ARC Review: Helltown

• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Publication Date: July 12, 2022
• Author: Casey Sherman
• Genre: True Crime
• Page Count: 464

⭐⭐

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Description and My Thoughts & Opinions

Helltown is a true crime novel about the infamous serial killer, Antone “Tony” Costa who plagued Cape Town in 1969. Costa was responsible for the brutal and grisly murders of at least 4 women at that time. Unfortunately due to lack of forensic evidence, Costa was convicted of only 2 murders for which he was to serve 2 life sentences.

While Helltown was interesting from the true crime angle, the author indulged in some creative liberties by recreating the dialogue that MAY have occurred between all parties involved. While the insertion of the dialogue may have added some artistic flair, I for one did not appreciate it. I would have preferred just the facts.

In addition to the creative dialogue, the author inserted a few tangential narratives. Dedicating complete chapters to storylines about Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Norman Mailer, Chappaquiddick, and Charles Manson. I didn’t understand the point of these tangents except that it just added to the total word count and acted as fillers for an otherwise shorter crime story. Needless to say, I skimmed those tangential chapters to get to the meat of the story. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much meat left in the narrative.

The author has conducted extensive reasearch as evidenced by the footnotes and references, and I appreciated that. However, I still found it to be just an okay read. Two satisfactory stars.

I received a digital ARC from Sourcebooks through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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ARC Review: Abiding Conviction

• Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
• Publication Date: July 5, 2022
• Author: Stephen M. Murphy
• Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
• Page Count: 320

⭐⭐

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Blurb

Lawyer Dutch Francis is hired to defend a judge who is accused of murdering his wife. As the trial commences, Dutch’s wife, a local TV personality, disappears and the kidnapper is sending bits of physical evidence as proof that she is alive—all in the middle of a high-profile trial. His heart says, “find your wife”; his profession says, “defend your client.” Can he do both?

My Thoughts & Opinions

After reading the book’s description, I was excited to start reading this novel. And naturally I had some high expectations. Too bad that the novel fell short of my lofty hopes.

Abiding Conviction is the third installment of the Dutch Francis Legal Thriller series. Although it is the third novel, it still can be read as a standalone.

While the novel started out well — laying the groundwork for the courtroom drama, it slowly devolved into a slow and unbelievable narrative. Maybe I’ve watched too many Law and Order and Blue Bloods episodes. So I probably have some strong opinions on the novel’s realism.

The characters are pretty shallow in most aspects. Perhaps they were developed in the earlier novels. But I don’t think that’s the case. What bothered me is that I couldn’t appreciate the “busybody” attitude of the main protagonist, Dutch Francis. Primarily because he kept inserting himself in police matters — taking matters into his own hand. Maybe even hindering the investigations.

The plot does not contain any unexpected twists or turns, and the finale was blasé at best. Abiding Conviction is still a decent read, but I probably won’t be delving further into the series. Two okay stars.

I received a digital ARC from Oceanview Publishing through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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Book Review: Identicals

• Publisher: BooksGoSocial
• Publication Date: March 17, 2022
• Author: William Brennan Knight
• Genre: Horror
• Page Count: 277

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Description and My Thoughts & Opinions

What if you had to re-live a nightmare in real life expecting to get different outcomes? And what if those outcomes only got worse with each remake? That is what Jack Clausen is forced to re-live again and again for reneging on a deal that brought his daughter and son back from the dead.

Identicals is like the horror version of Groundhog Day. It is nightmarishly scary and a bizarre page turner.

The characters in the novel are developed enough. Though I wished that the supernatural characters were creepier and scarier than they were. Nevertheless, the author still did an excellent job in the portrayal of the unearthly beings as well as the human beings.

The plot was a little slow at times, but it just added to the suspense of the narrative. It still retained that unputdownable vibe as I managed to finish the book in a day.

I’d say if you’re a horror aficionado, Identicals is a should read. Four scary stars.

I received a digital copy of the book from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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ARC Review: Listen to Me (Rizzoli & Isles, #13)

• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Publication Date: July 5, 2022
• Author: Tess Gerritsen
• Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
• Page Count: 336

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Description and My Thoughts & Opinions

After five long years, the team of Rizzoli & Isles are back! Listen to Me is the thirteenth novel in the Rizzoli & Isles series, and it is such a welcome comeback. Though Listen to Me is part of a series, it is possible to read it as a standalone.

Detective Jane Rizzoli along with Forensic Pathologist, Maura Isles are tasked with investigating the burtal murder of RN, Sofia Suarez. With very little clues to go by, except a stolen laptop and phone, Detective Rizzoli must piece together the various forensic evidence to solve the murder mystery.

The characters remain unchanged from prior novels. The exception is the addition of Jane’s mom, Angela, who adds an interesting dimension to the narrative. I didn’t particularly care for the Angela Rizzoli sideshow at first. But after a few Angela chapters, I took a liking to Angela’s busybody of the neighborhod antics. Angela added some much needed color to an otherwise sterile environment.

The plot is somewhat complex in that there are at least three different storylines involving a murder, an abduction, and a stalker. But they all connect very nicely at the end for a satisfying finale.

Listen to Me has everything that I love about the Rizzoli & Isles series. And I’m hoping that Gerritsen will continue to write more about Jane, Maura, and Angela. Five stars.

I received a digital ARC from Ballantine Books. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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Out Now! — They Called Him Marvin

• Publisher: Silver Star Publishing
• Out Now: May 16 – 20, 2022
• Author: Roger Stark
• Genre: Historical Fiction
• Page Count: 392

Blurb

Duty called. He answered. She, with child, was left behind.

He did not come home. 

Sixty-seven of their love letters help tell their story. In the final pages of this tragedy, love does conquer all

Author Bio

I am, by my own admission, a reluctant writer. But some stories demand to be told. When we hear them, we must pick up our pen, lest we forget and the stories be lost.

Six years ago, in a quiet conversation with my friend Marvin, I learned the tragic story his father, a WW2 B-29 Airplane Commander, shot down over Nagoya, Japan just months before the end of the war.

My life has been profoundly touched in so many ways by being part of documenting this sacred story. I pray that we never forget, as a people, the depth of sacrifice that was made by ordinary people like Marvin and his father and mother on our behalf.

My career as an addiction counsellor (CDP) lead me to write “The Waterfall Concept; A Blueprint for Addiction Recovery,” and co-author “Reclaiming Your Addicted Brain.”

After my counselling retirement, I decided I wanted to learn more about the craft of writing and started attending classes at Portland Oregon’s Attic Institute. What I learned is that there are an amazing number of great writers in my area and they were willing to help others improve their skills. I am grateful to many of them.

My next project is already underway, a memoir of growing in SW Washington called “Life on a Sorta Farm.” My wife of 49 years, Susan and I still live in that area.

We raised seven children, and have eleven grandchildren. We love to travel and see the sites and cultures of the world. I still get on my bicycle whenever I can.

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ARC Review: The House Sitter

• Publisher: Bookouture
• Publication Date: June 14, 2022
• Author: Ellery Kane
• Genre: Psychological Thriller
• Page Count: 285

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Description and My Thoughts

Iris Duncan was getting on in years. Nearly 70 years old, Iris has difficulty in not only the managing of her posh three story home, but also managing her memory. Iris was slowly succumbing to dementia.

While at a nearby café, Iris is waited on by a frail looking girl. Iris immediately took a liking to her and after some chit chat, Iris learned that her waitress’ name was Lydia. Lydia was like a fish out of water at that café, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Iris. Being that Iris needed help with her domestic chores and memory issues, Iris offered Lydia a position as caregiver and/or house sitter if Lydia ever wanted or needed a change. A few days later and to Iris’ surprise, Lydia accepted the position at a very lucrative wage. Just one catch. Lydia wanted Seth McKay to be included in the deal, which would be the beginning of Iris’ downfall.

The House Sitter is the second book that I’ve read from Ellery Kane and it is a page turner! I was hooked from the beginning.

The characters are superbly developed, especially the main character of Iris. Kane has deftly fleshed out the main players in her novel. So much so that I began to despise a few of them.

Plotwise, the suspense is intense. There are a number of twists and turns that left me guessing as to what would happen next. The only issue I had was the ending as I expected something more intense for that “wow” factor. Other than that, The House Sitter lives up to its promise of being an unputdownable novel. Four rousing stars.

I received a digital ARC from Bookouture. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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Book Review: No Ordinary Christmas

• Publisher: Forever (GCP)
• Publication Date: September 23, 2021
• Author: Belle Calhoun
• Genre: Romance
• Page Count: 318

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Description and My Thoughts

No Ordinary Christmas is the first novel in the Mistletoe, Maine series. And it is a lovely second chance romance novel set during the most wonderful time of the year — Christmas.

Lucy Marshall was finally getting over heartbreak. Her high school sweetheart, Dante West, left Mistletow abruptly, leaving Lucy in a lurch. Just when she thought that they would be together forever, Dante was gone. Lucy had been ghosted.

Several years passed and Dante is back in Mistletoe. He has become a famous actor-director and is in Mistletoe to produce and film a movie. Although a blessing for the town, Lucy still can’t help but feel a little loathing at the idea that Dante was behind all the planning and production. Behind all the loathing, however, Lucy still had a heart and it still ached for Dante. Just as it ached in the past. Can Lucy forgive Dante? And can Dante ever make it up to Lucy?

No Ordinary Christmas is a feel good holiday romance novel. As such, family dynamics play a major role in the narrative. And unlike most second chance romance novels, No Ordinary Christmas does not have all of the agonizing back and forth, or the push-pull of love-hate.

The characters are wonderfully developed. But for the most part, and with the exception of Lucy and Dante, they were primarily window dressing to move the romance narrative forward.

Fabulously written, No Ordinary Christmas is a must read novel, perfect for the holidays. Five dazzling stars.

I received a finished paperback from Forever (GCP.) The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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April Roundup

Here are the books that I read in April:

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Book Review: True Crime Stories You Won’t Believe

• Publisher: Books Go Social
• Publication Date: April 4, 2022
• Author: Romeo Vitelli
• Genre: True Crime
• Page Count: 185

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Blurb

Here is a collection of true crime stories from different countries and time periods that defy simple description. They include:
• The strange tale of a psychotic geisha who severed her lover’s genitals to carry as a token of her love and who inspired a cult following
• How a small-town murderer helped inspire the movie Psycho and left his hometown with a reputation they never lived down
• A father who sacrificed his daughter to prove his faith in God and his followers who fully expected her to be raised on the third day (she wasn’t)
• A Sorbonne graduate student who killed and cannibalized the woman he loved and went on to become a bizarre media celebrity
• A 19th century serial killer who earned the title of “the worst women in the world” by killing a series of husbands for profit
• The assassination attempt on John F. Kennedy you never heard about but which very nearly succeeded.
• George Stinney, the fourteen-year-old child who died in the electric chair for a crime he didn’t commit.
• Joseph Vacher, the “French Ripper” whose crimes shocked France but tried to blame it all on the rabid dog that bit him.
• How mob boss Vincent Gigante earned himself the nickname of “the Oddfather”
• Leonarda Cianciulli, the Corregio “Soapmaker” who killed three women as a sacrifice to protect her own children.
These stories, and more, are all featured here making this book a must for any connoisseur of true crime and bizarre justice.

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My Thoughts & Opinions

True Crime Stories You Won’t Believe is the first book in a series of planned short story collections. This book contains a collection of 32 short true crime stories dating back to the late 1800’s. Most of the stories are pretty obscure and the only one that was familiar to me was the story of Ed Gein.

While I enjoyed most of the stories in the book, I would have preferred more stories from modern times. But it still was an interesting read, nonetheless.

Some readers may find the stories disturbing. I didn’t think they were and I actually wanted more graphic details. In comparison to other true crime novels, True Crime Stories is not at all gruesome and in my opinion, very mild in grisly elements.

Overall, True Crime Stories is a noteworthy read for true crime aficionados. Four stars.

I received a digital copy of the book from Books Go Social. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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