Crime Books

Very well written
Extrodinary life of Lois Gibson
I would recommend it to all

I sat down and read the entire book in one night, it was a Christmas gift from my husband. It ranks as one of the top 5 books I've ever read, and I am an avid reader. It was excellent, raw human emotion, but at the same time, like talking to a girlfriend. I just loved it. I felt a strange sense of inadequacy after reading it, like I wasn't doing enough in my own life. It really made me stop and think about my own life. If you get satisfaction out of watching "Forensic Files", "The New Detectives", "America's Most Wanted" and the like, then you will love this book. Lois is an author with a rare combination of sass, softness & wisdom - she knows her stuff but still makes you remember she's a mom and wife.

Truly amazing book. If you are interested in Forensic Art, Compositry or are just a crime story buff who loves to see the bad guys get caught, read this. It's an easy read and completely engrossing.

The Faces of Evil is a very compelling book about how a tenacious forensic artist can help to put murderers, kidnappers, and rapists behind bars. The story of Lois Gibson is a very interesting one, as a victim of a violent crime herself, she brings much more when she visits when a crime victim than a person who was not a crime victim.

Lois Gibson fell into becoming a forensic artist. Her early training was drawing portaits at an amusement park. In her early career she spent time specializing in portraits, not foresenics. She would go on to pester the police department until she could prove that she could draw someone from description. Once allowed to do this, she proved she could do the job. While she wasn't immediately hired on at the Houston police department she would convince them to hire her full time, and later they did so.

She has drawn pictures of many different criminals that the end result was bringing many different criminals to justice. At times these pictures were the only way to bring in criminals. She has helped to catch abusive parents, murderers of children, rapists, and so much more. This is a story of one woman's journey to aide the public is solving crimes as well as a personal story of what can happen if you set your mind to succeede.

Welcome true crime lovers to an inside treatment of a forensic artists' skill and tenacity in bringing down the bad guys. It is refreshing to see that some very special people are out there fighting crime, one stroke at a time. Together with the Houston Police department, this forensic artist is taking her brush against crime. The story is well written and insightful. Don't miss this exciting inside account of what is good about our law enforcement professionals!

This book was wonderfully written. It went into great details and sometimes the reader had to be reminded that he or she was not there, that day in 1946. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has a passion for civil rights literature.

The term, "Fire in a Canebrake", is a phrase that Walton County, Georgia residents used to describe the sounds of the fatal gunshots that commenced the last mass lynching in America; it is also the title of Laura Wexler's historical account of the Moore's Ford lynching where four blacks were murdered in late July 1946. The novel painstakingly details the "who, what, when, where and why" of the horrific crime and is supported by interviews, FBI reports, and other detailed documentation.

Wexler takes us back to the beginning when a black man, Roger Malcolm, stabs a white man, Barnett Hester, for allegedly having an affair with his common law wife, Dorothy. As Barnett lingers near death, Roger sits in jail counting his days left on earth. Eleven days later when Barnett recovers, Roger is then set free when his bail is posted by Loy Harrison, a wealthy landowner and landlord to George Dorsey (Dorothy's older brother) and his common law wife, Mae Murray. It is returning home from the jail that Roger, Dorothy, George, and Mae are dragged from Loy's car by an angry mob of white men and are murdered in cold blood. Loy claims he did not and could not recognize any of the attackers which was why his life was spared on that fateful day....and so the lying begins and never seems to end.

For years, the NAACP, FBI, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), and local law enforcement conduct their investigations, interrogations, and examinations only to arrive at no convictions. It is only in 1991, when an "eyewitness" steps forward to tell his story that there appears to be a slither of hope for justice. However, hope fades as holes and contradictions run rampant in his testimony as well; and unfortunately by the early 1990's all of the suspected perpetrators and potential corroborating witnesses are deceased. It appears that the leads had literally died out and one wonders if justice will ever be served.

The author does an excellent job of "peeling back the layers" to set the stage for the story and expertly blends in the national and state political agendas that influenced the course of events surrounding the lynching. By doing so, the reader understands the history of the rural Georgian townships where the story plays out, the role of the key witnesses including their family and criminal backgrounds, public displays of bigotry and drunkenness. She also shares the political tactics of the day used to deny blacks of their Civil Rights and protection under Federal law, numerous contradictions in the witness's statements/alibis/affidavits, and lack of follow-up and missed opportunities by law officials. The handling of the case by the investigators from beginning to end is totally unbelievable by today's standards, but what is moreso shocking is the blatant racism, hatred, and wantonness of the townsfolk toward an atrocity such as this.

This reader ran a myriad of emotions while reading the novel -- first, frustration in that no perpetrators were ever brought to justice and nor was anyone ever held accountable for these heinous crimes -- a fact that is unfortunately recurrent in so many lynching cases. Secondly, anger and sadness when reading about the intimidation and threats against local blacks as well as the breakdown and separation of the victim's families in the aftermath of the lynching. The murders only exacerbated their wretched existence as poor, undereducated sharecroppers. The author's skill in conveying their daily living conditions and lifestyle using census statistics and first hand accounts was outstanding and heartbreaking.

This book is a page-turner! Although Oprah, Dateline, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution have covered this story, Wexler adds a twist: her words breathe life into the pages and add color to the black and white photos in the book; she presents the evidence in such a way to allow readers to draw their own conclusions. Hats off to Ms. Wexler for her perseverance and dedication to finding truth. Well done!

Phyllis
APOOO BookClub, The Nubian Circle Book Club

This book is an accurate and detailed historical account of The Morre's Ford Bridge Lynching that took place in Walton County, GA in 1946. For those of you doing the math that's only 57 years ago. Though certainly not the last recorded lynching, it was significant in that it eventually affected the political landscape of the country. The book combines the best of history, politics, race relations, slavery, and good old fashion detective work.

Laura Wexler is an author and researcher extraordinaire. Her talents are unmatched by anything I have read in recent times and certainly on par with American Literary Giants. Ms. Wexler's (a white woman) only shortcoming is that she fails to capture the anger a person of color could have brought to such events. Without saying anything more, yesterday afternoon I gave the book to my wife, by 11:00pm she had read 168 pages.

As you read be mindful of the following. Focus on the dates of those events, how relatively few years have passed between 1946 and 2003. For that matter think about the climate of America back in 1966. Only twenty years removed from the Morre's Ford Bridge lynching and unilaterally all whites would agree times were still overtly oppressive for blacks. With that, think about Affirmative Action and how 1966 represents one generation of blacks, still not fully removed from out right racist attitudes. I also want my friends to consider the prevailing attitude of whites in 1946 and how to this day, or at least 1997-1999 how those attitudes stood the test of time. Consider not just the rural, simplistic, racist cotton farmers, but the complex, covert, economic, and political powers of those white racists in place at the time. What do you think the power elite taught their children? If they taught their children their core values and belief system (which all good parents do), do you think those children (today's white leaders) would act upon their beliefs overtly or covertly? What struggles do you think Blacks might still face today?

As we STRUGGLE to understand and move past our differences, it is imperative that we recognize the RECENT history of overt racial oppression and the healing power of Affirmative Action. Growing up, Black men used the phrase "my brother" as a greeting. In that greeting we recognized not our biological sibling, nor our color, but more deeply our common struggle. To remove it from the vernacular and express it for what we were really trying to say, "my partner in struggle."

Your Brother,
habworks

This is a book about a horrendous assassination of four black residents of a neighboring county of Atlanta in 1946, but it is also a book on Southern culture, as it had existed since the time of the Civil War. The author depicts a close-knit, rural society dominated by white landowners who basically controlled their communities' affairs including the dispensing of justice as they saw fit. Keeping the blacks of the area under a watchful eye and in a subordinate economic position was a huge part of that control. Any deviation from their prescribed roles and permitted behaviors, generally resulted in some form of physical violence being perpetrated upon blacks. Of course, law enforcement personnel, if not assisting in this extra-legal violence, looked the other way.

The assassination of these four individuals screamed across the nation's headlines in the summer of 1946 to the surprise of the local residents. This dispensing of justice, while more egregious than was usually the case, was from the same timeworn mold. The local thought was, Why the clamor? The FBI, the NAACP, and any number of reporters descended on Walton County, Georgia that summer. But all of those parties met with silence, fear, dissembling, conflicting stories, and a decided lack of evidence. Five months of investigation, including the convening of a federal grand jury, yielded only some potential suspects, but the evidence was slight and inconclusive.

The author seemed to have a vague notion that she would be able to sift through the evidence and solve the case, aided by further digging. That thought was fueled by the fact that an alleged first-hand witness to the murders had come forward with his story in the early 1990s. It becomes evident in the course of the book that the new revelation was largely a fabrication, though the motivation remains unclear.

The author's project began in 1997, fifty-one years after the crime. Virtually all of the suspects and witnesses had died by that time. Most of the recapitulation of the days leading to the killings was derived from the extensive interviews conducted by the FBI in 1946. Other sources were newspaper accounts and files from the NAACP. In the beginning, the author attempts to piece together the steps and actions of the principals in the days leading to the murders. Most of the book is devoted to bouncing around the conflicting evidence as it was gathered. Some conclusions can be drawn, but mostly the truth remains obscure.

Of course, anyone reading this book would realize that the crime has not been solved, so that is not a good reason to read the book. And it is a slight criticism of the book that after that much effort, the author does not in the end offer much in the way of speculation as to the perpetrators. The importance of this book is that it lays bare the notion that Southern society treated blacks, though perhaps differently, benignly. Life for blacks in the olden South was nothing short of brutal. One wonders just what it is from the past that Southerners want to defend in the various flag controversies now raging throughout Southern states. This book makes quite clear that atonement for the past should be on the minds of rural Southerners, not preservation.

I live 20 minutes away from where this tragic event occurred. I have lived in this area for over 30 years and just recently became aware that the lynching occurred. I decided to read the book when a friend of mine told me it was out - we had discussed the history of the event a few months earlier as he was raised in Walton County and knew of some of the people mentioned in the book. I have to say that the entire book was very disturbing to me. I cannot in any way imagine an entire community keeping quiet about what happened. I cannot imagine the hate that caused this tragedy. I cannot understand the fear instilled in the black population so that they did not even come forward with information. I am in a interracial marriage and it is amazing to me that a few decades ago this would've caused an uproar that may have lead to murder.
The book is a good one. It will keep you interested throughout. Of course I knew before starting how it would end up - no conclusions on who did it - I learned a great deal about what actually occurred and have drawn my own ideas about what happened and who may have been involved. Knowing the area added to the "enjoyment" for lack of a better word, of reading, but it is definitely not necessary.
I am glad I was disturbed while I read this book. I hope everyone who reads it is as well. Too bad we'll never know what really happened.

Well developed, interesting characters. I love the point of view of the little beagle. All nuances are just absolutely perfect!!! beagle woo!!! Loved the book. A quick and highly entertaining read.

... loving this book. Dale Kinsall and his Beagle, Sully, pulled me into their lives right away, right into the parking lot of the Foothills Veterinary Clinic. Every character in the book, major and minor, is as real as every other, right down to the noisy children in the background. The pacing is just right, no slack, no yanking. And when the end comes, the surprise is just right--but it's no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed the read.

I really enjoyed this book. Yes, I am a beagle lover which is why the book was given to me. Dale and Sully are wonderful!! I can't wait to read more of their adventures (please, oh please!).

Doranna Durgin always creates well-developed characters--including the animals! In NOSE, readers get to meet Sully, a Beagle, who is a real dog, not a cutsie-poo device. Oh, and Dale is a winner, too, but Sully is the star!

I guess I did like this book, and hey, cute dog... gotta love that. But I felt like the author was in a horrible storm, and half her manuscript blew away, kind of randomly. But she turned the other half in, and they published it at a VERY large price for such a small book. But I just kept feeling confused throughout the book. (and he did NOT come from the east coast. Farms in Ohio don't count as the east coast). The book ended, and I was still confused, with few loose ends cleared up. I feel irritated that I was cheated out of some really good stuff. Oh well. Other reviews seemed to love this book, but I'm suspicious of their motivation. All that said, I liked the guy and the girl, and loved the dog. Makes for a decent read, but no way was it 4 or 5 stars.


PS. Add extra points if you like hearing the dog's point of view. I always love that, although there could have been more of it.

Steven Schindler writes with a rare combination of compassion and street savvy, and in "From here to reality" seems to combine all the elements of great literature. Comedy, drama, suspense, romance, sex, & violence are intertwined in a realistic story set in a realistic time frame. Schindler keeps our interest through the twists and turns of LA and NYC, and the emotional ups and down of his diverse characters. His vivid and accurate descriptions of people, places and things keeps you " in the moment" as the story unfolds. I found it to be quite readable, very interesting and extremely creative with a surprise ending that effectively ties it all together and keeps you wanting for more. I highly recommend it

As a writer, I was truly impressed with how well Steven Schindler was able to vividly immerse the reader into a specific era of Hollywood, and into specific situations; of which he *must* have been privy. A good book, by a great writer. I highly recommend it.

What a great book! I would highly recommend it. The story is quick, witty, and fun with characters you want to get to know. Schindler takes you on a ride through Los Angeles, New York and most importantly through his characters hearts. It is a perfect read for a Sunday afternoon.

You can't help but keep on reading as the novel increases the intensity in mystery. You got to know whats gonna happen next!!And the ending, well, I don't want to spoil it. The main characters come to life; you want to get to know them, you want to know their secrets. Mr. Schindler has that ability to put you in the scene as you keep reading. Sort of like a when you dream and you see everything going on about. Another great reading experience from the author of SEWER BALLS, a novel about growing up in NY in the 60's. Both books I highly recommend... I'm waiting for the movie!!!!!!!

As I did with Steven Schindler's first two novels, Sewer Balls, and From the Block, I thoroughly enjoyed reading his latest, From Here to Reality. It's one of those books that you just don't want to end. Being born and bred in the Bronx, I can certainly vouch for the authenticity of the New York neighborhoods and experiences that Schindler describes, and the picture he paints of life in LA evokes a plethora of genuine emotions. I look forward to Schindler's next book.

A man is poisoned during a chess match, and Wolfe gets called by the daughter of the arrested suspect to clear her dad and find the real killer. Naturally, Wolfe must do this while staying firmly ensconsed in his Manhatten brownstone, while Archie Goodwin does his legwork. The story quickly develops a natural suspect after an initial series of interviews of all the people surrounding the death. But it also takes an interesting twist when another dead body is found. I enjoyed that just enough clues were left in the story to allow me to figure out who the killer was just before Wolfe announced it. Here's a hint ... the method of murder was a little different than you may originally think it is. Enjoy!

For some reason the Amazon listings don't include the audio CD version of this outstanding book.

Michael Prichard's reading style is ideally suited to this great story about chess players and the "perfect murder." The variations in personalities at the Gambit Club prefigure the chess stars of the 70s.

From a view of character study, this one is really, really good (and great to listen to also).

My 5th Nero Wolfe book, and I loved it. I caution new readers that the Nero Wolfe books are an acquired taste. For women the Wolfe character is edgy. But, this puzzle of who poisoned what, etc. really grabbed my attention, and I dreamed about it for days (a good sign for me). I can tell that I'm finally getting into these books because I envy Wolfe's life. He's a recluse, and that's my big goal in life -- a recluse with lots of help to do my chores. It'll never happen, and that's why reading these books is satisfying a longing in me.

For anyone unfamiliar with Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries I'd highly recommend this novel. While it is not my favorite of Stout's Nero Wolfe stories, it is a nice introduction to to Nero Wolfe and his confidential assistant Archie Goodwin. Wolfe is a 285 pound orchid collecting genius of a detective who almost never leaves his office for work. he can be cranky and avoids work whenever possible. Archie is a sarcastic ladies-man who's job is to do the leg work for Wolfe as well as keep him focused.

The opening sections of the book illustrate the quirks of the main characters and as I said make a good introduction for new readers.

The mystery itself is interesting and full of the twists and turns that I have come to expect from a Nero Wolfe novel. It is written in Stout's signiature sytle and kept me guessing for much of the book. In the end, Stout does a good job of tying everything up and showing the logic behind the solution and how Wolfe and Archie got from point A to Point B to the solution.

A Review by Alex

Jerin is playing the usual twelve players with messengers running in a room with Jerin alone telling the layouts of each board. A man had come in with some hot chocolate for Jerin. The man's name was Blount. Later that night, Jerin dies and Blount is thrown in jail because they all think he did it. Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin have to solve the mystery and see to it that Blount is innocent. The only way they can solve it is the use of his daughter, Sally.

I really love and enjoy the fact that this book makes me think and makes it so I use my brain a little. It is a mystery, so therefore I have to be smarter than Archie. I was always trying to figure out if it is someone or not and when I read to find out it's not one person I try to guess who it could be. This book also gave me suspense, I got so excited when they were about to do questioning with someone like Sally or the mother. I always find out something new and clues of the killer. This book was also a perfect read when it came to pages, only 137 pages and the text was a bit on the small side but still made it a perfect size. Not too quick and not too long. This book always gave me a surprise.

This is a great mystery for those who love to use their brain figuring things out. Gambit is a really exciting book to discover new suspects and an unexpected murderer. You will dive into the book and not want to put in down caused by the eagerness to read about who did it and why.

This is the fourth book in the Earlene Fowler quilting mystery series.

Benni Harper and her husband Gabe Ortiz become involved in a police investigation after Benni discovers a woman's body floating in a lake next to their jogging path. The dead woman is dressed in a Mother Goose costume and Benni immediately recognizes her as Nora Cooper, a local storyteller.

Because of Benni's job as curator of the San Celina Folk Art Museum, she was well acquainted with Nora Cooper and they were both working on an upcoming Storytelling and Story Quilt Festival. Benni tries to stay out of the police investigation, but she keeps getting pulled in because she knew the victim and most of the suspects.

Benni and Gabe are newlyweds and still getting adjusted to living together which is difficult because they are both set in their ways. The situation is not helped by the arrival of three different relatives who all come to visit at the same time causing commotion in their small home.

Though Earlene Fowler gives us a patchwork of personalities and several different plots, she still manages to keep the reader interested and entertained.

I've read the entire series. Loved them all.

The Goose in the Pond is my favorite of the Benni Harper series. I love Earlene Fowler's characters they are so interesting, fun and real. When Benni discovers a storyteller in the water who is dressed up as Mother Goose, this starts a marvelous mystery. I am so happy that I rediscovered this mystery series. I have also have enjoyed reading Kansas Troubles, Dove in the Window and Mariner's Compass. I love quilts and mysteries so this series have been so wonderful!

In this book, Benni Harper, who is recently married to the Chief of Police, Gabe Ortiz, finds the dead body of one of the storytellers from the museum. Since she knows the victim and the suspects she tries to stay out of the investigation, but everyone thinks she knows more than she does.
I found the ending quite unsatisfying -- not because of who is revealed as the murderer, but the way in which this is discovered.
I also found Gabe's self-righteous macho posturing too much to take. He is at least as much to blame for the problems between him and his son, Sam, as Sam is. How could Sam not be troubled with a father who can't find anything good about him?

I have read 5 of the 8 Benni Harper mysteries. Being a serious quilter, and an avid reader I find books fairly predictable. Ms. Fowler keeps you guessing until the very end!! Ofter the title of the book which relates to a specific quilt block is not revealed until late in the book. She has so captured me that when I was telling my small quilt group about the books they thought I was talking about a real family!! I have ordered all of the remaining books that I have not read, and wish Ms. Fowler could produce one a week to keep me entertained when I am not quilting. Books are ment to help you be part of the story and these do an excellent job at that! It is nice that the characters in the books remain the same and it doesn't seem to matter if you read them out of sequence as she renews the past in a way to refamilirize you and not make you lost, guessing where who all of the people in San Celina or how they are related. Keep up the good work Ms. Fowler and HURRY with another book!

Quick & entertaining, as soon as I finished I wanted more so I was glad that I had purchased Single White Psychopath, which I am currently reading. The main character, Andrew Mayhem, did get a little annoying here and there but like some people I know, you'll learn to love him.
Happy Reading!

I had so much fun reading this book. The main character, Andrew Mayham, is someone I'd like to be friends with, not his best friend who he gets into trouble, but a friend. This book had me reading quotes to my friends just to share the laughter. I didn't read them the horrorific parts. They need to read those in all their stellar details and in context to get the full effect. This book is worth every penny and I'm sure to read it again. I also think it would make a great movie.

Tired of the unrelentingly grim heroes of dark suspense? Bored with tough-talking macho PI types? Need a good laugh in a book about dead bodies, torture, murder, and worse? Then read Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary), which deftly manages to juggle some truly gut-wrenching situations with laugh-out-loud funny stuff.

Sick... but in a good way! I lost count of the number of times I laughed out loud, but there's plenty of tension and gross-out moments along with the one-liners.

Bottom line: if you like Ed Lee, Herschel Gordon Lewis, MST3K, Jack Ketchum, the Evil Dead series, Dave Barry, or the flicks Peter Jackson made prior to Heavenly Creatures, then you'll love this book. It's dark fiction by a guy who appreciates and understands the genre.

I really dug it.

A week after a misguided stint as an amateur (unlicensed) private investigator (videotaping an adulterous couple in the act) doesn't work out, Andrew Mayhem, who is in immediate financial need dut to some bad decisions, finds himself about to make another one. The price: $20,000. The job: To simply retrieve a key. No big deal, right? Well, this key is a little hard to access -- someone else has it, and he's buried in a pine box in a shallow grave in the park.

What happens with the key search sends Andrew off on another unexpected investigation as he and his best friend, Roger, try to find out who was really behind everything. Their search takes them to the home-made horror film experts at Ghoulish Delights and puts Andrew squarely in the clutches of The Apparition in his search for "the killer."

This is no ordinary killer, but one who has a maliciously creative streak, leaving mysterious presents on the hood of Andrew's car, and sending Andrew all over town on a scavenger hunt, with each clue telling him what to do next. Meanwhile, Andrew (who tries to be a good husband and father in spite of his ineptitude at most other things), is also trying to take care of his two children while his wife recovers from a broken leg in the hospital. Could life get any more difficult for a guy who's just trying to make ends meet without having to get a real job?

Author Jeff Strand is perhaps best known for his skill at balancing humorous and horrific elements in one tale (although his novel Pressure, with its high-intensity mainstream-thriller plot and characters, may change that for good if it gets the audience it deserves). Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary) is part of the reason for that reputation, and it showcases his rare talent wonderfully. [For more examples of his peculiar ability, also look for the short-story chapbooks Two Twisted Nuts (with Nick Cato) and Socially Awkward Moments with an Aspiring Lunatic.]

Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary) is a pure joy of a novel. I finished it in a day and a half. Although Andrew has little confidence in his own abilities ("I suck as a detective" is his mantra), he has a terrific sense of humor about it all. The consistent thread of sarcasm is what carried me so quickly through the book's 200 pages. Every character seems to be a smartass, Andrew's daughter Theresa perhaps most of all.

There is a chuckle on every page of Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary), even the pages that will turn your stomach with their gruesome descriptions, making Strand the Terry Pratchett of horror (call it "humorror" -- or don't). Strand is not only funny but obviously very intelligent. (How intelligent? He even manages to slip in a sideways reference to his children's book, Elrod McBugle on the Loose. How's that for cross-merchandising in narrative form?)

I loved every page of Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary). I was always surprised by the plot's twists and turns, could never predict where Strand's narrative was going to take me next, and was a willing participant the whole way. (Just to let you know what kind of sick freak I am, my favorite part was the puppet show.) I assumed that the momentum would eventually die out, but was pleasantly surprised that it never did; Even when things got a little on the improbable side near the end, it was all just part of the fun. In fact, there was enough leftover momentum to carry me right to the bookshelf and the second novel in the series, Single White Psychopath Seeks Same.

This one is well worth the price and will stand a quick holiday-at-the-beach read or a more careful, detailed approach. The illustrations are an unexpected treat.

This book may not be as well known among mystery fans as it deserves to be. Wonderful plotting, touches of humor, a memorable detective, and a fascinating setting - what more can one ask for? I think one mark of a great mystery is that it can be re-read with pleasure, and this one qualifies - read it twice to catch all the red herrings you fell for the first time!

For anyone who likes a good old-fashioned mystery; this book even has illustrations. The focus is on Whodunit and not the detective's dysfunctional life or menangerie. The descriptions of a World War II military hospital are detailed and even shocking to modern notions of good medical practice. We've come a long way. The characterization is thin but believable. Unfortunately, the rest of her mystery novels seem to be out of print.

I am an absolute nut over Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, and I've read a number of their contemporaries as well such as Marjory Allingham and Ngaio Marsh. I thought I'd mined the entire Golden Age Detective story authors, and then I discovered Christianna Brand! Her Inspector Cockrill is a marvel, and this book definitely deserves to be rated as her masterpiece. It has a complex and intriguing plot, with a delicious sense of humour woven in between the pages. The novel takes place in England during the Blitz, and the setting is a country military hospital. You'd think they'd have enough natural deaths in such a setting, but it appears that a murderer is loose in Heron's Park hospital. Brand works with a small group of suspects (6 only), but even with that it's not easy to figure out. And small chain-smoking, dishevelled Inspector Cockrill is a gem. Need to read more of these!

Born in 1907 in Malaya, Mary Christianna Milne Lewis worked as everything from a governess to a nightclub dancer before discovering her niche as an author with the novel DEATH IN HIGH HEELS. Although she is now best known as the creator of the "Nurse Matilda" stories for children, by the time of her 1988 death she had written seventeen mystery novels; while not as well known in the United States as the works of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, and Nygio Marsh, they have remained popular in England and Europe and are often considered classics of their kind.

Published in 1944, GREEN FOR DANGER is generally regarded as Brand's best work. Set in an somewhat impromptu English hospital at the height of the Blitz, the story opens with the unexpected death of a patient during what should be a routine surgery--a death which draws the unwilling attention of Brand's re-occuring detective Inspector Cockrill, who is more than willing to dismiss the idea of foul play until one of the nurses involved in the surgery is found stabbed to death on the same operating table. As the investigation evolves, it becomes clear that the killer must be one of six involved with the unexpectedly dead patient, a situation which allows for considerable tension as the story progresses.

Although the plot is remarkably clever and the characters extremely well drawn, GREEN FOR DANGER is particularly famous for its medical setting. Brand presents the surgical proceedures of the era with tremendous clarity and readability; few have equalled her presentation, much less bested it. The novel's war-time period also adds considerable interest to the story and is equally central to the work. These two elements interlock for a fascinating read from start to finish.

As already noted, Brand's novels are not particularly well-known outside of England and Europe. This is a pity: she is a witty, surprisingly ironic writer who knows how to spin a classic English mystery. Fans of the genre who come to her works for the first time are sure to be delighted.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

I love a good mystery. I also love the game of baseball and I am a history buff. This book was a three in one pleasure for me. It combines all three of these subjects in a flowing style that is a joy to read. Not only does it bring to life the baseball heros that we never got the chance to see, but it also gives us an idea of what it was like to live in those times. Do yourself a favor and read this book it is like taking a trip in a time machine.

Ive read and enjoyed all of Troy Soos' baseball novels, and this is as good as any hes written. Soos gives us a great story of old time baseball, the Negro Leagues, and even fully explained the political tenor of the times through the rise of the KKK and its effect on society. Soos was incredibly accurate in his descriptions, and his book was so entertaining I couldnt put it down.

As a fan of the Mickey Rawling's series, this book was great! This book kept my attention and I could hardly put it down! I would also recommend "Murder at Wrigley Field". Troy Soos is a great author.

Troy Soos had me hooked with Murder at Ebbetts Field. Having been a former ballplayer myself, I was able to live vicariously through Mickey Rawlings. Soos' writing style transports you back to the days when baseball was a game and you played for the love of it. Hanging Curve is as gripping as any mystery I've ever read. Combined with Soos' historical accounts, I swear I felt like I was watching him from the stands at Sportsman's Park. Mickey Rawlings takes the reader on every adventure, like you're helping him solve the crime. It took me two nights to read this book -- I couldn't put it down until I found out "who-done-it." The bigger mystery to me is when Mickey will get his chance to play in the Series and, more importantly, when will he finally say his "I do's" with Margie???

Being a mystery writer with my first novel in its initial release, I have been a great admirer of Troy Soos for years. I have been reading his Mickey Rawlings novels since the beginning, and I wrote an early critical essay about them that appeared in Mystery Reader's Journal. Since the publication of that essay, Soos has written two fresh Mickey Rawlings mysteries, and HANGING CURVE is easily the strongest in the entire series. HANGING CURVE lands Mickey, our journeyman everyman, in St. Louis where he is playing for the Browns and tangling with the KKK. He's attempting to solve a murder, a lynching, amid the racial turmoil of the Roaring Twenties in America's Midwest. As always, the mystery elements of these books are terrific. Another crucial element of these novels is the historical backdrop that Soos paints with his words. His history is painstakingly researched and utterly accurate. In HANGING CURVE, Soos presents an era with social problems of which many people may be unaware. On all levels, HANGING CURVE is the best mystery Troy Soos has written so far. Great book, whether or not you love baseball (as you should).

Melanie Travis is living life grandly. She has the perfect job at the Howard Academy, her son is developing wonderfully; her romance with Sam Driver is thriving (he is now her fiancee); and her dog is winning championship points in the dog show circuit! Life is grand!

One day she notices the Academy janitor arguing with a kid. Next thing she knows, the janitor is murdered, the kids disappears, her fiancee's ex-wife shows up in her town, someone tries to burn her up, her dog loses her show hair during this fire, and the police are chasing drug dealers and murderers that seem to be swirling around her. What's a girl to do? Well, in the case of these books, the girl will roll up her sleeves and use her skills in solving the crime and arresting the perpetrator!

This book is rollicking good fun. The pace is good, the characters believable, the plot rolls along in a good way, and you never feel that you are being cheated by having someone figure something out that you could not. One thing I like to do is put the book down about midway though it and attempt to figure out the whodunit. In this case, I had a pretty good idea of how the major points of the plot interacted, but the author managed to fool me on a couple of major items. That is a good thing. Especially when you consider that the twists that she put in between what I believed would happen and what actually did were completely believable. There were no red herrings that were disturbing.

So, I rate this as a fun book to read and recommend it highly.

Laurien Berenson has hit her stride and I hope the rest of the series is at least as good as this one!

Having read every book of the Melanie Travis Mystery Series I was quite eager to open this book up and start reading. Once again it proved that Laurien Berenson can write. This book is so interesting and it honestly will keep you guessing up until the very end. I know my jaw must have dropped at least ten times throughout it. It will keep you on your toes whether you are a dog person or not. Melanie Travis is so real and so much like your nextdoor neighbor. I can't even explain how good this and all the other books in the series are. If you are new to this series though I would suggest that you start reading with the first book "Hair of the Dog" It too proved to be very interesting.

"Hush Puppy" is my first in the Melanie Travis and it is one that will have me coming back for another visit. Laurien Berenson keeps the reader guessing with one jump to another. Her relationship with the police is not caustic, which is a device I'm becoming bored with seeing so frequently in regards to amateur sleuths.
Aunt Peg is a favorite character with loads of spunk, a formidable lady who sets her mind on a goal and it remains there. Sam, the friend, does manage to make it past dense. A sound story for avid page turners who enjoy their mysteries light.
Yes, this is a series I will read again.
Nash Black, author of "Sins of the Fathers" and "Travelers."

As someone who normally reads cat mysteries, I was hesitant to read this series. However, Berenson weaves the dogs into the mystery and the overall plot, unlike so many which seem contrived - "the mystery was soved by the pet" The realism and Berenson's background, intense knowledge of her subject, and honesty of characters make this series a standout. Save them for an afternoon/evening when you don't have much to do, because you won't want to put it down!

Having read every book of the Melanie Travis Mystery Series I was quite eager to open this book up and start reading. Once again it proved that Laurien Berenson can write. This book is so interesting and it honestly will keep you guessing up until the very end. I know my jaw must have dropped at least ten times throughout it. It will keep you on your toes whether you are a dog person or not. Melanie Travis is so real and so much like your nextdoor neighbor. I can't even explain how good this and all the other books in the series are. If you are new to this series though I would suggest that you start reading with the first book "A Pedigree to Die For" It too proved to be very interesting.