PLOWED OVER: ON THE WING by ELLEN ANN CALLAHAN

I'm having a few days holiday so I'm trying to get a few books read. This was rather a breezy crime novel which I enjoyed reading. The plot wasn't overly complicated and our heroine Happy, likeable enough. A good holiday read which I gave 4 stars. Click on the picture to take you to Amazon.

Of all the names a woman can pick when she goes into witness protection, our heroine picks “Happy Holiday” Once we lower our raised eyebrows we can get to enjoy our murder mystery.

There is much to like about this book; a good pace, action and a plucky but stubborn heroine. She is a woman with a dark past, which threatens to catch up with her at any point. She struggles with her new secret identity but enjoys her new life as a snowplough driver, well until she ploughs up a body.

The romantic story line made perfect sense to me; Jimmy the state trooper is one of the few people she can be herself with as he knows her background. But if everything in life was straight forwards we wouldn’t have much of a story.

Even though this book deals with murder, gang violence and addiction, I wouldn’t say this is a heavy read. There are some good comedic moments, mainly in the shape of Christine; the ditsy waitress Happy befriends.

This is the second book in the series, but much is explained about “Happy’s” past and I didn’t feel lost at any time. It reads well as a stand-alone. Recommended for crime lovers who don’t want anything too gritty or violent.

Adam's Witness by J.C. Paulson

So not that lazy after all, managed to post another review. 😇

Adam's Witness by J.C. Paulson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This sizzling romance/crime thriller is set around Adam (a handsome police detective) and Grace (a reporter and witness to a murder). I like Grace the plucky reporter, it is someone we can like and admire as she bravely reports on the murder. I also like the fact that there are a number of gay characters that are thankfully not stereotyped. Adam as the tough cop with a soft heart is a bit more of a stereotype, but we don’t mind as he seems like the perfect guy for Grace and we are all rooting for the two to get together. Their attraction is clear and smoulders of the pages.
As a romance this works for me and as a who done it too. I was left guessing as to the motive and culprit. Good work.


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The Troubleshooter: New Haven Blues by Bard Constantine

I'm a sucker for a freebie and I'm so glad to have picked this one up when it was free. I'm a big fan of the film noir like the Maltese falcon and books by Raymond Chandler who wrote the Big Sleep amongst others. This writer has managed to capture that spirit, but has set it in a post apocalyptic world. The dialogue is sharp and very funny. I couldn't put this book down and it gets a deserved 5 star. I think you will see a few more Bard Constantine books coming past this blog.

I loved this book. The writer himself described it as a mix between Blade runner and Bogart and it is a pretty good description. Imagine Sam Spade being bundled in a time-machine but wakes up in a futuristic world called New Haven. He misses some of his memories and now goes by the name of Mick Trubble, but his instincts are as sharp as ever.  The dialogue and vocabulary oozes 1940 film noir and is sharp and witty. The plot was a real surprise to me (The item Mick has to retrieve had me giggling) and bit by bit we discover who Mick Trubble is and the secrets behind new haven. The action keeps coming at a furious pace but is interspersed with a good deal of humour and plot twists. This was a really entertaining read. There is a list at the back of New Haven speak, but I didn’t need it to know what the writer was on about. So listen up you cats, put on your Bogarts, get into your Wheelers and head over to Amazon. Take it from this broad who knows a thing or two about books.

Turning The Tables: A gripping thriller about the ultimate heist by Julia Underwood

I picked this book up as it was free at the time and it starts in St Tropez, which is not far from where I live. The action swiftly moves to London and I was gripped by this well written and tense thriller. Loves the 70's London setting and rated this 5 stars.

This is a very British crime caper. A group of ordinary Londoners take on the shady world of the casinos and try to siphon off some cash they all so desperately need. I enjoyed reading about their meticulous planning, done in a suburban house in Fulham whilst enjoying a cheap bottle of wine and some sandwiches. Julia Underwood has set this story in 1976 and she describes that year in vivid detail, the fashion, the difficult economic times due to high oil prices and interest rates and that incredible hot summer. (Yes I’m old enough to remember that!) I was on tender hooks when Chris; the guy that is going to play blackjack sits down at the table of the inside man Pete. There is almost from the start a feeling of impending doom. They know that the casino is run by people who would use violence if they ever discover their scam, but are they smart enough to stay under the radar? Well you’ll just have to read the book. I would recommend this if you love a crime thriller that involves the murky world of gambling or a good old fashioned British crime caper.

The Borman Factor (A Nick Borman Thriller Book 1) by Robert Lalonde

A clear sign that summer is approaching; the increase in transport strikes. Yesterday it was Lufthansa, today it is a national strike in France. Ports blocked, flights cancelled and hardly any trains and busses. I just thank my lucky stars that I live close to my work and can take my scooter past most things blocking the road. I don't think we will be very busy at job as I work at the airport in duty free. The approach of summer has also lead to some quality reading time on the beach. I flew through this book in a few days. It doesn't hold any big surprises but it is a well written fast paced crime thriller. I gave it five stars.

The Borman factor by Robert Lalonde on amazon.com

The Borman factor is set in Toronto Canada, not a city known for its high murder rate. When a journalist is murdered and the police fail to investigate and dismiss the crime as a robbery gone wrong, the journalist’s family call in the help of Nick Borman. Nick usually investigates industrial espionage, but as he knows the victim’s wife he takes the case. He begins to uncover a web of bribes and property deals that leads right to the top of local government.

I like the way the book is written in a series of short chapters. It builds tension and keeps the reader engaged. Robert Lalonde switches from first to third person sometimes in the same chapter. It is unusual but I didn’t mind it and I think it works in a crime novel. I would have liked to have found out a bit more about Nick Borman the person, but I think we might in the next book as this is the first in the series. I felt more empathy with Detective Novak who tries to investigate the case despite pressure from above to drop the case. He seems an interesting guy and I hope he will make an appearance in future books. This is a promising start to a series of crime thrillers. Well written and with scope to explore the main character and his intriguing assistant. There is a hint that his next case might take Nick Borman to Europe and the world of industrial espionage; a prospect that has already wet my appetite for book two.

Corpus Delectable (Marcy Pantano Mysteries Book 1) by Mike Billington

Corpus Delectable (Marcy Pantano Mysteries Book 1) by Mike Billington 

They say a great actor is one that excels at drama as well as comedy. I believe the same is true for writers. Here we have a writer who is as comfortable writing an epic story set in biblical times (The Third Servant) as he is writing this sassy crime thriller. In Marcy Pantano he has created a woman after my own heart; sassy, intelligent, independent but not without her flaws. She has overcome a bad marriage and a nasty divorce that left her penniless, but Marcy picked herself up, started her own consultancy and now dates a hot young photographer. Her help is being sought by the public prosecutor when a mutual friend is being accused of murder. He is lying about his whereabouts to the authorities. Is he protecting someone even though the truth might clear him? The story is mainly character driven and there is an interesting sub-plot involving the ex-husband. The actual solving of the crime is a bit sudden, but this didn’t take away from the fun read this is; there is plenty of other things besides the murder going on. The best bit about this book is the depth to which the author explores his main character. We get to know this woman intimately; what makes her tick, what ticks her off and what gets her hot under her bib overalls. I would love to have Marcy along for a girl’s night out. This is the first of a series of books and I would certainly like to read what Ms. Pantano gets up to next. I would like to read more in general of this author, as I have no doubt that whatever genre he tackles next, he will do it well.I give this 5 stars.