Fadeout by Joseph Hansen

February 23, 2022

Joseph Hansen’s first Dave Brandstetter mystery, Fadeout, was published fifty years ago in 1970. Because Soho’s Syndicate Books is republishing the books, I recommend that you read this edition. If you haven’t already discovered the series,...

Gated Prey by Lee Goldberg

December 13, 2021

While I thought Bone Canyon, the second Eve Ronin novel was terrific, I’ll admit Gated Prey dragged for me. This isn’t the fault of author Lee Goldberg. Eve Ronin and her partner, Duncan Pavone, investigate two messy cases, and I really only found one of...

Much Ado About Nauticaling by Gabby Allan

July 28, 2021

This time, when I say Gabby Allan “launches” a new series, it’s an appropriate word. Much Ado About Nauticaling is the first Whit and Whiskers mystery, and it’s set on Catalina Island off the coast of southern California. There’s...

Little Black Book by Kate Carlisle

July 07, 2021

Before discussing Kate Carlisle’s fifteenth Bibliophile mystery, Little Black Book, I wanted to praise the cover artist. Because I read a .PDF, I have no idea who Berkley picked for the artist, but this cover is just stunning, and details are so accurate, from...

A Man Named Doll by Jonathan Ames

April 20, 2021

The notes referred to Jonathan Ames’ detective novel, A Man Named Doll, as quirky and “deliciously noir”. Quirky, maybe. It seemed a little too dependent on old tropes. Stolen kidneys? Really? Ames is the creator of two television shows, Bored to...