The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club
One of the best books I have read this year: funny, lively, sometimes sad, lighthearted but still emotional.
“Jeff parked me here because he considers me elderly, but I’m only seventy. Much too young to be shut away with a bunch of old people, fake flowers, and birds.”
The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club, Book One, by Ann Warner
I love the feisty women at Brookside – even the ones who might be difficult to like. They discover thefts in their community and promptly set out to right wrongs.
This book probably falls into the cozy mystery category, though I picked it up because from the 1st sentence it said Hold on, folks, here we go!
Gumshoe in the Dark
by Rob Leininger
Oceanview Publishing (c) 2021
Terrific 1st sentence! I was instantly hooked. Loved the wisecracks, and they just kept getting better, all the way to the end.
“As unexpected as a frog in a wineglass.”
Gumshoe in the Dark: a Mortimer Angel novel
At Chapter 8 the action picked up and kept going. Chapters 2-7 would have been better condensed into 1 short chapter, but it didn’t take long to get past that.
This is the latest installment in the Mortimer Angel, P.I. series. My first foray into the series will definitely not be my last.
Continue reading →Pundragon
Pundragon: A Humorous Fantasy by Chandra K. Clarke
⭐⭐⭐⭐✴
Amelia Bedelia meets Harry Potter meets Dr. Seuss – but with grownups.
(c) August 10, 2020 by Fractal Moose Press
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
by E. James Harrison
⭐⭐⭐⭐✴
4 of 5 stars
(c) 04 January 2021 Covenant Communications Inc.
A long-shot search-and-recover mission turns deadly and nothing and no one are quite what they seem.
Garrett initially declines the project, which is a point in his favor. The reasons he changes his mind are also points in his favor. He is an able, trustworthy protagonist, the one fixed point in a shifting landscape.
I like: the desert Southwest is as much a character as the people are; strong first sentence; short chapters; moves right along.
I willingly overlook: some of the relationships seem inconsistent; some characters are said to be very smart but shown to be the opposite.
Thank you to NetGalley and Covenant for the free copy I received in exchange for an honest review.
Learn to Carve Gnomes, Trolls, and Mythical Creatures
By Sara Barraclough
Fox Chapel Publishing (c) 2020
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So much fun! My first 2 finished products look very little like the photos, but I had a great time carving them. I picked up sticks from my yard; I’m ready to start another figure.
I had better results when I carved with my non-dominant hand, probably because I had to concentrate more. Cut proof gloves are a must when carving.
I’ll happily be giving copies of this book as gifts this year!
Thank you to NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blind Vigil
by Matt Coyle
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars
Private detective Rick Cahill, recently blinded, agrees to assist in an investigation involving a former close friend and associate, Turk Muldoon. Clearly the continuation of a previous story arc, but in the noir fashion it works fine as a standalone.
Cahill reminds me strongly of Max Holman in Robert Crais’ The Two Minute Rule: a basically decent guy in a bad spot trying to climb out via obsession over something hopefully more controllable.
I like the short chapters: they keep me in the moment. The ruminations are repetitive in the way of a scared person reassuring himself of his situation and circumstances.
What I do not like is the lying and the wishy washy flipping between Turk being a close friend vs a former friend, and the emphatic certainty that Turk is innocent vs the stolid certainty that he is not innocent. Doubt I could deal with, but the absolutes make me shake my head.
Overall I enjoy how the story unfolds. I recommend this book to fans of Robert Crais.
Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Is a Worry Worrying You?
Oh, that Worry Monster hides in the sneakiest places! But never you mind, we now know how to deal with that.
4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love the elephants and hippo, partly because they are silly and partly because carrying around worry is as silly as elephants with tea…to put it in perspective.
Thank you to Tanglewood Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Final Mission of Extortion 17
The Final Mission of Extortion 17: Special Ops, Helicopter Support, SEAL Team Six, and the Deadliest Day of the U.S. War in Afghanistan
by Ed Darack
(c) 2017
Published by Smithsonian Books
Rating: ❶❷❸❹❺ 5 of 5 stars
The author presents glimpses into the background, training, and motivation of some of those on the final mission. This really drew me into the book and made me want to keep reading.
The book covers not only the final mission of Extortion 17, but also some of the lead-up to the mission. The author explains the many military acronyms in a straightforward way that helped me grasp their importance to the narrative, if not their full importance in the wider military setting.
A list of abbreviations and acronyms is provided.
Photos and maps accompany the chapters.
The Sources section briefly describes how the information for each chapter was obtained.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in military aviation, recent history, and modern military.
I was provided with an uncorrected proof of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Smithsonian Books.
Deadly Lies
Deadly Lies
by Chris Collett
Genre: Mystery
Published 9/29/17 by Joffe Books
①❷③④⑤ 2 of 5 stars
DI Tom Mariner investigates the death of investigative reporter Eddie Barham, an apparent suicide – except it’s not suicide. PC Tony Knox assists with the investigation. Witness to the death is Jamie, severely autistic, also sibling to Anna and the deceased. Anna Barham, sister of the victim, takes on the care of Jamie while trying to find why her brother was murdered.
Overall impression: The premise drew me in, and I enjoyed the twists and turns as the investigation progressed. The pace increases dramatically toward the conclusion.
What I like:
- The premise: the only one who could say what happened…can’t say what happened.
- The Brocken Spectre (you’ll have to read the book to see how it applies).
- Snappy observations are sprinkled through the book. My favorite is when Anna first meets DI Mariner, whose recent nose injury makes his speech sound a bit thick, and “Anna had to fight a bizarre urge to pinch her nose and respond in the same way.”
- Good opening sentence: the who and the what are identified, but not the back story which would have bogged down the opening.
- Short chapters. New info, red herrings, changes of perspective are all moved along very well in chapters that are quickly read. Also, the chapter endings are good: they made me want to turn the page right away and get to the next part.
What I don’t like:
- DI Mariner, Anna Barham, PC Knox
- Is this story a treatise on autism and medication, or a mystery? Difficult to tell. It’s labeled mystery.
- DI Mariner jumps to conclusions. How does a newspaper story that is “personal” to its author bend itself in Mariner’s mind to be about “personal services”?
- The story reads like it was hastily abridged: answers are sometimes announced before the evidence is introduced.
- Anna’s brother Eddie took care of Jamie for years. When Anna assumes care of Jamie, she starts from scratch learning his favorite foods, etc. Why didn’t she just check Eddie’s cupboards to see what he stocked for Jamie?
- Too much detail that doesn’t relate to the story. While the detail does establish the characters’ experience and mindset, the reader doesn’t need that much detail to get the picture.
Thank you to Joffe Books and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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