a Teacup, will be successful enough to give them a little breathing room. 

Unfortunately, the leading man is Reginald Thornton IV, a pompous arrogant jerk who seems to go out of his way to antagonize and alienate everyone he comes in contact with. At the play’s climax, his character is supposed to drink from a teacup and then die. On opening night, the scene’s a little too realistic since Reginald has really died. While the state police think it is a heart attack, something doesn’t feel right to Ellie and her friend Bill, the chief of police in their village. Even though neither have standing, can they figure out what really happened?

Before we go further, we need to talk about tone. I went into this expecting a cozy, but it became obvious as I went along that this isn’t that light hearted. This falls more into the traditional sub-genre, with some of the things that come out are more serious. Nothing gets too graphic, and there is only a smattering of foul language. Just know this going in, and you’ll be fine. And it is worth reading since the story touches on some things that give the book a bit more depth than a typical cozy.  I enjoyed that.

I had to give props to the author for the murder staging. Yes, it’s the kind of thing that would only happen in fiction, but I’m here for it. And yes, the how does make it plausible when we reach the solution. I was successfully distracted by some red herrings, so I didn’t figure out what was really happening until about the time Ellie and Bill did. 

Ellie has Tourette’s syndrome, something the author also struggled with. His purpose in including it was to show what it is really like, not the portrayals we see in much of the popular media. Sadly, the ticks she deals with become a distraction for us as we are reading. 

On the whole, I did love Ellie as a character. She and Bill are both strong leads that we truly get to know as the book progresses. This may be the first book they are in, but I feel like I’ve spent more time with them than that. The rest of the cast is also strong, but they aren’t as well developed. 

We get the story told from multiple points of view, mostly Ellie and Bill. Unfortunately, the book suffered a little bit from head hopping, which always distracts me.

I really appreciate how Ellie and Bill’s relationship is handled. They are friends who are married to other people. Those marriages felt realistic to me, with some issues but mostly strong. It was a nice change not only to see good relationships but also to see something different in the romance department. 

This is one of three books I’m aware of that Crooked Lane released last year that appear to be a standalone. Of all three, this one didn’t feel like it was trying to set up a series. Having said that, if a sequel were to appear, I’d definitely give it a chance. 

The Last Line mostly overcomes its weaknesses. I was pulled into the story and enjoyed getting to know the two leads. If you enjoy theater, give this book a chance. 

Book Review: Resort to Murder by Annie McEwen (Northwoods Mysteries #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Emmy, the other characters, and a great setting

Cons: Dialogue summaries keep us out of the story

The Bottom Line:

Developer killed

Loved characters, setting

But dialogue quirk

Who Killed the Developer at Emmy’s Family Resort?

I’ve been hearing lots of good things about Annie McEwen’s Northwoods mystery series, so I was looking forward to diving in with Resort to Murder, the series debut. While I can certainly see the appeal, there was one quirk that bothered me. 

The book introduces us to Emmy Cooper. Her family has owned a resort on a lake in Wisconsin for decades.  With her life hitting a snag in Chicago, she’s come home for a visit. 

It’s only once she’s arrived that she learns Thad Houston, a mega developer, is trying to buy up her family’s land and surrounding land to open a mage resort. No one in the area is interested in selling, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping him from persisting. After her dad has a very public fight with Thad, she finds the developer’s dead body beyond the last cabin on their property. Can Emmy clear her father of the crime?

I love cozies set in resort communities, and this one really appeals. Emmy has a ready-made group of family and friends, and I bought all their relationships. These are a group of people I would love to spend more time with. 

And the setting? Sign me up for a week Emmy’s place. Between murders, of course. 

The mystery was well plotted, too. It starts strongly with some good suspects to keep us guessing before we reach a climax that makes perfect sense. 

So what was my issue? The writing at times summarized the conversations. I’m okay with it when it’s something like “we said our goodbyes.” Which we got at times. But we’d also get summaries of investigation conversations. When the book actually allowed us to see the conversation happening, I was fully invested. But otherwise, I’d feel like I was outside looking in at the action. 

I’m hoping this is a quirk that goes away as the series progresses because I enjoyed Resort to Murder overall. I do have the second, and I’ll give it a try at some point. 

Book Review: Big Fat F@!k-Up by Lawrence Allan (Jimmy Cooper #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Jimmy, interesting mystery

Cons: Nothing that the title doesn’t warn you about

The Bottom Line:

Actor turned PI

Some laughs in this mystery

Loved the characters

You’ll Be Glad You Met Jimmy Cooper

When I was at Bouchercon in 2023, I went to the comedic mysteries panel.  As expected, I enjoyed it, and one of the standouts was Lawrence Allan.  But I hesitated to get his book based on the title – Big Fat F@!k-Up.  Yeah, that’s a title that screams “Not a Mark book.”  But I decided to buy it.  I just now got around to reading it, and I’m glad I got it because it was a delight.

Jimmy Cooper followed all those child star cliches.  His career tanked thanks to his addictions, but he’s now sober and working as a PI, at least some of his cases coming from his mother’s law firm, where he works as the investigator.  But one of his freelance cases lands him on the news again when he becomes part of a chase through downtown LA.

And with his increased public profile comes more interesting cases.  For example, there’s Alicia Crowley, who is set to inherit a large part of her family’s beer company when she turns twenty-five in a week.  However, she thinks her uncle, who currently runs the company, is trying to kill her, and she wants Jimmy to prove it while keeping her safe.  But it’s the uncle who turns up dead with Alicia as the prime suspect.  Can Jimmy figure out what really happened?

So, let’s get the obvious out of the way first.  Yes, the title is a clue as to what kind of language you’ll find in the book.  I’ll admit, I was afraid there might be more than we got.  I know I’ve often talked about authors being lazy when using curse words in their books.  I have to hand it to Lawrence Allan – I didn’t feel he did that.  The cursing was effective and appropriate to the scenes and not so overdone that it was laughable.  Would I have preferred a book without it?  Yes.  But I’m still glad I read the book.  And before I move on completely, there is some other content as well, but it is in keeping with the rest of the book.

The book takes a little time setting up Jimmy, his world, and the case at hand.  But it is entertaining the entire way through act 1 of the story.  It never feels like it is dragging, and we don’t get a complete data dump.  There are a couple of times the book does show us a bit more of Jimmy’s past, but it is important to the character development we are getting at that moment.

Things do step up once the murder has happened.  There are quite a few viable suspects, yes, even Alicia.  Watching Jimmy try to navigate it all is entertaining.  The ending was logical and answered all my questions.

Jimmy himself is a sympathetic main character.  He’s got some issues to work through, but he isn’t a typical depressing PI.  And he is working hard to get his life back on track, which I appreciated.  We meet some other interesting supporting players, and I look forward to getting to know them better as the series progresses.

And yes, I did laugh.  Jimmy is often cracking jokes, or trying to crack jokes, as a way to defuse the situations he finds himself in.  He’s also got some great observations about LA or life in general that we get thanks to the first-person narration.  Yet, the book is also serious when it needs to be, which made some of the character stuff that comes late in the book hit even more.

I had a hard time putting the book down, finishing it in two days instead of my typical three.

I will definitely be back to visit Jimmy again.  If the title gives you pause, you might not care for this book, but if you can move past it, you’ll find yourself getting caught up in Big Fat F@!k-Up.

Book Review: There’s No Murder Like Show Murder by M. S. Greene (Backstage Mysteries #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters in a twisty mystery

Cons: Tasha makes a couple of leaps, but it’s a minor issue

The Bottom Line:

Murder center stage

Who shot the difficult star?

In this strong debut

Local Theater Rocked by Murder

When I realized I’d accidentally bought There’s No Murder Like Show Murder twice (once as a Kindle deal and once in hardcover at Malice Domestic last month), I decided that must be a sign that I should read the book.  I was right to follow that sign.

This debut introduces us to Tasha Weaver who is the head of the costume shop at the Eastbrook Playhouse in a small Connecticut town.  Sadly, the theater has been struggling in recent years, so they have put all their hope in a production of Annie Get Your Gun starring two Broadway legends.

Unfortunately, one of them, Kurt Mozer, has an ego to go with his resume, and he is making life difficult on the rest of the cast and the crew.  Still, his decision to quit a week before the production opens puts the theater in a difficult position.  Then he is murdered on stage when the theater is mostly empty.

Tasha can’t help but poke around a little, especially since she’s connected to the gossip of the theater.  But the more she learns, the more questions she has.  Can she figure out what happened?

Being a fan of theater, I enjoyed this look behind the scenes at a regional theater with a production in trouble.  This is a bigger production than anything I was ever involved in the few times I took part in a play, and I enjoyed the glimpses into what life can be like backstage.

Of course, that world is made more complicated here by a murder.  It’s obvious early on who the victim is going to be, and the book doesn’t waste any time getting to the murder.  From there, we have quite a few suspicious things going on, and I was really kept guessing as I raced to the end.  I did figure things out a little before Tasha, but not long before she did, and I was still a little unclear on a couple of the details until she helped fill them in.  I will say, a couple of times I felt she made some pretty big leaps in logic (that turned out to be correct), but they were minor issues overall.

The cast of characters were great.  Tasha was a fantastic lead we could really sympathize with, and I appreciated the growth we saw in her here.  The supporting players are fun, and I appreciated the character moment one of them got especially.  There’s room for some of the others to be developed more, but they worked for what we got here.  And the suspects were strong and kept me guessing.

There’s No Murder Like Show Murder is a strong debut that cozy mystery lovers will devour.  I hope we get another mystery from M. S. Greene soon.  I’ll be first in line for the encore.

Book Review: Root of All Evil by Liz Milliron (Laurel Highlands Mysteries #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong debut mystery novel and leaves me anxious for more

Cons: A few issues, but nothing to truly dampen my enjoyment.

The Bottom Line:

Drug dealer is back

With an attorney murdered

Are they connected?

Drugs and Scandal

Since I’ve enjoyed both of Liz Milliron’s other series, I’ve been meaning to go back and read Root of All Evil, her first novel and the first book in her Laurel Highlands series.  I’ve even had this book for several years.  I’m glad I finally sat down to read this book.

The series centers on Jim Duncan, a Pennsylvania State Trooper in Fayette County, and Sally Castle, an assistant public defender for the county.  Despite the fact that these two would often be on the opposite sides, the two have formed a friendship that has the potential to turn into something more.

As this book starts, rumors that Aaron Trafford is back in the area have reached Jim’s ears.  It’s bad news for sure since Aaron dodged a drug conviction the year before.  He was guilty.  Everyone knew he was guilty.  But somehow, he got off.  Jim wants to get Aaron this time before he gets too established.

Meanwhile, Sally walks into work on a Monday morning to find one of her co-workers dead, shot in his office.  Colin had been acting squirrely all weekend, but what was he involved in?  Determined to find out, Sally steps outside of her job to poke around.

As the cases begin to converge, Sally becomes even more involved, much to Jim’s dismay.  Will the duo figure out what is going on?

As I said earlier, I’ve enjoyed Liz’s other books, so I was expecting to enjoy this book when I sat down to read it.  I did find a couple of things that bothered me, but they might be my fault as much as the book’s fault.

The book started well, not wasting too much time on the set up before we are really plunged into the mystery.  However, I did feel the pacing was a bit uneven in the middle before picking up again as we raced toward the climax.  But that might be me.  Real life got in the way of my reading and kept me from reading at my normal pace, so that might be why it felt this way to me.  Either way, I appreciated the logic of the climax even if it required the characters to act in a way I didn’t feel was the smartest.

I knew there were some short stories with these characters, but I didn’t investigate where they fell into the series chronology before picking up this book.  Turns out, they take place before this book.  As a die hard read in order person, I should have investigated just a bit more.  However, a bit more of an introduction to the characters would have been nice here.  I felt like we were thrust in with little context at the beginning of the story.  Still, you can bet I will be getting that short story collection, Murder Most Scenic, and reading it soon.

That’s not to say I didn’t get to know the characters and their relationships as the book progressed.  The story is pretty much split between Sally and Jim’s points of view.  The changes are always easy to identify, which I am grateful for.  This allowed us to get to know both of them really well, and I do like them both as characters.  I’m rooting for them to get together already.  The rest of the characters are also well developed based on how much page time we get.  I’m curious to see who will become series regulars and who were just introduced for this book.  I have a few I’m not sure about, although I wouldn’t mind seeing them again.

Liz is good friends with Annette Dashofy, and Annette has borrowed Jim Duncan in a couple of her Zoe Chambers Mysteries.  A significant part of the last book in that series takes place here, as well.  Sadly, that’s my only real knowledge of this part of the country, but I enjoyed getting to visit it in back to back books since it made it feel like I was in more familiar territory.

This is a police procedural, so it has some more content and a darker tone than some of the books I read.  Know that going in and you should be okay.

I’m glad I finally got a chance to visit the Laurel Highlands and officially meet Jim and Sally.  Hopefully, it won’t be too long before I get a chance to visit them again.  If you are looking for a good first novel, you’ll be glad you picked up Root of All Evil.

Visit the rest of the Laurel Highlands Mysteries.

Book Review: A Killing in Costumes by Zac Bissonnette (Hollywood Treasures Mysteries #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Jay and Cindy in an interesting mystery

Cons: Writing style makes it hard to get into the book at times

The Bottom Line:

Competitor dies

Can duo clear their own names?

Overall, I liked

Memorabilia to Die For

When A Killing in Costumes crossed my radar, the premise appealed to me. It only took me two and a half years, but I finally picked up the book. While this fiction debut from author Zac Bissonnette had some issues, I enjoyed it overall. 

Jay Allan and Cindy Cooper were on their way to being the next Hollywood It couple back in the 90’s. With jobs on a soap opera and a concert tour, they were gaining fans. That is until they divorced when they realized they were both gay. They maintained their friendship, and now they have reunited as business partners to open a Hollywood memorabilia shop in Palm Springs. 

However, business isn’t exactly booming, and their store, Hooray for Hollywood, might close if things don’t change soon. 

Enter Yana Tosh, a diva who, at ninety, has decided to sell her collection of vintage costumes. She has contacted Cindy and Jay about the job, something they are both eager to tackle since it could spell the salvation of their store. But Yana is considering a larger firm as well, and when their chief competitor dies, the police look at them as suspects. Can Jay and Cindy figure out what really happened?

As I said at the beginning, I mostly enjoyed this book. But there were some weaknesses, mostly in the writing. The style kept me just a little outside the story at times. When we’d get into a scene, I’d feel more at home, but any exposition was less welcoming. I think part of this was due to us being told things instead of shown them. Yes, it really does make a difference. 

But I did enjoy the book overall. 

We got a couple of chapters introducing the characters, including the suspects and victim, before he dies. Once that happens, we have several great twists along the way to the climax. I was surprised by the ending, but it made sense when Cindy and Jay laid out how they reached that conclusion. 

And make no mistake, both Jay and Cindy are lead characters. We get scenes from both of their third person points of view. Their deep friendship comes through easily, and I enjoyed following them around as they solved this case. The rest of the cast are interesting as well, and the suspects kept me guessing. 

And there’s the Hollywood component. Anytime there was a mention of a prop or costume from a particular movie, I smiled, even if I hadn’t seen in. Jay especially likes older music, and there is plenty of talk about those songs as the book goes along. 

Since this book came out in the summer of 2022, I’m guessing A Killing in Costume is going to wind up being a standalone rather than the first in a series. That’s too bad because I would like to revisit the characters. But this book does leave everyone in a good place, which is nice. 

So, if you’ve hesitated to pick up this book, give it a shot. I’m glad I did. 

Book Review: Murder Runs in the Family by Tamara Berry (Seven Ponds Mysteries #1)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Some laughs along the way

Cons: One plot element I didn’t like, thin characters, derogatory attitude toward Christians

The Bottom Line:

Meeting her grandma

A death in community

Disappointing start

Retirement Community Filled in Intrigue

I enjoyed the three books in Tamara Berry’s By the Book mystery series, so when I saw she was starting a new series, I immediately put it on my to be read list. Sadly, Murder Runs in the Family didn’t work nearly as well for me. 

Amber Wilson has just left her long-term boyfriend behind and turned to her family for help. Of course, in this case, it’s her grandma Jade, a woman she’s never met before. Jade lives in the Seven Ponds retirement community in Arizona, and she is thrilled when Amber shows up. In the fact, the two are quickly on their way to making up for the lost decades. 

That is until murder and theft rear their ugly heads. The night that Amber arrives, one of the men who lives in the complex dies. Not too surprising in a retirement community, right? But in this case, the police think something isn’t right. Even worse, a ring belonging to the victim has vanished. And the man’s relatives think Jade was responsible for both. True, Amber doesn’t know Jade well, but she can’t let her go to jail. Can Amber call on her PI training and find the killer?

The estrangement in the family is a big part of the book. Amber’s mother has refused to let anyone have any contact with Jade. Early on, we learn that Amber’s mom is a Christian and Jade decidedly isn’t. As a Christian myself, this was a turn off, especially with the attitude Amber has toward her mom while this information is being delivered to us. Later in the book, we do get more insight into these family relationships, but I never really got beyond the bad taste that scene and attitude left in my mouth.

As a result, I found it harder to get into the story, with any flaws sticking out to me more. Like the pacing. This is one of those books where there is a lot happening, but what is happening isn’t necessarily advancing the plot. Amber does make some logical deductions along the way, which I appreciated, but there were other aspects of the plot I didn’t enjoy. That really put me off as I was reading, too. 

The characters were more caricatures than fully drawn characters. I get that they were designed for laughs, and I did laugh a little as I was reading. But I was left wishing I’d actually gotten to know the characters better. 

Yes, some of the humor did work for me. I got some laughs and grins along the way as I was reading. But it was not enough to overcome the flaws. 

I was really hoping for another series I would enjoy. However, I think Murder Runs in the Family will be my only visit with these characters. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

Book Review: Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles by Elizabeth Crowens (Babs Norman #1)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: fun spending time with old Hollywood stars

Cons: Mystery is poorly plotted. 

The Bottom Line:

Old Hollywood stars

Are the draw for this story

But plotting is poor

Old Hollywood with a Dash of Mystery

Being the movie fan I am, Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles immediately caught my attention when it came out last year. What could be better than a mystery involving classic Hollywood stars, right? Sadly, this book was lacking a well plotted mystery. 

The year in 1940, and Babs Norman and Guy Brandt have set up a detective agency. But it is struggling to bring in any money, which is why Babs has just been evicted from her apartment. But the potential for positive cash flow comes when they learn that Hollywood isn’t going to the dogs since their dogs are disappearing. Basil Rathbone’s dog has been kidnapped as has the dog that plays Asta in the Thin Man movies. Since a new Thin Man movie is supposed to start production soon, the studio is desperate to get their canine star back. Can Babs and Guy figure out what is going on?

If you are looking for a book filled with Hollywood stars from the Golden age of Hollywood, this book is definitely for you. At times, I felt like actors and actresses outnumbered the fictional characters. And they are very involved in the plot since we have a bit of a competition between the actors who play Sherlock Holmes and Nick Charles to see who can solve things. Yes, Babs, as our main character, is also involved and ultimately does piece things together, but the actors do provide some important information. 

Unfortunately, the plot just isn’t that good. There are lots of ideas included, but they aren’t well developed. Often, I felt like things were shoved in instead of being more organically introduced. And there are a few storylines/complications that are more about the antics of the stars than about furthering the mystery, giving us uneven pacing. Things did reach a satisfactory ending. 

And we can’t forget the subplot that felt forced into things and unresolved.

While I did feel the historical aspect was mostly well done, I did find a factual error early on that made me question other things. And it was something that took me just a few seconds to learn for myself. 

The writing was also only passable. It kept us outside the story, more an observer than a full participant. It also kept us from getting to really know the characters. 

If you are a fan of old Hollywood and want to rub elbows with the stars of the era, you’ll enjoy Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles. But if you are looking for a well-developed mystery, you can skip this book. 

Book Review: Shattered Sight by Liz Milliron (Jackson Davis Mysteries #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters in an intriguing mystery

Cons: Any small ones shattered by the Pros

The Bottom Line:

Returning to work

Still processing tragedy

Intriguing story

Can Jackson Handle Returning to Work?

So far, I’ve only read Liz Milliron’s historical Homefront Mysteries. That’s not from lack of interest; I just have too many books calling my name. But since she is starting a new series, The Jackson Davis Mysteries, I jumped at the chance to read Shattered Sight. 

When we meet Jackson, it is his first day back as a homicide detective for the Niagara Falls police department. He’s been on desk duty for six months after an accident blinded his last partner. Now’s he’s saddled with a new partner, Rodney, who just got promoted to detective, and everyone is watching to see if he’s really ready to handle the job again. 

Their first case out of the gate is a dozy. A woman’s body is found at the bottom of the falls. Jackson and Rodney must try to figure out if it was murder, suicide, or accident. Complicating matters are all the people in the victim’s life who have motive and different theories on what happened. Can Jackson figure it out? Or will the pressure get to him?

In case it wasn’t obvious, Jackson’s mental health is a strong subplot in this book. I’ll admit, there were times his behavior was a bit stressful for me, which means the writing was excellent. It did help that we got his thoughts on everything since the book is told in first person. It allowed me to see that he was aware of the issues. Ultimately, I was satisfied with where this storyline ended. 

Since this is the first book in the series, we are meeting all the characters for the first time. We got to know some of them better than others, but there are hints of deeper characters in what we do see for them. On the whole, I liked the cast and I’m looking forward to getting to know them better. 

Since this is a police procedural, the line between series regulars and suspects is much clearer than it can be in the first book in a cozy series. The suspects we met here were interesting and kept me guessing.

As did the mystery itself. I loved how the clues and red herrings kept pointing in different directions, confusing Jackson, and us, until we reached the end. 

Since this is a police procedural, there’s more content than in the cozies. There are really only a few scenes that might be issues and they are fairly obvious when they are coming. Personally, I found the book worth it. 

I’m still hoping to get to Liz’s other contemporary series this year. But I’m already looking forward to revisiting these characters in the future. Shattered Sight is a strong debut. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

Book Review: The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood (Marlow Murder Club #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Characters, plot, laughs

Cons: One character could be a little annoying at times

The Bottom Line:

These three women bond

While solving murder in town

Charming and funny

Murder and New Friends

I don’t quite remember how The Marlow Murder Club first crossed my radar, but it had been there for a while.  I bought the book last summer, and then learned that it had been turned into a mini-series that was going to air on PBS.  I went ahead and watched the mini-series, and I enjoyed it.  Naturally, that meant I wanted to read the book, but I waited just a bit so it wouldn’t be fresh in my mind.  Still, I was worried that knowing how the story ended would make it so I struggled with this book.

The book takes place in the British village of Marlow.  As the story opens, we meet Judith Potts, a seventy-seven-year-old widow living in the mansion she inherited from her great-aunt.  Among her pleasures in life is her evening swim in the Thames, which runs right outside her mansion.  On this particular night, Judith hears a gun shot near her neighbor’s house while she’s out swimming.  She hurries home to call the police, but the officer doesn’t find anything amiss.

Judith goes over and investigates the next day to find her neighbor’s dead body in his garden.  Not trusting the police to successfully investigate this crime, she begins poking around.  Along the way, she meets Becks, the wife of the local vicar, and Suzie, a dog walker.  Can the three of them figure out what happened?

As I said, I was worried that having watched the mini-series would ruin the book since the story was fresh in my mind.  No, I didn’t remember all the twists of the plot, but it turned out that it didn’t matter.  I had fun with this book.

Much of that comes from the characters.  Judith has been a loner before this book starts, so we are watching the beginnings of these friendships here.  And that is something I particularly enjoyed.  Maybe since I knew it would take a bit of time before Judith met the other two, I was more patient here than I was in the series.  And it was worth it.  The three are very different, and all of them contribute something to solving the case.  Of the three, I found Becks a little annoying at times, but this was a minor issue.  All three of the leads grow, and that growth for Becks helps to make me like her.

While the three leads shine, we get to meet plenty of other characters who are just as charming.  When they aren’t being mysterious, of course.

Knowing much of what was coming, I was able to sit back and enjoy the mystery.  I loved how the clues and red herring were planted.  And yes, the things that I didn’t remember compelled me to keep reading.  Everything was satisfactorily explained at the climax.  Was the climax a little over the top?  Probably, but I didn’t mind because it had such fun with it.

And the fun from the series came through in the book as well.  While this wasn’t a laugh a page mystery, there were several laugh out loud funny scenes.

Now that I’ve read The Marlow Murder Club, I’m looking forward to visiting the characters again to find out what happens to them next.  If they are all this good, I’m in for a treat going forward.

Here are the rest of the Marlow Murder Club Mysteries.

Book Review: Kilned at the Ceramic Shop by Donna Clancy (Braddock Mysteries #1)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: The ceramics scenes were fun

Cons: Pretty much everything else

The Bottom Line:

Death, disappearance

Propel debut mystery

That’s disappointing

Broken Debut

My grandma did ceramics for years, and I even joined her for a few months. With that connection, I was immediately interested when I spotted Kilned at the Ceramic Shop by Donna Clancy last year. I had to give it a chance. I should have passed. 

Tammy Wright is returning to her hometown of Braddock, Maine, to help her aunt with her ceramics shop. It’s only supposed to be for the summer, but Tammy is lucky that as a bestselling mystery author, she can work from anywhere so even a few months isn’t really disrupting her life.

She’s only been in town for a few hours when she learns that her aunt is being harassed by one real estate agent who wants to buy her shop to tear it down and turn it into condos. Since Clara isn’t interested in selling, he’s getting nasty. But neither are expecting a dead body in the shop. The next day, someone vanishes. Can Tammy figure out what is going on?

It’s been decades since I did any ceramics, and I realize that ceramics isn’t the hook for this cozy series. These are the Braddock Mysteries, after all. Having said that, the details of the ceramics felt right to me. I was smiling as I read those scenes. 

However, I struggled with much of the rest of the book. It starts with the writing, which was poor. There was some poor grammar (and yes, I realize I probably shouldn’t be criticizing that myself). But there were lots of other examples of just weak storytelling. 

The mystery was decent, although events substituted for true plot advancement, leaving the pacing off. Then, things were resolved in a rush at the end. 

It’s a shame because there is some promise with the characters. Yes, they needed some development to become truly real people, but I did like them. 

I’ve often said that I felt like I was reading a first draft, and this is another case where that is true. There is certainly promise here, but it needed some more polish before it was published. 

It’s a shame I didn’t enjoy Kilned at the Ceramic Shop more. I’ve seen others that liked it, but I won’t be moving on with the series. 

Book Review: Framed for Murder by Marla A. White (Pine Cove Mysteries #1)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: The characters and their relationships drew me in

Cons: A few things bumped me from the book

The Bottom Line:

Will Mel help Poppy?

Really like the characters

But there are some flaws

Can Mel Clear a Frenemy?

When Framed for Murder crossed my path last year, I decided to give it a try. After all, I do enjoy reading books set around California. Sadly, the book wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be. 

After being injured on the job, Mel O’Rourke finds her career as a police officer over. With help from her family, she buys a B & B in Pine Cove and tries to focus on her new life. 

Of course, that’s hard when she finds her old life sitting in her living room one morning. Poppy Phillips was the thief that Mel spent so much time trying to catch when she was an officer. Now Poppy’s come to Mel with a wild tale of being shot at while committing a robbery she’d been hired to make. Oh yeah, there was the dead body she stumbled upon as well. It is obvious that Poppy is being framed, but can Mel figure out how to clear her? Does she even want to?

While this book is the first novel in the series, this isn’t the first story with Mel and some of the other characters. They were first in a novella I haven’t read. And, this is a reminder of why I prefer to read a series in order since I struggled a bit to figure out the various character relationships. Even worse, this novel contains major spoilers for the novella. 

The mystery that we did get here is good. I was intrigued by the premise and kept happily guessing until the end, when Mel reached a logical conclusion. However, I was very confused by the police response to things. You see, the crime that Poppy was being framed for took place over an hour away. So why were the police in town being pressured to solve it? While the same county, wouldn’t it be outside their jurisdiction? It’s quite possible it wasn’t, but it kept bumping me since it was never discussed.

I really did like the characters and the relationships that were forming between them. The suspects were well drawn as well. Mel is finding herself involved in a love triangle, but there is a clear winner as to who she should pick. 

The other thing that bothered me was the foul language. Maybe it was because I was looking for a lighter cozy when I picked it up, but it was excessive for what I wanted to be reading. 

The characters and their relationships made this a fun read, but my other issues kept me from fully enjoying Framed for Murder. 

Book Review: Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge (Phyllida Bright #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Phyllida in a solid mystery

Cons: A bit too much of Phyllida’s thoughts

The Bottom Line:

When a stranger dies

Can Phyllida find killer?

Christie fans will love

Murder in Agatha Christie’s Library

I’m starting off January by picking up series that have been on my radar for a while.  While I’ve read other books by Colleen Cambridge, I hadn’t picked up her Phyllida Bright Mysteries despite having the first three.  I’m glad I fixed that since I enjoyed Murder at Mallowan Hall.

This book introduces us to Phyllida, who is the housekeeper for Agatha Christie.  The two met during the Great War, and Phyllida has come to her friend for employment.  I feel like there is more to Phyllida’s backstory, but it is teased without being addressed, at least in this book.  But we didn’t need it since there is a good mystery here.

Agatha and her second husband, Max Mallowan, are throwing a house party when an unexpected guest arrives in the middle of a summer storm.  The man says he is a reporter who has an interview lined up with the famous author.  While Agatha doesn’t remember it, she instructs Phyllida to set him up in one of the guest rooms, at least for tonight.  But the next morning, Phyllida finds the man dead in the library.  She doesn’t think the police are up to solving the crime, so she jumps in to find a few clues for them.  But who was the victim?  And who would want to kill him?

Anyone familiar with Agatha Christie’s works in general will be delighted with this mystery.  It plays into some of those familiar elements, the unexpected guest, the murder during a storm, and, of course, the limited number of suspects.  Naturally, these are also acknowledged with a wink and a nod, which I loved.

The mystery is well done overall, with plenty of suspects, clues, and red herrings.  It is laid out and pieced together in a way that would make Agatha Christie proud.  I was satisfied when I reached the ending.

I really felt like we got to know a few of the characters.  Since most of the book is told form Phyllida’s point of view, we really got to know her.  In fact, that’s my only real complaint.  We got too much of her inner thoughts, and it made the book feel like it took longer to read.  Some of them could have been cut out without hampering the story overall.

That time could have been used to flesh out some of the other characters.  I felt like the suspects were a little flat.  This was true across the board, so it didn’t ruin the suspense of the mystery.

The book is set in the 1930’s.  The book doesn’t get into the events of the time, but it does bring the day to day life of the period to life, especially for those who were servants.

I mentioned earlier that a few scenes are told from other characters’ points of view.  It’s always clear when we switch, and it makes sense.  In fact, one of those scenes wouldn’t have been nearly as wonderful if we’d seen it from Phyllida’s point of view.

Fans of Agatha Christie will really enjoy these books.  Even I, who hasn’t read as many as I should have, enjoyed the nods contained in Murder at Mallowan Hall.  I hope to get to the next book in the series sooner rather than later.

Follow the clues with the rest of the Phyllida Bright Mysteries.

Book Review: Welcome Home to Murder by Rosalie Spielman (Hometown Mysteries #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters with some twists on the familiar

Cons: A few pacing issues in the middle

The Bottom Line:

Retire from Army

Only to find dead body

Fun twists in debut

Retired From the Army Doesn’t Mean the End to Dead Bodies

When Rosalie Spielman’s Welcome Home to Murder crossed my radar, I was immediately interested.  The setting, a small town in Idaho, doesn’t get a lot of cozy mystery love.  Plus, the main character was a retired Army vet.  I’m always looking for something different in my cozy mysteries.  Sadly, it took me until this year to read the book, but I enjoyed it.

Tessa Treslow left her hometown in Idaho as soon as she graduated from high school.  She’s now spent over twenty years in the army and is ready to retire.  Since she still doesn’t know what she is going to do with the rest of her life, she agrees to return to New Oslo for an extended visit.  While reuniting with her parents and aunt, she senses that there is something they are keeping from her.  But she learns more in the more horrific way when she and her aunt find a dead body in the garage her aunt runs.  The police, in the form of Tessa’s high school boyfriend, feel that her family has the perfect motive.  Can Tessa figure out what really happened?

Yes, this book does fall into some of the cozy mystery tropes, but with twists.  Tessa is older than a typical cozy mystery sleuth, which I appreciated.  She also has a very different background, which again, was great.  But we also have the typical cozy town quirky residents, and I really enjoyed meeting them.

There is some depth to this book right out of the gate, with both the characters and the story.  You could feel the backstory, even if we didn’t get it all at once.  I truly appreciated how that was handled.  We were never needlessly teased.  We were given information when we needed it, and it was never in the form of a data dump.  With as much backstory as there was to learn, it could have felt that way, but it didn’t

Which brings us to the mystery.  I did feel the pacing was a little uneven in the middle, but overall, it was also solid, with plenty of red herrings to keep me entertained.  The climax did answer all my questions successfully.

I look forward to seeing what else Tessa can find now that she’s back in her hometown.  If you want to start a cozy series with a little different sleuth, be sure to pick up Welcome Home to Murder.

Extend your visit home with the rest of the Hometown Mysteries.

Book Review: Rivers and Creaks by Marc Jedel (Redwood Country Mysteries #1)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Andy and other characters have potential

Cons: Mixed overall

The Bottom Line:

Some big life changes

Get started with a murder

In this mixed debut

Andy Finds a Corpse on His First Day

Author Marc Jedel has been on my radar for a while.  In fact, I have Kindle copies of the first few books in his longest series.  Still, when he started the Redwood Country Mysteries with Rivers and Creaks, I jumped on that book as well.  I finally read it, and it was a mixed bag for me.

We meet Andy Shirley on the day he takes over a bed and breakfast in Monte Rio, California.  The idea of running this during retirement was his late wife’s idea, and Andy is struggling with the idea of doing it on his own.  But he couldn’t back out of the sale, so here he is.

Since the bed and breakfast was already up and running, Andy is handed over the keys with a full house of guests – specifically a wedding party.  The previous owner has hardly left when screams summon Andy to the upstairs where the dead body of one of the bridesmaids has been found in her room.  Andy worries that this might ruin his new business before he even gets started.  Can he figure out what really happened?

Growing up in Northern California, I love the redwoods, so that’s what drew me to this book over some others the author has written.  Imagine my surprise when it was set in a very small community in the county where I grew up.  As always, I loved all the references to places I am very familiar with.  Even better, I started reading it when I was at my parents’ for Christmas.  Honestly, that might have colored the rest of my perception of the book.

The story is just as much about Andy moving into his new home as it was the murder.  In fact, I often felt the murder took a backseat to the adjustments Andy was trying to adjust to.  As a result, things felt a little underdone to me.  The climax was also weaker than it could have been, but it did answer all the questions I had.

Then there’s Andy.  He’s a self-proclaimed curmudgeon.  On top of that, he’s dealing with the fairly recently death of his wife.  As a result, he’s not super warm and outgoing.  I appreciated a different character as the lead character in a series, but at times, I couldn’t believe someone in his 60’s would really be so dumb as to say the things he did.  But that’s probably just me.  On the whole, I did enjoy spending time with him.  Even better, I enjoyed the new relationships he was forming with others in the community in this book.  I see potential for people to draw him out of his shell as the series goes along.

One thing I completely enjoyed was the humor.  I laughed multiple times as I was reading.  And no, it wasn’t all puns.

Despite the problems I mentioned, I did enjoy reading the book.  If Andy comes back with another case for him to solve, I will definitely read it.  Hopefully, it builds on what came in Rivers and Creaks to make a stronger book.

Book Review: Hired Guns by Steve Hockensmith (Double-A Western Detective Agency #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Plenty of action with fun characters

Cons: A few things, but nothing major overall

The Bottom Line:

Protecting a mine

Plenty of deadly danger

Page turning action

Spinoff Series Starts with a Bang

I’ve been enjoying Steve Hockensmith’s Holmes on the Range series since the beginning.  Over the last few books, the series has taken a turn in premise and introduced some new supporting characters.  Now, those supporting characters are getting a spin off series of their own with the Double-A Western Detective Agency.  Despite the name, these are more good old fashioned Western adventures than true mysteries.  And if that’s what you are in the mood for, you’ll be happy you picked up Hired Guns, the first.

These books feature former Army friends turned adventurers Oswin Diehl, Ira Hoop, and Eskaminzim.  As I said, we have met them in a couple of the Holmes on the Range books, but if you jump in here, you’ll get the information you need to follow them and their relationships just fine.  All you really need to know is that the three of them are working as hired guns for the new detective agency in 1894.

This book finds them heading to the Arizona Territory to help out a struggling copper mine.  No, it’s not to help them with the mining.  The conglomerate Consolidated American Mining Corporation has decided it wants to buy this particular mine, and they are doing all they can to convince the owners to sell.  There’s just one major problem – the owners don’t want to sell.  And our trio of heroes have been hired to help protect the mine.  But against the overwhelming odds, can they do it?

As you can see, this is a straight forward book for a mystery reader.  We know who the good guys and bad guys are.  It’s just a matter of figuring out how to make sure the bad guys lose.  There was a bit of a slow start, but things did pick up.  I’ve got to say, I wasn’t sure how they were going to succeed for much of the book, which is just the way I love it.  The further we go into the story, the more complicated things become.  But I was cheering when I reached the end.

I will say the book was a little on the violent side for what I typically enjoy.  It might be a tad more violent than what we’ve seen from the author before since the emphasis was on the action rather than the deduction.  But this isn’t a reason to not read the book.  Just keep that in mind as you read it.

The reality of racial relations in the 1890’s comes up a few times in passing.  It is sad that things were ever this way in our country.  But it is encouraging to think about the progress that has been made.

The characters get their moments to shine, which is good since they appear to be types more than characters when we first meet them.  There is room for them to be fleshed out a bit more as the series goes along, but we have a good start here.

Author Steve Hockensmith has always included humor in his books, and that holds true again here.  Despite the serious odds the characters are facing, I found myself chuckling and laughing several times as I read.

I read this book via audiobook.  Chuck Galco does a good job as the narrator bringing the story to life.

As I said at the beginning, Hired Guns is a good Western action adventure novel.  Pick up this book and watch the pages, and the bullets, fly.

Book Review: The Gardener’s Plot by Deborah J. Benoit (Maggie Walker #1)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: The setting and main characters are good 

Cons: The plot was very uneven

The Bottom Line:

Body in garden

Plus search for a missing friend

Uneven debut

Debut Wasn’t Quite Ready to Bloom

When I saw that The Gardener’s Plot, the debut mystery from Deborah J. Benoit, had won a contest from Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America to be published, I immediately took note. There have been a few series that were first published that way that became favorites of mine. Sadly, this doesn’t look like it will be one of them. 

The book introduces us to Maggie Walker, who has inherited her grandmother’s house in a small town in the Berkshires. She’s long been a gardener, so when she is asked to help Violet with the new community garden, Maggie jumps in with both feet. But the morning of the grand opening, Violet is nowhere to be found. Then, a member of the community finds a boot in his plot in the community garden. A boot attached to a dead body. With the police thinking Violet might have something to do with it, Maggie’s set out to find her friend and prove she is innocent. But can she do it?

I feel like there is a good story here, but it needed some polish before it was ready to be published. Take the first chapter. We were introduced to a couple of different characters, and I had a hard time figuring out who was important and why. As the book progressed, I continually found myself realizing that assumptions or connections I made when something was introduced wasn’t necessarily true. The problem was the writing was vague, with the added information being filled in later. And this isn’t a matter of Maggie learning something she didn’t know to unravel the mystery but a case of the full information not being given to us. I get it. It’s easy to think what you mean to say is obvious. I’ve felt that way with the little bit of fiction I’ve done. But it is frustrating when these things haven’t been smoothed out in subsequent drafts so when a reader isn’t confused when he or she sits down to read the story. 

Speaking of story, the pacing was off. Maggie’s investigation starts out well, but then she starts reploughing the same ground. I get that this can happen in real life, but as a reader it was frustrating when I felt the story wasn’t moving forward. Things do come together for a strong and logical climax. 

The main characters are strong. I really enjoyed spending time with them. Unfortunately, the suspects tended to blend together. Again, by the end the killer and motive are clear. But more time with them would have been helpful. 

I also really enjoyed the setting. Even though I can’t grow plants, I enjoyed hearing about the various gardens. The town seems warm and friendly, the kind of place I’d love to spend more time fictionally. 

It’s a shame I struggled with this book overall since I really do feel like the premise and main characters could have been something I would love. But the execution didn’t work for me. 

Others seem to be enjoying The Gardener’s Plot more than I did, so maybe the problem was me. If the premise intrigues you, consider picking it up. Unfortunately, I think this series isn’t for me. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

Book Review: The General’s Gold by LynDee Walker & Bruce Robert Coffin (Turner & Mosley Files #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Main characters in action packed debut

Cons: Does take a little while with the setup before things really kick off

The Bottom Line:

A friend’s death kicks off

A page turning treasure hunt

Characters I liked

Hunting for a Golden Treasure

While I hadn’t read them yet, I’ve heard great things about both authors Lyndee Walker and Bruce Robert Coffin.  So, when they teamed up for a treasure hunt themed adventure series, I took notice.  It sounded like fun, so I got the first, The General’s Gold.  While it took me a few months to get to it, all the buzz I’ve heard about it was right – this was a fun debut.

The series features Avery Turner, a new tech billionaire, and Carter Mosley, an internet famous adventure junkie.  The two met when Carter taught Avery to scuba dive.  But things really kick off when Avery learns of her friend, fellow tech billionaire, Mark Hawkins’s death.  The police are ruling it an accidental drug overdose.  There’s just one problem with that – Avery has never seen Mark take anything stronger than an aspirin.  She goes to investigate herself, and she finds a few puzzling things that Mark left behind.  Soon, she’s is on the trail of a rumored treasure that dates back to the 1700’s, pulling Carter in along the way.  Can they find it?

For a treasure hunting thriller, I found the beginning of this book a little slow.  But I get it, the authors were setting up the characters and their relationships.  Yes, we had hints of the danger to come, and I was enjoying the book.  But I was ready for the story to kick off when it did.

When it took off, it was full steam ahead.  We jump all over the Eastern Seaboard in the attempt to follow the clues and find the treasure.  There are close calls and page turning suspense.  As the characters track down clues, they also piece together the history of how the treasure got to be where it is.  I appreciated how that all played out as well since it made sense at the end.

Now, keep in mind that the mystery of what happened to Mark, while resolved by the end, isn’t the driving force of the story.  This is a pure adventure treasure hunt.  But, since that’s what I was expecting when I picked up the book, I wasn’t disappointed.

Most of the book is told from Avery’s point of view, although we do get some scenes from Carter’s.  They, along with Avery’s assistant, Harrison, are the main trio, and we get to know them best.  A few scenes from one of the bad guy’s point of view fleshes them out a little, although they weren’t really the focus.  Anyway, I liked the main trio, and I’m looking forward to spending more time with them as the series progresses.

Like any good action story, are all the actions scenes completely realistic?  Probably not.  Did I care?  No.  I bought them as I was reading them, and that’s all that matters.

Given that this is a thriller instead of a cozy, I was actually happy that the violence and language was kept to a minimum.  Yes, it’s there, but not as bad as it could have been.

I did feel like a couple of things got dropped or rushed over.  But these are minor issues.  Overall, the plot holds together well, and I was caught up in the story.

If you are looking for an exciting new series, don’t pass up The General’s Gold.  You’ll be hooked and hunting for the next before you know it.

Hunt for more treasure with the rest of the Turner & Mosley Files.