M2D4 Toe Tag: Fast Times Big City by Shelly Frome

TG Wolff

Fast Times, Big City is an amateur sleuth adventure. It’s the late 1950s and Bud Palmer is living his best life as a sports reporter for the Miami Herald. Then his Uncle Rick, a self-proclaimed PI, gets in hot water up to his eyeballs and clutches onto Bud as his life preserver. Now Bud has to go to cold NYC to find a girl he’s never met and recover a briefcase she stole before the Chicago mob gets impatient.

Bottom line: Fast Times, Big City is for you if you like reluctant heroes, plot driven quests, and immersion in eras gone by.

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

The star of this story is the premise. A clean-cut Miami sports reporter with a perpetual tan travels to a wintery NYC on a quest for a girl with stars in her eyes and the briefcase she stole. The why is a deadbeat uncle who tried to grift the wrong guys – Chicago mob – and was the reason the girl got big ideas of acting in NY. It’s a classic fish-out-of-water story, with Bud Palmer arriving in NYC with his warmest clothing being a tennis sweater.

In our modern world, franchises and uniform laws can make one city blend into another. Frome does an amazing job of showing us Miami, with its lush foliage and mangoes, and then NYC, with it’s art, music, neighborhoods as well as noise, neon, crowds. The language is different between the two cities as are the customs and Bud has to figure it all out on the fly.

Bud is an easy hero to cheer for. He is a reluctant hero but doesn’t get melancholy about it. He is a stand-up guy who doesn’t compromise his character as he navigates the mess. The lead character for the mob is named Ed. He’s a middleman who is getting pinched, and in turn pinching Bud. I didn’t have feelings one way or the other for Ed in the beginning but became sympathetic as I saw just how powerless he was in this escapade.

The pacing is methodical. This is a plot driven story, not action. Every chapter had a purpose and progressed the plot. The story was primarily from Bud’s POV but injected enough from Ed that the reader realizes just how big of a mess the setup is.

The logic of the quest – Bud finding the girl and the briefcase – is straightforward and holds up. I had some trouble with the motivation of the inevitable side quests. I believe we were intentionally somewhat outrageous as a caricature of the NY art scene, at least that was the way I took them.

Characters driving their own story is a big thing for me. Bud didn’t ask for this quest, but once he took it on, he moved forward. He wasn’t given much to work with – a picture and a name – so he had to create something out of nothing.

The fabric of the storytelling was woven with historical events, like the Castro led rebellion in Cuba, and cultural events, like the publishing of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. This gave the story fresh a literary / arts texture.

The year the story was set is never stated (even though Bud reads a newspaper like everyday.) Events referenced included an imminent end to the Cuban revolution (Jan 1959), a pre-lease review of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (published July 1960), Marilyn Monroe’s marriage to Arthur Miller (married 1957, divorced 1961), and WEST SIDE STORY on broadway (debut Sept 1957, closed June 1959).

It is a fun read, watching Bud get deeper into the trouble he didn’t cause, and then figuring out how to dig his way out of it.

The Fast Times, Big City was released from BQB Publishing and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.

About Shelly Frome
Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at UConn, a former professional actor, and a writer of crime novels and books on theater and film. He also is a features writer for Gannett Publications. Fast Times, Big City is his latest foray into the world of crime and the amateur sleuth. He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
http://www.shellyfrome.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 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 with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com

Book Review: The Stuff of Murder by Kathleen Marple Kalb

TG Wolff

The Stuff of Murder is an amateur sleuth cozy mystery. Dr. Christian Shaw is a mother, a widow, and the director of the historical society. She is responsible for the 17th century bible and pewter tankard used by the lead actor in a movie very loosely based on The Scarlet Letter. Then the actor dies, dramatically. Christian’s old stuff is at the heart of the investigation and where they go, she goes.

Bottom line: The Stuff of Murder is for you if you like cozy mysteries, charming characters, and everyday old stuff.   

One of my favorite things about The Stuff of Murder is the characters. Kalb does a wonderful job of giving the primary characters distinct voices and appearances, making the story easy to read. Christian Shaw is six foot one with flaming red hair. Her son Henry is a five-foot tall third-grader with photographic memory. The fathers she should have had are Garrett the academic and his husband Ed the retired state trooper. And last but certainly not least is the handsome, philanthropic, and very tall state’s attorney Joe Poli. Then there are the other parents, the society volunteers, and townspeople. This is an amazing, heart warming cast.

The setting is small town Unity, Connecticut. As with most small town cozies, the nature of the town with the tensions and conflicts of people too involved in each other’s business is an amusing counterpoint to main mystery. This is the source of much of the information Christian uses as well as the bane of her busy days.

Brett Studebaker is a fifty-something actor looking to launch into the next stage of his career on a period film based loosely on The Scarlet Letter. Brett is filming a pivotal scene, acting in the pulpit of church turned synagogue some ten feet above the floor. When he goes off script, only Christian and the locals with her notice the odd behavior. Brett falls from the pulpit, breaking his neck. But it isn’t the simple accident someone wants everyone to believe. The leading theory is poison, introduced through the pewter mug the historical society lent to the film.

This mystery is a throw back to an older style where conversations, not evidence, are the primary detection tool. Christian pieces together the small facts she learns into a chain that will catch the guilty. It’s hard to discuss the logic of the mystery without giving too much away. Suffice it to say that the motives and actions of the guilty are consistent and follow logically in their minds.

The Stuff of Murder is a character driven story that would be enjoyed by readers who love cozies as well as those who prefer traditional mysteries.

Available at Amazon and other book retailers

M2D4 S7E15: Dare or Truth by Frank Zafiro

TG Wolff

It’s December 2012 and Adam and Jessica Bozena are celebrating the world NOT coming to an end along with the Mayan calendar by throwing a party. A 1980s themed customer party. But the party isn’t the celebration of the good old days. Instead, Byron Cates is dead. River City Detectives Peter Elias and Joseph Finch crash the party where everyone had a motive to kill.

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

ABOUT Truth or Dare
The origins of truth or dare weren’t as well documented or researched as some of the other games used this season. The Wikipedia page refers to entries as early as 1712 describing a game that is similar to truth or dare, although with one person being in control. Certainly, it isn’t a leap to see this as a social party game in the era preceding television and radio. The most interesting entries I came across were on the social platform Quora where the question was asked…what’s the farthest you’ve ever taken Truth or Dare. The posts responding themed on creative nudity and sex and not, thankfully, murder.

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.
www.frankzafiro.com

M2D4 Toe Tag: The Big Lie by Gabriel Valjan

TG Wolff

The Big Lie is PI mystery. PI Shane Cleary is a popular guy. Everyone wants a favor from him. An MIA standard poodle, Latin tutoring for a mafioso’s niece, pro bono work for a grand larceny defense, and a background check as SOP for getting serious. It’s going to take the help of friends and enemies to keep all these balls in the air.    

Bottom line: The Big Lie is for you if you like stories where the pacing keeps up with the PI’s fast talking.

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

Shane Cleary is juggling four jobs plus keeping off his girlfriend’s shit list. It’s a lot for anyone. One of the strengths of THE BIG LIE is the skill with which author Gabriel Valjan lets us know exactly where we are at all times. He distinctly draws the characters making it easy for readers to differentiate between the cases.

Shane as a character is well developed both with a full back history in Vietnam and with the Boston PD and a more recent history such as with this girlfriend, friends, cat, and answering service. He is a character readers can get behind, working from the moral high ground that lets him make hard and sometimes painful decisions.

The story is set in a colorful Boston. It is not set in modern time, but I could not find reference to a year. Based on Shane having (and hating) a beeper, his having been in Viet Nam and worked for Boston PD, and a reference to punter Ray Guy, it seems to be set late 1970s to early 1980s. Shane navigating Boston’s segregated Irish, Italian, Black, and Jewish communities adds a layer of complexity to his tasks that ups the stakes and heightens the entertainment. You can add the Boston PD hating Shane to the complications.

This is the 5th book in the Shane Cleary Mystery series. I have not read the previous four. This can be read as a stand-alone as the mysteries Shane signs up for do not seem to be carried over from previous books. Character carryover is managed well with backstory snippets that get us what we need to know without dragging down in synopsis.

When looking at the logic of the story lines and the role Shane has in resolving them, we have to look individually. Shane outsources the Latin tutoring and the background check, making his role more of a facilitator. The missing dog story had a strong, simple logic. Shane uses his talents with the missing dog case to get people beyond the fear of the dog’s owner to be helpful. There was one spot that had me raising an eyebrow but the resolution is good without being predictable.

The grand larceny case showed excellent detective skills and definitely would have died without Shane pushing at apparent dead ends. The logic of the criminal action is more complicated here. I ended up with a few questions about the setup, which happened before Shane was involved. The logic of Shane’s actions is strong. He does his job, providing the defense with what it needs to combat a lazy if not corrupt PD, then wipes his hands, leaving it to the lawyers to pick up the work of charging the guilty party.

Overall, The Big Lie, the 5th in the Shane Cleary Mysteries, was a highly enjoyable, entertaining read. Readers who prefer the fast pacing that comes with getting four stories in one book will keep the pages turning on this one.

About Gabriel Valjan

Gabriel Valjan is the Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, Silver Falchion and Shamus nominated author of the Shane Cleary mystery series with Level Best Books. He received the 2021 Macavity Award for Best Short Story. Gabriel is a member of ITW, MWA, and Sisters in Crime. He is a regular contributor to the Criminal Minds blog. He lives in Boston’s South End and answers to a tuxedo cat named Munchkin.

https://gabrielvaljan.com/

M2D4 S7E14: Sorry Not Sorry by Kathleen Marple Kalb

TG Wolff

For historian Christian Shaw, nothing ruins Family Game Night faster than murder. Prosector Joe Poli Dead is late joining the game night when he has to work regarding the death of Sandra Kule, one of the heirs and working owners of Kule Ice Cream. The suspects, let’s just say they’re all in the family. The police like her sister Barb for the deed, but Joe isn’t so sure. Now Christian is using her specialized knowledge to root out the truth.

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

ABOUT Sorry
The game Sorry was created in England in the late 1920s by William Henry Storey, who registered it as a trademark in the UK in 1920 and receive a US patent in Aug 1930. The patent link is in the show notes. The patents describes in detail the parts of the board, the men, the cards, and how to play. Mr. Storey went on to say “the above apparatus used as above described is calculated and has been proved by experience to be a prolific source of amusement and provides a game which calls for the exercise of a great deal of judgment while being dependent in a measure on an uncertain factor such as is calculated to add to the excitement of the game, though due to the choice of moves allowed when certain cards are turned up, the influence of the element of chance as a determining factor is much reduced in comparison with the skill exercised by a player in choosing his moves.”

Several sources cite the Indian game Pachisi as inspiration or basis for Sorry. The link to the Wikipedia page is in the shownotes. Rather than a square board, Pachisi uses a cross-shaped board. The goal is to move all of your pieces onto and around the board before the other players. The number of spaces moved is determined by throwing shells and counting how many land upright. There are several variations of the game, some dating back to 1100-800 BC.

Rabbit Hole Material:
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1903661.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorry!_(game)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachisi

ABOUT Kathleen Marple Kalb
https://kathleenmarplekalb.com
Kathleen Marple Kalb describes herself as an Author/Anchor/Mom…not in that order. An award-winning weekend anchor at New York’s 1010 WINS Radio, she writes short stories and novels including the Ella Shane and Old Stuff mysteries, both from Level Best Books. As Nikki Knight, she writes the Grace the Hit Mom and Vermont Radio mysteries. Her stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly, online, and in anthologies, and been short-listed for Derringer and Black Orchid Novella Awards. She, her husband, and son live in a Connecticut house owned by their cat.

SORRY NOT SORRY is part of Kathleen’s Old Stuff Mystery series. When Hollywood comes to a small Connecticut town, it should be the stuff of dreams…but a fading movie star drops dead on-set and a whole different kind of stuff hits the fan. Historian Christian Shaw uses her knowledge of old things to track the killer in THE STUFF OF MURDER, Kathleen Marple Kalb’s new Old Stuff Mystery, out now from Level Best Books.

M2D4 Toe Tag: Some Kind of Truth by Westley Smith

TG Wolff

Some Kind of Truth is a dark thriller. Pittsburgh Tribune reporter Steve James made a name for himself by digging up the kind of dirt some people want to keep buried. When a package containing a driver’s license and violent video is delivered to him, it’s clear some anonymous person wants him to put his skills to use. Rebecca Ann Turner was sixteen when she was last seen in 1999.

Bottom line: Some Kind of Truth is for you if you like gritty mysteries where no ending could be called a good ending.

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

Strengths of the story. The leading strength of Some Kind of Truth is the storytelling style. We readers are there alongside Steve James as sussed out clues that were overlooked, under investigated, or not available during the original investigation. With assistance by local reporter Amy Richards, Steve is able to reinterview key witnesses, giving us firsthand information. With solid pacing and excellent chapter development, I found this one to be one where I kept turning the page, wanting to learn more.

Some Kind of Truth is a stand-alone novel and not part of a series. Steve James is a good, lead character. He is an established professional but one that is haunted by his capture by the Taliban after 9/11. His history has a role in his decision making, which is the flaw that makes him human. Amy Richards is more partner than assistant and, though they are of a similar (unspecified) age, she clearly lacks Steve’s experience. She is a good counterpoint to Steve, having the connections and local knowledge needed to supplement his broader investigative skills. The supporting characters each play a needed role and display a range of emotions, which makes them individuals rather than flat bit players.

The premise for the story is 16-year-old Rebecca Turner went to a party with a friend and wasn’t seen again. The friend reported she left around midnight; her car was found in a field wiped clean. Through the course of his investigation, Steve learns five other girls were kidnapped and abused in a similar manner to Rebecca. These other girls have a connection to a S&M magazine that owned by a money launderer. It is this connection that uniquely positions Steve to solve the cases. This was a cleverly devised plot that Steve unpeeled one layer at a time.

The events of 25-years ago are logical in a hard-crime sense. The modern events unfolded also are logical and are driven by Steve. The resources he has as a crime reporter, his experience in other tough investigations, and his determination to find out what happened to Rebecca drive the story forward to an unexpected but engaging end.

Where the story fell short of ideal: The story as it unfolds from the first page to the last is logical and satisfying. However, I found myself with questions about actions of the supporting characters before Steve becomes involved. Questions that, depending on the answer, either have no impact on the story or change it completely.

Some Kind of Truth is classified as a thriller, a kidnapping thriller, and serial killer novel. All of which are accurate. If your tastes in mysteries and thriller run to the darker side of the spectrum, you will enjoy this one.

MEET WESTLEY SMITH

http://www.facebook.com/westleysmith100

Westley Smith had his first short story, Off to War, published when he was just sixteen. Recently, he has had short stories featured in On the Premise, Unveiling Nightmares, and Crystal Lake Entertainment. He was the runner-up contestant in the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine’s “Mysterious Photograph Contest,” where his name was featured in the magazine. He sold his debut thriller, Some Kind of Truth, to Wicked House Publishing, it was released on February 2nd, 2024.

M2D4 S7E13 Right Hand Dripping Blood Red by Jason Little

TG Wolff

An international Twister competition is drawing the game’s elite to Schamberg, IL. Among the headliners are the returning champion The Garbage Man, Mister Twister, Knockout_Kitty, and The Spinner Doctor. When one of the competitors is found murdered, his right hand in a pool of blood, Detective Sam Carlisle has to separate fact from bravado to bring a killer to justice.

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

ABOUT Twister
The game Twister was created with the original name of Pretzel in 1966. Working for the Guyer Company, toy designer Charles Foley and graphic designer Neil Rabens combined ideas for a game where people were the pieces and a colorful mat concept into a game that is very much the one we know today. Foley and Rabens, with the support of their employer, applied for and received a patent, which was granted in 1969. Milton Bradley was approached for production, who took on the project but renamed it to Twister. Twister faced some controversy from critics claiming it was “sex in a box.” Twister withstood challenges, expanding sales throughout the world. In 2015, Twister was inducted into The Strong National Museum of Play. Fun fact from the museum of play website, The official Guinness Book of World Records temporarily banned the Twister category “most contestants” after the University of Massachusetts in Amherst’s massive Twister game involving 4,160 players in 1987. Guinness cited “evidence of officiating inconsistencies.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twister_(game)
https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/twister/

ABOUT Jason Little
JasonLittleWriting.com
Jason Little has spent the majority of his working years in sales and marketing. He currently sells life insurance, where he gets to talk to people about their imminent demise for a steady paycheck. He loves to delve into the human condition and writes in a variety of genres from science fiction and horror to mystery and suspense. When he isn’t writing, Jason has a VR headset strapped to his face or he is sweating to a fitness challenge like 75 Hard. He actively discusses work/life/writing balance, the writing process and other miscellany at JasonLittleWriting.com. He is a native of Michigan and currently resides in Texas.

M2D4 Toe Tag: Lines of Deception by Steve Anderson

TG Wolff

Lines of Deception is a thriller. Max Kaspar is finding a new kind of normal in post-war Munich, Germany. He has his club, he has his customers, and he has his brother’s ear. In a purple box. Now Max is on a mission to save his younger brother, who is on a mission to save someone the Soviets have and the Americans want. Allies and enemies, no one can be trusted.  

Bottom line: Lines of Deception is for you if you like seat of your pants thrillers woven into the complicated world of post-war II Europe.

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

Strengths of the story. The post-WWII setting takes center stage. This isn’t a story generically set in 1949 or in one city but is a thriller woven through a variety cities and countries, occupied by multiple allied countries. Miles are crossed on trains, in trucks, and on foot. The food is lackluster, the PTSD rampant. Yes, Lines of Deception has an incredibly rich setting.

This is the fourth book in the Kaspar Brothers series. As such, both Max and his brother Harry are well developed characters. Max leads the storytelling in this one. He stays true to his nature from start to finish. The side characters, good and bad, are well created and easy to keep track of. Max, Harry, and friends are constantly in danger of being discovered.

Max drives the story until he achieves his goal of finding Harry. The baton of the decision making lead then passes to Harry. Together Max and Harry do drive the story. If at any point they made different decisions, the story would have ended.

At the end, looking from back to front, the logic holds. This is a missing person type thriller without the elements of “switchbacks” that can weaken logic in political thrillers. I appreciated that at the end of the book, Max and Harry recapped the logic line, making me a very happy reader.

Where the story fell short of ideal: I didn’t find much to pick on here. Perhaps thriller readers who prefer fire fights, explosions, and stunt people might find this one a bit staid. I, myself, did not. The thrills were just right for the time period.

Meet Steve Anderson

Steve Anderson is the author of numerous novels, mostly historical thrillers about gutsy underdogs. In an earlier life he earned an MA in history and was a Fulbright Fellow in Germany. Day jobs have included busy waiter, Associated Press rookie, and language instructor. He’s also written historical nonfiction and translated bestselling German novels. Lines of Deception is fourth in his Kaspar Brothers series but can be read as a standalone. A hopeless soccer addict, he lives in his hometown of Portland, Oregon with his wife René.

http://www.stephenfanderson.com/

Meet Partners in Crime

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 S7E12: A Tarotfying End by TG Wolff

TG Wolff

In the town of Bonbanni, Louisianna, magic is a way of life. When murder intrudes, Lt. Pierre-Luc “Mystic” Fountineau uses the vast skills at his disposal to determine who or what caused a young woman to fall to her death.

Listen here or where you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

ABOUT Tarot
Tarot cards date back to the 15th century where they were used in various parts of Europe to play card games. The earliest references date to the 1440s and 1450s and the region of the northern cities of Venice, Milan, Florence, and Urbino. According to a 2016 article posted by Tim Husband, curator, Department of Medieval Art and The Cloister with the Met Museum, the complicated nature of the tarot game points to the origins of the game being decades older. Tarot is a trick taking game and the rules have not changed significantly since the 15th century.
According to Wikipedia, it was in the late 18th century that tarot gained its association with fortune-telling thanks to French occultists. Unsubstantiated claims began being made about the meaning of the cards. These cards began with Antoine Court and Jean-Baptiste Alliette in Paris. Alliette, who also went by the name Etteilla, is credited with first creating an adapted tarot set specifically for occult purposed around 1789. Modern derivatives of these decks are the only ones available in English speaking countries. There is a lot to learn about both types of tarot cards. Check out the links to dive down your own rabbit hole.

https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/in-season/2016/tarot
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarot

ABOUT TG Wolff

Like you, I’m not one thing. I’m a writer, an engineer, a wife, and a mother. What is first on the list depends on the day. Beyond the title I claim, I’m a person who loves learning and thoroughly enjoys a good puzzle, is creative and gets bored easily. I hold a BS in Civil Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and an MS in Civil Engineering from Cleveland State University, which gives me absolutely no background in writing, but I do it anyway. Writing mysteries and engineering isn’t as different as you’d think. Both require using logic and process to get from a starting problem to a solution.


A special thank you to Ed Teja whose work editing this episode made it better.
Find me at www.tgwolff.com

M2D4 Toe Tag: The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons by CJ Abazis

TG Wolff

The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons is a serial killer story. Death has again found Interpol Chief Data Scientist Dr. Manos Manu. Hot air balloon pilots are being murdered in the United Arab Emirates, frozen to death high above the earth. Manos is dispatched to Dubai to support analysis by a software he led the creation of. But to generate correct answers, the software needs data, data that hides in the dark traits of men.

Bottom line: The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons is for you if you love high-tech code nearly as much as you love mysteries.

Listen to the mystery set up chapters here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

Strengths of the story. The greatest strength of this story is the expert detail presented in the development, testing, and augmentation of machine learning systems. In his day job, CJ Abazis runs a software company and his expertise shines through here. The Machine Murders isn’t the typical high-level use of IT common in television shows like NCIS or Criminal Minds. Instead, the program is a rich as character as any of the humans and the language is true to life.

Much of this story is set in the Emirates. I found it to be a new and fresh scene, with texture and depth that supplemented the mystery. The justaposition of the uber high-tech with the traditional Arab culture made for fascinating reading. I cannot comment on how accurate Abazis’ representation of the culture was, just that it was well developed and added to the story.

The Machine Murders is structured as an extended story told in two parts. The first, Island Buoys, kicks off the story of Dr. Manos Manu and the use of machine learning models to hunt for the killer. The second, this story called Desert Balloons, picks up shortly after the end of the first. I have not read the first. The author does introduce the continuing Interpol characters and software basics to new readers. I do wonder if the machine learning would have been easier to follow if I had read Island Buoys.      

As to how the logic stands up from the finish looking back, the result is fair. This is a mystery where the solution isn’t driven by testimony or evidence. The machine does the reasoning, using the additional information Manos identifies. We aren’t privy to actions or history of the suspects to be able to assess the logic of the solution and, as such, have the rely on the results from the computer system as correct. Manos confronts the killer, giving readers a satisfying end that the guilty party was found, but I was left with questions.

Overall, the pacing of the story did well to hold my attention. There were a few sections where I did not follow the change from one scene to another. While these ultimately did not affect the outcome of the story, I was pulled out of it as I went back to re-read. The thriller elements were written to align with a main character that was a chief data scientist, with Manos using his brains rather than fighting he way out of situations.

While the greatest strength of the story is the detail of machine learning, it is also the element that makes its less than accessible for some readers, including myself. Being an average technology end user at best, I simply could not follow the directions given to modify the code or or appreciate the results it generated.  

The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons is unique in the mystery world for making the software itself a main character and is a must read for lovers of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and systems programming.

The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.

About CJ Abazis

CJ Abazis manages a software company in Athens, Greece. His Machine Murders stories were written in Greek and translated to English. You can find out more about the stories on CJ’s website and social media outlets.

www.TheMachineMurders.com