Tag: TG Wolff

Book Review: Lovely, Dark and Deep by Frank Zafiro

TG Wolff

Lovely, Dark, & 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. He’s unofficially in the business of doing favors for people who need help. This time it’s a pimp who needs a poor but clean White boy to look into who put one of his girls in the hospital.

Bottom line: Lovely, Dark, & Deep is for you if you like gritty heroes so far from perfect they’re exactly what a story needs.

Strengths of the story. Kopriva is a well-developed character, having been part of Zafiro’s River City series and then taking the lead in Waist Deep and several short stories. You get to know his backstory through cops who won’t let Stef forget what he did.

The premise for this story is simple but interesting. Stef and his coffee buddy, Adam, watch an odd exchange featuring one of the most beautiful women either have seen. A year after Rolo, a pimp who runs a good part of River City’s night life, beat him and took Stef’s prized possession, the man comes knocking. One of his girls was beaten to within an inch of her life, he needs to know who did it. That’s all Stef has to do. Rolo will take it from there.

But it isn’t as simple as Stef or Rolo hope. It never is when Stef is involved, which is what keeps those pages turning.

Where the story fell short of ideal: Standing at the end and looking back, this story is pretty solid. Zafiro excels at endings that complete the story, but aren’t happy endings. Without giving anything away, the guilty characters are too smart to run their mouths for the likes of me. So we know whodunnit. The how and why are a little less firm.

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.

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 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 5: One-Eyed Jack and the Suicide King by Erica Obey

TG Wolff

The Remo and her once-glamorous residents are no stranger to hard times. When Rex “Suicide” King rolls out of an elevator with his throat cut, the hardened residents barely flinch. In fact, only two people even seem to realize the situation. The house detective Joe Hall, retired NYPD, and the desk clerk, Roby, have to put the pieces together that spell murder. It’s an impossible crime in an impossible location.

Find more of Erica’s stories on her website.

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For Podcast

Kick Ass PSYCHO THERAPY Reviews

Kick Ass PSYCHO THERAPY Reviews

TG Wolff

No book will ever please everyone, which is why the first two reviews for PSYCHO THERAPY, the final book in the Diamond series, really made me feel like I did something right. Excerpts are below with links to the full review. If you are interested in reading PSYCHO THERAPY in exchange for your review, please email me at tina at tgwolff dot com and I will send you the e-book. Reviews are key to getting new readers to give me a chance. As I have yet to crack the secret to getting hundreds of reviews, I am asking for your help getting started.

From Guatemala Paula Love to Read

“The plot sends Diamond across the country and around the globe as she chases down clues left behind by a master hacker, and there are plenty of twists and turns that amp up the excitement. However, Diamond’s narrative, her distinctive inner voice, and the author’s stylish prose keep me coming back for more. TG Wolff has quickly become one of my favorite writers this past year.”

Read the full review HERE

From Jenn of The Book Reviewers Crew

“What sets Psycho Therapy apart from the classic detective style that many readers, myself included, hold dear is the quirky and memorable main female character. Strong, intelligent, and refreshingly unconventional, she subverts the typical tropes of female characters in detective fiction. Her witty dialogue and unorthodox investigative methods inject a sense of authenticity and relatability that is often lacking in similar narratives. She proves to be a refreshing departure from the norm, contributing to the novel’s uniqueness.”

Read the full review HERE

Diamond. One name for a woman who is faking it until she makes it. And she will make it. At least that’s what she’s telling herself.

Dr. Robin Ransom is a therapist to first responders, cops, and spies. She has a problem. She is being blackmailed via email by a nameless, faceless crook. Her neighbor Murali Devi, is an IT wizard who said he’d take care of the problem for her. Now he’s dead. And there’s a hot British guy after her for information she swears she doesn’t have.

Before Diamond was a widow, she was a CIA agent with lethal skills. Skills she nearly used on herself. An intervention puts her on Dr. Ransom’s couch and squarely in the middle of a high-stakes game of blackmail, kidnapping, and murder. From a video gaming Beastmaster in Michigan, to a suicide bomber in Virginia, to a psychiatric conference in the south of France, Diamond jumps in with her usual flair for chaos and destruction. But Fate isn’t satisfied, pushing Diamond into a position where it is either her or the person she cares for most.

From Down & Out Books. Available from online retailers and by request from your favorite bookseller.

M2D4 S6E3 This Never Happened to Wolfman Jack by Nikki Knight.

M2D4 S6E3 This Never Happened to Wolfman Jack by Nikki Knight.

TG Wolff

DJ Jaye Jordan is working alone, spinning tunes for lonely hearts on a Saturday night. When company arrives, it isn’t her yoga buddies, but a blast from the past…with a gun. Time is running out. If Jaye can’t solve this cold case, she just may have to resort to Jumpin’ Jack Flash.

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

M2D4 Toe Tag: The Hemingway Deception by Tj O’Connor

M2D4 Toe Tag: The Hemingway Deception by Tj O’Connor

TG Wolff

The Hemingway Deception is a Thriller. Hemingway. No one knows who he is or what he can do, only that he is the ultimate prize. The key lies with Dr. Montilla, who some label a saint and others a guerilla.

Ana Karras Montilla survived her upbringing in the jungles of Colombia to establish a ‘normal’ life in Queens. Now her missionary parents have gone missing and saving them means embracing everything she fought to escape. Trane does the dirty work that needs to be done. To protect his Washington-insider bosses, has to find Montilla, then Hemingway to put a permanent end to his plans. Catalina Reyes is a Cuban spy who has lost her husband and has lost her direction. Desperation drives her to take on this mission where succeed or die are the only outcomes and Montilla is her guide. Luke Brennan is NYPD, working to make sense of the mess Karras and Trane leave in their wake. Everyone keeps telling him to let this one go. Right. Like he’s going to listen.

Bottom line: The Hemingway Deception is for you if you like multi-hero stories where everyone is out for themselves for damn good reasons and the stakes are so high, losing means war.

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

The Hemingway Deception was released from Suspense Books and promoted by Partners in Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.

About Tj O’Connor

Tj O’Connor is the author of The Hemingway Deception, Dying with a Secret, (pending publication), The Consultant and four paranormal murder mysteries. Tj is an international security consultant specializing in anti-terrorism, investigations, and threat analysis—life experiences that drive his novels. With his former life as a government agent and years as a consultant, he has lived and worked around the world in places like Greece, Turkey, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and throughout the Americas—among others. Tj is a Harley Davidson pilot, a man-about-dogs, and a lover of adventure, cooking, and good spirits (both kinds). He was raised in New York’s Hudson Valley and lives with his wife and Labrador companions in Virginia where they raised five children who are supply a growing tribe of grands!

Catch Up With TJ O’Connor:
www.TjOConnor.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @tj37
Twitter – @Tjoconnorauthor
Instagram – @tjoconnorauthor
Facebook – @TjOConnor.Author

M2D4 S6E2: Who Felled “Lumber Jack?”

M2D4 S6E2: Who Felled “Lumber Jack?”

TG Wolff

Chief Tom Goldston is trying to save the Taraca Bay police department by solving the murder of the baseball team’s beloved mascot Lumber Jack aka Wilson Bain. Here are the people Tom has interviewed in the order he’s talked to them:

•            Franklin Langford, owner of the Lumberjacks who hired Bain to be the mascot;

•            Boomer Cordillero, low level criminal who Bain owed money;

•            Paul Caverly, Lumberjacks GM who oversaw Bain;

•            Kirk Van Ness, Defender of the Redwood who no showed the road trip;

•            Ryan Mitchell, Lumberjacks best player; and

•            … and I’m adding Sheriff Adam Jones because he’s an a-hole.

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

M2D4 Toe Tag: Psycho Therapy by TG Wolff

M2D4 Toe Tag: Psycho Therapy by TG Wolff

TG Wolff

Psycho Therapy is a Mystery. Diamond. One name for a woman who is faking it until she makes it. And she will make it. At least that’s what she’s telling herself. Dr. Robin Ransom is a therapist to first responders, cops, and spies. She has a problem. She is being blackmailed via email by a nameless, faceless crook. Her neighbor Murali Devi, is an IT wizard who said he’d take care of the problem for her. Now he’s dead. And there’s a hot British guy after her for information she swears she doesn’t have.

Before Diamond was a widow, she was a CIA agent with lethal skills. Skills she nearly used on herself. An intervention puts her on Dr. Ransom’s couch and squarely in the middle of a high-stakes game of blackmail, kidnapping, and murder. From a video gaming Beastmaster in Michigan, to a suicide bomber in Virginia, to a psychiatric conference in the south of France, Diamond jumps in with her usual flair for chaos and destruction. But Fate isn’t satisfied, pushing Diamond into a position where it is either her or the person she cares for most.

Bottom line: Psycho Therapy is for you if you like fast-paced mysteries, dynamic characters, and story meant to be read just for the fun of it.

Listen to the first chapter in Diamond’s third and final (gulp) adventure mystery.

Find Mysteries to Die For wherever you get your podcasts including Apple, Google Play, Spotify…or you can listen right here.