Reading Fanatic Reviews
All Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller ReviewsBell to Pay by Jeremy Waldron
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Bell to Pay*
Mildly Confusing and High “Ick” Factor
This book centers on investigative reporter Samantha (the Bell of the title) and a computer hacker who has turned murderous, Loxley. The story alternates between their viewpoints, hers in the first person and his in the third person. The first chapter is supposed to draw the reader into the villain’s story, but I found it too bogged down in extraneous detail that slowed down the pace of what could have been an exciting scene. I actually think that Chapter One should have been called a prologue, or at least the author should have stated at the top of the chapters who the viewpoint character is. Written like this, it is a little confusing as you jump from character to character, especially at the beginning before you catch on to the idea that viewpoint character switches when you see the change in person (first vs. third). When writing a book in this fashion–especially a thriller–it is good to know this info without having to overthink it so you can just keep reading without going “What?”, “Huh?”, or “Who?”.
This story had a high level of “ick” factor for me. I don’t really want to know about a killer’s sexual arousal during a crime or at any other time while thinking of his deeds or the protagonist. This certainly happened more often than I felt comfortable with. The book actually had a fairly decent amount of action like you hope for in a thriller, but I thought at times the prose was weighed down with too much detail about superfluous actions or inconsequential objects. Also, I am an RN, and I was appalled that the author had a nurse show Samantha a patient’s medical record–a HIPAA violation that could lose the nurse her job, money, and her license. In all, this book didn’t work for me, and I won’t be reading any more of the series.
Lowcountry Incantations by C. J. Geisel
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Lowcountry Incantations*
Not My Type of Southern Gothic
This is a nouveau Southern Gothic story for sure. You just know that things aren’t as they seem, and things certainly do go bump in the night. I didn’t particularly enjoy this book despite the author’s wonderful ability to put you right into a scene with her deft sensory descriptions. I was turned off by the very first chapter. I really think authors need to put warnings in the blurb when a book tackles, or even mentions, certain taboo subjects like incest. While I have no experience of that personally, thank goodness, I actually have no desire to read a book where it is at all a factor. The book is a page-turner and otherwise well written, so if the incest doesn’t bother you, you might enjoy this book.
Witch Myth Christmas by Alexandria Clarke
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Witch Myth Christmas*
Paranormal Christmas a la Groundhog Day… Plus!
The first part of this book feels like a paranormal holiday version of Groundhog Day. Christmas day keeps repeating over and over with slight variations. Only one person seems to be aware of the time slip. I quite enjoyed this author’s writing style. She uses active verbs and deep point of view that makes you feel like you are living the story along with Noelle as she tries to figure everything out. There is a little bit of an information dump at the beginning, including the rather hackneyed use of a window so that a first-person narrator can describe herself, but this is written better than most, so I can forgive it. I loved following the twists and turns of the story. A fun and engaging read.
First Edition Murder by Tessa Kelly
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First Edition Murder*
Engaging Book-Based Mystery
This is the first mystery that I have read by this author, and I am glad to have found her. Even though this book is relatively short for mystery, the author still managed to surprise me with the ending. That doesn’t happen often, so I enjoy it when it does! I like the way the author described scenes and settings. I felt like I was in the room with the main character. The characters were well drawn and feel like real people. I loved being in the head of the main character. She is completely relatable and sympathetic, especially when her father looks guilty of the murder. (Even with the first line about her discomfort about catering a wedding wearing an evening dress and stilettos was just so authentic). As a book lover, too, I’m always drawn to novels where the story in some way hinges upon a book. This one does, and it is even a mystery! In all, I found this book to be an engaging read.
A Murder in Hope’s Crossing by Brooke Shelby
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A Murder in Hope's Crossing*
Didn’t Work for Me
I will admit that I am turned off right away when a book starts with an information dump, and this book had quite a lengthy one. I do work with some authors on their books, and I sometimes recommended they just toss out the first chapter or two and get to the story! This book might have benefited from such an action. I thought the dialog sounded stilted, not like the way people talk. As such, I had a hard time getting into and sticking with the story. I didn’t really find the characters engaging, and I will be passing on the rest of the series.
Secret Sky by J. P. McLean
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), amd Bol.de
Secret Sky*
Good Fantasy Elements; But Unbalanced Overall
This book is a quirky combination of fantasy, romance, and suspense. I know the description of the book says it as a thriller, but I wouldn’t call it that. Even the suspense part doesn’t really happen until the end. The heroine is given a gift that feels more like a curse until she meets others who have it. Much of the book has to do with her trying to understand her gifts, first on her own and then with the group. The middle section seems to be heavily into the romance aspect of the story while the end is more suspenseful; the book did feel unbalanced to me; I would have liked to see the suspense element woven more throughout.
The first scene pulled me in right away because the action was just allowed to happen without a lot of backstory; authors of fantasy worlds are usually too tempted to describe their world (and sometimes in great detail) and let that to take up much of the beginning pages. But after these good early scenes after her “accident,” the pace of the book really slowed down as the heroine tried to figure out her gift. There was quite a long lull period before things got interesting again.
The author did an excellent job creating a fantasy world that coexists alongside the normal one; it felt believable. I felt like there were some cringe-worthy moments in the romance aspect of the book. This book is a long one, and I do feel it could have benefited from some judicious developmental editing.
Mission: Impossible to Love by Jacki Delecki
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Indigo (Chapters)
Mission: Impossible to Love*
Tech Aspects Interesting, Other Elements Not
Sometimes, it’s the little things that irritate you. For some reason, I had a hard time just getting past the names of these characters, Izzy and Sten, especially the hero’s. His name, in particular, seems like a cheesy romantic hero name, Sten Jenkins. I was intrigued initially by this book because of the hacking and dark web aspects of it. I find technical thrillers and suspense to be fascinating subgenres. This book was interesting in that respect, but I felt like it lacked in others. I didn’t quite buy the romantic relationship between Izzy and Sten. Some of the story was just implausible, like the idea that Izzy went to Stanford at 15 and got her first Ph.D. by 19–even if you’re smart, there are mandatory classes that must be taken in a certain order in college. I felt like the beginning spent a little too much time on information that didn’t really end up to matter. I like my pacing to be a little tighter in a suspense book like this.
A Knead to Kill by Chelsea Thomas
Available at Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Indigo (Chapters)
A Knead to Kill (in Summer Snoops Unleashed)*
Too Short for Much to Happen
NOTE: I was given a review copy of just A Knead to Kill by Chelsea Thomas, which is only in this collection at this time; this review is just for that story.
I have read other books in this series, and I have quite enjoyed the adventures of Chelsea, Miss May, and Teeny. I did enjoy the interaction of those characters in this novella as well, but the book was too short to really develop much of a mystery with all the elements I love. I know it’s all the rage these days to have super-short fiction that people can read in less than an hour or two, but I don’t think that format really works well for mysteries. Red herrings and bad leads take time to develop fully. I’ve only seen short-form mystery work well once. I will keep reading this series because I do enjoy the characters and the delightful setting that the author has created, but I don’t think this one added much to the series.
Dark Genius by H. Peter Alesso
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Dark Genius*
Cool Nerdy Characters… and Science!
I found the characters of this story to be quite engaging, especially the hero and the heroine. I liked the interaction between them and their group of friends. While some reviewers thought the science was a bit much, I’m enough of a science nerd and science fiction aficionado to appreciate the digressions into the scientific aspects of this story. If you find them too burdensome, you can mostly just gloss over them. They do add to the story, but they are not integral to it. I felt like the language was overloaded with adjectives and adverbs that didn’t actually add anything to the story; they more told rather than showed. Calling something alluring, when it’s not a character saying it, doesn’t really speak much to me; show me why it is alluring and why that matters!
Also, I think this book has a bit of an image problem. The cover on Amazon looks like a light and breezy summer romance story; I would call this a science-based technothriller with a tiny romantic element. The headline of the blurb is nothing that really happens in the story, or at least to any appreciable degree. It feels like the author is trying to recast the story into a YA romance… most likely because these are popular. I actually prefer the old cover that you can still see on Goodreads; it more accurately reflects what the story is actually about.
Who Shot the Serif? by Daisy Robyns
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Who Shot the Serif?*
Jamie Sticks Her Foot In It… Literally
This is the second book I’ve read in this series, and I quite enjoy it. I love the character of Jamie Lang. She’s the professional hand letterer mentioned in the series title, and she just seems to get herself mixed up with trouble! In this book, she literally stumbles upon the dead body of a woman with whom she had an argument the day before. When town suspicion about Jamie’s involvement starts to cut into her business, she knows she has to help try to help figure out who actually murdered the woman. I like Jamie because she actually has a very detailed eye, which would seem very typical for her profession, that allows her to see things that may be others wouldn’t. She’s a good character for an amateur sleuth. The author has done a good job creating the quirky community of the story; that is so important in a cozy mystery. I just hope in the next one, which I am looking forward to, that Jamie herself is not a suspect!
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