“Red Screen” review

To be “red-screened” is to die in the meta-verse Land of Might and Magic – a virtual reality game that may have more in common with the real world than the players would like. The killings have crossed over, and Parker Reid, the FBI’s top profiler, is brought in to hunt for this cruel and elusive murderer. Gamer Shea Britton is on the hunt in the virtual world for the same killer. This quick-moving book takes you back and forth between the real and unreal as we follow both hunters racing on a collision course toward each other as they chase the Gray Warrior. What a genre-bending novel this is, with elements of fantasy, thriller, horror, mystery, and even romance. It’s a top-notch, well-written tale with Burke at the top of his craft in this one. Hang on in the early-goings where it can be difficult to keep all the players straightened out – with many of the characters living in two worlds with two different names. It’s all part of the fun of keeping reality and fantasy separated. But is that really how it is meant to be? Is the Gray Warrior real or a figment of some programmer’s madness? “Red Screen” by Daniel Burke should be the best thriller you read this year with fun twists and turns to keep you guessing and turning the pages. Enter the Land of Might and Magic – you will not be disappointed.

“Dog Island Gold” review

Will Harper is at it again in “Dog Island Gold.” Since this is the ninth in the Will Harper collection that I have read, I obviously enjoy the series, the characters, and their escapades. This one is solid enough, although not as well-crafted as some of the others. As a frequent visitor to Tarpon Springs, I enjoyed the two stops here that the book makes – although they have got to try Hellas Restaurant next stop. A great place for local Greek cuisine. One of my greatest takeaways from the book was the connection to the website “Florida Back Roads Travel Off the Beaten Track.” I’ll be visiting many of these places soon. A good quick read, and interesting Dog Island history. It makes for a good backdrop. Take a look.

“Paradise Gone” review

A Trophy Collection to Die For…

This is a good one in the Will Harper Mystery series. You get not only one villain (and a delicious one at that) but two, as Bonnie’s rebellious teenager Serena shows up on the WanderLust stalked by her derelict boyfriend, who is not only bad news, but is too old. Florida poaching is the assignment for Will Harper this time around, as he and his crew come up against Hunter, a killer of anything and everything. His trophy collection is to die for. Give it a read.

Recent review of “Killing the Butterfly”

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60732916?rto=friend_update_daily_us&ref_=pe_41735960_810737310_bp

“Clucked” by Troy Holland

When I first got on the boat in Troy Hollan’s “Clucked,” I sailed away into a mash-up of Ernest Hemingway, The Lord of the Rings and Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” (“On the Waters”?????). We take off with Matt and his trusty dog Jack as they set sail from Corpus Christi, TX on their way across the Gulf of Mexico toward Key West and beyond. The sharp writing, the narrative, and the quirky adventures and characters are a deep dive into great literature. From Key West, the boat (and book) head north to Charleston where the plot thickens around the sinister Colonel Clyde Clawson, a chicken nugget tycoon (and megalomaniac). Hop on deck for a great cruise with “Clucked” by Troy Hollan.

“A Deadly Game” review

Yep, this one is hard to put down. “A Deadly Game” takes off from page one and never lets up – with twists and turns throughout to keep you wondering just what is going to happen next.
A college student goes missing during some fraternity fun and it turns the town upside down, as well as the idyllic family life and marriage for Nicole and her loving college professor husband. And when their son becomes a person of interest – after all, he is a friend and fraternity brother to the missing student – their upside-down world is shaken even more. Well, all fairy tales must end, right?
This thriller is no fairy tale, but a nonstop roller coaster ride with no slowing down in sight. Grab a ride on “A Deadly Game” by Gayle Brown. You won’t be disappointed.

“Leigh Howard and the Ghost of Simmons-Pierce Manor” review

Holy smokes there’s a lot going on here. “Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor” is an action-packed ride through several months following Miss Howard as she moves in with her aunt and uncle and cousin following the killing of her mom and pop. Of course, she takes the murder hard, as evidenced by the scars she wears, but perhaps the move to her relatives stately old mansion in Maryland will be the ticket to a new life – a new beginning. You’ll love following along on the twists and turns of her encounters with drug dealers, organized crime members, and let’s not forget the ghosts of Simmons-Pierce. They make themselves known quite early and play a big part in what happens. A fun book for all ages!

“Safe and Sound” review

“Safe and Sound” by Laura McHugh pulls you right in from the first pages and never lets go.

It’s the six year anniversary after Grace has vanished, and her two cousins are determined to learn the truth behind what happened. Amelia and Kylee were found unharmed in their upstairs bedroom the night Grace, who was babysitting them, vanished, leaving nothing behind but blood spilled throughout the kitchen. Amelia and Kylee vow to find Grace, dead or alive.

I found myself drawn into their world – a not entirely happy existence, but one filled with determination and perseverance. The story moves back and forth between the first-person-present told by Amelia, and the third-person-past story of Grace, and this dual story interweaving works splendidly. And there are enough suspects and twists to keep it interesting.

I’ve been a fan of Laura McHugh since I first stumbled upon “The Weight of Blood,” one of the best thrillers of recent years, and this one is a pretty good match. If you like thrillers, grab a copy of “Safe and Sound.” You won’t be disappointed.

Joseph Lewis: author and blogger

I had a nice chat with Joseph Lewis and here is the result: https://jrlewisauthor.blog/2023/11/09/meet-dale-ward-an-author/

Please check it out and be sure to check out Mr. Lewis’s books as well. (“Caught in a Web,” “Spiral Into Darkness,” “Betrayed,” “Blaze In, Blaze Out” among others.) Good stuff!

Wrecker is a bit of a wreck…

Let me first start off by saying I am a huge Carl Hiaasen fan. I’ve read every novel he has written, and have enjoyed them all. I look forward to whenever he has a new book coming out. And that was the case with “Wrecker.” But this one did not connect for me. Can I say it was a bit of a wreck? There are too many plots weaving in and out. The tense jumps from present to past and back again. And being set in the time of COVID dates it from the get-go. To top it off, the whole COVID vax preaching is lame, and I wish it WAS true that everyone who got vaxed, wore a mask, stayed home, etc. would have been kept from getting the “rona,” (which is said in the book), in which case, my own mother would still be with us. The whole “get vaccinated” routine throughout the book was very tiresome. (I wonder if Mr. Hiaasen is one of those who drive around alone in their car with a mask on?)
The main plot line about the high schoolers forced into smuggling was fun enough (if not too believable), and the Wrecker character was easy to play along with, but the whole book felt way too adult for a young audience, which was the target. Oh well, here’s hoping Hiaasen gets back on the right track with his next adult novel, and keeps to the fun and funniness, and less on the preaching and proselytizing. Unfortunately, with all the wreckage, I cannot recommend this book for kids or adults.