I have five books to read for Library Journal‘s Day of Dialog for a panel I’m moderating, and my questions need to be in my October 17. I also have five more books to read for reviews by October 20. Although I have some reviews coming up, they won’t be up for a week or longer. So, I’m really grateful that Kevin Tipple sent a nice batch of reviews for me to use. The Shamus Sampler is a ten-year-old anthology, only available on Kindle, but it is also just $2.99 right now.

Thank you, Kevin.

The Shamus Sampler Edited by Jochem Vandersteen

As author Reed Farrel Coleman writes in the introduction, crime fiction these days has grown far
beyond the private investigator. Not that PI novels no longer exist, far from it. But, these days the
PI novel does not hold the preeminent position in the world of crime fiction as it used to back
decades ago. The classic PI of yesteryear may be gone to a certain extent as no one walks around
in trench coats while wearing a fedora these days. But the classic PI is still present in manner and
action, though he or she appears in a far different form these days. That idea is very clearly
illustrated in the excellent read, The Shamus Sampler, that features “new detective stories from
around the world.”
This highly entertaining anthology begins with one of the hardest stories to explain while not
giving away too much. “Mysterious Private Investigations” by Peter DiChellis is one very
complicated tale. It involves a jewelry heist, a private investigator, a man in jail for a crime he
did not commit, and a search for justice, among other elements.
Jake Diamond is up next in “One Hit Wonder: A Jake Diamond Short Story” by J. L. Abramo. If
Darlene Roman had answered the phone like she should have instead of ducking across the street
for a drink at the health food bar across the street, Jake would not have answered the phone. He
did answer and the caller, who didn’t give him time to speak, gave the instructions on how he
wanted somebody killed. With little to go on, Jake has six hours to find the intended victim
somewhere in the city of San Francisco.
“The Case of the Derby Diamond” by Jeffery Marks comes next with a classic style PI tale set
just after World War II. Mrs. Van Hoskins is a very wealthy woman and exceedingly unhappy as
her ring, a seven carat diamond surrounded by a jewel encrusted horseshoe, is missing. She
wants it back. PI Donnelly has the chance to find the ring and make some money as The Van
Hoskins want things keep very quiet.
Gypsy is a call girl and is about to get out of the life. She plans on making Nick Kepler her final
client in “Gypsy’s Kiss” by Jim Winter. Somebody is not happy with her, or her decision, and is
making the point loud and clear. The Cleveland PI will have his hands full trying to keep Gypsy
alive and well.
Sergeant Thomas Hamilton kept Harry Charters alive during the war and Harry knows he owes
him a huge debt. It has been ten years since they saw each other and the passing years have not
been kind to either man. Hamilton’s son is missing in “The Smell Of Perfume” by Graham
Smith. Hamilton wants Chet found and wants Harry’s help.
Jim Wolf, private investigator, lives on a boat in a harbor in Oakland. When he isn’t actively
working he hangs out at a bar known as “Big Emma’s.” He almost never works for lawyers, but
makes an exception for defense lawyer Sandra Jacobs. She needs his help on behalf of a client in
“Rage: A Jim Wolf Mystery” by Tim Wohlforth. Wealthy psychotherapist Henry Platt was
brutally killed at his outdoor pool. Sandra’s client, his wife Carol, has admitted to killing him,
but none of it makes sense.

Set in Morris, Oklahoma in 1965 “The Patriot” by Sean Benjamin Dexter is right out of the Cold
War with a tale of Russian spies, espionage, and life in small town, Oklahoma. One of the
residents thinks he heard somebody who sounded like a “Ruskie” on his amateur radio talking
about the local Dow Chemical plant. Local police can’t be trusted so the resident has come to
local private investigator, Alex Taylor, for help.
He may not be a private investigator as such, but reporter Liam Michael Murphy who goes by
the nickname of “Mad Mick Murphy” acts like one in “Drumstick Murder” by Michael Haskins.
He is at the annual Key West Songwriters Festival and is supposed to interview the legendary
Dallas Lucas. His interview subject is dead and it is very clear it was not a suicide. With Lucas
murdered the planned interview feature will now be a piece on his murder–unless the local cops
decide the reporter did it.
It is always a treat to come across a story from Texas author Bill Crider. Far from the East Texas
stomping grounds of his Sheriff Dan Rhodes series, “A Matter Of Heart” is set on Galveston
Island. The highly entertaining tale features a private investigator working the murder case of
one Sue Traylor. It is a complicated case that has links to the past and the colorful history of
Galveston when literally anything was possible on the island.
“Christmas Morning” by Stephen D. Rogers comes next where a man is sure his wife is cheating
on him. He bases that on how she behaved at the recent holiday party they attended. He wants
proof and will use that to convince her to stop. First up, the private investigator has to find proof
that his client is right.
Keith Dixon takes readers over to the United Kingdom in “The Same Old Story.” Richie Downes
is insisting that he be the latest client of a private investigator by the name of Sam Dyke. He is a
big physically imposing man who insists that he is not looking for a divorce; he just wants to
know who his wife is seeing. All he wants is the name of the person and does not want proof. He
is willing to promise not to hurt anyone. Dykes needs the money and reluctantly agrees.
“Q” didn’t want to have to give up a knife she liked, but considering she just used it to gut a man
in the frozen alley, it seemed like wiping and dropping it was a good idea. That dead guy is just
one of the many issues going on in the complicated “The Dutch Connection” by Kit Rohrbach.
Fred Zackel is next with his tale set in San Francisco titled “Mario and Cheryse.” A streetwalker
named Cheryse should lead to Mario Rosales. His grandmother wants him found and convinced
to turn himself in before the cops find him. She would much rather have Mario alive and in jail
as opposed to being killed in the streets by the cops.
Editor Jochem Vandersteen brings the book to a close his own tale titled “Hired From The Grave:
A Noah Milano Short Story.” Noah Milano is a security specialist/ investigator who got a phone
call from a man named Mark Beck who wanted to hire him. He would explain why when Milano
cane to his Burbank area apartment. When Milano arrived, he found Beck dead in what could be
construed as an accidental auto-erotic asphyxiation. Milano doesn’t buy it and soon is working
the case as a murder.

Each of the fourteen stories in “The Shamus Sampler” features a small introduction to the piece
that provides context to the story as well as an author bio at the end. Each of the author bios
makes a point of mentioning titles of other works by the author as well as the name of the
publisher. The tales in this anthology are not only very good ones, but are often very complicated
and provide plenty of twists right up to the end.

Material supplied by a good friend for my use in an objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2013, 2022, 2023