Tag: TG Wolff

Book Review: Maximum Pressure

TG Wolff

Maximum Pressureis an amateur sleuth mystery. Handwriting expert Claudia Rose is headed to her 25-year high school reunion and a cold case. Lucy Valentine was a junior when she walked out of the high school and was never seen again … but she did leave a note. Now, her ex-boyfriend and current filmmaker Matt Macedo is making a documentary and enlisting Claudia’s help. As they start interviewing people, the reluctant witnesses reveal there was much more going on than a girl unhappy at school.

Bottom line: Maximum Pressure is for you if you like cold case mysteries where there is more than meets the eye.

Hear me read the first 3 chapters on Mysteries to Die For podcast to sample the pressure and decide if this one is for you!

M2D4 Podcast Toe Tag

The note Lucy Valentine left has always been a point of confusion for Lucy’s mother and now for Claudia. After examining the original, Claudia doubts everything about the note—from the message to the hand that wrote it. Twisted with Lucy Valentine’s cold case is the very fresh case of the death of Josh Dickson. Claudia finds the body of the former teacher and driver’s ed instructor at the bottom of the high school swimming pool. What is first chocked up to the sad result of too much alcohol is determined to be murder. Claudia decides to quietly ask questions to figure out exactly who was where that evening.

Claudia is our storyteller and our detective. She straddles a line between an amateur detective and an expert detective. She isn’t a cop, though she is married to one, but she is an expert in handwriting and is frequently consulted and testifies in civil and criminal court cases. Claudia knows the rules of policing and generally follows them; she is not a renegade type of character. But she has friends and isn’t afraid to use them, which makes her a resourceful detective.

As a mystery, MAXIMUM PRESSURE falls into the “ride along” category. Perhaps because this is a cold case, the clues and suspects evolve as Claudia discovers them. One of my favorite things about the book is that we do generally know everything Claudia knows. This is a pet peeve of mine, when narrators withhold information, and so I was very happy that Claudia was not that kind of narrator. Overall the pace is deliberate, taking the time to interview the witnesses in a way mystery lovers will be accustomed to.

Standing at the end and looking to the front, overall, the logic holds up. For Claudia, this was a straightforward, Point A to Point Z investigation, but then she was looking at it 26 years after the fact. Going back to the original events, I do have some questions related to timing and sequence, but what happened, why, and what happened after are solid.

MAXIMUM PRESSURE is the 9th book in the Claudia Rose series. It is the first I have read. This does work as a stand alone or a good place to jump into the series because the case largely takes place away from Claudia’s normal turf. The scenes with her husband are brief and point to their current relationship, backstory not required.

Overall, MAXIMUM PRESSURE and Claudia Rose was an enjoyable read. It kept my attention and read quickly in just a few sittings. Definitely recommended for ride-along and cold case mystery lovers and anyone looking for a new series to sink their teeth into.

Toe Tag: Dying to Know by Tj O’Connor

TG Wolff

Dying to Know is a paranormal mystery. Police detective Oliver “Tuck” Tucker is dead, killed in his own home. While his body is gone, his spirit remains, but to do what? Solve his murder? Protect his wife? Figure out why his best friend and partner is hiding evidence? So much to do,  so little idea how to do it.

Bottom line: Dying to Know is for you if you like mysteries told in a new and unexpected way.

Listen to chapters 1 and 2 here or wherever you find Mysteries to Die For Podcast

Subscribe to our NEW podcast website! Check out m2d4podcast.com for all the season’s episodes, the toe tags, and our amazing array of authors.

About Tj O’Connor

Tj O’Connor is an award-winning author of mysteries and thrillers. He’s an international security consultant specializing in anti-terrorism, investigations, and threat analysis—life experiences that drive his novels. As a government agent and years as a consultant, he has lived and worked throughout many countries in the European Union and the Americas. In his spare time, he’s a Harley Davidson pilot, a man-about-dogs (and now cats), and a lover of adventure, cooking, and good spirits (both kinds).

Catch Up With Tj O’Connor: tjoconnor.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 for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website www.partnersincrimetours.com

Toe Tag: The Chemical Detective by Fiona Erskine

TG Wolff

The Chemical Detective is a thriller. Dr. Jaqueline Silver, who answers to Jaq, is a chemical engineer putting her considerable talents to work keeping the alpine slopes avalanche free by detonating controlled explosions. When she notices an anomaly in the explosives delivery, she pulls unwittingly on a house of cards and brings down a whole lot more than snow.

Bottom line: The Chemical Detective is for you if you like heroes chill and your thrills explosive

Listen to the first sections and the full review here, on our new website m2d4podcast.com, or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

The Chemical Detective was released in the UK in 2019 and released here in the States in August 2024, is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON.

About Fiona Erskine

fionaerskine.com

Fiona Erskine is a professional engineer. Based in the north of England and working internationally, she has often been the lone representative of her gender in board meetings, cargo ships and night-time factories. Her fiction offers a fascinating insight into the traditionally male world of heavy industry. Fiona’s stand-alone portrait of a Scottish factory, Phosphate Rocks: A Death In Ten Objects, made the UK Literary Review’s top ten crime novels of 2021. Her latest series introduces DI Cadell in a cyber thriller  – Losing Control: Terror in Teesside. Fiona is passionate about music and outdoor swimming, though not generally at the same time.

There will be a ONE WEEK US Kindle Countdown deal on Phosphate Rocks (my best book!). It’ll be $0.99 from Sunday, February 2 to Sunday, February 9th, 2025. 

About 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

Book Review: Betrayal by Ed Teja

TG Wolff

Betrayal is a thriller. Corporal Tina Clarke received a medical discharge from the Army. She didn’t want it or need it, but there she is, back in Kingman, AZ with no options, no future, and one friend who has problems of her own. A lawyer for everyman, Bobby Black, thinks Tina has potential and if she can get out from under the Army’s eye, she just might make something out of this hole she’s in.

Bottom line: Betrayal is for you if you like thrillers at an “every day” level where underdogs have heroes, too.

This is the origin story. We know Tina Clarke’s Army experience does not match working in the motor pool as her official papers show. But what exactly she did, well, that’s classified. We know she was unceremoniously discharged and returned to her point of origin: Kingman, AZ. Without an official transition, Tina has nothing but a high school BFF who is living on the lower side of life and a lawyer who gave us the high stakes game to work from a storefront.

The characters are intelligently crafted, allowing room to grow as the series develops. Tina has her secrets and is trying to figure out the game being played and who can be trusted. The lawyer, Bobby Black, is shrewd, bold, and comes at cases from all angles, even those less than legal. Beryl is the BFF who grew up to be a diner waitress who sells drugs for the local gang, Kingman Roughnecks while trying to avoid questions about her recently deceased boyfriend from the gang, the cops, and Tina. The cast of characters includes a detective trying to solve the case of a drug buy gone very wrong and the head of biker gang working to get his money and the product while keeping control of his gang. Every character is out for their own goal…maybe with the exception of Bobby. He is the white knight in the sea of gray.

The thrill comes from the conflict created when the goals of these characters collide. Tina is, to some extent, caught in the middle. Not one to run and hide, she decides to fight her way out.

The logic of this holds well. The characters act according to their primary goals and it’s a matter of who is going to come out on top. The pacing of the story is a bit slower than typical in a thriller. I chalk this up to being an origin story, which builds the backstory and motivation for the lead character to become the hero.

This is the first book in the series and was an easy read. The characters were easy to distinguish (something I often struggle with) which added to my enjoyment.

5-Star Book Reviews for 2024

TG Wolff

I am fortunate in that the Toe Tags I do as part of Mysteries To Die For exposes me to many authors and titles I wouldn’t ordinarily find on my own. Add to that list the books that are recommended by other readers and the ones my husband gives me and, well, I read a lot of mystery, crime fiction, and thrillers. This post contains those that I gave 5 start ratings to. To earn 5 stars from me, a story has to have flawless logic, no loose ends, great characters, and, of course, be entertaining. Happy Reading Detectives!

M2D4 S7E23 Rock Paper Scissors Shoot by Jack Wolff

TG Wolff

Detective Connolly is back. This time he’s dying to meet Staniel Purquees. The problem is the fungus king is dead. The four suspects have been sequestered in a hangar in dire straits. To survive, Connolly has to deduce the role each has played – rock, paper, or scissors – to find the killer known as shoot.

Listen here or wherever you find Mysteries to Die For podcast.

Book Review: No Room to Hide by Carol Light

TG Wolff

No Room to Hide is a cozy mystery. Crystal Ward is a professional organizer. Her latest client, Eva Rolfe, hired Crys for her de-cluttering skills but really wants her expertise-amateur sleuthing. The Victorian home Eva and her partner are flipping has a history and Crys is asked to suss out the truth that could make or break their bottomline.

Bottom line: No Room to Hide is for you if cozy mysteries and cold cases are the perfect ways to warm your Autumn nights.

The star of this show is Crys Ward. She is a charming mix of curious and practical that first gets her into trouble and then gets her out. I both liked and respected her as our detective because she didn’t let a good lead die, but she also wasn’t foolishly rushing into proverbial dark alleys. Her husband, Rick, a Chicago PD financial crimes detective, is a nice balance to her. His position gives Crys the connection to the police every good cozy detective needs while being different enough that they aren’t trampling over each other. His often grumpy disposition was a fun comic relief.

There are several storylines here nicely woven together. We have the original job Crys is hired for – going through boxes salvaged from an attic. Then there is the potential that a famed suffragist lived in the house which could make it a historic landmark. And we can’t forget the young mother who put her son to bed and disappeared from the house some 30 years ago. There’s the drama around the restoration of the house itself including interesting characters from the local board. Finally, there’s a little antagonist action with a reporter who is splashing Crys’s life on the front page. One reason I think these worked together so well is because they are all related. Where in other books, you might feel like you are jumping around from one storyline to another, you don’t get that feel here. The transitions are smooth and reasonable.

Standing at the end of the story and looking to the beginning, I did have a few questions, primarily related to the bad guy. The logic of Crys’s actions were solid as she followed the trail paved by her client Eva and her own intuition. Eva is a little more difficult to figure out but that’s intentional and part of the fun. Crys made significant contributions to the story continuing forward. Often her role was more of advisor as Eva was deciding to continue to end the project. In the end, the bad guy asserted control, creating a nice little thriller moment.

The entertainment value on No Room to Hide is high. It is a fun read at just the right pace to hold your attention. This is the fourth book in the series and I have not read the others. With the majority of this story focused on the mystery, I did not feel like I was missing information or backstory needed to enjoy the book. In my opinion, new readers are good to start here.

M2D4 E21: Death by Candy Land by Kyra Jacobs

TG Wolff

Mic Garcia loves Halloween. In his most elaborate party theme ever, he transformed his back yard into the beloved game world of Candy Land. But all is not well inside Gumdrop Mountain and Sheriff Cantalone has to figure out who gummed up this Halloween party.

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For Podcast

Meet Kyra Jacobs

Kyra Jacobs is an extroverted introvert who writes of love, humor, and mystery in the Midwest and beyond. When this Hoosier native isn’t pounding out scenes for her next book, she’s likely outside, elbow-deep in snapdragons or spending quality time with her sports-loving family. Kyra also loves to read, tries to golf, and is an avid college football fan. Connect with her on social media, links can be found on her website at http://kyrajacobsbooks.com

M2D4 Toe Tag: On The Horns of Death by Eleanor Kuhns

TG Wolff

On the Horns of Death is historical mystery. Sixteen-year-old Martis volunteers as a bull dancer in Knossos on the isle of Crete. An ordinary day of practice turns dark when she discovers the body of another dancer inside a bullpen. But why would he climb into the pen? Answer: murder.

Bottom line: On the Horns of Death is for you if you like amateur sleuths and the rich sights, scents, and sounds of Ancient Greece.

Listen to the first chapter and full review here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcasts

The On the Horns of Death was released from Severn House and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON and other book retailers.

About Eleanor Kuhns
www.eleanor-kuhns.com

Eleanor Kuhns is a previous winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel competition for A Simple Murder. The author of eleven Will Rees mysteries, she is now a full-time writer after a successful career as the Assistant Director at the Goshen Public Library in Orange County, New York.

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 for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com

M2D4 S7E20 Get A Clue by Chuck Brownman

TG Wolff

Toy store owner Andy Clay is called to the scene of a murder. Detective Lansing is up to his ears in suspects, rooms, and weapons. And like it or not—and he does not—he needs Andy’s expert help to make a spot on accusation. The body belonged to Gene Dockary. He died in the library with a rope. Everyone seemed to have a reason to want Dockary dead. His wife. His investors. His business partner. Even the people who owned the inn where he died weren’t particularly fond of him. So many suspects…so little time.

ABOUT Clue

The game of Clue had a simple beginning. Anthony Pratt, a British factory worker and musician, created a way to pass the time in air raid bunkers during WWII that took the concept of a game he played at parties and reduced it to a board. In the game called Murder, players would run around the host houses, sneaking up on other players, who would scream and “die”. In turning into a board game, Mr. Pratt borrowed the dice and token moving action of Lido (think of the game Sorry) and the detective novel concepts of suspect, weapon, and location. During the years of 1943 – 1945, Mr. Pratt and his wife, Elva designed the game board and the rules.Mr. Pratt patented the game and sold it to Waddington’s in the UK and Parker Brothers in the US.

Interesting tidbits:

  • The game was released as Cluedo in England but Clue in the US as Lido wasn’t / isn’t a well know game here
  • Pratt’s original concept had four more characters: Mr. Brown, Mr. Gold, Miss Grey, and Mrs. Silver. Nurse White was renamed to Mrs. White and Colonel Yellow renamed Colonel Mustard.
  • The original concept had two additional rooms: the gun room and the cellar
  • The original concept had some different weapons including a bomb, syringe, shillelagh (which is a wooden walking stick), a fireplace poker.
  • Differenced between UK and US editions including lead piping vs lead pipe, spanner vs wrench, and dagger vs knife
  • In the UK, the victim ws known as Mr. Black. In the states, he was Mr. Boddy. In the 2023 update by Hasbro, the victim is known as Mr. Boden “Boddy” Black, Jr.

Unlike some of the other games we’ve featured, Clue was constantly updated for the times. The rules of the game stayed basically the same but the character depictions, like on the box cover, were updated for the styles and tends of the times. Characters were given back stories and some had major career changes. There is a lot more to the history of the game Clue. Check out the links in the shownotes.

https://www.history.com/news/clue-game-origin-wwii
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluedo#:~:text=Cluedo%20(%2F%CB%88klu%CB%90,the%20United%20Kingdom%20in%201949.

ABOUT Chuck Brownman

Chuck Brownman has spent the last twenty-five-plus years working on becoming an “overnight writing sensation.” Concentrating on writing mystery / suspense short fiction, his work has been published in several anthologies, including those listed at the top of the episode. In his “real life,” Chuck is a Houston-based corporate and energy attorney, advising and working for some of the country’s most entrepreneurial companies. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law, and has spoken at legal seminars for many years.