Need a Fun Break? Check Out - The Music "Score" in Relation to Book Words - Spotlighting Niki Danforth's Hush Hush!

Merging music along with the words in a book is almost giving it movie quality as the words or the tune of a song runs through in the back of your mind as you learn how the main character uses music to support her efforts...especially if she is a PI!

Readers of Book Readers Heaven know that I'm a fan of this type of inclusion within the book narrative... Especially when I've loved the main character of the book! Ronnie Lake is my kind of woman! She's gone through a complete change in her personal and professional life, yet moves ahead to reinvent herself. First, she gained a friend and partner, Warrior... Then she started taking lessons and has garnered a Black Belt in Akido! Finally, she met a guy at those classes and almost became a cougar since there was a mutual attraction. It was she that decided that the age difference was too much for her to accept and, instead, they began to work together... Ronnie was interested in becoming a private investigator... Will was already licensed. So she began by helping him with his jobs... So, Will became her boss as well as friend...

Soooo, how does James Bond Come into the Story? Well, instead of accepting Will's attention as a life partner, she chose our first James Bond as her idol and counselor... After all, a woman needs to have somebody she enjoys interacting with as she ends each day... Of course, not everybody talks to that individual while bathing...

True, the main character, Ronnie Lake, spends her bath time with him... Seriously...dialogue included!

Ronnie has since become a licensed PI and has her first case, one which is a little more than a PI starts out working on. Nevertheless, when she is asked by the roommate of a local student who has disappeared, to find out where she is, Ronnie takes the job! Of course, the local police are also contacted when it was confirmed that the student was missing... So, this is the first book where she is intimately involved with the local officers.

“But what about you?” he asked, driving slowly through town. “Heard through the grapevine that you picked up a missing person case?” He looked straight through me with those gorgeous blue eyes that never failed to make my heart skip, even though our friendship was platonic. We also happened to work out together at the same Aikido dojo, although my black belt was considerably junior to his third-degree black belt. The dojo was actually where I’d first met him, and he happened to be a very interesting man, not just easy on the eyes. He and I always talked about all sorts of things, not only our investigations. “The grapevine?” I asked, pinning him back with an incredulous glare. “You mean the vast, interconnected network of private investigators who work the mean streets of rural New Jersey?” “Okay, you got me,” Will admitted sheepishly. “Rossi called me.” “What? That little snitch. Why would she call you?” “It’s actually gonna work in your favor if you’ll give me a chance to explain.” A small smile played at the corners of his mouth. “She’s really grateful about your tip regarding the missing person and the weird text messages. It may have even turned the tide in the investigation. This is no longer a possible runaway, they’re unofficially looking at it as a kidnapping.” “Well, that’s a relief. But how does that help me?” “I’m getting to that part. She didn’t specifically say I should or shouldn’t tell you the boyfriend’s name, so I’m telling you...

The actual words aren’t important, but it’s a tip-off that means we need the other one to call instead of text. Like maybe we want to get out of a situation, or we want to pretend there’s an emergency and we gotta get out of there.” “That’s actually a very smart safety move,” I answered, nodding. “I’ve seen quite a few social media posts recommending it. But go on.” “Yeah, but ours is really silly, it’s this song we heard once…” She paused, looking very vulnerable all of a sudden. This was no longer just two scared college students needing an understanding adult to dish out tea and advice. This had all the trappings of an actual case. She continued when I nodded encouragingly, my pen still poised over the paper. “It’s this song called ‘Loser,’ by Beck. It’s on satellite radio sometimes on this oldies channel. Anyway, we heard it one day and we liked it, and it became this kind of joke between us. When we need the other one, we text this line from the chorus and the other person knows to call and just go along with whatever we say.” “And what’s the line?” I asked, scribbling notes and ready to write it down. Jenae looked sheepish for a second, then continued. “I’m a loser, baby, so why don’t you kill me.” She started to sniffle, and Sally patted her shoulder. Good grief, I thought, that’s uplifting. “But after I started getting these messages from Mandy, I tried our code.” Jenae’s sniffle continued until she started to cry very real tears, and she choked back a sob. “I typed it, the whole loser part and everything, and she answered…” Jenae broke down, and Sally held her friend closer while she cried. I waited, but I really wanted to get the answer. I gripped my pen tighter. “Whoever is sending these messages didn’t know about our code. They wrote back, but it was something stupid like, ‘Haha, you’re totally not a loser! Why would you even say that?’” My pen tumbled from my hands and clattered to the granite countertop. Warrior’s and Peach’s heads popped up at the noise. They watched me as I scrambled to grasp it. I did and recovered by writing down the song lyric as quickly as I could. When I was finished, I sat up straighter but still at a loss for words. “So? Ronnie?” Sally finally asked. “Can you help?”

I pulled away from my house and clicked on my Bruce Springsteen playlist, still thinking about the frightened young ladies who’d come asking me to find their friend who might be in trouble. I turned up the volume on “Tougher Than The Rest.” Well It's Saturday night You're all dressed up in blue I been watching you awhile Maybe you been watching me too Of course, I would take the case. 

Truth be told, I also loved how little traffic drove these streets when it wasn’t rush hour. It gave me the confidence to sing along to my music at the top of my lungs, in this case Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.” It was becoming an anthem of sorts at the beginning of a new case, spurring me on whenever I’d come up against the usual roadblocks.

As I drove home listening to Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” my mind drifted over the conversation with Marilyn and Mrs. McDowell. No plans to leave D.C. after her husband’s resignation… “A paid snoop,” she’d said…and that callous reporter…everything about today’s lunch had been unsettling, to say the least, and more than a little bit off. What was her problem? Oops! Excuse Me... I used the bath scenes for Sean Connery--not--Ronnie Lake's artwork... My Blog, My Rules...LOL The more of Sean Connery, my favorite James Bond Actor, the Better!

After all, this case could be life or death, and I did my best thinking under the watchful eye of my black-and-white poster of Sean Connery as Agent 007, hanging in its frame on the bathroom wall.

I turned on my music and started with Heart’s “These Dreams.” I’ve always loved the wailing anthems and harmonies of the two sisters, and the music kick-started my creative and analytical thinking. I placed two giant poster boards and a marker on the tile floor next to the tub—I have a knack for being a visual thinker—and as water filled the tub, I scribbled some notes on the first one about the subject of my investigation.

Kidnapper? Or Killer? My thoughts were turning dark, and fortunately a more upbeat tune (if not exactly the lyrics) started to play, America’s “Sister Golden Hair.” I took a careful sip of my wine, making sure not to spill it in the tub. I sat up a little higher and noticed my dress from Marilyn’s luncheon still hanging on the back of the bathroom door... 

Yeah, this isn't a pic of Ronnie Lake but she is known to talk on the phone while bathing...

I stared up at the photograph. “James? Come on, talk to me. Back to this Mandy case. It’s a little bigger than some of my other ones. Don’t let me down now.” At the sound of my desperate tone, Warrior came into the bathroom and put his paws on the edge of the tub. I smiled at my faithful friend and rubbed his ears gently.

“Oh no you don’t, you’ve had your bath! After your little mud splash today, it’s a wonder that I managed to get you clean!” I stopped, my hand poised in midair as the hair stood up on the back of my neck. Warrior whined softly at my sudden silence and the change in my expression. “How did I miss that? Thanks James. I’ll get back to you about the missing young lovers later.” I stood up from the soapy water and grabbed a towel. “Come on, Warrior, we’ve got to go. And you’d better stay clean this time!”

I turned on one of my phone’s playlists to get me psyched and it started with, “Money for Nothing” from Dire Straits. It helped my frame of mind, because I despise P.I. “grey areas” like this one; I was sifting through someone’s private property and there was a very good chance she wouldn’t approve if she were standing in my bathroom. I had to use reason here instead of emotion. Would I want someone to exhaust every possible avenue if I were the one missing? You bet. I began opening apps one by one, figuring out which ones were her most widely used, which ones were still logged in, which ones might provide even a glimmer of a clue as to her whereabouts. I’d need to get out, dry off, and fetch my notebook for any of this to prove useful, but at least it was a starting point. Even just knowing where she’d shopped last could help.

This morning, he stayed practically glued to me. The BeeGees’ mellow “Massachusetts” played in the background while I casually threw my hair up in a messy ponytail and pulled on some old comfy clothes. I washed a few dishes, tossed in a load of laundry, then finally settled down with my notebook. The pictures I’d gathered from Mandy’s phone were arranged neatly all around the kitchen table. I raided my stash of giant poster boards and set to work on piecing together what I knew. I put Mandy’s board at the start of my line-up...

The background music had switched over to Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight,” his voice and the drums spurring me on. I stood up and stretched, reaching for the ceiling. In any investigation, there were occasionally moments when it all clicked. Those were rare, and they could almost leave you feeling like you had no hand in the case at all...

I opened the passenger door, and Warrior jumped onto his blanket. I turned on Pat Benatar’s “All Fired Up” and we were out of there. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I kept hoping that this case would be a silly metaphor for the year, that somehow the clouds would open up and release the rain if I could put all the pieces together. The symbolism of the rain might be a childish thought, but I was on my way to solving this case, I was sure of it. I started the car. I turned off the ignition... What was I doing?

It was time to leave. “See you around, Detective Rossi.” I got into my repaired nondescript work SUV feeling pretty good about how this had all turned out. Rossi gave me a wave and got in her vehicle. It seemed like the perfect moment to turn on some music. This time I chose the pounding instrumental start of Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.” turned up the volume, and drove away from the airport, singing about the “thrill of the fight” at the top of my lungs.

My personal thanks to Niki Danforth for creating such a badass female character and a funtastic series! I've read the entire series, always starting from the first if I can... I recommend you do that too.  This is the third in series... I just might do another one like this... What do you think? Did you enjoy learning about the main character's use of music during her work activities? Let me know! This one, by the way, was my personal favorite...

Searching for Gatsby by Niki Danforth Provides Fascinating Literary Mystery

The beat-up sedan brakes quickly on the winding back road, its headlights beaming on a wooden sign, Willowbrook Natural Lands Trust Hiking Trails. A shrill canine yawn lets loose from the back seat as the vehicle turns into the small gravel parking area. It rolls to a stop in the corner farthest from the road. Another yawn squeaks from the back seat, and the old man reaches behind him to scratch the sleepy Jack Russell terrier nestled on a pile of sweaters. “Good girl.” His voice is gruff, but kind. He shakes his head as if getting rid of the cobwebs, blinks several times, and massages his eye lids. “Peach, wait here.” Clicking open the trunk, the wiry man steps out of the old Honda Accord. A car speeds by and he almost ducks down. “Get with it, old man,” he chides himself. “It’s just folks heading home.” He stretches his stiff limbs and rubs his gray-whiskered face while scanning the vegetation surrounding the lot.
Glancing at the road, he assesses whether the brush will block the view of his car to the few vehicles passing by. He slams shut the driver’s door as if deciding that it does. Another car drives by, and this time he ignores it. A slight breeze blows through and the man shivers, reminded that fall is on its way. He peers inside at the disorderly back seat. Several cardboard boxes and paper bags of books surround the sweaters that serve as Peach’s bed. The man reaches for an olive-colored jacket and a felt fedora tossed among the clutter. As he puts them on, the dog’s big dark eyes stare at him adoringly. Then he pushes open the lid of the car’s trunk, removes a small black canvas pack, and drops it on the ground. He searches the bag and pulls out lightweight black gloves and a small beat-up paperback missing its cover. He slips it into the back of his black jeans, the skinny volume peeking out above the top edge of the pocket. 
The man clips a leash to the collar of his terrier. “Okay, girl. You’re my cover.” Peach jumps out of the car, and the old guy bumps the door shut with his hip as he puts the gloves into his jacket pocket. Tossing the light pack over his shoulder, he’s good to go. The little man and the little dog leave the parking area and stroll down the road masquerading as any other neighbor out for an evening walk. 

~~~

Many have heard of either the book or the movie, The Great Gatsby, but Niki Danforth has added an interesting little known fact that creates an intensely unique and long-standing mystery that has yet to be solved as the book begins... Specifically, that a cheap version was published as an Armed Services edition... and it was to the success of that book being sent to those in the service that the book began to win its acclaim... Plus used to create that mystery we'll be reading...

This was my first book for Danforth and I was impressed. Her work is tight, flowing easily and presents the reader with a sit-back-and-relax enjoyment that will be pleasantly inviting for true mystery fans..

On a personal note, I was attracted immediately to the main character, who is in her fifties, having faced an empty home with her children gone and a divorce, she decides to become a private investigator, earns a black belt in Akido, and has her younger PI mentor falling for her... 

It's great to see an older role model for women and Ronnie Lake is a delight as we get to know and admire her. As soon as I finished this book, I went out to pick up Book 1, Stunner!

There's one more central character, Warrior, who needs to be introduced early. He was a war dog who served with Ronnie's son and when he was killed, Ronnie made sure that Warrior was going to have a good home now...and you can be sure that Warrior also helps to protect his new mistress... In this book, he hosts a temporary friend in need of a home after his master was murdered... Peaches and Warrior both add greatly to the enjoyment as well as the basic story line...

While this is a complex story with various subplots that add significantly, the first villain, who is quickly killed, is a lovable older man who was a rare book expert working in a bookstore...he had acted as a thief to get into a home where Ronnie was attending a party... while he picked up an expensive necklace, probably more for cover, his search was in the owner's library. He quickly came across a First Edition of The Great Gatsby, which was very valuable. He sighed, thinking he'd loved to own it, but slid it back into its place, pulling out his part of the Service Edition of the same book and then placing it back into his pocket... He went on searching... He was murdered as he left...

At the same party, the owner's wife was talking to Ronnie about taking a job for her--she needed to know whether he was having an affair...

And that woman was also at the party where she and the owner had public words and the woman left early... Whether the woman was having an affair with the owner, we do know that she is the boss of Casey, the rare book expert who was also a thief...

We have entered into the profit-making side of rare books, the business...and the danger that goes along with the desire by many who are rich to own valuable, known books. But we also find that there are many book lovers who go to far lengths just to get to touch and read the more valuable copy of a book they've read many times...

The result is intriguing as Win her PI mentor and Ronnie are hired, with Ronnie being the lead investigator, to find the now missing First Edition of The Great Gatsby... Yes, the copy that Casey had pulled out and also replaced, was also later stolen!

This mystery is more following the clues than presenting the reader with the need to solve the mystery. That in no way detracts from the pleasure book lovers will have in entering into the perhaps new side, at least for me, of the rare book world... If you love books talking about books--if you aren't you won't know what I mean--well, I think you will love this one just as much as I did! Highly recommended...

GABixlerReviews

To join Niki Danforth's mailing list for updates and specials, visit her website at www.nikidanforth.com to sign up.

Niki Danforth, daughter of a Cold War covert intelligence officer, has the "thriller/adventure" gene in her DNA. After a career as a successful TV/video producer and director in New York, this empty-nester is picking up her first love of suspenseful mystery books and recreating herself as an author in the genre. Danforth lives in the New Jersey countryside with her husband and two drama-queen dogs. She is hard at work writing her next book.

You can also follow Danforth on Facebook at "Niki Danforth Author" where she loves to review her favorite books, movies and TV shows.