Review: Great New Series Started by Kath Russell!

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A Pointed Death:


First In The Pointer Mystery Series


By Kath Russell




Kath Russell didn't have to do much to acquire a new fan! First, she started a new series, which I always enjoy. Next she added a wonderfully funny animal who is the side-kick of the lead female. And, best of all, she placed a mature woman as her lead character! How coooooool is all that! Now I enjoy any intelligent, tough, gritty female character, but since I've been around a little now, it is always a wonderful treat to read about older women who are exciting, enjoying life, laughing, playing, and...getting herself into trouble...LOL! Top all that with a great mystery, and I just have to add that I loved the whole package! 


Nola Billingsley had started up a dot.com company, but a credit card check on her company's cards revealed there was an employee/thief using his card to embezzle! In fact, he was setting up his new girlfriends apartment with purchases from Ikea and many other places.


Things had been going bad, but this forced Nola and her co-founders to finally face the issues and close the company. I have to include that the thief had checked her insurance, and when discovered, calmly pointed out that her coverage would take care of it!


Ahhhh, the young people of today...


Fortunately, Nola had fall-back contacts and work since she had been a former biotechnology consultant and there were many new companies looking for somebody who had both her technical and marketing skills. Soon Nola was contacting potential new clients. But she was also working with the police regarding the theft--and was immediately attracted to Harrison, the assigned officer.


But life was not going to settle back into a routine...


Now we come to the fun! Meeting Skooch! Ok, he may not be exactly involved in helping to solve cases, at least not this time. But he did discover the body--does that count? And the body, which had been beheaded was Nola's employee/thief! Obviously there were others who had a problem with his cavalier life style.


Fortunately, something good came out of this horrible find. The entire case, which was now a murder case that involved theft, was assigned to another officer. Which left Harrison to ask Nola out on a date! Cool...


Now seems the perfect time, though, to add another important character. Janie Belle is Nola's mother; they live together. Not a great situation for getting to know a new man in your life--but for we readers it adds even more hilarity to the trio--Nola, plus Skooch and Janie Belle--with whom Harrison must make nice. Actually, he did very well with all of that and I'm already hoping he stays as part of the series. What is more fun than an amateur sleuth who has a police boyfriend who constantly tells her to stay out of everything...but figures she probably won't...


Now the reason behind the murder does indeed deal with biotechnological espionage and soon Nola gathers a group of her coworkers who all feel they are better to deal with what is going on than the police. Nola meets a new friend, Karin plus former partners and they do indeed figure out who, what, when and where. I'm not sharing any more on that except to say that the espionage is intriguing, involving a foreign country who plans to use medical drugs for an entirely different reason--quite complex enough to make readers get involved to help solve the "why." of it all.


Great mystery and funny, wonderful characters. Kath Russell, in my opinion, you've got a winning combination! When is your next novel coming out?


Book Received Via
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Review: Will Your Cellar Door Take You to THIS World?!

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The Cellar Door


By Brett Gadbois














With lots of graphic pictures to support the fantasy, The Cellar Door by Brett Gadbois, takes children into another world where strange creatures live--at least strange to most of us, but in this world, most creatures are half human, with the head of an animal. Or, you will meet animals that will talk with you, just as if that was the normal thing to do. And, if you have somebody to guide you, like a sage of old, you could learn how to change into various animals!

Sam Bixby, a young boy of 9, went through that cellar door, even though he had promised his father that he would stay close to the place they would be staying for their vacation while he went for supplies. He really didn't mean to leave, but he spotted a zebra swallowtail butterfly. Sam had seen it in one of his reference books, but had never seen a real one. The temptation was too great--he immediately started following the butterfly. He followed as long as he could, until it flew up higher and finally disappeared. Wow, was all he could think about--he probably would never seen another one ever.

But now he looked around and didn't recognize where he was--there was an abandoned farmhouse below. A sign said to keep out, but Sam ignored it and climbed the steps to the front door. He knew he needed to get back to his father, so decided to just quickly look around... After checking the inside, he noticed the cellar door which was entered from the outside. Once again, he thought he would just check this out and would then go back to where they were staying.

But it was now too late...

When Sam next opened his eyes, he was no longer anywhere near where his father waited...

Many may see a parallel to The Wizard of Oz, but the characters and the world Sam has entered is strangely different. Still, there are both friendly as well as sinister characters and, of course, the characters drive the story.

Take for instance, the creatures who are part-human and part-crow, as shown on the cover. Certainly, we all know just by looking at them that these are bad guys, right? And, indeed, they appear throughout the story, wanting what was given to Sam by the sage. The ability to change shape...

But the crows are not the scariest...Listen to this description: "...face began to change. His nose lengthened into a stubby cylinder. His ears grew, narrowed, and came to points. His beard filled out and covered his entire face. His mouth stretched to accommodate the thick ivory tusks pushing over the edges...

Can you visualize the wild boar that had appeared in front of Sam? He was too scared to move!

Finally, he met Chester, a talking squirrel who promised to help him find the way to Sam's father. Indeed, Chester's father was also in need of being found, so they joined together. Throughout the book, you will find some of the characters talking in poetic form, an interesting inclusion. Chester, for instance, is anxious to start and concludes his thoughts poetically with,

...The time is now, the road is here

Let's take it 'fore it disappears

My feet are itchin', so's my heart

How 'about it brother, let's just start

And so, Chester and Sam start walking toward a nearby town, to see if Sam's father could be there.  Only they find Chester's father instead--and he's in trouble because he has just stolen a loaf of bread! Sam and Chester quickly work to help and so they are now three heading off down the road...

This children's fantasy is full of magic, so parents will need to read through the book with them first, and explain about the creatures found in this magical world...Be sure to explain when Sam turns into a fish, or a bird...and laugh with them, wishing we all could do such things, too! Because it is so much fun to run free and imagine all that you can be!

If your children have active imaginations and playtimes, then you will want to check out The Cellar Door! But remember, it's always important to explain it's just pretend and to stay close to his parents!

Book Received by

Science Fiction Reader

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Review: Publisher Shares Essays in Latest Book!

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God and Evolution or
 Evolvement:


Essays Into the 21st
 Century


By Adolph (Adolfo) Caso




When a publisher chooses to write essays regarding issues about which he is passionate, you can bet he will have written from a solid base of research. An essay, however, lends an opportunity to voice his own opinions as well, and when brought together into one book, allows his readers a much more satisfying experience in knowing the publisher, the author, as an individual as well as a scholar.

I had read several of the essays as they had been included as introductions to other books published by Branden Books, but many were new and on topics that also interested me. What I found most serendipitous however was that my stack to review had two books, one right after the other, in queue. The first book, I have previously reviewed--A Higher Court:One Man's Search for the Truth of God's Existence by John L. Betcher.

Now, here was Adolfo Caso, a man I have come to know and respect greatly, writing on God, Evolution or Evolvement, Galileo, Machiavelli, Salvation and so much more that was covered in the earlier book. Quite interesting to me was that both authors seemed to share their hesitancy in dealing with the issue that it all comes down to--Faith. Indeed Adolfo, in being willing to not only publish his title Essay, but also shares that the Essay had been shared, rejected, some with ridicule...by friends...is actually, to me, quite willing to say that he stands by this particular Essay. I thought it important to include the last sentence of this essay:

Ultimately, each one of us will find it in one single, monosyllabic three-letter word describing, depicting, or denoting GOD! (p. 151)

In both of these books, I found a learned man--one a lawyer, one a publisher and scholar. Each of these men had created a book they felt needed to be published. I, on the other hand, have read and reviewed books by agnostics, atheists as well as men from various religions. who were sharing their beliefs. Would you believe that many of the arguments, be they scientific or not, are very similar?

So we have many individuals, asking the same questions! Many reach one point, however, and I believe the above statement is in the way in which they describe...their faith. There is a God.

Many of the Essays written by Adolfo deal with ethical issues. At the same time, it is also clear that Adolfo has a deep and great love for his heritage, so much so that when something is questioned, such as the validity of claiming that Columbus discovered America, there is evidence of extensive research to not only prove the great things done by Italians and Italian-Americans, by to disprove those speaking against the truth.

His essay on Machiavelli, What He Means to Me is an excellent example of how historical individuals are sometimes treated. Adolfo says, "In a recent conversation, in Italian, this well-educated medical doctor used the name of Machiavelli as a synonym for intrigues of unsavory nature." (p. 75). Now, thanks to Branden Books, I have read The Prince.  You guessed right. In my opinion, having read Machiavelli's actual words, his image has been totally corrupted. In his Essay, therefore, Adolfo one again shares about the virtue of this important historical figure.

But Caso has not limited his thoughts to history. He writes about the important issue of bilingual education and states a much more realistic approach than is happening today. He talks about mass media, wealthy voters, and raises significant ethical questions that should and must be considered if we are to regain our position as world leaders.

I encourage you to check out the Essay topics on the back of this book and read his powerful poetry about today's world, one of the most powerful being The New Adam and Eve. It is time to read about today's issues from an ethical man that is willing to speak out...write about...those issues that tell the truth, not for political reasons, but...just because it is the truth... And if he includes statements of faith, as well, then we can know that he has read, researched and digested much, before that step was taken. For those of you who have humanitarian concerns about today's world...I highly recommend this and other books by Adolph Caso.

Book Provided by
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Review: One Man's Search...Could Also Be Yours...

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Religion - No Religion in US

A Higher Court:


One Man's Search for the Truth of God's Existence


By John L. Betcher












As a reader, I always chose books I wanted to read; as a reviewer, however, I began to read books that I might not ever have considered. At another time, I will write about some of those. For now, I would admit that if I had not been asked, I would not have bought A Higher Court.


Why? Just because I had already read so many and I already had the answer:

I know that I know that I know God's Lives. Note that I don't say that He exists. I knew that as a child. But then life begins and you learn and experience and for some, we used the words, we are born again. John L. Betcher did, however, create a superbly imaginative approach to this ages old question. He introduces us to William Kensey.

Perhaps Kensey is a peer of the author, who is also an attorney. Or perhaps they went to the same church or worked on some of the same cases, as opposing counsel. It might even be possible that William Kensey is a fictitious name by which the author is sharing his own story. It really doesn't matter.

If you are still asking the question, does God Exist, as millions today are still asking, then A Higher Court is an exciting, innovative story that I highly recommend to you.

Perhaps, however, you do accept God exists, but you've never been able to understand the "why" of things--why is there so much pain, why so many natural disasters, why this person or that person died so young, why do people do such hurtful things if they believe in God... In my opinion there is also much to learn from this book.

Or, you may be devout and very active in your church--committed to the beliefs taught only in that institution and you have no interest in interacting or reading about the beliefs of others. To you, I would encourage the book as a must-read.

For, you see, William Kensey, a successful trial attorney, has been asked to serve on a jury. A jury that will finally decide whether God exists. By the time he begins to really accept that he will be on the other side of the jury box, he is there, watching a case handled like no other. Rules that are normally followed are totally ignored--the jury is larger for one thing. And they seem to have been preselected. Even more interesting is the environment--most of the trial is conducted in the dark, with spotlights used only to designate the lawyer and his witness, the judge; sometimes there is an entire scene, such as when a woman is giving birth, to which the jury has become a witness to the births (twins).

The main thing that is different, though, is that the jury is sent into deliberation during the trial and so the individual jurists are encourage to meet and discuss the evidence being presented.

As you would expect, one advantage of the book is that both sides of the argument are presented. Many of the books I have read present only one side so that you are forced to either agree or disagree with the author. Here, expert witnesses are provided as are witnesses that have personal opinions about the question. Actually, you might find yourself as one of the characters--or, like me, you will see that you have "slices" of those thoughts that you can remember from your own life. In fact, William Kensey found that he was perhaps more on the fence than he had realized...

And, if you read my review carefully, you will note that I somewhat contradict my own position. I believe, but I still have those questions that so many have: Why was my father killed before I was born, Why would men within a religious institution become abusive to children and others...and so on. God gave us an intellect to seek information, and we perhaps will always ask why. But William Kensey? Well, let's just say that the ending was something that was different from what I expected--quite different. So different that it is that which will remain with me. And it is for that ending, I thank John L. Betcher.

There are not many in the United States that openly state that they are not religious (according to the above map). But, many of us know, being religious, is not necessarily the answer we are searching for. If you have a small percentage, a slice of doubt or much that bothers you about accepting God exists, then I believe A Higher Court could be a challenge for you. Are you willing to serve on the jury?

Book Received Via
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Review: Circles and circles of Twisted Torture...

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The Truth-Teller's Lie

By Sophie Hannah

Is there a genre for literary weird? Let's see what the police said: "Circles within circles, that's what it is. We're chasing our tails! Look at that big, black blob....it now resembled a morbidly obese spider--a huge black mass of lines, arrows, circles, loops. The shape of chaos." (p. 319)

The police are referring to the attempted murder case of Robert Haworth (who later did die). If you wants twists and turns and surprises in your psychological suspense novels, it is safe to say, you will thoroughly enjoy Hannah's latest mystery.

I was happily reading the author's superb writing that made you even feel "on the edge" as you followed first the story provided by Naomi Jenkins, who is having an affair with Robert Haworth. She is a professional artist, who creates sundials. 

Other than messages, she is able to see her lover only once a week for a few hours--but she has been doing so for a year. So when he doesn't show up, she goes to the police. Well, she does that, afterwards--after she had gone to his house, looked into a first-floor window, saw something, and then started to run away. She is stopped, however, by Robert's wife, who looks very professional and not a bit like how her lover described his wife.

Robert's wife is also an artist, but has not worked for a long time. She used to create miniature houses that duplicated her clients home. That was before she had a breakdown, some say due to overwork...

The investigation into the disappearance and later attempted murder case is told by Detective Sergeant Charlie Zailer. Zailer is in love with her partner who at one point hurt her badly, so in order to maintain her image around the men with whom she worked and supervised, she had been casually mentioning she was dating Graham and that the relationship was going quite well. Of course, she admitted to her sister than she had made up the story--actually it was good that she had told her, given the later situation...

Naomi Jenkins was a driven woman; she knew something had happened to Robert, but the police didn't seem to take her seriously, or were not acting fast enough for her. Either way, she decided to make it harder for the police to ignore her, by going back to tell them a different story. No, Robert was not her lover, he had raped her and when she recently saw and met him, she found out who he was and was now reporting him as her rapist. To prove that she was now telling the truth, she referred the police to a web site for rape survivors and directed them to her letter. Now, it won't give anything away to explain that she was indeed raped years ago, only just not by Robert. She felt her lie was justified and she would explain later.

Because that lie did achieve what she wanted; the police found Robert near death, having been beaten badly. In essence, then Naomi had saved his life by the lie.

The problem was, that when Charlie had been reading the letters on the rape survivor site, she accidentally found another individual who told the same story as Naomi...and then another one, and another one...

If you figure out how this book ends, please write to me and tell me how you arrived at it! This ending floored me. I don't think I've ever read such a successfully created psychological suspense novel--in many ways, the coincidental circles were almost too much to accept, yet once you got past the personal reaction, you could see how logically, the entire web could be created. The Amazing thing? All three female main characters had been intimate with the same man... The "How" will blow you away!

I didn't like the ending but that cannot distract from the fantastically plotted suspense! I think you really would have to read this to understand. You decide; it's easily a 5+ for so many reasons...

Book Received Via
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Review: Can Michael Palmer Ever Top His Latest?

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A Heartbeat Away


By Michael Palmer




















If you tried to think of the very worst situation that could happen in America, you would have in your hands the latest book, A Heartbeat Away, by Michael Palmer. The back of the book says it all, "Tense, thrilling, and entirely plausible...will make you reflect, wonder and be truly afraid."

Sometimes I worry that the imaginations of our best authors will truly be followed by terrorists. If this happens in fiction, it would always come out, because we have heroes in fiction books--good guys that make things right. Not so, sometimes, in real life. This time, Palmer takes us straight to the heart of the nation...

Into the Capitol Building where the State of the Union address by President Allaire is about to begin.

President Allaire has just won his second term. Interestingly, his opposition was the Speaker of the House; the President smiles a little because she won't look into his eyes as she is about to introduce him--a bit of smugness at a time like this surely is felt by anyone, including the president of the United States.

But that smugness is soon changed to terror. For as he is reading his speech from the prompter, suddenly it all started happening. Puffs of vapor could be seen exploding across the room. On the prompter, Allaire saw WRX3883...

Immediately Allaire knew what he was facing--after all, he had approved the work on the deadly virus!

And except for the Secretary of Homeland Security who had been the designated survivor to be secured away from this major event, all individuals who had control of the nation were in that room...

And exposed to a virus that the President was fairly certain did not have an antidote!

President Allaire's background was a physician. So he had discussed and fully been involved with the research that had been proposed by Sylvia Chen. He also knew that he had shut down the project.

But the terror was that some of that formula had been stolen months ago and never recovered. In fact, the man who had stolen it was in maximum security federal prison for his terrorist act.

I was not surprised that the President acted immediately to gain control. The terrorist group, Genesis, had been building up to this situation with destruction at other sites, already casualties were claimed, so Allaire knew this was real. He immediately had the entire building closed to the outside, called a group together to discuss the issue and began to direct personnel.

But he didn't include the Secretary of State, noting he didn't trust her. I wonder what might have happened differently if he had included her--for she certainly was a vengeful woman, who quickly began her own activities. Indeed Genesis took advantage of a bitter woman who could not see beyond her personal goals...

President Allaire also pulled Dr. Griffin Rhodes out of prison. While neither trusted each other, Rhodes was promised freedom if he agreed to help combat the virus. And during their negotiations, Rhodes was able to pull in two old friends to help him.

I think one of the most significant results of reading Michael Palmer's book is to study the actions of the characters. Would I have done what the President did? Would you have the ability to make those important and unpopular actions and decisions that were needed to handle the situation?

Personally, I believe this is one of the best books yet from Michael Palmer. His characters are exceptionally well done--revealing the use of power by one versus the abuse of power by another. Then, too, the novel also focuses on the potential imprisonment of individuals who are not guilty of a crime. Fortunately, Dr. Rhodes had the fortitude to accept he had lost almost a year of his life, and move on to respond to the emergency.

Dr. Palmer also uses this book to highlight a need to use computer technology rather than lab animals for research--a very worthy goal that hopefully is in the works if not already available.

The sad part was watching the reactions of many of the individuals who were leaders of their country react as they were forced to respond to the emergency. Each of us must ask, "what would we do?" and pray that we would respond affirmatively to what had to be done.

Michael Palmer puts it right in our laps this time and this one you won't forget for a long time! The book will be out February 15th; I suggest you Pre-order now--don't miss A Heartbeat Away!

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