#NetGalleyreader – Page 18 – Rosepoint Publishing

Blow Up by Ellen Crosby – #BookReview – #politicalthrillers

A Sophie Medina Mystery Book 3

Book Blurb:

Photojournalist Sophie Medina must figure out how the death of a Supreme Court justice and the murder of a homeless man are related before she becomes an assailant’s next target.

International photojournalist Sophie Medina and her old school friend Father Jack O’Hara are out for a run on Capitol Hill when they find the body of Associate Supreme Court Justice Everett Townsend lying in an alley, barely alive. Townsend, a diabetic, later dies in the ER from complications due to hypoglycemia.

His tragic death has unexpected repercussions for Sophie when Javi, a young homeless man of Sophie’s acquaintance, is murdered. Before he died, Javi told her a shocking story about Townsend that could have a devastating impact on the nation’s highest court – and on the American justice system – if word got out.

Unable to persuade anyone that what she learned is true and on the run from whoever is protecting Townsend’s dark secret, Sophie searches a collection of her photographs of Washington D.C.’s homeless community, looking for evidence before everything blows up in her face . . .

His Review:

Discovering a body in an alley can be a very inconvenient event. Calling the police to report the event casts the net of suspicion over you. Sophie identified the body as belonging to Mr. Townsend.

His widow, eager to get his affairs in order and the will settled asked for an immediate release of the body and subsequent cremation! One day later the ashes were delivered back to the widow and the case closed!

Sophie was certain of her identification of the victim, but doubt was cast on her veracity. Is it possible the judge could have been misidentified? Cremated remains are hard to get identification from and so the will was in the process of being settled.

Sophie’s childhood sweetheart has become a Catholic priest and a confidant. Father Jack is trying to help her through this tough situation but there are too many sticking points. Will they be able to confirm the identity of the deceased even over the objections of the spouse who does not want probate to drag on? Read this book and enjoy the twists and turns. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

I always enjoyed the author’s wine country cozy mysteries, the last being The Vineyard Victims, and thought this time the CE might enjoy her book from a more serious series.

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Political Thrillers & Suspense, Amateur Sleuth Mysteries, Amateur Sleuths
Publisher: Severn House
ASIN: B0BMB18746
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Ellen Crosby‘s newest book–BLOW UP–is the third book in a mystery series featuring international photojournalist Sophie Medina. It will be published in the US, UK, and as an ebook on May 2, 2023 and is the first book in that series since 2016; MULTIPLE EXPOSURE and GHOST IMAGE, the first two books, were re-released in 2022. She has also written 12 Virginia wine country mysteries and MOSCOW NIGHTS, a standalone. Before writing fiction, Crosby worked as a freelance reporter for The Washington Post, an economist at the US Senate, and Moscow reporter for ABC Radio News. She lives with her husband in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. after spending many years living abroad in England, France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and the former Soviet Union. Learn more at http://www.ellencrosby.com and on social media.

Have a Nice Weekend!

Take the Honey and Run by Jennie Marts – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

A Bee Keeping Mystery Book 1

Book Blurb:

As a successful mystery author, Bailey Briggs writes about murder, but nothing prepares her for actually discovering the dead body of the founder of her hometown of Humble Hills, Colorado. Bailey grew up at Honeybuzz Mountain Ranch and was raised by her beekeeping grandmother, Blossom Briggs, aka Granny Bee, and her two eccentric sisters, Aster and Marigold—which is why she drops everything to come home and help Granny Bee after a bad fall.

A broken foot doesn’t stop her grandmother from ruling The Hive, her granny’s book club, or continuing to prepare and package her bee-inspired products. But when Bailey’s grandmother’s infamous “Honey I’m Home” hot spiced honey turns out to “bee” the murder weapon and her granny is now the prime suspect, Bailey has no choice but to use her fictional detective skills to help solve the murder and “smoke out” the real culprit.

With the help of Bailey’s witty bestie, a pair of meddling aunts, the feisty members of The Hive, and her computer-savvy daughter, this amateur sleuth is determined to solve the case. A malicious attack and an ominous threat reveal that someone wants Bailey to butt out of the investigation, but there’s no way she’s backing down. She must use her skills to uncover the truth and catch the clever culprit before her grandmother ends up bee-hind bars.

My Review:

A successful mystery writer returns home to Honeybuzz Mountain Ranch with her twelve-year-old daughter, Daisy, after she received word that her Granny Bee (Blossom Briggs) broke her foot. Granny Bee’s sisters, Aster and Marigold are there and part of “The Hive,” their active book club.

It doesn’t hurt that a teenage crush is back in town, now a local sheriff. An old BFF is around and between she and Evie manage to get into a lot of trouble as they go about trying to prove the death of the mayor by honey is not Granny Bee’s fault.

Well, good luck with that!

Werner was allergic to bees and it’s not like he was a beloved member of the community. I got the feeling that Sheriff Sawyer is new to office and terribly inexperienced. The Hive quickly organizes and begins the task of solving the murder.

(It’s nice that seniors are being included in novels now, but they seem to be evolving into a standard caricature.)

Of course, Bailey is warned more than once to leave the investigation to him, but appears he is always second and allowing a civilian where none would normally be allowed. There are clues and twists. The dialogue is kicky and generational, banter between the oldsters, and there is a doggy for fun.

I loved the cover with the dog, very atmospheric connotation and must admit I stayed in the dark as to whom it might have been, even as the victim was a detestable lout, disappointed in the reveal. Guess I also expected more details regarding the honey market and descriptive details regarding the quaint little Colorado town of Humble Hills.

A nice start to a new series but hope for more complete fleshing next installment.

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.

Rosepoint Rating: Three point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery, Amateur Sleuth Mysteries, Cozy Culinary Mysteries
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
ASIN: B0BJP8RN6Q
Print Length: 336 pages
Publication Date: July 18, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Jennie Marts is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and the “perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam.” Fic Central claimed one of her books was “the most fun I’ve had reading in years.”

She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet who loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.

Her books range from western romance to cozy mysteries but they all have the charm and appeal of quirky small town life. She loves genre-mashups like adding romance to her Page Turners cozy mysteries and creating the hockey-playing cowboys in the Cowboys of Creedence. The same small town community comes to life with more animal antics in her latest Creedence Horse Rescue series. And her sassy heroines and hunky heroes carry over in her heartwarming, feel good romances from Hallmark Publishing. Take the Honey and Run is her newest cozy mystery in the A Bee Keeping Mystery series.

Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie Marts Books, Twitter at @JennieMarts, and at jenniemartswriter on Instagram. Visit her at http://www.jenniemarts.com and sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest news and releases.

#TuesdayBookBlog

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard – #BookReview – #psychologicalthrillers

Book Blurb:

Summer and Leo would do anything for each other. Inspired by the way each has had to carve her place in a hostile and unforgiving world, and united by the call of the open road, they travel around sunny California in Summer’s tricked-out Land Cruiser. It’s not a glamorous life, but it gives them the freedom they crave from the painful pasts they’ve left behind. But even free spirits have bills to pay. Luckily, Summer is a skilled pickpocket, a small-time thief, and a con artist—and Leo, determined to pay her own way, has learned a trick or two.

Eager for a big score, Leo catches in her crosshairs Michael Forrester, a self-made billionaire and philanthropist. When her charm wins him over, Leo is rewarded with an invitation to his private island off the California coastline for a night of fabulous excess. She eagerly anticipates returning with photos that can be sold to the paparazzi, jewelry that can be liquidated, and endless stories to share with Summer.

Instead, Leo disappears.

On her own for the first time in years, Summer decides to infiltrate Michael’s island and find out what really happened. But when she arrives, no one has seen Leo—she’s not on the island as far as they know. Plus, there was only one way on the island—and no way off—for the coming days. Trapped in a scheme she helped initiate, could Summer have met her match?

His Review:

What entertainment can a billionaire not afford? Michael is very handsome and his blue eyes bewitch young women. Leo is immediately smitten and follows him to his island retreat. Summer, her best friend, wonders what happened to this free spirit and discovers that Leo may have gone to the recluses’ island.

Leo is honored and thrilled that Michael would choose her to go to his island retreat and offer to paint her portrait. His wall is filled with smiling, lovely young ladies. Summer, however, is not convinced that this is a good idea. Her best friend is now incommunicado and she goes to the island to find her friend.

Javier is fiercely loyal to Michael and will protect him with his life. All of the ladies who visit Michael on the island are approved by Javier as there is a danger and potential loss of livelihood if Michael’s secrets are revealed. Summer coming to the island without a real invitation is clearly troubling!

Wendy Heard has developed a fluid and frightening tale of intrigue and suspense off the California coast. The primary lesson of this tale is: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” Enjoy the narrative and its’ myriad twists. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Women’s Psychological Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Psychological Thrillers
Publisher: Bantam
ISBN-10: ‎ 0593599314
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0593599310
ASIN: B0BF8PYCMX
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Wendy Heard is the author of acclaimed suspense and thrillers for adults and teens, including THE KILL CLUB, SHE’S TOO PRETTY TO BURN, and DEAD END GIRLS. Wendy has spent most of her life in Los Angeles, California, which is on fire more than she would honestly prefer, and can often be found haunting local hiking trails and bookstores. She loves all things vintage and has a collection of thrillers and adventure books from the 80s. You can access free short stories and an interactive fiction game through her newsletter at www.wendyheard.com.

Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @wendydheard

Enjoy your day

The Devil’s Glove by Lucretia Grindle – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

Rumors of War, Whispers of Witchcraft; A Spellbinding Historical Novel

Book Blurb:

Northern New England, summer, 1688.
Salem started here.

A suspicious death. A rumor of war. Whispers of witchcraft.

Perched on the brink of disaster, Resolve Hammond and her mother, Deliverance, struggle to survive in their isolated coastal village. They’re known as healers taught by the local tribes – and suspected of witchcraft by the local villagers.

Their precarious existence becomes even more chaotic when summoned to tend to a poisoned woman. As they uncover a web of dark secrets, rumors of war engulf the village, forcing the Hammonds to choose between loyalty to their native friends or the increasingly terrified settler community.

As Resolve is plagued by strange dreams, she questions everything she thought she knew – about her family, her closest friend, and even herself. If the truth comes to light, the repercussions will be felt far beyond the confines of this small settlement.

Based on meticulous research and inspired by the true story of the fear and suspicion that led to the Salem Witchcraft Trials, THE DEVIL’S GLOVE is a tale of betrayal, loyalty, and the power of secrets. Will Resolve be able to uncover the truth before the town tears itself apart, or will she become the next victim of the village’s dark and mysterious past?

My Review:

It takes a little while to get used to the writing style, emulating I imagine the speech patterns of the late seventeenth century. It’s stilted and somewhat hard to read, digest, interpret. Even so, the narrative is also heavy in prose resulting in quotables too numerous to list.

It’s the story of Resolve Hammond and her mother, Deliverance, who are trying to assimilate into the village of Falmouth. Deliverance, most especially, has become somewhat of a personality known for her cures and limited medical expertise, which has resulted in both a positive and negative in the villagers’ suspicion of her knowledge of poultices and potions. It is generally felt she gained much of her knowledge from the local natives who are viewed with fear.

When Resolve is not working with her mother, she is palling around with Judah White, with whom she has become close personal friends, foresworn blood sisters.

“…all that is beautiful is but a glove for the Devil’s hand.”

There is a lot of mistrust about the local tribe with a recent history of conflict still strong in the minds of the villagers. The whispers regarding new unexplained happenings grow stronger with rumors handed from one to another until truth is no longer recognizable.

“I’d not care to try to outrace or hide from them amid waves any more than among trees. That’s when you understand whose land, and sea, this truly is.”

Events are beginning to push war to a reality when a peaceful solution has been orchestrated but mishandled badly by a member of the colony with ulterior motives. In the meantime, Resolve is betrayed by the one she thought could be trusted while the wild child among them, her junior and dangerous, is furthering her own agenda.

It’s not looking good for Resolve (nee Savannah) nor her mother and appears to be time to move on—they are thinking perhaps to Salem?

Heavy with description, exceptional details, and weighed down somewhat by unnecessary backstory, the main storyline tends to wallow at times. I always enjoy the descriptive utilization of plants and their properties, a visit to a native village, and the possible use of hallucinogenics that pushes the narrative to a mystical and ethereal atmosphere.

A historical fiction novel obviously the benefit of research but not quite the pace or plot expected. 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.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Women’s Historical Fiction, U S Historical Fiction, Historical Mysteries
Publisher: Casa Croce Press
ASIN: B0BWSD5SVL
Print Length: 360 pages
Publication Date: May 1, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: The Devil’s Glove [Amazon]

The Author: Lucretia was born in Massachusetts. Her family moved to the UK when she was six months old, and she has spent the rest of her life – to date – living ‘half in England, half in the US’. She went to school and University in both countries, and rode and produced competition horses professionally before quitting her day job to write full time. She has published six novels, two when she was very young, and four since she wasn’t so very young. She writes both fiction and non-fiction, and when she isn’t staring absently out of the window, spends her time cooking, gardening, sailing enthusiastically if not very well, and discussing deer and squirrels with the dog.

#TuesdayBookBlog

The One Who Fell (A Whitecliff Bay Mystery Bk 1) by Kerry Wilkinson – #TuesdayBookBlog

Book Blurb:

In the seaside town of Whitecliff, everyone looks out for each other. Everyone knows your name. And everyone knows your secrets…

Moonlight falls on the figure of the girl standing on the red-tiled roof. Her white dress and blonde hair flutter in the freezing night wind. And suddenly – she is gone.

Volunteering at the local nursing home is Millie Westlake’s one escape from the rumours that swirl around Whitecliff about her past. But speaking with elderly resident, Ingrid, as they play board games, Millie gets chills at her strange story about a young girl being pushed from a roof, somewhere across the valley…

Everybody thinks Ingrid is confused: but Millie knows how it feels to not be believed. Her parents died a year ago, and the residents of Whitecliff – such a quiet place, other than crashing waves and cawing seagulls – are convinced Millie killed them.

Desperately searching for evidence to find the girl Ingrid saw, a broken roof tile could prove Ingrid was telling the truth. But when strange footprints appear in Millie’s garden, she’s certain someone out there is watching.

Have Ingrid and Millie stumbled across something terribly dangerous? And with the town against her, will Millie have to face up to her own secrets to solve the mystery before it becomes deadly?

My Review:

I love it when I get to start a series with Book 1 as my norm seems to be to get in on Book 14 of one that is already successful (and fully developed). Sometimes that’s a great introduction to the series, other times it’s assumed the backstory has been rehashed and the MC so well developed the reader already knows every freckle or mole on his/her face.

Of course, that can work the other way as well. Starting a new series means getting the protagonist established, developed, the support characters introduced and the setting created in the mind of the reader. The process can be a slow one.

For me, it meant that this is one sluggish read. The main character Millie is hiding in plain sight, volunteering at the local nursing home where she can get lost with the old folks, providing a visit, a game, a story for those who get precious little one-on-one.

In the course of visiting with Ingrid, Ingrid relates witnessing from her upper story window a young girl being pushed from the roof a house or two away. Ingrid, of course, is known to get confused sometimes but Millie finds her story plausible and having somewhat of a gap in her own credibility, believes her. She is sympathetic to Ingrid and feels she must check into the story. But who does she trust?

It’s a small town with all the small town foibles, but a seaside village beautifully described. There is a support character who becomes somewhat a source of help while adding additional layers to the narrative and throwing off red herrings. A distraction.

Millie has an upward battle in finding an ear that will listen as her parents died suspiciously recently and she is suspected of providing their push into the hereafter. (Another small backstory I couldn’t quite buy or the reason people thought so.)

I couldn’t warm up to Millie and the story wove in and out of my interest. Too many questions not resolved in Book 1 because it is so obviously intended to lead into Book 2. My problem is lack of incentive.

I’ve read Kerry Wilkinson before, the most recent being The Blame, and can usually become engaged or entertained if not hanging on the edge of my seat to see where it’s going. No doubt there are Wilkinson fans who’ll enjoy picking through the breadcrumbs, but for me, this is a one off.

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.

Rosepoint Rating: Three Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Murder, Murder Thrillers, Suspense
Publisher: Bookouture
ASIN: B0BWK5W5K2
Print Length: 357 pages
Publication Date: April 17, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Kerry Wilkinson has sold two million books – and had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.

As well as his Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy – a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults – a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.

Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like ‘barm’ and ‘ginnel’.

When he’s short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he’s not, he writes it all down.

#TuesdayBookBlog

Velma Gone Awry: A Brooklyn 8 Ballo Mystery by Matt Cost – #BookReview – #historicalmystery

Book Blurb:

Award-winning author Matt Cost brings us back to Brooklyn in the Roaring ’20s and introduces us to Hungarian private eye, 8 Ballo, who is hired to find the daughter of a wealthy businessman. The search will lead him to cross paths with Dorothy Parker, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, Bugsy Siegel, Babe Ruth, and many more as he tries to uncover why Velma went awry.

8 Ballo’s mother was certain he was going to be born a girl, but when he comes out a boy, she writes down simply the number 8, as he has seven older siblings. She meant to change it to a real name at some point but never got around to it.

Now, in his mid-thirties, 8 is a college-educated man, a veteran of the Great War, jilted in love, and has his own private investigator business. He enjoys his friends, a good book, jazz music, and a very simple life. When he is hired to find the young flapper daughter of a German businessman, life suddenly becomes much more complicated.

His Review:

A young girl was raised by a step-father after her mother’s death at age 13.

Velma seems to be far off the rails of society’s norms and heading for personal destruction. 8 Ballo is a private detective hired by her father to find her and bring her home. Her father, Mr. Hartmann, is paying well and wants to have his daughter home and under his thumb.

Finding Velma is not so easy. She has protectors in the underworld of the city and some of her father’s competitors would love to see him eliminated. There is an ongoing struggle in the city for the continued dominance of the drug and prostitution trade. Velma is caught in between.

Detective Bello runs into issues when he is finally is able to track her down. She is exceedingly beautiful and has many admirers who would fall on their swords for the young lady. Meanwhile, her father’s competitors would like to control her and ruin her father’s hold on the drug trade.

Falling for the charms of Velma was not in 8’s plan, but she has him under her thumb and he is torn between his contract to her father and his affection for Velma. The story takes many twists and keeps the reader engaged. Enjoy! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

This is Book 1 in a new series (we think). We’ve read his Clay Wolfe/Port Essex Mystery series as well as the Goff Langdon Mainely Mystery series. Each series has grown and the author’s writing style matured. We enjoyed each one. This one is off to a good start as well. Recommended!

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction, Private Investigator Mysteries
Publisher: Encircle Publications
ASIN: B0BDVBSLHN
Print Length: 306 pages
Publication Date: April 12, 2023
Source: Auther and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Matt Cost was a history major at Trinity College. He owned a mystery bookstore, a video store, and a gym, before serving a ten-year sentence as a junior high school teacher. In 2014 he was released and began writing. And that’s what he does. He writes histories and mysteries.

Cost has published four books in the Mainely Mystery series, with the fifth, “Mainely Wicked”, due out in August of 2023. He has also published four books in the Clay Wolfe Trap series, with the fifth, “Pirate Trap”, due out in December of 2023.

For historical novels, Cost has published “At Every Hazard” and its sequel, “Love in a Time of Hate”, as well as “I am Cuba”. In April of 2023, Cost will combine his love of histories and mysteries into a historical PI mystery set in 1923 Brooklyn, “Velma Gone Awry”.

Cost now lives in Brunswick, Maine, with his wife, Harper. There are four grown children: Brittany, Pearson, Miranda, and Ryan. A chocolate Lab and a basset hound round out the mix. He now spends his days at the computer, writing.

Enjoy Your Sunday!

Rosepoint Reviews – March Recap – Hello April—Are We There Yet?

Rosepoint Review Recap-March-Hello April!

March was a big one around here—with the birth of a new great-granddaughter on March 7 and my birthday—a big one. Age changes perceptions, but it’s both encouraging and getting scary.

March is also a month of weather extremes; snow one day and warm enough to ride a bike the next. I’ve learned the hard way that I can’t start my garden until late April, so that’s a ways off yet but beginning to think I might be able to clean and prepare the deck. Living in the Rust Belt is a whole new experience.

Of course, around here, we also celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and for the last several years have participated in #ReadingIrelandMonth, so jumped on board with that as well. We read or listened to thirteen books in March, six of which were dedicated to #begorrathon23, and as many NetGalley books as audiobooks with some oldie but goodies as well. (Links below are to my reviews that include purchase info.)

The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson (audiobook-bookclub selection)
The Strange Courtship of Kathleen O’Dwyer by Robert Temple (CE review for #begorrathon23)
Molasses Murder in a Nutshell by Frances McNamara
The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens (audiobook)
Retribution by Robert McCaw (CE review)
The Sea by John Banville (#begorrathon23)
Desert Star by Michael Connelly (audiobook-#begorrathon23)
Cold Light of Day by Elizabeth Goddard (CE review)
A Week in Summer (audiobook-#begorrathon23)
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn (audiobook-#begorrathon23)
Operation Storm King by Elliott Sumers (CE review)
The Donut Legion by Joe R Lansdale
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (audiobook-#begorrathon23)

Have you read any of the above? We narrowed the scope of genres last month but still included historical fiction, thrillers, fantasy, crime, and even a touch of horror (John Connolly).

Favorite Book of the Month

Hands down—no contest. I’m a consummate fan of Kate Quinn—my second book The Rose Code as spell-binding as The Huntress, interested me so much I continued to research Bletchley Park after reading her Epilogue. So that is the March choice for Book of the Month.

Blogger Post

I didn’t have a lot of time to do blog hopping in February, but I did catch several of my favorites, including those from Yesha at Books Teacups and Reviews. I particularly enjoy her personality which not only shines through on her blog posts but her stories on Instagram as well. If you haven’t already, check out her blog and follow her. She’ll lighten your day.

My Reading Challenges page… I have 38 books of a goal of 145 in Goodreads (three books ahead of schedule) and keep a 97% feedback ratio in NetGalley. Lagging behind on the others but hope to have it caught up shortly.

For us, March spells participation in Reading Ireland Month 2023 and just loved Cathy’s post on March 31 regarding the eventful month for Irish literature. If you haven’t had a chance to read that, I’d urge you to enjoy her list of Irish lit accomplishments along with her humorous comment regarding Wild Mountain Thyme—somewhat of a “cult classic”. (Yeah, Christopher Walken has been seriously miscast in more than one film!) I love participating in this challenge and also posted a poem from my grandfather—which would totally confirm his story of kissing the Blarney Stone (maybe more than once?). I also included a post regarding one of our more inglorious St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations–here—in case you missed it.

Once again, thank you sooo much for reading and commenting on my posts. I always appreciate the participation!

#RosepointPub

The Donut Legion by Joe R Lansdale – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog #1 New Release in Southern United States Fiction

Book Blurb:

In this standalone, Edgar-award winning author, Joe R. Lansdale, whom “few can match” (Booklist) beams a light on an East Texas town where a QAnon-style, evangelist cult is brewing trouble.

Charlie Garner has a bad feeling. His ex-wife, Meg, has been missing for over a week and one quick peek into her home shows all her possessions packed up in boxes. Neighbors claim she’s running from bill collectors, but Charlie suspects something more sinister is afoot. Meg was last seen working at the local donut shop, a business run by a shadow group most refer to as ‘The Saucer People’; a space-age, evangelist cult who believe their compound to be the site of an extraterrestrial Second Coming.

Along with his brother, Felix, and beautiful, randy journalist Amelia “Scrappy” Moon, Charlie uncovers strange and frightening details about the compound (read: a massive, doomsday storehouse of weapons, a leashed chimpanzee!) When the body of their key informer is found dead with his arms ripped out of their sockets, Charlie knows he’s in danger but remains dogged in his quest to rescue Meg.

Brimming with colorful characters and Lansdale’s characteristic bounce, this rollicking crime novel examines the insidious rise of fringe groups and those under their sway with black comedy and glints of pathos.

My Review:

I certainly remember well my first read penned by this author, a Hap and Leonard novella that I reviewed back in 2017. It was an unusual style of writing hard to forget, so when I saw this come up on NetGalley, couldn’t resist giving Lansdale another go—as I thought this might be the first in a new series. (Maybe not?)

Certainly intended to make a strong social statement regarding the seriousness of following a cult or cult leader blindly in an effort to redirect an unhappy existence—this just makes it worse. Or deadly even. If it wasn’t for the crazy characters and the dark Lansdale sense of humor imparted throughout the book, it would not be a book I’d pick up.

The hapless MCs are trying to do the right thing. Charlie is a mainly unsuccessful writer/former police officer while his brother Felix is a former psychologist now private investigator. Felix’s circle includes Cherry, an attorney. Charlie’s new squeeze is Amelia—better known as Scrappy. She’s a former dental hygienist who got very tired of dirty mouths and now wants to write a book regarding the “Saucer People,” a local cult being groomed to survive an impending invasion of aliens.

The depth with which the cult has pervaded the town and its people is revealed with the group’s investigation, finally winning over cynical Police Chief Nelson (one of the few not involved in the cult). The chief has a dog named Tag who is quickly among the characters you come to love. The storyline takes a serious turn as Charlie comes to believe his ex (Meg—whom he still has strong feelings for) and her new hubby are victims of the cult. It appears that their snitch has also been dispatched, obviously by a murderous monkey—okay, okay—not a monkey. A chimpanzee.

To say the plot turns deadly is not an over-statement—nor a spoiler. You’ll read it soon enough, which btw, (trigger alerts) is rife with crude language, violent description, and sexual innuendo. I guess it might be standard dialogue given the character’s backgrounds or may add some authenticity, but it’s the kind of humor that has you sniggering at the same time as your face reddens.

A biting scrutiny of a fringe compound that can hold a loyal but often deadly stranglehold on its followers searching for Nirvana. Written in the storytellers’ unusual writing style, this narrative will engage and entertain as many readers as it might turn off.

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.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Southern United States Fiction, Southern Fiction, Hard-Boiled Mystery
Publisher: Mulholland Books
ISBN: ‎ 0316540684
ASIN: B0B5SD6P6M
Print Length: 305 pages
Publication Date: March 21, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over thirty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in eighteen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies.

Lansdale has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others.

A major motion picture based on Lansdale’s crime thriller Cold in July was released in May 2014, starring Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Sam Shepard (Black Hawk Down), and Don Johnson (Miami Vice). His novella Bubba Hotep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story “Incident On and Off a Mountain Road” was adapted to film for Showtime’s “Masters of Horror.” He is currently co-producing a TV series, “Hap and Leonard” for the Sundance Channel and films including The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero.

Lansdale is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.

#TuesdayBookBlog