The Curious Poisoning of Jewel Barnes by Terry Shames

December 03, 2025

While I’m a big fan of Terry Shames’ character Police Chief Samuel Craddock, I’m not a big fan of her latest book, The Curious Poisoning of Jewel Barnes. I love Craddock and the familiar characters in the series. However, there are a few too many...

Murder in Four Parts by Bill Crider

November 30, 2025

Sheriff Dan Rhodes has learned a little in Bill Crider’s Murder in Four Parts. The Blacklin County sheriff never seemed to physically get the best of the bad guys. By the time the sixteenth mystery rolls around, he’s learned to defend himself, and it makes...

Of All Sad Words by Bill Crider

August 19, 2025

I love the cover of Bill Crider’s fifteenth Sheriff Dan Rhodes Mystery, Of All Sad Words. Nowadays, some authors credit the cover artist. I wish it had happened more often because I think this one is terrific. Not quite accurate, but it’s still good. My...

Red, White & Blue Murder by Bill Crider

February 09, 2025

After finishing Bill Crider’s twelfth Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery, Red, White & Blue Murder, I admire his storytelling skills even more. Although the books are all set in a small area in Texas, Crider doesn’t hesitate to include the regular residents of...

The Killing Plains by Sherry Rankin

February 02, 2025

The writing in Sherry Rankin’s debut mystery, The Killing Plains, shows why she won the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Debut Dagger Award. Set in Crescent Bluff, West Texas, it’s a gritty, atmospheric story. Colly Newland retired from the Houston...