Friday, January 31, 2014

A Wanted Man - Lee Child

A Wanted Man is a Jack Reacher novel. It's number 17 in the series. Hitchhiking has it's drawbacks, as Reacher will discover.

Jack Reacher is just trying to hitchhike to Virginia. There's a woman he wants to meet. When Reacher sticks his thumb out, on a cold night in Nebraska, he's hitched more than just a ride. He's become part of a complicated dance between the FBI, the CIA, and the state department, over a crime none of them want to explain. Reacher is beginning to wonder if he'll ever make it to Virginia. Plenty of suspense and action. It's almost like every chapter ends with a cliff hanger. Very highly recommended.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

The Affair - Lee Child

The Affair is a Jack Reacher Novel. While this is novel 16 in the series, it's actually the story of Reacher's last official assignment, and why he left the army.

Jack Reacher is a major in the U.S. Army. Reacher is an MP who's been assigned to help keep a civilian investigation, into a murder outside an army base, from spilling over onto the soldiers on the base. What Reacher does is the right thing, not necessarily what the army wants. This is an excellent book and a great edition to the Reacher series. Very highly recommended.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Life's A Beach Then You Die - Falafel Jones

Life's A Beach Then You Die is the first novel in the Max Fried Mystery series. This book is free for the kindle. This is a murder mystery with sand, beaches, boats, and plenty of bodies.

Max Fried is a retired computer forensics examiner. Just retired actually. When Max is approached at his local hangout to do a simple computer search, he doesn't know how much excitement he's in for, or how much danger. This tale has good characters, an old mystery to solve, and enough suspense to keep you reading late into the night. Very highly recommended.

Friday, January 24, 2014

The Missing Link I - Eden Laroux

The Missing Link I is the first part of the January Morrison Files, Psychic Series 1. This book is free for the kindle. It is NOT the first book in a series of novels. It is the first part of a multiple part novella. That wasn't clear to me, and I'm disappointed. I should have looked a little closer.

January Morrison finds out she's a psychic when her best friend goes missing. January later turns her ability to find missing persons into a career. It might have been a good book, if it had been a complete book. Recommended, if you want to buy the other parts just to read the whole story.

Chase The Wind - Cindy Holby

Chase The Wind is the first book in the Wind Series. This is a western that covers multiple generations in the Duncan family.

Ian Duncan was a horse trainer who fell in love with Faith Taylor while working for Randolph Mason. Faith and Ian didn't realize it, but Faith's father had other plans. This story is about Faith and Ian and their family's travels and travails in the west. I was amazed by the level of tragedy the author felt compelled to include. I read one review where someone said this was a fun read. This book was a struggle to read. After the first couple of times the book smacked me down with evil and degradation, I was wary of turning the pages. The story had many good points, but I'm not interested in reading books this twisted. On a technical note, the number if misspelled, or incorrect words was also distracting. Not recommended.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

The Pit Stop - Carmen DeSousa

The Pit Stop is a novella. This book is free for the kindle. This murder mystery crosses generations and might even have a ghost or two.

Gino Canale is a police detective. Gino's been having some disturbing dreams lately. Gino's dreaming of his Grandpa Joe, but his Grandpa died 20 years ago. When Grandpa Joe's death is opened as a murder investigation Gino is ready to track down the killer. This is a very good story. I wish it was longer, but it's a satisfying tale. Very highly recommended.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Schooled - Dalton Jackson

Schooled is just 99 cents for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. If you're a teacher, a parent, or a student I highly recommend you read this book.

Dalton Jackson was a high school biology teacher for two years. This book is a series of stories based on his experiences, that illustrate how the educational bureaucracy drove him out of the teaching profession. If you want some insight into what it takes to be a good teacher, and why there are so few good ones, this book will open your eyes. It's an amazing book. Very highly recommended.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Promise You Won't Tell? - John Locke

Promise You Won't Tell? is free for the kindle. If you've never read John Locke you shouldn't pass up this opportunity.

Dani Ripper is a private detective. Dani is a little tired of the background checks and infidelity investigations. Then a young woman comes to Dani's office, and Dani gets the kind of case she dreams of. Dani's on the hunt for sex offenders, something she knows a lot about. Keep in mind that things are not always what they seem. This is a tale with twists and turns from start to finish. Very highly recommended.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Murder on the Candlelight Tour - Ellen Elizabeth Hunter

Murder on the Candlelight Tour is the second novel in the Magnolia Mystery series. This book is $3.99 for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. It didn't suffer from being read out of sequence.

Ashley Wilkes is a historic preservationist. She was thrilled that her restored Victorian was the first house listed on the Olde Wilmington by Candlelight tour. That is, until someone was murdered in her library as the tour wound down. Now Ashley is trying to find the killer and the mystery behind the murder in her house. I really enjoyed this book, but there are some things I need to warn others about. This is one of those books where what color the stylish slacks are, or what designer created the shoes, or what interior decorating scheme was used, or what elegant cuisine was served, is as important to the author as who killed who. It's something that's worth putting up with for the mystery, but barely at times. If that's the kind of story you like, you'll be very pleased. Recommended.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Frost Burned - Patricia Briggs

Frost Burned is novel number seven in the Mercy Thompson series. This book is $9.99 for the kindle. If you're not familiar with this series, you should be.

Mercy Thompson is a mechanic, but she's also shapeshifter. Mercy can become a coyote. Mercy is married to Adam Hauptman, the alpha male of the Tri-Cities werewolf pack. When the pack seems to disappear, Mercy leaps into action, and the action never stops until the end of the book. This story has the same adventure and suspense you're used to if you follow this series. Mercy deals with Fae, witches, ghosts, vampires, and more. I never get enough sleep when engrossed in a Briggs thriller. Very highly recommended.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Officer Jones - Derek Ciccone

Officer Jones is a JP Warner novel. This book is free for the kindle. Vigilante justice or serial killer?

JP Warner grew up in the small town of Rockfield Connecticut. JP wanted to be a journalist, but he became a news star. Now JP wants to come home, the place he left Gwen years ago, and try being a journalist again. But Rockfield is a dangerous place. Especially if you cross Officer Jones. An excellent murder mystery adventure, with great characters, and an excellent ending. Very highly recommended.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Fireblossom - Cynthia Wright

Fireblossom is $3.99 for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. This is a historic western novel set in the town of Deadwood in the Dakota Territory.

Major Daniel "Fox" Matthews is reactivated by President Grant, after the civil war. Major Matthew's mission is to monitor and advise Colonel George Custer in his quest to pacify the Sioux and other tribes in the Dakota Territory. When that mission is over, Fox eventually settles in Deadwood.

Miss Madeleine Avery is a young lady from Philadelphia. Madeleine, her brother Benjamin, and her grandmother Susan, have traveled to the town of Deadwood to live with her father.

Deadwood is quite a change from the high society of Philadelphia, and Maddie has a hard time adjusting. Fox is a thorn in Maddie's side at first, but soon he's much more than that. This is a rousing tale of people who've moved west and changed their lives forever. It's also a story of the struggle between the Indians and the White Man, told from a historical perspective that's sympathetic to the Indian's plight. There's plenty of romance, and some scenes for adults only. This book has a bittersweet, but excellent ending. Highly recommended.

Friday, January 10, 2014

Return - Allison Merritt

Return is a short story. This download is free for the kindle. When you find out you're about to die, where do you go to spend your last days?

The cowboy was feeling old. It didn't help that the doctor told him he was dying. He decided to head back to the home he left at 17, never looking back. An interesting introspective short story. Highly recommended.

Big Sick Heart - Mike Markel

Big Sick Heart is the first novel in the Detectives Seagate and Miner Mystery series. This book is free for the kindle. This is a straight police murder mystery, but with some interesting twists.

Karen Seagate is a police detective in the town of Rawlings Montana. Karen and her new partner Ryan Miner are assigned to a security detail to protect a couple of men who are debating stem cell research at the local college. The detectives see the debaters to their hotel, but later that night one of the men is brutally murdered. Karen and Ryan are working to solve the murder, while Karen deals with the problems in her personal life, and her job. This is one of those murder mysteries you keep trying to solve in your head, but you're always one step behind. Karen's personal problems are kind of a distraction from my perspective, but the book is good. Highly recommended.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

A Matter of Honor - B.K. Gore

A Matter of Honor is the first novel in the Jeb Taylor series. This book is free for the kindle. This is a western about homesteaders versus a cattle baron, with a little romance in the mix.

Myra Lane was a miner's wife. When Myra's husband Tommy was killed in a mine collapse, she and her son Benny moved to Auburn to run a boarding house.

Jeb Taylor was a confederate soldier. After the war Jeb was running from him memories and drifting nowhere. Then he decided to start a homestead outside of Auburn and stop running.

Bull Donovan owned the biggest spread around, and he was doing whatever it took to make it bigger. He'd run out every other homesteader in the area, and now it was Jeb's turn. But Jeb wasn't running any more.

This is a classic western, pitting the big land baron against the small settler. During the conflict Myra and Jeb find each other and fall in love. The story is good. The writing, not so much. The author uses too much western/country slang. If I never have to read the words "root hog or die" again it will be too soon. And I'm sure some real cowboys are angst ridden, but Jeb is overflowing. This would have made a nice novella, but between the slang and the angst it's a full length novel. I'll admit I finally started skimming over the angst. All that said, I enjoyed the story and there was a good ending. Recommended.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes - Denise Grover Swank

Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes is the first novel in the Rose Gardner Mystery series. This book is free for the kindle. This is a murder mystery with a little dab of supernatural thrown in for spice. Very tasty.

Rose Gardner is 24 and still lives with her Momma. Rose is blessed, or cursed, with little visions of the future. Not life saving visions. More like "your fly is open" visions. Then Rose has a vision of her own death, and realizes she's never really lived. This is a great murder mystery, and Rose is a lovable quirky character. Plenty of surprises and dead bodies. Very highly recommended.

T'on Ma - Magnolia Belle

T'on Ma is free for the kindle. This is a story of settlers, indians, soldiers, and a romance that defied them all.

Lana Cooper was 17 when she was startled by a Kiowa warrior while bathing in the river close to her parent's homestead. Two Hawks was struck by the white woman's blue eyes, but before he could decide to kill or capture her, Lana's father called out. Two Hawks turned and rode away. That's how the romance between the young white woman and the Kiowa warrior began. The writing is stilted and the story so improbable I almost laughed at parts, but it was compelling. I kept waiting Lana or Two Hawks to make a right choice, but it never happened. If you like impossible love stories from the old west you might like this book. I finished it anyway. Barely recommended.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Miss Buncle's Book - D.E. Stevenson

Miss Buncle's Book is $6.95 for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. I wish it was still free. Everyone who's ever lived in a small town will enjoy this story.

Barbara Buncle needs money, so she does the first or second or third thing that comes to mind. Miss Buncle writes a book. She's completely innocent, maybe, of any intention to shock or amuse, but she manages to do both. Also to anger and embarrass. Miss Buncle has a best seller on her hands, and her hometown of Silverstream will never be the same. Neither will Miss Buncle. Even though it's only the second book I've read this year, it's going to be one of my favorites. Very highly recommended.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Heartshot - Steven F Havill

Heartshot is the first novel in the Bill Gastner Mystery series. This book is free for the kindle.

Bill Gastner is the Undersheriff of Posadas County New Mexico. Bill's worried he's past his prime, and wishes people would stop reminding him. Then people start dying in Posada, and Bill is the one who's going to have to stop the killing. The question is, can he stay alive long enough? Great murder mystery. If you're nervous about flying, this is the book for you. Highly recommended.