Bitter Nothings / Vicki Tyley

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Mystery

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Availability    

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Author:

A native of New Zealand, Vicki Tyley currently lives with her husband in rural Australia and is the author of several bestselling mysteries for your Kindle, including Thin Blood, picked by Amazon as a “Customer Favorite” in 2010.

For more, visit Tyley’s website.

Description:

“Half her family have been murdered in their beds. Her father is the prime suspect. And things are about to get a whole lot worse...

Graphic designer Dervla Johns wakes one morning to the news that her father, Warren, is missing and her stepmother and step-siblings were found dead in their beds. While the police hunt for Warren, Dervla searches for answers. Could her father really be a killer? Refusing to be warned off by police threats, or intimidated by the reporter who appears to be following her, she delves into her family's past.

But as she uncovers one shocking secret after another, Dervla's world is rocked further by another murder - and she finds herself desperately trying to untangle a web of illicit love and betrayal. Soon, Dervla must face her greatest fear... or suffer the same deadly fate as her stepmother.”

Appraisal:

I’ve read all of Vicki Tyley’s books and they all have some qualities that keep me coming back starting with well constructed plots with multiple “suspects” to choose from. I’ve yet to figure out whodunit until just before the climax, often getting completely blindsided. (I then think back to the clues and realize they were all there, if I’d only seen them.) The tension tends to be high, like a thriller, with the protagonist often in danger (or at least feeling they are). The protagonist is always someone I like and find myself pulling for them to solve the mystery. The Australian settings and characters add a little spice, setting them apart and giving me a change of pace from the norm.

Bitter Nothings has all of these qualities which leaves me feeling that I don’t have anything new to say (other than “buy this book, you’ll like it”). So, buy this book, you’ll like it.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

FYI:

Although the author is Australian, it appears that she used US spelling conventions in this book.

Rating: ***** Five stars

#Free for your #Kindle, 9/19/2013

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Dead(ish) by Naomi Kramer

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Surfer’s Hurricane / Landon Pemper

Reviewed by: Keith Nixon

Genre: Mystery

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

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Author:

Landon Pemper has held a large number of varied jobs whilst travelling. As well as being a drummer in rock bands and working on indie films, Pemper is a writer. Surfer’s Hurricane is his debut novel.

You can learn more about Landon Pemper at Wild Knight Publishing or his website.

Description:

Wannabe surfer Milt is forced to move from his home on the Texas coast to Milwaukee by Hurricane Ike. His closest family, estranged sister and brother in law, live there. When he breaks into their house the phone begins to ring. A mystery woman entices him to a bar. Who is she? What does she want?

Appraisal:

Technically there’s nothing wrong with this book, it’s well written and I couldn’t find any issues with punctuation, spelling or grammar. There’s a degree of mystery and some of the characters are strong and engaging. Written in the first person it keeps the reader close to the action. But for some reason it just failed to grab me.

The initial premise when a mystery girl, who he nicknames Divinity, with a sexy voice pulls Milt to a bar is interesting in itself. It appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Then some bad guys start pursuing Milt, seemingly trying to force him to stay away from Divinity. But Milt has fallen for her and can’t help his pursuit of her.

During his journey Milt happens across several broken down rockers – Tanni and Stache along with Mailman Joe. They were the best characters, I felt. Down to earth with a droll sense of humour. They lit the story up whenever in play.

Much is made of Milt’s appearance, a fish out of water – a surfer miles away from the sea. There’s a constant stream of references to both and almost everyone Milt meets comments on it or calls him Surfer. It got a bit repetitive, I didn’t need to be told so many times.

I also struggled a little with the revelations about Divinity’s real existence and the eventual reveal as to why Milt had been pursued by the bad guys.

The author describes Surfer’s Hurricane as humorous and heart-breaking. Well, it had a degree of the former, but little of the latter in truth. In fact the ending was high on the feel good factor. Everything that could come together, did so. If I said any more it would give it away.

All in all, a reasonable read and a promising debut, but not quite enough to fully engage me.

FYI:

Nothing of note.

Format/Typo Issues:

None.

Rating:  *** Three Stars

Intermezzo, A Short Love Story / Ida Tornovski

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Romance/Satire/Short Story

Approximate word count: 5-6,000 words

Availability    

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Author:

“Ida Tornovski was born into a politically divided Europe. Writing only in English now, she spends her time between the 'Old Country' and the United States.”

Description:

“In her short parody Intermezzo, A Short Love Story, Ida Tornovski takes you into 1965 spy-laced Vienna where three sexy adults role-play with fantasy, jealousy and betrayal. They call it Love.”

Appraisal:

Would it seem strange to say what I liked the most about Intermezzo is that I’m still not sure what happened? I don’t mean what the narrator told me, but what she didn’t. The author’s description talks about role playing. But what is “play” and what goes beyond, isn’t clear. What is true and what is part of the act, is murky. Going in, who knew was supposed to happen and how does that compare to what actually did? I know, that’s all kind of vague. We don’t want any spoilers. I’ve got an opinion, but I’m still not sure. I wonder if you’d agree?

FYI:

Adult situations.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five stars

The Devil’s Concubine (The Devil of Ponong series #1) / Jill Braden

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Fantasy / Paranormal / Espionage / Mystery

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words

Availability    

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Author:

“Upon completing her studies at Miss Havisham's School for Girls, Ms Braden earned a degree in Finance. Armed with a smattering of monetary theory and an understanding of capital markets, she invaded Los Angeles with such stealth that most of the population remains unaware that she lurks within the borders. While her lifelong dream of owning James West's train remains elusive, the underwater lair is coming along quite nicely, thank you. Do drop in. She's been looking for an excuse to test the hound's SCUBA gear.”

For more, visit her website or blog.

Description:

“QuiTai, ruthless concubine of Levapur’s mysterious crime lord, the Devil, receives an unexpected invitation to cocktails with disgraced Thampurian Kyam Zul. She doesn’t trust Kyam enough to drink anything he pours, and won’t help him no matter how hard he begs – or threatens. But when QuiTai’s ex-lover is murdered, Kyam is the only one who knows the name of the killer, and he won’t tell QuiTai unless she helps him first.

The torpid back alleyways of Levapur's tropical colony hide more than lovers. There are things with claws, beings with venomous fangs, and spies lurking in the jungle. Most of them want to keep their secrets. One wants QuiTai dead.”

Appraisal:

Jill Braden has written an intriguing fantasy around Ponong, a Polynesian type island with a touch of Asian flair. Her world is nothing like I have ever read before. The Ponongese people are humanoid with snake like qualities, which include fangs and poisonous venom. They are ruled by the Thampurian government whose people are known as sea dragons. Since no troubled world would be complete without an evil underbelly they have a crime syndicate, which happens to be run by werewolves. However there is a new evil in town. The Ravidians, a lizard like people, are bringing mysterious shipments into the port town of Levapur.

The story is told through the eyes of QuiTai, the devil’s concubine. She is Ponongese and the brains behind the crime syndicate. She is sensual, intelligent, ruthless, and loyal to her race above all others. From her position of power she is able to manipulate the alpha werewolf, Petrof, (who is known to everyone as the Devil), for the good of her people. I really appreciated the way the Ponongese showed respect to one another in this primitive society. Despite being oppressed, they strived to keep their customs and dignity. This is where the author’s storytelling abilities really shined the brightest.

Braden’s descriptive prose about the island and its inhabitants is beautifully written, but the back story is too slowly developed. At about 36% I almost put the book aside because the story didn’t seem to be going any where. Until we met and got to know a little more about Kyam Zul, a disgraced Thampurian from the royal family, who has been exiled to Ponong. We eventually learn he is an ex-Colonel of His Majesty’s Intelligence Services. Kyam enlists QuiTai’s help to figure out what the Ravidian’s are up to. He is smart enough to realize that QuiTai knows more than she lets on and the banter between these two was very entertaining as their respect for each other grows. At one point QuiTai reflects:

The terrible thing about excruciatingly good manners was that there was absolutely no defense against them. She used that ploy against others often enough to know she’d been outmaneuvered by a master.

If you enjoy mystery, politics with hidden agendas, complex characters, and multi-layered storylines, I think you will enjoy this series. There is an interesting (although not really surprising) twist at the end of this book that will most likely draw you into reading the next of this promising series.

FYI:

There is adult language contained in this book that may be offensive to some, but the sex scenes are behind closed doors, which I found a little disappointing.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no significant editing errors.

Rating: **** Four stars

Originally appeared on Awesome Trilogies and Series.

Just Remember To Breathe / Charles Sheehan-Miles

Reviewed by: Pete Barber

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Availability    

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Author:

C. Sheehan-Miles has been a soldier, computer programmer, short-order cook and non-profit executive, and is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, including the indie bestsellers Just Remember to Breathe and Republic: A Novel of America's Future.

Description:

Sixteen-year-old Alex — beautiful from an affluent West Coast family. Meets seventeen-year-old Dylan — blue collar boy from a broken home. Sparks fly, but a misunderstanding splits them apart. Two years later, they meet by a crazy coincidence. The story follows their path to find each other again. 

Appraisal:

This story dragged for me. The characters and situation are a bit cliché, but I knew that going in, so I don’t level that as a criticism. Many good stories follow this premise. The problem was the characters didn’t come across as believable. Dylan seemed childish and insecure, even after two years deployed in a war zone. Other than his constant inner doubts about Alex, he’s presented as physically and mentally tough. Alex constantly doubts herself and responds to Dylan like a naive fourteen-year-old, even though she’s doing stellar work at college and has a supportive family.

The story alternated in first person for each character. This built a lot of repetition into the tale as we learned about the same events from each character’s perspective.

These two positions: Alex fell in love with Dylan and never stopped loving him. When they meet again she’s totally turned on by the muscles he developed in the Army. Dylan fell in love with Alex and never stopped loving her, but feels he’s not worthy of her. When they meet again, he’s totally turned on by her stunning body.

Nothing wrong with this scenario for a romance, but these themes and only these themes are repeated again, and again. Much of the story is delivered as internal narrative (angst) from the two character’s—not enough else happened for my taste.

The ending is well written and poignant. The author had me tearing up (as I should). The happy-ever-after conclusion was satisfying, but much of the story felt like filler to me, as though a novella had been turned into a novel by repeating the same themes.

Format/Typo Issues:

Too few to mention.

Rating: *** Three stars

The Crooked Beat / Nick Quantrill

Reviewed by: Keith Nixon

Genre: Crime Fiction

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

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Author:

Nick Quantrill was born and raised in the industrial English city of Hull. He’s a prolific short story writer, but has also produced three full-length crime novels starring protagonist PI Joe Geraghty.

For more information on Nick, go to his website.

Description:

Former PI Joe Geraghty has family problems, lots of them. His brother, Niall, is in trouble. He thought he could solve his money problems by smuggling some cigarettes, however the consignment has been stolen and now he owes local hard man George Sutherland for them.

It seems everyone wants Geraghty to drop the case, in particular Don Ridley, his former partner and mentor. But Geraghty can’t let his family down and when the past crashes into the present Joe is in until the bitter end.

Appraisal:

I’ve previously read and reviewed two of the author’s works. Both were quality performances, strong and well written, however The Crooked Beat feels like a step on. Perhaps it is because the story moves immediately, rather than a slow build. Perhaps it is the use of first person narrative.

This latter element brings us closer to the protagonist, Joe Geraghty. He’s a man incapable of finding a happy ending. He has few friends and is out on his own now after the private investigation firm he previously worked for closed and his mentor Don retired.

Throughout The Crooked Beat there’s a lot of the difficult past for Geraghty to deal with. Through flashbacks we learn about Don Ridley, who in many ways has been like a father to Joe, and how his behavior ultimately affected Joe. In addition a man involved with the death of Geraghty’s wife may have the answer to the riddle he’s pursuing. He really is a tortured soul.

However, Geraghty must also pull his family out of trouble and deal with Sutherland. Quantrill deals with these many story arcs with aplomb and cleverly produces an exit when none seem obvious.

One of the aspects I really like is the Hull backdrop (I admit I’m slightly biased having lived there for over a decade). Quantrill draws the area very well which adds atmosphere.

Another subtle element is the author reflecting a number of the character’s past (via flashbacks) against the backdrop of the city’s current regeneration. The old is being torn down and replaced with the new, which parallels Geraghty’s changes in circumstances. His old life is being ripped up too, though as yet a future hasn’t been built. It’s neat and clever.

All in all this is an excellent book, intelligently written and a significantly more than your average PI tale.

FYI:

Smatterings of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

None.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Triple Dog Dare / K.S. Brooks and Stephen Hise

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Chick-Lit

Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

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Author:

Stephen Hise is the founder and with K.S. Brooks administers the “multi-author multi-national super blog," IndiesUnlimited. Together (along with JD Mader) Hise and Brooks previously co-authored the “multi-genre satire,” Bad Book. Both have written or contributed to numerous other books.

More about Hise can be found on his website. The same goes for Brooks’ website.

Description:

“When wealthy champion dog breeder Stu Hockersmith presents prize pup Lord Louis to lovely Bianca Jameson, he hopes to win her heart. Things don’t always go as planned. Bianca, oblivious to Stu’s amorous intentions, takes the adorable pooch back to California where she goes on to become a celebrated author, writing books about little Lo-Lou.

Bianca thinks she’s living the good life with her Norse god of a fiancé, former fashion photographer Lars Lundgren. When she realizes Lars has spent all their money and committed her to a new book with a looming deadline, Bianca pulls out all the stops to get the job done. But she doesn’t know about all of Lars’ deals.

To make matters worse, Stu is informed that gifting Lord Louis broke the kennel club bylaws and he now must get the pup back before his father’s legal team takes action against the woman he still loves.

Stu needs Lo-Lou to satisfy his father. Bianca needs Lo-Lou to finish her book. Lars needs Lo-Lou to work out a secret deal with a movie producer. Lo-Lou can’t be in three places at the same time. Or can he?”

Appraisal:

Triple Dog Dare is all about threes. Three dogs is only the obvious. Another is three characters in love. Stu loves Bianca, although she has no idea. Bianca loves Stu. Bianca also loves Lars (or at least would say she does). Lars loves himself. I’ll call it a non-traditional love triangle because that will help me sneak in another three-ish word.

But the biggest three is the genre. Taken as a whole, the story best fits the chick-lit genre. In a blog post on the differences between chick-lit and romance, author Donna Fasano defined the genre this way:

Chick lit books focus on a female protagonist and her personal (and usually foible-filled) journey toward self-understanding and self-acceptance. In these books, the plot devices are the story. Whether the protagonist ends up with a man is not as relevant as the learning process she experiences through various situations that culminate in her resolving her issues, be they emotional, professional, etc. Chick lit is as famous for its upbeat, emotionally satisfying ending as romance fiction is for its HEA [Happily Ever After].

This definition fits Triple Dog Dare to a tee. But that foible-filled part, which gives a bit of comic relief, also applies to the other characters, especially Stu (who could have swapped gender with Bianca and kept this chick-lit) and Lars. There is enough humor beyond the norm for chick-lit to tag it with a secondary genre, maybe romantic comedy. Last, there is enough conflict and suspense here with no clue how that is going to resolve that I’m tempted to tag it with suspense, too. The suspense is diluted somewhat by the humor, but I’ve got to stay with this tortured three thing now, so suspense is it.

Okay. I’ve pushed the three thing far enough. Maybe I’ll do a two. As in two genders. This might be chick-lit (normally aimed a women), but boys, guys, uh (why isn’t there a good male equivalent to chick?) people of that other gender might like it too. I did.

And I got off of that three thing just in time for the rating.

Rating: **** Four stars

Cairo Caper / Barbara Silkstone

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Humor/Mystery /Adventure

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

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Author:

Barbara states on her blog, “My writing history began humbly enough when I started an underground newspaper in Catholic grade school. I was threatened with excommunication by the nuns so I went further underground. I’ve packed many adventures into my life excusing even the disasters as ‘material for my next book.’… I enjoy doing playful things with language, blending two distinct words to create a new word…  I now write criminally funny fairy tales ripped from the headlines… shaken, not stirred, and served with a twist and a chuckle.”

This is Ms. Silkstone’s third novel in her Wendy Darlin series. She has three other comedic mystery books along with her “true fiction,” The Adventures of a Love Investigator, 527 Naked Men & One Woman. Silkstone contributed to the anthology Indie Chicks and The WG2E All-For-Indies Anthologies: Spring Hop Edition. Her books are also available on Audible.com. You can connect with Ms. Silkstone at her new blog although she’s been messing with us by posting recently on her old blog, too. Her facebook page is yet another option.

Description:

Wendy Darlin joins her archaeologist boyfriend, Professor Roger Jolley, in a quest across Egypt looking for a lost artifact for the Egyptian Antiquities Society that will assist them in locating Antony and Cleopatra’s burial tomb. All they had to do was get from Cairo to the Temple of Taporisis Magna alive. However, not everyone is who they say they are and they find themselves running for their lives.

Appraisal:

The non-stop action starts in the first chapter with Wendy hurling a large glass ashtray, the only weapon she could find, into the nose of an assassin on their sixth floor hotel room balcony in Cairo, sending him toppling over the railing. His body apparently disappears from the sidewalk and Wendy and Roger are followed on a comedic run through a crowded Egyptian market place. Poor Wendy, she is one smart gal and very capable, but things just seem to happen to her. Unsurprisingly, Wendy soon becomes instrumental in being able to fulfill their quest.

With the addition of characters like Habib, Petri Dische, and librarian, wannabe-author Fiona Feelgood, who was looking for her own Egyptian treasure and material for her book Erotica for Dummies, put me in mind of Silkstone’s own true fiction book, The Adventures of a Love Investigator. Then there is the mystery of who is legit and who is involved in the antiquities black market. The way Ms. Silkstone plays with words is unrivaled and the way she incorporated segments from favorite movie clips was genius. She uses sharp wit throughout her stories, her plots are strong, and the action nonstop. I really enjoyed reading about Wendy and her tomb raiding adventures and hope to see more of Habib and quite possibly Tickemoff, the friendly street peddler, in future Wendy Darlin books.

FYI:

This story stands on its own, and is young adult appropriate.

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues with editing or formatting. 

Rating: ***** Five stars

#Free for your #Kindle - 9/12/2013

The author of each of these books has indicated their intent to schedule these books for a free day for the Kindle versions today on Amazon. Sometimes plans change or mistakes happen, so be sure to verify the price before hitting that "buy me" button.

The Knightmare by Deborah Valentine

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The Survival of Marvin Baines by Michael Meyer

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Amazon UK

Two Birds (A Short Mystery) by Vicki Tyley

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Author's interested in having their free book featured either here on a Thursday or a sister site on a Monday, visit this page for details.