Blog Archives
Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case
Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case is a captivating tale that transports readers to 1932 Los Angeles. This engrossing story follows the journey of an 11-year-old girl named Sparky, a street-smart and resolute young girl who unwittingly becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a young blonde girl she found dead on a bench. The story begins on her birthday when she had saved up a box of sweets to celebrate her special day. However, her birthday takes a drastic turn when she finds herself accused of a crime she did not commit.
Author Rosalind Barden’s writing had me hooked from the first page, and Sparky’s character immediately drew me in. The author has done an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of the buildings and characters, making them easy to visualize. Tootsie’s character adds an interesting layer to the story, and her home is described in such detail that it feels like a character itself. The food Sparky is offered at Tootsie’s house is also beautifully described, making the reader’s mouth water. Sparky’s character is tough and independent, but the author has also demonstrated that she has a kind heart that she tries to keep hidden. This makes her a lovable character, and the reader cannot help but root for her as she tries to solve the case and live her life without fear. The mystery in this story is expertly crafted, pulling the reader in and keeping them gripped until the very end. The suspense is palpable, making it difficult to put the book down. I found myself constantly wanting to know what would happen next and how the story would unfold.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-written, suspenseful mystery. Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case is a page-turner that will leave readers eager for more.
Pages: 218 | ASIN : B07H49P46T
Beyond the Shadows
Claire McKenzie is an intrepid news reporter on a mission to make her city aware of the ‘Smiley Face Murderer,’ unaware that she might be the target herself. The clock is ticking, and the body count is rising; Detective Lance Harris leads an intense investigation to catch the murderer, all while trying to save the woman he loves from becoming the next victim. A thrilling story of life and death saved by love. Beyond the Shadows by DeAnn Daley Holcomb is a murder mystery novel that takes the reader on a journey of twists and turns as the detective tries to uncover the killer’s identity before they strike again.
One of the strengths of the book is the well-narrated and suspenseful plot. The author does an excellent job of building tension and keeping the reader engaged. The characterization is also well-done, with fully-realized and multi-dimensional characters that are easy to connect with and root for. The setting of the book is another strong point. The small-town atmosphere is well-described, and the author does a great job of creating a sense of place and community that is both eerie and endearing. This setting adds to the flavor of the story, as well as the character development, making the book feel both grounded and otherworldly. The murder mystery is well-executed, with plenty of red herrings and false leads to keep the reader guessing. The author does an excellent job of weaving together multiple plotlines and tying them together satisfactorily, making for a gripping and emotionally impactful finale.
Beyond The Shadows by DeAnn Daley Holcomb is a well-crafted murder mystery that will keep readers on edge from start to finish. With a nail-biting plot, well-realized characters, and a richly described setting, this book is a must-read for fans of the genre.
Pages: 242 | ISBN : 1639887210
Art and Beauty
Art and Beauty follows detective Jon Dak, a likable protagonist and private investigator. The story unfolds in a Soho art gallery, where Dak acts as a security guard on the night of an exhibition. It doesn’t take long for the detective to put his skills into action over the gallery’s owner and her soon-to-be ex-husband. A host of other intriguing characters fill the plot of this fast-paced, engaging story, including the gallery owner’s son, Dak’s friends in the police force, and his level-headed girlfriend, Katie. The fascinating and complex characters are highly entertaining, especially in the well-drawn and alluring backdrop of New York City’s world of glamour and modeling.
The story gains momentum as Dak becomes extremely cautious within a reckless and unpredictable society where he must face drugs, smuggling, kidnapping, and murder. I enjoyed how the plot grew more intense as Dak went to great lengths to protect himself while trying to solve the case. The narration is consistent, easy to follow, and gripping. His short phrases and blunt demeanor capture Dak’s crisp and easy manner.
Art and Beauty by Bruce Price is a worthwhile read with a rich and exciting plot and characters that readers will enjoy following. It’s a riveting crime fiction novel that will keep you turning one page after another, with gripping action and plot twists from beginning to end.
Pages: 325
Contracts For Sale
The disappearance of a wealthy CEO, corporate murder, and a ‘stealth’ company Eradication Inc. that operates below the radar providing a sophisticated hitman service: all of this forms the crux of Edward Izzi’s latest crime novel Contracts for Sale. This story begins with a chillingly efficient disposal of a well-dressed corpse in a vat of hydrofluoric acid—the perfect crime that leaves no body, no witnesses, no DNA. Paul Crawford, a journalist, along with the Chicago P.D and a news anchor Chaz Rizzo, work in a friends-and-enemies dynamic to solve the cases of Eradication Inc.’s ‘Houdini Victims’ with no discernible links to each other disappearing throughout the city of Chicago.
The irresistible lure that power and money has, coupled with the desire for revenge and control, is made very clear and is brought out well in this gritty story. Despite the millions that each of the seven shareholders of Eradication Inc. receive every year from the company’s nefarious activities, personal motives compel some of them to put out contracts against their personal enemies—something that the company strictly forbids.
The author does a good job of holding the reader’s attention with his account of the company’s workings, proven in the fact that the reader knows Eradication Inc. to be responsible for the murders within the first few chapters and is still engrossed in the story. The worlds of reporting and policing are de-glamorized in this book, with Crawford and Detective Dorian working to deadlines, reporting to superiors, and playing by the rules, something that is rarely shown in most police thrillers.
Contracts for Sale by Edwrad Izzi expertly combines strong characters, knowledgeable descriptions of Chicago’s geography and its environment, with the various fields of journalism, detectives, the mob underworld, and upscale society to tell a grounded and realistic police procedural story that is thrilling and compelling.
Pages: 334 | ASIN: B0BK4VQ21V
The Final Comeuppance
Amanda Conway is a successful author enjoying a good night’s sleep in her Brooklyn apartment when her phone goes off. On the other side of the call is her cousin, Detective Pablo Conway, requesting assistance in solving two homicides that strongly link with Amanda’s worst childhood memories. That time in her childhood which she had put entirely behind her. That time was horrible not just to her but to several of her friends and other kids. The headmaster and the most despicable teacher at Winslow-Kent have been murdered, and Amanda has to face her past to help her cousin and her hometown, the quiet town of Carlisle, and get the killer to justice.
The Final Comeuppance by Carolyn Summer Quinn is a classic whodunnit mystery full of irresponsible adults, criminals thriving amid children, and innocent kids suffering from emotional and physical abuse. A private school hiding under the banner of prestige, Winslow-Kent houses some of the most nefarious characters who enjoy abusing children and money-minded misers who care less for the children and more about the fees they brought in.
Quinn has successfully built a playground of felonies and characters who have sold their humanity for a small amount of money. With a riveting plot of multiple suspects, Quinn creates enough doubt in the reader’s mind to consume the entire mystery in one sitting. The protagonist’s fear and hate towards the adults who failed her are conveyed powerfully.
The Final Comeuppance is a riveting police procedural novel with an amateur sleuth as the protagonist. Readers that enjoy reading about the bad guys getting what they deserve will be drawn into this compelling mystery while trying to figure out who the murderer is along with the characters.
Pages: 351 | ASIN : B0B7ZHYSQ2
The Divine Travel Agency
The Divine Travel Agency by A Frank Corso Mystery is an exceptional supernatural fiction novel and the first book in the Frank Corso mystery series. The story revolves around a middle-aged bachelor named Frank Corso, who works on Wall Street and lives an extravagant bachelor life. He is comfortable with his life until he visits New Orleans on a business trip, and life takes an unexpected turn. In the weeks leading to Christmas, his ex-girlfriend asks him to find her young supernatural friend, who has disappeared. Corso dives deep into the rich culture of New Orleans and, in doing so, discovers some of the city’s darkest secrets and the mystery of “The divine travel agency.”
The author has written a gripping mystery story that is a page-turner. Frank Corso is a likable and intelligent character, and readers will enjoy getting to know him as the plot unfolds. The story is set in the heart of New Orleans, and the author’s research shows. Readers will be able to picture themselves in New Orleans as he vividly describes all the fantastic tourist spots and travel-worthy places. I found this book hard to put down once I started reading, and it was thanks to the author’s descriptive writing style I was transported into the culture of New Orleans.
Readers will take a deep dive into New Orleans’s rich history with a sprinkle of mystique throughout. The supernatural aspect of the story adds to the drama making this a mysterious read. Readers will feel as if they are part of the investigation, searching along with Frank as he tries to solve the mystery. The story moves at a smooth pace, and some unexpected twists in the story keep readers guessing till the end reveal.
The Divine Travel Agency is a must-read for those who enjoy New Orleans’s magic and a great mystery to solve. The supernatural elements are a great addition giving the traditional detective troupes a fresh take and readers a new experience.
Pages: 388 | ASIN : B09LHJXR67
The Sting
The Sting by Steve Powell is a complete genre mash-up. Stick Superman, Batman, James Bond, and an old-timey noir detective into a blender, and you’ll get The Sting’s protagonist, Dean.
Dean is the hero of The Sting, but throughout the book, we never find out too much about him. All we know is he’s a metahuman (he has powers), has a shady past, and is basically brilliant at anything he tries. Martial arts prowess? Check. Super strength? Check. Super Intelligence? Check. Puts James Bond to shame when it comes to the ladies? Check.
Everyone wants a piece of Dean. The good guys and the bad guys want to hire him. If they can’t hire him, they either wish him in a body bag or locked up in a lab to be experimented on. The Sting follows Dean as he pinballs from one adventure to another, constantly being pulled in different directions and never entirely sure who he can trust.
The Sting is an excellent pulpy holiday read. It’s a book about a cool guy doing extraordinary things. Dean is the kind of person, so many men daydream about being. But it would do the book a disservice to say that it’s all pulp with no depth.
Dean is an immensely likable character, and despite his brilliant nature, he is still relatable. This is because the only person who seems unsure what Dean should be is himself. Dean is no superhero. He’s just a gun for hire. At the beginning of the book, Dean seems a little lost and lonely. In some ways, the book is a journey of self-discovery for Dean, and it is only at the end of the book he decides who he wants to be.
Powell focuses on constantly pushing the story forward. The book moves at a breakneck pace and rarely slows to take a breath. Dean is essentially an enigma, and Powell doesn’t spend much time explaining things. While this is mainly for the book’s benefit, I wish Powell would slow down sometimes to add more explanation and description. The story moves so quickly that a momentary lapse in concentration in reading can leave you lost.
Powell leaves a lot of questions unanswered and a lot of elements unexplained. I expect this to keep us hooked and ready for the next book in the series. The Sting is a great easy read for a holiday or day off. I can’t wait to see what happens to Dean next.
Pages: 192 | ISBN: 9781737738299
Sultry
Papa Grand was involved in a scandalous affair with the beautiful woman “Sultry Glade.” It wasn’t the best-kept secret, most knew. What people didn’t know then, however, was how gravely it would come back to bite him. On August 7th, early morning, Gideon “Giddy” Fitzgerald was found murdered inside his vehicle. Unfortunately, their murderer was never caught. Years later, his granddaughter Dillyn Fitzgerald, a chief financial investment officer with a passion for investigating, would dive deep into the tangled web of mysteries and lies to finally catch his killer. With the help of her family and visions of “Sultry,” she begins to unravel the hidden secrets that were buried. But will she be able to solve his murder, or will it come back to haunt her forever?
Sultry, by Dr. Sandra Tanner, is a murder mystery tale filled with plot twists and delectable secrets that will have your mind racing. You are left at the edge of your seat from the turn of the first page to the end of the book because you desperately need to know the answers to your questions.
The reader follows Dillyn Fitzgerald as she sets out to investigate her grandfather’s scandal and find the killer. Dillyn’s character is one that I grew fond of because she is headstrong, loyal, and relatable, and I enjoyed following her along with her investigation. Dr. Tanner’s character development is one to applaud, and it’s hard not to like all the characters. The addition of paranormal activities sprinkled throughout the story was also a pleasant surprise, adding drama to the plot. The plot twist at the end was shocking but a nice surprise despite the ending feels rushed.
Sultry by Dr. Sandra Tanner is an intriguing murder mystery with interesting characters and many plot twists. This compelling book is a fast and exciting read, and I found myself unable to put it down.
Pages: 290 | ASIN : B09RN7Y9LK
LITERARY TITAN 