February 2023 MBR The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Penguin Pool Murder
Stuart Palmer, author
American Mystery Classics
c/o The Mysterious Press
http://mysteriouspress.com
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781613163894, $25.95, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Penguin-Pool-Murder-Stuart-Palmer/dp/1613163894

Synopsis: For the third graders at Jefferson School, a field trip is always a treat. But one day at the New York Aquarium, they get much more excitement than they bargained for. A pickpocket sprints past, stolen purse in hand, and is making his way to the exit when their teacher, the prim Hildegarde Withers, knocks him down with her umbrella.

By the time the police and the security guards finish arguing about what to do with Chicago Lew, he has escaped, and Miss Withers has found something far more interesting: a murdered stockbroker floating in the penguin tank. With the help of Detective Oscar Piper, this no-nonsense spinster embarks on her first of many adventures. The mystery is baffling, the killer dangerous, but for a woman who can control a gaggle of noisy third graders, murder isn't frightening at all.

Critique: A fun read for all dedicated fans of 'whodunnit' mysteries featuring amateur women sleuths, "The Penguin Pool Murder" by Stuart Palmer is part of the Hildegarde Withers Mysteries series, which also includes Murder on the Blackboard and Murder on Wheels. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading list that "The Penguin Pool Murder" is also available in a paperback edition (9781613163979, $15.95), in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.990, and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781531816032, $9.99, MP3-CD)

Editorial Note: Stuart Palmer (June 21, 1905 - February 4, 1968) was an American author of mysteries. Born in Baraboo, Wisconsin, Palmer worked a number of odd jobs including apple picking, journalism, and copywriting, before publishing his first novel, the crime drama Ace of Jades, in 1931. It was with his second novel, however, that he established his writing career: The Penguin Pool Murder introduced Hildegarde Withers, a schoolmarm who, on a field trip to the New York Aquarium, discovers a dead body in the pool. Withers was an immensely popular character, and went on to star in thirteen more novels, including Miss Withers Regrets (1947) and Nipped in the Bud (1951). A master of intricate plotting, Palmer found success writing for Hollywood, where several of his books, including The Penguin Pool Murder, were filmed by RKO Pictures Inc. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Palmer)

The Album
Mary Roberts Rinehart
American Mystery Classics
c/o The Mysterious Press
http://mysteriouspress.com
9781613163610, $25.95, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Album-Mary-Roberts-Rinehart/dp/1613163614

Synopsis: Even in the early 1930s, Crescent Place is a neighborhood out of the past. The five Victorian mansions and the remote patch of pasture placed between them have the air of the 1890s, even as the city (once miles away from this idyllic retreat) encroaches and surrounds the enclave. But while these rarified residences may appear calm on the outside, their isolated interiors contain dark secrets, prolonged feuds, and generations of high-toned trouble.

In these houses are a husband and wife who fight constantly, and another couple who hasn't spoken to each other in two decades. There is a widow in permanent mourning and a daughter whom the newspapers call psychotic. And there is a bedridden old woman who is about to be killed with an ax.

When her murder shatters the well-mannered quiet of the cul-de-sac, the tabloids delight in trumpeting Crescent Place's peculiarities. But as the search for the killer intensifies, it becomes clear that the area's strangest secrets have yet to be revealed.

Critique: A suspenseful and 'yesteryear' mystery that enriched for the reader by sly social satire and set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, "The Album" is a memorable and classic whodunnit by the late Mary Roberts Rinehart -- one of the most beloved and popular mystery authors of the Golden Age era. While strongly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated historical mystery and amateur sleuthing fans that "The Album" is also available in a paperback edition (9781613163627, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Editorial Note: Mary Roberts Rinehart (August 12, 1876 - September 22, 1958) was the most beloved and best-selling mystery writer in America in the first half of the twentieth century. Born in Pittsburgh to the owner of a sewing machine factory, she wrote fiction in her spare time until a stock market crash sent her and her husband into debt, forcing her to lean on her writing to pay the bills. Her first two novels, The Circular Staircase (1908) and The Man in Lower Ten (1909), established her as a bright young talent, and it wasn't long before she was a regular on bestseller lists. Among her dozens of novels were The Amazing Adventures of Letitia Carberry (1911) and The Bat (1932), which was among the inspirations for Bob Kane's Batman. Today, Rinehart is often called an American Agatha Christie, even though she was much more popular than Christie during her heyday. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Roberts_Rinehart)

Murder in the Manger
Debbie Young
Boldwood
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781804830772, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 328pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-in-the-manger-debbie-young/1135522985

Synopsis: When Sophie Sayers' plans for a cosy English country Christmas are interrupted by the arrival of her ex-boyfriend, her troubles are only just beginning. Before long, the whole village stands accused of murder.

Damian says he's come to direct the village nativity play, but Sophie thinks he's up to no good. What are those noises coming from his van? Who is the stranger lurking in the shadows? And whose baby, abandoned in the manger, disappears in plain sight?

Critique: With the publication of this large print paperback edition of "Murder in the Manger", the legions of Debbie Young fans will enjoy the fun of a traditional Cotswold festive season, as Sophie seeks a happy ending for her latest village mystery -- and for her new romance with charming local bookseller Hector Munro. A mastery of the cozy mystery genre, Debbie Young never disappoints, making "Murder in the Manger" a welcome addition to personal reading lists and a 'must' for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: When Debbie Young (https://authordebbieyoung.com) is the UK Ambassador for the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), a course tutor for Jericho Writers, and the author of several instructive guidebooks for authors. In 2015 she founded the Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival in her home village in the Cotswolds. The Festival now takes the form of a year-round series of talks on different themes and genres, each featuring at least three guest authors, with me in the chair. See www.hulitfest.com for more details.

The Tears of the Buddha
E. A. Allen
Addison & Highsmith Publishers
c/o Histria Books
www.histriabooks.com
9781592111756, $24.99, HC, 128pp

https://www.amazon.com/Tears-Buddha-Allen/dp/1592111750

Synopsis: Marie-Claire Bernard was the widow of a national hero and the daughter of a wealthy, politically powerful family and her murder threatened domestic consequences for the French Government.

Eager to avoid uproar in the press, the Minister of Justice summons Gerard de Montclaire (the most renowned detective of the era) to assume a familiar role. Examining Magistrate, with sweeping powers to find and prosecute the killer.

Montclaire soon learns that Marie-Claire was in possession of three rare and priceless porcelain bowls of the Tang Dynasty. The legendary bowls (called The Tears of Buddha) are now missing. Are they the motive for the murder?

Critique: A brilliantly written novel that will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in historical murder mysteries, "The Tears of the Buddha" by E. A. Alen is a deftly crafted crime thriller that is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "The Tears of the Buddha" is also readily for mystery buffs that "The Tears of the Buddha" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).

Editorial Note: E. A. Allen (https://histriabooks.com/project/e-a-allen) is a History Professor, cattle farmer, and retired CIA intelligence officer. When he's not out chasing staying cows that have no respect for fences, or tracking-down undergraduates who have no respect for assignment deadlines, he's at his desk, writing mysteries in the great tradition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L. Sayers.

Murder at an Irish Castle
Ellie Brannigan
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639102587, $18.99, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Irish-Castle-Mystery/dp/1639102582

Synopsis: Rodeo Drive bridalwear designer Rayne McGrath expected her thirtieth birthday to start with a power lunch and end with champagne, lobster, and a diamond engagement ring from her fiance. Instead, flat-broke and busted, she's on a plane to Ireland where she discovers that she's inherited a run-down family castle.

But her Uncle Nevin's will contains a few caveats -- for example, if Rayne doesn't turn McGrath Castle around within a year, the entire village will be financially destroyed.

With the fate of the town in her hands, and rumors that Rayne's uncle's death wasn't actually an accident, she can't possibly go back to her old life in L.A. As the devastating truth about her uncle dawns on Rayne, it's not just her reputation that's on the line, it's her life.

Critique: Featuring a sharp and endearing protagonist, a colorful and quirky locale, and replete with twists and turns befitting an old Irish village, "Murder at an Irish Castle" is the first in author Ellie Brannigan's new Irish Castle Mystery series and transports the reader to a milieu as romantic as it is deadly. Unreservedly recommended to the attention of dedicated Cozy Mystery fans, "Murder at an Irish Castle" is a fun read from cover to cover. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $13..99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666628593, $22.99, CD), "Murder at an Irish Castle" is a highly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Ellie Brannigan (https://crookedlanebooks.com/ellie-brannigan) is the author of the Irish Castle Mystery series. When she's not creating new fictional worlds, she reads and travels. She has lived in South Florida for the last twenty years.

Murder Served Neat
Michelle Hillen Klump
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639102341, $29.99, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Served-Cocktails-Catering-Mystery/dp/1639102345

Synopsis: Reporter-turned-mixologist Samantha Warren has already thwarted one murder (A Dash of Death). Now, her world is shaken (definitely not stirred) once again as another killing throws her world into chaos.

Samantha is mixing up traditional cocktails at the German Texan Lodge's Fourth of July festival -- a gig she was roped into by her mother. But amidst the bratwurst and brass bands, trouble is brewing. Lodge loyalties are divided over a proposal to build a private, country-club-style tennis center on the lodge grounds. Her mom's best friend Patty Davis is vehemently opposed to the plan. Society matron Angela Clawson is all for it. At the festival, they're seen in a heated argument -- and hours later, Angela is found dead, killed by one of the ceremonial shovels intended for the groundbreaking.

Samantha's mother begs her to help clear her best friend's name, but can she handle another murder case or will the whole investigation go bottoms up?

Critique: The second superbly crafted cozy mystery in author Michelle Hillen Klump's 'A Cocktails and Catering Mystery' series, "Murder Served Neat" has everything fans of the genre look forward to -- an amateur female sleuth and a plot with more twists and turns than a Coney Island Roller Coaster. A fun and masterfully crafted novel from first page to last, "Murder Served Neat" is recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "Murder Served Neat" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: Michelle Hillen Klump (https://michelleklump.com) is a former newspaper reporter who covered government, courts and crime throughout Arkansas and Central Texas. Still a working journalist, she is also a member of Sisters in Crime. Her short fiction has appeared in Crimson Streets and Tales of Texas, Volume II (a Houston short story anthology).

A Good Day to Pie
Misha Popp
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639102327, $28.99, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Pies-Before-Guys-Mystery/dp/1639102329

Synopsis: Daisy bakes a little murder into every pie she creates, and she (and her dog, Zoe) delivers them to the town's worst cads. Now, Daisy has entered a televised, elimination-style competition and has a shot at $100k in prize money -- but she still has a murder pie to deliver between filming.

In a completely unexpected turn of events, she discovers that her intended victim is one of the competition judges, and he turns up dead before the pie even arrives. Now, Daisy has to solve the murder (even if it means working a bit of magic) before someone calls foul play and exposes her murderous secret.

Critique: For anyone who's ever fantasized about the world of competitive baking … la the Great British Bake Off (or has ever dreamed of getting back at that guy who wronged them years ago) Misha Popp's culinary cozy mystery novel takes the idea of "a dessert to die for" to a whole new level. Featuring a unique and memorable amateur female sleuth, "A Good Day To Pie" is a fun and riveting read from cover to cover. While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery fans that "A Good Day To Pie" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: Misha Popp (https://crookedlanebooks.com/misha-popp) enjoys writing about murdery women and over-the-top baked goods. She lives in rural Massachusetts where she bakes entirely too many pies and sculpts things out of chocolate. Ideal inspiration for her 'Pies Before Guys' mystery series.

The Hunter
Jennifer Herrera
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593540213, $27.00, HC, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Hunter-Jennifer-Herrera/dp/0593540212

Synopsis: After reckless behavior costs NYPD detective Leigh O'Donnell her job and her marriage, she returns with her four-year-old daughter to her beautiful hometown of Copper Falls, Ohio. Leigh had stayed away for more than a decade (even though her brother and a trio of loving uncles still call it home) because, while the town may seem idyllic, something rotten lies at its core. Three men in town have drowned in what Leigh suspects to be a triple homicide. She hopes that by finding out who killed them, she just might get her life back on course.

Headstrong and intuitive, Leigh isn't afraid to face a killer, but she has to do more than that to discover the truth about what happened to those men. She must unravel a web of secrets going back generations, and, in doing so, plumb the darkness within herself.

Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "The Hunter" is author Jennifer Herrera debut as a novelist, this impressively crafted suspense thriller of a read also provides a haunting look at how the search for truth often leads back to the most unlikely of places! With its roster of deftly crafted and memorable characters -- and a plot with more twists and turns than a Disneyland Roller Coaster, "The Hunter" is available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Jennifer Herrera (https://www.jenniferherrerabooks.com) is a former philosophy grad student turned literary agent, who is fascinated by the stories we tell ourselves to live and the lies we cling to that sabotage our chances at a good life.

Night Shift
Robin Cook
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593540183, $29.00, HC, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Night-Shift-Robin-Cook/dp/0593540182

Synopsis: Colleagues-turned-spouses Dr. Laurie Montgomery and Dr. Jack Stapleton already have their plates full with demanding forensic pathology work and family pressures. The last thing they need is the sudden death of a colleague. Yet when Laurie's apparently vital and healthy longtime friend Dr. Sue Passero dies mysteriously in the hospital parking garage, an autopsy is required, and it falls uncomfortably under Laurie's purview as the chief medical examiner. So when Laurie asks Jack to take special care with the case, he can hardly refuse.

With his curiosity sparked by an inconclusive autopsy, the indefatigable Jack is compelled to resolve the case at hand, and sets out to investigate on-site at Manhattan Memorial Hospital, even though it means blatantly defying the Office of Chief Medical Examiner's rules. What started out as an inquiry into Sue's tragic passing soon turns into a deadly and dangerous chess game between Jack and the clever and deranged killer, who might just administer another lethal blow if Jack isn't careful.

Critique: Another beautifully crafted medical thriller by a seasoned master of the genre, "Night Shift" by Robin Cook will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the legions of Robin Cook fans that "Night Shift" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Penguin Audio, 9780593629888, $40.00, CD).

Editorial Note: The literary career of Robin Cook (https://robincook.com) began with his first novel, The Year of the Intern, which he wrote underwater while on board the nuclear submarine, Kamehameha. It was written to illustrate the less than salubrious psychological impact of graduate medical education on the psyche of young physicians. It was followed 5 years later in 1977 with Coma, which had been written at night while he was a senior ophthalmology resident and which was published while Dr. Cook was a student at the Kennedy School of Government. This novel created the genre of the medical mystery-thriller, and changed the public's perception as well as the media's portrayal of medicine. Prior to Coma, medicine was on the proverbial pedestal (e.g. Dr. Ben Casey and Marcus Welby, M.D.); post-Coma, there were questions, meaning bad doctors and bad hospitals exist and should be avoided. To date Robin Cook has written a total of thirty-seven worldwide bestsellers.

The Twyford Code
Janice Hallett
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas. New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781668003220, $27.00, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Twyford-Code-Novel-Janice-Hallett/dp/1668003228

Synopsis: Forty years ago, Steven "Smithy" Smith found a copy of a famous children's book by disgraced author Edith Twyford, its margins full of strange markings and annotations. When he showed it to his remedial English teacher Miss Iles, she believed that it was part of a secret code that ran through all of Twyford's novels. And when she disappeared on a class field trip, Smithy became convinced that she had been right.

Now, out of prison after a long stretch, Smithy decides to investigate the mystery that has haunted him for decades. In a series of voice recordings on an old iPhone from his estranged son, Smithy alternates between visiting the people of his childhood and looking back on the events that later landed him in prison.

But it soon becomes clear that Edith Twyford wasn't just a writer of forgotten children's stories. The Twyford Code holds a great secret, and Smithy may just have the key!

Critique: A deftly crafted novel from cover to cover, with the publication of "The Twyford Code", author Janice Hallett rivals Agatha Christy as a novelist able to construct fiendishly clever, maddeningly original crime novels that will have a very special appeal to lovers of word games, puzzles, and to those who enjoy stories of redemption. A fun and fascinating read from first page to last, "The Twyford Code" is a truly exceptional and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated crime novel fans that "The Twyford Code" is also available in a paperback edition (9781788165334, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Editorial Note: Janice Hallett (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janice_Hallett) is a former magazine editor, award-winning journalist and government communications writer. She wrote articles and speeches for, among others, the Cabinet Office, Home Office and Department for International Development. A playwright and screenwriter, she penned the feminist Shakespearean stage comedy NetherBard and co-wrote the feature film Retreat, a psychological thriller starring Cillian Murphy, Thandiwe Newton and Jamie Bell. The Appeal is her first novel, and The Twyford Code her second.

Barking Up The Wrong Tree
Janice Thompson
Barbour Publishing
P.O. Box 719, 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
www.barbourbooks.com
9781636094519, $14.99, PB, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Barking-Wrong-Tree-Gone-Dogs/dp/1636094511

Synopsis: Inquisitive, detail-oriented, Veterinarian Kristin Keller prides herself on winning over any dog. But has this self-proclaimed dog whisperer finally met her match in a Sheltie named Remington who has just won the Texas state agility course competition?

The champion pooch is acting out of sorts -- almost as if he is not the same dog. Has he, by chance, been switched out with another dog just before the next big competition? Kristin and the other Lone Star employees will do anything to help the Atkinson family figure out this mystery surrounding their beloved Remington.

Critique: Cosy mystery fans everywhere will want to grab a puppy to snuggle and unwind with "Barking Up The Wrong Tree", a delightfully fun small-town mystery that is book 3 of author Janice Thompson's 'Gone to the Dogs' series. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "Barking Up The Wrong Tree" is unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Janice Thompson (https://janiceathompson.com) writes romantic comedies, cozy mysteries, nonfiction devotionals, and musical comedies for the stage.

Murder Book
Thomas Perry
The Mysterious Press
http://mysteriouspress.com
9781613163832, $27.95, HC, 420pp

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Book-Novel-Thomas-Perry/dp/1613163835

Synopsis: When a sudden crime wave hits several small midwestern towns, the U.S. Attorney for the region calls on Harry Duncan to investigate. An ex-cop known for his unorthodox methods, Duncan is reluctant to go up against a widespread criminal organization -- but the attorney in question is Ellen Leicester, the wife who left him fifteen years earlier, and to her, he can't say no.

Initially brought in as a consultant to determine if the racketeering is severe enough to require an all-out investigation by the FBI, Duncan quickly finds himself in conflict with a syndicate far more violent than first suspected. As the investigation develops, he begins compiling a "murder book", the notebook in which a detective keeps records, interviews, photos -- everything he needs to build his case. But his scrutiny of the gang soon makes Duncan a target. And Ellen, too.

Critique: A thrilling and suspenseful tour of crime-addled midwestern towns, "Murder Book" is signature Thomas Perry police procedural suspense thriller of a read with memorable characters, crisply-described action sequences, and breathlessly tense plotting. A 'must' for the growing legions of Thomas Perry fans, "Murder Book" is a compelling and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. For personal reading lists in should be noted that "Murder Book" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Thomas Perry (https://www.thomasperryauthor.com) is the bestselling author of over twenty novels, including the critically acclaimed Jane Whitefield series, The Old Man, and The Butcher's Boy, which won the Edgar Award.

The Girl Who Took What She Wanted
David Handler
The Mysterious Press
http://mysteriouspress.com
9781613163849, $26.95, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Who-Took-What-Wanted/dp/1613163843

Synopsis: Stewart "Hoagy" Hoag hasn't written any fiction since his debut novel rocked the literary world of the 1980s and then left him with a paralyzing case of writer's block. Since then, he's been reduced to ghostwriting celebrity memoirs. But his newest project could have him diving back into the world of fiction in a way he never imagined.

Nikki Dymtryk is Hollywood's hottest reality TV star, known for her wild party lifestyle and prolific sexual conquests across the music, film, and sports industries. But when the ratings for her show Being Nikki begin to drop, the Dymtryk family engineers a new plan to keep Nikki in the limelight: reinventing the young star as a bestselling author. Nikki's team hires Hoagy to ghostwrite a steamy romance novel showcasing the glitz and glamor of the Hollywood elite.

Reluctantly, Hoagy flies out to L.A. with his trusty basset hound Lulu to see what he's gotten himself into with Nikki. But when he finally meets the starlet, she's nothing like the aimless, airhead image she presents to the media. This project may just be the key to getting Hoagy's creative juices flowing again -- and staying in L.A. might also give him a chance at getting back together with his actress ex-wife, Merilee.

But spending time with Nikki isn't all parties and poolside lounging. As Hoagy gets closer to the young woman, he begins to uncover the Dymtryk family's dark secrets. Secrets that are worth killing for.

Critique: Another deftly crafted mystery novel by an author with a true mastery of the genre, "The Girl Who Took What She Wanted" is David Handler's newest edition to his Stewart Hoag Mystery series. With a special appeal to fans of the cozy mystery/amateur sleuth novel, "The Girl Who Took What She Wanted" is available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.49) and will prove to be a popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: David Handler (https://davidhandlerbooks.com) is the Edgar Award-winning and critically acclaimed author of several bestselling mystery series. He began his career as a New York City reporter, and wrote his first two novels Kiddo (1987) and Boss (1988) about his Los Angeles childhood. In 1988 he published The Man Who Died Laughing, the first of his long-running series of mysteries starring ghostwriter Stuart Hoag and his faithful basset hound Lulu.

Blooming with Murder
Kathryn Long
Camel Press
6524 NE 181st Street, STE #2, Kenmore, WA 98028
www.camelpress.com
9781684920679, $16.95, PB, 220pp

https://www.amazon.com/Blooming-Murder-Kathryn-Long/dp/1684920671

Synopsis: Spring is blooming in Sierra Pines, and everyone's busy preparing for the annual Spring Fling Festival. Ali Winston takes her B&B guests for a tour, and their first stop is the face painting booth. Local school board president, Melvin Renville, is there to honor a bet he lost to the student body by having his face painted. However, things turn tragic when he has an allergic reaction and ends up dead. No one is more surprised than Ali's best friend and art teacher, Lyla Lane, when it's discovered her face paint contains peanut oil, an ingredient Renville was highly allergic to. Lyla insists she'd never use store-bought paint, only homemade because in teaching elementary school, she's aware many kids have food allergies.

Ali suspects someone wanted Renville dead and cleverly framed Lyla for the crime. The question is who had motive and the opportunity to pull off such a daring deed? Of course, rumors spread, and fingers point at Lyla when word gets out that Renville had notified her, merely hours before his death, that the art program and her job would be cut next year. Talk about a motive to kill. With Sheriff Sterling painting Lyla as his prime suspect, Ali is determined to help her friend by discovering the true killer and to keep spring blooming in Sierra Pines.

Critique: A superbly crafted cozy mystery that will have immense appeal to readers with an interest in amateur women sleuths and a plot with more twists and turns than a Disneyland rollercoaster, "Blooming with Murder" is a fun read from cover to cover and will send its readers looking for more stories from novelist Kathryn Long. While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery buffs that "Blooming with Murder" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

Editorial Note: Kathryn Long (https://kathrynlongauthor.com) is a native Ohioan who spends her days plotting murder and writing mysteries. She's a member of Sisters in Crime as well as of International Thriller Writers. She is also actively involved in the writing and publishing worlds and stays up to date on her social media platforms.

The Photo Thief
J. L. Delozier
CamCat Books
www.camcatpublishing.com
9780744307221, $23.99, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Photo-Thief-J-L-Delozier/dp/0744307228

Synopsis: Still grieving his toddler's death, Detective Dan Brennan of the Philadelphia P.D. returns to the force and is assigned to investigate a socialite's fatal fall down her mansion's staircase. But the open-and-shut case is turned on its head when the victim's epileptic daughter alleges her mother was murdered. Her evidence? The dead. Vintage crime-scene photographs displayed on the mansion's walls have told her so.

Compelled by the reclusive teen's pleas, Brennan investigates her mother's death and the disturbing secrets hidden in plain sight on the mansion's walls. He soon discovers the vintage photographs are tied to a quartet of cold cases with a disturbing commonality.

As the wealthy family's long, sordid history threatens to bury him, Brennan's forced to make a choice: save his career, or risk it all for the chance to hear his daughter's voice again.

Critique: A riveting read from first page to last, "The Photo Thief" by novelist J. L. Delozier will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in murder mysteries with a ghost thriller theme. While available for personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs, it should be noted that "The Photo Thief" is available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99). While community libraries are advised to acquire "The Photo Thief" for their Mystery/Suspense collections, librarians should be aware that it is also readily available in a large print edition (9780744307290, $19.99, PB, 424pp) from CamCat Publishing.

Editorial Note: J. L. Delozier (https://www.jldelozier.com) draws inspiration from science that exists on the edge of reality -- bizarre medical anomalies, new genetic discoveries, and anything that seems too weird to be true. Her debut thriller was nominated for a "Best First Novel" award by the International Thriller Writers organization; her fourth novel won a Silver Falchion Award. Her short fiction has won an Omega Award and appeared in Artemis Journal, The Pittsburger, Thriller Magazine, Retreats from Oblivion, and the anthologies, Noirville: Tales from the Dark Side and Writers Crushing COVID-19. Her day job is being an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Penn State.

Trouble
Katja Ivar
Bitter Lemon Press
www.bitterlemonpress.com
9781913394776, $15.95, PB, 272pp

https://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Katja-Ivar-Mystery-3/dp/1913394778

Synopsis: Hella has been asked by the police to do a background check on Johannes Heikkinen, a senior member of the Finnish secret services. Heikkinen has a complicated past: a child dead just weeks after birth and a wife who died in the fire that destroyed their house a few years later.

Background checks are not exactly the type of job Hella was hoping for, but she accepts it on the condition that she is given access to the files concerning the roadside death of her father in 1942. Colonel Mauzer, his wife and other family members were killed by a truck in a hit and run incident.

An accident, file closed, they say. But not for Hella, whose unwelcome investigation leads to some who would prefer to see her stopped dead in her tracks.

Critique: The third in the Hella Mauzer mystery series by novelist Katja Ivar, "Trouble" is set in Finland, early summer 1953 and features Hella Mauzer -- the first-ever woman Inspector in the Helsinki Homicide Unit, who has been fired and is now a reluctant private investigator. A simply riveting read from start to finish, "Trouble" will have a very special appeal to readers with a liking for historical thrillers, international mystery novels, and women sleuths. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Trouble" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Katja Ivar (https://www.bitterlemonpress.com/blogs/authors/katja-ivar) was born in Moscow and spent her teenage years in Dallas, Texas. She holds a BA in Linguistics and a Masters in Contemporary History from Sorbonne University; she lives in Paris with her husband and three children and is moving to Washington DC in June 2022. Evil Things was her fiction debut and the first of this three-book series.

Last Chance Chicago
Diana Digangi
Bywater Books
P.O. Box 3671, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-3671
www.bywaterbooks.com
9781612942513, $18.99, PB, 310pp

https://www.amazon.com/Last-Chance-Chicago-Diana-DiGangi/dp/1612942512

Synopsis: Attorney and recovering cocaine addict Sam DiCiccio didn't think she was ever going to see her ex-wife Amy Igarashi again, much less wind up defending her against felony insider trading charges.

But Amy's been falsely accused, and Sam, who's still in love with her, can't bear to watch her take the fall for a crime she didn't commit. Amy is holding on to resentment from their broken relationship and is hesitant to let Sam back into her life. But that all changes when her assets are frozen by a judge, and Sam is the best and only lawyer she can afford.

As Sam and Amy pull the threads of the alleged crime, they begin to unravel a mysterious corporate conspiracy that runs deep and wide. But as the clock ticks faster each day, the chance to prove Amy's innocence and keep her out of jail begins to slip away.

Sam and Amy keep inching closer to the truth, but each step draws them closer to shadowy enemies and amplifies the heat between them.

Critique: A deftly skilled suspense thriller of a novel, "Last Chance Chicago" by Diana Digangi will have a special appeal to readers with an interest in novels that combine the themes of LGBTQ contemporary romance and women sleuths. While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated suspense/thriller mystery fans that "Last Chance Chicago" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).

Editorial Note: Diana Digangi (https://www.bywaterbooks.com/diana-digangi) was born and raised in the suburbs outside Washington D.C. She holds both bachelor's and master's in journalism from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she started her journalism career in television news, then returned to the D.C. area to pursue work as an investigative journalist. She now covers the federal government full-time while writing fiction in her spare time.

Greenwich Mean Time
Reed Bunzel
Coffeetown Press
www.coffeetownpress.com
c/o Camel Press
www.camelpress.com
9781684920358, $19.95, PB, 362pp

https://www.amazon.com/Greenwich-Mean-Time-Reed-Bunzel/dp/1684920353

Synopsis: On assignment for Earth Illustrated magazine in Northern Pakistan, Monica Cross stumbles upon a deadly secret that makes her the target of a dark web outfit known as the Greenwich Global Group.

As this lethal cabal dispatches a team of hired assassins to ensure Monica never makes it home to New York, Ronin Phythian (once considered the most lethal man alive and long presumed dead) emerges from self-exile in his remote African camp and vows to save her life, while taking down the brutal hit squad for good.

At the same time, freelance blogger (and former Washington Post reporter) Carter Logan gets word that the wreckage of the airplane crash that killed his fiance has finally been found, and vows to bring justice for all those who died-and revenge to those who killed her.

Spanning ten time zones, nine countries, and four continents, "Greenwich Mean Time" by novelist Reed Bunzel is a tightly spun thriller that plays out against a violent plot designed to change the course of history forever.

Critique: Original, riveting, and with more unexpected plot twists and turns than a Disneyland roller coaster, "Greenwich Mean Time" is a fun read for anyone with an interest in assassination and conspiracy psychic thriller novels. While particularly and unreservedly recommended for community library Crime Fiction and Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Greenwich Mean Time" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.49).

Editorial Note: Reed Bunzel (https://www.reedbunzel.com/) is the author of a half dozen crime novels and thrillers, as well as several nonfiction books. He also produces BunzelGram, a weekly newsletter that focuses on mysteries and thrillers both in print and on the screen. A former media industry executive, Bunzel was editor-in-chief for United News and Media's San Francisco publishing operations, overseeing the weekly publication of The Gavin Report and Gavin.com. Earlier in his career he was editor-in-chief of Streamline Publishing's Radio Ink and Streaming magazines, as well as an editor at Radio & Records and Broadcasting magazine. Additionally, he served in an executive capacity at both the National Association of Broadcasters and the Radio Advertising Bureau. A graduate of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, Bunzel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology, cum laude.

The Last Orphan
Gregg Hurwitz
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250252326, $26.99, HC, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Last-Orphan-Novel/dp/1250252326

Synopsis: As a child, Evan Smoak was plucked out of a group home, raised and trained as an off-the-books assassin for the government as part of the Orphan program. When he broke with the program and went deep underground, he left with a lot of secrets in his head that the government would do anything to make sure never got out.

When he remade himself as The Nowhere Man, dedicated to helping the most desperate in their times of trouble, Evan found himself slowly back on the government's radar. Having eliminated most of the Orphans in the program, the government will stop at nothing to eliminate the threat they see in Evan.

But Orphan X has always been several steps ahead of his pursuers. Until he makes one little mistake!

Now the President has him in her control and offers Evan a deal -- eliminate a rich, powerful man she says is too dangerous to live and, in turn, she'll let Evan survive. But when Evan left the Program he swore to only use his skills against those who really deserve it. Now he has to decide what's more important -- his principles or his life.

Critique: Another riveting novel of suspense that will have special appeal to the legions of fans who are hooked on Gregg Hurwitz 'assassination/adventure' novels in his Orphan X series, "The Last Orphan" has it all as it takes the raptly engaged reader along in a story that has more unexpected twists and turns than a Disney World rollercoaster. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Thriller/Suspense Action collections, it should be noted that "The Last Orphan" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 9781250787903, $39.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Gregg Hurwitz (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregg_Hurwitz) is the author of the Orphan X novels. Critically acclaimed, his novels have been international bestsellers, graced top ten lists, and have been published in thirty-two languages. Additionally, he's sold scripts to many of the major studios, and written, developed, and produced television for various networks.

Crystal Blue Murder
Saralyn Richard
Palm Circle Press, LLC
www.palmcirclepress.com
9780989625555, $29.00 Hardcover/$18.48 Paper/$4.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Blue-Murder-Detective-Parrott/dp/0989625567

In Crystal Blue Murder, Detective Oliver Parrott finds the bucolic countryside of Brandywine Valley disrupted by a meth lab's explosion, a corpse, threats, and a circle of danger that begins to embrace the wealthiest segment of society.

The story opens with a literal bang. ("Being awakened at two a.m. was bad enough, but the word explosion yanked Detective Oliver Parrott out of bed in nothing flat. The barn on eighty-two-year-old celebrity hostess, Claire Whitman's fifty-acre farm was burning.") The action becomes non-stop as Parrott's personal life challenges spill over into his professional efforts. Saralyn Richard is adept at painting the contrast between these lives and the mysteries, secrets, and dilemmas that happen within the community and behind closed doors. She explores lies and truths, layer by layer, through events and character interactions.

As Parrott delves into Claire's life and relationships, readers gain a multi-faceted perspective of life in a moneyed community, where relationships affect outcomes. Money usually talks, but it doesn't always deliver answers. As Parrott develops a theory of the explosion and the murder it was supposed to hide, he digs ever deeper into the heart and soul of a community that prides itself on not just its wealth, but its secrets. Parrot finds himself fielding relationship information and dangerous circumstances.

Readers who look for mysteries thoroughly steeped in community interactions and the intersection between intrigue and affairs will find much to like in this third book in the Detective Parrott series. An added plus is that it stands nicely alone and requires no prior familiarity with the other books in order to prove immediately accessible and involving to newcomers.

Libraries that choose Crystal Blue Murder will find its attention to building connections and disconnections in an environment where meth and murder run hand in hand with wealth and secrets to produce a creative, involving story. It offers many twists and turns as it navigates rocky relationships and murder alike.

Murder at Amapas Beach
James Gilbert
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639886494, $17.99

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Amapas-Beach-James-Gilbert/dp/1639886494

Murder at Amapas Beach opens in Puerto Vallarta, where Amanda Pennyworth is experiencing a romantic interlude with Romero while on vacation in Mexico when trouble strikes in the form of stranger Danielle Maglin. A chance conversation overheard leads Amanda to realize their connection with Racine, Wisconsin, which is Amanda's childhood home.

The strange coincidence evolves into something more when Danielle is murdered. Amanda feels compelled to take on her case and discover the underlying factors affecting Danielle's death, which belays the intention of both her vacation and the agenda of the Sun and Fun Travel Agency (in this instance, perhaps ironically named).

As events lead to a second demise, Amanda finds not answers, but more questions as a wide-ranging list of suspects evolves, each containing their own complexity. Where should she begin? Everything feels "contradictory and confusing." So much so, that perhaps even the suspects themselves are confused about their roles and choices in various situations.

Murder at Amapas Beach offers the fine scenario of a vacation that segues into a murder mystery. Its atmospheric portrait of Mexico, tourist personalities, the intersection of fun and frightening developments, and underlying simmering resentments on the parts of many creates an engrossing set of possibilities.

"Whodunnit" becomes a laundry list of special interests as Amanda pursues the truth while facing her own mystery over Romero. The intersection of romance and intrigue works well as readers absorb not just Amanda's efforts, but the role of Sergeant Colin McMillan, who appears midway in the story to add the involvement of an investigator far from Mexico who finds a foreign murder case dumped in his lap.

Readers and libraries looking for multifaceted mysteries that take on an international flavor as they evolve too many suspects and possibilities, as well as prior fans of Amanda Pennyworth, will find Murder at Amapas Beach an involving read which is highly recommended.

Murder in Third Position
Lori Robbins
https://www.lorirobbins.com
Level Best Books
9781685121969, $5.99 ebook/$16.95 Paper

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Third-Position-Pointe-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0BGYSC7XH

Murder in Third Position is an On Pointe mystery that combines ballet with a female sleuth's latest case. Readers need not be ballet dancers themselves in order to enjoy the pirouettes and placements this story embraces. A limber attitude towards intrigue goes far, as the story unfolds a different Nutcracker scenario in which intrigue blends with the challenges of being a dancer. Lori Robbins demonstrates a vivid descriptive prowess as lead dancer Leah Siderova finds her starring role fraught with political, artistic, and investigative challenges.

Murder and Christmas do not ordinarily go together. With the abusive overseer Maurice dead and suspicion falling upon Leah's dance partner, she has no choice but to embark on her own investigation of what really happened behind the scenes. When the theater goes dark and allows a predator access to the stage, Leah exits stage left to play the dangerous role of a detective that leads her into more deaths and unexpected territory.

As a novelist, Robbins does an outstanding job of juxtaposing the ballet world with the investigative process that challenges Leah's set roles, forcing her to new heights of realization about the world of dance, her colleagues, and her own ambitions.

When performers go missing and more potential victims emerge, Leah and her sister must walk a dangerous path to get at the truth. Readers who enjoy back stories of the dancing world and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the rigors of a ballet production will find these realistic elements contribute to Leah's foray into an entirely different milieu.

The first-person characterization is very well done as readers become immersed in Leah's artistic and professional efforts, easily understanding how she feels driven to solve this dangerous riddle, even though her sister is supposedly the intelligent one. Leah maintains: "I'm a dancer. I talk with my body." Her efforts to speak through her dance rather than becoming another body on a widening hit list makes for compelling reading. Perhaps this is because the tension is finely drawn and the movements between dance and death assume their own form of masterful entwining that keeps readers involved in a realistic character's moves.

Readers and libraries interested in mysteries that embrace the ballet world and the motivations of a non-P.I. dancer who finds herself pulled into an unexpected romance will find Murder in Third Position exquisitely complex, nicely steeped in both drama and the competitive atmosphere of the dance world.

Choke
Lisa Towles
Rebel ePublishers
9781944077174, $12.99

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1944077170

What would happen if everything you believed about yourself and your life history proved to be a lie? Choke reveals just such a dilemma as Certified Nursing Assistant Kerry Stine finds her entire life called into question over a patient that vanishes from the hospital under her watch. As her repressed past pushes into her consciousness and sends her on the run, Kerry finds not only her history, but everything she's presumed about her role in life to be in question. Is she being drugged and manipulated? Is she insane? The questions mount as Kerry keeps finding reasons for mistrusting everyone around her and searches for a way out of a seemingly impossible dilemma, sans memory.

Scientist Adrian Calhoun faces his own problems. Having developed a controversial cure for lung cancer, he is pursued by both the pharmaceutical mafia and those who would get their hands on his world-changing invention. He, too, is a prisoner of his own achievements and their potential to change the world. The two characters find their lives and mysteries entwine in unexpected ways as they share the common desire to escape their captors and take charge of their own destinies, whatever they might be.

Lisa Towles creates a riveting story that attracts on many high levels. One reason why this story feels so realistic and compelling is the power of description, both atmospheric and psychological, that drives a revealing plot. Towles is also adept at crafting a time-sensitive scenario in which the characters work against the clock to arrive at new realizations and freedom. Tick tock. The action is driven as much by a sharp attention to tension and revelation as it is by each character's pursuit of not just answers, but personal freedom.

All these elements give Choke a fine taste of added value as readers become immersed in twists and turns that test their own perceptions of evolving dilemmas and related choices. Choke is a compelling story that's hard to put down: surprising in its many explorations of the unexpected and steeped in thriller elements that will delight genre readers and the libraries catering to them.

The Greek Coins Affair
Rick Adelmann
Secret Staircase Books
c/o Columbine Publishing Group
http://www.columbinepublishinggroup.com/index.html
9781649140050, $13.99, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Greek-Affair-Detective-Agency-Mysteries/dp/1649140053

Synopsis: A fortune in stolen antiquities, a bag of loose diamonds, and two dead men. It's bitter cold in February, 1918, when Pinkerton detective Sherwood Garth is assigned to team up with Major James Mallory. Their job is to ferret out the missing diamonds, but when the trail leads directly to a dead body in an abandoned barn, the two men join with the Cleveland Police Department to solve both the murder and the question of the gems.

They discover no shortage of suspects. The dead man, Henry Spellman, seemed disliked by family and colleagues alike. Could the killer be one of the adventurer's traveling companions? Or perhaps one of Spellman's own sisters or a member of the household staff is behind his death?
And then there's Henry's flapper girlfriend, who is maybe a little too chummy with other men.

Nearly everyone, it seems, has a motive and most had the means to carry out the crime. The search takes the two detectives into the local jazz clubs, where Garth seems at home and Mallory sees a whole new world beyond his Army experience.

Critique: "The Greek Coins Affair" by Rick Adelmann is a truly a by-the-book whodunit mystery using a Pinkerton man's keen skills of observation and a military officer's pure brawn. When they put the clues together, the revelations come as a surprise to all in the style of such classic detective stories as were created by Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. While also available for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99), "The Greek Coins Affair" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Rick Adelmann (http://www.rickadelmann.com) started writing at the age of twelve. He kept writing as he worked for a BA degree in history, taught school, acted in a couple of movies, repossessed cars, sold real estate, worked in security, and manned the cord boards at the phone company. And somewhere in there he spent a couple of years with the Cleveland PD, enlisted in the Air Force, worked at a Medina, Ohio radio station, then headed out to California to make his fortune. All this experience gave him a zillion ideas for plots and characters.

The Velvet Badge: A New York Noir
Bob Mantel
https://bobmantel.wordpress.com
Independently Published
9798812311230, $9.95, PB, 351pp

https://www.amazon.com/Velvet-Badge-New-York-Noir/dp/B0B2J87BC1

Synopsis: A tasteless night club run by a failed JFK assassination co-conspirator brings out the worst in 1970s New York.

Songbird Sadasia Trayne runs into a disco-era buzz saw of wine, women, and murder when she hooks up with the Brooklyn-based creator of a notorious TV sitcom.

Her frantic SOS to a long-lost love, the Big Apple's closeted lesbian Chief of Police Detectives, drives this tale of memory and regret, compromise and topiary, politics and a corrupt press, Kris Kringle and twisted acts of love.

Will the headline-grabbing sex crime she sets out to solve max out the Chief's investigative skills or deep-six her career?

Critique: A riveting read from first page to last, "The Velvet Badge" by Bob Mantel is all the more impressive when considering that it is the author's first published novel and will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in women sleuths, organized crime, and the kind of 'whodunnit' murder mysteries where the author plays fair with the reader in terms of clues, 'red herrings', and plot twist surprises. Laced with humor, "The Velvet Badge" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "The Velvet Badge" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.95).

Editorial Note: Bob Mantel (https://booklife.com/profile/bob-mantel-95619) was educated at Columbia College, where he won the Cornell Woolrich Award for Fiction, and the University of Chicago.

Accidental Diplomacy
Dominic Man-Kit Lam
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.archwaypublishing.com
9781665729987, $37.95, HC, 308pp

https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Diplomacy-Jeffrey-Busch/dp/1665729988

Synopsis: As Commander Wong gazes into the vastness of the South China Sea from the deck of a Chinese Navy ship, he is alerted that a US Navy battleship is approaching. Meanwhile as Admiral Smith stands in the control room of the US battleship, three Chinese jets fly overhead and warn the crew that they are in foreign waters. But neither leader has any idea that in mere seconds, everything is about to change.

After a computer glitch prompts a US Navy lieutenant to make a split-second decision to take down two of the Chinese aircraft with missiles, the Chinese retaliate and launch their own attack.

While Russia and others push China toward war, a peace summit is called. But can the sworn enemies who are leading the summit find a way to utilize diplomacy, cultural understanding, and friendship to stop a Third World War from unfolding?

Critique: "Accidental Diplomacy" by co-authors Jeffrey Busch and Dominic Man-Kit Lam is a deftly crafted and realistic political thriller of a novel in which a computer error prompts an unplanned battle in the South China Sea between two superpowers with the potential to cause a Third World War. A riveting and all too real political themed suspense thriller of a read from first page to last, "Accidental Diplomacy" is unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Accidental Diplomacy" is also available in a paperback edition (9781665729970, $19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).

The Sava Steps
Lee Lindauer
Story Merchant
www.storymerchant.com
9781970157338, $14.99, PB, 274pp

https://www.amazon.com/Sava-Steps-Lee-Lindauer/dp/197015733X

Synopsis: Twenty-five years after the Srebrenica Massacre, the worst genocide in Europe since World War II, survivor Melika Zbanic encounters two vicious men from her past. Intent on revenge, her plans are derailed by disgraced FBI agent Thorne Hightower, who has personal reasons to involve himself in her affairs.

Melika escapes Hightower's pursuit only to be kidnapped and taken somewhere in the Balkans where a grim fate looms. With the clock ticking, a persistent Hightower follows clues to her whereabouts -- and by chance meets Melika's daughter Valery, a physically impaired but gifted young woman determined to confront her own existence. He also encounters the soft-spoken Victor Alvarez, whose sole purpose in life is to keep his wife alive.

Amid the splendor of a desolate mountaintop nouveau riche hotel, they find themselves locked on an emotional collision course between brutality, and the Gift Of Life.

Critique: Original, entertaining, deftly scripted with memorable characters and a roller-coaster of a plot, "The Sava Steps" by Lee Lindauer is one of those crime fiction novels that will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest is suspense thrillers features women sleuths. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated action/adventure mystery buffs that "The Sava Steps" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

Editorial Note: Lee Lindauer (http://leelindauer.com) has a BS in Architectural Engineering and a MS in Civil Engineering and was a principal of a consulting structural engineering firm he founded in Western Colorado. With this background, he combines fast-paced plots and intriguing characters in authentic technical and natural settings to produce an emotional rollercoaster ride for the reader. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers, has appeared on author panels at ThrillerFest and has served as co-editor on the Big Thrill magazine.

A Bounty of Bone
P. G. Lengsfelder
https://www.pglengsfelder.com
Woodsmoke Publishing
9780997251357, $17.99, PB, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Bounty-Bone-inspired-events-Trilogy/dp/0997251352

Synopsis: After years of abuse for her albinism and macabre face, Eunis believes she's finally turned her life around and shed the superstitious beliefs that tormented her as a child. Now on the precipice of a successful television career, she's offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel as part of a global TV crew investigating the surreal weather in South Africa's isolated Land of the Silver Mist.

There's just one problem: Eunis and her adopted New York family are abruptly informed of the abduction of their young niece, Kyra, who's been taken for her albino body parts in remote Tanzania. The family pleads with Eunis to find her, their last and only hope of finding Kyra alive.

Eunis tries to temper the family's expectations. But when she's separated from her TV crew, she journeys thousands of miles and finds herself alone in the shadow of Tanzania's untamed Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a massive 2.5-million-year-old volcanic cauldron, inhabited by the world's highest density of wild dogs, lions, and hyena.
 
Closing in on the truth, can Eunis survive the chilling local superstitions and nightmarish forces hunting for body parts that look like her own?

Critique: A deftly written novel that was inspired by real events, "A Bounty Of Bone" by P. G. Lengsfelder is the second volume in the author's 'Eunis Trilogy". An inherently riveting story of suspense that keeps the reader's total attention from beginning to end with many an unexpected plot twist and turn. While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense/Thriller collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: P. G. Lengsfelder (https://www.pglengsfelder.com) is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.

Operation Blackbird
Ellen Butler
http://www.ellenbutler.net
Power of the Pen
9781734365047, $16.99, PB, 343pp

https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Blackbird-Novel-Brass-Compass/dp/1734365048

Synopsis: October, 1952. The war is over, but for CIA officer Miriam Becker, memories of the horrors she witnessed remain jagged in her mind. While vacationing in Argentina, recovering from a mission that nearly killed her, she's seeing more ghosts from the past than the sights.

When a longtime family friend and fellow operative, Jake Devlin, tracks her down, Miriam is forced to push everything to the back of her mind for the next mission: help a highly prized and heavily guarded rocket scientist defect from Soviet-controlled East Berlin -- right out from under the KGB's nose.

Well aware that one wrong move could spark World War III, Miriam, Jake, and the team plan their strategy to the last detail. But when a betrayal brings everything crashing down, Jake's quick thinking creates the diversion to get Miriam out alive -- but leaves him trapped behind the Iron Curtain.

Unsure of whom she can trust, Miriam must complete the mission by relying on contacts outside of the agency, even though her heart longs to return to East Berlin to rescue the man who is the last link to her troubled past -- before the KGB gets to him first!

Critique: A deftly crafted and fully reader engaging novel with many an unexpected plot twist and turn, "Operational Blackbird" by Ellen Butler will have a special appeal to readers with an interest in Cold War era spy novels. While readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99), "Operational Blackbird" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library fiction collections.

Editorial Note: Ellen Butler (www.ellenbutler.net) is the author of award winning novel, "The Brass Compass" and the Karina Cardinal Mysteries series. Ellen is a member of the Office of Strategic Services Society, Virginia Writer's Club, Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers. She is also the author of the award winning Love, California Style romance series. "Sexy, Sassy with a Side of Funny".

Jar of Pennies
John Yearwood
John & Stephenie Yearwood Management Trust
https://johnyearwood.com
9780997104165, $29.99, HC, 316pp

https://www.amazon.com/Jar-Pennies-John-Yearwood/dp/0997104163

Synopsis: In the summer of 1979, the small town of Whitmire Texas (deep in the eastern piney woods of the state) is rocked by a series of murders None of the victims knew one another, none lived close by.

A police chief floats to the surface of a lake, hooked on a trot line; a divorcing wife apparently overdoses on illegal drugs; the skeletons of a young mother and her three-year-old toddler are found near an abandoned barn; a Congressman is murdered in a shoot-out at his home, which also claims the lives of two drug pushers from Houston and a used car dealer. The sleepy private town of Whitmire is terrified and the town's newspaper publisher is determined to bring the mystery to a resolution.

BoMac (short for Beaufort Sebastian Maclean) is a young University of Virginia dropout devoted to journalism and committed to chronicling the life of the little community. He takes the publishing job at the weekly Whitmire Standard very seriously, pouring his life into a job that demands he not only write the news but also take the photos and sell the ads. In the fraught atmosphere of Whitmire where daily routines are thrown off kilter by the unknown terror, he keeps his eyes open and finally spots a jar of pennies: the evidence that clenches the death sentence for the killer.

Critique: Original, fascinating, deftly scripted with singular characters and a memorable plot, "Jar of Pennies" by John Yearwood is an extraordinary novel that will have a special appeal to readers with an interest in crime fiction set in rural Texas. While highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Jar of Pennies" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9798985295702, $18.25) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Editorial Note: John Yearwood (https://johnyearwood.com) is a teacher, journalist, and professor who completed his education at Tulane University and at The University of Texas at Austin. He has taught high school in rural, parochial, and inner city schools, he has been a professor in upstate New York, in southeast Texas, and in central Texas. He retired from teaching in 2011 to write novels. "Jar of Pennies" is his fifth novel.

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