Trailridge

Guy Hogan Mystery, #1

by

Kevin Wolf

Suspense, action, betrayal, and murder!

Trailridge, the first novel in Kevin Wolf's Guy Hogan Mystery series, is a suspenseful, action-filled tale of betrayal and murder. Guy Hogan, a recent widower, is living a quiet life in Colorado near Rocky Mountain National Park, occupying his time flyfishing, guiding the occasional tourist to optimal fishing spots, and teaching some the finer points of the sport. 

One day, while in pursuit of a prize catch, he is surprised by the appearance of a young woman on the opposite bank of the river, apparently in search of an emergency spot to relieve herself. As he starts to make himself known, she screams and points at something in the water out of Guy's line of sight: the body of a dead man floating face-first in the water. After notifying law enforcement, Guy finds that some of the details of Willa Stanford's story about her presence in Colorado don't add up, and he is surprised later when he sees her at a bar in town with another woman with strikingly similar physical features. 

In the meantime, there has been a spate of bull elk found butchered, their antlers removed, in the national park. Guy had discovered carcasses during his hikes, and while his ranger friends had a good idea who was behind the slaughter, the complexity and breadth of the current activities hinted at something much more organized than the usual suspects were capable of. On the day following his discovery of the dead man, Hogan finds himself the target of an unseen sniper, and he decides to dig deeper into both cases. 

Guy Hogan is an engaging older man with grown children, and he is a very sympathetic main character. Still grieving the recent loss of his wife, Jenny, to cancer a scant ten months earlier, he is slowly rebuilding his life without her. He most enjoys spending time in the national park, indulging his passion for fly fishing. He's kept himself active, which is helpful when the bad guys come after him. He's like a Timex watch, "Takes a licking and keeps on ticking."

 Willow Stanford, her latest alias, is shocked but not surprised when she discovers her mother is involved in the death of the man she found in the river or in the highly lucrative and illegal elk antler smuggling operation; there's a lot of money at stake. Not only that, but her mother's late husband, a candidate for political office and an environmental supporter, stood in the way of her latest caper. 

The action is fast-paced from the start, but even that kicks up a notch or more with an exciting and dangerous car chase sequence along Trailridge Road, the highest paved road in the U.S., and a breakneck flight on foot down the side of a mountain away from men with guns in the midst of a coming storm. While readers are clued in to the identities of the perpetrators, the suspense lies in whether Guy and Willow can escape and stop the men from doing more harm to the wildlife and beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park. 

This audiobook edition is narrated by Greg O'Donahue, who delivers a fluid, flawless performance with a distinctive range of voices for the different characters. I believed the vocal pattern and intonation he developed for Hogan to sound like those of an older man, whether in pain, on the run from his pursuers, or finally relaxing beside his favorite fishing hole. I noted no unusual pronunciations, and the audiobook's production quality was excellent. 

I recommend TRAILRIDGE to those who enjoy action-packed mysteries set in the great outdoors, flyfishing, and Colorado.

Holidays & Homicides

Short Story Collection

by

Rosalie Spielman, Lena Gregory, Kelly Rey. Anne Marie Stoddard, Jennifer Fischetto, Annie McEwen, Christine Knapp, Misty Simon, Erica Wynters, Jamie L. Adams, Catherine Bruns, and Gin Jones

Fun collection of short stories highlighting holiday mayhem.

Holidays & Homicides is a fun, holiday-themed collection of short stories set in the series’ worlds of 12 of the best cozy mystery writers publishing today. The theme and the shorter length of the stories make this book the perfect read during the busy run-up to Christmas and the New Year! 

Each one of the included stories is a gem, and while some of my favorite authors have contributed to the collection, many are from writers I have yet to read. So, this collection was a super opportunity to sample a storyline or two from a new-to-me author featuring one of their ongoing cozy mystery series. I thoroughly enjoyed them all, and my book wish list has grown as a result. 

Even with the overarching theme, the stories still offer plenty of variety. While the title and cover art hint at murder and Christmas, not all the stories are set in December, nor do they feature a yuletide tragedy. For example, in Rosalie Spielman’s A HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS, Tessa Treslow and her Aunt Edna look into the sudden disappearance of some of their downtown businesses’ holiday decorations, while A HEARTLAND HOMICIDE by Gin Jones occurs around Valentine’s Day. However, all the stories shine with the main characters, familiar settings, and charm of their authors’ featured cozy mystery series. 

I recommend HOLIDAYS & HOMICIDES: SHORT STORY COLLECTION to cozy mystery readers, especially those looking for a collection of holiday-themed tie-ins. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Vernon Poche and the Ghosts of New Orleans

by Paul Siefkin

Narrated by Hamilton Clancy

Audiobook Review

The resilience and rich history of New Orleans are revealed through the exciting post-Katrina adventures of two spunky young residents.

Vernon Poche and the Ghosts of New Orleans is a unique and exciting story of two middle-grade explorers in the aftermath of Katrina. Both Vernon and Alisha are lifelong residents of the city and are facing relocation as the adults in their lives look elsewhere for their futures, believing New Orleans is incapable of recovering from the damage of the epic hurricane. Strangers before a chance meeting in the French Quarter, Vernon and Alisha join forces to hunt for rumored treasure with the help and hints of the city's more permanent and ghostly residents. 

The stories of both children are anguishing as they mourn their separate circumstances. Vernon's mother died from cancer some time before the storm, and he frequently visits her gravesite in town. He doesn't want to abandon her and her final resting place by moving with his father to another state. Alisha, who was visiting her grandparents outside the city when the storm struck, was separated from her mother when she was evacuated to Houston during the devastation. Her mother was about to realize her dream of being the featured chef at one of the city's iconic restaurants when the storm hit. 

Life takes an unexpected turn when Vernon meets the mysterious Marie Laveau and her companion, the unusual stray dog, Tonti, while visiting his mother's grave, while his father works downtown to restore necessary services. Following Marie's cryptic instructions and against his father's wishes and the warnings of the National Guardsmen patrolling the area,  Vernon bikes his way around town with Tonti in a box on his handlebars, where he meets the ghosts of some of New Orleans most notable former residents and, eventually, Alisha, who is scoping out the damage and hoping to talk to the restaurant owner to secure her mother's job. The ghostly residents share the rich and varied history of their unique city with the kids and encourage them to discover New Orleans' true treasures as the clock ticks down to Vernon's father's final departure for their new home out of state. 

The story is easy to follow and addictive to listen to. It was easy to get wrapped up in Vernon and Alisha's stories and want to know what was going to happen next. The author's portrayal of their adventures is enhanced by their personal struggles and worries, creating relatable characters for young readers or listeners. At times, the attitudes regarding the Confederate history of the area felt a little heavy-handed, such as when Alisha shuns Vernon for having had an ancestor who fought on that side during the war. However, this creates an excellent opportunity for parents and children to discuss the past and present realities. 

The audiobook edition is narrated by Hamilton Clancy, who gives each character a unique voice. He captured the differences in age, gender, and nationality so well that I often completely forgot this was one person performing them all. It was just as easy to believe I was listening to a famous gospel singer as it was to an 18^th-century pirate. While the narration's pace was adjustable, the default setting made it easy to understand and provided ample opportunities to pause as needed, without having to adjust the stopping point later. 

While, as a parent, I have reservations about a book that features children disobeying their parents, it does offer an opportunity to discuss this aspect of the story with my own. However, the disobedience advances the plot, and even Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys were known for taking similar liberties. Still, the dangerous chances Vernon embraces should be addressed. Other than that, the story is unique, mysterious, and ultimately happy. 

I recommend the audiobook edition of VERNON POCHE AND THE GHOSTS OF NEW ORLEANS to upper elementary and middle-grade-age listeners.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through AudiobookReviewer.com. 

Murder Under Redwood Moon

Murder, Tea, and Crystals, #1

by

Sherri L. Dodd

Magical and suspenseful!

Murder Under Redwood Moon is the first novel in author Sherri L. Dodd's cozy paranormal mystery trilogy, Murder, Tea, and Crystals, and is an exciting introduction to the magical and suspenseful story of Arista Kelly, a young witch just coming into her powers – powers passed down in her family from generation to generation and coveted by a close family member. 

After the loss of her parents as a child, Arista was taken in by her father's aunt, Bethie, and taught about herbs, crystals, nature, spells, and natural magic to prepare her for the day when her own powers would manifest. She grew up in the quiet mountain town of Boulder Creek, with lifelong friends who still reside nearby. But when one of her friends from middle school disappears and is later found murdered, and then other young women Arista knows are also targeted, she and her aunt protect themselves the best way Bethie knows. Still, Arista may have attracted a serial killer's attention. 

Arista, the main character, is a positive personality, always looking on the bright side and giving people the benefit of the doubt. From the start, you know she is about to come face to face with the dark side of humanity, including that which resides within her own flesh and blood. 

From its unnerving opening, a literal parent's nightmare, the suspense builds. But while maintaining this tension, the author must handle the heavy lifting of creating the world in which these characters exist, and the complex, multi-layered plot unfolds. Dodd quickly populates a small town and Arista's past and current relationships, and that is a lot of information to take in. But along with vivid, living, breathing imagery, I think she pulls it off and gives readers a solid sense of the place and the people who live there. But even as the world-building unfolds, the plot moves briskly, and I found myself really engaging with Arista and the story, staying up late to reach the exciting resolution. 

I recommend MURDER UNDER REDWOOD MOON to readers of paranormal cozy mysteries. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through WOW! Women On Writing Book Tours.

Anastasia’s Midnight Song

by

M. Laszlo

An atmospheric and complicated tale of madness set at the time of WWI.

Because she imagines that an arctic fox exists inside her womb, Anastasia goes to work in a Sinai mirror factory, believing that will drive the presence out. While in wartime London, Jack watches as other young men, his friends, head off to fight, leaving him unable to overcome his cowardice until he strikes on an alternate plan of action that sends him to the Sinai as well, where he sees and becomes enamored of Anastasia: attention and desire she doesn’t return.

Anastasia’s Midnight Song by M. Laszlo is not a comfortable, easy book to read, yet it is riveting all the same. Told from the perspectives of the two main characters, Anastasia and Jack, I was mesmerized by what they were going through and kept off-balance by the fluidity of reality and fantasy. I turned the pages, hoping they each would find their way to peace and freedom from their hallucinations and depressions, but was unsettled by their ensuing descent further into their madnesses. 

The story’s settings are unusual, and the events of the time contribute to the characters’ problems. The author’s descriptions of 1917 St. Petersburg and the Sinai create a palpably heavy atmosphere that I felt I was constantly wading through alongside the characters. 

As the story unfolded, reality and Anastasia’s hallucinatory interactions with the arctic fox and Svetlana often merged, and I was uncertain what she was really experiencing, if there was still some reality at work. I also felt Jack’s fear of going to war was well-founded. His childhood ill-prepared him both mentally and physically for life in general; he was delusional as to his skills and future already, and a wartime posting would have been certain death, especially considering the transition the mechanics of war were undergoing during WWI. Still, his cowardice and inability to join in the conflict preyed on his mind with tragic results. 

With its character-driven plot and atmospheric imagery, I recommend ANASTASIA’S MIDNIGHT SONG to readers of literary fiction. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.