Compassion, loyalty…and crime
Whispers in the Mist by Lisa Alber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read Kilmoon, the first in the County Clare mysteries, shortly after it came out and was intrigued by the characters and setting. It was a good debut.
On the second book, Alber has a new publisher (I think – Midnight Ink) and she knocks it out of the park. Continue reading “Book Review: Whispers in the Mist”
Chalk’s Outline by J.J. Hensley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I finished this book last night, and I had to mull it overnight before I could write the review.
Ultimately, because of the inability to do half-stars, I’m going to round up and give this one four. Despite using characters from his first two books, Hensley has crafted a compelling story that pulls from that history, but doesn’t require the reader to have read the previous stories (I read MEASURE TWICE, but have not yet read RESOLVE). He’s also put together a cast of primary characters who are deeply flawed, but yet compelling and – dare I say it – likable.
The story will make you question the concepts of “right” and “justice,” and making you think is always one of my hallmarks of a good book.
I was able to figure out the name of the “mentor” and the motive, but hey – this is a thriller, not a mystery, so that’s okay. I still wanted to see how it all played out.
My need to think was occasioned by the ending. I will admit it. Like any good American, I tend to prefer happy endings. But I also don’t like trite endings, where everybody goes home completely unscathed by their brush with evil and they go merrily about their lives. After pondering overnight, I think the ending of this book was perfect for the characters – hopeful, but not completely tied off.
The book does suffer from a few flaws in editing, but I lay those flaws at the feet of the publisher and its editor, not the author.
Whether you’ve read the previous books or not, you’ll be able to understand and enjoy this one.
The Question of the Unfamiliar Husband by E.J. Copperman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I struggled with this rating. I wanted to love this book. I first read about in on the Jungle Red Writers blog, and when I received a copy I was thrilled because I was really looking forward to it.
I didn’t love it. Not as much as I hoped. But I’m rounding up to four stars because the good outweighed the not-so-good (for me).
I enjoyed the character of Samuel. Yes, he brought to mind Monk, but with a twist. I think casting a person with Asperger’s and making that syndrome an asset instead of a liability is brilliant. And while he’s occasionally a little left of center, he’s a lovable guy and aware that his “personality characteristics” might put others off and tries not to do that. And I love how he insists he doesn’t “solve cases” he “answers questions.” Really, aren’t they kind of the same thing? =)
I think the character of Janet Washburn could have been a little more fleshed out, but that may be a series character arc goal. She certainly has a lot of potential.
The thing that rubbed me wrong was Detective Dickinson. I won’t give away the action that irritated me (with regards to Samuel), but no detective would do that. Even given suspension of believe for the sake of the story, I thought Dickinson was arrogant, condescending and bordered on the “incompetent cop” trope. I think the reason he goes to Samuel could have been handled differently, even if Dickinson had to be a bit irritating. The story wouldn’t have suffered for it.
All in all, an interesting main character and a story worth a read.
Spider Woman’s Daughter by Anne Hillerman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I met Ms. Hillerman at Bouchercon in 2015. Although I’d never read one of her father’s books, she was a delightful person and the description of this book intrigued me so I gave it a read.
A big plus is that I was never confused. As I said, I’d never read a Tony Hillerman novel, so all these characters were new to me. Perhaps the fact that Ms. Hillerman was using a secondary character (Bernadette Manuelito) as the primary protagonist helped. But I didn’t feel my lack of knowledge about the Hillerman universe hindered me in any way.
I also thought the descriptions of setting were fantastic and, while I am certainly no Navajo expert, the Navajo experience felt very authentic. It spoke of a very high degree of dedication and research, which I appreciated.
I did find the pace lagged a bit in the middle. There seemed to be a lot of going places and wonderful description, but not a lot of motion on the mystery-solving. However, when the mystery was the focus, the story stepped right along.
I think anyone who is already a Tony Hillerman fan will appreciate this new book – and anyone who hasn’t read Tony will not feel lost if they start with his daughter.
To Brew or Not to Brew by Joyce Tremel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It is rare that a cozy grabs my attention like this book, but Joyce did. Continue reading “Review: To Brew or Not to Brew”
Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73
I finished What You See by Hank Phillippi Ryan last weekend. Below is my review. Short version? Wow. Continue reading “Book review: WHAT YOU SEE”
Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73
Now that I’ve become an author-publisher (I like that term better than “independent” or “indie” because, well, that word is fuzzy and slightly loaded), I’ve had a number of friends tell me, “If there’s anything I can do for you, let me know.”
This is very kind. And supportive. But it got me thinking, how do you support an author you enjoy? No matter what kind of publishing? Here’s a brief list of my ideas (beyond the obvious – buy the book). Continue reading “Help a Writer Out”
by Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73
There’s been a lot of discussion lately about who has the power in publishing. Most people agree that publisher’s hold the lion’s share. After all, they write the contracts, they are responsible for editing and art, distribution, marketing (although authors have to do a lot themselves these days). All (cough) the author does is write (cough, cough) the book.
But this post isn’t about that. Continue reading “Power to the People”