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Recommend this book:
The Stone House Secret
A Jenessa Jones Mystery Book 2
Debra Burroughs
2015 Silver Medal
273 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite
The Stone House Secret by Debra Burroughs opens with a broken date, one wrecked by the news of an unnatural death that was to keep them busy; Michael being one of only two detectives on the small Hidden Valley police force and Jenessa being the reporter on a large Sacramento newspaper. They fall headlong into solving the mystery, many a time with a mutual exchange of leads. With every turn of the inquiry bringing up fresh characters and events, their task becomes a rather long affair. As the process of cracking the case continues, new twists develop often, linking the deceased with an excess of wealth, as well as that of ill health, leading to surprising conclusions. Michael and Jenessa also find solace and comfort in their romantic company, notwithstanding the frequent intrusions by the exes from both sides.
The Stone House Secret by Debra Burroughs is a fast paced novel that is a pleasure to read. Just when I was convinced that the case was all figured out, the introduction of a new twist left me with no clue. In this novel one can see a perfect combination of smooth prose, a well-paced plot, interesting, endearing, compelling and sometimes quirky characters, a touch or two of romance, and a good suspenseful mystery to solve. The author has succeeded in handling masterfully the exes from sides and making their togetherness look natural. A good read with a well crafted plot and an endearing presentation, this is a valuable asset to one's thriller collection.
The Stone House Secret by Debra Burroughs opens with a broken date, one wrecked by the news of an unnatural death that was to keep them busy; Michael being one of only two detectives on the small Hidden Valley police force and Jenessa being the reporter on a large Sacramento newspaper. They fall headlong into solving the mystery, many a time with a mutual exchange of leads. With every turn of the inquiry bringing up fresh characters and events, their task becomes a rather long affair. As the process of cracking the case continues, new twists develop often, linking the deceased with an excess of wealth, as well as that of ill health, leading to surprising conclusions. Michael and Jenessa also find solace and comfort in their romantic company, notwithstanding the frequent intrusions by the exes from both sides.
The Stone House Secret by Debra Burroughs is a fast paced novel that is a pleasure to read. Just when I was convinced that the case was all figured out, the introduction of a new twist left me with no clue. In this novel one can see a perfect combination of smooth prose, a well-paced plot, interesting, endearing, compelling and sometimes quirky characters, a touch or two of romance, and a good suspenseful mystery to solve. The author has succeeded in handling masterfully the exes from sides and making their togetherness look natural. A good read with a well crafted plot and an endearing presentation, this is a valuable asset to one's thriller collection.
Recommend this book:
Fleeting Glance
An Enescu Fleet Mystery
Sherban Young
2015 Gold Medal
292 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Fleeting Glance: An Enescu Fleet Mystery is private detective fiction written by Sherban Young. John Hathaway is resignedly facing meeting his prospective in-laws. His friend, Hutton, has arranged for Leslie and her parents to stay at a friend's posh house on the water, but he never did mention that the house actually belongs to Johnny Fishes, a mobster. To make matters even more perplexing, an oddly worded postcard arrives for Hathaway from a total stranger. When he reaches Hutton’s friend’s house, he finds that the meeting with Leslie's parents goes even worse than he thought it could. Hutton had left Hathaway’s home at the same time as him with the party’s hors d'oeuvres, but he doesn't arrive until some time later, making a grand entrance as the walking wounded and limping in with the assistance of Hathaway's friend and mentor, Enescu Fleet. Someone had attacked Hutton, and Enescu Fleet thinks that attack and Hathaway’s receipt of the cryptic card are very important indeed.
Sherban Young's private investigator novel, Fleeting Glance: An Enescu Fleet Mystery, is engrossing and very entertaining. Hathaway and Hutton are an inspired and funny team who see conspiracies and clues in the smallest details, but when they're joined by the elegant and uncanny Enescu Fleet, the result becomes truly spectacular. Fleet is urbane and suave, and he seems to know everything and everybody. Fleeting Glance was especially enjoyable for me because the mystery is art and artists. The Ariadne Lock Museum is the perfect place for this murder mystery and comes complete with an artist colony that is eccentric and otherworldly. Young's style is breezy, and his characters are zany and a joy to watch. The plot is also marvelous and left me hanging until the very last page. Fleeting Glance is a satisfying and monumentally enjoyable mystery story, and it's most highly recommended.
Fleeting Glance: An Enescu Fleet Mystery is private detective fiction written by Sherban Young. John Hathaway is resignedly facing meeting his prospective in-laws. His friend, Hutton, has arranged for Leslie and her parents to stay at a friend's posh house on the water, but he never did mention that the house actually belongs to Johnny Fishes, a mobster. To make matters even more perplexing, an oddly worded postcard arrives for Hathaway from a total stranger. When he reaches Hutton’s friend’s house, he finds that the meeting with Leslie's parents goes even worse than he thought it could. Hutton had left Hathaway’s home at the same time as him with the party’s hors d'oeuvres, but he doesn't arrive until some time later, making a grand entrance as the walking wounded and limping in with the assistance of Hathaway's friend and mentor, Enescu Fleet. Someone had attacked Hutton, and Enescu Fleet thinks that attack and Hathaway’s receipt of the cryptic card are very important indeed.
Sherban Young's private investigator novel, Fleeting Glance: An Enescu Fleet Mystery, is engrossing and very entertaining. Hathaway and Hutton are an inspired and funny team who see conspiracies and clues in the smallest details, but when they're joined by the elegant and uncanny Enescu Fleet, the result becomes truly spectacular. Fleet is urbane and suave, and he seems to know everything and everybody. Fleeting Glance was especially enjoyable for me because the mystery is art and artists. The Ariadne Lock Museum is the perfect place for this murder mystery and comes complete with an artist colony that is eccentric and otherworldly. Young's style is breezy, and his characters are zany and a joy to watch. The plot is also marvelous and left me hanging until the very last page. Fleeting Glance is a satisfying and monumentally enjoyable mystery story, and it's most highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Fleeting Memory
An Enescu Fleet Mystery
Sherban Young
2014 Finalist
240 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Fleeting Memory, an An Enescu Fleet Mystery, is written by Sherban Young. The story opens when a young man wakes up in a cabin. He hears someone knocking at the door, and he sees a young woman looking confused. She has no idea who she is and, when the young man tries to introduce himself, he realizes that he also has no idea who he is. She gets alarmed and runs out into the night. The young man looks around the cabin, not sure of anything as the place is totally unfamiliar to him. Then a little dog appears in his cabin and proceeds to relieve herself on the carpet. As the young man wonders if she could possibly be his pet, a robust and rather imposing older gentleman enters the scene in search of Pixie, the Pomeranian, and he introduces himself as a retired private investigator, named Enescu Fleet. EF, as he prefers to be called, will help the young man, a prospect he views with some trepidation.
Sherban Young's Fleeting Memory is marvelous and great fun, and, yes, there's a challenging and enjoyable mystery as well. Enescu Fleet is larger-than-life, and he sweeps the reader into his entourage as easily as he does the amnesiac young man. Fleeting Memory is smart, funny, and easy to get caught up in. There are all the elements in the classic mystery novel: red herrings, missing bodies, and even a classic roundup of all the suspects. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading Fleeting Memory and have since become a die-hard Enescu Fleet fan. Fleeting Memory is highly recommended.
Fleeting Memory, an An Enescu Fleet Mystery, is written by Sherban Young. The story opens when a young man wakes up in a cabin. He hears someone knocking at the door, and he sees a young woman looking confused. She has no idea who she is and, when the young man tries to introduce himself, he realizes that he also has no idea who he is. She gets alarmed and runs out into the night. The young man looks around the cabin, not sure of anything as the place is totally unfamiliar to him. Then a little dog appears in his cabin and proceeds to relieve herself on the carpet. As the young man wonders if she could possibly be his pet, a robust and rather imposing older gentleman enters the scene in search of Pixie, the Pomeranian, and he introduces himself as a retired private investigator, named Enescu Fleet. EF, as he prefers to be called, will help the young man, a prospect he views with some trepidation.
Sherban Young's Fleeting Memory is marvelous and great fun, and, yes, there's a challenging and enjoyable mystery as well. Enescu Fleet is larger-than-life, and he sweeps the reader into his entourage as easily as he does the amnesiac young man. Fleeting Memory is smart, funny, and easy to get caught up in. There are all the elements in the classic mystery novel: red herrings, missing bodies, and even a classic roundup of all the suspects. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading Fleeting Memory and have since become a die-hard Enescu Fleet fan. Fleeting Memory is highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Bitter Nothings
Mystery/Suspense
Vicki Tyley
2014 Honorable Mention
235 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Julia Hopkinson for Readers' Favorite
In Bitter Nothings, Vicki Tyley presents another complex and thrilling tale of dysfunctional families, determined women, and mysterious deaths and disappearances. Graphic designer, Dervla Johns, and her brothers, Gabe and Emmett, are still missing their mother, following her suicide two years earlier. Several years before that, their father, Warren, had left home to move in with his mistress, Lucinda, and had since had two more children. At the start of the book, the siblings are now shocked by the news that, not only have Lucinda and her children been found dead in their beds, shot as they slept, but that Warren is missing and has become the police’s number one suspect. Dervla appears to be the only one to doubt their father’s guilt, and starts to investigate who else might have had reason to want Warren’s new family dead.
I absolutely love Vicki Tyley’s suspense books, and Bitter Nothings is certainly no exception. Her skill in weaving the various strands of the story together, and in dropping just enough hints and clues to keep you on both the tips of your toes and the edge of your seat, is immense. Each time you think you've got a handle on the plot, it veers off in a new direction and throws you a curve ball. Yet again I did not see the end coming, and her ability to consistently mislead and blindside her readers is remarkable. I think I suspected every single person at one time or another. Her characters are always vivid and realistic and she often sneaks in a bit of humour and a smidgen of romance. Once again, I have no hesitation in wholeheartedly recommending this book.
In Bitter Nothings, Vicki Tyley presents another complex and thrilling tale of dysfunctional families, determined women, and mysterious deaths and disappearances. Graphic designer, Dervla Johns, and her brothers, Gabe and Emmett, are still missing their mother, following her suicide two years earlier. Several years before that, their father, Warren, had left home to move in with his mistress, Lucinda, and had since had two more children. At the start of the book, the siblings are now shocked by the news that, not only have Lucinda and her children been found dead in their beds, shot as they slept, but that Warren is missing and has become the police’s number one suspect. Dervla appears to be the only one to doubt their father’s guilt, and starts to investigate who else might have had reason to want Warren’s new family dead.
I absolutely love Vicki Tyley’s suspense books, and Bitter Nothings is certainly no exception. Her skill in weaving the various strands of the story together, and in dropping just enough hints and clues to keep you on both the tips of your toes and the edge of your seat, is immense. Each time you think you've got a handle on the plot, it veers off in a new direction and throws you a curve ball. Yet again I did not see the end coming, and her ability to consistently mislead and blindside her readers is remarkable. I think I suspected every single person at one time or another. Her characters are always vivid and realistic and she often sneaks in a bit of humour and a smidgen of romance. Once again, I have no hesitation in wholeheartedly recommending this book.
Recommend this book:
Faceless
Dawn Kopman Whidden
2014 Honorable Mention
269 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
Faceless by Dawn Kopman Whidden is a riveting mystery/thriller. Pretty teenage girls are murdered and found mutilated. The case is being handled by Detective Jean Whitley and her new partner Marty Keal. Jean discovers that most of the targets for the next attacks are her fourteen-year-old daughter Bethany's classmates. Bethany's behavior change intrigues Jean.
The story is a gory mystery with a lot of murder and scenes of mutilated bodies. The book is fast paced and it fills the reader with curiosity as to who the murderer could be. The development of the characters, and the plot twists and the turns add to the book's suspense. The reader keeps wondering who the murderer is. Could it be Bethany because of her suspicious behavior or is it her boyfriend? So many questions crowd in your mind while reading.
Faceless totally captures your attention. There is not a moment of boredom. You are so engrossed in the plot, the characters, and the intrigue that you will find it gripping. There is a lot of suspense and subplots that keep you engaged and make you think a little bit more than usual.
This is a must-read for all mystery/thriller lovers. The book will not disappoint you. Instead you might even prefer to give it a second reading. Will Jean and Marty crack the case? Will they face threats to their own lives and the lives of their family members?
Faceless by Dawn Kopman Whidden is a riveting mystery/thriller. Pretty teenage girls are murdered and found mutilated. The case is being handled by Detective Jean Whitley and her new partner Marty Keal. Jean discovers that most of the targets for the next attacks are her fourteen-year-old daughter Bethany's classmates. Bethany's behavior change intrigues Jean.
The story is a gory mystery with a lot of murder and scenes of mutilated bodies. The book is fast paced and it fills the reader with curiosity as to who the murderer could be. The development of the characters, and the plot twists and the turns add to the book's suspense. The reader keeps wondering who the murderer is. Could it be Bethany because of her suspicious behavior or is it her boyfriend? So many questions crowd in your mind while reading.
Faceless totally captures your attention. There is not a moment of boredom. You are so engrossed in the plot, the characters, and the intrigue that you will find it gripping. There is a lot of suspense and subplots that keep you engaged and make you think a little bit more than usual.
This is a must-read for all mystery/thriller lovers. The book will not disappoint you. Instead you might even prefer to give it a second reading. Will Jean and Marty crack the case? Will they face threats to their own lives and the lives of their family members?
Recommend this book:
Sir Laurence Dies
Dies Trilogy, Volume 1
Christopher D. Abbott
2014 Bronze Medal
340 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Sir Laurence Dies is a detective mystery, written by Christopher D. Abbott, featuring Dutch psychologist, Dr. Pieter Straay, who has a keen interest in crime. He's on his way to England from Amsterdam when he's approached by Sir Laurence Gregson, a retired Lieutenant Colonel. Sir Laurence is a severely disfigured survivor of World War I. He invites Straay to come stay at his estate after confiding that he fears someone is trying to kill him. Sir Laurence recounts a near hunting accident and a later boating accident that, combined with some ominous whispering he overheard, have made him feel sure that his life is in danger. Straay accepts his offer and arranges to come for dinner at the estate. The trains are late, however, and Straay misses the dinner, but is able to observe the inhabitants of the house that evening.
Christopher D. Abbott's detective story is a first-rate murder mystery with an engaging Dutch psychologist-sleuth. The reader gets to follow as Dr. Straay and his friend Chief Inspector Drake interview Sir Laurence's family, friends, and staff after his apparent suicide on the night of Straay's arrival. This is a stylish and enjoyable mystery that keeps the reader guessing as Straay and Drake consider clues, motives, and inconsistencies. Fans of Christie and Holmes alike should enjoy Sir Laurence Dies as well as anyone who likes police procedurals. I was caught up in the plot from the very first pages and found it to be quite entertaining and not at all predictable.
Sir Laurence Dies is a detective mystery, written by Christopher D. Abbott, featuring Dutch psychologist, Dr. Pieter Straay, who has a keen interest in crime. He's on his way to England from Amsterdam when he's approached by Sir Laurence Gregson, a retired Lieutenant Colonel. Sir Laurence is a severely disfigured survivor of World War I. He invites Straay to come stay at his estate after confiding that he fears someone is trying to kill him. Sir Laurence recounts a near hunting accident and a later boating accident that, combined with some ominous whispering he overheard, have made him feel sure that his life is in danger. Straay accepts his offer and arranges to come for dinner at the estate. The trains are late, however, and Straay misses the dinner, but is able to observe the inhabitants of the house that evening.
Christopher D. Abbott's detective story is a first-rate murder mystery with an engaging Dutch psychologist-sleuth. The reader gets to follow as Dr. Straay and his friend Chief Inspector Drake interview Sir Laurence's family, friends, and staff after his apparent suicide on the night of Straay's arrival. This is a stylish and enjoyable mystery that keeps the reader guessing as Straay and Drake consider clues, motives, and inconsistencies. Fans of Christie and Holmes alike should enjoy Sir Laurence Dies as well as anyone who likes police procedurals. I was caught up in the plot from the very first pages and found it to be quite entertaining and not at all predictable.
Recommend this book:
Dying for Dinner Rolls
Book #1 (Chubby Chicks Club Cozy Mystery Series)
Lois Lavrisa
2014 Silver Medal
176 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Brenda Casto for Readers' Favorite
Dying for Dinner Rolls by Lois Lavrisa is a fast paced, fun filled cozy mystery that provides plenty of laughs as the reader tries to figure out who actually committed murder. Catherine Thomson is a 40-year-old mother of two sets of twins, one set is five and the other is eighteen. She meets a couple of times a month with a group of her friends that call themselves the Chubby Chicks club. When one of their members, Lucy, winds up dead, the police want to label it a suicide but Cat can't help but be reminded of her father's death a few months ago. His murder happened late one night in a robbery gone bad at his organic health food store located in Savannah, Georgia. It's been more than two months and there are still no suspects, so Cat decides it's up to her and the members of the Chubby Chicks to solve the murders. Only one member, Annie Mae Marple, is willing to help. Can these two wanna-be private eyes figure out whether their friend was murdered or not, and if so, who actually committed the crime, or will they become the next victims? Will Cat find the answers to her father's death, and is it related to the murder of their friend Lucy?
Dying for Dinner Rolls takes readers on a romp through Savannah as Cat and Annie Mae try to figure out both deaths and any connections. The author is a true wordsmith who paints an amazing picture with the words she selects. The antics of Cat and Annie Mae were totally funny and had me hooked. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what these two might get up to next. The mystery was very well done. Ms Lavrisa provides more than a few suspects and doesn't make it easy to figure out who actually might have killed Lucy. A fast paced plot that never lagged; unique, interesting characters; a splash of southern charm, along with a well written mystery made for a page turning read. I think Lois Lavrisa has certainly got a winning series with the Chubby Chicks Club Mysteries and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Dying for Dinner Rolls by Lois Lavrisa is a fast paced, fun filled cozy mystery that provides plenty of laughs as the reader tries to figure out who actually committed murder. Catherine Thomson is a 40-year-old mother of two sets of twins, one set is five and the other is eighteen. She meets a couple of times a month with a group of her friends that call themselves the Chubby Chicks club. When one of their members, Lucy, winds up dead, the police want to label it a suicide but Cat can't help but be reminded of her father's death a few months ago. His murder happened late one night in a robbery gone bad at his organic health food store located in Savannah, Georgia. It's been more than two months and there are still no suspects, so Cat decides it's up to her and the members of the Chubby Chicks to solve the murders. Only one member, Annie Mae Marple, is willing to help. Can these two wanna-be private eyes figure out whether their friend was murdered or not, and if so, who actually committed the crime, or will they become the next victims? Will Cat find the answers to her father's death, and is it related to the murder of their friend Lucy?
Dying for Dinner Rolls takes readers on a romp through Savannah as Cat and Annie Mae try to figure out both deaths and any connections. The author is a true wordsmith who paints an amazing picture with the words she selects. The antics of Cat and Annie Mae were totally funny and had me hooked. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what these two might get up to next. The mystery was very well done. Ms Lavrisa provides more than a few suspects and doesn't make it easy to figure out who actually might have killed Lucy. A fast paced plot that never lagged; unique, interesting characters; a splash of southern charm, along with a well written mystery made for a page turning read. I think Lois Lavrisa has certainly got a winning series with the Chubby Chicks Club Mysteries and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Recommend this book:
The Friday Edition
A Samantha Church Mystery, Book 1
Betta Ferrendelli
2014 Gold Medal
314 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite
Samantha Church had every aspect of her life going wrong; she had lost a good job, lost her daughter to her ex-husband, and was drinking more and more every day. She thought she had hit rock bottom and things could not get any worse until her ex-husband Jonathan banged on her door on Christmas morning with the worst news of her life - her sister Robin was dead. The death was ruled a drunken suicide but Samantha knew that her sister could not have committed suicide, especially not on Christmas morning as that brought back so many dreadful childhood memories. Samantha swore to get to the bottom of her sister's death, but she cannot do it alone and yet does not know whom to trust. She is up against enemies so powerful and devious, and they will stop at nothing to cover their evil deeds.
The Friday Edition: A Samantha Church Mystery by Betta Ferrendelli is a detective thriller about the corruption, deceit, and ultimate betrayal that surrounded Samantha Church's life. Betta Ferrendelli created a unique main character in the form of a brave woman who has to fight her personal demons and stay strong enough to fight the ultimate fight. She has you holding your breath, hoping that Samantha can hang in there long enough to get through the ordeal. The Friday Edition is a definite page-turner that had me reading nonstop from start to end, with fingers crossed. The story has unbelievable twists and turns and just the right dose of crime and mystery to give any fan of the detective fiction genre a thrilling reading experience.
Samantha Church had every aspect of her life going wrong; she had lost a good job, lost her daughter to her ex-husband, and was drinking more and more every day. She thought she had hit rock bottom and things could not get any worse until her ex-husband Jonathan banged on her door on Christmas morning with the worst news of her life - her sister Robin was dead. The death was ruled a drunken suicide but Samantha knew that her sister could not have committed suicide, especially not on Christmas morning as that brought back so many dreadful childhood memories. Samantha swore to get to the bottom of her sister's death, but she cannot do it alone and yet does not know whom to trust. She is up against enemies so powerful and devious, and they will stop at nothing to cover their evil deeds.
The Friday Edition: A Samantha Church Mystery by Betta Ferrendelli is a detective thriller about the corruption, deceit, and ultimate betrayal that surrounded Samantha Church's life. Betta Ferrendelli created a unique main character in the form of a brave woman who has to fight her personal demons and stay strong enough to fight the ultimate fight. She has you holding your breath, hoping that Samantha can hang in there long enough to get through the ordeal. The Friday Edition is a definite page-turner that had me reading nonstop from start to end, with fingers crossed. The story has unbelievable twists and turns and just the right dose of crime and mystery to give any fan of the detective fiction genre a thrilling reading experience.
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/red-tape&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/514fMgfMFQL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description="Red Tape" is a tale of love, loss, human tragedy and above all, the human spirit enduring in the face of catastrophe! Chelsey Alton is a single mom who has to balance a baby girl, family and work as a municipal clerk in the cozy, relaxed town of Sunshine. Soon Chelsey finds herself broiled in one controversy after another. Maybe Sunshine is not th...){kind=link}
Red Tape
Michele Lynn Seigfried
2013 Finalist
270 Pages
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Shweta Shankar for Readers' Favorite
"Red Tape" is a tale of love, loss, human tragedy and above all, the human spirit enduring in the face of catastrophe! Chelsey Alton is a single mom who has to balance a baby girl, family and work as a municipal clerk in the cozy, relaxed town of Sunshine. Soon Chelsey finds herself broiled in one controversy after another. Maybe Sunshine is not that cozy after all! Chelsey and her assistant Bonnie are soon caught between an irate, unbalanced resident and a sinister, deadly mayor! Everything turns upside down when Sunshine is hit by a powerful cyclone that leaves massive destruction in its wake! Is there anyone Chelsey Alton can still turn to for help anymore?
Michele Lynn Seigfried has woven a tale that evokes a range of emotions in the reader: admiration for protagonist Chelsey Alton's personality, fear for her life, suspense about the evil Mayor's scheming and sadness at the ravaged town of Sunshine in the aftermath of a killer cyclone. The author's style is fast and riveting and holds the reader's interest throughout the book. The plot develops well, building up the suspense until the reader is hooked! It is a gripping, gritty novel that leads the reader through a maze of events and emotions, electrifying drama in one page to love and compassion in the next! This book is a compelling page turner that revolves around a single mom's difficult journey through a natural calamity and, worse still, an unreasonable, insane resident with murder on his mind - Chelsey's murder!
"Red Tape" is a tale of love, loss, human tragedy and above all, the human spirit enduring in the face of catastrophe! Chelsey Alton is a single mom who has to balance a baby girl, family and work as a municipal clerk in the cozy, relaxed town of Sunshine. Soon Chelsey finds herself broiled in one controversy after another. Maybe Sunshine is not that cozy after all! Chelsey and her assistant Bonnie are soon caught between an irate, unbalanced resident and a sinister, deadly mayor! Everything turns upside down when Sunshine is hit by a powerful cyclone that leaves massive destruction in its wake! Is there anyone Chelsey Alton can still turn to for help anymore?
Michele Lynn Seigfried has woven a tale that evokes a range of emotions in the reader: admiration for protagonist Chelsey Alton's personality, fear for her life, suspense about the evil Mayor's scheming and sadness at the ravaged town of Sunshine in the aftermath of a killer cyclone. The author's style is fast and riveting and holds the reader's interest throughout the book. The plot develops well, building up the suspense until the reader is hooked! It is a gripping, gritty novel that leads the reader through a maze of events and emotions, electrifying drama in one page to love and compassion in the next! This book is a compelling page turner that revolves around a single mom's difficult journey through a natural calamity and, worse still, an unreasonable, insane resident with murder on his mind - Chelsey's murder!
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/sheaves-of-zion&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/5115AlikKyL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description=The body of a young man is found in rural DeKalb County, Georgia, at Bethel Primitive Baptist Church. His body is painted, a gold crown is on his head, and the victim's sliced innards spill out while pigs feet are attached where his arms should be. His arms are attached like wings to his back with "Sieg" written on one hand, and "Lieh" on the other...){kind=link}
Sheaves of Zion
A Murder Mystery
E. W. Sullivan
2013 Bronze Medal
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
Reviewed by Alice DiNizo for Readers' Favorite
The body of a young man is found in rural DeKalb County, Georgia, at Bethel Primitive Baptist Church. His body is painted, a gold crown is on his head, and the victim's sliced innards spill out while pigs feet are attached where his arms should be. His arms are attached like wings to his back with "Sieg" written on one hand, and "Lieh" on the other. Then another body is found at nearby First Iconium Baptist Church with symbolic, religious graffiti scrawled on the church's walls and floor. Hard drinking DeKalb County Police Detective Marmaduke and his partner Chennault are called in to investigate but the coroner warns them that the bodies are a man's head on a woman's body. The old pastor at First Iconium Baptist Church calls these killings evil and then two more dismembered bodies are found! African-American consultant Theolonious Zones is called in to help investigate these bizarre killings but Maramduke and his Captain are certain that they want Zones' help. He has been turned down for work with the FBI. However, Zones is determined and goes about asking questions in Atlanta's red light zone and even flies out to Salt Lake City, Utah, as he suspects the Gadiantons, affiliated with the Mormon Church of long ago. But can Zones find out who is behind these dreadful killings?
"Sheaves of Zion" by E.W. Sullivan is a delight of a murder mystery/thriller for it will keep readers engrossed in its every word until the end. Theolonios Zones is an investigator whose presence is welcome on the literary scene. He goes about questioning people and even enduring several days in jail to find out who is really responsible for these horrific, disgusting murders. Marmaduke and his worn-out police car with its empty liquor bottles rattling around and all the other characters in "Sheaves of Zion" plus an incredible plot-line make it a book that belongs on reading lists everywhere.
The body of a young man is found in rural DeKalb County, Georgia, at Bethel Primitive Baptist Church. His body is painted, a gold crown is on his head, and the victim's sliced innards spill out while pigs feet are attached where his arms should be. His arms are attached like wings to his back with "Sieg" written on one hand, and "Lieh" on the other. Then another body is found at nearby First Iconium Baptist Church with symbolic, religious graffiti scrawled on the church's walls and floor. Hard drinking DeKalb County Police Detective Marmaduke and his partner Chennault are called in to investigate but the coroner warns them that the bodies are a man's head on a woman's body. The old pastor at First Iconium Baptist Church calls these killings evil and then two more dismembered bodies are found! African-American consultant Theolonious Zones is called in to help investigate these bizarre killings but Maramduke and his Captain are certain that they want Zones' help. He has been turned down for work with the FBI. However, Zones is determined and goes about asking questions in Atlanta's red light zone and even flies out to Salt Lake City, Utah, as he suspects the Gadiantons, affiliated with the Mormon Church of long ago. But can Zones find out who is behind these dreadful killings?
"Sheaves of Zion" by E.W. Sullivan is a delight of a murder mystery/thriller for it will keep readers engrossed in its every word until the end. Theolonios Zones is an investigator whose presence is welcome on the literary scene. He goes about questioning people and even enduring several days in jail to find out who is really responsible for these horrific, disgusting murders. Marmaduke and his worn-out police car with its empty liquor bottles rattling around and all the other characters in "Sheaves of Zion" plus an incredible plot-line make it a book that belongs on reading lists everywhere.
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