At a couples getaway at a posh New England golf resort, the weather isn’t the only thing that takes a turn for the worse. Lindsay Strauss, the last member of the group scheduled to arrive, checks in dead. Detectives Spencer and Flores have a club house classic on their hands to figure out who strangled Lindsay.
Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast
Meet Rick Ollerman
Rick Ollerman is the author of four novels, Turnabout, Shallow Secrets, Truth Always Kills and Mad Dog Barked as well as the non-fiction collection Hardboiled, Noir and Gold Medals. He was also the editor of Down & Out: The Magazine and has written numerous short stories and edited several crime fiction anthologies.
Wet, Warm & Noisyis an psychological thriller. Alaska State Trooper Jake Ward is stuck on light duty and a polygraph assignment is welcome break from the monotony. A woman was arrested breaking into a warehouse. Her defense: she was kidnapped. Ward’s job is to determine if she is a suspect or a victim. As he is realizing something is out of the ordinary, she is broken out of jail. Now a court services officer is fighting for his life, the woman is on the run with the shooter, and there is no way in hell Ward is staying out of the case.
Bottom line: Wet, Warm & Noisy is for you if you like psychological thrillers with a side of medical sci-fi.
Listen to the chapters one and two here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast
Strengths of the story. The premise of the story is simple and intriguing. There was something wrong with Belle Anderson. Any drugs would have worked out of her system, so what was the explanation for the way she would freeze up? She was alternately oblivious and hyperly aware. A mix of curiosity and duty drive Ward to investigate Anderson, leading him into a world of study on the brain and human consciousness. This is a psychological thriller, but if it were a mystery, it would be a whatisgoingon. Willson does an excellent job of grabbing the reader by the curiosity and never letting go.
Jake Ward is a likeable character. He’s a thinking man, not an action hero. He has survived surgery and treatments for pancreatic cancer and is determined to get the rest of his life back. Ward is a normal guy, sometimes making decisions that put his back in a corner. He drives the story, continually pushing on who Belle Anderson is and what her circumstances are. If Ward would have backed off, the story would have ended. His actions challenge the bad guys (BG) world, forcing BG to react and Ward to overcome another obstacle.
Belle Anderson is not a stereotypical character. She is the narrator in a few chapters, giving us a peak into the BG world that Ward doesn’t have. She will challenge readers to decide if she is a criminal or a victim. Belle went into the BG world willingly but, Unlike Ward, was not able to drive her narrative, becoming a victim. I cheered for Belle but other readers could easily go the other way. Just recognizing this means Willson did an excellent job crafting her.
The Alaskan setting is richly described, showing the challenges of protecting the peace in such a large territory. The supporting characters are well developed and act true to their nature. I especially liked that the other Alaska State Troopers acted as a professional and supportive organization. Meaning, I liked that there was not the trope of the a-hole boss who the hero is battling.
Where the story fell short of ideal: There isn’t much to pick on in this one. The logic, when examined from the backend forward, is a pretty straight line with no breaks. That’s not always the case with thrillers as they seek to surprise the reader with a twist. Ward put in the time and sweat equity to unearth the clues, using the technology and other resource available to the troopers. The story largely avoided use of coincidences. There was one, single scene where I didn’t follow how the BGs got to a certain place. Could have been convenient for the story or me just missing a key detail.
Willson’s pacing is deliberate, allowing the story to unfold. There were times when I wanted it to move faster, but that was primarily driven by my curiosity wanting to know what the heck was going on.
The medical elements of the story are beyond my expertise to comment on. From a civilian standpoint, the scenes were well told, enabling me to understand and picture what was going on without having either an MD or a PhD.
Days after I finished Wet, Warm, & Noisy, I found myself thinking about the sci-fi premise and Ward’s actions. This only happens when a story really catches me and my own wet, warm, and noisy brain wants to know more.
David A. Willson, a retired Alaska State Trooper with more than two decades of service, brings unmatched authenticity to his crime fiction. During his career, he served as a certified police instructor, polygraph program coordinator, court-certified computer forensics expert and supervisor of both Major Crimes and Technical Crimes units. With over a decade in an investigative capacity, he supervised thousands of felony cases, chasing Alaska’s most dangerous criminals. https://davidawillson.com
Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers virtual book tour services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com
A series of windshields shattered by projectiles had California drivers nervous. In the most recent attack, the driver lost control and died. To protect people attending the popular Fun Day at the Park event, Chief Rollins amped up police presence on area streets. That left just himself and Detective Stephens, frest from maternity leave, inside the park. As she watches the marbles tournement, she starts to wonder if there was more to the mibsters than just their marbles.
Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast
ABOUT Marbles
Tombs of ancient Egyptians, ashes in Pompeii, Native American archeology, marbles have been found literally everywhere. They date back so far and to so many places, that the origins of marbles has yet to be discovered. According to the website Mental Floss, the earliest marbles were stones polished smooth by rivers. Artists made marbles from clay, stone, and glass. For centuries, these were made by hand. In 1884, mass production of clay marbles began in Akron, Ohio. The manufacturing invention lowered the price of marbles from about a penny each to a bag of 30 for a penny. Mass manufacturing of glass marbles was also an Akron, Ohio invention, this time in 1915. There’s a link in the shownotes to the article with a video of how they’re made.
When it comes to the game, Mental Floss gives us the conundrum that there is no single game called “marbles” and any game played with marbles can me called “marbles”. There are a lot of games, including the one described in today’s story.
Judge Debra H. Goldstein is the author of Kensington’s five book Sarah Blair mystery series, Should Have Played Poker, and IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue. Her novels and short stories, which have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies, have been named Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, Claymore, and Silver Falchion finalists and received Silver Falchion, Bethlehem Writers Roundtable, and Alabama Writers Conclave awards. She serves on the national board of Sisters in Crime and previously was a national board member of Mystery Writers of America and president of the Guppy and SEMWA chapters. Find out more about Debra on her website: https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com
Eddie Shoes’ latest client is the worst. She lies. She cheats. And now, just after the body of her husband’s mistress is found, she’s gone missing. Eddie has to go find her…it’s the only way she’s going to get paid.
Bottom line: One Dead, Two To Go is for you if you like comedic PI mysteries where good sleuthing goes toe to toe with bad luck.
Listen to the first chapter here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast
Strengths of the story. The storytelling style is the first thing I noticed. It’s fun, free, and fast-paced. Written in the same vein as Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, Hartwell’s Eddie Shoes is serious about her work. She has to be to manage the chaos around her.
Eddie Shoes, born Edwina Zapata Shultz, is the daughter of card shark and a mafioso. She’s a woman who uses her brains to make a living as a PI. She isn’t a fighter but she is tenacious and willing to go where good sense doesn’t tread. She was well developed and an easy character to cheer for.
Eddie’s mother drops in for an uninvited extended visit and decides to help out. Chava is different from most mother characters. She was 16 when Eddie was born, so this mama is only in her mid-forties. She is a slight of hand pro in addition to card player and has the same tenacity as her daughter. Chava becomes Eddie’s ad hoc assistant, bringing her own skills and connections to the case.
The story has a murder but the plot is focused on the disappearance of Eddie’s client, Kendra Hallings. Between a cheating husband and a mystery man, it seems all but certain that Kendra was kidnapped. Before Eddie can put the pieces together…she has to find them. Kendra’s life isn’t what she painted it to be. Her husband isn’t what she thought he was. And then there’s that mystery man again.
Where the story fell short of ideal: With comedic style stories, it’s often hard to check all the boxes, but this one does. The bones of the kidnapping mystery are strong with the actions of the parties being consistent with their motivations. I thought about the end for several days after reading it, following each thread to see if they stood up, and they do.
Eddie drives her part of the plot and, in doing so, forces the bad guys to act. She could have stopped looking for Kendra, and the story would have ended. Eddie, with the help of Chava, pushed this story to a satisfying end.
About Elena Hartwell. Elena Hartwell spent several years working in theater as a playwright, director, designer, and educator before turning her storytelling skills to fiction. In addition to writing the Eddie Shoes Mysteries, she writes the Sheriff Bet Rivers mysteries under the name Elena Taylor. She is also a senior editor with Allegory Editing, a developmental editing house, where she works one-on-one with writers to shape and polish manuscripts. Elena’s favorite place to be is at Paradise, the property she and her hubby own south of Spokane, Washington. Find her at www.elenahartwell.com
Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers virtual book tour services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com
In the middle of a live action D&D game, Darrell “The Dungeonator” Mahoney is dead. The audience saw the virtual Catstaff points his cat staff at The Dungeonator and electrocute him. Mary Watson and her BOT Doyle are investigating worlds real and imagined to see if Catstaff did the impossible or if something else was at play.
Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For Podcast
ABOUT Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a role-playing game originally developed and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. First publication was in 1974, which means this is the 50th anniversary of the game that launched the modern role-playing industry. According to Wikipedia, D&D was an advancement in traditional wargaming that allowed players to create their own characters and take on adventures in a fantasy setting. Other games on the market in the mid to late 1900s had elements of character-based role playing, game-world simulations, fantasy scenes designed. D&D was the first to put it all together. Early on, D&D experienced criticism from some religious groups for alleged promotion of witch craft, murder, satanic theme, and the presence of barely contained breasts. While the game made changes to reduce the controversial content, the controversy worked to increase sales in defiance of the outrage. D&D is playable now on table tops and online.
Erica Obey is the author of The Brooklyn North Murder, the first full-length Watson & Doyle mystery, as well as five other novels set in the Hudson Valley, including the award-winning The Curse of the Braddock Brides. Erica is the Past President of the MWA-NY chapter, and a frequent reviewer and judge. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and published academic work on female folklorists before she decided she’d rather be writing the stories herself.
The Taste of Daturais an adventure. Nick Terenzi purchased an intricate brass bracelet some time ago in Rome. He tried to sell it and when he couldn’t, we went to the black market. Now, the Egyptians, the Turks, a Spanish professor, the UN, and a sexy flourist all want what Nick has. Nick doesn’t know what’s special about the bracelet, only that it’s his key to staying alive.
Bottom line: The Taste of Datura is for you if you like adventures building off mythology with a touch of paranormal.
Listen to the first chapter here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast
Strengths of the story. The strength of the story is the composition itself. The Taste of Datura is listed on Amazon in the fiction / literature category. This fits as Datura is a little bit of everything. There is a mystery surrounding the bracelet – what makes it special, why major players want it. There is adventure as Nick loses the bracelet, fights to get it back, and transports it to Cairo. There is mythology in the roots of the bracelet, drawing in both Greek and Roman stories. There is thrill as the few people Nick trusts start dying and Nick knows he’s next. There is paranormal when Nick meets Laura, a medium whose visions show her snippets of the bracelet’s turbulent past. This story gives readers a lot to unpack.
Nick is a likeable lead. He isn’t a professional and doesn’t have “people” or resources. He has a decent amount of common sense, unless he’s around one particular beautiful woman, which is pretty funny.
Laura is interesting in her own right. Her role isn’t traditional. She isn’t a sidekick or a partner, she isn’t a love interest. The best description may be a companion storyteller as she has takes the lead in her sections in a manner similar to a romance (but without the romance). She helps us as readers get a sense of the history. She does passout a lot and her accounts to Nick are less detailed than we get with the vision, giving us a clearer vision (pun!) than Nick.
The pacing of the story is good for keeping the reader’s attention. The author uses a few techniques including, as you heard, starting the story first with the past, then the near future, before settling into the present. I appreciated the epilogue which finished telling the 1890 history, giving us a satisfying end with information that Nick will never have.
The Napoli setting was affectionately written by someone who loves the area. The detail in the location, the food and drink, and the people reflect someone who has spent time there, not just researched on GoogleEarth.
Where the story fell short of ideal: The logic of the story holds up. In an adventure story, logic isn’t as core as in a mystery, it’s more about the hunt or the chase. Nick is more of a reactive hero than a driving force, responding to the actions of the various bad guys, again, common with adventures.
Nick’s actions are true to character. There is only one character whose actions, once the fully scope is revealed, doesn’t hold true. Interestingly, those around this character comment something like “I don’t know why they did that.” It wasn’t bad as much as weak.
The editing on this could have been sharper. There were little things that jumped out as I was reading, such as Nick grabbing his left torso and one of my kindle pages having sixteen sentences beginning with the word “He.” These weren’t big detractors of an overall fun story but something readers are likely to notice.
This was a fun one to read. If you’re in the mood for something lighter hearted, give this one a go.
Meet Lorenzo Petruzziello
Lorenzo holds degrees in International Marketing and Economics, with a background in global marketing for the entertainment and life sciences industries. He writes in his spare time, drawing inspiration from his frequent trips to Italy, his first dating back to his childhood. THE TASTE OF DATURA is Lorenzo’s third book. https://www.magnusmade.com/
About Partners In Crime Tours
Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers virtual book tour services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com
Anthony Bathurst accepted the last minute spot on Sir Charles Considine’s cricket team, thinking a week of fun and games with his old university friends was just was he needed. After a dinner conversation on the skills of fictional detectives, Bathurst is willing to bet on his skills standing up to Scotland Yard’s, given the same resources. And then Gerry Prescott goes and gets murdered.
Bottom Line: The Billiard-Room Mystery is for you if like sinking your teeth into classic whodunnit mysteries.
NOTE: The Billiard-Room Mystery was original published in 1929. Reprints are available or you can get it for free at the Gutenburg Project. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58413
The strength of this story is…the end. Really. I was getting frustrated reading, thinking this was one of the worst written mysteries I’d ever read and then WHAMMO. Everything fell into place…and it was awesome.
This story is told in the classic Holmes-Watson style. Bathurst is the detective, working in, under and around Inspector Baddeley. Bill Cunningham, a buddy from college, is drafted into the Watson role of narrator.
The police investigators of Inspector Baddeley and his junior officer Roper are good cops – not portrayed as bumbling, etc. The house party presents an ample pool of suspects, some with motive, some with opportunity.
Where this story fell short: I’ve been doing alot of thinking on this one and haven’t found a logic flaw. Bathurst is a good lead detective and Cunningham does his job as narrator.
While I loved the “gotcha”, I could see some readers taking exception to it. This is definitely personal preference and I fall on the “love it” side.
The funeral for Mick Darabont is over but the questions linger. The old man died from a blow to the head. But did it come from falling in the shower or did he have the deadly kind of help. Stefan Kopriva digs into the man’s past for clues to the present.
Listen to the conclusion with the deliberation here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast.
Mick Darabont fell in the bathroom, hit is head, and died. It happens at his age. But, is that what happened this time? Investigator Stef Kopriva knows Mick as the gruff park institution with a love of checkers. Others don’t paint such a nice picture. Now Stef is on the case and working to solve a classic locked-room mystery in this two-part story.
Listen to part 1 here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast. Come back next week for the conclusion.
ABOUT Frank Zafiro
Frank Zafiro writes gritty crime fiction from both sides of the badge. During his life, he has been a military intelligence linguist, a police officer (a twenty year career, retiring as a captain), and an independent consultant and instructor. He has taught both writing and police related topics at the collegiate level and professional venues. Through it all, he has been a writer. To date, he has published 48 novels, over 100 short stories, and appeared in over 50 anthologies. He lives in Redmond, Oregon, with his wife, Kristi, who is a teacher. https://www.frankzafiro.com/
ABOUT Checkers
According to the website Wonderopolis, checkers is much older than the more sophisticated chess, with the game being mentioned in the writings of Homer and Plato. Historians currently date checkers back to an archeologist find in the ancient city of Ur in Iraq. This dates to 3,000 BC. In the 12th century, the French had the idea of playing checkers on a chess board. With the updated design and accompanying rules, the game migrated to England and outward. With a game this old and that has traveled the globe, it should be no surprise that it have many names and variations. Wikipedia has an extended citation on the games, the boards, and the pieces. Even the size of the boards change. An 8×8 board is common, but 10×10 and 12×12 boards are used, too. Given the rich history and complexity of this “simple” game, Mick Darabont just may have been right.
Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervillesis a comedic, cozy mystery. Babs Norman is a Hollywood stunner, but instead of gracing the silver screen, she’s gumshoeing it through the star-studded streets. Hollywood’s movers and shakers are reeling as canine stars and faithful companions alike are disappearing. Babs must mingle with Tinseltown’s elite to find the hand that holds the leash.
Bottom line: Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles is for you if you like cozy-styled mysteries and fun-filled romps through the golden age of Hollywood.
Listen to the first chapter here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast
Strengths of the story. One of the shining stars (ha!) of the story was the 1940 Hollywood setting. Crowens took us into the glitz and glamour of the parties, the mansions, and the sets. It was one of the most unique and detailed settings I think I have ever read. The depth of Crowens imagination is a remarkable as she brings a lost world back to life.
The characters surrounding the mystery are just as creatively detailed. Basil Rathbone of Sherlock Holmes fame and his Watson, Nigel Bruce. Myrna Loy and William Powell. Crowens takes what could have been cardboard cut outs of the icons and gives them family, relationship troubles, friends, and secrets – just like normal people. I don’t know how much research Crowens did or if the result was pure imagination, but it was a sweet result.
The character of Babs Norman and her partner Guy Brandt are a good, functional team. They were witty and engaging, but largely played the straight role to the Hollywood icons. I do look to see how much a detective drives the story. In the first half of the book, Babs goes about traditional Q&A which doesn’t yield much success. Then she decides to take a risk, grabbing control of the story and getting it moving forward.
This story has been classified as a cozy, won awards as a comedy, and listed as a historical. The steady pacing and clean storytelling style is a real treat.
Where the story fell short of ideal: When it came to the motive behind the dognappings, it was as solid as it was creative. But inside of that, there were elements that felt underplayed or inconsistent. The number of dogs missing and their fame increases but there is no outcry, it isn’t picked up in the press, etc. It was believable when it was two dogs, but as it grew, I felt like the story didn’t grow with it.
While it is critical that the detective drives their story, the logic of the actions also matters. There was a point where Babs had earned her big break in the case, and then the story took a doglegged turn. She abandoned her first success for a half-heard reference. I had issues with the sudden redirection that seemed to fly in the face of the evidence.
In the category of personal preference, I struggled with the breakdown of the chapters. There are 38 chapters, most of which are seven to ten pages. Then three of the last four chapters were over 20 pages each with subsections. It confused me as I read as I was conditioned to expect the short, quick hitting chapters.
All in all, this was a clean, fun read.
The Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles was released from Level Best Books and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON and other book retailers.
About Elizabeth Crowens. Elizabeth has worn many hats in the entertainment industry and has a popular Caption Contest on Facebook. She has three award-winning alternate history novels. Awards include 2020 Leo B. Burstein Scholarship from the MWA-NY Chapter, New York Foundation of the Arts grant, an Eric Hoffer Award, Honorable Mention in the Glimmer Train Awards, and two grand prize and five first prize Chanticleer Awards, including Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles. https://www.elizabethcrowens.com/
Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers virtual book tour services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com
TG Wolff 