Antonio Garrido Creates Historical Novel of Significance, Including Background, and Thriller With Leading Character Song Ci, Father of Forensics!

The Corpse Reader

By Antonio Garrido
Translated by Tom Bunstead



Recipient of the 2012 Zaragoza International Prize for best historical novel published in Spain


Out on the 28th of May; Pre-order now!!!



When a novel receives such an award, it is quite easily for any reviewer to exlaim that it is outstanding! And that is very true...

Buttt, naturally, for me, when I saw the author's name and learned he was from Spain, I automatically went to the back of the book!

Yes, there it was, a complete bibliography, as well as a glossary! Then I checked out his credentials--a former educator and industrial engineer... Further, he has spent years of research into the Tsong dynasty, as well as the five-column treatise on forensics written by Song Ci, who is now commonly known as The Father of Forensics Medicine...

Now, why did that come first for me? Well, because this book was written by someone outside of China. To me that automatically meant he had to have considerable evidence of research to have acquired the knowledge to write such an epic historical novel on the life of Song Ci, don't you think?
And Antonio Garrido certain has done that. Interestingly, he had little knowledge of forensics...

Wow! Don't we Americans think we all know so much, given our variety and interest in television programs, such as CSI, Bones, etc., but when we read a novel based upon a master of this science, we will quickly learn that we really know so very little!

"Ci had some doubts about Gray
Fox's inspection, and Ci was ready
to see if he was right.
"He went first to the corpse's nape,
working his fingers from there up
along the scalp to the crown of the
head, and then inspecting the ears
with the help of the little spatula.
Then he went downward from the
next, examining the muscular
shoulders, upper arms, elbows, and
forearms, stopping at the right hand
and paying particular attention at the
base of the thumb...
"Your student has carried out a
superficial examination. Blinded
by his ego, he ignored the value of
what seemed to him banal facts.
Just as a race over a thousand li
can only be achieved one step at a
time, examining a corpse requires
patience and attention to the most
minute details..."
~~~

The first half of the novel surrounds Ci's childhood and reminded me of the famous Prodigal Son's story, except that Ci was attending college, while his older brother farmed their land. But when his father lost his job, Ci had to come back and did most of his work, while his brother took much more time off. 

A number of important characters are introduced in this part, including a judge for whom his father worked and who did much to ensure that Ci was taking the proper classes and other support he needed to be able to sit for a future position.

Even then, while he took classes, however, his brilliance placed him as somewhat of an outsider, especially, with a student who had high connections, but did not have the "eyes" to see what Ci did when he evaluated bodies.

But then a neighbor, Shang, was murdered and Ci first found the body as he worked in the fields, and then was brought in to review his body. Ci's brother was blamed for his murder, but his rival made sure that word got around that Ci should not be trusted...


Ci was also foolish in later becoming involved with a local gambler who wanted to take advantage of his expertise and entice rich customers to the local cemetery, to have Ci examine the body and define how the individual died. It was at that time that Ci began to be called "The Corpse Reader..." It's hard to blame him, however, since his father and mother as well as his brother in jail, leaving Ci with his ill sister...

At this point, the drama, suspense, and investigation moves into high gear as Ci tries to find evidence to save his brother. He met  with corrupt officials, told he would have to pay to gain support for his brother. In desperation, he manages to get further into trouble to make money...and then having to quickly leave town! As he left, he visited the cell where his brother was and saw the results of his torture and knew he was dead. They had lied to him, even as they took the money!

In The Washing Away of Wrongs, the first documented forensic entomology case is reported. In 1235 A.D., a stabbing occurred in a Chinese village. By testing different blades on an animal carcass, it was determined that the wound was caused by a sickle. After further questioning, the investigator had all villagers bring their sickles and lay them out before the crowd. Blow flies were attracted to a single sickle because invisible remnants of blood and tissue still adhered to it. The owner of the alleged sickle later broke down and confessed the crime.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collected_Cases_of_Injustice_Rectified

Interestingly, this case which comes from the works of Song Ci, is used in several ways during the mystery thriller. Cool use of actual research, right?!

"1206, Tsong dynasty, Eastern China.

Fujian Circuit.

Jianyang Subprefecture farmlands.

"Shang didn't know death was coming for him until he tasted the blood spurting up into his throat. He covered the wound with his hands to try to stem the bleeding. He tried to speak, too, but before he could make a sound, his eyes opened wide and his legs crumpled beneath him like a worn-out marionette's. If he could have uttered the words, he would have spoken his killer's name, but the blood in his throat, along with the cloth the killer had stuffed into his mouth, prevented him.

"On his knees in the mud, before breathing his last breath, Shang felt the warm rain and smelled the wet earth beneath him. Both had been with him his whole life. Then, soaked in blood, Shang's body collapsed into the mire, and his soul drifted away..."

~~~

Test: What is the most important word in the above paragraph for solving this mystery?

This novel is exceptional in so many different ways... If you are into forensic sciences, this is a must read... History buffs...also a must-read! For those who enjoy a good forensic science suspense thriller, this will easily fulfill your interests. Highly Recommended!

GABixlerReviews

A native of Spain, a former educator, and industrial engineer, Antonio Garrido has received acclaim for the darkly compelling storytelling and nuanced historical details that shape his novel The Corpse Reader. This fictionalized account of the early life of Song Cí, the Chinese founding father of forensic science, represents the author's years of research into cultural, social, legal, and political aspects of life in the Tsong Dynasty, as well as his extensive study of Song Cí's own five-volume treatise on forensics. In 2012, The Corpse Reader received the Zaragoza International Prize for best historical novel published in Spain (Premio Internacional de Novela Histórica Ciudad de Zaragoza). Antonio's previous novel, La Escriba, was published in 2008. Garrido currently resides in Valencia, Spain.

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• Read an Exclusive Excerpt from Antonio Garrido's The Corpse Reader

Seeking Dr. Magic by Scott Spotson will Provide Fun, Excitement and More to YAs and Adults Both!

Seeking Dr. Magic

By Scott Spotson

"Just then, out of the corners of his eyes, he saw a reporter pick up his mobile phone and speak into it. Herfield was annoyed. He didn't approve of interruptions caused by mobile devices during organized events, attributing such behavior to unfortunate habits newly developed by the younger generation...
"The first image they saw was a grainy close-up of what appeared to be a ninja clad in a black outfit, standing on top of a building...They were fixated on the image of the solitary figure on top of the building, precariously situated close to the edge. Suddenly, the character deliberately leapt up, tucking his legs in. Throughout the room, everyone gave a short utterance of surprise, shocked. They saw the figure do one flip, then he disappeared from range. The clip then zoomed down several stories, so fast that they were unable to count how many. But it seemed like anywhere from five to ten.
"Then some yelled, "He's going to jump again!"
"Even before the speaker finished, they watched as the rigure jmpted up impossibly fast, as if in a blur. The figure once again left the range of the screen...
only to disappear...
"...in St. Petersburg, Russia, Cape Town, Africa, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil..."

~~~

Was it a hoax, magic, or, as some claimed, aliens from outer space... They had jumped off of buildings, jumped back to the top...and disappeared! If a few had not caught them on their phones, there would have been no proof that these events all over the world had occurred...

It had begun during the time of former FBI Special Agent Tony Hetfield's announcement to the press that he was retiring and starting his own private investigation agency...

So, to regain a little of the buzz that had been generated around the world, Tony put up a notice, flying it over the city, that he was seeking to meet with Dr. Magic.

Now Tony had spent quite a bit of time gathering the details of what had happened and through his normal logical review of the facts had determined that there had to be one super human being who was behind everything that had been occurring! And he wanted to meet with him!

Of course, just by "naming" the responsible individual, he had moved one step forward in gaining the needed recognition to get clients coming to him...

But, would this super human being be willing to meet him?

"He [Hetfield] felt he had made significant
progress. At times, his research was so exciting,
he had trouble compelling himself to sleep at
in his hotel room. Oftentimes, we would wake
up in the middle of the night, and go onto his
wireless computer--secured through passwords
and encryption--and follow up on a detail he'd
thought of during a failed attempt at sleep..."
~~~

Let's just say that, yes, they did meet...and the next thing everybody was doing was trying to rescue Tony Hetfield from hanging upside down on a bungee rope in another city! If you want to actually see what this would have been like, there's a vid below...but Tony had known nothing about taking such a jump, of course, but awoke hanging upside down, moving up and down...and scared!

Fun, right?!

But no matter how much magic you can do--can you beat an experienced law officer who, once challenged, knows exactly what to do to investigate everything you might ever need to know to find somebody?

While Dr. Magic will thrill the teens and adults who see super-heros as somebody who represents, perhaps, a role model, those of us who enjoy a good mystery will gravitate to Tony's character as he uses his intellect to wade through what is actually happening. But, most of all, for me, what I want to emphasize is that there is action, adventure, and so much to watch as these two pit their individual skills and expertise against each other (with some danger but no real violence)!

Who will win? Or will anybody win with brain versus brawn with lots of magical backup!

A thoroughly enjoyable book, just over 200 pages, that is quickly read, but will leave readers with a smile, an awareness that, perhaps, magic does exist in the world and, maybe, one day, we might even meet Dr. Magic! You should feel free to share Dr. Magic for the enjoyment of those, say, 12 and above... Highly recommended!



GABixlerReviews

"There were now scenes of brightly colored men and women, dressed in tights, running amok through the city streets. The caption below read: Montreal, Canada. This time, the quality of the images was better, but still appeared to be taken by a bystander using a mobile device. About eight men and women, decked out in red, orange, green, and blue stripes, were agilely running over cars that had been stalled in traffic, as bewildered drivers stared out through the windows. The nimbleness of the provocateurs surprised Hetfield. They seemed to each leap eight, ten feet of distance on the ground with ease, not requiring a massive take-off. They ran very fast--without effort. Hetfield stared at one car. The car, including the windshield, was all covered with hues of red, orange, green and blue stripes, same as those on the darting figures...
"These are the Rainbow Seekers. At each scene, they leave cards stating the name Rainbow Seekers and a fake phone number."
Once again, they disappeared and nobody could find anything to prove they were there!
~~~

Scott Spotson is a novelist who excels in imagining scenes of intrigue and adventure within ordinary lives while daydreaming, then pulls together various plots to create a compelling story. He likes to invent “what if?” scenarios, for example, what if I could go back to my university days, and what would I do differently? What if I could switch bodies with friends I am jealous of, like the guy who sold his software for millions of dollars and does whatever he pleases? What if I had the power to create clones of myself to do my bidding? Scott then likes to mentally insert himself into these situations, then plot a way to “get out” back to reality. This is how “Life II” and “Seeking Dr. Magic” were born, within weeks of each other. He’s still working on dreaming up a situation where he gets to smash a pie in the face of his boss, with no justification whatsoever – how to get out of that one?

Scott loves to travel and is partial to the idea of spending extended vacation at ski resorts up in the mountains. You know, the one like in the James Bond movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” where the view is breathtaking, there’s an outdoors hot tub facing a pristine snow covered mountain, and one can warm up inside on a bear skin in front of a huge cobblestone fireplace, sitting on a circular wooden bench fitted with animal pelts and sipping at a mango and pineapple smoothie mixed with a touch of grenadine – okay, he’s getting too carried away!

Scott has visited Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Iceland, France, Mexico, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, England, and Hong Kong.

As can be deduced from the beginning of “Life II,” Scott loves brain teasers.

Related articles

• Book Feature (and Giveaways): Life II, by Scott Spotson

How Do You Decide what's Right for YA 12-? Fantasy Swirls Into Mature Subjects In My Opinion...

Cover of A Certain Slant of Light

Under the Light

By Laura Whitecomb


This novel is somewhat of a sequel, to A Certain Slant of Light, which I didn't read. There is, however, sufficient reference to what happened earlier to make this book free-standing. If you like the concept, I recommend you read the first before this one to understand fully what happened...

Because when a ghost takes over bodies, well, they don't exactly fill in for the individual who had left that body!

Let's me just summarize important events surmised from the first book: Two mature individuals went into two teenager bodies and were intimate. A picture of that event was taken, probably by the brother of the teenage boy.

The family of Jenny, the main character in this new book, is very religious. Helen, the body invader, was shall we say quite different in her responses from those that Jenny would have given...

Helen finally does make it into heaven, after having used a number of individuals as hosts, and who indeed may have been helped--can't be sure...However, Jenny's body had been empty so she took it completely... While in heaven, she realized that she may have damaged Jenny's life...Duh...

So she comes back...

Now, when I first started reading, I had to hold my personal feelings in...this book is listed for ages 12-   I guess I tend to be much more conservative in what is read at that age...

Reading something seems to give actions some credibility, don't you think?

In any event, during the time that Jenny is out of her body, which she had self-taught to herself, given the abuse from her father, and the "acceptance" of her mother, she meets a boy who apparently is also out of his body, although this book doesn't show how that happened.

When Jenny comes back into her body, she, of course, has no idea what has happened in the interim. Needless to say, the majority of the book has Jenny catching up on that time period. And trying to explain she knows nothing about these actions!

The trouble with this book is that it is beautifully written. By that I mean, it was an enjoyable read. Jenny was a girl that readers will enjoy--and understand. I'm not so sure about Helen, unless she thought that the real person was never going to return to that body? But having died in a flood, thinking her daughter was also dead, then having had traumatic thoughts right at the point of death that left her...a little unbalanced?

The only thing I totally approved of to be learned about from the novel is that Jenny was able to mature during the time that she faced prejudices, and, finally stand up to her rigid father's actions. Even though her mother remained a wimp toward an abusive husband...

I hope this author turns to adult books for the future, so that she can fully explore her creative fantasy and imagination. But I really don't think I can recommend this one for 12 and above... Read some other reviews to get further information or read some excerpts... The ones I would want to share would be giving away too much of the story... Anybody want to ask questions, I'll be glad to share more...


GABixlerReviews

Laura Whitcomb grew up in Pasadena, California in a mildly haunted house. She received her English degree at California State University at Northridge in 1993. She has taught Language Arts in California and Hawaii. She has won three Kay Snow Awards and was once runner up in the Bulwer-Lytton writing contest for the best first sentence of the worst Science Fiction novel never written. In her spare time she sings madrigals with the Sherwood Renaissance Singers and is the props mistress for the Portland Christmas Revels. She lives in Wilsonville, Oregon, with her son Robinson.

The movie rights for A Certain Slant of Light sold to Summit Entertainment, producer of the Twilight Saga movies. A Certain Slant of Light has been published in Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, German, Russian, Bulgarian, Polish, Turkish, and Taiwanese. The audio book is published by Listening Library. In 2005 ACSOL was also chosen for the "Discover Great New Writers" program at Barnes & Noble bookstores.

The Fetch was #5 in the top ten of Children's Indie Next List 2009 and was published as an audio book by Recorded Books. It was also published in Spanish and German.

Under the Light, the long-awaited sequel to ACSOL was published in May 2013. It will also be published in Taiwanese.

Start the Campaign Now! Denzel Washington Stars in Little Green, Latest Novel by Walter Mosley!

Walter Mosley at the 2007 Brooklyn Book Festival. The photographer dedicates this photograph to Debbie Ramos, sister of Jeffpw. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) 

Little Green:
Easy Rawlins Mysteries

By Walter Mosley


It is soooo easy to spend time with Easy Rawlins... and, thank goodness, Mosley resurrected him in his latest out on the 14th! There was something very beautiful about the writing in this book...Mosley knew we all wanted more of Easy and it seemed that every single word was chosen, reconsidered, and finalized before he moved on... And you know what I enjoyed most in his writing? His character descriptions! Every time he introduced a new character, I could imagine what he or she looked like...and, no, he rarely used the word black, or Negro...and never, of course, African-American because that phrase wasn't around in the 60s when Easy was 47...

The other thing I found I was doing while I spent time with Easy was thinking of my dear friend, Spencer Turnage, who we lost May 10th of last year. Most of the time, I pictured Spence as Easy...and wishing that Spencer had had some of the gator blood himself! Spencer was a beautiful poet who shared his words with all of us, especially at Gather.com. He would always be talking about his neighbors, his community, and about what he was doing to be involved with them... And that's just the way Easy is. Of course, I don't think Spencer got into the criminal issues like Easy did...but I do know that it was never about being paid...it was about helping his friends and maybe some day they would help him...So, I'm taking his opportunity to share that all of your friends miss you Spencer... And it was lovely to remember you as Easy visited me...

"I was dying, no, had died...
"Easy?"
"There was a flood rising in the room that was swathed in darkness. My right ankle was shackled to the floor next to the bed, and the water was already up to my ears. I pulled against the chain but all that did was cause me pain. My ankle hurt like a motherfucker and the chain would not give. I tried to rise, hoping that I could float to the extent of the bond, that maybe I could keep my nose above water, but I knew somehow that my luck had run out, that Death had come in on me while I was distracted by the mountains of evil I had lived through. Just the fact that I could survive such terror made me guilty, and now he was coming up through floorboards like he did for my mother.
"Death. I had followed him through all the years of my life as he dropped bodies in my path as little reminders to me and others that the end of the road was no bed of roses, no kingdom come. It felt as if my whole life was an obstacle course, a slogging journey trying to catch up with Death, trying to get a good look at his face...
"Easy."
"His lips didn't move but I recognized my name, my true name, not the one my dead father gave me. Raymond Alexander, known as Mouse to his victims and friends alike, smiled at me and I shivered in pleasure and fear...
"No, man," I said. "you can't dismiss me like some schoolkid. You can't turn your back on me after all these years...
"He smiled again, and even though I was dead I felt elation..."
~~~

Easy Rawlins had died in that last novel...

But they had brought him back and kept him alive for months... He discovered later that Mouse had climbed down the ravine and had carried him up the hill, although nobody could figure out how he'd done it. But Ray and Easy were best friends. They constantly proved it by "being there" for the other.

And he was there when Easy finally woke up from being in a semi-coma for so long--everybody had thought he had died! Even some man had squatted his home, living there, claiming it was his... At least he hadn't gotten rid of Easy's clothes and other belongings--just had used a lot of them, especially his liquor! 

But Easy knew that he was still very close to death--he was barely moving, not totally living...

Still, when Ray said he needed his help, it was natural for Easy to just ask, "What?"

Ray needed him to find Little Green. Evander Noon, the son of a man he had murdered... a teenager who had left home and not come back... Of course, Easy took it on...but before he did, he knew he had to make one very important visit!

..."All I do know is that I walked a block and a half today and nearly collapsed. And here I got miles up ahead of me."
"And that's why you come here?"
"You gave Mouse this little vial for hangovers," I said.
"Hangovah ain't like dyin'," she replied. "That's just a little pick-me-up after a night out."
"You got somethin' stronger?" I asked.
"There's health in your body, sugah, and death in your soul. I can give ya somethin' help to see you through this thing, but I can't tell whether you gonna come back alive or not."
"All I know is if I stop right now I will be dead in a week. I know it."
"Jo's hard black face cracked into a girlish grin.
"I knew when you was just a teenager that you were gonna be one helluva man, Mr. Rawlins. You look at the world and see what's there. You know there ain's one person outta three hundred could lay claim to half'a that."
"Here we go," she said...I all this here Gator's Blood," Jo said as she regained her seat. "That there is some powerful juju. You take yourself a nap and then if you feelin' weak you drink down one bottle. After that you'll be good to go for whatever time your condition will allow...
"I took one of the bottles, teased out the cork plug, and drank the contents, five or six ounces, in one draft. The concoction tasted like equal parts hard cider and swamp mud...I broke out into a sweat and stood up because I had to...

~~~

Well, he finally found Little Green who was being tortured by some druggies... Seemed there had been some money stolen and they wanted it... Easy gets Evander away and takes him home to heal and maybe find out what was going on. Finally, Evander remembers and Easy took the money to the only man he'd trust with it--because he already was so rich that he'd laugh at the small amount...

At the same time, another friend and the rich man asked for his help! Blackmail and insider crime was the main dish to eat then...

You can bet that Gator's Blood was keeping him going or he'd never be done!

The thing about Easy though was that just handling the specific request was not what Easy's all about... He's got to deal with and clean up every single issue that surrounds what has happened... 

But then he made contact with his former lover...the one who'd broke up with him right before Easy went over that hill...

I loved this book!  

"L.A. at night, back in the sixties, was a wonderful place to drive. There were lots of people but it wasn't overcrowded. The avenues and boulevards were wide and open to free-flowing traffic. I felt great with Jo's concoction in my system and the desert wind coming in through the windows. The Temptations were singing "My Girl" on the radio, and people seemed happy and alive in their cards.
"I wore death on my shoulders like a superhero's cape, but that didn't matter. I was going to fight, the good fight and win or lose, I'd be counted as a man who struggled against his own fate..."


I've shared the good parts of this novel as part of my review. But there's so much more that could be spotlighted. The 60s included the Watts Riots, Hippie Love, sex and drugs...and the hate of whites toward blacks...All that is there and more...because that all happened and needs to be shared.

But Walter Mosley spreads his opinion through the choice of his words to talk of his characters that happen to be a certain color like "ochre" --LOL, I'm spotlighting that one because it was the only one I looked up to understand the particular coloring... or the Frenchman who was olive skinned with dark, dark brown eyes, almost black. The little mustache he'd sported... or this young man with almost alabaster white skin, coarse red hair and pale blue eyes, who I promptly hated for his officiousness... Why, I wondered, don't other writers describe their characters so that readers could gain such a perfect image? In any event, I loved this latest novel by prolific author Walter Mosley. If you lived during the 60s, consider it a must read! And, somebody get a copy to Denzel Washington because we need a new Easy Rawlins movie from this one!


GABixlerReviews

Now Here's The First Vote to Have Little Green made into a movie with Denzel once again playing EASY!

Movie Trailer...

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Jennifer Chase's Latest Fine--But Wait for the Book Version!

Dead Burn: 
An Emily Stone Novel: 

Who Is She? 
(Click over to Chase's Blog!)

By Jennifer Chase

http://gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/2009/03/review-compulsion-provides-thrilling.html

http://gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/2010/01/review-dead-game-by-jennifer-chase.html

http://gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-jennifer-chase-spread-her-wings.html


Jennifer Chase's Emily Stone character made me a fan from her first book, Compulsion. If you haven't read her yet, check out my reviews for those books linked above that I've been able to fit in to my schedule. Now, the bad first. The Kindle version has many errors. Not knowing enough about the creation of this process yet, I'm just passing that on for those who "refuse" to be burdened with overlooking typos. Now the book was also double-spaced, which bothered me more than the errors. With double-spacing, there are very few words on one page...and it's bothersome to have to "touch every screen" to read on... {The good and the bad of Kindle for hi-volume readers!}

There is one major serial killer as the main villain in Dead Burn. I personally am still bothered when a psychopath has been so perverted against religion by somebody in his life, that he turns into a crusader and kills to "save" souls. If that's giving too much away, I'm sorry, but I think some people will want to know this when choosing to read this novel. Especially, when he not only identifies and kills the guilty, but all those related to him/her. 

Chase is a criminologist as well as writer and I don't know how many religious-oriented murders actually occur, but it certainly catches the attention of most readers--maybe that is irrelevant in writing books, but I think that it can affect sales. I probably wouldn't have wanted to read this one, mainly because there is usually no possible salvation for psychopaths it seems.


Still when he set out to kill a lawyer that was so wickedly smooth that he routinely got rapists and serial killers off...well, I have to admit that was alright with me...LOL

Chad tried not to inhale too deeply as his stomach churned the more he thought about the snaking filth all around him. He hoped that the interior of the building was clean and sanitary, as he unconsciously wrinkled his nose and pursed his lips tightly together. He made his way around to the back of the building, carefully examining each step inorder not to soil his Italian, handmade loafers. A metal door caught his eye. It led directly to the alley and it appeared strangely out of place. The doorknob glistened bright silver, sparkling clean, without smudges or fingerprints. It imbibed the late sunlight and expelled a star shadow trail with long sliver points, reflecting around the alley.The high-tech door stood out against the run down building. There were no available windows, just more disintegrating pieces of plywood bolted onto the building, layer after layer, from the years of neglect.Chad swallowed hard as his mouth went dry, licking his lips in nervous tension. He blinked his eyes several times to try to stop the slight dizziness that crept into his view. It made the door and the crumbling building vie for his attention.He stared at the doorknob for what seemed like an hour, but in reality, barely five seconds had passed. Finally, with his right hand, he reached for the grip and twisted. It turned easily in his grasp...

“Okay, you can come out now.” He didn’t care that his voice sounded nervous.

“Mr. Bradford” A calm man’s voice with disturbing clarity filled the room.

Chad spun around, but there wasn’t anyone in the room with him. The voice seemed to materialize from nowhere, and yet everywhere.

“Mr. Bradford, do you know why you’re here?”

“What is this? Who are you?” He kept turning slowly expecting to see someone enter, but no one did.

“It’s your sentencing.”

“What? I don’t understand…”

“You have sinned and now you must pay the price.”

~~~

The most enjoyable part of the book for me was the "disagreement" between Emily and her lover, Rick...and the stolen kiss by Jordan, another of her work partners who is in love with Emily. It was noted that she didn't quickly push him away. Point being: Emily holds a grudge--good for her...LOL I do too!

“Humble as well as beautiful.” Jordan said with a serious tone. Emily shifted her weight slightly and wasn’t sure what she felt at that exact moment. Even with the sarcasm and wisecracking, Jordan was handsome, intelligent and capable. He understood her point of view with crime and her undeniable passion to hunt down killers..

“I… I don’t know if that is entirely accurate.” Emily feebly replied. Jordan moved closer to her. Emily didn’t object or move away. Jordan slipped his right hand around her back and pulled her close. He leaned in slowly and gently kissed her on the lips.. .

Emily felt warm and safe as the dire circumstances dissolved from her perspective. Her body relaxed as she enjoyed the soft kiss from Jordan. It didn’t shock her that he took advantage of their moment alone after a stressful encounter. She was surprised that he was such a great kisser, gentle but firm and commanding...

~~~ 

And then there was the assassin and the semi-governmental agency! This interesting and cool character had been watching Emily and, although he had no real ability as a sociopath to care about somebody, he did come to respect her as a professional. What he did made the whole book for me.... Let me know if you agree!

I have to say that, given the selection of the cover as a winner, plus the problems inside, I would not recommend the Kindle version of this book...but, hey, I'll still recommend it--just get the book! LOL!

GABixlerReviews

Biography

Jennifer Chase holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master's degree in criminology. Her intense curiosity in the psychological aspect of crime is what drives her to write crime fiction. She lives in California, where she's currently at work on her next book in the series. For more information, please visit www.authorjenniferchase.com/

Ellis Shuman's Adventure Thriller Also Historically and Culturally Significant.

"...My name is Sophia, Sophia Ivanova."

"Sophia?" he asked. "Sophia from Sofia, Bulgaria?"...

"Nice to meet you, Sophia from Sofia. I'm Simon Matthews from Chicago. I'm a professor, well actually a retired professor, from the University of Chicago."

..."Oh, you never know!" she said, laughing, her eyes focused on his. "I am also in academia. I teach at our local St. Clement of Ohrid University. In the history department, specializing in Thracian culture..."

"Professor, tell me something. What is the perception of Bulgaria among average Americans?"

"I'm not sure there is a perception of Bulgaria among average Americans. I think there's quite a substantial Bulgarian community in Chicago, where I'm from. At least I've come across some former Bulgarians in the city, and there were many Bulgarian students at the university. But the average American, well, I don't think they could even find Bulgaria on the map."

~~~

Sofia Synagogue - See Much More at the Bulgarian Adventure Blog!
I loved the opportunity to pictorially visit the beautiful architecture and other pictures from Bulguria!

Valley of Thracians:
 A Novel of Bulgaria

By Ellis Shuman

If you are like me, I do a lot of my traveling via books! Certainly the setting for many fiction novels takes us to exciting places; however, Ellis Shuman who has spent time there, has taken special care in including much more than the usual, in writing Valley of Thracians. So if you are like myself, as an average American who had no real "perception" or knowledge of this country, then I highly recommend you consider this much more than an exciting adventure thriller--consider it a significant historical and cultural novel from which you will learn much... While enjoying the familial love of a grandfather who refuses to believe his grandson is dead...

"It's called a gaida," one of the Peace Corps instructors
explains to me. "It's quite common all over Europe
actually."
..."You know a lot about bagpipes!" I joke with the
instructor.
"Oh, not really, but I do know one thing," he says,
laughing. "When you finish playing your gaida each
night, you pour a glass of rakia into the bag."
"You must be kidding me!"
"No, it's true. Rakia [beer] acts as an antiseptic
within the bag to keep it from rotting..."
~~~

Scott had always been close to his grandfather, finding him easier to discuss things with than his own father. So when the family heard that he had been killed while in Bulgaria, although the body had never been found, his father initially investigated but then worked to go on with life.

But three years later, Simon was still not willing to accept Scott was dead. Having lost his wife, Simon decided to do his own investigation. Before long he met a fellow professor who was quite willing to introduce Simon to her country and its treasures. It is to the character Sophia from Sofia that we are also given a guided tour as she volunteers to help Simon with his search.

Scott had been having some normal teenager problems when Simon began to talk with him. Scott turned around enough to finish school and join the Peace Corps who sent him to Bulgaria. During their training period Scott had lived with a local family, but had also started to use drugs again. That had led to his being blackmailed into some minor crime activities, normally just as a messenger. But soon Scott realized that those with whom he was involved were selling Thracian artifacts!

On the latest trip, he had been forced to deliver one of those artifacts and the sister of the man who was blackmailing him was forced to go with him. But when he actually has to go into the building to meet the buyer, she refuses to go in with him...

That was the last time anybody who knew him could say where he had been... Now Simon was trying to retrace his grandson's steps...

"As they passed the sign announcing their destination with a
colorful montage of pictures, Sophia told him about the
important role monasteries played in Bulgarian history. Over
five centuries of oppressive Ottoman rule, the country's
monasteries--usually situated in the safety of isolated mountain
valleys like this one--were guardians of Bulgarian customs and
served as teaching centers for the Bulgarian language. In the
serene setting, they offered protection to hermits and those
seeking religious salvation, as well as to Bulgarian leaders
planning their rebellion against the Turks. Bulgarians were
not a religious people, Sophia said, but they deeply respected
the country's many monasteries..."
"They call Rila Monastery the Jerusalem of Bulgaria..."
"Scott!"
"This man was not his grandson at all, Simon realized,
and then he passed out..."
~~~

But word had gotten around that a renewed effort to find Scott was being made... And the original thieves...as well as the buyer...were keeping track of everywhere that Sofia and Simon traveled...

Poor Simon soon began to get hurt in one way or another, although not badly, as they encounter the men following them! But that didn't stop him because a major clue had been sent to him.Scott's silver chain, which Simon had given to him, had been delivered to where he was staying. Did this mean he was alive? Or did somebody actually know he was dead and wanted to return an important part of Scott to his family...

Soon, though, Simon began to wonder about Sophia... She was making calls or texting without saying what she was doing. Did she think that somehow Scott was tied to the missing artifact that she had told him about when they toured the museum?

A treasure hunt? Or a native Bulgarian who was
 trying to help out a fellow member in academia?
 Simon was beginning to feel his trust fading,
since even the police and fellow Americans
living there were not really helping in any way...

"Sophia explained that ancient treasures were accidentally discovered quite frequently in Bulgaria. Gold and silver vessels were unearthed near the village of Valchitran in 1924, and farmers uncovered treasures while plowing their fields near the town of Borovo in 1974. Other caches of Thracian relics had been dug up by chance at Loukovit and Lemitsa..."What was in this one?" Simon was standing by an empty glass case, the largest in the entire Treasure Room hall...
"They called it the Rogozen Drinking Lion."
~~~

This is not a fast-paced thriller, but there is certainly enough action and adventure to keep the thrills moving... Plan instead to sit back and relax and learn about the many Bulgarian sights that Simon enjoys seeing while searching for his grandson. You'll learn much about this country, including, for instance, that because of the high quality of its roses, "mastered over centuries of dedicated cultivation, Bulgaria is one of the world's largest exporters of rose oil, used in the production of perfumes, beauty creams, chocolates, liquors, and jams...and even tooth paste." Cool, right?! Bet you didn't know that, did you... 

Lots more, but most importantly, emails are included between a loving grandson and his grandfather, who never gave up believing he could find his grandson... Highly recommended!

GABixlerReviews

Ellis Shuman...at Shipka Pass, Bulgaria...

About the Author

Ellis Shuman was born in Sioux City, Iowa, and immigrated to Israel as a teenager. He completed high school in Jerusalem and served for three years in the Israeli army's Nahal branch. Along with his wife, Jodie, he was a founding member of Kibbutz Yahel in the Arava Valley in Israel's south. On the kibbutz he worked in agriculture, industry, tourism, the dairy barn, and served as the kibbutz's general secretary. After moving with his wife and three young children to Moshav Neve Ilan in the Judean Hills, Ellis received formal training in the hotel industry. He worked in a variety of positions at the Neve Ilan Hotel and later was Food and Beverage Controller at the Jerusalem Hilton. He served as the moshav's general secretary during a period in which the community underwent major social changes. As a hobby, Ellis began writing on the Internet. He wrote extensively about life in Israel in his position as the Israeli Culture Guide at About.com. He designed and maintained websites for the Neve Ilan Hotel and for Indic--Independent Israeli Cinema. For two years he was webmaster for Yazam, an international financial firm that provided support for technological start-ups. Ellis served for three years as Editor in Chief of Israel Insider, an online daily newsmagazine that developed new technologies as it posted the latest news and views, from and about Israel. Starting in 2004, Ellis began working in a marketing company servicing the online gaming industry. In the years 2009 - 2010, his job was relocated to Sofia, Bulgaria. During those years, Ellis and Jodie traveled extensively in Bulgaria as well as in the countries of the region. Today Ellis continues working at this job, based in Ramat Gan. Read about Ellis and Jodie's Bulgarian Adventure at their blog:  http://shumansinbulgaria.blogspot.com/. Ellis writes regularly on his blog at: http://ellisshuman.blogspot.com/

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