Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite

“Dead men tell no tales,” but in Last Words (A Coleridge Taylor Mystery) by Rich Zahradnik, that is clearly not the case. While parts of New York City burn and bankruptcy looms, Coleridge Taylor, a police reporter, is demoted to writing obituaries at the Messenger-Telegram. He’s not convinced a homeless teen died from exposure after seeing the body, and conducts an unauthorised investigation revealing that the teen was Declan, the spoilt son of Constable McNally, a city official. The clothes he wore belong to the elusive Mark Voichek, a hobo who Coleridge searches for to get some answers. Coleridge risks his shaky job to investigate, and is assisted by a homeless contact and an attractive colleague, Laura. He becomes the target of thugs and wonders if he will appear in the obituaries instead of writing them.

Last Words (A Coleridge Taylor Mystery) is a wonderful novel by Rich Zahradnik. He gives readers great visuals of New York City in the 1970s: how the Vietnam War changed social and economic conditions in the United States, particularly New York, and the typical lifestyle of the homeless. I always assumed that a tramp, bum and hobo were the same, but the author explains their differences. The story is captivating, and it is obvious from his writing that Rich Zahradnik is familiar with the setting he describes so well. Coleridge and Voichek are likeable, classic characters, and I enjoyed learning Voichek’s hobo language. Last Words is not only entertaining, but also informative about a past era.

Reviewed by Nathan M. Beauchamp for Readers' Favorite

Annabelle Chase, a plucky former crime reporter from Denver, becomes embroiled in a murder mystery when one of the nuns at a convent in Malamulele, South Africa, is nearly decapitated by a machete in the middle of the night. At first, the other nuns in the convent draw the attention of the handsome police detective Baloyi, but as the investigation proceeds, connections to “muti” killings come to light — ritualistic murders used to gather body parts to be used as totems and charms by those willing to pay. As Chase develops a relationship with Baloyi, she herself becomes the target of a ruthless killer with unfathomable motives.

Midnight in Malamulele is a thriller-whodunit mashup that succeeds because of its likable, believable characters and interesting setting. Author Darla Bartos lived in South Africa for part of her life, and that experience shows throughout the novel. Descriptions of rural and urban South African life give the book a distinct, enjoyable context that never overshadows the entertaining and well-constructed mystery. The story craft and writing are both excellent. Bartos writes with the clean, functional prose of someone trained in journalism. No cluttered, over-wrought sentences to be found here. This is a book you can speed through without hitting a single road bump along the way. The romance between Detective Baloyi and Annabelle was believable, relatable, and well done. Annabelle and Baloyi are easy to root for. The romance develops naturally and gives the book a welcome alternative plot line to counterbalance gruesome murder! Bartos also manages to avoid exoticism in her portrayal, not just of Baloyi, but all of the South Africans in the novel.

The book does stray a few times in terms of believability. Certain events are so highly coordinated on the part of the killer(s) that they would impress a professional clandestine service like the CIA. Also, the use of various poisonous snakes throughout the novel, while interesting, felt a touch forced. Without giving away spoilers, suffice it to say that the killer(s) in the story often rely on ineffectual methods in circumstances where a simple bullet would have worked better, though admittedly for far less entertainment value. However, these aspects don’t detract too much from an otherwise enjoyable read. Midnight in Malamulele delivers a compelling plot, likable characters, and a unique setting. Fans of mystery novels will devour this one, especially if they like books set in unique and vivid locales.

Reviewed by Melinda Hills for Readers' Favorite

Intense dreams leave Gary Foreman with terrible headaches and vague feelings that he should remember something. Gary has spent the past ten years living in California after relocation in the witness protection program, but hearing an old song triggers an increasingly persistent headache. The Ghost of Blackwood Lane by Greg Enslen brings Gary to a confrontation with his past as he tries to understand the dreams and uncover the reason for his suppressed memories. As a witness for the prosecution against the local crime boss, Gary’s father needed to make sure his son would stay safe, especially after the murder of his wife. In an unorthodox procedure, Gary was hypnotized to accept a new name and forget his real identity, as well as his girlfriend, Judy. In the meantime, Judy is living an unpleasant life and thinks more and more of Gary, or Chris as she had known him, as the beatings she receives from her husband are becoming more and more violent. A trip back to his hometown brings Gary closer to answers, but will it be at too high a cost?

Greg Enslen has created a masterfully interwoven tale of love, loss, greed and hope in The Ghost of Blackwood Lane. Based on the revenge a crime family seeks and the lengths a father goes to in order to protect his son, the story combines psychological, emotional and paranormal elements to bring the players together and resolve the plot. With lively action, realistic dialogue and a quaint view of life in middle-America, the story carries you along through many fascinating twists and turns to an amazing conclusion. Great story! All the pieces blended very well and created a riveting tale.

Reviewed by Maria Victoria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

Murder on Easter Island is a mystery thriller written by Gary D. Conrad where Detective Daniel “Hawk” Fishinghawk of New York is assigned to Easter Island to assist Chilean authorities in solving a series of cannibalistic murders. Raised by his Cherokee grandfather, he has developed enhanced sensitivity and excellent skills in crime solving but this is an extraordinary case. As soon as he arrives in the paradise-like island, two more murders are committed and he finds himself grasping for clues. As he struggles to get to the bottom of these killings, he is forced to go back to his past and the colorful but gruesome history of the island with the help of Tiare Rapu, an elderly woman who has lived on the island all her life.

Murder on Easter Island: A Daniel “Hawk” Fishinghawk Mystery is an engrossing story where the past catches up with the present. Gary D. Conrad’s main protagonist is a man with a colorful past. When he is sent to Easter Island where a series of cannibalistic murders has been committed by an elusive criminal, he has to contend with the island’s past to solve the grisly crimes. Informative, fast paced, with well developed characters, Murder on Easter Island is completely engaging. The novel has enough twists and turns to make the reader hold on to its pages and the ending is something that is quite unexpected. I highly recommend this book not only to fans of detective stories, but to those who simply want an excellent read!

Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite

The Doom Murders by Brian O’Hare is a story of a few murders. To begin with, a bishop is killed in a grotesque manner and the only notable clue from the naked body is an alphanumeric word. During the police investigation itself, more deaths of a comparable nature take place. When clues fail to emerge pointing to a plausible theory as to the criminal, the investigators turn to all possible forms of help, one being religious doctrine. With the help of biblical experts, the investigators manage to decode the writings retrieved from the scene of the crime, especially the alphanumeric word and its possible relevance, which leads the police in a totally unexpected direction.

The Doom Murders by Brian O’Hare is mystery at every turn of the page. The painstaking, repetitive and dry nature of detective work in solving a murder is shown in its real depth. To that end, O’Hare writes with a keen eye for detail with his tale evolving at a surprisingly fast pace. The stereotypes that dominate popular crime thrillers, especially these days, are notable by their absence and O’Hare leans toward the human side of his characters, imbuing them with a real world presence that is in turn witty and passionate. This is most evident in his lead, Jim Sheehan, who in his introspection wrestles with the conflicts of faith as his investigations progress. It’s a cleverly contrived and highly thought provoking plot. A great crime thriller and an enthralling read.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Courage Resurrected: A Ray Courage Mystery is Book 3 in R. Scott Mackey's Ray Courage Private Investigator Series. November 11 is a tragic anniversary for Ray Courage, despite it being 13 years after the fact. He's never stopped wondering about the death of his wife, Pamela, on a quiet road in the small Delta town of Freeport bordering the Sacramento River. This anniversary is disturbingly different, however, as he's received an e-mail from a sender identifying herself as Pam1111. In it, she accused him of trying to kill her and promised to exact vengeance upon him. Ray's efforts to keep himself from daring to dream that his wife might still actually be alive spur him on to investigate the tragic accident once again. He's not the only one wondering about the circumstances behind the fiery car wreck. Detective Carla Thurber of the Sacramento Police Department has her own questions about whether the former detective on the case fully investigated it.

R. Scott Mackey's private investigator novel, Courage Resurrected: A Ray Courage Mystery, is the third book in this series, but this story works quite well as a stand-alone mystery. Ray Courage's background as a former college professor lends a somewhat intellectual air to his present career as a private eye. As his friend Rubia likes to say, when he's nervous, he starts talking like Shakespeare. This literary dimension doesn't stop him from sleuthing with the best of them, even when the case is very, very personal, as it is in this book. Mackey's characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional, and his plot moves at a breakneck pace. Courage Resurrected is a compelling and highly entertaining story filled with mobsters, gang members, and a host of other personalities, that also has an inspired mix of action, strategy, and humor. It's most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Karen Pirnot for Readers' Favorite

Howard Pollack has conceptualized and developed a brilliant suspense novel in Everywhere That Tommy Goes. The author introduces us to Tommy, a seemingly ordinary fellow who suffers from intense migraine headaches. Tommy gets into a fight, only to be rescued by his new friend Troyer. But when a bartender turns up murdered, Tommy becomes the prime suspect. Gradually, he begins to question the actions and motivations of the engaging Troyer Savage. The man has an Aussie accent and can charm the skin off a snake and yet, Tommy is strangely attracted to the man. And then, another murder takes place and Tommy wakes up to find himself covered in blood and on the run. As the police begin to build a strong case against Tommy, Troyer disappears and Tommy begins to question his own sanity. He is unable to separate the nightmares of his own reality from the possibilities of an experimental drug which tend to skew and blur the lines of fantasy and reality.

This is a beautiful psychological mystery in which reality and paranoia produce an increasingly more intense plot. Tommy's character is wonderful in that the reader will sympathize with the man and be suspicious of him at the same time. The plot is developed with intrigue and precision and author Pollock comes off like a skilled story surgeon in command of the scalpel. Even when you get the clues, you're not sure what they really mean. Everywhere That Tommy Goes will keep you guessing until the very end. And then, you will have to guess again.

Reviewed by Lee Ashford for Readers' Favorite

House of Cards by Dr. Theodore Jerome Cohen is the second of Cohen’s novels featuring NYPD Detective Louis Martelli. When a prominent philanthropist and CEO of a major Wall Street Investment firm is gunned down in Times Square, Martelli is assigned to the case. For reasons not yet clear, the FBI suddenly appears on the scene, demanding NYPD turn over the case to them. The Mayor and Police Commissioner reject the FBI’s ‘request,’ agreeing only to work cooperatively with them. As more bodies begin to turn up, Martelli discovers the common denominator linking the murders. When he learns the FBI is withholding information, Martelli wisely decides to not trust his FBI contact, and moves ahead with the investigation. But this time, he might have bitten off more than he can chew. He’s making some mighty powerful people angry and some of them will stop at nothing to get their way. There is an excellent chance he won’t live to the end of the book. Will this be the final Cohen story featuring Martelli?

House of Cards is another gem from the brilliant imagination of Dr. Cohen. As with his other novels, Cohen valiantly researched the background setting for House of Cards, tying fact and fiction together in a manner that can only be described as genius. I do have one complaint, though: Detective Martelli is only a part of the fiction. America could use a few Martellis right now. In that vein, I zealously urge you to read House of Cards, as well as Cohen’s other novels. The facts behind the fiction need to become widely known. Dr. Cohen’s exceptional Martelli novels are a most enjoyable way to learn those facts. Somebody needs to be held accountable, and you, the reader, can help make that happen. Read House of Cards by Dr. Theodore Jerome Cohen, and tell your friends to do the same. They will thank you.

Reviewed by Samantha Rivera for Readers' Favorite

After yet another shooting while on duty, Track is under the microscope again. This time it’s knocked him down from his dream job of robbery and homicide detective to investigating a missing person’s case. Huxley is a girl with a lot to stick around for, but when she simply vanishes without a trace (only to have her car turn up at a murder scene) there’s definitely something going on. Fortunately for Track, that means his missing person’s case just got a whole lot more interesting and he’s determined to find out what happened to her. Chimeras by E.E. Giorgi is a story of more than just adventure because Track has other secrets in his past, secrets even he doesn’t fully know.

Track is an interesting guy. He’s funny, he’s friendly (to most people, anyway) and he’s in love with his job. He’s also determined to do a good job every time he takes a case, even when it’s not a case he wants. This book drew me in immediately because that’s how fast the action and adventure begins … immediately. Your heart will be pumping a mile a minute as you read this book and you’ll be amazed at every turn of the page. The adventure doesn’t stop and the characters just keep getting better and better. Chimeras will show you there’s more to police work than meets the eye and no case is truly ‘simple’ after all. E.E. Giorgi definitely has a star with this one. I can’t wait to read more about Track.

Reviewed by Lex Allen for Readers' Favorite

One often reads blurbs and reviews that talk about “fast paced”, “edge of your seat suspense” or “I couldn’t put it down.” In some cases these phrases are a bit exaggerated; in the instance of Vengeance is Mine by Harry James Krebs these phrases become understatements. This murder-mystery suspense thriller is among the very best I’ve read so far this year. I loved each and every character in this story. Not only were they interesting and perfectly designed for their roles, they were human…down to and including flaws that some reviewers have criticized. Ben has sexual thoughts about a beautiful FBI agent, even though he’s madly in love with his wife. Well, how human is that? Mr. Krebs knows how to put his characters into the story. The dialogue is as real as any I’ve ever read and fits each of the characters like a glove. In particular, the verbal exchanges between Ben Tucker and Detective John Netter are often-times funny, sometimes profane, and always spot on.

The primary plot line in Vengeance is Mine is relatively simple and straight forward for this genre. What is different and refreshing here is how the sub-plots interact with each other and the way in which the satisfying conclusion is achieved. There’s Oscar providing some funny, catch your breath moments, and Roberta, the housekeeper/nanny keeping Ben’s feet on the ground and often in the fire. You’ll also love and appreciate Maggie, the super-rich wife, who is cool, collected and often amused at Ben’s attitudes and antics. Not to be overlooked is the villain in this story, the brutal killer. He’s bad - very,very bad.