A Christmas Candy Killing - A Review

A Christmas Candy Killing

by

Chrstina Romeril

A Review

The author has written a fine coy mystery centered around a combination mystery bookshop/candy store. Alex and her twin sister, Hanna, ran the store located in the small Rocky Mountain village of Harriston, Montana. Alex, visiting an elderly friend, finds her dead - stabbed to death. The sheriff accusses another friend of the crime, bui A;ex is not so sure. She and a collection of friends and neighbors will spend the days before Christmas searching for the real killer while not being killed themselves.

It was fun getting to know the members of the Harriston community - both their strengths and their faults. The author drops enough clues for the reader to track the guilty party, without giving the culprit away till the book reaches its climax. When combined with the cany recipes, the book is well done.

Hopefully this becomes the first book in a new series - after all, “This is the first time there’s been a murder in Harriston in over a hundred years. What are chance of another … in our lifetimes.”  I give this cozy mystery four-stars.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Missing Pieces - A Review

 

Missing Pieces

“Elvis Has Left the Building” by Cynthia Hickey 

“The Puzzle King” by Linda Baten Johnson 

“A Puzzling Weekend” by Teresa Ives Lilly 

“Puzzle Me This” by Janice Thompson

A Review

The publisher has brought together four different faith-based cozy mysteries all centered on the theme of Jigsaw puzzles. Each was enjoyable and provided a few hours of fun reading.

For this reader the most enjoyable story was Janice Thompson’s “Puzzle Me This”. Set in the annual Camden Jigsaw Puzzle Show, Mariah was opening a new business - selling Jigsaw puzzles - but it seemed like it would be a failure from the start. First were the gunshots heard throughout the Camden Opera House, home to the show; then came the dead body found near Mariah’s booth; the first night ended with the missing, i.e. stolen, “Grindle Point '' antique puzzle valued at over $2500. That puzzle was the key to Mariah’s future success and now it was gone.

Mariah, working with other shop owners and Detective Casey Durham of the Camden PD, would follow (stumble on) clues which would lead to the guilty party. The clues not only guided Mariah and her friends, but they also provided tantalizing breadcrumbs for the reader, leading to a very satisfying conclusion. This final story, and the book, gets five stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Diva Says Cheesecake - A Review

 

The Diva Says

Cheesecake

By

Krista Davis

Do you like cheeecake? Do you like cozy mysteries? If the answer to these two questions is “Yes”, then you will likely enjoy this book.

Tate Bodoin has died. Sophie Winston, owner of Old Town’s most well-known cheesecake store, had found the body. Now Sophie was a suspect. To clear her name she would need to “help” find the real culprit.

Besides being a very readable cozy, the author also includes excerpts from two local advice columnists within the story and some tasty recipes (both cheesecake and more) at the end of the book. This reader would not try them all, but several are eye-catching and worth considering for a future treat. Between the cozy and the recipes, I give this book four stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

A Disturbing Nature - A Review

                                                   A Disturbing Nature

by

Brian Lebeau

A Review

Though I was looking forward to reviewing this book, I found myself discouraged as I read. The discouragement began with the lengthy “Acknowledgments” (3 pages). This was followed by a one page “Author’s Note”. The author’s note seems mostly unnecessary in that it focuses on the setting and timing of the novel - elements clearly covered within the body of the book.

The book itself was more a set of character studies than mystery - this reader found himself quickly losing interest. The well-written story may be of interest to some, but I can only give the book two-stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Buried In A Good Book - A Review

 

Buried In

A Good Book

by

Tamara Berry

A Review

Sometimes an author does it exactly right. Tamara Berry has done just that. With the right amount of humor, the right amount of suspense, the right amount of romance, and the right amount of clues, Ms. Berry has put together a perfect cozy mystery.

Famous mystery writer, Tess Harrow, has come home for a change of pace with her teenage daughter to Northern Washington - Bigfoot country. She is struggling with her divorce, writer’s block, and teenage angst - would she survive the summer? Before the end of her first day home, she has to deal with body parts (literally) raining down on their temporary home.

As the back-page book blurb says, “... solving a real crime is a lot more difficult than writing about it …” Tess, her daughter, the local sheriff, and the town librarian, would have their hands full as they deal with an evil criminal, suspicious characters, and their own relationships. Here’s hoping for more in the series, the book receives five stars,
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Killer in the Court - A Review

 

Murder She Wrote:
Killer on the Court

by

Jessica Fletcher
Terrie Farley Moran

A Review

Jessica Fletcher is visiting her nephew, Grady, his wife, Donna, and son, Frank. It is supposed to be a relaxing break at the beach in Rockaway NY. And it is until Donna discovers her boss’s body lying on a tennis court - her boss’s dead body.

Though there is some initial suspicion that the Fletcher clan may have been involved. That is quickly resolved, but then it falls on Jessica working with the NYPD to eliminate the suspects and identify the guilty party.

The result is a relaxing cozy mystery that moves quickly to a satisfying conclusion. It did leave this reader with two concerns. First, Frank is the most well-behaved, well-mannered, ten-year-old I have ever met - somewhat uncharacteristic for a young man his age. Second, the book’s resolution comes about unexpectedly with few hints provided to the reader as to the guilty party. Even with those flaws, the book was an enjoyable story and well-worth four stars I am giving it.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Fatal Code - A Review

 

Fatal Code

by

Natalie Walters

A Review

The space race meets Los Alamos meets pseudocode in this modern faith-based thriller. Theoretical physicist, retired Iowa State professor, and grandfather of Elinor Mitchell has died - the book opens with his funeral. Unbeknownst to Elinor Mitchell, her grandfather has left behind the secrets to a decade old, unfinished, experiment from Los Alamos NM. Elinor had her own secret projects as well. And there were Russian, Chinese, and Industrial spies willing to kill for both.

Into the middle of this steps Kekoa Young, an Hawaiian cyber-expert working with SNAP, a defense contractor assigned to monitor the deepest secrets within the US and other Western governments. His current assignment is to build a relationship with Elinor to determine her commitment to the secrets she has access to - and the evidence suggests she is not as committed as she needs to be.

While most of the story takes place along the streets and areas around Washington DC, the story ends with a distant trip to Hawaii. It will be a difficult journey from the streets of the nation’s capital to the beaches of Hawaii - one that will threaten the lives of both Elinor and Keoka as well as their colleagues.

The book provided the suspense and thrills needed for a few Spring evenings. It deserves the five-star review I am giving it.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

A Margin for Murder - A Review

 

A Margin for Murder

Lauren Elliott

A Review

What do you get when you mix a used bookstore owner, a dying library, and a crooked mayor? You get a dead body and a wrecked bookmobile inside a cozy mystery with a twist.

Add a biased cop and a romantic triangle and things get interesting really quick. Lauren Elliott has written an interest-holding story that takes the reader through the different communities of Cape Cod where we meet a world famous author as well as a number of eccentric characters that make the Cape home.

I could not put this five-star cozy down and recommend it to anyone looking for good clean fun and murder.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Quantum Physics for Beginners - A Review

 

Quantum Physics
for Beginners

by

Sean Lawson

A Review

This book purports to be an introduction to quantum physics - it might better be described as an introduction to the vocabulary of quantum physics. The closest it comes to actually giving details on the subject is an equation on page one:

s-h/2p eV/h

But the author gives no explanation of its meaning or of the terms used.

At one point the author suggests that there are “plenty of free resources available … This essay will explore some of these sites …” but then does nothing to fulfill that promise. No citations, no web sites, no suggestions for further reading.

The feeling I had was that the author wanted his book reviewers to serve as editors, writing,

Dear reader, despite the efforts made in producing an acceptable draft of this manuscript, I would like to warn you that you may find some spelling errors, grammar and even some sentences that may be improved following your advice. I therefore ask you, if you find some errors, to let me know through the ********** app or by contacting me at ***********@gmail.com.

It is not my task as a reviewer to edit an author's work - a disappointing expectation.

Given the quality of writing and the usefulness of the book, this book is not recommended and is being given only one-star.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Indigenous Theology and the Western Worldview - A Review

 

Indigenous Theology
and the Western Worldview

by

Randy Woodley

A Review

Several years ago I learned that religions, all religions, got their start in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” From this simple beginning all religious movements had their beginning. Thus, I am not surprised that we find remnant. Robert Woodley takes the stories handed down through Indian Culture to share their understanding God and His Creation, in much the same way that Jesus used Parables to share truth with his followers.

I was first drawn to the work of Dr. Woodley after noting his affiliation with George Fox College and Portland Seminary in Oregon. I was further drawn to this book when I found Dr. Woodley earned his PhD through Asbury Seminary, Wilmore KY. I felt less comfortable with the author's attempt to merge his Christian faith with his Native American background, though I appreciated his attempts to do so.

The book is a compilation of the 2019 Hayward Lectures made at Acadia Divinity College in 2019. The written lecture series is composed of three lectures and a set of interview questions following the lecture itself. Though I do not agree with all that I read, I did find the book readable and understandable. Writing as a Native American, this reader gains insight into an unfamiliar culture that has shaped much of American history - for that he is grateful. I recommend the book to pastors and others who work regularly within the indigenous population of the North American continent. I give the book four stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Relative Justice - A Review

 

Relative Justice

by

Robert Whitlow

A Review

To those who are willing to look beneath the

surface in the search for truth.

Your perseverance will be rewarded.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,

to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

(Proverbs 25:2)

Robert Whitlow’s latest faith-based legal thriller is also a medical thriller. David Cobb and his father, Carter Cobb, have a small law practice in Raleigh NC. David’s sister-in-law, Katelyn Martin-Cobb, joined a large DC law firm after graduating from law school. She finds herself in the midst of a major career change at the same time as Carter’s health takes a turn for the worse. Arriving home to support her father-in-law, the Cobb family of lawyers find themselves handling a medical patent suit.

David and Katelyn are exploring the place faith will have in their lives - both personally and professionally. Emerson Chappelle, the antagonist in the story, will be facing similar decisions before the story ends.

This reader found the story intriguing - worthy of my time. The author weaves in themes of spiritual obedience, grace, forgiveness, and family; and he does it well. Robert Whitlow lives up to his reputation in this 5-star book.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Catch - A Review

 

The Catch

by

Lisa Harris

A Review

The judge’s wife has been killed, a courtroom has been ambushed, a protected WITSEC witness has disappeared. And it is all connected.

Madison James and Jonas Quinn, US Marshals, are assigned to one case, but find that they are working on all three. The plot takes us from Seattle’s inner city to the rural forests surrounding the ciTy to the waterways that define the city’s western boundary. Murders, kidnappings, and chase  scenes define the crimes - even as we learn to appreciate the courage and strengths of the Marshals and the victims.

The result is a satisfying faith-based thriller that will hold the reader’s attention from the beginning to the end. Speaking to faith, courage, and grief, the book will be of value to many readers. Though not the author’s best work, it was worth the time I spent reading it. I give the book 4-½ stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Souls of Lost Lake - A Review

                                    

The Souls of Lost Lake

by

Jaime Jo Wright

A Review

Two women living 90 years apart are searching for their past. They both reside in Tempter’s Creek, a rural community located near Lost Lake in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Both are victims of serious crimes and almost become victims of a more serious crime except for the grace of God.

This faith-based novel intertwines two mysteries, two romances, and two complex lives, into a interest-holding story that was difficult to put down. We see God working in the lives of broken people and the results when those people rely on God and they reject that grace and mercy offered to them during the dark times of their lives. The reader also sees the cost that people will pay for making difficult choices.

The result is a book that is perfect summer reading around the campfire or in the days leading up to Halloween. Though Ava Coons may still be roaming the woods around Lost Lake (as the rumors say), the book receives 5-stars from this reader.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Heart of American Poetry - A Review

 

The Heart of
American Poetry

by

Edward Hirsch

A Review

Edward Hirsch has compiled an eclectic collection of poetry written by Americans, some well-known and some less so. The poems are accompanied with essays which help the reader understand the environment within which the authors were writing.

Though I only recently found a new appreciation for poetry, I think if this book had been the first I had stumbled upon to refresh my exposure to this genre, I would have said, “No, thank you.” There is little to unite the pieces included except (as indicated in the title) it is American Poetry. As I read, I felt as if I were back in my very unsatisfying freshman literature class. As I did, so many years ago, I would walk away and say, “No more!”

Some of the poems were engaging, but many were not. The result is a collection, a book, that receives only three stars from this reader.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Mining for Murder - A Review

 

Mining for Murder

by

Mary Angela

A Review

Spirit Canyon SD was located in the middle of a tourist destination surrounded by Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Devil’s Tower. It was also an antique hunter's dream. That is what brought Zo (aka Zoelle) to Mountain View Manor and Vera Dalrymaple’s estate sale. Vera had been a professor at Black Mountain College before her passing. Zo’s interest was in the trinkets she had collected over the years, but the most exciting item was an extremely rare book, My Journey West. Though it sold for $16,000 at the estate sale, it was worth so much more - maybe even a man’s life.

Zo’s interest in the book was two-fold. First, she did want to find the person responsible for the murder. She also wanted to see what the book might say about her own heritage. But with the murder, the book had disappeared.

The result is a nice cozy mystery that occasionally had this reader searching for the very real history that lay beneath the legends that provided a foundation for this work of fiction. I give the book 4-½ stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Quest 52 - A Review

 

Quest 52

by

Mark E. Moore

A Review

Quest 52 is a year-long look at the person of Jesus using a set of 52 devotions including daily readings for throughout the year. The book divides itself four groups of 13 studies based on four different themes:

1. The Person of Jesus
2. The Power of Jesus
3. The Preaching of Jesus
4. The Passion of Jesus

Each of the 52 studies consists of an extended essay (ca. 10 pages), 5 daily devotional exercises, and a collection of “bonus material” available on-lkine. These include videos and PDFs of helpful resources.

The book stands out for a variety of reasons. it is fully grounded in scripture. Scripture permeates both the essays, the daily devotions, and the bonus material. The reader will find himself or herself seeing Jesus in the Old and New Testament. This reader was also appreciative of the interactive nature of the study. The reader is guided as he or she takes a journey through the person and work of Christ - though the author does provide some explicit lessons, the reader is provided questions and material to work through on their own. Finally, the author recognizes that different people learn in different ways. There are plenty of opportunities for the reader to practice visual, aural, and tactile learning styles during each weeks study.

The book could be used as a stand alone study by an individual or as the basis of a small group or classroom study. The resulting volume is well worth the five-stars I am awarding it.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Dark Angel - A Review

 

Dark Angel

by

Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson

A Review

Andrews & Wilson have taken the common concept of spiritual warfare and embedded it into the physical realm where demons are fought by former military special forces and adolescent “watchers” who have the unique ability to enter into the minds of humans and/or demons, The result is a faith-based fantasy that weaves the world’s spiritual life into a real-world context.

Though the genre is not one I especially appreciate, I did find myself increasingly wanting to see how the story ended the further I read. Not coming to this story with a military background, I appreciated the appendix that included a glossary of terms used within the book. This may not have been my favorite book; but I did find it hard to put down, wanting more and more. The book ends with a brief glimpse of what future volumes hold as the authors continue to write pieces of this story.

I give this book 4-stars while looking forward to what is to come.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Six Word Stories - A Review

 

Six Word Stories

Edited By

Doug Weller

A Review

Review:

Six Word Stories -

Imagination Starters

Doug Weller has provided a fun collection of stories - each six words long. The first half of the book contains 200 (?) stories consisting of six words each. Some are funny, some are serious, some are thoughtful, all are current - with one exception. The oldest story included in this collection comes from William Shakespeare, “To be, or not to be.”

The book is divided into three main sections:

1. The first section is a collection of stories written by and submitted to the author.
2. The second section is a tutorial on writing six word stories - included are more examples of this new art form.
3. The final section is an invitation and instructions for entering a contest with prizes (including publication) for submitting original six word stories.
   
   

I enjoyed reading the many stories included in the first section - coming from around the world, they represent many of the details of life - from childhood to death. Several picked up the very modern theme of the COVID-19 virus. Each was a complete thought (though not always a sentence) that further inspired this reader's imagination. Section two serves as a set of instructions on writing six word stories. It could more easily have been offered as a web page or site, rather than occupying one-half of the book’s pages. It would seem that its purpose was more motivation, rather than instruction. The third section was an invitation for readers to submit their own stories for inclusion in a future volume of this series of books. The current book is the third in the series.

Many of the stories could stand alone, others served as open doors to the reader’s imagination. The result is a five-star book that I enjoyed sharing with my wife and son.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Meteor Men - A Review

 

Meteor Men

by

Jeff Parker

Sandy Jarrell

A Review

The authors have combined science fiction and a graphic novel into an interest story of an alien visit to our planet. The story is well-written, the graphics are colorful and easily seen, and the lettering is easily read. My only concern is the slightly dystopian ending which leaves the future of humanity in question. I give the book four-stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.