Tag: TG Wolff

Book Review: Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton

TG Wolff

Talking to Strangers is a women’s mystery. Karen Simmons lives the life of a vibrant, sexually healthy woman in her 40s. Her murder on Valentine’s Day draws together three unlikely allies. Detective Elise King and her sergeant conduct a police investigation. Small town reporter Kiki had featured Karen in a story. A grieving mother, Annie’s 8-yr old son died in the same forest 16-years prior. It will take all of them to find the solution to Karen’s murder.

Bottom line: Talking to Strangers is for you if you like mysteries woven into the real-life drama of the modern middle-aged woman.

The strength of Talking To Strangers is the storytelling style. This is a book in three-parts, with no part more or less important than the others. A well-balanced story, the narrators are distinct and individualistic. Karen’s death is the mechanism used to explore different but real-life challenges common in the lives of women in their 40s and beyond.

Elise is the police detective who is facing the one-year anniversary of her breast cancer diagnosis. Still recovering mentally and physically from a mastectomy and chemo, she’s working to get back to the person she was. Life suddenly looks up when a sexy new neighbor moves in.

Kiki is the journalist who gave up the big city job when she became a single mom. Now with her daughter turning 13, Kiki longs for stories bigger than the small town paper she works for. Her current feature is on the dating scene for women in their 40s and her star is Karen Simmons. Karen’s death spurs her to dig deeper, unearthing a group of twisted men who treat dating as a dirty sport.

Annie is a wife and a mother. Sixteen years ago, her two boys were playing in the forest. Only one came home. A man was arrested for his murder, but he suicided in police custody and Annie never got the answers she needed. When Karen’s murder makes the news, Annie recognizes her as the woman who cut the family’s hair in their old town. Feelings buried, memories recessed boil to the surface, driving Annie to act for Karen, for her lost son, for herself.

In the same age group, the three women have different lifestyles. Themes of loneliness and surviving mental and/or physical trauma are part of each story.

The mystery is a challenge to review. There is little evidence for Elise and Kiki to work with. The suspects are derived from Karen’s dating life and one by one, explored and eliminated until there is only one remaining. I did not think the same level of detail was given to exploring background and alibi of the last person standing as was given to the others. At the end of the book, I was left with a number of questions, which were answered in the epilogue. While this made for a feeling of closure, it highlighted that the story was not really finished when the book ended.

TALKING TO STRANGERS was very well written and the stories of the three narrating women were engaging. This was listed on Amazon as Women’s Crime Fiction, Women’s Psychological Fiction, and Psychological Thriller. The common theme is this book was written for women and their experiences in their 40s and beyond. This is stronger as a women’s fiction story than a mystery, but all around enjoyable.

M2D4 Toe Tag: Rogues & Patriots by Patrick H. Moore

TG Wolff

Rogues & Patriots is an PI thriller. Los Angeles PI Nick Crane does a friend a favor by taking on the two-headed case of investigating the murder of a Confidential Informant and saving his young daughters from the horrors of the juvenile immigration. But his time isn’t his own as an underground group of vigilantes are after him and something they think he possesses.

Bottom line: Rogues & Patriots is for you if you like ballsy private investigators, conspiracy thrillers, and blurred lines between the good guys and the bad.

Listen to Chapters 1 & 2 with our full review here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For Podcast

About Patrick H. Moore

Patrick H. Moore is a Los Angeles based investigator, sentencing mitigation specialist, and crime writer. In the field since 2003, he has worked in virtually all areas including drug trafficking, sex crimes, crimes of violence, and white-collar fraud. Mastering this job, which combines art, science, and intuition, has given Patrick the tools to write realistic crime fiction that depicts the unpredictable and violent world of cops, convicts, prosecutors and defense attorneys. Rogues & Patriots was the second in a three-part series in which veteran Los Angeles private investigator Nick Crane battles a group of aristocratic domestic terrorists known as the “principals.”

patrickhmoorewriter.com

Rogues & Patriots was released from Down & Out Books and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON and other book retailers.

M2D4 S7E19: In a Pickle by Kaye George

TG Wolff

The community pickleball court is directly below Harvey and Melaine’s cosy hillside home. While Harvey is furious over the game, Melaine is curious. He speaks out against it while she secretly begins playing it. But things get out of hand for both of them. Now Harvey is dead and the evidence is pointing to Melaine. She needs your help to get out of this pickle.

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

MEET Kaye George

Kaye George is an award-winning novelist and short-story writer who writes cozy and traditional mysteries and a prehistory series, which are both traditionally and self-published. Her two cozy series are Fat Cat and Vintage Sweets. The two traditional series feature Cressa Carraway and Imogene Duckworthy. The People of the Wind prehistory mysteries take place within a Neanderthal tribe. She has a suspense novel coming out in early 2025 called SOMEONE IS OUT THERE. About 50 or more short stories have also been published, mostly in anthologies and magazines. With family scattered all over the globe, she makes her home in Knoxville TN.

Find her at her website and these social site:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaye.george

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4037415.Kaye_George

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004CFRJ76

Authors Guild of Tennessee: https://authorsguildoftn.org/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kaye-george

M2D4 Toe Tag: The Guest House by Bonnie Traymore

TG Wolff

The Guest House is psychological thriller. Allie Dawson is on the ride of a lifetime. Her brainchild for a voice-to-caption product has received preliminary funding. But moving from Milwaukee to Silicon Valley has brought more than the expected challenges of getting a new product to market. She’s moved into a guest house where the rent was too good to be true. That should have been the first clue.

Bottom line: The Guest House is for you if you like female-centric stories where thrill and mystery are mechanisms for character growth.

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

About Bonnie Traymore

Bonnie Traymore is the award-winning, Amazon bestselling author of page-turner mystery/thrillers that hit close to home. Her books feature strong but relatable female protagonists. The plots explore difficult topics such as jealousy, infidelity, murder, and the impact of psychological disorders, but she also includes bits of romance and humor to lighten the mood from time to time. She has active status member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America.

www.BonnieTraymore.com

M2D4 S7E18: Did Not See That Coming by Ken Harris (part 2)

TG Wolff

PI Steve Rockfish stands in for his partner, Jawnie McGee, at a Women Investigators in Crime conference and lands a cold case. Karen Lazar was eight years old when she disappeared and later found murdered. Now Rockfish and McGee and amateur sleuth Estelle Cummings are digging into the past to unearth answers and more than a few secrets.

This is part 2…the part where Rockfish, McGee, and Estelle pull it all together.

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

M2D4 S7E18: Did Not See That Coming by Ken Harris

TG Wolff

PI Steve Rockfish stands in for his partner, Jawnie McGee, at a Women Investigators in Crime conference and lands a cold case. Karen Lazar was eight years old when she disappeared and later found murdered. Now Rockfish and McGee and amateur sleuth Estelle Cummings are digging into the past to unearth answers and more than a few secrets.

This is a 2-part episode. Listen to part 1 here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast.

ABOUT Ken Harris

Ken Harris retired from the FBI, after thirty-two years, as a cybersecurity executive. With over three decades writing intelligence products for senior Government officials, Ken provides unique perspectives on the conventional fast-paced crime thriller. Ken previously participated in Mysteries to Die For seasons 5 & 6. He is the author of the “From the Case Files of Steve Rockfish” series. He spends days with his wife Nicolita, and two Labradors, Shady and Chalupa Batman. Evenings are spent playing Walkabout Mini Golf and cheering on Philadelphia sports. Ken firmly believes Pink Floyd, Irish whiskey and a Montecristo cigar are the only muses necessary. He is a native of New Jersey and currently resides in Virginia’s Northern Neck.

https://kenharrisfiction.com/

Book Review: South California Purples by Baron Birtcher

TG Wolff

South California Purples is a historical, western mystery. April 1973. Cattle rancher Ty Dawson is getting a late start on Spring Works and things aren’t going well with four of his cows dead. Then the Korean war veteran is tagged to act as the undersheriff when a dispute between a horse trainer and the Bureau of Land Management turns into dangerous spectacle.

Bottom line: South California Purples is for you if you like a strong hero who can use his head as well as a gun  

Baron Birtcher’s writing style can best be described as lyrical. From his description of sunrises, to the land of the Double Diamond ranch, to the people and events of Meridian, Oregon, his style is smooth and sophisticated yet easy to read. Ty Dawson is our narrator, and you pick up the cadence of his speech. If you’re like me and tend to “hear” characters, you’ll enjoy listening to Dawson.

Dawson is a hero. He lives by a code of honor in good times and tough times. That code is put to the test in Sour California Purples and it interesting to watch how he navigates that code while accepting his conscription as undersheriff. We meet his wife, Jesse, and daughter, Cricket, as well as the men who help run the Double D. The “cast” is large enough to support the story without being overwhelming with townsfolk who don’t have a role in this story.

The plot is on the complex end of the spectrum. There are three storylines. The murder of one of Dawson’s ranch hands along with having four of his cows not just killed but blown up. The stand-off between a horse trainer and the federal Bureau of Land Management, which draws in hippie protesters, a documentary film crew, and a violent motorcycle club. The mysterious Blackwood who looks like a biker but acts that something dangerously different. If there is a morale to this story, it is found in the horse trainer whose good intentions to protect the wild horses from a cruel culling is subverted by people with selfish motivations.

South California Purples is the first in the Ty Dawson series. I had read Book 3 (Reckoning) and Book 4 (Knife River) as Toe Tags (Follow links to hear first chapters). It is rare that I come back to the start of a series when I’ve joined mid-stream, but I am very glad I did. Having gotten to know Dawson, his family, and his ranch hands, reading Book 1 was an origin story that added texture and meaning to the allusion of the later books.

There wasn’t much not to like. As I think about the story in the days since I finished it, I have a question or two on the premise and I thought one murder was out of proportion to the rest of the story. These are definitely subjective points and did not detract from my enjoyment.

Overall, this is an excellent opener to the series and is a must read for fans of western mysteries and historical/vintage mysteries.

M2D4 E17: Tether to Drama by Karina Bartow

M2D4 E17: Tether to Drama by Karina Bartow

TG Wolff

Wife, mother, and detective, Minka Avery showed up at the new middle dedication as a wife supporting her husband. When her daughter wanted some playground time, she put on her mom hat and chaperoned. And when she found the body of the drama teacher, Detective Avery was on the job.

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

ABOUT Tetherball
From my favorite source, Wikipedia, and the website Backyard Sidekick traces tetherball back to the late 1800s and early 1900s where it was found on playgrounds. Variations have the game played with hands or with racquets while having the same rules. If you haven’t played, which I haven’t, it is a two player game. Players stand on opposite sides of the pole. One player hits clockwise, the other hits back, counterclockwise. The game ends when one player wraps the line around the pole. There were a surprising number of rules and variations for what seems like a simple game.

ABOUT Karina Bartow
KarinaBartow.com
Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio. Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her. Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want. Her works include Husband in Hiding, Brother of Interest, Accidental Allies, Forgetting My Way Back to You, and Wrong Line, Right Connection. She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!

M2D4 Toe tag: Knife River by Baron Birtcher

TG Wolff

It’s 1976 and Sheriff Ty Dawson has his hands full with Meridian County’s newest resident. Music producer Len Kaanan brought in rock star Ian Swann and with him came a troubled brother, an ornery producer, shady stagehands, property damage, assault, and someone with a more deadly intent. Plus, Ty’s daughter is sweet on the music man.

Bottom line: Knife River is for you if you like stories where you know something bad is going to happen but have no idea which direction it’s coming from.

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

TG Wolff Review

This review is careful not to reveal details of Knife River that will take away from the reader’s own discovery and enjoyment.

There are so many strengths of this story that it is hard to know where to start. The one that sticks out most to me is the storytelling style. This one unfolds thoughtfully, deliberately, and with such terrifying elegance that I was tempted to read through my fingers. Chapter by chapter, the feeling grows that something very bad has happened, was going to happen but where it would come from and who would be the target wasn’t clear.

The language used elevates Knife River to the top of mystery literature. Consider from chapter twenty, “By the time morning arrived, it came so softly that it felt like a eulogy, the underlayment of the clouds glowing like coal embers for only the briefest of moments, soon swallowed by a still and steely sky that stole all but the ambient glow of sunrise.”

Sheriff Ty Dawson is an engaging hero who is easy to root for. A lawman, cattle rancher, and Korean vet, he is a complicated and damaged man who takes life one day at a time. He is grounded by his wife, Jesse, his college age daughter, Cricket, as well as his foreman and the deputies. The cast is close knit, a group who are positive and supportive of each other.

The 1970s and rural Oregon setting of the Ty Dawson Mysteries makes it stand out from the pack. Birtcher displays his prowess by writing with historical accuracy while making it feel as though we were reading a modern telling. In his hands, we are eternally far away from reading a textbook description of the life and times in post-Vietnam. He similarly brings us into the world of cattle ranges and cowboys by taking us along, at the crack of dawn, to ride down strays.

The plot of this story is wonderfully winding when read from the start, as noted. Standing at the end and looking back to page one, it is both twisted and straightforward. Thinking about the story in the days since I finished it, each detail checks back to earlier chapters, making the logic sound.

When considering whether Sheriff Ty Dawson drives the story, the book divides into two parts: pre-murder and post-murder. Prior to the murder, the action of the main plot is driven by the rock star and music producer. Ty inserts himself into those plans to set up a prevent defense ahead of the invasion of ten thousand fans, but he is in a reactive position. After the murder, he shifts to a proactive role, driving the investigation. His tenacity on details is the reason why this murder is solved.

As to where this story fell short of ideal, there isn’t much to pick on. The logic, the pacing, the storytelling are topnotch.

Knife River is the fourth book in the Ty Dawson Mystery series. I read the third, but not the first two. Knife River can be read as a stand alone. The mystery is independent from prior books. Readers who can’t start a series anywhere but at book 1, definitely start there and stay with Ty through Knife River.

About Baron Birtcher

Baron Birtcher is the LA TIMES and IMBA BESTSELLING author of the award-winning Ty Dawson series, the hardboiled Mike Travis series, as well as the stand-alone, RAIN DOGS. He is a winner of the Silver Falchion Award, Killer Nashville Readers Choice Award, and Best Book of the Year Award. Baron’s writing has been hailed as “The real deal” by Publishers Weekly; “Fast Paced and Engaging” by Booklist; and “Solid, Fluent and Thrilling” by Kirkus. Before becoming a full-time writer, Baron Birtcher spent a number of years as a professional musician and founded an independent record label and management company.

M2D4 S7E16: Death in the Billards Room by TG Wolff

TG Wolff

Barrister Anthony Bathurst accepts an invitation as a last minute replacement on the cricket team for Considine Manor. Little did he expect the holiday from working as a lawyer would be the start of him working as a detective.

This is an adaptation of The Billard-Room Mystery by Brian Flynn

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For

ABOUT Billiards

Today we turn to the Games For Fun website to learn about billiards. Billiards includes all sports that are played with a cue stick and billiard balls. Pool (also called pocket billiards), carom billiards, and snooker are categories of billiards. Our story today referred to a billiards table, but it was more accurate to call it a pocket billiards table or a pool table. The Billiard Congress of America reports the game started as an outdoor described as similar to croquet. It was brought indoors as a tabletop game, possibly originating in France. Initially, it retained some of the hoops and sticks of the outdoor game, but those eventually faded. There are many ways to play billiards, ranging from using 3 balls to 22 balls, with and without pockets. Here’s a fun fact: visitors from England taught Americans how to put a spin on the cue ball, explaining why only in America is that spin called “English.” Check out these sources: Games for Fun/ the history of pool and BCA-Pool.com

ABOUT The Billiard Room Mystery by Brian Flynn

The Billiard Room Mystery was the first case for barrister Anthony Bathurst and the first mystery for English author Brian Flynn. It was challenging to find information on an author with over 54 mysteries to his name. The best write ups were on Classic Mystery Novel blog and Crime Is Afoot blog. Born in 1885 in Essex, Flynn, like many others of that period, had a varied background. His formal education ended when he went into the civil service, serving as a special constable during WWI. He taught while he worked for the government and enjoyed acting. It was reported that he began writing mysteries because he was not impressed with much of what he read. I can believe that reading the scene where he is critiquing the styles of leading fictional detectives at the time. The Billiard-Room Mystery is now in the public domain and can be downloaded from the Project Gutenburg. Dean Street Press has been reprinting much of Brian Flynn’s catalogue, which can be found at online retailers.

https://classicmystery.blog/classic-bibliographies/brian-flynn/
https://jiescribano.wordpress.com/2020/03/27/brian-flynn-1885-1958/
https://www.deanstreetpress.co.uk/pages/author_page/51
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58413

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.