Overdue by Jo A Hiestand

May 9, 2023 By 17 Comments


Overdue by Jo A Hiestand
Publisher: Cousins House
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

A spate of three murders in as many months has Derbyshire’s local police and populace in near panic. And there will most likely be a fourth killing in two weeks unless something happens to stop the cycle. Former police detective Michael McLaren is that “something” that his best mate, Jamie Kydd, is counting on to end the alarming deaths. He enlists McLaren’s help to look into the events, hoping his friend can solve what, so far, has confounded the Constabulary.

Each of the three crime scenes is the same, yet different: the same types of things but not the same specific things left with each body. As McLaren becomes enmeshed in the hunt for the killer, his friend Melanie arrives for a planned visit. Can his days become more complicated than simultaneously playing host and unmasking a killer? They can when he’s aware that each tick of the clock brings them closer to the next planned murder. And perhaps an unplanned one…thrown in for fun.

It was such a treat to visit Michael McLaren again and catch up with the people I’ve come to know and love.

Once again, he is caught up in a mystery that takes not only his own work, but insights from his friends to solve. There were so many twists and turns, and the clues were clever. Too clever for me, in fact, and I pride myself on usually being able to figure out who the villain is before it’s revealed. Not this time…no way.

I loved the “overdue” theme that winds its way through the book. That was also cleverly done.

This series would make a great tv series (producers of Shetland, are you listening?) I hope someone who has contacts with the right people pick these books up.

Great job, again, Ms. Hiestand. 5 stars from me.

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The Peninsula by Amy Craig

December 30, 2022 By 2 Comments

The Peninsula by Amy Craig
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Hadley lost her sister to cancer. When an explosion puts her in the middle of a family squabble, Johann asks for a week of discretion to protect his brother. Torn between her research and the loneliness in his gaze, she agrees, but family dynamics upend her understanding of loyalty.

Hadley has come to a breakthrough moment in her research, but all of a sudden everyone is taking a more active interest in it. Her mentor is all for having his nephew financially back it, which Hadley’s not at all sure about. She is much more altruistic and doesn’t want to be indebted to someone who might want to monetize it. Then her mentor is killed by a mail bomb, and suddenly Hadley is questioning everything and everyone she knows – and this is when this story really takes off.

I loved the premise of this story. I liked the chemistry between Hadley and Johann. The mystery was good and keeps the reader guessing. The secondary characters added a lot to the story and give you another look at Johann and his life.

At first, Hadley drove me crazy. I couldn’t understand her reluctance at getting with the program. Even after she realized she was in danger, she was bound and determined to do it her own way. Because of her past, she had had to develop a single-focus in her life, so it was part of her, but it still made me want to shake her.

This is the first book I’ve read by Amy Craig, but I’ll be looking out for more. I really enjoyed her writing style. Great job!

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The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes by Liese Sherwood-Fabre

November 18, 2022 By 7 Comments


The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes by Liese Sherwood-Fabre
Publisher: Little Elm Press
Genre: Historical Mystery/Suspense
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

A murdered midwife. A body in the stable. At the age of thirteen, Sherlock Holmes is thrust into his first two cases. At stake: the lives of his own family.

Before Sherlock Holmes met Dr. Watson in 1895, he had already developed his skills as the world’s most famous consulting detective. Arthur Conan Doyle provided little information about his detective’s formative years or how he created his singular profession. These first two books in The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes series reveal how Sherlock’s past shaped the sleuth he became.

Faced with the possibility of losing his mother to the gallows for a murder she did not commit, Sherlock must uncover the true killer before she hangs in The Adventure of the Murdered Midwife.

In Case Two, unexpected guests and a murder arrive in time for the family’s Christmas celebrations. For the safety of his family, Sherlock is compelled once again to bring the perpetrator to justice in The Adventure of the Murdered Gypsy.

Fans of Sherlock Holmes and traditional historical British detective mysteries will love The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes as a welcomed addition to the originals.

What a really neat look at what Sherlock’s early life might have been like. I loved the fact that he is a normal, albeit very intelligent, thirteen-year-old. He has emotions he is learning how to process, and he’s also showing signs of the man he will become as he learns that emotions need to be kept in check as he investigates, i.e. “Once again, I observed the unemotional detachment required for such work.”

The characters are richly drawn and are true-to-life… nobody, including Holmes… is perfect. They are all a mixture of positive and negative qualities, all the while being true to the time they live in.

The mysteries are interesting and showcase Sherlock’s growing skill at investigating and observation, encouraged by his mother – a woman I would love to find out more about and one that is barely touched on in the canon. I’m looking forward to seeing her more in future volumes of this work.

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Fruit of the Poisonous Tree by Norm Harris

May 11, 2022 By 2 Comments


Fruit of the Poisonous Tree by Norm Harris
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Rated: 3 stars
Review by Rose

A female lawyer must prove a war hero’s innocence. Meanwhile, Navy SEALs hijack a Russian warship to stop a North Korean missile crisis.

Every now and again, a unique story comes our way, a story unlike any we may have read before. Such is Fruit of the Poisonous Tree, author Norm Harris’s critically acclaimed legal military mystery thriller. The story’s focal point is Faydra “Spider” Green, a dedicated Navy JAG lawyer who has lived her life in the shadows of a great and powerful man: her father, former President of the United States William Green. Green cannot heal the wound in his relationship with his daughter. His former power and influence curse Faydra and cause her to wonder if her accomplishments were her own doing.

A lawyer by trade, Faydra is both anxious and excited as she undertakes her first homicide investigation —the brutal murder of a Navy SEAL She reasons that a successful investigation will provide her the opportunity to validate her sense of self-worth. Faydra soon realizes that the accused man, a Special Ops Marine war hero, may be innocent thanks to her remarkable deductive abilities. The Navy is using her as a pawn in a complex cover-up.

Meanwhile, a seasoned Navy Sea Captain, Egan Fletcher, whose wife had died eight years earlier, struggles to balance his Navy career with raising a son. When the Navy purposefully pairs him with Faydra in a meeting, the two Navy officers embark on an adrenaline-pumping adventure. It is a top-secret mission- impossible that will take them halfway around the world in an attempt to avert a catastrophic act of terrorism in the form of biological warfare.

Set against the dramatic backdrop of Washington State’s Puget Sound and the mystique of East Asia, Fadra’s story revolves around a woman who appears to be as pure as the driven snow—yet, she is driven by an insatiable need to complete any assignment, no matter how dangerous. Along the way, she transforms into a symbol of hope, perseverance, and a woman’s ability to overcome life-threatening events.

There is a lot going on in this book – the action is quite riveting. What starts off as a simple murder investigation soon becomes much much more.

The storyline was complicated, and quite quickly led to multi-layers of issues for the characters. There were some inconsistencies with the characters and there were instances when they were talking where the dialogue didn’t ring true, which took me out of the story several times. However, even with those, the adventure element of the story drove me on.

I enjoyed the characters and their relationships with each other. And, I loved how the title was explained in the book… I had wondered about that.

All in all, an interesting debut and start to what seems will be an interesting series about Faydra and her investigations.

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Gambling with Murder by Lida Sideris

April 7, 2022 By 11 Comments


Gambling with Murder by Lida Sideris
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

A late-night call is all it takes for rookie lawyer Corrie Locke to kiss her day job at the movie studio goodbye, and do what she does best: flex her sweet P.I. skills and go undercover to find a senior who’s missing from a posh retirement community. One small stumbling block: skirting past security to gain inside access to the exclusive Villa Sunset. Time to call in the heavy artillery. Besides former security guard turned legal assistant—now wannabe P.I.—Veera, Corrie relies on a secret weapon: her mother, a surprisingly eager addition to Corrie’s team. Armed with enough pepper spray to take down a band of Navy Seals, Mom impersonates a senior to infiltrate the Villa, Corrie, and Veera in tow. Turns out the job’s not as easy as they’d thought. These seniors have tricks tucked up their sleeves and aren’t afraid of using them.

The action gets dicey when the missing senior case turns into attempted murder by a criminal mind who’s always one step ahead. Corrie’s hot on the trail, but finds more than she bargained for…when her mother becomes a target.

This is actually the fifth book in this series and, no worries, it reads very well as a standalone. My only regret is that I didn’t get to know these characters earlier! I will definitely rectify that forthwith by buying the earlier books in the series. As with every series, I’m sure reading the books earlier in the series gives the reader a richer journey as they get to know the characters better with each book and see how their interactions make them grow.

That being said, I absolutely loved the characters – but my favorite, hands down, was the mom. She was a hoot. Corrie is so afraid her mom was going to be upset with Corrie following in her late father’s footsteps and turning more toward private investigations, but instead Mom jumps in feet first to help Corrie and Veera out with the case.

There are many twists and turns to this case. Although it started off with a plea to find a missing resident from a luxury retirement villa (just a note… I’m ready to move in from the descriptions.. wow!), it soons turns into a lot more. These seniors take things seriously.

I highly recommend this book… and now I’m on the way to pick up the earlier four in the series. Thanks, Ms. Sideris!

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The Wall by David Pereda

August 10, 2021 By 6 Comments


The Wall by David Pereda
Publisher: Drake Valley Press
Genre: Contemporary, Thriller
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

THOMAS BERTRAM is an American living in San Salvador with his fiancée CECILIA. They own a popular neighborhood restaurant and plan to wed soon. Thomas’s dream is to obtain a resident visa for Cecilia and return to the United States.

DOMINGO JIMENEZ and his wife BLANCA own a small repair shop across the street. Domingo’s dream is to move to America as well so that his seven-year-old daughter NANCY can grow up speaking English and having a good education and a better life than he and Blanca had.

When armed gang members invade their neighborhood to demand “protection” money and threaten them with death if they don’t pay, Thomas and Domingo’s dreams for the future take on a new perspective. They decide to flee the country with their families through Guatemala and Mexico to seek asylum in the United States.

But their journey is more challenging than expected, and they face a myriad of difficulties and must overcome multiple obstacles that put not only their dreams but also their lives at risk.

This is a brilliantly written tale of two families, with mention of many more, who are trying to escape the danger of their homelands to travel to a land they think may offer them better hope for the future.

The characters are richly drawn and my heart ached for what they went through. Although the paths the two families took were different, the emotions and desires were the same. They yearned for a better life, a safer life. There were many side characters too… some better, some worse. I was especially touched by the volunteers who helped in Brownsville.

The settings were vibrantly described – I could place myself in their shoes and could feel their fear and despair. It was hard to put this fast-paced book down. I could so see this on the big screen. There were definite scenes that would leave you with your heart in your throat, and there was one scene in particular that had me in tears.

This book touched me on so many different levels and dealt with so many issues. It’s obvious that Mr. Pereda did his research, but the book doesn’t come across as preachy or political. And, while it has its moments of heartbreak, it is, at the end, a story of hope.

Thanks, Mr. Pereda. You earned a solid 5 stars for a wonderful thriller! I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

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Harlot’s Fire by LM Pampuro

August 2, 2021 By 5 Comments


Harlot’s Fire by LM Pampuro
Publisher: Grateful Publishing
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rated: 3 stars
Reviewed by Poppy

Harlot Grace, the brains behind the street drug Gray Death, has escaped from the hospital.

Brendan Curry’s tour bus is missing. Curry’s father is the lead prosecutor on Harlot’s case.

Special Agent Alia Price needs to find both – one for justice, the other to save his life.

With help from a Rockstar and his caravan, Price goes on an undercover journey that takes her from a major music festival to deep within a national forest.

Will she reach both in time?

The continuation of the earlier released Harlot’s Grace, Harlot’s Fire brings a strong female lead to the spotlight.

I’m going to say something I’ve never said before — this book would have been much better as a movie. That’s not to say the book wasn’t decent, it’s just that it was dark and gritty and action-packed. Sometimes those things can be difficult to portray with words and play out better on the screen.

The story was interesting, and I liked that the author did a recap, more or less, of book one using a newspaper story. Since I didn’t read the first book in this series, it helped catch me up. It didn’t help me to understand the interpersonal relationships well, so that I did struggle with a bit as I got up to speed. Although, technically this book can stand alone, I absolutely think it would be best to read book one first to get a deeper understanding the characters and their backgrounds.

I did like the strong female lead. Her life is on the line here, right at the start, as the previous book’s wrap up slowly comes unraveled with the escape of Harlot Grace. Alia takes it pretty well in stride and, although she has very believable moments of worry and certainly has flaws, she doesn’t let that stop her from her ultimate goal. She’s a good, strong woman who does whatever she needs to in order to get the job done. She’s the best part of this book.

The author writes the book with plenty of details and the setting is its own character. Despite a few editing errors, I was able to read it very smoothly from start to finish.

I do honestly wish I’d read book one first, but other than that, a decent read. And I’d definitely go see it in the theater!

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The Black Widow’s Prey by N. S. Wikarski

May 12, 2021 By 9 Comments


The Black Widow’s Prey by N. S. Wikarski
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Consulting detectives Evangeline LeClair and Freddie Simpson face their most challenging case yet when a priceless Egyptian artifact is stolen from a Chicago museum. To make matters worse, the museum’s richest patron is robbed of a diamond necklace shortly afterward. Suspicion immediately falls on a wealthy widow and her scheming son. Trapped in their clutches is the widow’s hapless daughter, about to be forced into a marriage of convenience against her will.

The investigation is complicated by two mysterious strangers who have also taken an interest in the missing Egyptian relic. Solving both thefts will lead Freddie and Evangeline down some strange avenues of inquiry involving secret societies, international criminal masterminds, gentlemen jewel thieves, unexpected ocean voyages, and underworld kingpins. The two sleuths must either solve their case or join the ranks of fatalities numbered among THE BLACK WIDOW’S PREY.

I absolutely adore Victorian mysteries, and this one did not disappoint. All right – it’s set in America (Chicago to be exact) but it’s the same time period, so not being set in England is not a deal breaker. If anything, it adds to the enjoyment because it gives me a chance to learn a bit about the history of Chicago I was not familiar with.

If there is any complaint coming, it’s all on me, because I did not find this series earlier. I loved the characters and cannot wait to go back and read the other two books in the series.

It is definitely character driven, and if you are familiar with my reviews, you know this goes a long way! The author definitely knows her history, but does not hit the reader over the head with it. Yes, you will learn about this time period in Chicago, but you will absorb it almost by osmosis as you get to know the characters and enjoy their relationship, not to mention the way they work together to solve the issues in the book.

Although it’s not necessary to have read the earlier books in the series in order to understand what’s going on, the reader would probably get a richer enjoyment from knowing the background of the characters and how they got together.

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Murder with Strings Attached by Mark Ruetlinger

March 15, 2021 By 4 Comments


Murder with Strings Attached by Mark Ruetlinger
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Review by Dryas

Sometimes even the most carefully conceived burglary can take an unexpected turn. Florence Palmer has her eye on concert violinist Aaron Levy’s priceless violin. Unfortunately, she finds it’s already been stolen. Her surprise doubles when the virtuoso she’d planned to burgle offers to hire her to help him steal it back. But they’re not the only ones looking for the missing violin. When Flo inadvertently becomes the prime suspect in a case of murder, she and Aaron need to clear her name. Will they find the real killer and get the violin back to its rightful owner without anyone else, especially themselves, being killed?

This is a rather humorous cozy mystery involving a cleaning maid turned thief, a violinist who hires her to steal his own violin back from a billionaire who stole it and the maid’s best friend.

This story is told in Florence Palmer’s point of view and I love her character and the narrative. It’s smart, humorous, self-deprecating, and shows her confidence in her own skills and pride in her profession. She didn’t intend to become a burglar, but being a maid wasn’t covering the costs of living and she couldn’t afford college. It probably wasn’t the best idea she had to become a housemaid as she states herself: “Maybe that was a mistake because being exposed to all those beautiful and obscenely expensive tchotchkes, all of which my clients could easily do without wore me down.”

Her latest escapade was to steal an extremely rare and expensive violin from a famous violinist, Aaron Levy, although she was smart enough not to try to sell it, only to ransom it back. The start of this strange adventure begins when Flo is found in Aaron’s room and he happens to walk in on her holding his violin. Except, as she learns, that was a fake and the real one had been stolen several days ago. I had to laugh at Flo’s overdramatized thoughts of going to jail and facing some sort of horrible death. Imagine her surprise that instead of him calling the cops he decided to hire her to regain his lost violin. Then he he tells her that he is going to participate in regaining his violin, and Flo’s reaction is just what you would expect, horror. She could only imagine just how things could go with an amateur thief.

Still, she took him up on the offer, especially since he is offering her a huge payout and is going to cover any expenses. Poor Flo’s idea of a quick re-theft of the violin does not go as planned, even though Aaron knows who stole it.

Flo’s best friend, Sara is another wonderfully created character who knows about Flo’s profession but stays out of it as much as possible. Unfortunately for her, she tends to get dragged into them when Flo needs to get a quick getaway. She has a bubbly personality and enjoys the fact that she will get to go sightseeing, staying at a fancy hotel, and buying souvenirs without having to pay for it.

At first Flo thought it would be a breeze to get the violin from the thug that was hired to steal it, a man named Martin. To her horror and dismay instead of finding a violin, she finds a dead man in Martin’s apartment and is caught by the cops standing over the body. I ended up laughing again at Flo’s renewed frantic thoughts of being in the jail and what would happen next. I love how her mind works; it seems to either go to the best of things or to the worst of things. She’s just lucky that the man she is working for has money in spades who is willing to bail her out.

Aaron is another fun quirky character who also has a sense of humor that matches Flo’s Who else would hire a burglar they find in their room instead of contacting the police about his missing violin? He has a boyish air and even though he knows there are risks, he can’t help but feel like he is on a grand adventure. I can’t blame him as he was a child prodigy and spent his childhood practicing, giving recitals, or traveling. There is also a small romance between Flo and Aaron, but the reader is not sure if this will turn out to become more of a stable relationship or a little fun whenever they can get together.

They make a great trio of friends, and it does make me sad that Aaron confessed that he hadn’t many friends besides Flo and Sara since he was always so busy. There are many sweet moments where they share hugs and kisses on the cheek. This is a relationship that I believe will stand the test of time.

This is a wonderful cozy mystery with fun characters and a fun plot that has so many twists and turns you’ll get dizzy. The ending throws a few interesting facts to light and I love how Flo seems to have a magic charm for luck or something since even as she gets into trouble, she somehow manages to get out of it.

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Related By Murder by Jo A. Hiestand

March 3, 2021 By 5 Comments


Related By Murder by Jo A. Hiestand
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

From the moment ex-police detective Michael McLaren arrives at his friend’s house, he’s plunged into a nightmare of a case. Two men, hanged a year apart, each killed on a Good Friday. A barrister. A solicitor. Related careers. Related by murder. Related motives?

Pottery shards, a torn newspaper article, and biscuits are found in each man’s pocket. What do they signify? And the blackmail letters Melanie receives… Are they related to the murders, or are they separate, terrifying in their own way?

Professions, calendar date, McLaren’s attack. Could it all be entwined? Or is the motive for murder something else, something so secret that keeping it is worth attempting a third one?

Ms. Hiestand has done it again! Somehow I’ve managed to miss a book or two in the series, and they are on my list to pick up. Not because you need them to understand what is going on in this book, but because I love the characters and want to fill in the gaps.

It was good to see McLaren again and his friend Jamie, and I was very happy to see him moving on with his life. I loved the character of Melanie and can’t wait to go back and see how they met, as well as how their relationship has progressed. As much as I love the mystery aspect of this series, I am drawn back to them over and over again by the characters. Ms. Hiestand does such a good job of bringing them to life – even the secondary characters!

As always, the mystery was top-rate. I have to admit I was caught off-guard…good job with that! I always love it when an author manages to surprise me with the culprit.

Thanks for another outstanding read, Ms. Hiestand!

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