MBR: The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
MWBOOKREVW
Building Bridges
Claire Baptiste
SterlingHouse Publisher, Inc.
440 Friday Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15209
www.sterlinghousepublisher.com
1563152584 $11.95 1-888-542-2665
Deftly written by Claire Baptiste, Building Bridges is the tense and suspensful
saga of Michelle Madras -- a woman at odds with her father. Michelle dreams of
pursuing art, while her father demands that she take part in the family
business. Yet when Michelle's father is found murdered, everything in her life
changes as an investigation targets her and her brother. Michelle must search
for the truth to save herself, her family, and the corporation before it is too
late in this skillfully told, superbly plotted mystery.
Dirty Pool
Steve Brewer
World Wide Mystery
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, ON, Canada, M3B 3K9
0373264623 $5.99 www.amazonc.om
Dirty Pool by Steve Brewer is a gritty, two-fisted mystery in the tradition of
Mike Hammer and Mickey Spillane. Hard-boiled and street savvy private eye Bubba
Mabry gets a seemingly slick and easy moneymaker case - drop of a ransom for
the kidnaping of the pampered, rebellious, skinhead son of a multimillionaire.
But when both the money and the kidnaped individual disappear, Bubba is stiffed
his tip - unless he can locate the boy, meaning that he's earned the claim to
the ransom himself. Imminent family problems in the form of his own
pain-in-the-neck father coming to visit won't stop Bubba from pursuing the
prize in this raw, real, murderously enjoyable novel.
Adventures Of Samuel Blackthorne
Scott Emerson
Simon & Schuster
1230 Ave. of Americas, NY, NY 10020
0689858612 $15.95 1-800-223-2336
This delightful mystery is intended for young adult readers but is reviewed
here for its ability to interest all age groups. Take a Yorkshire terrier
investigator who is a master of deductive reasoning ala Sherlock Holmes, add
some animals who come to him for help, and throw in a complex tale of deceit
which involves high-ranking city officials and you have Adventures Of Samuel
Blackthorne, a satisfyingly different and witty mystery.
The Hunt
Jan Neuharth
Paper Chase Farms Publishing Group
Phenix & Phenix (publicity)
PO Box 448, Middleburg, VA 20118
0972950303 $24.95 paperchasefarms.com
The Hunt by Jan Neuhart is an thoroughly enthralling, superbly crafted mystery
novel of a successful lawyer and horseman who is framed for a vicious double
murder. Doug Cummings is forced to race against time to find the culprit and
protect his loved ones when even his own attorney doesn't believe his
innocence! Very highly recommended reading for the mystery/suspense enthusiast,
The Hunt presents life in the upper crust as far less idyllic than would first
appear, with hidden jealousies and resentments steaming beneath the tranquil
atmosphere. Involving to the very last page.
A Picture Of Guilt
Libby Fischer Hellman
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave. #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
1590580737 $24.95 1-800-421-3976
Chicago filmmaker Ellie finds herself involved in the murder trial of a dock
worker whose girlfriend has been killed in A Picture Of Guilt, a story of a
video project gone awry. Her discovery of evidence which could acquit him
involves her in a dangerous plot in this fast-paced investigative piece which
tells of a young filmmaker's eye for clues. Solid characterization makes this a
winner.
Ashes
Kenzo Kitakata
Vertical, Inc.
257 Park Avenue South, 8th fl., New York, NY 10010
1932234020 $23.95 vertical-inc.com
Superbly translated into English by Emi Shimokawa, Ashes is a gritty,
hard-boiled mystery written by Kenzo Kitakata, a Japanese author who is so
popular in his native Japan that not one of his more than one hundred novels
has ever gone out of print! Presenting the mind and thoughts of a middle-aged
gangster in Tokyo's multilayered underworld, Ashes depicts yakuza (Japanese
mafia) life with a unique understanding and edge-of-your seat reality. Highly
recommended reading for mystery/suspense enthusiasts, Ashes clearly documents
Kenzo Kitakata as a world class literary talent.
Grave Circle
David D. Nolta
Quality Words In Print
Box 2704, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-2704
0971316023 $21.95 qwipbooks.com
Grave Circle by David D. Nolta is an "Ivory Tower Mystery" featuring Hiawatha
Musing and Antigone Musing, two perceptive, eccentric, and sibling college
professors who apply their mutually complementary gifts of reason and intuition
to solve a quite puzzling murder mystery. Set in a simple college town in
Massachusetts, Virginia Vanderlyn was an infamously adulterous wife who turns
up dead. Its falls to "Hi" and "Tig" to ferret out the deviously ruthless
killer amidst the victim's many rivals and enemies. An superbly crafted novel
of hidden secrets and bloodthirsty vendettas cloaked in the veil of academia
and dotted with a remarkable cast of characters, Grave Circle showcases David
Nolta as a literary master of the Mystery/Suspense genre and will leave readers
looking eagerly toward their next encounter with these unique and memorable
sibling professorial sleuths!
Black-Irish Setter
Bill Stackhouse
iUniverse.com, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, Lincoln, NE 68512
0595270638 $16.95 www.iuniverse.com
Written by experienced playwright and scriptwriter Bill Stackhouse, Black-Irish
Setter is an attention engaging mystery starring a most unlikely heroine.
Caitlin O'Rourke is a former Italian professional volleyball player who
prematurely retired due to a blown-out knee, is bitter, depressed, and rather
unsure of her future. Caitlin rescues a damsel in distress only to have murder
strikes down her charge. Caitlin burns with the determination to track down the
killer and learn the motive. An unpredictable and original tale of suspense,
Black-Irish Setter confirms Bill Stackhouse as a skilled and original writer --
and leave his readers waiting enthusiastically for his next Caitlin O'Rourke
mystery!
In The Depths Of Shadows
Jay Waitkus
The National Writers Press
S. J. Miller Communications (publicity)
3140 South Peoria Street, #294, Aurora, Colorado 80014
0881001309 $24.95 nationalwriters.com
The debut mystery novel of former journalist Jay Waitkus, In The Depths Of
Shadows is a brutal suspense story of an unflappable police detectives racing
to stop a brutal serial killer. An intricate and deftly woven story of morbid
torture and vicious murder, a woman with a hidden past, and the hideous
darkness of the human spirit at its worst, In The Depths Of Shadows is a
superbly crafted, vividly written, riveting read from beginning to end. Jay
Waitkus is an author of considerably skill and storytelling energy who has
clearly established himself as an expert in the Mystery/Suspense genre.
Berkley Prime Crime
375 Hudson St., NY, NY 10014
1-800-847-5515 www.amazon.com
Simon Brett's Murder In The Museum (0425190439, $22.95) tells of a celebrated
writer whose work remains largely out of print – leaving Bracketts House
broke, unless a biography covering the author's life can be produced without
rattling too many skeletons. Add the spectre of murder and Carole and Jude have
their hands full in an investigation which promises too many enemies. Jean
Swanson and Dean James' Dick Francis Companion (0425181871, $14.00) includes an
exclusive interview with Dick Francis as it explores the mysteries and horse
racing stories which have made him famous. From plot summaries to profiles of
characters, this is packed with intrigue and action insights which prior fans
will relish.
What You See
Ann Mullen
Afton Ridge Publishing
PO 162, Stanardsville, Virginia 22973
0972532722 $24.95 www.AftonRidge.com
What You See by Ann Mullen is a suspenseful tale and the first in a series of
Jesse Watson mysteries. When a young girl goes missing in the mountains of
Virginia, private detective and Cherokee Indian Billy Blackhawk and his
resourceful secretary Jesse Watson are beset with mayhem, as a dysfunctional
family turns upon each other. Ruthless motives hidden in the shadows come to
light, and the girl may not be the only one to go missing as threats turn
tangible in this captivating mystery. What You See clearly establishes author
Ann Mullen as an original and gifted writer, as well as leaving the reader
looking eagerly toward the next Jesse Watson mystery!
Black Velvet
P. S. Elsner
Micleric Publishing
PO Box 626, Taylors, SC 29687
0974025402 $12.95 1-864-877-8829
Set in 1956 on the mean streets of Detroit, Black Velvet by P. S. Elsner is a
dark mystery novel of private investigator Nick Dallas, who finds himself
caught up in the middle of a haven for organized crime, illegal drugs, and
multiple murders. Crooked cops impress their hold, and only Dallas has the
opportunity to clear a good cop's name before he is unjustly put behind bars
forever. A thrilling, hard-boiled, page-turner of a novel, Black Velvet is the
Micleric Publishing's debut effort and one that will leave appreciative fans of
the mystery genre looking eagerly forward to their next effort.
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