Tag Archives: Mystery Books

April 16, 2013 · 11:49 pm

My Sister’s Books Review #12

Missing
By: Bill Noel

Chris Landrum is soaking up his semi-retired life in Folly Beach, South Carolina. Surrounded by his unique neighbors, Chris and his best friend Charles, find themselves in the middle of another police investigation. This time, young Samuel has possibly seen a woman being abducted and women are turning up dead. It is up to Chris and Charles to solve this mystery and this time they have help from Charles’s Aunt M.

Bill Noel has done it again with this latest novel in the Folly Beach Mystery Series. Between the odd cast of characters and the small town setting, readers will be laughing out loud while trying to solve this latest mystery. This is an easy read and a light-hearted mystery book. Recommend this book for fans of cozy mysteries.

Fran and Bess enjoy reading this series, too. As Bess says, “Reading each new book is like visiting old friends.”

Note: This review was written for My Sister’s Books.

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April 8, 2013 · 8:37 pm

My Sister’s Books Review #11

Folly
By: Bill Noel

Chris Landrum has returned to Folly Beach, South Carolina, in hopes of finding his dream retirement home. Instead Chris finds a dead body and ends up in the middle of a murder investigation. Word quickly spreads through this community and each of its unique characters wants to help this out-of-towner. Chris isn’t sure who he can trust, but he is certain that life in Folly Beach is going to be a very bumpy ride.

Bill Noel does an excellent job of describing all the details of the community and of the people. The main character, Chris Landrum, is very relatable to readers as he counts down the days until he retires. Chris’s inner thoughts are laced with sarcastic undertones that will leave readers chuckling. The excessive details about camera specifications tend to slow the pace of the novel, but enhance the true nature of Chris Landrum. The distinctive cast of residents will win readers over with all of their quirks. I recommend for fans of light-hearted murder mysteries.

Enjoy!
~Ariesgrl

Note: This review was written for My Sister’s Books.

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March 27, 2013 · 11:00 pm

Countermeasure

Countermeasure Series #1. By: Chris Almeida and Cecilia Aubrey. Format: Audiobook. Read: March 2013.

Trevor Bauer, an NSA analyst, is still haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his parents, nearly four years ago. However one case of corporate espionage at a pharmaceutical company, will change Trevor’s life. Through a stroke of luck, Trevor finds himself in the middle of Cassandra James’s path. Cassandra James, an ex-CIA operative, has just been taken off her very first case at her father’s company. But that isn’t about to stop Cassandra, so she teams up with Trevor and the two of them must overcome their pasts in order to catch the culprit.

Countermeasure is jam-packed with intrigue and suspense, mixed with steamy chemistry. Chris Almeida and Cecilia Aubrey have given geeks everywhere an exciting romance to read. Cassandra is a strong, determined woman, while Trevor is an extremely hot computer genius. The technical jargon that is mixed in throughout the book is evenly balanced between the witty banter of the two main characters. The story and characters are wonderful, whereas the narrator was decent. The narrator tended to mix Irish dialect with American dialect during the narration and then interchanged some of the tones for the individual characters. However, it was still easy to follow along and the narrator improved as the book progressed. Mature fans of romantic suspense need to mark this book as a must-read.

This was the first audiobook that I have reviewed for this blog and I was quite happy with the overall experience. The application was easy to use and downloaded quickly. The narrator demonstrated an excellent Irish dialect and read at an even pace. I did wish he paused for just a beat longer to signify the changes in points-of-view, but overall it was setup nicely. This book was excellent and I cannot wait to read the next in the series.

So tell me, are you a fan of audiobooks? They do seem to provide a nice convenience for those with busy schedules, but I can see where others wouldn’t be able to focus as much on the book. Do prefer male or female narrators, or do you prefer to ‘hear’ your own voice?

Enjoy!
~Ariesgrl

Note:
The author provided a copy of this book for me to review. To learn more about the authors and this series, please visit their website.

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March 22, 2013 · 10:00 am

Out to Lunch…

Good Morning Everyone,

As I mentioned the other day, I will be going out to lunch today. Author Bill Noel is in town and will be speaking about his mystery series. I am hoping he shares some insights into his characters. This will be my first time attending an event where an author is speaking and I can’t wait!

I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Enjoy!
~Ariesgrl

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March 1, 2013 · 3:24 pm

My Sister’s Books Review #8

Have You Seen Hyacinth Macaw?
By: Patricia Reilly Giff

Abby Jones and her friend Potsie are on spring break and Abby is looking for a case to solve. As she starts noticing strange activity outside her bedroom window, her brother, Dan, begins to act strange. Then her friend Detective Garcia tells her there has been a big theft in town, plus there is a strange missing person’s sign that has been ripped. Abby doesn’t have to look too far before she gets wrapped up in a series of mysteries.

Patricia Reilly Giff has written about every young, adventurous girl’s dream with this book. Mystery, intrigue, suspense all occur in this first book in the Abby Jones, Junior Detective Mystery series. This chapter book has some illustrations and shorter sentences to make it easier to read. A few spelling errors and grammatical errors, but overall a good book for elementary school children.

Similar authors: Carolyn Keene (Harriet Otis Smith) and Jean Craighead George

Note: This review was written for My Sister’s Books.

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February 28, 2013 · 11:32 am

The Istanbul Puzzle

By: Laurence O’Bryan. Format: Paperback. Read: February 2013.

 

Sean Ryan just learned that his friend and co-worker, Alek Zegliwski, has been killed while working in Istanbul. Sean must leave London in order to identify Alek’s body, but once he lands in Istanbul, Sean realizes there is more to his friend’s death than he realized. With the help of Isabel Sharp, a British diplomat, Sean escapes death numerous times as he hunts for the people that killed Alek. Little does he know that there is a deadly virus being tested and unleashed in Istanbul by the same people that are trying to prevent him from finding out the truth.

 

The Istanbul Puzzle is full of suspense, while history comes alive in this fast-pace, action-packed thriller. With each new twist and turn, more information is revealed about Istanbul’s past and the religions that have fought to control it. Laurence O’Bryan writes with a passion as he describes the scenery in Istanbul and he sets up intriguing possibilities for the next book. O’Bryan even includes a travel guide for those interested in visiting Istanbul. Each chapter rotates between Sean’s story and what is happening in the world, which gives readers extra insight into the truth and builds up the . Fans of conspiracy theories, mysteries and suspense need to mark this book as a must read!

 

 

I absolutely love books that combine historical facts with conspiracy theories. Authors that can build the suspense in a fiction setting, while still relaying facts have a supreme talent. I enjoy the ‘what-ifs’ these books create and love the fact that I can discover something new each time I re-read the story. This book has all of this and is set up as the first in a series. I cannot wait to read the next book! So, who are some of your favorite historical conspiracy theory authors? I know I have a few on my list and was able to add another author after reading this book!

 

Enjoy!
~Ariesgrl

Note: The author provided a copy of this book for me to review. To learn more about this book, please visit his website.

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February 15, 2013 · 7:35 pm

My Sister’s Books Review #5

The Secret of the Kindred Spirit

By: Jacqueline DeGroot

 

Sunset Beach is a small island off the coast of North Carolina and it has been in desperate need for a new bridge. After a decade of battles, the island’s residents are still divided on the true need for the bridge versus the fact that it could disturb their peaceful setting. However, Cassie Andrews has arrived with some of crew to start construction. In her quest to learn the island’s layout, she makes a gruesome discovery, a human head. When the responding officer arrives, Cassie’s fear disappears and a new feeling sets in as she meets Michael Troy. Michael Troy has been a cop for several years and if he solves this murder case, he can make detective. He has dreamed of his perfect southern belle wife for years, but Cassie is a complete opposite that he desperately wants to enjoy while he waits for his dream bride to enter his life. Too many questions now plague this small town. Will the bridge be built? Will the murderer be caught? Will Cassie and Troy set aside their differences and fall in love?

 

Jacqueline DeGroot combines, murder and romance in this story set in a small beach town. The omniscient point of view can be a bit confusing as it bounces around, but it allows readers to connect with each of the characters. Though more romance than suspense, the action intensifies near the end. The main male character can be a bit obnoxious at times, but readers can relate to his inner conflict. The ending will give readers a hint towards which couple will be next to fall in love at Sunset Beach. Pawleys Island residents can relate to the setting of Sunset Beach and its cast of characters.

 

Note: This review was written for the bookstore, My Sister’s Books. Please visit their website for more information about the books they sell.

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January 8, 2013 · 10:35 pm

My Sister’s Books Review #1

Hi Everyone,

Here is my review for One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. This was my first bookstore specific review and you will note the layout is different than my regular reviews. Please feel free to leave comments about your thoughts about this book.

Enjoy!

~Ariesgrl

 

This book is the first installment in Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. Mixing sarcastic undertones with doses of a realistic, harsh reality make Stephanie relatable to readers, while placing her in unimaginable situations will make readers laugh uncontrollably. Though the writing has a few moments of weakness and at times is predictable, overall readers will enjoy this unique take at crime fighting. Readers will grasp for the next book in the series, just to see what else can happen to Stephanie, as she learns more about becoming a bounty hunter. I recommend this book to fans of the ‘accidentally-thrown-into-an-investigation’ character series books.

This review was done specifically for My Sister’s Books.

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September 7, 2012 · 11:20 pm

The Man in the Box

By: Andrew Toy. Format: eBook. Read: September 2012.

     Robbie Lake was counting down the days until his island vacation with his family. Everything was going as planned, until the unexpected happened. While dealing with the unfortunate consequences of being laid-off, Robbie stumbles upon a box that sends him to a whole other world. In Reveloin, people fear for their lives and they are excited to return Robbie to his throne. Only one problem, Robbie has no memory of this world or why the people are treating him like they have been waiting for his return. As his reality is turned upside down and as his dreams become reality, Robbie Lake must decide what is more important, his family or a whole civilization?

     Andrew Toy has created a unique and interesting story that spans several genres from mystery and adventure to fantasy. Robbie Lake is a modern-day adult Peter Pan, as he travels back to his childhood fantasy world which has grown into a terrifying land in his absence. Toy’s debut novel will leave readers talking and will make them instant fans of his storytelling abilities. This will surely be a must-read for every adult that once created a world of their own when they were young, just by using their imaginations.

     This is the first-time that I have ever read a book that reminded me of a movie. As I was reading this novel, I remembered one of my favorite movies as a child, “Hook” starring Robin Williams and Julia Roberts. This book involves an entirely different set-up, but still there is a flavor to it that brings a smile to my face as I remember my own childhood imagination. When you were a young kid, did you dream-up your own world? If you did, and you could physically go to it tomorrow would you? What would you find?

      Enjoy!
          ~Ariesgrl

Note: Andrew Toy provided a pre-released copy of this book for me to review. To learn more about this book and the author, please visit his website.

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July 26, 2012 · 2:14 pm

Haunted Love

By Cynthia Leitich Smith. Format: eBook. Read May 2012.

     Cynthia Leitich Smith provides it all in this short story. Vampires, ghosts, a few humans, mystery and romance are all packed nicely in roughly twenty pages. The plot contains many twists and turns, sure to leave a reader’s head spinning. Haunted Love is written for fans of young-adult, supernatural intrigue. I recommend this story for any reader looking for an exciting, fast read.

     I will read just about every subject available. I prefer a story that is well told, no matter the subject or length. As for young-adult books, I think the subject needs to be either relatable or popular. There seems to be a growing trend in young-adult books: vampires/supernatural beings. I don’t mind the popular theme, because it means the next generation has found a subject they want to read, and that is important. Are you a fan of science-fiction/fantasy books? Do you prefer paranormal romances, or paranormal mysteries? Or are you like a few people that I know, that want their books strictly human?

     Enjoy!
       ~Ariesgrl

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