M2D4 Toe Tag: The Medusa Murders by Joy Ann Ribar

TG Wolff

The Medusa Murders is an amateur sleuth mystery.  Professor Bay “L.L.” Browning is drawn into a serial killer’s world when her coat is found at a crime scene. The killer has an agenda and a style, one that emulates the mythical Medusa turning her victims to stone. Her knowledge of art and mythology turns out to be the expertise the police need.

Bottom line: The Medusa Murders is for you if you like clean mysteries with a cozy feel and centering on art and mythology.

Listen to the second chapter (not a typo) here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

Strengths of the story. The Medusa Murders is classified on Amazon as amateur sleuth, women’s crime fiction, and contemporary women’s fiction. It absolutely is an amateur sleuth follow-along mystery. Crime fiction has become the broader term for stories involving crime, so it fits again. Contemporary women’s fiction is a story of a woman’s growth through the story. This is an element of the story but is most applicable to the secondary stories. While it is not listed as a Cozy, the clean storytelling style (no cursing), lack of on-screen violence, and prominent role of interesting and quirky specialties (classic art and mythology), make The Medusa Murders a good fit here, too.

The setting in a fictional Wisconsin college in the winter is a nice variation on a small town setting. The social complexities of working inside higher ed gives a “peak behind the curtain” from what life looks like from a professor’s perspective.

The story does a nice job of showing Bay having to juggle her work responsibilities and family problems that includes her ex-con sister showing up at her door, while also working to find a link between the murders and mythology.

All in all, it’s a fun read. For those who dig mythology or know their way around classic art about mythology, you will find a lot to dig your teeth into with this one.

Where the story fell short of ideal: One of the first and biggest challenges for authors using amateur sleuth is getting the hero into the story. From the beginning, Bay doesn’t know why she is part of the investigation and, several times, makes credible arguments that someone else who knows more should be doing the work. For me, this undermined the strength and credibility of the character. Ultimately, it doesn’t affect the flow or result of the story.

It took me some time to warm up to Bay. There were times it felt like she embodied the collegiate arrogance she accused others of having. She came into her own in the second half of the book and I came to like and respect her.

About Joy Ann Ribar

Joy Ann Ribar is an RV author, writing on the road wherever her husband and their Winnebago View wanders. Joy’s cocktail of careers includes news reporter, paralegal, English educator, and aquaponics greenhouse technician, all of which prove useful in penning mysteries. She loves to bake, read, do wine research, and explore nature. Joy’s writing is inspired by Wisconsin’s four distinct seasons, natural beauty, and kind-hearted, but sometimes quirky, people.

Joy holds a BA in Journalism from UW-Madison and an MS in Education from UW-Oshkosh. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Blackbird Writers, and Wisconsin Writers Association.

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

M2D4 Toe Tag: A Grifter’s Song compiled by Frank Zafiro

TG Wolff

A Grifter’s Song is a Crime Thriller novella series. Sam and Rachel are long time lovers and lifelong grifters. No mark is too big, no scheme too hot. They zigzag across the continent, looking to make the next score and stay ahead of Little Vincent and the Philadelphia mob. From the first book to the last, nothing is sacred. . . except the love they have for each other.

Bottom line: A Grifter’s Song is for you if you get your thrills cheering for heroes who live on the other side of the tracks.

Today’s featured release is not a single book but 35 novellas in a collection called A Grifter’s Song. The collection was conceived and edited by Frank Zafiro with episodes written by Frank and 29 other authors, myself included. I have for you today an excerpt of the 1st book, THE CONCRETE SMILE by Frank Zafiro, the first chapter of the 2nd book PEOPLE LIKE US by J.D. Rhoades, and the 4th chapter of the last book, INTO THE DYING SUN by Frank Zafiro.

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For Podcast

Strengths of the series: Zafiro created a world for the grifters with a full backstory that drives Sam and Rachel’s continuous need to move on. They have a few trusted acquaintances, including a computer hacking expert, and too many enemies, thanks to the long arms of the Philadelphi mob.

All novellas are under 30,000 words, or about 100 pages, making them easy reads that fit into a busy lifestyle.  Stories have equivalent ratings of PG to R, but most are pretty hard core. Lol, my episode, #30 GOOD FOR IT, was definitely as lighter end.

Each story is a unique blend of Zafiro’s world and the imagination and style of the individual authors. Sam and Rachel remain true to themselves and each other, no matter what situation they are thrown into.

Where the story fell short of ideal: The series concept is well developed and provides a framework that is defined enough to provide continuity but is open enough to give authors room to work. Readers are bound to have favorite stories and stories they like less – I certainly do. If you don’t love one, I encourage you to read on. This is a very satisfying series.

For behind the scenes interviews between Frank and his writers, check out the podcast Wrong Place, Write Crime wherever you get your podcasts.

All books in A Grifter’s Song were released from Down & Out Books and are available from AMAZON and other book retailers.

About Frank Zafiro

Frank writes gritty crime fiction from both sides of the badge. Frank served in the U.S. Army from 1986-91 in military intelligence as a Czechoslovak linguist. In 1993, he became a police officer in Spokane, Washington. During his career, he worked as a patrol officer, corporal, and detective. In 2002, he became a sergeant and entered into leadership roles. He was fortunate enough to command patrol officers, investigators, the K-9 unit, and the SWAT team. He retired from law enforcement in 2013 as a captain in order to write full time and to teach.

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M2D4 Episode 11: The Crackpot’s Jackpot by TG Wolff

TG Wolff

Cleveland, OH 1895. Detective Cian Kelly and Patrolman Grant McPherson are called to the home of Emmitt Childs, a local clock maker. He was found beaten unconscious in his kitchen and ultimately died from his wounds. Childs, a likeable eccentric, was survived by his daughter, Sadie, who was dating one of the suspects, the leading scorer for the Cleveland Spiders. The crackpot was a regular at a local poker hall, where he had an unusual relationship with the owner and his muscle.

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For Podcasts

M2D4 Toe Tag: Second Term by J.M. Adams

TG Wolff

Second Term is a Political Thriller. Cora Walker represents the best of US intelligence and skills. Sixteen years after leading a campaign to protect the US Embassy in Benghazi, Libya, she is pressed into action again. This time, she is defending the Capital and Speaker of the House against a homegrown attack.

Bottom line: Second Term is for you if you love tense, political thrillers built from today’s headlines.

Listen to the first chapter here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

Strengths of the story. This story is told in three parts. First is a 2012 invasion of the US Embassy in Benghazi, Libya. The second is 2028, post presidential election and set the scene for Cora as the press secretary for the Speaker of the House. The third is January 2029 and the chaos accompanying a president who does not want to step down.

The first thing that pops out about this story is the intensity. Adams doesn’t waste words as he builds worlds both in Libya and Washington, D.C. We see both worlds through the eyes of the efficient, no-nonsense Cora Walker. The intensity drives the pacing and, for me, kept the pages turning.

The texture to this book is notable. JM Adams takes us to the places he has been not just through visual description but through sounds and smells. It adds a layer to the scenes making them richer and more real.

Cora Walker is a strong character who acts independently and according to her moral code. The things she does engaging the enemy places her with other elite fictional agents like Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne. She is a fun hero to cheer for.

Where the story fell short of ideal: While not short of ideal, readers are either going to love or going to hate how the main story presents a sadly easily imagined attack on US democracy by an egomaniac president who can’t accept losing and attacks everyone and everything in an effort to win.

Thrillers are one of the hardest genres to resolve the storylines without breaking logic. The Benghazi story line was especially tight and stood up well. I would have liked a bit more detail on what happened, but that is a personal preference. For Parts 2 and 3, Cora acted true to her character with no flaws in her decisions. I did take some issue with the actions of other characters in developing the situation Cora had to fight her way out of. If you can get past those and/or focus on Cora, you’ll enjoy one heck of a ride.

J.M. ADAMS has more than 15 years of on-air television journalism experience, reporting for CBS and NBC news affiliates across the United States. Highlights from his career include sea patrols with the Navy after the 9/11 attacks and reporting on location from Kuwait, Iraq, and a number of hurricane disaster zones across the country. Adams was briefly detained in East Germany during the fall of the Berlin Wall. Second Term is his debut novel.

Adams lives in Northern New Jersey with his wife, two daughters, and a pair of Cavashons who appear to have taken over the house.

Second Term is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours. PICT 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

M2D4 Episode 10: Jack the Knife by Chuck Brownman

TG Wolff

Jack the Knife is one of the world’s most successful assassins. He has been tied to at least two dozen killings over the last decade. Interpol has gotten a tip that Jack will at Henri’s restaurant tonight. Europol Agent Ivan Richardson is sitting at a table when Frank Anson is killed. Now he has to sort a killer from a room of diners and restaurant staff.

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For

Book Review: The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg, Translated by Steven T. Murray

TG Wolff

The Ice Princess is a Whodunnit. Alexandra Wijker appeared to have it all – successful career as an art dealer, doting husband, beautiful home, good looks. There was no rational reason why she would climb into a bath and cut her wrists. When its proven she couldn’t have suicided, the hunt is on for her killer.

Bottom line: The Ice Princess is for you if you like complex whodunnits led by engaging characters and set in the beauty of Sweden.

Strengths of the story. THE ICE PRINCESS is listed on Amazon as a Police Procedural. In my opinion, it is a cross of several mystery subgenres. The first half is dominantly an amateur sleuth as writer Erica Falck, who is asked to write a biography of Alex, investigates the last years of her life. The police procedural elements begins with the introduction of the Tanumshede police and detective Patrik Hedstrom. In addition to the dual lines of investigation, there are side stories of Erica’s and Patrik’s own lives.

Introduction of the amateur sleuth element was very well done as the victim’s parents commission Erica to write and thereby investigate. Erica has written several biographies and so she has some skills when it comes to unearthing details of people’s lives.

Technically, I suppose police procedural is an accurate genre but this story does not go into depth on the practices and procedures of the Swedish police. It is more about Patrik’s interviews of people and, to an extent, being in the right place at the right time. Cop fiction might be a better descriptor as it’s about the people more than the policies.

The town of Fjallbacka, the suspects, and the witnesses are all colorfully depicted and are a large part of the story’s charm.

The mystery itself is reasonably solid. When you are at the end and look back, you can see how the pieces fall into place. There are a few places where the choices made by Alex (the victim) seem inconsistent with the picture we get of her through Erica. Since we don’t hear from Alex herself, it is hard to know if this assessment is true or a false impression on my part.

I really enjoyed these lead characters and want to continue following their story.

Where the story fell short of ideal: As a whodunnit, there were very few clues for Erica and Patrik to work with and nearly as few suspects. The author did almost too good of a job at hiding evidence and clues and having witness who give partial answers.

This story is written in third-person omniscient from the point of view of the section’s narrator. This is dominantly Erica or Patrick, but also includes several minor characters. Intellectually, I know it is supposed to build curiosity and intrigue when the character whose head I am in looks, for example, at a newspaper article but doesn’t say what’s in it. For me, this creates frustration. If I know what she thinks about her weight, I should know what’s in the article when she reads it, not ten pages later when she gets around to telling someone else about it. In talking to other readers, some have the same pet peeve, others don’t. This is definitely a subject issue.  

M2D4 Toe Tag: The Algorithm Will See You Now by JL Lycette

TG Wolff

THE ALGORITHM WILL SEE YOU NOW is a Medical Thriller. Dr. Hope Kestrel is the top resident at the most cutting-edge hospital in the country, where data and algorithm solve medicals toughest challenges. Hope believes the data-driven science saves people from the pain of ineffective treatments and the illusions of false hope. With one mistake, Hope falls from the top to outcast and along the way, learns the system she built her career around has been manipulated for profit’s sake. Now Hope has a choice…fade into a sad memory or fight her way out.  

Bottom line: THE ALGORITHM WILL SEE YOU NOW is for you if you like medical and conspiracy thrillers where a thin line separates reality and science fiction.  

Listen to the first chapter here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

Strengths of the story. The first star of the story is the premise. The book is set in 2035, extrapolating a world built from the concepts of our current American health system and the potential of artificial intelligence. While reading it, I have thoughts of Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN – not for the monster but for the way fiction was used to explore the ideas of what science and technology should do and what it shouldn’t do. In Lycette’s world, DNA sequencing is used to identify which patients will respond to treatments and which ones will not. The “non-responders” as they are called, are written off and all but cut off from a health care system unwilling to invest limited resources in a no win case.

One of the best and most terrifying things about  THE ALGORITHM WILL SEE YOU NOW is that it is easy to imagine as our future reality.

Lycette’s experience in the medical industry shines through with the informed construction of the interworkings of the hospital system. This isn’t a story about diseases and their treatment but about the people – patients, loved ones, doctors and nurses.

The story itself is very well crafted. Standing at the end and looking back, the logic holds. The conspiracy is straightforward, with the question being more about what was done than who did it. There are several high-tension moments, and they seldom resolve the way I expected them to.

Where the story fell short of ideal:  There were not many weak points in this story. It does take a little time to reveal the main plot and get into the thriller. Whether this is too long will vary by reader, but it does give us time to see Hope’s “normal life” and learn about the hospital and the technology. Because this is a medical thriller, the tension is intellectual rather than physical.   

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

Book Review: Roulette by Thomas Locke & Jyoti Guptara

TG Wolff

Roulette is a Medical Thriller. A new drug has hit the Gainesville, Fl rave scene and what it’s doing to people is the stuff nightmares are made of. When the strange happenings go beyond what Sheriff Dewey Steen can handle, the feds send help in the form of Eric Bannon, a supposed forensic accountant. With Dr. Stacie Swann and Dewey’s nurse wife, Carol, the four set out to do the impossible – find the root of the devastating drug and stop it before the college population pays the price.

Bottom line: Roulette is for you if you like medical thrillers with high stakes, conspiracy elements, and riding by the seat of your pants.

Strengths of the story. There are several strengths of this story, the first being the premise of an extraordinary tale from ordinary beginnings. College kids and young adults doing drugs and going to raves is fairly ordinary. But if you ask ‘what happens if one of the drugs is new and experimental?’, then you are at the start of extraordinary.

The story is lead by four characters, not equally featured. All were well crafted and developed. It was added fun that there are two in their thirties and two in their fifties, balancing action and strategy, experience and knowledge. There is someone in the group that everyone will relate to.

The pacing of the story is excellent. It unravels at a pace that draws the reader into the intrigue, not spilling too much too soon, but also not drawing things out too long. The thriller and suspense elements were excellent as well.

Where the story fell short of ideal: There wasn’t much for me to pick on here. The bad guys, their motivation and actions were well thought out. Heroes and bad guys both drove the story, countering each other. The premise held up, the authors lived by the rules they created without relying on coincidence, incompatible twists, or just-in-time saves from outside the core team.

The race to the finish was fast paced and epic. At the end, I wanted to know more but was satisfied with what I was given.

M2D4 Toe Tag: Girl on Trial by Kathleen Fine

TG Wolff

GIRL ON TRIAL is a Contemporary YA Mystery/Thriller. Sixteen-year-old Emily Keller has one goal her junior year of high school: fit in. But making friends and being popular takes Emily down a dangerous path of drinking, pills, and sex. Now the family she babysat for is dead and Emily is accused of leaving the stove on, causing carbon monoxide poising.

Bottom line: GIRL ON TRIAL is for you if you like legal suspense coupled with real life situations that go from bad to worse.

Listen to the first two chapters here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

Strengths of the story. Author Kathleen Fine took a rare approach to the storytelling, alternating between the jury trial and the events of the prior year, beginning with the first day of school. While other stories may alternate between past and present, GIRL ON TRIAL meticulously walks through the trial, making you feel the fear and anxiety along with Emily.

With this approach, we have two storylines running simultaneously and they have two very different feels. In the “past” story, we get to know Emily as a person and see the influence those closest to her – her twin brother, her friends – have on. This isn’t a story of privilege but of a smart, determined daughter of a single mom who is an alcoholic. Reading with an adult’s eye, we see the precipice Emily is walking along well before she does.

If the “past” story is personal, the “trial” story is professional. The lawyer does the talking. Emily has to listen to testimony that cuts down who she is. Some are lies, some aren’t, but she has to hold herself in the impossible combination of aloof but humble. The contrast between the two storylines is nicely done.

Where the story fell short of ideal: GIRL ON TRIAL is hard to pin down on genre. It is listed as a Young Adult Mystery / Thriller. I argue it is neither. It is not a Mystery as there is not a crime being investigated and none of the characters are working to uncover information to resolve the situation. It is not a Thriller because it lacks the fast pacing, the physicality, and the risk of mortal danger to the hero. I find it best classifies as Suspense. The pacing is methodical, plotting through the school semester and the trial, where the tension is psychologically derived and you are just waiting for the other shoe to fall.

Some readers may find the time element challenging, as I did. The story alternates between the trial (present) and the year prior. In each of those, there are passages where Emily is remembering events from other times in her childhood. For myself, I did have trouble keeping the timing straight. In the end, it did not detract from a compelling lead character and a story that may be more common than we want to believe.

If you are a crossover reader who “reads everything” or are in the mood for something a little different, pick up GIRL ON TRIAL.

Book review: Waist Deep by Frank Zafiro

TG Wolff

WAIST DEEP is a PI Mystery. Stef Kopriva used to be a cop. But that was ten years ago. A shooting, a wrong call, and a deep, personal relationship with a liquor bottle took him from a stand-up guy to the bottom of the barrel. A fight at a hockey game, one in the stands, not on the ice, reconnects Stef with a guy from high school. He has a problem. His 16-year-old daughter has run away. The cops aren’t looking for the little beauty, so he asks Stef for help, who agrees. And things get shady, fast.

Bottom line: WAIST DEEP is for you if you like gritty heroes so far from perfect they’re exactly what a story needs.

Strengths of the story. Zafiro excels at writing characters who are less than perfect. His are not gentlemen detectives who’ve lived charmed lives and solve crimes while hovering above the chaos, like Philo Vance, Lord Peter Wimsey, or Sherlock Holmes. Oh, no. His characters are down in the muck, fighting to keep their heads above water. Stef Kopriva was an ensemble character in Zafiro’s first three River City series books. Ten years after that book three, Kopriva steps out on his own with this full-length case. Kopriva is a well developed character, a loner who has isolated himself from the world and now needs that world if he’s going to find the runaway teen. Maybe it’s Kopriva had already been a part of Zafiro’s world that doesn’t feel like a first book in a series.

Like the leading character, the story scenario is a little dirty, kinda uncomfortable, and totally intriguing. A teen has run away but why and to where? She seems to have caring parents…or is that a front. She was blessed with popularity at school…or is that a curse. She definitely attracts the kind of attention that can destroy a teen, mentally and emotionally if not physically. You keep turning the pages wanting the answer…is she dead?

Where the story fell short of ideal: There weren’t many things to pick on with this book. Standing at the end and looking back to the beginning, the logic is solid. Characters are true to themselves and the writing and editing are solid. There are unsatisfying elements, but they aren’t flaws of the storytelling. They’re just a reader wanting better things to happen to the hero we’re cheering for.

Check Frank Zafiro and Stef Kopriva out for yourself.