Book Review: “If She Knew”
Posted: April 25, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller | Tags: Blake Pierce, Book Review, Crime Fiction, If She Knew, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
About If She Knew
55 year old empty nester—and freshly retired FBI agent—Kate Wise finds herself drawn out of her quiet suburban life when her friend’s daughter is murdered in a home invasion—and she is implored to help.
Kate thought she left the FBI behind after 30 years as their top agent, respected for her brilliant mind, tough street skills and her uncanny ability to hunt down serial killers. Yet Kate, bored with the quiet town, at a crossroads in life, is summoned by a friend she can’t turn down.
As Kate hunts the killer, she soon finds herself at the forefront of a manhunt, as more bodies turn up—all suburban moms in perfect marriages—and it becomes apparent there is a serial killer stalking this quiet town. She unearths secrets from her neighbors she wishes she never knew, discovering that all is not what it seems in this picture of model streets and neighbors. Affairs and lying are rampant, and Kate must sift through the town’s underbelly if she will stop the killer from striking again.
But this killer is one step ahead of her, and it may end up being Kate who is in danger.
An action-packed thriller with heart-pounding suspense, IF SHE KNEW is book #1 in a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/She-Knew-Kate-Wise-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B07GX3BR7P
My Review of If She Knew
I received a copy of If She Knew, by Blake Pierce through FreeBooksie. All opinions stated here are my own.
If She Knew is the first book in Blake Pierce’s Kate Wise Mystery series. I relate well with the aging female protagonist who isn’t quite ready to throw in the towel and settle into retirement. (Telling Kate Wise to stop solving crimes is like telling me to stop writing. Lol.) I enjoyed this book so much, I grabbed a second series starter from the back of the book, so watch for that review next week.
Kate Wise is a retired FBI agent, but when her friend’s daughter is murdered, she must step in to help. Her involvement earns her an invitation to come out of retirement and officially work on cold cases, but if she doesn’t knab this killer, her career could be all washed up. The great thing about police procedurals is watching at they break procedure. The only obvious connection between the victims is the area they live in, but Kate knows there must be more. It’s a race with the clock, as another victim turns up. Can she find the real connection before the killer strikes again?
This book is everything a good procedural crime novel should be. I give If She Knew four quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Chatting with the Pros: Multi-Genre Author, Tom Benson
Posted: March 8, 2025 Filed under: Chatting with the Pros, Crime, Interview, Review, Suspense | Tags: A Taste of Honey, Chatting with the Pros, Crime Fiction, Tom Benson, Writing to be Read 6 Comments
I met Tom Benson through an author’s group on Facebook, and he has since become a frequent visitor here, on Writing to be Read. Come to find out, Tom has been at this writing thing for over a decade, and has several books out there in at least three different genres.
About Tom Benson
In 1969 at the age of 17, Tom left his native Glasgow to join the British Army. Tom’s military career spanned from 1969 to 1992. He followed this with a career in Retail Management, in which he was employed from 1992 to 2012.
Tom has been writing since 2007.
He has published novels, anthologies of short stories, a five-part novel, a variety of erotica books, and a series of genre-based poetry.
Tom is presently working on more novels.
My Interview with Tom Benson
Kaye: Your Light at the End series is categorized in the metaphysical science fiction sub-genre category. I’d never heard of that particular sub-genre. Can you talk a little about what attributes define metaphysical science fiction?
Tom: In simple terms, it’s a branch of philosophy that deals with life beyond what we know or see (usually, but not exclusively, the supernatural). This broad label includes existence, space, cause and effect, and more. Although there would be nothing supernatural in my story, because of the change of circumstances I intended for my characters, I felt the sub-genre was a good fit.
Kaye: The Light at The End series might also be categorized as post-apocalyptic science fiction. Right? Why don’t you tell us a little about that series?
Tom: Apart from short stories, I’d never written in this genre, until I was inspired when visiting Cruachan Power Station. Cruachan is a functional hydroelectric installation operating from within a mountain in Scotland. My story sees a coachload of tourists taking shelter from the start of a nuclear war inside a railway tunnel within a mountain. They’re compelled to investigate the tunnel when the entrance collapses behind them. Without giving spoilers, as they learn about their new environment, they also learn to depend on each other for survival. The group begins a new life inside the mountain. I intended it to be one book, but it grew as I developed the story, and it’s become a popular trilogy with a spinoff, Sylvia.
Kaye: Ten Days in Panama is classified on Amazon as both thriller and romance genres. I think it is brilliant that you combined the two genres and then used both in your keyword selections to broaden your reading audience instead of focusing on one, to the exclusion of the other as many authors choose to do. Of course, the story came first, and you just capitalized on what you had. Tell us a little about this story, and how you ended up combining these two genres?
Tom: I opened with a British investigative reporter keen to follow up on a big story, and he needed the help of an expert in marine biology. He chose a female scientist in Panama, and they arranged to meet there. I wanted the thrust of the story to be a thriller, whereby the reporter’s life was under threat, but I saw the opportunity for a ‘will they, won’t they?’ scenario between the two main characters. I’m a Scotsman who lives in England, and I’ve never been to Panama. However, my friend Carmen Lopez, (a fellow author) lives in Panama, and she is a microbiologist. She was incredibly useful in helping me with various aspects of research. Carmen was also a wonderful sounding board as I developed the relationship between the main characters.
Kaye: You also write military stories and poetry. Would I be correct in assuming these come from your own personal experience serving in the military?
Tom: Yes, some of my military poetry is based on personal experience, and some is fiction. My military short stories, too, include factual tales, but others are fictional. The series, A Life of Choice, is my military memoir detailing my 23-year career in the British Army. The digital edition is a series of five eBooks.
Kaye: Many of your protagonists are female. Why have you chosen females to take the lead in your stories?
Tom: In the 1960s, as a young teen, I was a fan of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. Apart from the TV series, at around that time, I began to read everything I could about clandestine operations and international espionage. When The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. screened for one season, I was fascinated to see April Dancer (Stefanie Powers) demonstrating that a woman could be as capable as a man in the covert role. I bought all the ‘U.N.C.L.E.’ books, and the idea of a modern heroine remained a favourite in my mind. It should be remembered that many of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) operatives during WWII were courageous young women. In the late 90s, I saw The Long Kiss Goodnight (starring Geena Davis), which remains one of my favourite films. There are now many films and series in which the lead is a woman, whether an assassin, a vigilante, a resistance fighter or working with law enforcement. I believe it’s important to remember that it’s not only men who can demonstrate courage or participate in clandestine missions.
Kaye: What do you do to get into the female perspective for your characters?
Tom: I found it difficult at first, but I practised with short stories and acquired plenty of feedback from female readers. As I do with all of my stories, I build a character profile so that by the time the character hits the page, I know their full description, likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, wardrobe (including disguises), favourite weapons, vehicles and, importantly, their past and how they became who they are. I give a female lead all the characteristics I admire in a woman and reinforce that with a no-nonsense attitude and a suitable background. I strive not to let a female character become a sex object, although occasionally, it helps with certain situations in which she might gain the upper hand.
Kaye: The A Taste of Honey series is your most recent. It’s a crime thriller, but it’s more about vigilante justice. Would you like to tell us about that series?
My aim with the first book was twofold: to create a hard-hitting vigilante thriller using a female lead and to set it in the US for various reasons. The premise is that ‘Honey’ is an NYPD detective who is awoken by a call from her sister’s cellphone, but it isn’t her sister’s voice she hears. The detective drives across the country to Greensburg, Indiana. In the basement of the family home, she finds a scene of abuse and torture. She also finds clues as to who was responsible. Honey crosses the line and sets out on a mission of vengeance, which takes her to different states. The sequel, Another Taste of Honey, sees the ex-detective fly to Europe to search for two men who evaded her in the US. While in Europe, several others make the mistake of tangling with Honey—a woman on a mission.
Kaye: What is the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?
Tom: In my early efforts writing short stories, a fellow author told me feedback wasn’t always positive, so I ought to ‘get used to taking the knocks’. I learned to differentiate between criticism for the sake of it and constructive criticism. When mentoring a novice writer, I expand on the advice I was given. I suggest to any new scribe that ‘Acting on genuine feedback can have a positive effect on your writing.’ An important piece of advice is given in Stephen King’s excellent book, On Writing: ‘If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write.’
Kaye: As a multi-genre author, what do you find is most difficult about marketing your books?
The short answer—justifying the cost of advertising. The long answer—I quickly learned that getting a foothold in the market was difficult, with only one or two titles published. I paid for my first author’s website, my early covers, and advertising. Making money has never been my incentive when writing, but I had a major rethink when considering how much I paid out with little return. I recognised that my main marketing tool didn’t have to cost me anything but time and effort. After the first couple of years, with more titles published, I concentrated on strengthening my brand—which I believe is an author’s main marketing tool. I created a new website, practised and designed new book covers, and stopped paying for publicity. Since then, my only advertising has been on social media; it’s free, and with many more books published in different genres, I’m only dependent on reviews and recommendations. I created laminated bookmarks myself, which I include when sending a paperback edition to a charity. I have also paid for business cards to be made so they can be left in restaurants, cafes, and campsites here in the UK or in Europe when I visit.
Kaye: Where can readers learn more about you and your books?
Tom: I was a poet and regular blogger in my early creative writing days, and though my poetry and blogging have eased off, I maintain a writing blog at www.tombensoncreative.com. I also have an author website I created myself at www.tombensonauthor.com
Thank you, Kaye, for the opportunity to reach a wider audience regarding my writing, and I hope your readers enjoy this article.
About the A Taste of Honey Series
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQ9GSW4S?binding=kindle_edition&ref_=ast_author_bsi
My Review of the A Taste of Honey Series
I received digital copies of A Taste of Honey and Another Taste of Honey, by Tom Benson, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
This series features a strong female protagonist, which is always a plus for me, and Benson does a nice job of making her believable, giving her an appropriate backstory as a police operative gone rouge, and plenty of friends to help her along the way. Honey Woods is on the hunt for the men who tortured and killed her younger sister in her previous life as Police Detective Kimberly Forest. She is an expert marksman, a master of disguises and seasoned law operative, and she still takes time for a morning run each day to stay in shape for the seemingly impossible tasks which lie ahead.
When Kimberly finds her sister’s tortured body in a basement dungeon, she vows to stop at nothing to get justice for what they’ve done to her sister and other young girls like her. She leaves her old life behind, acquiring a new identity as Honey, and everything begins to fall conveniently into place.
Her search for justice leads her to a ring of men, pillars of the community, who have been kidnapping, abusing and murdering young girls for a very long time, as well as other deserving recipients of her unique style of justice in A Taste of Honey. In Another Taste of Honey, our heroine travels to Europe in pursuit of the remaining two members of the ring still needing to be held accountable. When you’re on the receiving end of Honey’s justice, it may not be so sweet.
I strongly suggest reading these books in sequence, as I suspect I’d have a more difficult time relating with the character had I not already known her motivations. If the reader doesn’t understand this character, they might mistake her for a villain as she humiliates and emaciates her opponents.
This series provides an entertaining read that keeps readers guessing as to what devious, but fitting treatment Honey will serve to her next target. I give the A Taste of Honey series four quills.
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This segment of “Chatting with the Pros” with Kaye Lynne Booth is sponsored by The Women in the West Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
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Book Review: “Guilty Knowledge”
Posted: January 17, 2025 Filed under: Books, Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Review, romance, Suspense 2 CommentsAbout Guilty Knowledge
Detective Jesse Aaron has no leads in the murder of Rosa Logan when pretty blonde Sariah Brennan claims to have seen the killer—in a vision. Unfortunately, the man she identifies is dead—or is he?
Sariah is an unsophisticated small town girl, but her background and her motives are mysterious, and she seems to be hiding something. Jesse is increasingly convinced she has guilty knowledge of the crime, even as he finds himself more and more attracted to her. How can he unravel the web of secrets, without putting Sariah at risk, before the killer strikes again?
Purchase Link:
My Review of Guilty Knowledge
I recieved an audiobook copy of Guilty Knowledge, written by Linda Griffin and narrated by Scott LeCote, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Guilty Knowledge is a romantic crime mystery about a cop who falls in love with a possible suspect in his case. When Seriah comes forward with information about a murder which she should have no way of knowing, and it turns out to be right, Detective Jesse Aaron, knows she’s not being totally forthcoming, and determines to ferret out the truth. But he finds himself strangely attracted to her during the investigation, and his partner, Camille never fails to remind him in her bullying sort of way, to keep his emotions in check, not only because she is a suspect, but because she doesn’t approve of interracial relationships. Sariah is illusive and alluring, but whatever she’s hiding is an obstacle to their relationship, one that, if revealed, could bring it to a crumbling halt.
Jesse is a smart detective who knows Sariah is holding something back, yet he gives her the benefit of the doubt against his own better judgement, and shelters her from his brutish bully of a partner, who I found very hard to like. Camille is bigoted and pushy, and critical of Jesse to the point that she acts more like Jesse’s spouse or parent than his partner. Sariah, is secretive and moody, and should have set off all the warning signals in a good cop, not blinded by his emotions.
The story is well crafted, but I had a hard time in investing in any of the characters. I don’t think I related to any of them enough to root for them. The narrator, Scott LeCote, tries to differeniate the voices, but I found it difficult at times to know who was speaking. The mystery is what drives this tale, and what kept me listening.
A romantic crome mystery that keeps you guessing. I give Guilty Knowledge four quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Chatting with New Blood: C.R. Johansson
Posted: December 28, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Crime, Fiction, Review | Tags: A.O.G.: Act of God, C.R. Johansson, Chatting with New Blood, Political Thriller, Writing to be Read 3 Comments
I am pleased to introduce my guest this month on “Chatting with New Blood”, C.R. Johansson. She has had stories featured in three different WordCrafter Press anthologies, but today we’ll talk mostly about her novel, A.O.G.: Act of God. She is a talented author, who writes unusual stories that make readers think, and it is my pleasure to have her as my guest.
About C.R. Johansson
C.R. Johansson writes gripping thrillers, science fiction, and fantasy stories with a genetic twist. Her characters explore universes where the unknown prevails and the impossible is possible akin to her life with congenital heart disease. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and comical pugs. When not writing, she enjoys listening to the river nearby, working in her garden, paper-mache’, knitting and sitting on the couch drinking tea.
Interview
Kaye: Would you begin by telling us about your author journey? How long have you been writing? What inspires you to write?
Cindy: I was a daydreamer as a child, I still am, always making up stories to entertain myself. My very first poem was in elementary school. The assignment was to write a story using that week’s spelling words. I wrote “The Circus Bear” and amused my family with the ending where the bear stood on his head and then he was dead. To this day, they won’t let me forget it.
From there my journey continued with more poetry in junior high and high school until one day, I thought to myself, “I’m going to write a novel.” So, I went to the library to check out a book on how to write a novel. After I read the book, I sat down and wrote my first novel. What inspires me to write? I don’t really feel as though I’m inspired to write, I feel I’m compelled to write. The stories and poems in my head need to come out, even if they’re never read by anyone.
Kaye: I’m curious. Why did you choose to use a pen name? And how did you choose the name to use?
Cindy: The idea of using a pen name came from my husband. He thought my married name was common, so he suggested using my birth name. I thought it was a wonderful idea and just like that C.R. Johansson became my pen name.
Kaye: Let’s talk about your book, A.O.G.: Act of God. Can you tell readers a little bit about it?
Cindy: A.O.G. Act of God tells the story of a religious woman of science who is caught in her own moral struggles regarding the scientific discovery of a lifetime, the potential identification of a human soul, which ended in her boyfriend’s murder. Her drive as a scientist compels her to continue experimenting even as the murderer now turns his focus on her and her family.
Kaye: What led you to write a political crime thriller?
Cindy: To be honest, I thought it was going to be a science fiction story, but the characters had other ideas. I had just read an article about Orchestrated Objective Reduction, a controversial theory about human consciousness on a quantum level, which described the consciousness as energy. After I read the article, I had so many questions. Does the energy really exist? Is it a human soul? What happens to that energy upon death? Does it disperse into the universe? I thought to myself, if that energy is the human soul and someone discovered a technique to trap it, that person would have unmeasurable power. Immediately, I saw the scene where Amelie’s boyfriend is murdered, and the story started.
There’s so much scientific discovery going on. If you want to look for good plot ideas, look to science and medical discoveries and mysteries.
Kaye: What was the best part of writing A.O.G.: Act of God? Why?
Oh my gosh, the best part of writing A.O.G. Act of God was the roller coaster ride of deception the characters took me on. The twists and turns. They kept me on my toes.
Kaye: What was the most difficult part of the book to write? Why?
Cindy: It’s always very mentally and emotionally exhausting for me to get into my antagonist’s mind. To discover what drives them to do the horrible things they do and then write about it. I spend a lot of time walking around the house when writing those scenes.
Kaye: You also write short fiction, and have had work featured in three WordCrafter Press anthologies: Visions, with your story, “Her Beholder”; Midnight Roost, with your story, “She Shed Galeria”, and Tales From the Hanging Tree, with your story “Therion’s Heart”. All of these stories are rather dark, the last being an excellent take on the theme for the anthology, ‘lives of the hanged as lived through the ephemeral hanging tree’, and very well written, I might add. Where did inspiration for these unusual stories come from?
Cindy: Thank you so much! I’m a visual person and my stories always start with a mental image. That image can be the result of just about anything, a thought, a song, a word, a smell, anything. For “She Shed Galleria”, I saw a seductive woman standing next to a painting of a man. The man’s frightened eyes were moving as if the painting were alive, very similar to the old movies where the portraits in the mansions had eye peepholes. Meanwhile, the woman, stared forward with cold, blank eyes, but the smug smile on her lips made me shiver. I knew she’d done something horrible.
For “Therion’s Heart”, I saw a naïve’ woman standing in the torrential rain surrounded by an angry and very frightened mob. It reminded me of scenes from horror stories where a fear driven mob turns on someone, an outsider or one of their own, and commits horrific actions because of that fear. Fear of anything unknown is a powerful motivator.
Kaye: What differences do you see in writing short fiction and novel length works? Which do you prefer?
Cindy: There are so many differences between writing short fiction and writing novels, but I would say the most challenging is creating an interesting short story without holes in plot or character that’s entertaining. Which do I prefer? I’m a novelist at heart. I love taking my time to explore all the details of the worlds and characters I create. Sharing their triumphs and failures, and peeling away the onion of what makes them tick.
Kaye: Where do you hope to see yourself as a writer in ten years?
Cindy: I’ll still be writing and publishing novels, but I really hope to share my writing with more people.
Kaye: You work in the thriller, science fiction and fantasy genres. What advice would you give to an author wanting to break into any of these genres?
Cindy: I’ll start with the cliché, just keep writing and reading, but more importantly, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there to editors, publishers, and the public. Wear every rejection letter you receive like a medal. You’ve earned it and it means you’re one step closer to being published because you learned something.
Kaye: Who are your favorite authors? Do you try to emulate them?
Cindy: I love the oldies, Alfred Hitchcock, Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, and George Orwell. Character driven stories that expose human behavior. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Life is messy, unexpected, and full of unknowns. Things we think will happen, don’t always happen. I believe my life is an example of that. Doctors told my parents when I was a baby that I wasn’t going to survive infancy and here I am.
I definitely emulate my favorites, in my own unique style. If I can write a story that blurs the line between right and wrong, villain and hero, and takes the reader on their own self-discovery journey and leaves them wondering what they would do in the same situation then I’ve succeeded.
Kaye: What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?
When I went to my first writers conference, I felt so insignificant compared to everyone else because I wasn’t published. Another author befriended me and told me, “I was an author, whether published or not.” From that day onward I moved forward with confidence, and I share that word of wisdom with others out there. You are an author whether you’re published or not.
Kaye: What’s next for C.R. Johansson? Is there another book in the works?
Cindy: Yes, I’m always working on something. I plan on re-releasing “Bless The Beasts”, my first novel, in tandem with its sequel “Suffer The Children” in 2026. Plus, I may release a collection of flash fiction in the autumn of 2025.
Kaye: Please tell my readers how they can find you online, if they’d like to learn more about you and your books. (Include links here.)
Cindy: I’m most active on Facebook, but I’m on Goodreads, Linkedin, and Pinterest as well. My books can be found on Amazon. This was loads of fun! Thanks for having me!
Kaye: You’ve been a wonderful guest, and you provided some really good answers to my questions. I look forward to future submissions to WordCrafter Press anthologies, and wish you the best with your books.
About A.O.G. Act of God
What is a soul?
After Kent is murdered for uncovering the answer, Amelie, a woman of science raised in a world of religion, finds the looming threat of death at the hands of the same sordid murderer now hangs over her and her family should she pursue the technology further. With her new friend and lover, Hatch, by her side, her own moral compass betrays her, and she realizes too late that her own naïveté is her downfall against the depraved dark corners of man’s heart.
My Review of A.O.G. Act of God
I acquired a digital copy of A.O.G.: Act of God from the author, and my guest today, C.R. Johansson. All opinions stated here are my own.
This political crime thriller is based on a premise which I found quite unique; the idea that a soul might be captured after death in some way. It’s an interesting premise, and Johansson explores the both the morality of it and the possibilities it would present. In what way might this ability be used? And should it be used, or left to the realm of the devine? The implications are downright scary.
Amelie is a research scientist, exploring the realms beyond death. When her partner and significant other, Kent, is murdered for uncovering the code for capturing souls, and places his findings for her to continue where he left off, it places she and her family in danger from the killer. Someone doesn’t want the secret let out, and they’ll go to any lengths to prevent it. She doesn’t know who to trust. Her boss, Bill, who seems so sympathetic? The elders of the religious community she lives in? Her co-worker, Clint, who has the knowledge and ability to help her find the answers she seeks? Her new friend, Hatch, who she has unexpected feelings for?
This political thriller has a story line that keeps the reader guessing until they reach the final pages. But, I also felt some of the major players could have been developed more. I give A.O.G.: Act of God four quills.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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Book Review: The Friday Edition
Posted: November 15, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Crime, Fiction, Mystery | Tags: Betta Ferrendelli, Book Reveiw, Crime Thriller, Kaye Lynne Booth, mystery, The Friday Edition, Writing to be Read 10 CommentsAbout the Book
Snow isn’t all that’s falling in Denver, Colorado on Christmas Eve.
A beautiful, young district attorney tumbles from her balcony to her death.
Police suspect suicide, but the DA’s sister, newspaper reporter Samantha Church, isn’t buying it.
Samantha discovers evidence linking her sister to a drug smuggling case and quickly learns she has stumbled onto a major news story. She must summon the courage to not only face a cartel of criminals, but her own fears and shortcomings when she is confronted by the inescapable specter of a far greater enemy—her addiction to alcohol. Samantha’s dependency has not only cost her job at a major metropolitan daily, but, worse, custody of her daughter, April.
Samantha pursues her sister’s killers, maneuvering through a minefield of intrigue deliberately set out to divert her from the truth. Despite being betrayed, physically beaten and facing the possibility of sharing her sister’s fate, Samantha refuses to stop her investigation.
However, when the killers threaten to harm April, Samantha realizes that, for her daughter’s sake, she can no longer continue the investigation on her own. She knows she must swallow her pride and turn to her ex-husband and police detective, Jonathan Church, for help.
Can Samantha ultimately prevail—find her sister’s killer, write the story of her career, confront her drinking problem, and finally begin to change her life, or will she and April become the killer’s next victims?
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Friday-Samantha-Church-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B008IIFWYK
My Review
I received a digital copy of The Friday Edition, A Samantha Church Mystery, Book 1, by Betta Ferrendelli through Freebooksie. All opinions stated here are my own.
This tale has all the elements of a well-written mystery and crime thriller: a determined reporter plays detective, and she’s a wonderfully flawed character with plenty of room to grow, a suspicious death, and a lot going on behind closed doors to keep you guessing. Ferrendelli takes us to the depths of the main character and protagonist, Samantha Church, where we learn about the the demons which she battles, and expose her all her weaknesses, and come out likeing her all the more for them. She makes us root for Samantha to solve the case and break the story. When it seems she’s sliding backwards down a dark hole, we hold out breath and we cheer the loudest when she manages to pull through.
Samantha is a mess and she knows it, but her heart is always in the right place, even when her mind takes her down a dark path. Her alcoholism has cost her plenty, including the one thing that matters most to her in the world, her daughter April. Now, fueled by suspicions that her sister’s death was not a suicide, as police say, she sets out to learn the truth, but her failed attempts at earning back April’s trust threaten to plummet her into darkness and prevent her from uncovering a conspiracy the will rock the city of Denver. She is a strong, but flawed female protagonist and we want to see her win.
An enthralling mystery which kept me turning pages. I give The Friday Edition five quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Everyone is a Critic: Things To Do In Denver When You’re Dead
Posted: November 11, 2024 Filed under: Crime, Everyone is a Critic, Film Review, Movie Review, Movies | Tags: Everyone is a Critic, Kaye Lynne Booth, Things to Do in Denver When Your Dead, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
The 1995 crime film, Things to do in Denver When You’re Dead. It’s an older movie, but I found it quite enjoyable to sit down and watch this movie.
A cross between a mobster movie and a tragic romance, this film carries both story lines well. Ex-mobster, Jimmy, The Saint, Tosnia, played by Andy Garcia, and his buddies are drawn back into the fold unwillingly by mob boss, “The Man With The Plan”, played by Christopher Walken, after his son, Bernard, played by Michael Nicolosi, is arrested for child molestation. When the plan goes terribly wrong, it becomes a death sentence for Jimmy and his crew. They are all dead and they know it, stalked by Mr. Shhh, played by Steve Buscerni, the hitman who never fails and shows no mercy. Jimmy is allowed a reprieve if he leaves Denver, but there are a few things to take care of before he goes. Jimmy has met a girl, Dagney, played by Gabrielle Anwar, and he’s trying to win her heart, but now he must walk away to protect her.
You’ve got to love the cast of colorful characters, who are made bigger than life by the actors who play them. Jimmy is making a new life for himself, running a faltering business recording the thoughts and messages of those who are terminally ill. Jimmy’s crew are all ex-mobsters, trying to make new lives for themselves: Pieces, played by Christoper Lloyd, who runs a x-rated movie theater and spends his days with porn running in the background; Easy Wind, played by Bill Nunn, runs a boxing ring; Critical Bill, played by Treat Williams, who has some definite rage issues to work out and finds rather unique and gruesome ways to do that; and Big Bear Franchise, played by William Forsythe, has a wife and kids to worry about.
Not surprisingly, this movie was filmed in Denver, where I grew up, and the familiarity of setting definitely added to my enjoyment of this movie, making it all seem more real to me. In the photo above, the crew is at Crown Hill Cemetery, where I have relatives buried, as do many other Denverites.
This is not your typical mobster movie, and there are no happy endings. The fun lies in seeing how it all plays out, with more than a few surprises. I never knew how many things there are to do in Denver when you’re dead.
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Book Review: The Theory of Anything
Posted: October 25, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Crime, Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Review, Writing | Tags: Book Reveiw, Greg Hickey, psychologicl thrillers, The Theory of Anything, Writing to be Read 4 CommentsAbout The Theory of Anything
A brilliant professor. A shocking murder.
When Dr. David Solon walked out of the coffee shop on the afternoon of May 3, 2011, he didn’t expect to foil an attempted robbery in a nearby alley. He didn’t expect to recognize the would-be perpetrator of the crime. And he didn’t expect to shoot that man to death.
An hour earlier, he was sharing a breakthrough mathematical discovery with a colleague. A day earlier, he was unraveling a puzzle with implications for the events that shape our lives. And a week earlier, he was falling asleep beside his beloved wife of twenty-two years.
After a year of frustrated effort, a horrific tragedy sparks David’s incredible discovery about mathematical randomness. Still reeling from this crime, he latches onto a theory that will reshape his field and change the way everyone thinks about mathematics, physics, history and basic laws of cause-and-effect.
Told in reverse, The Theory of Anything is an intellectual crime novel that takes readers back through the previous seven days to uncover the crime and subsequent events—random or predetermined—that will define David’s mathematical career and ruin his life.
A unique short crime novel that explores the mysteries of love, loss and mathematics, in addition to a senseless murder, The Theory of Anything follows one man’s harrowing journey through grief and discovery. It’s the perfect book for fans of Memento and A Beautiful Mind.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Theory-Anything-Greg-Hickey-ebook/dp/B087F5R75G/
My Review
I received a free copy of The Theory of Everything through a newsletter offering. All opinions stated here are my own.
The Theory of Everything is a short psychological crime novel about a man out for vigilante justice after his wife was murdered. In the description, the author notes the unusual style of story telling, beginning at the end and going backwards to the event that sent him on his quest for vengence, but I found it to be rather off putting and confusing. Also, I did not feel as if anything was resolved at the end, probably because this brief tale is a part of a larger picture and he wants readers to seek out the next book, but it left me very unsatisfied.
The story begins with the main character, a brilliant scientist who loves mathematical theory, stalking a man and moves backwards through the previous days to explain why he is stalking the man who murdered his wife and show how his loss has affected him. At the end of the book we know the why of things, but we don’t know if he is successful in his quest. Does he kill the perpetrator? Does he get away with it? Or perhaps the police are secretly watching and take him down before he reaches his goal? The author leaves us wondering.
This tale was okay, but felt incomplete to me. I give The Theory of Anything three quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Book Review: Love Can Be Murder
Posted: August 9, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Review, Women's Fiction | Tags: Book Review, Heather Haven, Honeymoons Can Be Murder, Love Can Be Murder, Marraige Can Be Murder, The Alverez Family Mysteries series, The CEO Came DOA, Writing to be Read 2 CommentsAbout the Books
NOW THERE WILL ALWAYS BE LOVE. AND … THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MURDER
For P.I. ferret Lee Alvarez first comes murder, then comes love, then comes marriage… and now Lee and her drop-dead gorgeous Navy SEAL groom Gurn Hanson are stumbling across bodies together.
…
This wryly romantic box set is a bonanza for fans of The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries, featuring a full-length novel, Book 5 The CEO Came DOA, PLUS two novellas. Together they tell the story of the action-packed, homicide-solving week leading up to Lee and Gurn’s wedding followed by the too-eventful weeks in Kauai and their return home when they were supposed to be resting and relaxing. Not to mention romancing.
Lee and Gurn – think Nick and Nora Charles in Silicon Valley…with a Mexican flair – will delight fans of PI stories, cozy mysteries, and women sleuths, especially if they love sharp funny female protagonists like Sue Grafton’s witty Kinsey Millhone and Janet Evanovich’s lovable Stephanie Plum.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Murder-Alvarez-Family-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0B65RB6N7
My Review
I received a free box set from The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries series, Love Can Be Murder, including The CEO Came DOA, and two novellas, Marraige Can Be Murder, and Honeymoons Can Be Murder, by Heather Haven, from a newsletter which landed in my email.
In Lee Alverez, Haven has created a female Sherlock Holms, and her significant other, Gurn, becomes her Watson, as mystery, mayhem, and murder seem to find her wherever she goes in this series. In the Love Can Be Murder set, it finds her during a routine cybercrime investigation in the main story, The CEO Came DOA, (which is Book 8 in the series), on her honeymoon, and as a favor to her mother, in the two novellas, Honeymoons Can Be Murder and Marraige Can Be Murder.
Each of these stories hold their own, and could be read as a stand alone, but there are plenty of Easter Eggs hidden for those who read through in sequence to find. The characters are pleasant to spend time with, if a little too perfect at times, and the storylines carry an underlying humor, which makes them comical at times, and always entertaining.
The CEO Came DOA
A routine technology theft investigation turns into more than Lee Alvarez bargained for when she comes upon the apparent suicide of the company C.E.O. Something is off, the circumstances are strange, and Lee is determined to get to the bottom of it. But proving a murder and solving the who done it makes it difficult to prepare for a wedding and a honeymoon with the man she loves. To top things off, someone doesn’t want Lee to uncover the truth, and they’ll go to any length to stop her.
Honeymoons Can Be Murder
Ready for the three Rs: Rest, Relaxation, and Recuperation, Lee Alvarez and her new husband, Gurn, are off to a tropical paradise for their honeymoon after solving a harrowing case of technology theft which turned into murder. But murder follows Lee. She can’t seem to get away from it. And when a murdered woman is discovered outside their bungalow, her new husband is on the radar of the local law as the prime suspect. Lee and Gurn must stay one step ahead of the police, to discover who the real murderer is.
Marriage Can Be Murder
When a overly melodramatic former actress, who changes moods more than she does outfits, falls prey to a series of mysterious accidents, Lee Alverez and husband Gurn are called on to investigate the situation. The list of suspects includes her seven ex-husbands, as well as a her household staff, or perhaps her long lost daughter, who has recently appeared on the scene. While it appears the actress is quite generous, and everyone seems to love her, Lee and Gurn find eveidence that the accidents were not accidental, at all. It’s up to Lee and Gurn to discover who done it, and why, before the would be murderer succeeds.
The Box Set
This set of mystery stories, Love Can Be Murder, was a fun and entertaining read. Light and humorous storylines and likeable, diverse characters. I give Love Can Be Murder five quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Book Review: Blink
Posted: June 28, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Crime, Fiction, Hard-Boiled Crime Fiction, Mystery, Review, Writing to be Read 3 CommentsAbout Blink
When private investigator Andrew Schlakier receives a phone call out of the blue from State Corporate Affairs Mister Fix-it, Peter Michael, to investigate a case, he knows he’s going to be in for a harrowing time.
A mother and daughter have been tragically found dead in their car in a quiet Melbourne street. The finger of blame points to the husband, but with an iron-clad alibi there is simply no way he could have done it. Or is there?
It’s an increasingly dangerous game of cat and mouse, but as Schlakier delves more deeply into the case and endeavours to deconstruct the suspect’s story, it becomes less and less clear if he is the hunter or the prey.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Blink-Robert-Blain-ebook/dp/B09TW5R8KL/
My Review
I received a free digital copy of Blink on Freebooksie.
Blink, by Robert Blain is a good, old-fashioned detective story, where the P.I strives to solve what appears to be a perfect murder. The death of a mother and daughter from carbon monoxide poisoning, the husband/father has an air tight alibi, but something still seems off. The question isn’t who killed them, but how.
It’s a clever murder, and Andrew Schlakier is the clever P.I. who can solve it by uncovering the killer’s m.o. Schlakier is just your average bloke making a living as a private investigator, and finds himself in the path of danger as he gets closer to the truth. (Think an Australian James Rockford but without the humor). Like any good P.I., Schlakier doesn’t let that deter him, and he pushes forth, in spite of several close calls, until he has revealed all.
An average murder mystery with and average P.I. as the main character. The only remarkable thing is the clever murder method. I give Blink three quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Book Review: River Bones
Posted: April 19, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Review, Suspense | Tags: Book Review, Crime Fiction, Mary Deal, mystery, River Bones, Suspense, Writing to be Read 10 CommentsAbout the Book
A serial killer is on the loose in Sacramento River Delta.
When Sara Mason returns to her hometown to start a new life, she learns that a murderer is terrorizing its residents. Despite battling difficult childhood memories, Sara is determined to make peace with her past.
But she soon learns that the elusive psychopath is now stalking her. Sara’s attempt to rebuild her life is hindered even more by the discovery of skeletal remains on her property. As the investigation focuses on several suspects, Sara discovers critical clues and bravely volunteers to be a decoy for the sheriff’s department.
Sara’s destiny has brought her back home, but will her decision lead her down a path lined with danger… and straight into the arms of a madman?
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/River-Bones-Sara-Mason-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B076JDZJ8M/
My Review
The title and cover both drew me to this book, and I wasn’t disappointed. River Bones, by Mary Deal is a classic suspense thriller. This book carries a somber tone in setting and eerie feeling of mystery.
How many bones are hidden in the river’s depths? They are the bones of those who have been lost… and sometimes, they are found.
After many years away, the sale of the gaming software she developed sells and Sara returns to her hometown a wealthy woman. But there is a serial killer on the loose, which is unsetling to Sara but even moreso when dead bodies begin to turn up all around her. The human remains found on her property delays her restoration plans with police investigations, and it soon becomes clear that the killer is targeting Sara as his next victim.
Skillfully crafted and completely enthralling. I give River Bones five quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
