Crime Books

Mike Levine has led a life of mythic proportions and this book is a glimpse into many real life events that he has experienced.

Adds a new dimension to the term conspiracy theory.

Check out his Radio show on Pacifica network.

Mr. Levine outdoes himself in this book. Unlike his previous works, this is a fictional story. Mr. Levine has drawn on his past experiences as a deep cover agent to create a spy saga that will keeps your attention. Like in his other books, Mr. Levine exposes the truth about the crooked and inept "leaders," charged with our safety and welfare. If action, adventure, and conspiracies are to your tastes, buy this book!

Excellent summer reading. Action, disturbing reality-based activities of law enforcement while we sleep comfortably in our beds... Highly enjoyable reading.

Once you get through this book, and realize that this man has LIVED this experience, it makes you wonder just what the hell our government thinks it's doing. Also makes you grateful that people like him are still willing to stick their necks out despite the fact that these folks are routinely left hanging, so to speak. Not ONLY is this book a thriller, but it's a wake up call to those "patriots" who are still blind enough to believe that either the Democrats OR the Republicans have their best interests in mind.

The book's more addictive than La Reina Blanca. From sunrise til sunset, I sat glued to it. The very best book I've ever read. How can I tell it's the best? Well, I'd never finished reading a book, let alone doing it in 7 hours.

Margaret McLean's UNDER OATH is an excellent first novel from a former prosecutor who knows the workings of the criminal courts inside and out. The courtroom segments of the book are by far the best, as the action takes place against the backdrop of the murder trial of two hoodlums from Charlestown, Massachusetts. The victim was from the same neighborhood as the accused Malone brothers, and the legendary "code of silence" is always in the background as the trial unfolds. Malone thugs fiendishly locate and silence government witnesses before they can testify, and the victim's sister finds herself partnered with the chief detective as they attempt to undo the damage done to the prosecution's case. McLean's legal expertise and experience are evident throughout the book, ranging from an insolent bailiff to a biased juror, and by the book's suspense-filled end the reader will agree with one character's observation that "The law is far from logical". Part ALL SOULS and part BLACK MASS, McLean has written a worthy addition to Boston literature and I hope we see more of her work.

I was very impressed with Margaret McLean's ability to captivate the reader during long courtroom processes. She also captures perfectly the Charlestown/Boston inflections of speach, and makes the dialogue completely believable.

Witnesses deaths might have been presented with a little more mystery, drama and excitement, but overall I enjoyed Ms McLean's book tremendously.

Since I am a citizen of the author's hometown and a frequent visitor to the Boston area, I was especially anxious to read this book; and will certainly look forward to her next work.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends UNDER OATH as a legal mystery that is also a courtroom thriller of the first order. Margaret McLean, an erstwhile criminal prosecutor & Assistant District Attorney, puts to excellent use her trial experiences as background in this superb tale about a high profile murder trial.

Presenting the case of two brothers accused of killing an FBI informant is a seasoned prosecutor; up against him is a flamboyant & cunning defense lawyer. What follows is fine courtroom action.

UNDER OATH is a great legal read, right up there with ANATOMY OF A MURDER & TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, & we look forward to more from this lawyer-cum-author.

my sister has and loved it. She may be a bit biased though as and there is a character based on her as she was college roommates with Margaret!

Written by a former Assistant District Attorney with hundreds of criminal cases to her personal experience, Under Oath is a gripping and dramatic crime novel of the struggle to see justice done. A legal thriller following a murder and conspiracy trial in which jurors are intimidated, witnesses are killed and FBI cover-ups obfuscate the truth, Under Oath is haunting in its eerie accuracy and solid grounding in real-life courtroom experience. Utterly compelling from cover to cover.

Untill the Bough breaks is a novel which I read in four month. After every gap I restarted it just to see how & in which circumstances they meet. The end was really sad, the poor chap Dave Grantz!!My symapthies are with him. Hope to see them meeting again in a new story.

This is a well plotted, excellently written, can't-put-it-down book. The characters are believable and the story line is fast and furious. I am very excited about finding this series and have just ordered the first three. I hope the author is able to keep up with what should be her growing list of fans.

ADA Kathryn MacKay is an extremely competent lawyer. Where she really hooks the reader is in her imperfect private life. She is good at her job, but in motherhood she comes up somewhat short or so she feels. Her relationship with beau David Grantz is on the rocks. Some of the scenes of the breakdown of their relationship were very poignant and hard to read. You genuinely like both these characters.
There is a somewhat standard crime and courtroom case, but it is the characters that keep you flipping the page

She's a darn good prosecutor - I just can't read enough of her court victories! It wasn't too hard to figure out ahead of time who the bad guys were, but that did not spoil the reading at all - just the opposite! What compelled these people to do what resulted in their prosecution for first-degree murder??? Read on and find out - it's worth the reading. I was a bit disappointed at the end with the outcome of Kathryn's personal life, but I can't expect every book to end how I think it will end - can I?

I don't know what it is with this book. The plot is not overly complex or exciting. Quite early on it is clear who is the protagonist and who the victim. The courtroom scenes are not very exciting and, apart from that, build only a minor part of the novel And yet...I found it a very exciting book and read it in almost one session. I think it is the characters which in this fourt novel in the series continue to be well developed and intriguing. Even Emma is nice, where the spoiled brats some of the other female lawyers/detectives are raising, sometimes irritate you away from an otherwise good story. I am looking forward to the fifth...only I hope Mrs McGuire will do something about the very sad ( and perhaps undeserved) ending of this novel

This book is heart-breaking. It is an account of incredible suffering and horrific abuse perpetrated against the children of the Albert family. This book is a story of extraordinary courage and endurance in face of astonishingly difficult odds.

The story of the Albert family should be read everywhere. Furthermore, it should be required reading for Catholic bishops and clergy throughout the world. I hope this book gets picked up and read.

I too am a survivor of child sexual abuse and clergy abuse. I am also a Catholic priest. I know well the horrendous legacy of abuse - the crippling trauma from which healing can be so difficult.

The institution of the Catholic Church is - in so many ways - sinful, sick and dysfunctional. The Church needs repentance, conversion, purification and healing.

The terrified voices of abused children over so many years cry out to God in Heaven on account of the evil perpetrated within the Church. God's Church should have been a place of compassion, love and care for those children in society who were most vulnerable - most in need of gentleness, love and nurturing. Far too many, like the Albert children, experienced just the opposite.

Thankfully, however, more and more of those children who suffered, as a result of the evil and criminal behaviour of perverts and sadists in religious garb, are no longer frightened voices. They are becoming strong and demanding voices - demanding truth, justice and redress.

The adults the Albert children have now become deserve profound awe and immense respect. I hope they find peace, gentleness and healing after all the horror they endured when they were children. May God bless them - the True God of Love.

May that monstrous and false god - the fearsome construct of those who abuse their power and position over the defenceless and the vulnerable - be forever de-throned.

Those predators who happened to be priests and religious - along with their conspiring and conniving superiors and bishops - have actually abused and betrayed Christ Himself in the persons of His little ones.

Jesus is very explicit in what He thinks of those who have scandalised "any of these my little ones". (Matthew Ch. 18:5-6 and verses 10-11). How could so many cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests and religious have behaved so scandalously in the face of innocent suffering?

How could they have so negated the essential message of the Gospel - both clerical abusers and those in positions of authority who sought to cover up their crimes - by they way they behaved towards the victims?

May God forgive them! May God have mercy on their immortal souls, for one day they will all stand before the Judegement Seat of Jesus Christ. And their attorneys will be of no use to them!

I agree completely with the review from New York.

This book was not an easy read. It is very disturbing. I have read (and heard on TV) many stories about abuse in the Catholic church, but never one that includes so many members of one family. Of course, the Catholic church felt there was no truth to these stories (and the priest who determined this is now the Bishop in Dodge City, Kansas). I am not sure how he could come to this conclusion since there was a baby that was born after one priest sexually abused one of the daughters from the age of thirteen (Eventually the priest was defrocked after another paternity issue arose).

The Catholic church must address these issues. They WILL NOT go away. The victims deserve justice.

I can see this book being made into a movie. It is truly the most disturbing story I have yet to hear involving abuse in the Catholic church.

Unto Us A Child chronicles the lives of one family as impacted by the Catholic Church. Their experiences of sexual abuse caused devastating problems, coupled with the refusal of their diocese to admit the truth behind the Albert family's allegations. Unfortunately, this pattern of denial by the Church has happened countless times throughout the U.S. This story will open many eyes and touch many hearts. Sexual abuse thrives in secrecy. Placing a spotlight on this issue will help society as a whole, because the more educated people are about the long-term effects of sexual abuse, the more involved they will be in finding ways to prevent it. Our son committed suicide several years ago, a few months after revealing that he had been sexually abused by a priest when he was twelve. Families who are telling their stories are enabling other families to protect their children. Each person can strengthen the fight against sexual abuse by giving emotional support to the victims and by insisting on legislation requiring churches to report child sexual abuse. The Albert family is to be commended in their relentless pursuit of truth and justice.

For the past several years there have been several books written about the scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church.

Unto Us A Child is another one of these horrendous stories only this time with a different twist.

New York Times best selling author Donald R. Phillips relates in Unto Us A Child how an entire family of seven children were placed into an orphanage and subjected to unbelievable acts of cruelty at the hands of some of the nuns and priests who were the administrators of this orphanage.

More particularly, it is the story of the Albert children from Kansas, who, when they were very young, were placed under the care of a Catholic run institution because their parents were too poor to feed them or care for them.
While living in the orphanage they were constantly subjected to vicious behaviour on the part of their caretakers.

How can you rationalize the molestation of the Albert boys by an alcoholic priest...?

Where is justice where another priest had a continuous ... relationship with one of the under-aged Albert sisters eventually leading to her impregnation and probably the cause of her suicide years later?

This same priest today is no longer a member of the clergy; however, he is presently living in a Catholic retirement community, and was never brought before the courts for the crime of [being] with a minor.

Ironically, it was this same priest, who with the alcoholic ..., made sure that the scandal was all hushed up and that the child born out of wedlock was put up for adoption.

Phillips was apprised of this inconceivable and painful story when one of the grandchildren of the Albert family, who worked for him, related this tragedy and asked him if he wanted to write about it.

After careful investigating the various facts and interviewing the Albert brothers (two of the sisters were already deceased), Phillips decided to pursue the matter and "tell all."

There will probably be howls of anger after readers have the opportunity to ponder over the gravity of the crimes committed.

The damning evidence meticulously exposed in the book uncovers lies ... and injustice that underline the enormity of the problem that has beset the Catholic Church in recent years.

No doubt, many readers will shake their heads and ask themselves, how could members of the clergy break the sacred rule "do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

This is such a sad story, but one that needs to be read. To think that the Catholic church is so callous is heart-breaking, but we have read enough of these types of stories recently to know that it is true. The hierarchy within the church are not only callous but are self-righteous and even hateful, in my view. This family suffered so terribly and unnecessarily, each and every one from the parents down to the 9 children and beyond, that it is a heartache.
This book is so well researched and written, it certainly deserves a higher priority in the bookstores! I just happened to come across it on a table of "new books" in my local bookstore; I am saddened that it won't be widely read, because it needs to be. We cannot continue to blindly trust huge establishments, such as the Catholic (or any) Church; and we must fight injustice all the way, as this family did. Unfortunately, outdated laws are preventing the remaining family members from any sort of justice, let alone compensation, but maybe laws will be changed down the line and these people will find the courage and strength (not to mention money and time) to continue their battle. I am ashamed of the Church. I have come to despise it. Please read this book and see what they have done to our children and to it's members who have taken a wrong step when they were minors......

I have to admit I wasn't counting on much when I picked it up, but it is a great book. It pulls you through really quickly, and the ending is very satisfying. It is quirky and fun, and it seems to be very reflective of the real Key West. I recommend it highly.

This novel has a relentless bleakness to it that reminds me of David Goodis's best work. It's a sort of Bonny and Clyde for the new millenium, with plenty of Hendricks' great ertoica sequences. Maybe it's because of the vivid restaurant scenes, but the book also reminded me of Choke by Chuck Palahniuk....Highly recommend this fast, highly entertaining read, as well as Hendricks' noir classic, Miami Purity.
Jason Starr, author of Twisted City, etc

Voluntary Madness is a loosley updated and modern Bonnie and Clyde story taking place on the Florida Keys. This is a masterfully written novel, a noir erotica classic! The writing is tough, gritty, graphic, and leaves you disoriented. This is one of those books you can't put down, and it takes you on one hell of a ride. And if it's ever made into a movie (and it should be!) Brittany Murphy would be ideal to star in it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves either noir or crime fiction.

-Dave Zeltserman, author of In His Shadow

I couldn't believe I actually cried through the last 3 chapters of the book! Ah, the bitter sweetness of true love. The characters were so unapologetically dysfunctional that it made the story that much more real and that much more beautiful. Hendricks makes you feel like you're watching a homemade video of a real-life couple's tragic story.

Sexy, gritty and raw, yet at the same time intelligent and touching, VOLUNTARY MADNESS proves Vicki Hendricks is the queen of noir. The novel is the story of young Juliette and her relationships with the characters around her - especially her drunken, would-be novelist boyfriend Punch. Their plan is to defy the futility of the world by "living wild" in Key West, Florida for a year until their money runs out at which time they will unite in a spectacular, public double suicide. This is a hardboiled book, with vivid, tough prose and crime elements that build as the tale progresses, but the genius of the story is the novel's struggle to differentiate between art and life, and the conflict inherent when these terms become mutually exclusive. A quick and frank read with the ability to cull weak readers from literary herd.

Okay, I'm hooked...attracted by a "Weedless Widow"! Even with the photo on the cover, I didn't "get" the title...I knew it would be something more pleasant than it would seem...but was surprised and amused at what a "Weedless Widow" truly is! Having wrestled with agoraphobia myself, I am sympathetic to Sheila's plight...and was quite worried about her in this mystery. Happy to know she's back with Greer and Jeff...and look forward to spending more time with them and Jeff's Woodie!

I don't understand why this excellent series doesn't stay in print. This book, the second in the series and published quite recently in 2002, is just as good as book one, Death is a Cabaret. I've scavenged the web to find the rest of the series. Luckily, the most recent titles are still in print, but if they disappear as quickly as the first volumes, you'd best get them now. The mysteries are excellent, the antiques information plentiful but not distracting, and the characters fully realized. This series is *excellent.*

I am fast becoming a Debbie Morgan fan. I have to say that I was encouraged to read the first book by my mother. I wasn't really interested in reading it because it was about antiques and I am not a fan of them. However I was wrong. That book is for anyone who loves a mystery. It doesn't matter if you like antiques or not. So I was more open to reading this one when it came out. However, I do have to admit that I was also wary. It seems that after the first book in a series, the others just start going down hill. I am very happy to admit that this isn't the case with this series. I would say that the second book is as good as the first one. I had some questions left over after reading about Jeff's wife, but that didn't stop me from loving this book. I think that the writing is just as good and that part of the reason I enjoyed this book more then the first was because she spent more time talking about Jeff and his life. She talks about his friends and what they mean to him and she also talks about his life with his wife and her fear of the great outdoors. I'm sorry that I don't know the name of that fear. I would say to anyone who enjoys a good mystery to check this book out because it has become one of my all-time favorite books out there. I can't wait to find out what happens in the third book. I think that Debbie is going to be around for a very long time because she is able to make all the books in a series just as good (and exciting) as the first one, which is a talent that not a lot of authors have. That is in my experience. So in the end I think that everyone should read this book because there is no way that you can't love it. I even think that you would be OK reading the second book before reading the first. You won't be lost because there isn't really any mention about what happened in the first book (in the second book), but I do suggest that you read all of the books on Jeff. Enjoy and I hope you are able to solve the mystery before Jeff does. Have fun reading everyone!

Deborah Morgan doesn't miss a beat with The Weedless Widow, the follow-up to her debut novel, Death is a Cabaret. This second book, reminiscent of Ravel's Bolero, a constantly building crescendo from the opening note.

The story begins innocently enough with Jeff Talbot, ex-FBI agent turned antique picker, preparing for a relaxing weekend of fishing in a tranquil Pacific northwest stream with a few of his cronies. Jeff's expectations of a worry free vacation quickly evaporate when he stops at his favorite bait and tackle shop and finds the proprietor on the floor, brutally murdered.

Jeff does his best to stay out of the investigation and let the local sheriff handle it but he is drawn back into the case when the lady sheriff enlists his aid in order to pick his brain regarding a possible connection to some stolen antique fishing lures. The more Jeff probes the purloined fishing tackle, the more nervous the perpetrator becomes. Things get really serious for Jeff when his wife is kidnapped.

This novel has just the right mix of characters with very distinct personalities, each drawn vividly enough to make the story easy to follow. Every person plays a significant role keeping the tale quite lively and the plot flows very well at an ever accelerating pace.

Deborah Morgan has another winner here, a very pleasurable read. I'm sure that Jeff Talbot will be around for a long time.

Ahah! Another second book that lives up to the expectations created by the first one. Deborah Morgan's first mystery novel 'Death is a Cabaret' was marvelous, I thought, and I'm delighted to say I was not one teensy bit disappointed in this one.

Jeff Talbot is a most interesting character, very real and multi-faceted, and one of the author's greatest strengths is how well she gets in his head. A former FBI agent, Jeff is now an antique 'picker' searching out delectable items for his antique dealer friends and acquaintances. His wife, Sheila is housebound, due to a severe case of agoraphobia. She's become a whiz on the web, providing valuable assistance when Jeff is out in the field.

The Weedless Widow is an antique fishing lure, appropriate to the setting of the Northwest US, in and around Seattle, where water is everywhere. Jeff and several of his pals--of varying backgrounds--have traditionally spent time at a fishing camp, doing the 'male bonding' thing, enjoying each other's company, the fishing, and good food. Until this current trip, when he discovers Bill Rhodes, the owner of The Weedless Widow and host for the weekend, lying dead on the floor of his fishing tackle and bait store, surrounded by an assortment of tropical fish. Not all the fish are dead, however, and one of the clues to the time of death is how long a certain fish can exist out of water.

There are several other esoteric-type clues, too; in a computer, for instance, or the recently-renovated home of the dead man, or the fishing regalia of the camp-mates. In addition, it seems that Bill's extensive collection of antique lures is missing, but Bill had been hot on the trail of the thief. Could this be why he was murdered? All in all, the clues are fairly distributed, and lead to the logical solution.

One of the better fictional characters I've met in recent years is the Sheriff who keeps the law and order intact. Colleen McIvers is recuperating from a bout with cancer, but doesn't let that get in her way, as she sifts through the various clues while searching for the killer.

Along the way, Sheila is kidnapped, and Jeff has to realign his priorities all the while dealing with treachery among those he thought were his best friends.

There is a webliography as well as a bibliography at the back of the book, providing information on the many sources consulted by the author during the writing of the book. It's a fabulous treat. Now, it's just wait for the next one in the series.

Wet Desert is about... the desert in the West getting wet.

Go figure.

But author Gary Hansen, writing like a Tom Clancy clone, has written a surprisingly engaging first novel. A mystery man blows up Glen Canyon Dam, and the contents of Lake Powell disappear down the Colorado River. A mid-level Bureau of Reclamation employee is the only person around when this happens, and he realizes that the reservoir behind mighty Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, will not hold an extra 8 trillion gallons of water.

If that water flows over Hoover Dam, the dam will fail, along with every dam below it.

These are the stories of people who live, work, and recreate in or around the river. What happens when you are boating and the water starts dropping in Lake Powell? What happens when you are rafting the Grand Canyon and the water rises? What happens when it is your responsibility to control floodwaters? And what happens when the "freeing"of Glen Canyon is not the real reason for blowing the dam?

When I picked this book up in the Salt Lake City International Airport's bookstore (and surrounded by books on Joseph Smith and LDS living), I have to admit that I expected it to be the "Mormon literature" style: those who believe in God (or pray like they do) and are good, live. Everyone else is on their own. Wet Desert was not this style. I think prayers were mentioned twice, and life-or-death situations sometimes bring prayers to unexpected places! "He looked up at the sky. Was there a god? He had always believed it, but now he wondered. If there was a god, would he help? David wasn't sure. But there was one thing for sure; it didn't hurt to ask" (p. 165).

A memorable quote: "'He's the only one of you that's ever tried to sneak up on a bad guy, and that was a million beers ago'" (p. 326).

Finally, the book, for the most part, avoids the politics of water conservation in the West, with this exception:

"Grant locked eyes with the FBI agent. 'It makes perfect sense if you're an environmentalist, if you've spent years demonstrating for Green Peace [sic], or the Sierra Club, or the Glen Canyon Institute. If you fought to elect liberals like Clinton and Gore, but were forced to watch when even they gave the environment lip service, establishing a couple monuments, but avoiding the real issues, the issues that might offend the farmers who receive subsidized river water, or the populations of Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, who plant palm trees in an environment more suited for scorpions or rattlesnakes. If you dedicated your life to restoring the Colorado River and one of the most amazing deltas in the world, but deep down you knew that nothing you'd done, or ever would do, would even matter'" (p. 323).

Sounds like Ed Abbey!

This was a good thriller that revolves around cubic feet/seconds, dam construction, water use in the Western US, and BuRec politics.

Wet desert was a thrilling read, taking me from the beautiful Lake Powell through the Grand Canyon and all the way into Mexico. I became enthralled in the plot, worried about the characters, and interested in the motive of the antagonist.

The other day I saw something on the news about a controlled flood at Glen Canyon Dam and immediately my mind went to the brilliant plot behind Wet Desert. Gary Hansen did a wonderful job on this novel. It was riveting.

I sat down to have a nice cozy read, and found that I was riveted. This is one of those books that you want to read in one sitting. For once, the hero works for the government, and the bad guy is an over-the-top environmentalist. While that isn't "politically correct," it was refreshing and extremely well done. I really liked the book, and recommend it to anyone!

Hansen needs to write more books if this is an example of his talent. An amazing book for a first-time author.

This book is absolutely fantastic. Once I started to read it, I couldn't stop! I read until the early morning hours, slept for a couple of hours and picked it up to finish it. I hope Gary Hansen writes more novels.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Wet Desert. It is rare for a book to generate such a compulsion for me to turn the pages. I felt as if I was being pulled through the book. It's fast-paced, intelligent, thought-provoking, cohesive, and entertaining. Wet Desert not only met those criteria, it takes a place among my favorite books, in company with others from Clancy, Crichton, Grisham, and Cussler.

I liked the fact that it was technical enough to lend credibility, but not so much as to be tedious. Characters are well-defined and remain believable and consistent throughout the story. The book presents some thought-provoking issues and offers fascinating facts and insights, but for the most part allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. Specifically, the novel provides interesting historical details about the Colorado River, the Glen Canyon and Hoover dams, Lake Powell, and the Colorado River Delta. I found it so intriguing that I did further research, starting with Wikipedia. (In fact, you might want to refresh your knowledge of the Colorado River before you read.) Most importantly, I couldn't wait to set aside time to read Wet Desert and looked forward to turning each page from beginning to end.

This is, beyond a doubt, the best mystery I have read over the past couple of years. As a matter of fact, it is one of the better books I've had the pleasure of reading in any genre! The plot of the story has been pretty well covered by two other reviewers, and the publishers release does quite a nice job of summing it up and covers it quite well, so I will not dwell on that aspect at any great length. The story, simply put, takes place at an exclusive boy's school in England, just after the end of WWI. The body of one of the students is found dead in a bed of rhododendron bushes. The young lad has a knife sticking out of his chest. Is it murder? Chief Inspector Thomas Ford is called in from Scotland Yard to help solve this apparent, or not so apparent (depends on who you want to believe) murder. Sound simple? Well think again.

I love the old classic mysteries. I like the style, settings and semi-nonviolent aspect of those years gone by. No mass killings, no drugs, no warped motives, no graphic violence. There is just a good old fashioned, simple murder story, with plenty of clues, plenty of suspects, and wonderful twists and turns at every turn of the page. The characters in this book almost leap from the page and into your mind instantly. As the author quickly develops his characters, he keeps them true to form throughout the book. Some of the characters are simple, they stay that way. Some are quite complex, again, they stay that way. The people you learn to dislike, as they are introduced, pretty well end up that way, i.e., disliked.

The author has not cheated us with his plotting either. As mentioned above, there are plenty of clues and plenty of suspects, and many surprises and twists. But, delightfully, the author does not throw a bunch of "stuff" in at the last moment just to keep you from guessing the conclusion. The clues are there, if the reader can pick up on them. This is one of those books, where, at the very end, when the murderer is finally identified, I smacked myself on the forehead and said, "Now why didn't I see that." This is what I call a fun and good read. If I were to teach a course in literature, I would certainly use this novel as an example of "how it should be done." The author's style is smooth, readable and a delight to the eye and ear. It should be noted that you probably should start reading this one when you know you have the time to finish it, like on a weekend or holiday. If you are like me, you will not be able to put the thing down. And for goodness sakes, don't flip to the back and read the last few pages, tempting as it might be.

As an added note: There are many, many mystery series out there right now, written by contemporary authors. Some are good, some not so good, and some absolutely terrible. This work, by far, is one of the best in this genre that I have come across in quite some time now. I do hope that it gets the public attention that it deserves, as there are so many people out there that simply will miss a great work and a great read if they do not hear about this book. The characters the author has developed would make a wonderful series themselves, and I do hope we see more of Chief Inspector Ford. I also suspect that one or more editors, at some of our major publishing houses, ripped their knickers by passing this one up and made a very, very bad career move...sort of serves them right, I suppose.

The setting for this mystery is post-WWI England at an all-boys school for the British elite, where a senior student Callaway has been found outside his dormitory with a knife planted in his chest, and this just after a playing a leading role in a school play that very evening. The police and doctors first involved in the case permit themselves to be so intimidated by the demands of school officials and key supporters to keep the entire episode under wraps that they are willing to say that Callaway died of natural causes.

Unfortunately, when Scotland Yard is called in merely to add credence to the investigation, no one counts on the determined thoroughness and tenacity of Inspector Thomas Ford. He never reacts to the snobbiness of the Head Master and the Canderblank's, key supporters of the school; instead, he doggedly pursues the evidence well-aided by local gendarme Sergeant Croft. In fact, he subtly persuades most of those inclined to maintain a stiff upper lip of his willingness to ruin their reputations and social standing if they fail to cooperate.

In this somewhat short book, the author does a fair job of sketching in the characters, especially Inspector Ford, who was selected to investigate because he had attended the exclusive Kings School on a scholarship. Though he detested the place while in attendance, he managed to excel both academically and on the cricket field. Thirtyish Victoria Canderblank intrigues the inspector with her dazzling personality, though she is obviously defending her mother, Lady Canderblank, as well as being a suspect herself.

The story moves quickly and sequentially as bits of evidence are continually revealed, even extending to the suspects' time in the British community in India. The reader is essentially invited to solve a jigsaw puzzle, as pieces are added or better defined, along side Inspector Ford. Because of the one crime scene and small number of suspects, there seems to be excessive churning of the same information/evidence. Another area of excess is eating. Sergeant Croft's wife is constantly stuffing Ford and Croft with something. Some of the book's appeal is that it wanders little, sticking to the case, and there are essentially no loose ends. Some may prefer more digression and reflection in their mysteries.

John Rhodes is a British born citizen who worked in New York City before retiring to North Carolina with his wife. He holds an M.A. from Cambridge University and has published three prior books: NUTCRACKER; HANK'S IDEA, and DESERT WIND. He is presently at work on A PAINTED SHIP, his new John Rhodes mystery.

Being a student of the classics, including Dorothy L. Sayers; Agatha Christie; and the like, John Rhodes fashioned WHO KILLED CALLOWAY using these influences. He chose the 1920's as the time period for this novel. It was a time of the Gilded Age, when the rich could get away with murder. A young man from a boarding school is found in the bushes after a night of "The Pirates of Penzance." Detective Chief Inspector John Ford of Scotland Yard, an alumni of the school, is given the unenviable task of finding the killer. But a few days into the investigation, another boy is also apparently murdered. There are forces at work to impede John Rhodes, including the charms of the daughter of one of the school's prestigious people, but Rhodes is determined to solve the crime, even at the expense of his own heart.

"He knew she was flirting in order to gain his confidence, but being flirted to, or AT - Ford wasn't sure which was correct - was a very unusual and welcome experience, particularly with someone of Victoria Canderblank's exceptional attractiveness and social standing. The contrast between Lady Canderblank's pugnacious hauteur and her daughter's gaiety could not have been greater, and it was inevitable that her mother would forbid any further contact between them."

Rhodes has taken his lessons from Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers very seriously indeed, for it is almost impossible to guess whodunit in this well constructed and entertaining murder mystery. His characters are carefully drawn, and Rhodes seems to have an almost first-hand understanding of the problems of young men sent off from their families to strict schools. He also does not neglect the politics and social strata of the school's occupants, as well as machinations of the school's wives of the instructors and administrators. All of this makes for a myriad of motives; an unending stream of invective; and a jolly good mystery. Rhodes brings us back to a simpler time when desperate hearts are more vulnerable to base instincts.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (1/08)

"Who Killed Callaway?" is murder mystery at its best. I have to admit that as a murder mystery junkie I love nothing better than finding a great murder mystery to hole up with; this book meets that criteria. I was drawn in from the first page until the very surprising ending.

"Who Killed Callaway?" is set in England in the early 20th Century. The country is still recovering from the WWI and the class system is still very much in evidence. The main character, Chief Inspector Thomas Ford, is still recovering from injuries that he received as a soldier during the war. Ford is not very happy when he is called up by his alma mater, King's School, an exclusive private school, to investigate a murder.

His unpleasant memories come rushing back as he begins the investigation of Michael Callaway's murder. Throughout the investigation he is met with resistance and an obvious cover-up. His job is made doubly difficult because all the potential evidence in the murder has been removed by the effort to make the incident look like an accident. Ford's excellent investigative skills not only uncover clues to the murder but long-buried secrets. As he gets closer to the answer another student falls to his death. The school officials try to make it look like the second student, Trumpington, killed Callaway and committed suicide afterwards. Ford does not buy that theory and continues uncovering the many ugly secrets that King's School has to hide.

I thought that the author, John Rhodes, did an excellent job with character development. His characters were definitely colorful and I often felt like I was there solving the mystery with them. But beware, Mrs. Croft, wife of the local police sergeant, serves up so many incredible dishes that you will be constantly hungry while reading the book.

Ford does a great job getting the locals to open up in following all the leads in the story. He even surprises himself by finding love along the way. Usually I can figure out who done it in a mystery story, but I was surprised at not only who committed the murder but why they did it. I would highly recommend "Who Killed Callaway?" to mystery buffs. They will be left with wanting to read more mysteries with Chief Inspector Thomas Ford.

A gripping book! Its distinct style in unraveling the murder mystery sets it apart from familiar readings. The crescendo builds up, the pieces seem to fit together except for that one last piece, and then in the Agatha Christie style, the unexpected happens; but contrary to the Christie style, not quite as unexpected. It has just the right combination of the element of surprise, and logic. The closure is refreshingly unique, in that all the loose ends do not neatly tie up in an `alls well that ends well' finale; and as you turn the last page of the book, you are confronted with the reality of life. Does good triumph over evil? Is there retribution? John Rhodes weaves his story through varied settings and backdrops: the private school in suburban England with its suffocating climate, the piercing snobbery of the elite, a cricket match that comes to life, the deep wounds of war, all provide color and evoke emotions of outrage, excitement, tension, and romance. The book takes hold of you, until you have turned the very last page.
Sabeeha Rehman

I also collect books about people who worked for the railroad in every type of job available, and while there are a bunch of books about engineers, station agents, etc, there are very few about the lives of railroad police.

I found this book to be a great read. Interesting, and at times exciting. He is a great storyteller. I hope he writes "part 2" and continues his life as a RR cop.

Having read "Yard Bull" for the first time this Fall, and then having recently read it for a second time, I can highly recommend this book as a well written and moving memoir of O'Shea's life experiences. Very often this book will have you laughing at the absurdity of humanity, and yet at other times feeling the tragedy and drama in this man's personal life. And speaking as a train conductor on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway's Northwest Division, I can also say that O'Shea has created a book that is an accurate representation of what we see happening around the Seattle railway yards on an all too frequent basis. You won't be disappointed!

I read this book to my husband on our road trip from Seattle to Denver. We laughed, I cried, and we missed some much needed Rest Areas because I couldn't wait to find out what was happening next. I had no idea what a Yard Bull was when I began but had much respect for them when we finished. It is full of adventure and even romance. I highly recommend this book, but make sure you start early or don't mind staying up late as it is hard to find a stopping place. We are hoping for a sequel soon.

Yard Bull firmly held my attention from the first few sentences through the end of the book. Every page told more of the captivating adventure of Dean O'Shea. It was difficult to pause reading this book to do anything else.

Dean's life as a Yard Bull portrays a fascinating dimension of law enforcement that includes a great deal of working in the dark, being on foot and confronting trespassers that are often armed and have nothing to loose.

Interwoven with his daring and dangerous adventures is Dean's developing friendship with Cassie. Their humorous and romantic adventures touched a special place in my heart.

This is a book I treasure. I earnestly hope that Dean will write a sequel to this incredible story.

Wow - this memoir has it all; drama, humor, crime, romance, spirituality, personal growth, tragic loss, life lessons. And it all takes place in a setting I knew nothing about - the railroad. Dean O'Shea has put a human face onto this world of metal and diesel and creosote-soaked ties. I was fascinated with the personal interactions between Dean and his police partner, Henry, while they fought criminals and each other.

Your Chariot Awaits is a brilliant match between mystery and humor. The protagonist's viewpoint, as one who has just turned 60, is a refreshing change from the many books on the market featuring twenty-and-thirty-somethings. The appealing characters had me rooting for them all the way through. Lorena McCourtney has spun a tight yarn, and kept me chuckling while she did it. I recommend this story highly, and can't wait for the next book in the series.

Andi McConnell's life is falling about. Just before her sixtieth birthday, her job is downsized and her boyfriend breaks up with her. In the midst of all this, she gets the surprise of her life. A long forgotten uncle has left her his limo. She really doesn't intend to keep it, but it is so much fun driving it around town.

The fun disappears a couple days later when Andi thinks she hears a noise outside. Going to investigate, she is knocked unconscious. When she comes to, she finds a body in the trunk of her limo. A body that wasn't there that afternoon. With the police zeroing in on her as a suspect, Andi decides to investigate and try to find some other suspects for the police. Can she clear her name?

This debut mixes murder with plenty of fun. No, it's never absurd or over the top, but I often had a grin on my face reading about Andi's antics. Really helping things along is her new friend Fritz, a former TV star who helps out. The plot was rather poorly paced, sometimes stopping for character stuff that really doesn't advance the story. The ending was plenty exciting, on the other hand. And the Christian sub-plot was interesting as well.

I have several of author Lorena McCourtney's books I haven't read yet, so I'll have to change that. In the mean time, I'm looking forward to Andi's next adventure.

Reviewed by Laura V. Hilton

Andi McConnell is celebrating her sixtieth birthday--but turning sixty is not for the weak of heart. She is fired from her job, breaks up with her boyfriend, and receives an unexpected inheritance from an eccentric uncle--a sleek black stretch limo.

Andi isn't quite sure what she's going to do with the limo, but it sure isn't what happens. Less than twelve hours after getting the vehicle, her ex-boyfriend's body is found in the trunk. As the prime suspect, Andi wants to prove her innocence, so she joins forces with a nosy but charming former TV private eye in a hilarious attempt to find the killer.

I fell in love with Lorena McCourtney's books with her previous series (which ended long before I was ready!) so I was totally thrilled to get to review her newest book, the first in the Andi McConnell Mystery series, Your Chariot Awaits.

Andi is a wonderful heroine, old enough to be my mother, but lively and full of life. I fell in love with her and with her nosy TV private eye, Fitz. The secondary characters are all well developed.

There are plenty of red herrings in the book to keep the reader guessing, but I correctly guessed the murder before the end of the book. Still, it was well written enough that I had to keep reading to see what happened next. I love this new series and am anxiously awaiting the next book in it.

Armchair Interviews says: You'll love this series.

Lorena McCourtney's latest character Andi McConnell bursts onto the fiction scene in Your Chariot Awaits. As the book opens, Andi turns sixty, loses her job at the local insurance company due to a merger, and breaks up with her boyfriend. Oh, and if that isn't enough to make any woman seek her bed with a box of bonbons and a chick flick, Andi inherits a shiny limousine from her uncle and before she can decide what to do with it, a dead body is found in the truck. Not just any body, but that of her recently estranged boyfriend, Jerry who she threatened with a shovel in front of her neighbors.

Andi soon becomes a prime suspect in the murder and has no choice but to investigate to clear her name. She teams up with her new acquaintance and potential future love interest, Fitz. Though Fitz's more than willing to help Andi solve the murder, his only qualification for the job is the role of a detective that he played on an old television show. What follows is a bumbling search for the killer, leaving you laughing and smiling all the way through.


Though Andi is older than many protagonists in today's fiction market, McCourtney writes Andi in a way that all generations of readers can relate to her. She's spunky, vulnerable, and shares the same fears we all deal with everyday. Even I, an avowed computer nerd, embraced the woman who doesn't own even one computer. Really. Not one.


In addition to the fun read and enjoyable characters, McCourtney weaves in a strong spiritual message. She exposes the non-believer Andi to Christianity through a warm, pregnant twenty-something neighbor who encourages but never preaches. And, the unlikely friendship between the two women is believably written and natural despite the years difference in age.


So if you're looking for a well written cozy mystery, one that makes you laugh and smile, pick up McCourtney's Your Chariot Awaits. You won't be disappointed.

Lorena McCourtney is back with a new series that proves that just because you're over 50 doesn't mean you still can't have fun. Andi McConnell has just been laid off from her job. Things are still ok though because she's just inherited a limo from a crazy uncle she barely knows. But before she can enjoy her sweet new ride, she's knocked unconscious and wakes up to find a dead body in her trunk. Now Andi has to be on her guard as her house is ransacked and she's being watched to see if she knew the killer's secrets. With her pregnant tenant and an ex TV detective to back her up, will she be able to find the killer before he gets to her?

This was a wonderfully fun book to read. I love all the characters in this book. Andi, Fitz, and Joella seem like an unlikely threesome that end up gelling well together. Andi is a wonderful character. I love especially that she was dating a guy younger than her in the beginning of the story. She's very feisty and doesn't consider an age to be a problem to her at all. She doesn't act her age basically. Other than the occasional references to her turning 60, I wouldn't have thought of her as being that old at all. I do hope that in the next book Joella is able to play another role because I like her character very much. I think a series on her would be fun to read as well. Fitz reminds me of an aging Magnum PI, not really old but a TV actor who's past his prime. He has good chemistry with Andi and I'm hoping something will come out of it. The action in the book is fast paced especially the last few chapters. The mystery is very good and I had no clue who the killer really was until the very end. I really admire Andi for still wanting to own that limo even after knowing there was a dead body in it. I would have gotten that car destroyed! While there isn't as much humor as there was in the Ivy Malone stories, I still laughed a lot while reading this book. How Andi gets the car from her eccentric uncle and his way of distribution made me giggle a lot. Especially funny is the scene when Joella thinks she's in labor but it's really due to bad indigestion. The part when the pair realize how bad their breath really is was a hoot. I really can't wait until the next book comes out in the series. It's given me the urge to go find a limo and ride around now!