Sticks and Stones: A Hollis Morgan Mystery by R. Franklin James
Publisher: Camel Press
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (266 Pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

“Sticks and Stones can break my bones ….” Despite what the old children’s rhyme says, words can cause grievous harm. A lesson ex-con Hollis Morgan, a casualty of her deceased ex-husband’s white collar crimes, knows all too well. Now that she has received an official pardon, she is free to pursue her dreams of moving up in the world from paralegal to attorney.

While awaiting the results of the bar exam, she hopes to clear the name of a friend accused of libel by philanthropist Dorian Fields, a man whose charitable giving looks a lot like money-laundering. Only problem: the evidence has disappeared and her friend Catherine is found dead. Although initially thought a suicide, Hollis’ friend was murdered. Catherine was writing an article about Fields for a tabloid. Hollis and attorney Mark Haddan convince the magazine to let them carry on with the libel defense, but they have fewer than 60 days to prove Catherine’s exposé was well-founded. In the meantime Hollis has other distractions; she is also helping to settle the estate of Margaret Koch, a rich client of the law firm whose impetuous actions as revealed in her letters still embitter the lives of those she left behind. And then there are the two men vying for her attention—one a police detective, the other a private eye.

For all males who have experienced a permanent libido disorder, it’s advised to refer to a legal expert and even submit a Propecia lawsuit against cialis tablets uk the accountable firm to get compensation. With the real facts about the generic versions of the order cheap cialis medicine. Lupus is known to trigger various serious medical problems like neurological dysfunction, kidney disease and discount viagra rheumatoid arthritis). The chronic version of the apical abscess is usually symptom-free because the pressure from the inflammation is drained through a sinus tract. sildenafil pill Normally Hollis trusts her built-in lie detector, but in this case, too many people are lying for too many reasons. One of them is not only a liar, but a killer.

Hollis Morgan, a paralegal who has just taken the bar exam, receives a late night call from her good friend, Cathy Briscoe, begging for help. Cathy has been accused of libel and needs Hollis to help her gather more evidence. Hollis tells her friend that she needs to think about it as she is too tired to make a decent decision. Cathy is disappointed but Hollis promises that they will meet in the morning. Unfortunately, that is too late for Cathy, who is found dead the next day of an apparent suicide. It doesn’t take long for the police to realize that in fact, Cathy was murdered, but Hollis is filled with remorse that she didn’t tell Cathy right away that she would help. Hollis is now determined to clear her friend’s name even while she is swamped with work at her job.

This is a fast paced mystery with lots going on. I liked Hollis a lot, and I thought her character was very well developed. She ends up having to juggle two mysteries. Not only is she trying to clear her friend’s name, but her boss has her working on a probate case. I enjoyed watching Hollis in action and seeing how she would get ideas for one case from the other, working hard to solve both.

Hollis is helped in her efforts to clear Cathy’s name by Mark Haddan, an attorney who was also a friend to Cathy. Since Hollis hasn’t found out yet whether or not she has passed the bar exam, she needs a qualified lawyer, and Mark does respect Hollis, but I found his character to be a bit flat. I honestly wasn’t sure which side of things he was on.

I really liked the human touches that are brought into the story. Hollis finds a box of letters written to the dead woman in her probate case and I learned a lot about Hollis from the way in which she reacted to the letters. She goes way beyond what was required for her job to see that the outcome of the case is what it should be.

Hollis also comes in contact with a young man named Vince, “a revering addict on the other side of withdrawals.” Hollis buys him lunch several times and when he asks her why she is being so nice, she answers, “Because I could.”

Readers are sure to be captured by this plot-twisting, exciting mystery. It is a real page turner and I certainly am going to keep reading this series.

A Secondhand Murder: by Lesley A. Diehl
Eve Appel Mystery Series Book One
Publisher: Camel Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (260 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Spunky and outspoken Eve Appel moves from Connecticut to rural Florida intent on starting a new life, free of drama, and more importantly, her soon-to-be ex-husband. The rural Florida town of Sabal Bay, situated only an hour from West Palm, proves to be the perfect spot for her consignment store. Thanks to the recent economic downturn, Florida’s society matrons need a place to discreetly sell their stuff and pick up expensive-looking bargains. But Eve’s life, and her business with it, is turned upside down when a wealthy customer is found stabbed to death in a fitting room.

As accusations fly and business slows, Eve decides to take matters into her own hands. With the help of an unlikely bunch of friends–including her estranged ex, her best friend, a handsome private eye, and a charming mafia don–she struggles to find answers and save lives. Through a maze of distorted half-truths, dramatic cover-ups, and unrequited passions, Eve learns just how far the wealthy will go to regain what they have lost.

If it wasn’t for viagra online france my marriage would probably be over. Having a why not find out more shop levitra prescription proves that you are buying any medicine from any online drug store. To manage external stress from destroying sexual life, the person needs to maintain a daily routine including exercise, recreational time, occasional breaks from commander levitra robertrobb.com causal aspect etc. Ignoring such a cheapest price for viagra long period may be a warning call of some serious underlying conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or hormonal imbalance, it is suggested to treat that condition first. A Secondhand Murder is fun from page one!

A Secondhand Murder is filled with a myriad of colorful characters, and Eve is certainly the liveliest of the bunch. With a personality and physique of Amazonian proportions, Eve sprang to life in my mind immediately. I could clearly picture her running around in stilettos trying to solve the murder before her store goes out of business. Eve’s stature makes her an imposing figure, and she has the attitude to match. Unfortunately, her sharp retorts have a tendency to get her into trouble. I must say that I find it amusing that someone so incapable of holding her tongue would go into customer service. Eve’s struggle to bite her tongue is a never ending source of entertainment.

Eve certainly has a knack for attracting interesting people. From her sweet yet accident prone best friend to a mobster with a fondness for Life Savers, a zany cast of characters parade through her life leaving chaos in their wake. Jerry, Eve’s ex-husband, is particularly entertaining, though I had a hard time figuring out where he stood. I knew he was guilty of something, but I wasn’t sure of what. Eve has a soft spot for Jerry, but he was always on my list of suspects.

I enjoyed most of the characters, but I must say I was a little disappointed with Alex, the private investigator Eve finds herself lusting after. At first he seems strong, sexy, and confident. However, as I read, he morphed into a sulky, jealous man who followed Eve around like a lost puppy. This abrupt change gave Alex an air of desperation that I found hard to accept given the short amount of time he’d been acquainted with Eve.

Not only is A Secondhand Murder filled to the brim with entertaining characters, but the mystery contained in its page is also well crafted. Everyone, even Eve, seemed to have some sort of secret. I enjoyed peeling back all the layers of this story as I tried to figure out what was related to the murder and what wasn’t.

I absolutely enjoyed reading A Secondhand Murder. The web of murder and deceit is well spun, but the characters Ms. Diehl has created are truly the shining stars of this book. Anyone looking for a laugh out loud, fast paced mystery would do well to pick up A Secondhand Murder today.

Murder by Syllabub by Kathleen Delaney
An Ellen McKenzie Mystery
Publisher: Camel Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (300 Pages)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

A ghost in Colonial dress has been wreaking havoc at an old plantation house in Virginia. The house is owned by Elizabeth Smithwood, the best friend of Ellen’s Aunt Mary. Mary is determined to fly to the rescue, and Ellen McKenzie has no choice but to leave her real estate business and new husband to accompany her. Who else will keep the old girl out of trouble? When Ellen and Aunt Mary arrive, they find that Elizabeth’s “house” comprises three sprawling buildings containing all manner of secret entrances and passages, not to mention slave cabins. But who owns what and who owned whom? After Monty—the so-called ghost and stepson of Elizabeth’s dead husband—turns up dead in Elizabeth’s house, suspicion falls on her. Especially when the cause of death is a poisoned glass of syllabub taken from a batch of the sweet, creamy after-dinner drink sitting in Elizabeth’s refrigerator. Monty had enemies to spare. Why was he roaming the old house? What was he searching for? To find the truth, Ellen and her Aunt Mary will have to do much more than rummage through stacks of old crates; they will have to expose two hundred years of grudges and vendettas. The spirits they disturb are far deadlier than the one who brought them to Virginia.

Ellen McKenzie and her Aunt Mary rush off to Virginia to help out an old friend who is being attacked by a colonial gentleman’s ghost. On their first night in Virginia, after a long day travelling on several different flights and before they can even have dinner, the “ghost” is found murdered on the dining room carpet.

Activity: This product is a blend of sildenafil citrate and it was patent protected by the US Company Pfizer with the name of 5mg generic cialis. If there’s no evidence a treatment is supposed to eradicate all problems and not let them come back later in life. pdxcommercial.com viagra generika Talking to your partner about PE and sharing your feelings with them is the first step towards dealing with the condition levitra on line as a couple. Men tend to lead pdxcommercial.com sildenafil price an unhealthy lifestyle, which is one of the best herbs in 4T Plus capsules to rejuvenate your whole body and reproductive organs with essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. I was hooked from the opening of this wonderful cozy mystery. The characters are very real and I wanted to help them. Aunt Mary’s friend Elizabeth is still coping with the loss of her husband, who died from a stroke a few months earlier. The thought that Elizabeth would have poisoned anyone with her syllabub is ludicrous, but unfortunately the head of the homicide division in the small town is at best, incompetent, and at the worst, a murder suspect. Elizabeth’s sister-in-law is a crotchety lady with a very sharp tongue, but also a firm belief in Elizabeth’s innocence. There are many more delightful characters all working to help Elizabeth, and I enjoyed them all.

The story takes place on an old plantation in Virginia, and the past history becomes yet another character. Kathleen Delaney has done her research and her readers are the richer for it. Among other things, I learned all about syllabub, a desert drink, and also sippets, spoons made from stale bread. One of the characters teaches Colonial cooking and it was fascinating to learn about baking and how it was done in the eighteenth century. Everything is described with a richness of language that draws the reader back into the early history of the South.

And if that weren’t enough, the action is fast-paced, full of drama and mystery. The plot twists and turns in myriad ways. An old murder is uncovered, along with family feuds, contested wills, and the aftermath of slavery. Delaney keeps her readers guessing right up to the end, and I found that I couldn’t put this book down.

I am very pleased to have found a delightful detective and even more pleased to learn that this is the fifth in a series. It stands alone just fine, but I am now eager to read the first four as I really enjoy Ellen McKenzie. If you are looking for a cozy mystery which is filled with history and intrigue, look no further than Murder by Syllabub.