#bookseries – Page 24 – Rosepoint Publishing

One Last Kill by Robert Dugoni – #BookReview – #womensleuths

Tracy Crosswhite Book 10

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

An Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling series.

Detective Tracy Crosswhite draws a long-dormant serial killer out of hiding in a nerve-shattering novel by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

Tracy Crosswhite is reopening the investigation into Seattle’s Route 99 serial killer. After thirteen victims, he stopped hunting and the trail went cold, stirring public outrage. Now, nearly three decades after his first kill, Tracy is expected to finally bring closure to the victims’ families and redeem the Seattle PD’s reputation. Even if it means working with her nemesis, Captain Johnny Nolasco.

Lead detective of the original task force, Nolasco dares Tracy to do what he failed to: close the case. Forming an uneasy alliance, Tracy and Nolasco revisit old leads and pursue new evidence only to unearth high-level corruption and cover-ups as dangerous as the elusive killer himself. At the risk of being exposed, such deadly and powerful forces will go to extremes to stay in the shadows.

That’s just where Tracy and Nolasco are headed—to find the twisted truth behind a killer’s motives, his disappearance, and his chilling comeback.

His Review:

Tracy Crosswhite has risen quickly through the ranks of detective in Seattle. To be sure, the men in the department are not always supportive of fast-moving women. To level the playing field, she has been assigned to review old cold cases that were not solved. One case in particular regarding eleven hookers was never solved. There is a similarity between all of the deaths, a carved set of “Angels Wings” on the left shoulder of the victim.

The case is over 25 years old and suddenly the killer is striking again! This time the victims are middle-aged ladies who work in governmental positions in Seattle. They are no longer part of the marginalized segment of society. Their deaths are affecting the community in general and everyone is on edge. Tracy is pulled into the problem and is working with a senior detective who worked on the case over 25 years ago. His name is Johnnie Nolasco.

This criminal has been very careful and thorough! Why would he deviate from his former modus operandi and start killing middle-aged or retired former city employees? There is no apparent DNA material to help identify the killer. Tracy starts by going through the boxes of evidence collected on each of the murders and in one of the boxes makes a surprising find!

Working together Tracy and Johnnie slowly follow the evidence and develop a possible identity for the killer. The investigation is stymied at every turn by the lack of speed from various departments within the Seattle Police Department. They feel they have found a viable individual but are reluctant to name the person who is a bit too close to home.

Dugoni does not disappoint. The trail is convoluted and has more twists and turns than the road to Pike’s Peak. Read and enjoy this novel! 5 stars – CE Williams

[Note: The CE and I have shared a number of Dugoni’s books, including most recently Her Deadly Game, and greatly enjoyed it. As I’ve said before, around this house we like to say, “Of course it’s good, it’s a Dugoni.” They are consistently engaging, well-crafted, and well-plotted with relatable characters. This one is no exception. VW]

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Book Details:

Genre: Serial Killer Thrillers, Women Sleuths
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
ISBN: ‎ 1662500211
ASIN: B0B9T7K1F3
Print Length: 351 pages
Publication Date: October 3, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Robert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and #1 Amazon bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite police series set in Seattle, which has sold more than 8 million books worldwide. He is also the author of The Charles Jenkins espionage series, the David Sloane legal thriller series, and several stand-alone novels including The 7th Canon, Damage Control, and the literary novels, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell – Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year, for which Dugoni’s narration won an AudioFile Earphones Award and the critically acclaimed, The World Played Chess; as well as the nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary, a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. Several of his novels have been optioned for movies and television series. Dugoni is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Award for Fiction and a three-time winner of the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He has also been a finalist for many other awards including the International Thriller Award, the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, the Silver Falchion Award for mystery, and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award.

Robert Dugoni’s books are sold in more than twenty-five countries and have been translated into more than thirty languages.

Visit his website at http://www.robertdugoni.com, and follow him on twitter @robertdugoni and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorRobertDugoni

Three Wise Men by Lou Bavou – #BookReview – #OccultUFOs

The answers to those profound questions about the Universe, Time, the Origin of Life and are we alone or not?

(Three Wise Book Series-Part 1)

Book Blurb:

Most science books are hard work!
So, this is a fact book with a fictional twist. It sets out to make science and religion more understandable and enjoyable to read, plus hopefully pose a few thought-provoking insights along the way.

It’s a novel way of explaining the science behind those profound questions we ponder on occasionally: What are the origins of the Universe and life? Are we alone in the Universe? When did Time begin? Does God exist? Is there an afterlife?

To make the science, which explores questions, more palatable, the scientific facts are presented as a dialogue between three fictional friends, who give factual commentaries on the above questions with a little humor added into the mix.

The narrative is set mainly in a Manhattan bar where the three friends meet every Friday after work. As a change of scenery, the friends also spend weekends at a hunting lodge.

The diverse social background of the three main characters; an investment banker with a scientific background, a pious Catholic of Irish descent and a down-to-earth Italian plumber, together with the insights given by the female proprietor of the bar, allows for a balance of views and opinions: from academic, religious and pragmatic perspectives on life.

Each chapter covers one of these profound questions, starting with the existence of God which naturally leads on to the reasons why people are religious. Having challenged the rationale behind religion, the book then counterbalances this with chapters on the origin, size and the end of the Universe. This then leads onto discussions on the link between space and time. The natural progression from the Universe and time leads onto a chapter on the origin of life including the possibility of life elsewhere. Finally, there’s a historical perspective on death and burials.

His Review:

Three friends are spending Christmas Eve at the local watering hole. Their conversations turn to the mysteries of the universe. Does God exist; How did the universe even happen; and is there other life in the cosmos? These are questions that mankind has been pondering for ions. Michael, Jess, and Gio bandy about these questions while enjoying various libations.

The author, Lou Bavou, has delved deeply into these questions while being at the least an agnostic. Belief in a God is fundamental to every religion on the planet. But there is no apparent proof that He even exists. Certainly, enlightened populations around the planet have developed theories and speculations about this question but is there tangible evidence?

Are there aliens or some other species living in the vast array of our universe? And are these aliens aware of our presence here on earth? SETI, the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence has pondered this question for over a decade. Maybe our planet’s location in the Milky Way Galaxy is akin to someone in a backwater yet discovered.

Time and distance make the discovery of our planet problematic! Even at the speed of light mankind cannot expect to explore habitable planets outside our solar system. The time is just not available for us as fragile creatures. This entire novel is a serious look at astronomy and philosophy and is a well-written treatise. 4 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to the author for providing me with the opportunity to read and review his book with no expectation for a review. These opinions are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four stars

Book Details:

Genre: Occult UFOs, UFOs, Astronomy
Publisher: Bavou
ASIN: B0C85CV31L
Print Length: 257 pages
Publication Date: June 14, 2023
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Lou Bavou is a unique new voice in the world of science books. With a strong education in math, physics and chemistry, he graduated with an honors degree from Birmingham University, UK. He spent a long career as a consultant engineer to the energy industry running his own small consultancy company with extensive travel and work around North America, Europe, Russia and Asia; learning about the local cultures and history. During his travels he has rubbed shoulders with oil rig ‘bears’, negotiated with Arabic oil ministers and been tailed by the Iraqi secret service and still found time to write numerous professional reports, papers and guidelines for the energy industry.

Lou recently decided to change direction and take-up writing full-time.

Nowadays, when he’s not researching his keen interests in astronomy and astrobiology, he spends time running a small holding. He still travels and has wild camped in the Sahara Desert, ice skated on the highest rink in the world in Kazakhstan, sheltered from major cyclones in China and Sri Lanka – and they say lightening never strikes twice, once nearly drowned in the River Thames and survived his wife’s meatballs, but still lives with her on the outskirts of SW London with their children of all ages.

That Others May Live by Sara Driscoll – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

An FBI K-9 Novel, Book 8

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

A treat for dog lovers, this latest novel in the only mystery series that revolves around a K-9 search-and-rescue unit is gripping, timely, and “wonderfully readable” (Publishers Weekly), with a gutsy heroine and an authentic, harder edge that will appeal to fans of harder-edged mysteries.

There are situations that fill even the most seasoned FBI K-9 handlers with shock and horror. Meg Jennings is preparing for another work day when she gets words of a catastrophic scene in downtown Washington, DC. Part of a twelve-story condo building has collapsed, and the rest of the structure could soon follow. Every search-and-rescue worker and K-9 team is needed on-site immediately to find survivors—and assess the casualties.

Putting aside her fears for her firefighter fiancé, who’s already inside the unstable building, Meg turns to the task at hand. If anyone is still alive within the rubble, she and Hawk, working alongside other K-9 teams, must find them. Every hour, every moment counts—and a wrong move could trigger a deadly chain reaction for those buried beneath. But beyond the present danger is a deeper threat, as evidence indicates that this wasn’t a random tragedy, but an act of domestic terrorism. And identifying the culprit and motivation, in time to stop another attack, means taking on an enemy with terrifying skills—and nothing left to lose.

His Review:

The call came in and Meg and Cody, a canine disaster recovery team, were called in to put their rescue efforts to the test. How could a building just over 30 years old collapse? Talbot Terrace at the corner of I and 9^th streets collapsed.The event was so sudden that families getting ready for their days were trapped in the collapsed building. The 12-story building had collapsed into a little over three stories high.

Rescue teams were called in including some of the finest from all over the Eastern seaboard. Meg with her rescue dog Cody began at the top of the pile looking for survivors. It seemed impossible looking at the pile of rubble that anyone could have lived through the catastrophe!

Finding a young man near the top floor felt like a major accomplishment. The F.B.I. and other teams were called in because the smell of explosives gave away the cause of the collapse. Was someone trying to kill a high-level diplomat or someone else in the melee? Meg and Cody were able to find a few survivors but the less than four feet between floors left a grim cleanup.

Sara Driscoll writes with clarity and authority. I felt like this book gave me an introductory primer to the construction of high-rise buildings. The description of the building methodology made it seem that there was little chance of a collapse but the investigation pointed pretty quickly to sabotage.

Could it have been a foreign power or enemy of the United States? This book explains the investigative process and subsequent means of identifying the culprits. Enjoy! 5 stars – CE Williams

Note: I read Before It’s Too Late in June and love the Sara Driscoll series. The crunch of time had me reluctantly sharing this book with the CE. You can see he enjoys the K-9 series as much as I. vw

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Book Details:

Genre: Terrorism Thrillers, Conspiracy Thrillers, Serial Killer Thrillers
Publisher: Kensington Books
ASIN: B0BZBK2PW1
Print Length: 352 pages
Publication Date: November 28, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s): That Others May Live

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Sara Driscoll is the pen name of Jen J. Danna, coauthor of the Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries and author of the FBI K-9s and the NYPD Negotiators. After over thirty years in infectious diseases research, Jen hung up her lab coat to concentrate on her real love—writing “exceptional” thrillers (Publishers Weekly). She is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada and lives with her husband and four rescued cats outside of Toronto, Ontario. You can follow the latest news on her books, including the FBI K-9s, at http://www.saradriscollauthor.com.

©CE Williams – V Williams

#TuesdayBookBlog

A Superior Death by Nevada Barr – #AudiobookReview – #ThrowbackThursday

Book Blurb:

Nevada Barr quickly attracted the attention of mystery fans when her first Anna Pigeon mystery, Track of the Cat, appeared. Now she immerses the intrepid park ranger in a perilous search that will take her far below the waters of Lake Superior. As Anna spends her days patrolling its shores, the surface of Lake Superior fills with tourists. In the depths below lie an ancient ship and the bones of its sailors. But when two tourists dive down to see the wreck, they discover that a new body has joined the skeletal crew. As Anna tries to discover how and why, she encounters secrets darker and more deadly than the waters surrounding the corpse. Filled with suspense, A Superior Death is also laced with Anna Pigeon’s self-deprecating humor. With Barbara Rosenblat’s spirited narration, you’ll immediately be scanning the splendid setting and looking for clues through the eyes of the savvy naturalist.

My Review:

I got a hankering for a Nevada Barr book again, a major reason being Barbara Rosenblat, the narrator for the audiobook. (And by the way, I’ve listened to a couple of Barbara’s other books and you wouldn’t know it was the same voice if it didn’t say so on the cover. She’s good. Her Anna Pigeon narration is primo.)

This is the second installment in the Anna Pigeon mystery series that I’ve followed for some time, as usual picking off the top first and basically listening to whatever was available at my local library. Not all in the series, but I’ve listened to a bunch of them totally out of order of course, but you could probably consider each as a standalone.

This installment has ranger Anna Pigeon on Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. I chose this particular book precisely because of its location. Anna’s last assignment was in the desert southwest, so this is a complete 180 for her and she’s still getting used to it, the people, and the living conditions.

When a body is found in a wreck on the lake bottom, Anna finds herself investigating suspicious circumstances. I love hearing about these remote locations, the beauty, the wilderness, and in this particular storyline, the diving and mystery of deep frigid water underwater wrecks as well as the mystique of the island inhabitants.

Lake Superior is known for quirky winds and ship-sinking storms. Kamloops, sunk in 1927 is a focus here. The frigid waters manage to preserve corpses as well as artifacts.

There are various plot lines, degrees of sketchy support characters, and suspects. Take your pick, but as Anna does so, the clever well-paced plot divulges answers. You might guess the perp when the action ramps up considerably into a satisfying conclusion.

Anna can be pretty amazing sometimes and you might have to suspend disbelief just a little, but go with the flow. It’s fun, descriptive, full of a snarky sense of humor delivered in that slightly wise-cracking whiskey voice that IS Anna. You can picture her. She can handle it.

This series is fun. It’s all good. I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library and I’ve started on Book 3 now. These are my honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Amateur Sleuth Mysteries, Women Sleuth Mysteries, Suspense
Publisher: Recorded Books
ASIN: B0002T8XL2
Listening Length: 11 hrs 43 mins
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Publication Date: July 29, 2004
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: A Superior Death [Amazon]

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

The Author: Nevada was born in the small western town of Yerington, Nevada and raised on a mountain airport in the Sierras. Both her parents were pilots and mechanics and her sister, Molly, continued the tradition by becoming a pilot for USAir.

Pushed out of the nest, Nevada fell into the theatre, receiving her BA in speech and drama and her MFA in Acting before making the pilgrimage to New York City, then Minneapolis, MN. For eighteen years she worked on stage, in commercials, industrial training films and did voice-overs for radio. During this time she became interested in the environmental movement and began working in the National Parks during the summers — Isle Royale in Michigan, Guadalupe Mountains in Texas, Mesa Verde in Colorado, and then on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi.

Woven throughout these seemingly disparate careers was the written word. Nevada wrote and presented campfire stories, taught storytelling and was a travel writer and restaurant critic. Her first novel, Bitterweet was published in 1983. The Anna Pigeon series, featuring a female park ranger as the protagonist, started when she married her love of writing with her love of the wilderness, the summer she worked in west Texas. The first book, Track of the Cat, was brought to light in 1993 and won both the Agatha and Anthony awards for best first mystery. The series was well received and A Superior Death, loosely based on Nevada’s experiences as a boat patrol ranger on Isle Royale in Lake Superior, was published in 1994. In 1995 Ill Wind came out. It was set in Mesa Verde, Colorado where Nevada worked as a law enforcement ranger for two seasons.

The rest is, shall we say, HISTORY! Nevada’s books and accomplishments have become numerous and the presses continue to roll, so in the interest of NOT having to update this page, books, awards, status on the New York Times Best Seller List — and more — will be enumerated with the relevant books else where on this website.

Barbara Rosenblat - narrator — Attribute: Wikipedia

The Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat has been narrating for more than 20 years, and even had the honor of performing the first book ever recorded at Audible in 1999.

She has also appeared on screen such as in the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black as Miss Rosa. Rosenblat was born in London, England and raised in New York City. Upon returning to the US, she read books to the blind for four years at the Library of Congress. On Broadway she appeared in The Secret Garden and Talk Radio. Barbara Rosenblat has narrated more than 400 audiobooks.

#ThrowbackThursday

Dying for a Daiquiri by Cindy Sample – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

Laurel McKay Mysteries Book 3

Book Blurb:

When Laurel McKay attends a Hawaiian wedding, her vacation soon becomes more deadly than the calorie count in her daiquiri. Her post-wedding holiday upends after a beautiful hula dancer is found dead on the rocks below the oceanfront restaurant owned by Laurel’s brother and sister-in-law.

When a family member is arrested for the murder, Laurel is plunged into a mystery where exotic Big Island locations–a coffee plantation, black sand beaches and a volcano–reveal their deadly side. And where is her hunky on-again/off-again boyfriend detective when she needs him?

Laurel zip-lines and four-wheels her way through the island paradise unearthing long hidden secrets. Will ingenuity and pluck be enough? Or will this hula be her last?

My Review:

While I’m not usually a fan of the klutsy amateur sleuth trope, I have to say I was hooked on this one pretty quick. It’s that sense of humor, you know?

My first outing with a Cindy Sample book, it was offered free on Amazon recently and I liked the title, the blurb, and that it is usually located in Sacramento? Our old stomping grounds for more than 45 years!

This time the setting is gorgeous Hawaii. We commented after our first trip to Hawaii, that there is San Francisco time, Sacramento time, and then there is Hawaiian time. The pace of Hawaii is just the perfect antidote to anyone seeking to slow down life, smell the orchids, enjoy those Mai Tai’s—or in this case Daiquiris—it’s just fruit juice. Right?

Laurel, with her mother and Stan, is in Hawaii for her best friend Liz’s wedding. Her brother Dave and sister-in-law own a bar and restaurant oceanside where the reception is held, but it’s obvious from the get-go that the sis-in-law isn’t happy with the entertainment, one hula dancer in particular. Regan isn’t shy about accusing Dave of cheating. But her brother Dave? Not Daaave!

So when the voluptuous Hawaiian dancer is found on the rocks below in the surf, it doesn’t look good for Laurel’s family.

We are talking light-hearted, cozy mystery, not something to be taken seriously. It is peppered heavily with humor while keeping a good pace in a well-plotted murder mystery.

The location lends itself to salty Pacific air descriptions combined with an abundance of wild island habitat further mingled with the delightfully descriptive aromas of fresh Kona coffee. The characters are lively and are eventually joined by Laurel’s boyfriend, Detective Tom after Laurel’s second close brush with accidental (on purpose) close calls. So there is a bit of romance interspersed with fast action-paced chapters.

Enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, glued to the pages, chuckling or gasping as you go. It’s delightful escapism, even given the seriousness of murder. The conclusion wraps it up well and leaves you reluctant to leave these characters. You need some fun? Discover this series; it’s a happy find.

I received a promo copy of this book from the author through Amazon that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts. I’ll be back.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Lawyers & Criminals Humor, Cozy Culinary Mystery, Cozy Culinary Mysteries
ASIN: B00FK5UW4Y
Print Length: 267 pages
Publication Date: January 20, 2014
Source: Amazon promo

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Cindy Sample is a former corporate CEO who decided plotting murder was more entertaining than plodding through paperwork. She retired to follow her lifelong dream of becoming a mystery author. Her national bestselling LAUREL McKAY HUMOROUS MYSTERY series is set in the California Gold Country, unless Cindy feels like traveling. Then the characters tag along with her on trips to Hawaii, the Caribbean and Las Vegas. Her new SPINDRIFT COVE series, featuring Sierra Sullivan, is set in Washington State. Cindy is a five-time finalist for the LEFTY Award for Best Humorous Mystery, a two-time finalist for the SILVER FALCHION Award for best traditional mystery, and a two-time finalist for the Chanticleer MURDER & MAYHEM AWARD.

Cindy is a past president of the Sacramento chapter of Sisters in Crime and has served on the boards of the Sacramento Opera and the YWCA. She has two wonderful adult children, a lovely daughter-in-law, and a grandson who live too far away.

Visit Cindy on her website at http://www.cindysamplebooks.com
http://www.facebook.com/cindysampleauthor
http://www.twitter.com/cindysample1

#TuesdayBookBlog

Rosepoint Reviews – August Recap – Dog (or Puppy) Days of Summer

Rosepoint Reviews-August Recap

August is a roll of the dice here, the only thing you can really count on is the humidity.

A good month for the garden though; all of a sudden tons of tomatoes, and I’m thinking salsa! But salsa from little yellow pear tomatoes? They are so sweet! Unfortunately, also a good month for squash, not one of the CE’s favorites, but I haven’t resorted to sneaking any squash on my neighbor’s porches in the dead of night yet. Wasn’t really happy with the frozen results from last year, so yeah, no more squash. Not really good for melons and haven’t made pickles for a while so sticking to short season cool weather crops and starting round two of sugar pod peas and bush beans now.

Last month we were surprised by our daughter bringing us a puppy (though I’d vowed NO PUPPIES), a little female we named Cooper to the brother she kept. A Mini-Aussie/Jack Russell mix—probably a mixed breed only someone younger with more stamina should have even considered. These are high-energy dogs, even as an adult.

Frosty, our Bichon, was laid back, low key, easy and calm. Cooper bounces off the walls and has no off switch. You can’t help but love a puppy, but after a week, I was exhausted and yelling Uncle. As our son had indicated interest, I broached the subject to him and his wife again. They took her. Obvious from the beginning she was smarter than I, also became obvious to everyone else we have one very darling and precocious pup. Cooper While Cooper lives with our son and Mel, we get granddoggy rights and are looking forward to playing, walking, working on tricks and discipline with her—and then sending her home. I miss Frosty so much and our kids were both encouraging us to get another dog. We said no more dogs. Cooper is a handful–but so sweet—and I’m learning it’s great to be a granddog parent.

September will find us happily “on the road again.” (Celebrating another anniversary with our son.) No, not to Texas this time, but September will be an iffy month for reading and reviews. I have a few reviews scheduled, but it will not be a normal, or even, regular schedule. I need some down time and looking forward to riding my bike and playing with our granddog before winter hits.

A diminished month for books (we were busy with puppies!)—we read (or listened to) twelve books in August. These are still predominately from NetGalley as well as my local library with both audiobooks and digital. (As always, links below are to my reviews that include purchase info.)

Rosepoint Reviews - August Recap

The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer (audiobook)
Frank’s Shadow by Doug McIntyre (CE review)
Split by Alida Bremer
Sanctuary Motel by Alan Orloff (CE review)
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (audiobook)
For All The World by Jean Grainger
Devil Makes Three by Ben Fountain (CE review)
Memory Man by David Baldacci (audiobook)
No Mistaking Death by Shelley Costa
Trial By Jury by Stephen Penner (CE review)
White House by the Sea by Kate Storey (audiobook)
The Rotting Whale by Jann Eyrich

These included historical fiction, literary fiction, legal fiction, biographical fiction, crime thrillers, and one new eco-mystery series.

Favorite Book of the Month

I couldn’t help but be caught up in The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah even as the story used a familiar trope but in an Alaska setting. I must issue a bravo, however, to Jean Grainger for her radical writing departure into a new series in which she built a unique “family” who holds no familial ties. I’m looking forward to discovering the path the author takes with these colorful characters.

Book of the Month for August—For All The World by Jean Grainger.

My Reading Challenges page… I have 100 books of a goal of 145 in Goodreads (at this point five books ahead of schedule) and still riding at a 97% feedback ratio in NetGalley. And **BIG** surprise, I’ve caught up the Reading Challenges page and discovered I’m woefully behind in both the audiobook and historical fiction categories. Whaaa? Two of our favs? How’d that happen?

Okay, I’ve had the chance to work on both the Instagram and the Twitter, BIG X, feed. I’m not sure what I did or how it happened, but got both feeds back and thank you for the helpful comments. Still, I’m frosted that there is no longer a free Tweetdeck. You’ll pay for the same privilege of scheduling tweets now and it’ll certainly be a “cold day in ….” before I’d throw my Social Security money at Musk. I see he’s messed with the twitter home page now and you know how we feel about change. Have you signed up? How do you feel about the loss of Tweetdeck? (Not sure who created this super graphic of the tweet bird impaled on the X and I must say it wasn’t I, although I thought it perfect for this discussion.) As for the new Dogecoin logo–I have yet to see it–a Shiba Inu? Huh?! Have you?

Welcome, as always, to my new subscribers and thank you to those who read and comment. I do appreciate you hanging in there with me!

The Rotting Whale by Jann Eyrich – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

A Hugo Sandoval Eco-Mystery Book 1

Book Blurb:

When a blue whale is struck by a research vessel off the north coast of California, San Francisco’s eccentric building inspector Hugo Sandoval is catapulted from his precious San Francisco waterfront nearly two hundred miles north to the headlands of a troubled sheep ranch in response to a call for help from his cetologist daughter.

This episode is set on the turbulent Mendocino Coast against the backdrop of a failing fishing fleet, illegal cannabis grows, and the struggling town of Fort Bragg. At the precarious Chicken Cove, he grapples with the connection between a red tag posted on the historic ranch and the decomposing marine mammal at the foot of its cliffs.

The new eco-mystery series tracks the collision of the man-made environment and nature while simultaneously charting Hugo’s own personal evolution as a husband, father, and native son.

A charming cast of secondary characters who revel in the unassuming man’s perceptive abilities, while overlooking his many idiosyncrasies, provide assists in solving the mysteries. We meet Carmen, his corporate lawyer ex-wife; T. Ray, his best friend and fellow sleuth; his intuitive assistant Mrs. Dunne who steers their office on Otis Street, as well as the many regulars who populate Sandoval’s San Francisco.

Immersed in the noir of The City, the resistant Hugo Sandoval is a media darling, reluctant bachelor, and people’s hero fighting the good fights in a modern era that—with each requested permit—attempts to eclipse the old San Francisco Sandoval loves.

My Review:

Ah, Fort Bragg, that little northern California coastal town has a special place in my heart as I remember those special summer camping trips to Wages Creek. Rustic campsites, cramped facilities, and freezing winds made for very uncomfortably frigid nights at the Pacific but so worth it for the fresh abalone that “the boys” dove for and pulled back up for dinner…an exotic and expensive “steak of the sea.”

So it didn’t take long for me to realize the setting of this novel is one of my favorite places on the California Pacific Ocean shoreline. Unfortunately, as noted in the narrative, Fort Bragg has seen more prosperous days.

The storyline follows a San Francisco building inspector called to the northern coastal area by his daughter to investigate a blue whale that washed up on the shoreline. Forensics shows the pregnant blue whale was hit by a boat and headed to shore but there is the question of how she ended up in that cove.

Hugo meets up with his daughter, camped on a long-established local ranch, and soon his ex arrives as well. His old buddy, T Ray joins them, all eclectic support characters with different agendas.

Difficult for me to invest in either the main character or support characters and I floundered a bit trying to figure out the main mystery as it seemed to blur a bit. Blue whales (their hearts the size of a small car) are a protected species but are not the entire focus of the plot.

Certainly I enjoyed the descriptions of the area and information regarding the whales and the clash between man and animals in their own habitat.

I was introduced to something called “sinkers” or “timber fishing” which is apparently logs dumped into the Pacific. Over time, this cargo being carried from the vast forests of northern California south that were dumped around the area became valuable.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts. It’s an interesting first installment and I’ll be looking for growth in relationships as well as more mystery.

Rosepoint Rating: Three point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Private Investigator Mysteries
Publisher: Sibylline Press
ISBN-10: ‎ 1736795430
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1736795439
ASIN: B0C65Z3PXV
Print Length: 212 pages
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Working as a hands-on, independent woman contractor in San Francisco for twenty years, Jann Eyrich resided in the legendary shacks of Telegraph Hill where the writer was gifted anchorage to the City, along with insight into the lives of the characters she continues to create. First as a documentary filmmaker, then as a screenwriter, Eyrich’s stories always seem to be set within an environmental footprint. Later, as a writer and an activist in Sonoma County, Jann heard about a real blue whale stranding itself on the Mendocino Coast in 2009 and, with that, the adventures and character of Hugo Sandoval were born.

#TuesdayBookBlog

Trial By Jury by Stephen Penner – #BookReview – #conspiracythrillers

A Rain City Legal Thriller Book 2

Book Blurb:

Murder is an art form. And this one is a masterpiece.

Attorney Daniel Raine has recently gone out on his own and now is struggling to make rent. So when he’s invited to a fundraiser gala at a downtown Seattle art gallery, he sees it as a chance to find some new clients among the city’s wealthy elite.

And it works in the most unexpected way – when a young artist is found dead in the women’s restroom.

The assigned detective declares it a suicide and the young woman’s parents promptly sue the gallery owner for driving their daughter to take her own life. Raine is hired to defend the lawsuit and embarks on a mission to exonerate his client.

He soon realizes that the Rain City art world is a hotbed of intrigue, treachery and secret deals and becomes convinced that the young artist was murdered. But why? And by whom?

Raine finds himself navigating an unfamiliar world peopled by rich collectors, starving art students, and the beautiful and beguiling director of a local art school. Can he piece together what really happened on that fateful night and save his client from ruin?

His Review:

A lovely young lady dies during the debut of her art at Finch Art Studios. The death is declared a suicide and the mystery begins. Raine is engaged to defend the owner of the studio against a lawsuit from the parents of the girl. The mystery begins with the question: Who would want to snuff out such a promising young life and career?

The parents sue the art studio owner for negligence and the lawsuit will likely bankrupt the studio’s owner.

The suit being brought, however, threatens both Raines’ payday and the livelihood of his client. And then the worst happens, another young woman and another suicide. Really?

Stephen Penner has put together a provocative tale of avarice and intrigue in the commercial business of art. The teacher and her students are simply trying to be recognized and possibly sell a painting but it can be a world of deception and treachery. I recommend this well-written story with a twist I did not see coming. 4 stars – CE Williams

The second in the series, this could work as a standalone. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four stars

Book Details:

Genre: Conspiracy Thrillers, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction
Publisher: Inkubator Books
ASIN: B0CFM7NDV7
Print Length: 233 pages
Publication Date: August 23, 2023 – Just Released!
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s): Trial by Jury [Amazon]

The Author: Stephen Penner is an author, artist, and attorney from Seattle, Washington. He has written over 25 novels and specializes in courtroom thrillers known for their unexpected twists and candid portrayal of the justice system. He draws on his extensive experience as a criminal trial attorney to infuse his writing with realism and insight.

Stephen is the author of several top-rated legal thriller series. The DAVID BRUNELLE LEGAL THRILLERS feature Seattle homicide D.A. David Brunelle and a recurring cast of cops, defense attorneys, and forensic experts. The TALON WINTER LEGAL THRILLERS showcase tough-as-nails Tacoma criminal defense attorney Talon Winter and her closest allies. And the RAIN CITY LEGAL THRILLERS deliver the adventures of attorney Daniel Raine and his unlikely partner Rebecca Sommers. Stephen is also the author of the MAGGIE DEVEREAUX PARANORMAL MYSTERIES, recounting the exploits of an American graduate student in the magical Highlands of Scotland, and several other stand-alone works.

In his spare time, Stephen enjoys painting, drawing, and spending time with his family. For more information, visit his website http://www.stephenpenner.com.

happy thursday!