Bridges Burned - A Review

Bridges Burned

by

Annette Dashofy

A Review

Book #3 in the Zoe Chambers mystery series comes out a winner.  Zoe, a county EMT and the towns’ Deputy Coroner, must decide who to trust and who to distrust.  She also must decide who to love and who to walk away from.  Neither would be easy choices.

I woke up late last night, could not go back to sleep, and chose to relax by finishing the last 15% of the book.  The climax, included in that 15%, was as intense and satisfying as they come.  

The usual characters are present: Zoe Chambers, Pete Adams (the police chief), Mr. and Mrs. Kroll (Zoe’s landlords), Sylvia (Chief Adams’ former Administrative Assistant), and Nancy (Sylvia’s replacement).  Other characters round out the ensemble that create add to this well-written story.  The southwest Pennsylvania home, both for the author and the book, provide a wonderful setting for this story.  The rural/suburban area near Pittsburgh provide a beautiful and believable setting for the story.  

Though the story does reach a milestone of sorts, it is this reviewer’s hope that the stories are not ending.  Monongahela County has more stories to tell - and it is my hope that Annette Dashofy is able to tell them.

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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 my own.

Lowcountry Boneyard - A Review

Lowcountry Boneyard

by

Susan M. Boyer

A Review

An interesting take on the cozy mystery genre.  Liz Talbot, a licensed Private Investigator, is asked to find Kent, the daughter of well-off Colton and Virginia Heyward. The police were convinced that she had chosen to leave home for personal reasons.  However, not having provided any clues prior to or following her departure, that scenario was not a done deal.  

Liz has lots of help - Kent’s father and mother, her grandmother, her fiance, her roommate from college all have thoughts - nobody seems to know the truth.  The most interesting source of help comes from Colleen, a guardian spirit.  There is a clear distinction between ghosts and guardian spirits.  

“The distinction, according to Colleen, was that guardian spirits had passed to the next world and been sent back with work to do.  Ghosts were the lingering spirits of the dead who had yet to cross over to the next life.”  

I felt like I was reading the memoirs of the 2005-2010 TV drama, Ghost Whisperer.”  Colleen adds little to the story itself, though she occasionally steps into the open to help Liz with some brainstorming or to serendipitously keep her or her family from finding themselves in serious danger.

Though this is the third book in what is (currently) scheduled to be a four-book set, the lack of having read the previous two novels did not seem to distract from my enjoyment of this book.  I would not recommend this book to the committed Christian, but if one is willing to set aside a small bit of reality, the reader might find enjoyment in this book as a late night read around the fireplace.  After all, Colleen is not a scary ghost, but she is a ghost.  

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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 my own.

Dreaming Spies - A Review

Dreaming Spies

by

Laurie R. King

A Review

I do not claim to be a Sherlock Holmes expert, merely a fan.  Though the original author of Holmes’ memoirs died in 1930, other writers have picked up the pen and continued to add to the unofficial canon that make up Holmes’ history.  Among those is Laurie R. King.

Dreaming Spies continues her look at Holmes’ marriage to Mary Russell - this time with a romp to Japan and the Far East and an adventure in early 20th century England. The mystery is quite entertaining, it is unclear who plays the role of detective and of villain.  Is it Holmes that is being played - or has Holmes played one of the villain himself.  

Though the answer is never quite clear, the story of English mystery mixed with Japanese Samurai makes an enjoyable read on a Winter evening.  

• Was this the best Holmes story I have read?  NO
• Was this the worst Holmes story I have read?  NO
• Would I recommend this to the casual Holmes reader? YES
• Would I recommend this to the Holmes expert?  I Don’t Know

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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 my own.