March 2023 MBR The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Manning a Raptor
AA Freda
West Point Print and Media LLC
https://www.westpointprintandmedia.com
9781957582931, $24.99 Hardcover/$14.99 Paper

https://www.amazon.com/Manning-Raptor-Aa-Freda/dp/1957582936

Thriller readers can here expect another powerful interplay of the commanding personalities of James and his wife Sam, who navigate business, political, and personal interests with a forthright assertiveness that powers both their relationship and the story's evolution. Here, the Coppis head a powerful global empire that influences (if not holds) the effort to overthrow governments. Their latest venture into acquiring railroads and fielding accompanying political and economic controversy involves both characters in a fight that challenges not just their opulent lifestyle and ambitions, but their relationship with their growing family.

AA Freda paints an involving story of power, love, and international intrigue that carries the characters from their lavish lifestyle and success into the murkier waters of political influence and control. The obstacles and complexities that wealth introduces to their family life also tests ethical and moral compasses as employees, employers, and friends find their connections tested and their commitments questioned. Events unfold in cat-and-mouse games that became complex as interplays between characters introduce further issues into the husband-and-wife relationship and the structure they fight to preserve around their family life.

As fictional writer and company controller Miles Cornish surveys the above-board proceedings and back-room operations of the business and its leaders, it's hard to say what element is more commanding or compelling: the personal strengths of the main characters, or the issues that arise to test them. James notes: "Sic transit gloria mundi." When Sam questions his conclusion, he lets her know what someday she will have to step up to replace him as leader: "It's Latin - - an ancient Roman saying. The literal translation is, 'thus passes the glory of the world.' What it means is that 'all glory is fleeting.' It's to remind someone who is having success that it won't last forever."

The rollicking journey of intrigue that Sam and James experience will delight both newcomers to their action-packed adventures and those who have enjoyed previous Coppi stories. Libraries and readers interested in thrillers that profile two equally powerful partners in love, business, and foreign affairs will find Manning a Raptor a powerful exploration that grabs with social, political, and psychological inspection and doesn't let go.

A Song for Leonard
A.I. Fabler
https://www.aifabler.com
Wild & Lawless
9780473638436, $16.99 paper/$3.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPPW7685

"How long is three minutes when every second commands your attention, and every one of them ends up being relived over and over, until it has become a pattern in your DNA?"

A Song for Leonard presents a mystery of a different ilk, opening with the reflective passage above and moving into an unusual encounter that takes place in 1978 on the streets of New York City, where a beautiful singer/songwriter is murdered on the streets. Was she a perp that chose the wrong victim? One wouldn't expect a polite New England girl to demand money in a street mugging, to own a small gun to back her demand, or to smile with a mouth full of blackened teeth like a nightmare Medusa.

Fast forward to 1996, eighteen years later, when Charles Bateman returns to New York City to confront his demons and the mystery surrounding Suzanne Finch's murder and the implication of Charles, her intended victim, in the crime. Intent on clearing his name, Charles embarks on a journey of discovery that juxtaposes his defense with his investigation into the singer's motivations, life, and the legacy of her songs -- particularly 'A Song for Leonard', which may hold strange answers to dangerous questions.

Readers who follow this New York-steeped crime story will find Charles's foray into the arts world inviting and thoroughly engrossing. A.I. Fabler creates an atmospheric, tension-laden read in a tale replete with unexpected twists and turns. The story and characters come to life in ways the typical murder account don't touch, making A Song for Leonard a powerful investigation of New York City culture and conundrums that grabs the imagination with many possibilities couched in a powerful series of revelations and self-discoveries.

Libraries seeking exceptional intrigue that unfolds over different social strata of New York City's culture and changing times will find A Song for Leonard a standout. Its intrigue and inspection lingers in the mind long after resolution is reached and answers provided in this musical interlude of discovery.

Fade to Blue
Hank Scheer
Top Reads Publishing
https://www.topreadspublishing.com
9781970107357, $16.99 Paper/$4.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Fade-Blue-Hank-Scheer-ebook/dp/B0BS4DXMFJ

https://www.topreadspublishing.com/book-list/fade-to-blue

Combine a thriller story with the ethical inspection of an overworked medical researcher convinced that her work can change the world for the foundations of a powerful examination of medical possibility and danger that is Fade to Blue.

The story opens with pain ... Sarah's pain, as she struggles to rebuild her stamina after quitting smoking. This effort accompanies a brutal work schedule surrounding the search for a treatment for Alzheimer's that could change the world. It all could be so much easier if she were free to conduct the one forbidden experiment that could result in real change.

The lure proves too much as Sarah gives in to her convictions that her research is illuminating a path of positivity that others can't see, only to find that, in fact, its results introduce a nightmare, involving her in terrorism and brain-destroying power.

Hank Scheer crafts a powerful story and a set of characters that swirl around Sarah's decision with equally significant objectives and perspectives that clash in unusual ways. There are chase scenes, foreign backdrops, and forces set in motion that jeopardize not only Sarah's life and her purpose, but the results of an experiment gone dangerously awry.

As deaths mount and Sarah finds herself far from her objectives and her supportive friends, readers follow her into a world replete with ethical and political twists. Scheer masterfully accents the changing landscapes and situations that move from a research's illicit decision to lives and nations affected by the release of a new force of adversity and challenge into the world. He navigates Sarah's changing perceptions with a deft hand to outlining criminal and legal special interests alike; both of whom intersect with Sarah's life in unpredictable ways.

Thriller readers (especially those interested in medical conundrums which lead the protagonist into uncharted ethical territory) will relish how the technological and medical aspects of the story neatly dovetail with individual perspectives and special interests. Libraries seeking medical thrillers which do a fine job of adding international intrigue into their mix will find Fade to Blue a powerful story of pain, redemption, and an earth-shattering mission to deploy a drug which could be used for good or evil, depending upon who controls it.

The strong characters, fast-paced action, and ethical dilemmas create thought-provoking reading suitable for book club discussion, contrasting nicely with other standout medical thriller genre reads.

Assumed
MHR Geer
https://mhrgeer.com
MG3 Publishing
9798987115923, $13.99, PB, 296pp

https://www.amazon.com/ASSUMED-MHR-Geer/dp/B0BNW778K1

Synopsis: When her friend Sandy asks for help, Anne Wilson leaves her small, lonely life in Miami for the picturesque island of Saint Martin. But as soon as she arrives, Sandy is murdered, and her death exposes lies: an alias, a secret past, stolen money. Suspected of murder and trapped on the island, Anne is shocked when a cryptic message arrives:

Find the money. Take it and run.

She follows Sandy's trail of obscure clues, desperate for proof of her innocence and must decide if she can trust the two men who offer help-the dark, mysterious Brit or the American with a wide grin and a pickup truck. When memories resurface-dark truths she'd rather leave buried and forgotten, her past becomes intertwined with her present.

Her only way forward is to face her own secrets.

Critique: A deftly crafted and inherently riveting read with more plot twists and turns than a Disneyland roller-coaster, "Assumed" by novelist MHR Geer will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in novels that feature murder, romance, suspense. An original and inherently compelling thriller from beginning to end, "Assumed" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated murder mystery fans that "Assumed" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).

Editorial Note: MHR Geer (https://mhrgeer.com) was born in California but raised in the Midwest. After studying Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, she started a bookkeeping business. MHR enjoys reading suspense and is always delighted with an unexpected twist. "Assumed" is her debut novel.

The Fishhook Rebellion: Hawai'i 1847
Dan Gooder Richard
https://www.dangooderrichard.com
Inkspiration Media, LLC
https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_va/S3797307
9781939319340, $24.95, PB, 614pp

https://www.amazon.com/Fishhook-Rebellion-Hawaii-Dancer-Advenure/dp/193931934X

Synopsis: It's the antebellum days of 1847: Correspondent Samantha Swift's voyage from New York to Hawai'i to return a kidnapped island girl turns deadly as she struggles to survive aboard a transport ship at the center of the very opium and sex trafficking ring she is determined to expose. From a Five Points brothel in Manhattan to the howling graveyard of Cape Horn to the cyclone-of-the-century off Robinson Crusoe Island in the Pacific someone wants Swift dead - and will do anything to make that happen.

Meanwhile secret agent Jack Dancer's around-the-world odyssey is driven by orders from President James K. Polk to discover Napoleon's long-lost Maltese treasure before an unknown foreign power finds the trove (and buys domination in the Pacific) a domination that could threaten the new California territory. Duty propels Dancer from the same New York brothel to a stolen notebook in Paris to a Christmas tryst in Cairo and headlong into cutthroats in Zanzibar and reeking death temples in Tahiti.

But as Swift and Dancer's separate trails of danger and death interweave nothing can stop the ruthless and murderous drive of their enemies to achieve their ends. Nothing -- that is until Swift and Dancer meet up in the "whaler's hellhole of the Pacific:" Lahaina, Maui. There they are forced to put aside their mutual dislikes after they uncover a secret so explosive it could destroy America's fragile young republic forever.

Against all odds Swift and Dancer follow an elusive trail stalked by a sadistic killer determined to beat them to one of the world's greatest treasures. Only to find themselves in a lost world both wondrous and horrifying where the Hawaiian chiefs have long guarded an ancient secret -- until now!

Critique: Comparable in dimension to James A. Michener's "Hawaii", Dan Gooder Richard's veritable saga of an historical novel, "The Fishhook Rebellion: Hawai'i 1847" is the stuff of which block buster movies are made and will have a very special appeal to readers who enjoy a deft blending of women's suspense thriller and military action/adventure. The creation of memorable characters, a plot with more twists and turns than a Disneyland roller-coaster, "The Fishhook Rebellion: Hawai'i 1847" is one of those works of literary fiction that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book is finished and set back upon the shelf. While available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "The Fishhook Rebellion: Hawai'i 1847" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Historical Fiction collections.

Editorial Note: Dan Gooder Richard (https://www.dangooderrichard.com) earned a bachelor's in history blasting water wells in India with the Peace Corps. He earned his master's in journalism at Missouri. Dan's middle name comes from his maternal grandfather: Leslie MacDonald Gooder who was a publisher in Chicago from the early 1910s through the 1950s. Dan carried on the family name in publishing. After he and his wife sold their marketing/publishing business in 2016 Dan turned his full-time attention to writing historical adventures.

Death of A Dancing Queen
Kimberly G. Giarratano
www.kimberlyggiarratano.com
Datura Books
https://twitter.com/DaturaBooks
9781915202420, $15.99, PB, 344pp

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Dancing-Queen-Kimberly-Giarratano/dp/1915202426

Synopsis: After her mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis, Billie Levine revamped her grandfather's private investigation firm and set up shop in the corner booth of her favorite North Jersey deli hoping the free pickles and flexible hours would allow her to take care of her mom and pay the bills. So when Tommy Russo, a rich kid with a nasty drug habit, offers her a stack of cash to find his missing girlfriend, how can she refuse? At first, Billie thinks this will be easy earnings, but then her missing person's case turns into a murder investigation and Russo is the detective bureau's number one suspect.

Suddenly Billie is embroiled in a deadly gang war that's connected to the decades-old disappearance of a famous cabaret dancer with ties to both an infamous Jewish mob and a skinhead group. Toss in the reappearance of Billie's hunky ex-boyfriend with his own rap sheet, and she is regretting every decision that got her to this point. Becoming a P.I. was supposed to solve her problems. But if Billie doesn't crack this case, the next body the police dredge out of the Hudson River will be hers.

Critique: A riveting read from first page to last, "Death of a Dancing Queen" by novelist Kimberly G. Giarratano will have a very special appeal to fans of female PI stories. Original and with more plot twists than a Disneyland roller-coaster, "Death of a Dancing Queen" is highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "Death of a Dancing Queen" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).

Editorial Note: Kimberly G. Giarratano (www.kimberlyggiarratano.com) is an author of mysteries for teens and adults. Her debut novel, Grunge Gods and Graveyards, won the 2015 Silver Falchion Award for Best YA at Killer Nashville. A former librarian, she is currently an instructor at a SUNY Orange County Community College and a reviewer for BookPage. She is also the chapter liaison for Sisters in Crime.

Orders To Kill
Edward Marston
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
https://www.ulverscroft.com
9780749027810, $41.00, Large Print, PB, 339pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/orders-to-kill-author-edward-marston/1138735012

Synopsis: December, 1917. Ada Hobbes arrives on a frosty morning to clean the house owned by Dr Tindall, a surgeon at the Edmonton Military Hospital. She is shocked to find the blood covered body of her employer who has been hacked to death.

A horrific scene awaits Detective Inspector Harvey Marmion and Sergeant Joe Keedy. Someone clearly enjoyed killing the doctor. Their investigation takes them far out of London and on the trail of a very different Dr Tindall, one who was not the respectable local GP everyone thought he was.

Marmion and Keedy will need to sift through a number of likely suspects to find the killer behind this gruesome murder.

Critique: A fun read that will have a special appeal to fans of historical 'whodunnit' mysteries, "Orders To Kill" is part of author Edward Marston's 'The Home Front Detective Series'. Originally published by Allison & Busby and now available in a large print edition from Isis and Ulverscroft, "Orders To Kill" is enthusiastically recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery fans and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Edward Marston (the pseudonym of Keith Miles) has written well over a hundred books, including some non-fiction. He is best known for his hugely successful Railway Detective series and he also writes the Bow Street Rivals series featuring twin detectives set during the Regency; the Home Front Detective novels set during the First World War; and the Ocean Liner mysteries. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Miles)

Mystery In White
J. Jefferson Farjeon
Charonwood Large Print / Thorpe
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
https://www.ulverscroft.com
9781444848915, $TBA, Large Print, PB, 248pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mystery-in-white-j-jefferson-farjeon/1124503717

Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, heavy snowfall brings a train to a halt near the village of Hemmersby. Several passengers take shelter in a deserted country house, where the fire has been lit and the table laid for tea -- but no one is at home. Trapped together for Christmas, the passengers are seeking to unravel the secrets of the empty house when a murderer strikes in their midst!

Critique: "Mystery In White" by the late J. Jefferson Farjeon (4 June 1883 - 6 June 1955) is a classic Christmas mystery thriller that is now republished for the first time since the 1930s in a large print paperback edition from Thorpe/Charnwood Large Print and featuring an informative introduction by award-winning crime writer Martin Edwards. Complete and unabridged, "Mystery In White" is a true 'time-lost' classic that will be fully appreciated by a new general of readers and has the highest recommendation for both the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery fans and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: J. Jefferson Farjeon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Jefferson_Farjeon) was an English crime and mystery novelist, playwright and screenwriter. His "Ben" novels were reissued in 2015 and 2016.

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
Benjamin Stevenson
Mariner Books
www.marinerbooks.com
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonewholesale.com
9780063279025, $30.00, HC, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Family-Has-Killed-Someone/dp/0063279029

Synopsis: Ernest Cunningham claims that everyone in his family has killed someone. Some of his killer relations are the high achievers, having killed more than once. His is not trying to be dramatic, but is telling the truth. Some of his family members are good, others are bad, and some just unfortunate. Call him Ern or Ernie -- and now he wishes he would have killed whoever decided our family reunion should be at a ski resort -- but things are a little more complicated than that. -- Has he killed someone? Why, yes he has. Who was it? -- Well let us get started.

Critique: One of the most unusual, entertainingly quirky, deftly crafted, and simply riveting murder thrillers featuring an impressive roster of untraditional characters, "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" by author Benjamin Stevenson is a terrific read from first page to last. While an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). Librarians should note that there is a large print paperback edition of "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" (Harper Large Print, 9780063297197, $34.00, 528pp), as well as being available as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212200752, $41.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Benjamin Stevenson (https://benjaminstevensonauthor.com) is an award-winning stand-up comedian and author. Off-stage, Benjamin has worked for publishing houses and literary agencies in Australia and the USA. He currently works with some of Australia's best-loved authors at Curtis Brown Australia. He is also the author of Greenlight (shortlisted for the Ned Kelly First Fiction Award) and Either Side of Midnight.

Murder in Postscript
Mary Winters
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593548769, $17.00, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Postscript-Lady-Letters-Mystery/dp/0593548760

Synopsis: Amelia Amesbury (widow, mother, and countess) has a secret. Amelia writes for a London penny paper, doling out advice on fashion, relationships, and manners under the pen name Lady Agony. But when a lady's maid writes Amelia to ask for advice when she believes her mistress has been murdered (and then ends up a victim herself) Amelia is determined to solve the case.

With the help of her best friend and a handsome marquis, Amelia begins to piece together the puzzle, but as each new thread of inquiry ends with a different suspect, the investigation grows ever more daunting. From London's docks and ballrooms to grand country houses, Amelia tracks a killer, putting her reputation and her life on the line!

Critique: A very special and original Victorian era cozy mystery set in 1860, "Murder in Postscript" by Mary Winters is a highly recommended and fun read for all dedicated mystery fans. Featuring an unusual woman sleuth, numerous and expected plot twists on down to the final page, "Murder in Postscript" is unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated cozy mystery fans that "Murder in Postscript" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Mary Winters (https://marywintersauthor.com) is the author of the Lady Agony mystery series. A longtime reader of historical fiction and an author of two other mystery series, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London.

Downfall
Mark Rubinstein
Oceanview Publishing
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608095469, $27.95, HC, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Downfall-Mark-Rubinstein/dp/1608095460

Synopsis: When Rick Shepherd, a physician, approaches his office on a busy Manhattan street, he finds police cars, an ambulance, and crime scene technicians. He soon learns a passerby was shot three times in the back, murdered at the front door to Rick's office.

Later that evening while watching the local news, Rick and his fiancee, Jackie, see a photo of the victim -- to their horror, the deceased looks identical to Rick.

Two nights later, while making a house call in a Brooklyn apartment building, Rick's 64-year-old father is shot and killed in the exact same way. Detectives Art Nager and Liz Callaghan are assigned the case, and they launch an investigation. There are no clues leading to the perpetrator.

Even more ominously, someone has been calling Rick and Jackie's apartment and hanging up. Whoever is targeting Rick must have murdered his father, and they now have Rick in their crosshairs. Nager and Callaghan seem to be making no progress with their investigation. Rick's quest for the truth draws him into a labyrinth of secrets, past tragedies, and the agonizing pain of lives shattered by a single event. Can he make it out before he meets the same fate as his father?

Critique: A riveting suspense thriller of a crime novel, "Downfall" is another compelling novel from the pen of author Mark Rubinstein and is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the growing legion of Mark Rubinstein fans that "Downfall" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49).

Editorial Note: Mark Rubinstein (https://www.markrubinstein-author.com) is an award-winning novelist, physician, and psychiatrist who has written nonfiction and suspense-thriller fiction. His books have won the IPPY Gold Award and two Benjamin Franklin Silver Awards. His Mad Dog Trilogy is under consideration for film or TV series adaptation

Murder at an Irish Castle
Ellie Brannigan
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.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, with the publication of "Murder at an Irish Castle", novelist Ellie Brannigan launches the first title in her new Brannigan's cozy mystery series that is as romantic as it is deadly. A cosy style 'whodunnit' international culinary mystery featuring a woman sleuth, "Murder at an Irish Castle" is a very special and highly recommended addition to both personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "Murder at an Irish Castle" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666628593, $22.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Ellie Brannigan, (https://crookedlanebooks.com/ellie-brannigan) also writes under the pseudonym of Traci Hall.

Lay This Body Down
Charles Fergus
Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781956763447, $26.99, HC, 312pp

https://www.amazon.com/Lay-This-Body-Down-Mystery/dp/1956763449

Synopsis: "Lay This Body Down" is a mystery novel by Charles Fergus that takes place in 1837 during one of the most horrific periods in pre-Civil War America, when dark skinned human beings were considered chattel and both northern and southern states grew rich from slave labor. And when a Pennsylvania sheriff like Gideon could choose to uphold the federal Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 or defy that racist law at great peril.

Critique: "Lay This Body Down" (the third novel in author Charles Fergus 'Gideon Stoltz Mystery Series) is a hard-hitting, action-packed story of how Gideon tries to protect a boy who has fled north from a Virginia plantation -- and pays dearly for his principles. Written with the vivid, atmospheric prose that imbues the whole series, the life and times of an early American backwoods town and its hardscrabble citizens will grip readers as Gideon and his wife True solve a murder, bust a kidnaping ring, and help one unforgettable boy who courageously chooses freedom above all else. Original and deftly scripted, "Lay This Body Down" will have special appeal to readers with an interest in historical mysteries and suspense thrillers that are written with a distinctive literary style. While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lay This Body Down" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).

Editorial Note: Charles Fergus (http://www.charlesfergus.com) is the author of twenty books, many of which are about nature and the outdoors with readers reporting that his understanding of wildlife, natural places, and rural living informs his novels..

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
Jesse Q. Sutanto
Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593546178, $27.00, HC, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Vera-Wongs-Unsolicited-Advice-Murderers/dp/0593546172

Synopsis: Vera Wong is a lonely little old lady (that is, a lady of a certain age) who lives above her forgotten tea shop in the middle of San Francisco's Chinatown. Despite living alone, Vera is not needy, oh no. She likes nothing more than sipping on a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy detective work on the Internet about what her Gen-Z son is up to.

Then one morning, Vera trudges downstairs to find a curious thing -- a dead man in the middle of her tea shop. In his outstretched hand, a flash drive. Vera doesn't know what comes over her, but after calling the cops like any good citizen would, she sort of lifts the flash drive from the body and tucks it safely into the pocket of her apron. Why? Because Vera is sure she would do a better job than the police possibly could, because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands.

Vera knows the killer will be back for the flash drive; all she has to do is watch the increasing number of customers at her shop and figure out which one among them is the killer. What Vera does not expect is to form friendships with her customers and start to care for each and every one of them. As a protective mother hen, will she end up having to give one of her newfound chicks to the police?

Critique: A quintessential cozy mystery that will have immense interest to fans of the genre, "Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers" is original, memorable, and a fun read from cover to cover. While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of readers who enjoy novels featuring amateur women crime solvers, that "Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers" is also available in a paperback edition (9780008558734, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Jesse Q. Sutanto (https://jillgrinbergliterary.com/book_author/jesse-q-sutanto) is the author of adult, YA, and children's middle grade books. She has a master's degree in creative writing from Oxford University, though she hasn't found a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious. The film rights to her women's fiction, Dial A for Aunties, was bought by Netflix in a competitive bidding war. Her adult books include Dial A for Aunties and its sequel, Four Aunties and a Wedding. Her YA books include The Obsession, The New Girl, and her upcoming romcom, Well, That Was Unexpected. Her MG books include Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit and an untitled sequel. She is on Twitter @thewritinghippo and on Instagram @jesseqsutanto

Standing Dead
Margaret Mizushima
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639102440, $28.99, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Standing-Dead-Timber-Creek-Mystery/dp/1639102442

Synopsis: Deputy Mattie Cobb and her sister, Julia, travel to Mexico to visit their mother, but when they arrive, they discover that she and her husband have vanished without a trace. Back in Timber Creek, Mattie finds a chilling note on her front door telling her to look for "him" among the standing dead up in the high country.

The sheriff's department springs into action and sends a team to the mountains, where Mattie's K-9 partner, Robo, makes a grisly discovery -- a body tied to a dead pine tree. Mattie is shocked when she realizes she knows the dead man. And then another note arrives, warning that Mattie's mother is in desperate straits. In a last-ditch gambit, Mattie must go deep undercover into a killer's lair to save her mother -- or die trying.

Critique: A combination of police procedural and cosy mystery, "Standing Dead" by Margaret Mizushima is a plot rich and entertaining read that is especially recommended for the reading lists of all dedicated mystery fans and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "Standing Dead" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666629064, $22.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Margaret Mizushima (www.margaretmizushima.com) is the author of the award-winning and internationally published Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries. She also serves as president for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, and was elected the 2019 Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She is a member of Northern Colorado Writers, Sisters in Crime, Pikes Peak Writers, and Women Writing the West.She can be followed on Facebook/AuthorMargaretMizushima, Twitter @margmizu, and on Instagram at margmizu.

Even When You Lie
Michelle Cruz
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639102501, $18.99, PB, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Even-When-You-Lie-Novel/dp/1639102507

Synopsis: Reagan Reyes is a woman who hunts other people's secrets. A former intelligence officer, she's currently the in-house investigator for pricey criminal defense attorney, Cade McCarrick -- and she's his lover, despite the law firm's rules forbidding romantic relationships between partners and staff. But their love (including their agreement never to lie to each other) is the only authenticity they have in a world of subterfuge and betrayal.

That agreement is pushed to its limits when a mysterious woman leaves an envelope for Cade and is soon discovered dead. While the envelope's contents aren't related to any of Cade's current cases, Reagan uncovers a connection to a recent murder outside a Deep Ellum nightclub -- and an even more ominous link to the dead woman.

The police don't seem to care about either death, but they hit too close to home for Reagan to ignore. As she digs deeper into Dallas's sordid underbelly, she's completely on her own except for Cade - and there's a killer bent on eliminating them both at any cost.

Critique: An inherently compelling, pulse-pounding, romantic thriller of a read from first page to lat, author Michelle Cruz's new novel, "Even When You Lie", will be of particular appeal to anyone with an interest in deftly crafted crime fiction with more plot twists than a Disneyland roller-coaster. While highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the growing legions of Michelle Cruz fans that "Even When You Lie" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666629590, $22.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Michelle Cruz (https://authormichellecruz.com) is a seventh-generation native Texan who served as a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force and staffed a member of Congress. She resides with her family in the Texas Hill Country and is a member of WFWA and the Writers' League of Texas

The Protege
Jody Gehrman
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639102488, $28.99, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Protege-Novel-Jody-Gehrman/dp/1639102485

Synopsis: Dr. Hannah Bryers, anthropology professor and forensics expert at the prestigious Mad River University, takes pleasure in examining corpses, but small talk and living people fill her with dread. When she's not teaching, she analyzes the decomposing flesh of murder victims around the globe.

Winter Jones is Hannah's most promising graduate student. She's smart, cunning, and dedicated, but she's got her own agenda for coming to Mad River. She's here to bring Hannah Bryers down and she will stop at nothing to make her life implode.

In alternating narratives, Winter systematically robs Hannah of the things she values most: her reputation, her job, and ultimately her safety.

When dangerous mistakes are made in her lab, Hannah has no idea who would have it out for her and would be willing to risk students' lives. As the incidents become deadly, many suspects come to light. Hannah won't go down without a fight. She has to figure out who is sabotaging her career and killing people; her life depends on finding answers.

Critique: A compulsive page turner of a read, "The Protege" reveals author Jody Gehrman's genuine flair for creating psychological thrillers that will hold and keep the reader's total attention from cover to cover. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), "The Protege" will prove a welcome and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Jody Gehrman (https://www.jodygehrman.com) has authored several novels and numerous plays for stage and screen. Her young-adult novel, Babe in Boyland, won the International Reading Association's Teen Choice Award and was optioned by the Disney Channel. Jody's plays have been produced or had staged readings in Ashland, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and L.A. Her full-length, Tribal Life in America, won the Ebell Playwrights Prize and received a staged reading at the historic Ebell Theater in Los Angeles. She and her partner David Wolf won the New Generation Playwrights Award for their one-act, Jake Savage, Jungle P.I. She holds a Masters Degree in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and is also a professor of Communications at Mendocino College in Northern California.

A Mansion for Murder
Frances Brody
https://frances-brody.com
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781643857602, $28.99, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Untitled-Brody-13-Shackleton-Mystery/dp/1643857606

Synopsis: When Kate Shackleton disembarks at Saltaire station, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, she has no idea what to expect. A stranger, Ronnie Creswell, has written to say that he has urgent information about the past that will interest her, and he persuades her to make the journey to Milner Field, the grand house that is said to be cursed. But moments after Kate arrives at the lodge, a messenger brings devastating news to Ronnie's parents: he has been found drowned in the mill reservoir.

Ronnie's father suspects that this was no accident, and the post-mortem proves him right. Ronnie was murdered. Terrified and distraught, Mrs. Creswell refuses to stay at the Lodge a moment longer. But events take an even more shocking turn when ten-year-old Nancy Creswell, eyes and ears for her blind Uncle Nick, goes missing. An account of the fateful Saturday of Ronnie's death arouses Kate's suspicions, and furhter investigations could prove her right.

But truth is never so straightforward at Milner Field. Uncle Nick spins an old story that could hold the key to finding Nancy alive -- though the fabled curse may not have claimed its last victim yet. And only a set of old bones buried on the grounds will finally reveal the horrifying truth.

Critique: The thirteenth novel in author Frances Brody's simply outstanding series of cozy mysteries staring that amateur sleuth Kate Shackleton. With all the entertainment value of an Agatha Christie novel, "A Mansion for Murder" is an original, compelling, and highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library collections. Be warned though, if this 13th title is your first introduction to Frances Brody mysteries, then you will find yourself compelling to seek out the previous twelve cozy mysteries starring Kate Shackleton! It should be noted that "A Mansion for Murder" is also available in a paperback edition (9780349431970, $14.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666629613, $22.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Frances Brody (https://frances-brody.com) wrote historical sagas, winning the HarperCollins Elizabeth Elgin award for most regionally evocative debut saga of the millennium before creating the Kate Shackleton mystery series.

A Midsummer Night's Scheme
Harper Kincaid
https://www.harperkincaid.com
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781643856308, $26.99, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Midsummer-Nights-Scheme-Bookbinding-Mystery/dp/1643856308

Synopsis: Just when everything is returning to the calm that Quinn Caine and her sidekicks, Ruff Barker Ginsburg and Sister Daria, are used to in their beloved town of Vienna, a Broadway star crash-lands into their peace and quiet. Former 'player', Chad Frivole, is Vienna's prodigal son -- the once notorious lothario has returned a Broadway star, ready to make a different kind of mark on his hometown.

Not everyone is celebrating the Tony-award-winner's return. Chad's a triple threat -- not with a cast of characters lining up to seek their revenge on him. So, when he turns up dead in his car, trapped with a sack full of snakes, Quinn can't say she's surprised -- but promises handsome detective Aiden Harrington that she's staying out of this local mystery.

That is, until someone starts threatening her brother's life. It's true, Sebastian 'Bash' Caine used to be a womanizer, just like Chad. And the killer doesn't seem to care that he's not that man anymore. Bash Caine is in the killer's sights, and unless Quinn and her crew can find the killer in time, whoever it is will drag her brother into his final act on this mortal coil.

Critique: As a novelist, author Harper Kincaid demonstrates a complete mastery of the cozy mystery genre complete with an amateur female sleuth and her pets. Featuring memorable and deftly crafted characters and a positive roller-coaster of plot twists and turns, "A Midsummer Night's Scheme" is the latest addition to her 'A Book Binding Mystery' series and is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted dedicated cozy mystery fans that "A Midsummer Night's Scheme" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666629620, $22.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Born in California and raised in South Florida, Harper Kincaid has moved around like a nomad with a bounty on her head ever since. After earning her master's degree in Gender History and another in Clinical/Macro Social Work, Kincaid decided to not to use either and become a writer instead! (https://www.harperkincaid.com/books)

The Shimmer on the Water
Marina McCarron
Head of Zeus
https://headofzeus.com
9781801104449, $16.95, PB, 416pp

https://www.amazon.com/Shimmer-Water-Marina-McCarron/dp/1801104441

Synopsis: 1997. As the people of Fort Meadow Beach celebrate the Fourth of July, four-year-old Daisy Wright disappears and is never seen again. Present Day. Fired from her job and heartbroken, Peyton Winchester moves back home for the summer. Sitting in her childhood bedroom in her parents' sprawling mansion on the edge of the Atlantic ocean brings back all kinds of memories - including Daisy's vanishing when Peyton was a young girl herself. As she begins her search for the truth, the investigation will hit close to home, intertwining Daisy's past and Peyton's present with irreversible consequences. How far will Peyton be ready to go to uncover the truth and will what she finds destroy everything or finally lead her home?

Critique: When you're lost sometimes the only way to look forward is to look back. "The Shimmer on the Water" by novelist Marina McCarron is the story of three women, two generations apart, and one secret they share. Deftly crafted and memorable characters, a plot replete with unexpected twists and turns, "The Shimmer on the Water" is an inherently fascinating blend of a 'whodunnit' mystery and a domestic thriller of a read from first page to last. While highly recommended as an addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Shimmer on the Water" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).

Editorial Note: Marina McCarron (http://marinamccarron.com) holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Publishing degree. She has worked as a reporter, a freelance writer, a columnist and a manuscript evaluator. She gets her ideas for stories from strolling through new places and daydreaming. Her debut novel, "The Time Between Us", came to her as she stood at Pointe du Hoc on a windy June day and asked the magical question, what if...?

Bones Under the Ice
Mary Ann Miller
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608095377, $27.95, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Bones-Under-Jhonni-Laurent-Mystery/dp/1608095371

Synopsis: Two days after a blizzard hits Field's Crossing, Indiana, Sheriff Jhonni Laurent discovers the frozen body of a high school senior under a fifteen-foot pile of snow and ice. Murder is rare in farm country, and this death marks the beginning of Jhonni's first homicide case.

Just as the investigation gets underway, Jhonni's opponent for sheriff from four years ago wages a bitter reelection battle to oust her. Then, Jhonni finds another body, and further complications arise when a century-old feud between two families reaches its breaking point.

Soon, a slew of newspaper articles causes the Indiana State Election Board to doubt her credibility. Jhonni must fight to maintain her reputation, keep the small farming community together, and find the murderer at large -- all while demons from her own past threaten to crush her. Can she find the killer and mend her battered spirit before it's too late?

Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "Bones Under The Ice" is author Mary Ann Miller's debut as a novelist, this carefully crafted and original suspense thriller of a 'whodunnit' mystery will have a particular appeal to readers with an interest in police procedural murder mysteries. While also available to fans of women sleuth/detective (and in this case sheriff) mysteries in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.95), "Bones Under The Ice" is unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

The Butcher of Berner Street
Alex Reeve
Felony & Mayhem Press
https://felonyandmayhem.com
9781631942822, $27.00, HC, 300pp

https://www.amazon.com/Butcher-Berner-Street-Leo-Stanhope/dp/1631942824

Synopsis: "Cold-hearted murder." That's what was promised in the anonymous note, and Leo Stanhope can't resist. He may be a working journalist at last, but it's a precarious gig, and a good story could bring in the readers. What he finds on Berner Street, though, is a dead body that isn't, not to mention a lady wrestler who's quite a bit more. The crowd is angry: They like things cut and dried. But Leo knows all about things that are one thing and also another. He's got a secret himself, and if he's found out, an angry crowd will be the least of his worries. This is Queen Victoria's London, and the courts are not kind to young men who are -- quite a bit more!

Critique: The third volume in author Alex Reeve's extraordinary Victorian era 'Leo Stanhope' mystery series, "The Butcher of Berner Street" is an 'whodunnit' mystery novel that will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in Historical mysteries featuring amateur sleuths and LGBTQ elements. A terrific read from cover to cover, and the stuff from which BBC movies are made, "The Butcher of Berner Street" is unreservedly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Alex Reeve (https://felicitybryan.com/fba-author/alex-reeve) lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with his wife and two sons. Having done many jobs, including working in a pub and teaching English as a foreign language in Paris, he is now a university lecturer. His debut novel, Half Moon Street, was the first in a Victorian crime series featuring transgender amateur sleuth Leo Stanhope. His writing focuses on closing the gap between the actual Victorian era and how the period is perceived.

Burning Distance
Joanne Leedom-Ackerman
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608095339, $28.95, HC, 400pp

https://www.amazon.com/Burning-Distance-Joanne-Leedom-Ackerman/dp/1608095339

Synopsis: When ten-year-old Elizabeth West's father dies in a tragic plane crash over the Persian Gulf, her family uproots their life in Washington, D.C., and moves to London. Her mother marries a knighted British businessman who has two children, and Elizabeth (Lizzy) and her two sisters move in with their new family.

At age sixteen, while attending the American School of London, Lizzy meets and falls in love with Adil Hasan -- but when Adil's father, a noted arms middleman, is deported, Lizzy and Adil are separated.

Lizzy's family has also become involved with French-German industrialist Gerald Rene Wagner. Little does she know that Adil's family has ties to the man, as well. When a member of her family is murdered in Berlin under mysterious circumstances, questions surface about Wagner's dealings, and Lizzy reexamines what really may have happened to her father. All the while, she endeavors to reunite with her lost love, Adil, and reclaim the connection that was ripped away.

Critique: Another deftly crafted novel of suspense featuring finely honed characters and an original storyline with more plot twists and turns than a Disneyland roller-coaster, "Burning Distance" showcases author Joanne Leedom-Ackerman's impressive and narrative storytelling skills. Very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Burning Distance" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Joanne Leedom-Ackerman is a novelist, short story writer, and journalist whose works of fiction include The Dark Path to the River and No Marble Angels. Her recent nonfiction book, PEN Journeys: Memoir of Literature on the Line, drew inspiration from her job as a vice president of the worldwide writers and human rights organization PEN International. She is also on the boards of the American Writers Museum, the International Center for Journalists, Words Without Borders, Refugees International, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Texas Institute of Letters. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joanne_Leedom-Ackerman)

Just the Nicest Couple
Mary Kubica
https://marykubica.com
Park Row Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780778333111, $28.99, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Just-Nicest-Couple-Mary-Kubica/dp/0778333116

Synopsis: Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend's house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found.

Lily Scott, Nina's friend and coworker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake's disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won't stop until the truth is discovered.

Critique: A deftly crafted domestic thriller of a read, "Just the Nicest Couple" by Mary Kubica is an inherently riveting read with more plot twists and turns than a Disneyland roller-coaster. While also available for the personal reading lists of fans with an interest in psychological suspense fiction in a paperback edition (9781848458437, $10.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212222990, $41.99, CD), "Just the Nicest Couple" will prove to be a welcome addition to community library Contemporary Fiction collections.

Editorial Note: Mary Kubica (https://marykubica.com) is the author of "The Good Girl" and "Pretty Baby". She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in History and American Literature.

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Midwest Book Review