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Recommend this book:
The Schwarzschild Radius
A Thriller
Gustavo Florentin
2016 Honorable Mention
292 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
The Schwarzschild Radius is a crime thriller written by Gustavo Florentin. Rachel Wallen is a brilliant science student at Columbia University who's embarked singlehandedly on a mission to rescue her missing younger sister, Olivia. Olivia volunteered at a mission for homeless kids which was run by the charismatic priest, Evan Massey, before she disappeared. Rachel is working undercover, posing as an underage runaway who knew Olivia, and she enters Transcendance House seeking shelter. She's told that Olivia was dismissed after her stripping and sex work was exposed. Rachel joins forces with a young woman who caters to men who like underage girls and child pornography in her attempt to find the man who's taken Olivia. The detective on the case, John McKenna, a veteran sniper whose marriage had floundered after his return from service, is unaware of Rachel's efforts.
Gustavo Florentin's crime thriller, The Schwarzschild Radius, is an awesome read. The Webmaster is genuinely scary, and Rachel is filled with naive optimism and determination that the reader just knows is going to get her in trouble. The New York City setting for this novel is inspired; I loved the chases along the highways that connect Long Island to the mainland of New York and shivered at the scenes that took place in the abandoned subway tunnels. John McKenna is a marvelous character. I'm hoping that this book is the start of a police procedural series featuring this complex and multi-faceted detective. The action in The Schwarzschild Radius is riveting and filled with suspense, and the ending is not at all predictable. I really enjoyed reading The Schwarzschild Radius and highly recommend it.
The Schwarzschild Radius is a crime thriller written by Gustavo Florentin. Rachel Wallen is a brilliant science student at Columbia University who's embarked singlehandedly on a mission to rescue her missing younger sister, Olivia. Olivia volunteered at a mission for homeless kids which was run by the charismatic priest, Evan Massey, before she disappeared. Rachel is working undercover, posing as an underage runaway who knew Olivia, and she enters Transcendance House seeking shelter. She's told that Olivia was dismissed after her stripping and sex work was exposed. Rachel joins forces with a young woman who caters to men who like underage girls and child pornography in her attempt to find the man who's taken Olivia. The detective on the case, John McKenna, a veteran sniper whose marriage had floundered after his return from service, is unaware of Rachel's efforts.
Gustavo Florentin's crime thriller, The Schwarzschild Radius, is an awesome read. The Webmaster is genuinely scary, and Rachel is filled with naive optimism and determination that the reader just knows is going to get her in trouble. The New York City setting for this novel is inspired; I loved the chases along the highways that connect Long Island to the mainland of New York and shivered at the scenes that took place in the abandoned subway tunnels. John McKenna is a marvelous character. I'm hoping that this book is the start of a police procedural series featuring this complex and multi-faceted detective. The action in The Schwarzschild Radius is riveting and filled with suspense, and the ending is not at all predictable. I really enjoyed reading The Schwarzschild Radius and highly recommend it.
Recommend this book:
Homicide by Hamlet
Chubby Chicks Club Cozy Mystery Series, Book #3
Lois Lavrisa
2016 Honorable Mention
182 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite
Homicide by Hamlet is the third book in the Chubby Chicks Club Cozy Mystery series written by Lois Lavrisa. At a camp for young thespians, Dr. Annie Mae Maple is leading one of six groups in a competition where Hamlet must be performed in their own unique fashion. With spiteful and toxic bully, Priscilla Woodham, leading another group, it takes all of Annie Mae’s strength not to slap the woman every time a barbed word comes out of her mouth. Priscilla does not have a single friend at the camp, having found a way to insult and scorn every leader and student, including her own personal assistant. When Priscilla winds up dead, the suspect pool is huge. As unsurprising tales of blackmail, bribery, and insidiously evil behavior unfold, evidence first piles up against Annie Mae’s dear friend, Bezu (former girlfriend of Priscilla’s fiancé), before suspicion shifts to Gerald Gill (a man who has been trying to woo Annie Mae), but there is one more suspect that seems to have been overlooked, who is neither camp leader nor student. With Annie Mae fast closing in, it is not long before the killer decides that life is better with her out of the picture as well.
From the very first page, I was hooked on this murder mystery with a twist. Each of the characters was so rounded and well written that I was able to easily relate to and identify with them, with the exception of the narcissistic camp bully who, although well written, was supremely toxic. Even with the vital detective work going on throughout most of the book, Lois Lavrisa successfully continued the normal camping storyline in the background, giving the story a more realistic feel. With almost everybody having a means, motive, and opportunity to kill the not-so-dearly departed, the plot thickens more and more with each turn of the page. I very much enjoyed Homicide by Hamlet and intend to seek out the other books in the Chubby Chicks Club Cozy Mystery series. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to readers who enjoy action, drama and a hefty dose of intrigue and justice served up with their murder mystery novels.
Homicide by Hamlet is the third book in the Chubby Chicks Club Cozy Mystery series written by Lois Lavrisa. At a camp for young thespians, Dr. Annie Mae Maple is leading one of six groups in a competition where Hamlet must be performed in their own unique fashion. With spiteful and toxic bully, Priscilla Woodham, leading another group, it takes all of Annie Mae’s strength not to slap the woman every time a barbed word comes out of her mouth. Priscilla does not have a single friend at the camp, having found a way to insult and scorn every leader and student, including her own personal assistant. When Priscilla winds up dead, the suspect pool is huge. As unsurprising tales of blackmail, bribery, and insidiously evil behavior unfold, evidence first piles up against Annie Mae’s dear friend, Bezu (former girlfriend of Priscilla’s fiancé), before suspicion shifts to Gerald Gill (a man who has been trying to woo Annie Mae), but there is one more suspect that seems to have been overlooked, who is neither camp leader nor student. With Annie Mae fast closing in, it is not long before the killer decides that life is better with her out of the picture as well.
From the very first page, I was hooked on this murder mystery with a twist. Each of the characters was so rounded and well written that I was able to easily relate to and identify with them, with the exception of the narcissistic camp bully who, although well written, was supremely toxic. Even with the vital detective work going on throughout most of the book, Lois Lavrisa successfully continued the normal camping storyline in the background, giving the story a more realistic feel. With almost everybody having a means, motive, and opportunity to kill the not-so-dearly departed, the plot thickens more and more with each turn of the page. I very much enjoyed Homicide by Hamlet and intend to seek out the other books in the Chubby Chicks Club Cozy Mystery series. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to readers who enjoy action, drama and a hefty dose of intrigue and justice served up with their murder mystery novels.
Recommend this book:
 by Libby Kirsch is a newsworthy story of intrigue. Stella Reynolds arrives in Montana late at night, ready to start a new job at a tiny news station. Starting work in Bozeman as a new TV reporter is not quite how she envisioned her life, but it’s the only news station where she can get work for now....){kind=link}
The Big Lead
A Stella Reynolds Mystery, Book 1
Libby Kirsch
2016 Bronze Medal
270 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite
The Big Lead (A Stella Reynolds Mystery Book 1) by Libby Kirsch is a newsworthy story of intrigue. Stella Reynolds arrives in Montana late at night, ready to start a new job at a tiny news station. Starting work in Bozeman as a new TV reporter is not quite how she envisioned her life, but it’s the only news station where she can get work for now. Mayhem ensues as Stella gets to grip with ancient equipment that weighs a ton and works when it wants to. Nothing ever happens in Bozeman – until Stella stumbles across a murder. Together with her co-workers and the girlfriend of the accused, she works to uncover the truth and ends up uncovering a world of corruption. She doesn’t know whom she can trust, who might be involved, and what it will cost her to uncover the truth.
The Big Lead (A Stella Reynolds Mystery Book 1) by Libby Kirsch was hilarious from start to finish, with some definite laugh out loud moments. I can see that Ms. Kirsch has drawn on her years of experience to write this story and she has come up with a masterful plot with some very likeable characters. The story followed a natural path with a lot of twists and turns in it and came to a natural conclusion; it was written in a way that drew me in from the very first page and kept me reading right to the end. And when it ended, it left me wanting to read the next book in the series. Very enjoyable, very funny and full of insight, and a nice twist to it as well.
The Big Lead (A Stella Reynolds Mystery Book 1) by Libby Kirsch is a newsworthy story of intrigue. Stella Reynolds arrives in Montana late at night, ready to start a new job at a tiny news station. Starting work in Bozeman as a new TV reporter is not quite how she envisioned her life, but it’s the only news station where she can get work for now. Mayhem ensues as Stella gets to grip with ancient equipment that weighs a ton and works when it wants to. Nothing ever happens in Bozeman – until Stella stumbles across a murder. Together with her co-workers and the girlfriend of the accused, she works to uncover the truth and ends up uncovering a world of corruption. She doesn’t know whom she can trust, who might be involved, and what it will cost her to uncover the truth.
The Big Lead (A Stella Reynolds Mystery Book 1) by Libby Kirsch was hilarious from start to finish, with some definite laugh out loud moments. I can see that Ms. Kirsch has drawn on her years of experience to write this story and she has come up with a masterful plot with some very likeable characters. The story followed a natural path with a lot of twists and turns in it and came to a natural conclusion; it was written in a way that drew me in from the very first page and kept me reading right to the end. And when it ended, it left me wanting to read the next book in the series. Very enjoyable, very funny and full of insight, and a nice twist to it as well.
Recommend this book:
Body of the Crime
A Chip Palmer Forensic Mystery
Jennifer Chase
2016 Silver Medal
208 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Body of the Crime: A Chip Palmer Forensic Mystery is a police procedural murder mystery written by Jennifer Chase. Detective Sergeant Hugh Murphy was the officer in charge of the investigation of the body of the young woman discovered by two hikers in a desolate stretch of forest. The bizarre arrangement, and savage treatment, of the corpse was eerily reminiscent of the work of the serial killer who several years ago had frustrated Murphy's efforts to apprehend him before he went underground. To make matters even worse, the crime scene was about to be contaminated by a gusty and soaking rainstorm. Unable to wait for the CSU, he directed a police officer to take photos of the corpse, and several of them trundled it into one of the police cruisers for transporting to the morgue. Murphy's day got even more frustrating when he learned that the District Attorney was getting involved in the case. DA Inspector Kate Rawlins would be working with him, and, Murphy suspected, Chip Palmer, the DA's profiler of choice, would be on the team as well.
Jennifer Chase's police procedural murder mystery, Body of the Crime: A Chip Palmer Forensic Mystery, is an enthralling and fast-paced read. I particularly enjoy police procedural mysteries and was pleasantly surprised by this book. Chip Palmer is an outstanding character whose eccentricity works wonderfully with his encyclopedic interest in soil samples and a profiler's innate gifts. Chase's plot is tightly constructed and gives the puzzle-loving instincts of mystery fans plenty of fodder in the form of red herrings and possible suspects to work with. Kate Rawlins, the newly transplanted District Attorney's Inspector, is a grand foil for the otherworldly Chip, and their partnership is engaging and a treat to follow. Body of the Crime is an outstanding mystery novel that was a delight to read from beginning to end. I'm hoping to see more of Chip Palmer and will be watching for future mysteries featuring him. Body of the Crime is most highly recommended.
Body of the Crime: A Chip Palmer Forensic Mystery is a police procedural murder mystery written by Jennifer Chase. Detective Sergeant Hugh Murphy was the officer in charge of the investigation of the body of the young woman discovered by two hikers in a desolate stretch of forest. The bizarre arrangement, and savage treatment, of the corpse was eerily reminiscent of the work of the serial killer who several years ago had frustrated Murphy's efforts to apprehend him before he went underground. To make matters even worse, the crime scene was about to be contaminated by a gusty and soaking rainstorm. Unable to wait for the CSU, he directed a police officer to take photos of the corpse, and several of them trundled it into one of the police cruisers for transporting to the morgue. Murphy's day got even more frustrating when he learned that the District Attorney was getting involved in the case. DA Inspector Kate Rawlins would be working with him, and, Murphy suspected, Chip Palmer, the DA's profiler of choice, would be on the team as well.
Jennifer Chase's police procedural murder mystery, Body of the Crime: A Chip Palmer Forensic Mystery, is an enthralling and fast-paced read. I particularly enjoy police procedural mysteries and was pleasantly surprised by this book. Chip Palmer is an outstanding character whose eccentricity works wonderfully with his encyclopedic interest in soil samples and a profiler's innate gifts. Chase's plot is tightly constructed and gives the puzzle-loving instincts of mystery fans plenty of fodder in the form of red herrings and possible suspects to work with. Kate Rawlins, the newly transplanted District Attorney's Inspector, is a grand foil for the otherworldly Chip, and their partnership is engaging and a treat to follow. Body of the Crime is an outstanding mystery novel that was a delight to read from beginning to end. I'm hoping to see more of Chip Palmer and will be watching for future mysteries featuring him. Body of the Crime is most highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Dying to Know
TJ O'Connor
2015 Bronze Medal
384 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
A standard epitome for a detective novel is intelligent detective work, clues, truth and justice. Throw in a supernatural twist with a first person point-of-view for its narration, reading Dying to Know: A Gumshoe Ghost Mystery by TJ O'Connor is absolutely satisfying and got me hooked from start to finish. The story centers on 40-year-old Detective Oliver Tucker, who is murdered by an intruder in 2 a.m. in the morning in his own house. Fearing for the safety of his wife, Angela, and driven by his natural instinct as a detective, Tuck investigates his own murder, something that is not easy to do since he has limitations as a ghost.
As it turns out, secrets begin to reveal themselves and he starts to doubt everything that he ever knew. He even questions his wife’s loyalty and his friendship with his partner, Detective Theodore ‘Bear’ Braddock. The story kept me on my toes; it really does make one ‘dying to know’. The straightforward prose balances the well-written plot nicely, and all the characters are developed as they should. Tuck is easily a likeable protagonist and I even love his dog Hercule, who also has a significant part in helping his family when needed.
As with all detective stories, the pay-off at the end needs to live up to the ride that brought us there, and O'Connor gives readers just that. On the whole, Dying to Know is an excellent read. Fans of the genre will definitely enjoy the roller coaster ride of supernatural, mystery, emotion and suspense. I definitely look forward to the next book in this series.
A standard epitome for a detective novel is intelligent detective work, clues, truth and justice. Throw in a supernatural twist with a first person point-of-view for its narration, reading Dying to Know: A Gumshoe Ghost Mystery by TJ O'Connor is absolutely satisfying and got me hooked from start to finish. The story centers on 40-year-old Detective Oliver Tucker, who is murdered by an intruder in 2 a.m. in the morning in his own house. Fearing for the safety of his wife, Angela, and driven by his natural instinct as a detective, Tuck investigates his own murder, something that is not easy to do since he has limitations as a ghost.
As it turns out, secrets begin to reveal themselves and he starts to doubt everything that he ever knew. He even questions his wife’s loyalty and his friendship with his partner, Detective Theodore ‘Bear’ Braddock. The story kept me on my toes; it really does make one ‘dying to know’. The straightforward prose balances the well-written plot nicely, and all the characters are developed as they should. Tuck is easily a likeable protagonist and I even love his dog Hercule, who also has a significant part in helping his family when needed.
As with all detective stories, the pay-off at the end needs to live up to the ride that brought us there, and O'Connor gives readers just that. On the whole, Dying to Know is an excellent read. Fans of the genre will definitely enjoy the roller coaster ride of supernatural, mystery, emotion and suspense. I definitely look forward to the next book in this series.
Recommend this book:
Stunner
A Ronnie Lake Mystery
Niki Danforth
2015 Finalist
387 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Charity Tober for Readers' Favorite
Stunner: A Ronnie Lake Mystery by Niki Danforth is a fun and suspenseful mystery fiction read. The story follows a divorced, fifty-something woman named Ronnie Lake, who resorts to her own sleuthing when things are not quite what they seem with her brother’s new lover. Ronnie suspects that Juliana has ulterior motives, and she’s determined to discover what exactly her true intentions are before it’s too late and her brother loses his money, or worse, himself. The story features numerous twists, turns, “who did it” moments and suspenseful scenes. Readers will enjoy following along with Ronnie and tracking down clues, forming theories, and ultimately discovering the truth.
I thought Stunner was a fun read. I do think, however, that Ronnie is one of those characters that readers will either love or hate. She was a fairly likeable protagonist, but she came across at times as haughty and self-centered, as well as lacking in judgment on several occasions. Her loyalty and drive to protect her family was a positive aspect of her character though, and I think readers will appreciate that side of her. The author did an excellent job weaving the suspense and mystery throughout the story. I enjoyed trying to figure out the clues and discover who was good, who was involved in shady endeavors, and who had hidden agendas. I can easily see the author turning this character into a series of mystery books. I would recommend Stunner: A Ronnie Lake Mystery by Niki Danforth to fans of mystery, chick lit, and drama genres.
Stunner: A Ronnie Lake Mystery by Niki Danforth is a fun and suspenseful mystery fiction read. The story follows a divorced, fifty-something woman named Ronnie Lake, who resorts to her own sleuthing when things are not quite what they seem with her brother’s new lover. Ronnie suspects that Juliana has ulterior motives, and she’s determined to discover what exactly her true intentions are before it’s too late and her brother loses his money, or worse, himself. The story features numerous twists, turns, “who did it” moments and suspenseful scenes. Readers will enjoy following along with Ronnie and tracking down clues, forming theories, and ultimately discovering the truth.
I thought Stunner was a fun read. I do think, however, that Ronnie is one of those characters that readers will either love or hate. She was a fairly likeable protagonist, but she came across at times as haughty and self-centered, as well as lacking in judgment on several occasions. Her loyalty and drive to protect her family was a positive aspect of her character though, and I think readers will appreciate that side of her. The author did an excellent job weaving the suspense and mystery throughout the story. I enjoyed trying to figure out the clues and discover who was good, who was involved in shady endeavors, and who had hidden agendas. I can easily see the author turning this character into a series of mystery books. I would recommend Stunner: A Ronnie Lake Mystery by Niki Danforth to fans of mystery, chick lit, and drama genres.
Recommend this book:
Murderous Muffins
Chubby Chicks Club Mysteries Volume 2
Lois Lavrisa
2015 Finalist
182 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
In Murderous Muffins by Lois Lavrisa, Barbara Elizabeth Susan Gordon, or as her friends call her, Bezu, is a marvelous cook. Her muffins are really to die for. Her tenants certainly love them. In fact, they love them to death. That's what happens to one of her tenants. Although they're not really tenants, as that would require a permit from the city and Bezu doesn't have the money for a permit. She doesn't have the money to keep the family home, but the home is a treasure and she doesn't want to lose it. So, she takes in tenants, who are not tenants, introduces them to friends as distant cousins, collects rent in cash and spoils them with her famous chocolate chip muffins. That is, until one of the tenants dies from the poison injected into the muffins, poison that Bezu keeps under the kitchen sink to fight the invasion of carpenter ants. Just as life couldn't become more complicated, a handsome foreign gentleman takes up residence, a friend (BFF, known as Cat) moves in, and the police label Bezu as their prime suspect in the murder of her tenant.
This is the second book in Lois Lavrisa's Chubby Chicks Club Mystery series. You don't need to read the first book to understand the plot and become acquainted with the characters, but you may want to go back to the first book, since the second one is very enticing. With a little bit of humor, a little bit of mystery and a delicious muffin-laced plot, the author leads the reader into a rollicking adventure to find the real killer. Because you have to believe Bezu when she tells us over and over again that she's not a murderer. A thoroughly light-hearted, enjoyable read.
In Murderous Muffins by Lois Lavrisa, Barbara Elizabeth Susan Gordon, or as her friends call her, Bezu, is a marvelous cook. Her muffins are really to die for. Her tenants certainly love them. In fact, they love them to death. That's what happens to one of her tenants. Although they're not really tenants, as that would require a permit from the city and Bezu doesn't have the money for a permit. She doesn't have the money to keep the family home, but the home is a treasure and she doesn't want to lose it. So, she takes in tenants, who are not tenants, introduces them to friends as distant cousins, collects rent in cash and spoils them with her famous chocolate chip muffins. That is, until one of the tenants dies from the poison injected into the muffins, poison that Bezu keeps under the kitchen sink to fight the invasion of carpenter ants. Just as life couldn't become more complicated, a handsome foreign gentleman takes up residence, a friend (BFF, known as Cat) moves in, and the police label Bezu as their prime suspect in the murder of her tenant.
This is the second book in Lois Lavrisa's Chubby Chicks Club Mystery series. You don't need to read the first book to understand the plot and become acquainted with the characters, but you may want to go back to the first book, since the second one is very enticing. With a little bit of humor, a little bit of mystery and a delicious muffin-laced plot, the author leads the reader into a rollicking adventure to find the real killer. Because you have to believe Bezu when she tells us over and over again that she's not a murderer. A thoroughly light-hearted, enjoyable read.
Recommend this book:
Fleeting Chance
An Enescu Fleet Mystery
Sherban Young
2015 Finalist
240 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Fleeting Chance is an Enescu Fleet private investigator mystery written by Sherban Young. John Hathaway and his fiancee, Lesley, have traveled up to Canada with Enescu Fleet and his daughter, Ate, for a short holiday. Fleet, Lesley and Hathaway have been invited on a yacht for an evening of touring and, more importantly, playing poker. At the last minute, Lesley decides that she'd rather spend the evening with Ate, so the two men are on their own. The yacht is owned by Bud Gordon and Fleet's old friend, Admiral Tim Craig, is co-hosting the party. There are ten players, and the Admiral has assigned places to each of them around the large table in the salon. Hathaway folds for most of the evening, until he finally gets a good hand. Unfortunately, just as he's dreaming of raking in those future wins, someone has fallen overboard.
Fleeting Chance: An Enescu Fleet Mystery is a sly and classy homage to Agatha Christie and Sherban Young pulls it off brilliantly. Someone is killing off the poker players, and Fleet and Hathaway have their work cut out trying to figure out who it is and why. Young builds his plot with attention to detail, and the reader is kept abreast of all the pertinent details on each of the players and how they figure in the mystery. This is more than a cerebral mystery, however, as there's action and adventure from just about the very first page. Fleet and Hathaway have become one of my favorite detective duos. While Hathaway's friend, Hutton, is more Fleet's alter-ego and intellectual equal, the earnest and slightly inept Hathaway is the perfect partner for Fleet, and it's a joy to watch as their partnership grows throughout this series. Fleeting Chance is an entertaining and satisfying mystery and it's most highly recommended.
Fleeting Chance is an Enescu Fleet private investigator mystery written by Sherban Young. John Hathaway and his fiancee, Lesley, have traveled up to Canada with Enescu Fleet and his daughter, Ate, for a short holiday. Fleet, Lesley and Hathaway have been invited on a yacht for an evening of touring and, more importantly, playing poker. At the last minute, Lesley decides that she'd rather spend the evening with Ate, so the two men are on their own. The yacht is owned by Bud Gordon and Fleet's old friend, Admiral Tim Craig, is co-hosting the party. There are ten players, and the Admiral has assigned places to each of them around the large table in the salon. Hathaway folds for most of the evening, until he finally gets a good hand. Unfortunately, just as he's dreaming of raking in those future wins, someone has fallen overboard.
Fleeting Chance: An Enescu Fleet Mystery is a sly and classy homage to Agatha Christie and Sherban Young pulls it off brilliantly. Someone is killing off the poker players, and Fleet and Hathaway have their work cut out trying to figure out who it is and why. Young builds his plot with attention to detail, and the reader is kept abreast of all the pertinent details on each of the players and how they figure in the mystery. This is more than a cerebral mystery, however, as there's action and adventure from just about the very first page. Fleet and Hathaway have become one of my favorite detective duos. While Hathaway's friend, Hutton, is more Fleet's alter-ego and intellectual equal, the earnest and slightly inept Hathaway is the perfect partner for Fleet, and it's a joy to watch as their partnership grows throughout this series. Fleeting Chance is an entertaining and satisfying mystery and it's most highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
The Second Letter
Robert Lane
2015 Honorable Mention
312 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Samantha Rivera for Readers' Favorite
Jake Travis has met his match in The Second Letter. Determined to complete another job for his government contacts, he sets out to retrieve a letter that supposedly came from the Cold War era when America was young and policies were lax. But Raydel Escobar isn’t giving up that letter for nothing. He wants his IRS debt wiped clean or he claims he’ll keep the letter. It’s going to take everything Jake, his girlfriend Kathleen, and his friends Garret and Morgan have to try and make everything work out the way it needs to because Raydel is hiding more than just a large IRS debt.
The Second Letter was a captivating book of lies and deceit as well as love and loss. Jake is an adventurous soul who really never does give up. He’s determined to see this case through, no matter what it may cost him and it makes him a character that readers look up to. Robert Lane’s book keeps you flipping one page after another and it most definitely draws you in with the characters. Even Escobar is a character you can’t help but be entranced by as he goes about his dirty deeds and black market dealings. His connections will definitely make it difficult to force him into anything, but Jake definitely does an excellent job of trying. I was happy with the way the story balanced so many different elements with the mob, the blackmail, and romance all at the same time. All of the characters and all of the plot were important.
Jake Travis has met his match in The Second Letter. Determined to complete another job for his government contacts, he sets out to retrieve a letter that supposedly came from the Cold War era when America was young and policies were lax. But Raydel Escobar isn’t giving up that letter for nothing. He wants his IRS debt wiped clean or he claims he’ll keep the letter. It’s going to take everything Jake, his girlfriend Kathleen, and his friends Garret and Morgan have to try and make everything work out the way it needs to because Raydel is hiding more than just a large IRS debt.
The Second Letter was a captivating book of lies and deceit as well as love and loss. Jake is an adventurous soul who really never does give up. He’s determined to see this case through, no matter what it may cost him and it makes him a character that readers look up to. Robert Lane’s book keeps you flipping one page after another and it most definitely draws you in with the characters. Even Escobar is a character you can’t help but be entranced by as he goes about his dirty deeds and black market dealings. His connections will definitely make it difficult to force him into anything, but Jake definitely does an excellent job of trying. I was happy with the way the story balanced so many different elements with the mob, the blackmail, and romance all at the same time. All of the characters and all of the plot were important.
Recommend this book:
Fleeting Note
An Enescu Fleet Mystery
Sherban Young
2015 Honorable Mention
214 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Fleeting Note is an Enescu Fleet Mystery written by Sherban Young. Enescu Fleet is being honored at the Pendleton Institute in Baltimore as a descendant of the Romanian composer, George Enescu, whose fabled Third Romanian Rhapsody in G minor has been discovered. Fleet’s daughter, Ate, his protege, John Hathaway, Hathaway’s fiancee, Lesley, and his friend, Hutton, have joined him for the festivities. While they are schmoozing before the presentation, Chester Callas, an unpleasant old school chum of Hutton’s, walks up to them. He’s a violinist and a music critic for Resounding Note magazine, and he’s been invited to give the first public performance of the Rhapsody. As Fleet stands at the podium and begins his speech, Hathaway notices a dark reflection in his champagne glass and looks up to see a body falling from an upper level of the library.
Sherban Young’s private detective mystery, Fleeting Note: An Enescu Fleet Mystery, is a marvelous blend of detection and humor. Hathaway is the perfect foil for the suave and knowledgeable Fleet; fortunately Hathaway’s able to maintain a sense of humor about it all. As with the other books in this series, I found myself chuckling out loud from time to time and had to look around to see if anyone noticed. Hathaway is an appealing mix of earnestness and self-deprecation, blended with a very wry and quirky sense of humor, and seeing the mystery unfold through his eyes is an absolute delight. Young’s plot is tight and beautifully orchestrated, and the action just keeps coming. I had a great time reading this book, and I learned a bit about both detection and music at the same time, which is pretty cool. Fleeting Note: An Enescu Fleet Mystery is most highly recommended.
Fleeting Note is an Enescu Fleet Mystery written by Sherban Young. Enescu Fleet is being honored at the Pendleton Institute in Baltimore as a descendant of the Romanian composer, George Enescu, whose fabled Third Romanian Rhapsody in G minor has been discovered. Fleet’s daughter, Ate, his protege, John Hathaway, Hathaway’s fiancee, Lesley, and his friend, Hutton, have joined him for the festivities. While they are schmoozing before the presentation, Chester Callas, an unpleasant old school chum of Hutton’s, walks up to them. He’s a violinist and a music critic for Resounding Note magazine, and he’s been invited to give the first public performance of the Rhapsody. As Fleet stands at the podium and begins his speech, Hathaway notices a dark reflection in his champagne glass and looks up to see a body falling from an upper level of the library.
Sherban Young’s private detective mystery, Fleeting Note: An Enescu Fleet Mystery, is a marvelous blend of detection and humor. Hathaway is the perfect foil for the suave and knowledgeable Fleet; fortunately Hathaway’s able to maintain a sense of humor about it all. As with the other books in this series, I found myself chuckling out loud from time to time and had to look around to see if anyone noticed. Hathaway is an appealing mix of earnestness and self-deprecation, blended with a very wry and quirky sense of humor, and seeing the mystery unfold through his eyes is an absolute delight. Young’s plot is tight and beautifully orchestrated, and the action just keeps coming. I had a great time reading this book, and I learned a bit about both detection and music at the same time, which is pretty cool. Fleeting Note: An Enescu Fleet Mystery is most highly recommended.
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