Book Review: “The Murder of Sleepy Hollow”
Posted: October 24, 2025 Filed under: Audio Books, Audiobook Review, Book Review, Books, cozy mystery, Fiction, Mystery, Review | Tags: Audiobook Review, Kaye Lynne Booth, Kristin James, Michele Pariza Wacek, The Muder of Sleepy Hollow, Writing to be Read 3 Comments
About The Murder of Sleepy Hollow
This ghost-filled cozy mystery is perfect for spooky season! In small-town Redemption, Wisconsin, paranormal investigator Ike Krane finds himself tied up in a plot that rivals the mystery of his Sleepy Hollow namesake! With Ike accused of murder — and now, missing — can amateur sleuth Charlie Kingsley clear his name by finding who is really haunting the town?
Purchase Links:
Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/the-murder-of-sleepy-hollow-by-michele-pw-pariza-wacek
Audible: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Sleepy-Hollow-Kingsley-Mysteries/dp/B0BSB5XMNK
My Review of The Murder of Sleepy Hollow
I purchased an audiobook copy of The Murder of Sleepy Hollow, by Michele Pariza Wacek, through a Chirp Deal, because it was the perfect story for an October review. From the title to the cover image, this book screams Halloween. All opinions stated here are my own.
The narrator, Kristin James, does an outstanding job of bringing this story to life for the listener. Each character is distinguishable, as she switches to a different voice for each one. James did a smashing job.
Cozy mystery readers will love this spooky Halloween tale. Redemption is known to be a haunted town, with several haunted houses. A paranormal investigator from the town of Sleepy Hollow named – you guessed it – Ike Krane, mysterious appearances of messy jack-o-lanterns, and folks are awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of galloping hooves in Redemption. It seems the legend of Sleepy Hollow has come to town, and living in what is claimed to be the most haunted house in Redemption makes local tea maker, Charlie Kingsley a target. Add to that Ike’s old girlfriend, who shows up looking for him, and journalist from Sleepy Hollow, who throws suspicion of murder onto our good friend Ike, but…, where is Ike anyway?
Charlie plays amateur sleuth, trying to sort it all out. Could Ike really be a murderer? Or is he just a guy whose parents had a twisted sense of humor? And why does it seem that the headless horseman has followed him to town?When one of our guests from Sleepy Hollow is found murdered, and Ike is missing, it throws suspicion on Charlie as the main suspect, and puts a strain on her relationship with her friend, the local sheriff, who she is ‘not dating’.
This story plays on Halloween humor and is sure to raise a few chuckles for a really fun read. Maybe it’s not so scary, but it does raise questions to keep you guessing until the end. I give The Murder of Sleepy Hollow five quills.
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About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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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: Joseph Carrabis
Posted: November 9, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Chatting with the Pros, Interview, Review | Tags: Audiobook Review, Book Reveiw, Interview, Joseph Carrabis, Tag, Writing to be Read 5 Comments
My guest today on “Chatting with the Pros” is a talented author who I discovered quite by accident when I was reading through the slush pile for the Gilded Glass anthology for Western Colorado University and WordFire Press. As I read, I kept a list of stories which I particularly liked and once the selections for the anthology were made, I sent out invitations to the stories on my list which weren’t chosen, offering them to be featured in WordCrafter anthologies. Joseph took me up on my offer, and his story “Marianne” was featured in the Visions anthology in 2022, and a friendship has formed between us since then. I’ve reviewed several of his books, and his story “Blood Magic” was featured in last year’s Midnight Roost anthology, and this year’s Midnight Garden features five of his tales.
Other Books by Joseph which I’ve reviewed: Search, The Shaman, The Inheritors, Tales Told ‘Round the Celestial Campfire, That Th!nk You Do.
About Joseph Carrabis
Joseph Carrabis told stories to anyone who would listen starting in childhood, wrote his first stories in grade school, and started getting paid for his writing in 1978. He’s been everything from a long-haul trucker to a Chief Research Scientist and holds patents covering mathematics, anthropology, neuroscience, and linguistics. After patenting a technology which he created in his basement and creating an international company, he retired from corporate life and now he spends his time writing fiction based on his experiences. His work appears regularly in several anthologies and his own published novels. You can learn more about him at https://josephcarrabis.com.
Interview
Kaye: When did you first start writing and why?
Joseph: My writing career started when I was less than ten years old and is something I document in both My Sister Got Me Started and Mission of the Heart. Basically, my sister Sandra (seven years my senior) had to read a book for an English class assignment. I don’t know if she was required to read a science-fiction book or not, and the book she chose was James Blish’s Mission to the Heart Stars.
The book so captivated her that she told me about it one evening while we washed dishes after dinner. I didn’t prompt her about it, and that’s important. The book owned her at such a deep level of mind, heart, hope, and soul that she had to share it with me.
I remember the look of wonder and awe in her eyes when she told me about the space ship and the individuals on board, of the alien “Angels”, a race so ancient no other life forms knew of their origin, of the council government at the center of the galaxy (hence “Heart Stars”).
Just remembering her excitement, her joy, her need to let me know about the book, I get chills.
And I decided there and then, a wee child listening to his beloved big sister share the fire a book kindled in her, that I wanted to create that fire in others.
Kaye: Tell us a little about your background?
Joseph: Oy. A little…I’ve been everything from a long-haul trucker to a Chief Research Scientist, from an apprentice butcher to a Annenberg Senior Research Fellow, from a night watchman to an original member of the NYAS-UN Scientists Without Borders program.
How “little” would you like?
My most fun job was as night watchman. I mean, how often do you get paid to watch the night?
Unless you’re an astronomer, of course…
Kaye: Where do you look for inspiration for your stories?
Joseph: Wait a minute. People have to go looking for inspiration? Wow. I didn’t know I was suppose to go looking for it.
Kaye: You write both short fiction and novel length works. Which do you like better? And why?
Joseph: Hmm…Interesting question. Structurally they’re not different (does that raise hackles or eyebrows?). Both require all the story elements, both require a story worth telling and the crafting to tell it well – hopefully I have both and readers are better judges of that than I – perhaps the greatest similarity is both require someone wanting to tell them. Happy to discuss this in more detail, if anyone’s interested.
Kaye: How many book length works do you have out there?
Joseph: Non-fiction – 20+
Fiction – 8 at present, probably 9 when this is published (includes an anthology of previously published work)
Kaye: You have a lot of short stories featured in anthologies, including Visions and the Midnight Anthology Series from WordCrafter Press. In fact, in Midnight Garden, you have not one or two, but five short stories. What is your best advice for an author wishing to get their short fiction into anthologies?
Joseph: Best advice? Write. Write write write write write.
And when you think you’ve written enough, write more. More more more more more.
Second best advice is a toss up. Either learn to read as an author or study. If the latter, study study study study study. And not just writing. Poetry, drama, theater, all creative forms as they feed each other.
Studying and learning to read as an author tend to go hand-in-hand. I believe they feed each other.
And again, happy to discuss if anybody wants to know more.
Kaye: What is Northern Lights Publishing?
Joseph: Ah. Sometimes I wonder…okay, the official line: Northern Lights Publishing/Press is an association of five professionals (one graphic artist, a marketing group, one editor/book designer, one copyeditor, one senior editor) and a rotating group of ten published authors and poets all of whom are passionate readers. Financial backing is provided by a small group of investors led by Susan and Joseph Carrabis through the NextStage Evolution corporation. Everyone receives remuneration and owns an equal share of the company with the exception of Susan and Joseph Carrabis (who receive no compensation or remuneration for their time and efforts).
Kaye: How do you promote your books? Which marketing strategies have you found effective?
Joseph: I promote my books by publishing short stories anywhere and everywhere editors are willing to put them. I see bumps in my book sales every time a story of mine is published. I also regularly publish. Readers like seeing a full bookshelf from an author because they know, if they like the author’s work, there’s more to read from that author. Lastly I do book signings and readings, although the venues for that are becoming increasingly few.
Most effective for me is the latter as I enjoy meeting and talking with people. I love learning people’s stories. Most people who approach me at a signing, reading, discussion, presentation, … want to share what’s going on in their lives, they’re not tremendously interested in mine (I’m boring and dull, did you know?) and I’m happy to listen.
Kaye: What is the most difficult obstacle you have faced as an author? And how have you overcome it? Or have you?
Joseph: Hmm…most difficult obstacle…hmm…Probably myself. Sometimes I get in the way of the work. I’ll want the story to go a certain way or I’ll want the characters to do or act certain ways. That’s my ego getting in the way of the story. I don’t have a place in my stories, my characters do, so even though my work is highly autobiographical, I still need to let the characters, the places, the events, et cetera, indigenous to the story do the work.
How have I overcome it? By listening to my characters, to the places, to the situations, so on and on and on, which populate my stories. They let me know when I’ve gone astray. Fortunately, they’re all quite patient and give me time to come back.
Have I overcome it? Not completely, no. I still have an ego and sometimes it does get in the way. I’m getting better at noticing it, though, and once recognized, I have tools to get things going smoothly once again.
Kaye: Which authors do you emulate, if any?
Joseph: The good ones.
Who are the good ones? Laugh if you will, and Burroughs’ Tarzan and John Carter books are gems of action and pacing. Charles Frazier is a genius at voice, tone, atmosphere, and character. Angela Panayotopulos takes you places, Lidia Yuknavitch brings you places, Laura Koerber is the goddess of urban fantasy/magic realism, Bina Shah does voice and gender better than anybody I know, James Tiptree, Jr (Alice Sheldon) creates an atmosphere and characters you breathe and know or die, Zane Gray does setting and scene better than most, Craig Johnson is a master of plot via character and action via dialogue, Katherine Mansfield is the best at character via setting, … How many would you like and how far back would you like me to go? You can get an idea of what I read and what I think of what I read at Great Opening Lines – and Why! and Why It Works for Me.
Kaye: The characters you create are very human. Do you see parts of yourself in your characters?
Joseph: I’ve repeatedly shared that I write autobiography. I’m in all my characters. The nice ones, the not-nice ones, the men and women, the animals and aliens.
Kaye: Of those you have written, book length or short fiction, what is your favorite story? And why?
Joseph: Of those I’ve written? You mean which child is my favorite? No comment.
Kaye: What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
Joseph: That’s a tough one because nobody ever gave me the writing advice I give (such as I did above). They may have said the words – for example, “Read, read, read!” and “Write, write, write!” – but nobody ever explained how to read and how/what to write. I read everything I could find (still do) but I only learned how to read as an author in my…oh, I don’t know…mid- to late-forties? Reading as an author radically changed my taste in reading material because I refuse to read poor writing. Somebody asked me what my favorite genre is and I replied, “Well written. Unfortunately not a lot of authors are doing it these days.” I don’t care how many awards something’s got or where it is on bestseller lists (for the record, my work’s received some awards, nominations, recommendations, and been on some bestseller lists). The former are often either political or purchased, the latter are almost always purchased. Nor do I accept market forces. People dying on a desert will eat sand because they don’t know any better, and so long as readers are happy reading what they’re reading, excellent! Wish I could be like them. I’m sure I was, and that’s the price of awareness and enlightenment. You can’t become unaware and unenlightened. A sommalier may be gracious and drink a 6$US bottle of wine with some friends, and they won’t go out and get a 6$US bottle for themselves.
Kaye: Thank you for being my guest today, Joseph. It’s been a pleasure chatting with you. Before we go tell us where readers can go to find out more about you and your books?
Joseph: I’m on Amazon, folks can read my blog, I’m on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and some other social networks. Google “Joseph Carrabis” and let me know what comes up.
About Tag
A severed witch’s hand changes the face of Eastern Europe forever.
Eric and Julia seek tree grafts on the outskirts of their medieval eastern European village as a summer storm gathers. Sullya, a witch hiding among the trees, grabs Julia. Eric swings his axe and severs Sullya’s hand from her arm. The witch seeks refuge in the deep bole of an old oak. Her hand falls onto the same oak and crawls up the trunk to join her.
Eric wants to flee but Julia, believing they’re safe thanks to the now heavy rain, torments the witch. Sullya curses them, their families, their crops, their livestock, and their village.
Soon crops wilt, livestock die, and much of village falls ill. The village priest, Father Baillot, seems ignorant of church ways and proves ineffective against the curse.
The village elders seek help elsewhere, specifically from a distant priest, Father Patreo, who knows the Old Ways as well as the New. Patreo is out of favor with the Church because he makes no effort to hide his belief that progress comes from exploring all paths, not just those the Church decrees acceptable.
He and Verduan, one of the village elders, investigate and encounter witchcraft, devil worship, murder, a coup d’etat, and the clashing of three great cultures. What they discover changes the face of Eastern Europe forever.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tag-First-Verduan-Patreo-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D7SRWB81/
My Review of Tag
(This review appeared first in Wilderness House Literary Review: https://www.whlreview.com/no-19.3/review/KayeLynneBooth.pdf)
I received a digital copy of Tag, by Joseph Carrabis in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own. The short fiction story which this novel springs from, “Blood Magic” is featured in the WordCrafter dark fiction anthology, Midnight Roost (2023). I loved that story when I compiled the anthology and so, was thrilled to learn there was more to it than just that short tale. But even if I had no prior knowledge of Carrabis’ vast talent, I would have been drawn to this book by the eye-catching cover. ( This review appeared first in Wilderness House Review).
Tag is a medieval mystery filled with more plot twists and turns than a Stephen King tale, with unique and well-developed characters and descriptions that let readers see every detail vividly. Carrabis is a master storyteller and his talent shines brightly with this novel, enlisting all the senses to bring his scenes to life with his detailed descriptions with the skill of Anne Rice.
There are strange happenings in the village of Nant. Unknown strangers lurk in the shadows, no one is who they appear to be, and everybody seems to have secrets and hidden motives. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, something happens to make you realize that you’ve got it all wrong. Some say the village is cursed. Missing and murdered maidens, poisoned waters and dying crops, murders and betrayals. And it all began with a witch in a tree and a curse…. Or… did it?
Tag is a captivating story that will enthrall readers from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down. A delightfully dark tale. I give it five 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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This post is sponsored by Tales From the Hanging Tree and WordCrafter Press.
There exists a tree that is timeless, spanning across all dimensions, which absorbs every life as those who are hanged as they die… and it remembers every one. The stories within are a select few of the Tales From the Hanging Tree.
Stories by Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Kane, DL Mullan, C.R. Johannson, Joseph Carrabis, Sylva Fae, and Matt Usher.
Purchase your copy today: https://books2read.com/Hanging-Tree
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Book Review: “The Rebound Effect”
Posted: November 8, 2024 Filed under: Audio Books, Book Review, Books, Fiction, Review, romance | Tags: Audiobook Review, Book Review, Catherine Hein Carter, Linda Griffin, mystery, romance, The Rebound Effect, Writing to be Read 2 CommentsAbout The Rebound Effect
In the small town of Cougar, struggling single mother and veterinary assistant Teresa Lansing is still bruised from a failed relationship when Frank McAllister sweeps her off her feet.
Frank is a big-city SWAT officer who moved to Cougar only four months ago. He’s handsome, charming, forceful, very sexy, and a bit mysterious. He had his eye on Teresa even before they met and is pushing for a serious relationship right away.
Teresa finds his intense courtship flattering, and the sex is fabulous, but she doesn’t want her deaf six-year-old son to be hurt again. Her former fiancé cheated on her when he got drunk after being unjustly fired, but he loves her and her son, and the whirlwind romance is complicated by his efforts to win Teresa back.
And then there’s the matter of the bodies buried at Big Devil Creek…
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Audible-The-Rebound-Effect/dp/B0DHLWSYRW
My Review
I received a free audiobook of “The Rebound Effect” from author, Linda Griffin, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Narrated by Catherine Hein Carter, I felt the narration was well done, although I could tell she was reading in some places. This story had a female protagonist, so I didn’t have the same reservations about the female narrator as I did in my review of Love, Death, and the Art of Cooking. With The Rebound Effect, I found the narration went much better from the female protagonist, Theresa’s perspective, and Carter was a much better fit in my opinion.
Theresa is a single mom, divorced from her deaf son’s father, and she’s on the rebound from Bret, who wasn’t faithful in the relationship she had with him, which hurt her deeply. She focuses her life on her son, Aiden, and tries to make herself believe that is all she needs. She’s hesitant to enter into yet another relationship with when Frank comes along, intent on sweeping her off her feet.
I found Frank to not be very likeble. I felt that he is pushy and controlling, and I had a hard time rooting for the two characters to get together because he is so arrogant. It made it hard to think that he would be a good match for Theresa. He keeps telling her that they will go as fast or slow as she wants, but then just keeps coming even when she repeatedly tells him to slow down, and ignores when she says his buying an item is too much and buys the item anyway. That doesn’t show the respect for her which he claims he has. Obviously, this really bothered me with this story. But then, I thought I was reading a romance and this turned out to be so much more.
As it turns out, we have more of a love triangle situation, where Theresa is faced with a choice between two men, Frank and her ex-boyfriend, Bret, who won’t give up after his single indescretionary act of infidelity broke Theresa’s heart. I do wish we could have gotten to know Bret a little better. Most of the focus was on Frank, because Theresa has cut Bret out of her life without giving him a chance to redeem himself until well into the story.
This book has a crime fiction subplot, as the bodies of young girls are found in the opening scene and other girls go missing throughout, with these scenarios playing through Theresa’s head throughout the story, adding a sense of mystery to the story. While I thought all along that eventually the mystery would be solved, I didn’t realize what a vital part it would play in the end. (No spoilers.) Even with all the clues we’re given, the real hero was a surprise to me, and in the end, I was quite satisfied as a reader.
Not what I expected, but it held my interest and wrapped things up nicely in the end. I give The Rebound Effect 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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Let’s Talk About Book Reviews
Posted: March 22, 2024 Filed under: Audiobook Review, Book Review, Review | Tags: Audiobook, Audiobook Review, Book Review, Book Reviews, Books, Writing to be Read 37 CommentsInstead of offering a book review today, I’d like to talk about book reviews. If you follow the blog, you know that I post at least one book review almost every week. I hope no one feels shorted because I chose to do things differently this week. You might also know that I offer up honest reviews in exchange for an ARC copy of the book, digital, print or audiobook, for those who request it. (ARC stands for A Review Copy, or a copy which was sent out early in hopes of review by traditional publishers. I send out between thirty and sixty requests for review for each WordCrafter Press book published.) Obviosly, if I’m writing that many book reviews, I am a voracious reader, so I also pick up other books to read and I review them as well. As a rule, if I read it, I review it. It’s just one way to help out my fellow authors, and I often, though not always, know the authors of the books I choose to read.
But today, I find myself in a dilemma. I just finished the most awful audiobook I have ever listened to. The audiobook was one that I purchased, by an author which I had previously read one of her books. That first one I listened to was well-written, a good story, and had a decent narrator, so I thought I would give this book a go.
To start off, it was a different narrator, a very poor narrator. The inflections were all wrong, there were pauses where there shouldn’t be, with starts and stops that made the reading jerky and chopped, and there was little or no emotion. Honestly, my AI narrated audiobooks did a better job.
But then I realized that it wasn’t just that. The book was poorly written, as well. Perhaps this was one of the authors earlier works and the first book I read was a later work? After the first time I tried to listen to it, I put it down for some time, but since I haven’t been financially able to replenish my audiobook library, I decided to give it a go, since I had already listened to everything else. So, I struggled through it for lack of better input. But about halfway through, I realized that there was no way I could review this book without trashing both author and narrator, and I really don’t like doing that.
They say that a negative review is better than no review, but I’m not sure if I buy that. All reviewers are critics, but I don’t believe that a critic must harsh to be effective. I offer my reviews to help other authors, and my reviews are honest, even if there are things I didn’t like about a book. I always try to emphasive the positive, but the negative is still there.
I know many of my readers are bloggers who are reviewers, so I’m asking you all today – how would you handle this? Am I obligated as a critic to write a negative review of this audiobook? Would you write it? Or would you just put the book into the archive and forget about it? I would love to get someone else’s thoughts on this. What do you think?
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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.
