Bridge of the Gods

Bridge of the Gods
book 1 of 6
by Len Robertson
ISBN: 0-595-12418-6 $26.95
iUniverse
Reviewed by Terry South for Quality Book Reviews

The Bridge of the Gods follows Mary Brown, a middle aged divorced mother that finds her life turned upside down. One Saturday morning she finds herself not only carjacked but kidnapped as well. She is taken into the world of Galatia. Here she finds herself in a new body with new abilities and a new fate that awaits her.

Mary learns she has been wisked away to this new world in order to save it. But Mary’s life becomes more complicated when she meets Fred as his expectations of her saving the world are stern. Will Mary be able to save this world with her new found abilities?

Robertson has developed a steady plot as well as some very interesting characters. Bridge of the Gods is an entertaining read, although the book has a few typos, it is very well written. I look forward to reading book 2.

The Sacred Bones

The Sacred Bones
By Michael Byrnes
ISBN: 0061146072
$24.95 – Hardcover – 304 pages
Harper Collins Publishers
www.thesacredbones.com

The Sacred Bones is set at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. An ancient artifact is stolen from a vault beneath the Temple Mount. The theft has left many soldiers and policemen dead, leaving the Palestinians angry; tensions run high between the Israelis and the Palestinians.Charlotte Hennesey, an American forensic scientist has been hired by the Vatican to examine the ossuary which contains the bones of an unknown man who was crucified. Charlotte is joined by Giovanni Bersei, an Italian anthropologist and together they uncover forensic and genetic data that lead them to wonder if the bones could be those of Jesus.

As Charlotte and Giovanni become closer to solving the true identity of the man in which these bones once belonged, the Vatican’s security begins to have a much greater watchful eye on her. Are the bones discovered those of Jesus? Will the Vatican allow the information on the discovering or keep the secrets hidden? With her identifying the man these bones once belonged to, will Charlotte be silenced?

Byrnes has penned a superbly crafted debut novel that tantalizes with a sense of drama and of suspense as the story races forward. It is evident that he has done a great deal of research which combines historical fact and protreptic fiction. Byrnes novel is powerful and opens an emotional vein in you leaving you with the desire to read through to the end.

Michael Byrnes currently resides in New Jersey with his wife and two daughters. Byrnes attended Montclair State University in NJ and earned his undergraduate degree in marketing, and later his graduate degree in business administration at Rutgers. The Sacred Bones is his debut novel.

This was one explosive and thrilling 5 star read and one genuine page-turner to the very end.

The Black Sheep

The Black Sheep
by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout
ISBN: 978-1-4231-0156-7
YA, Fiction: Ages 12 and up
Hyperion Books for Children

The Black Sheep is a funny and entertaining read. The setting is New York and then off to California. It begins as Kendra Bishop a fifteen year old who has had enough of her parents and all their rules; they even keep a binder filled with these rules. There is a reality TV show that offers teens a chance to swap families, so Kendra decides to write to the show for her chance to get away from it all. The winner is chosen on the basis of the most pathetic letter written, Kendra is excited to find she has actually won.

Kendra is taken from her apartment in Manhattan to California to live with the Mulligan family. They are so different, the parents are both hippies, have five children and a pet ferret. Kendra learns quickly the chaos of sharing a bathroom with so many, having to watch her belongings, and living with a ferret that wants to sleep in her bed. But her biggest problem is the pushy producer who will do anything to get higher ratings. And to top all of this Kendra falls for one of the Mulligan’s, Mitch who is seventeen and despises everything this show stands for. Will Kendra win Mitch over or will things continue to decline for her?

Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout bring us a cast of characters who are engaging and winsome. The story is well crafted and pulls the reader into the conflicted feelings and reasoning of Kendra so well.

Wish Club by Kim Strickland

Wish Club
by Kim Strickland
Three Rivers Press
Crown Publishing Group
ISBN: 978-0-307-35282-8 (0-307-35282-X)
May 2007 | $ 13.95 Fiction


Wish Club is a zany and witty story that you are sure to love. It involves five women, Claudia, Lindsay, Gail, Mara and Jill who are members of a book club. Their book club seems just like any other book club, five women sitting around talking, drinking wine, and even discussing the book they have been reading. Things in their book club had been going rather well until one of the women in the group introduces a book on witchcraft. Being out of the norm, the women are intrigued and decide to go ahead and try their luck at casting a few spells. They start out with a small spell that is to chant and the rain will stop, so they begin chanting and the rain does indeed stop. So they then decide to cast a spell on a cat that is diabetic and the cat heals, its a miracle. So now they decide to embrace their new found powers, so they begin to pursue their new powers further. The women decide to just make wishes to help out themselves in their daily lives, they wish for money, creativity, a baby, time to themselves and a perfect man. This all should be harmless as they are only focusing in on positive thinking and making wishes right?

So now instead of being called the book club they are the wish club. Claudia is a school teacher and wishes to have a baby of her own as soon as possible, she also wants to write a novel; Gail is a housewife and a mother of three and she wishes to have peace and quite time and to get her life back; Lindsay is a socialite and has a trust fund, she wishes to lose weight and wants to be in the Women’s Foundation spring fashion show; while Mara, a former singer wishes for money and to resume her singing career once again; and Jill, an artist wishes for creativity and inspiration, and a perfect man in her life.

Now as the Wish Club members get all too consumed with casting spells in order to improve the various areas of their lives they find themselves in a web of wishes that have gone haywire. What started as an innocent and fun set of small spells has now turned their lives inside out, and everything is out of control. Now they turn to the only person they can think of who might be able to help them get their lives back under control and regain some normalcy, a real witch, someone who can undo what they have done, undo their spells, and finally return their lives back to normal.

Kim Strickland is a pilot for a major airline flying 767s. Kim Strickland lives in Chicago with her husband, her twin boys, two cats and a dog.

Kim Strickland has developed her characters so well and they are so believable and charming and funny. The story line is great, and I can find no faults with this novel. It has been very well written, (cleverly written) and is highly entertaining. Wish Club is an enchanting read, I am recommending it for our reading group. The story is funny, smart and so intriguing. This is a perfect book club read. It is a magical, intriguing, humorous story and give it an astounding 5 stars.

Anatomy of Fear by Jonathan Santlofer

Anatomy of Fear
By Jonathan Santlofer
ISBN: 978-0-06-088197-9 $24.95
William Morrow
An Imprint of Harper Collins
10 East 53rd St., New York, NY 10022
www.HarperCollins.com


As an added bonus be sure to check out the video trailer starring the author Jonathan Santlofer and his artwork:
http://www.jonathansantlofer.com/anatomyvideo.html
(also on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaL97PkP1hs)
Also check out the HarperCollins sweepstakes where the winner gets their portrait sketched by Jonathan Santlofer:
http://www.harpercollins.com/features/anatomyoffear/

The setting is New York and Terri Russo a detective for the NYPD is called to the scene of a murder where she discovers a sketch of the victim alongside the body. Russo is aided in her investigation by Nate Rodriguez, the police sketch artist.

Nate’s father was an undercover narc for the NYPD, Nate still very much disturbed by his fathers death, has managed to avoid doing any on the scene police work. All this is about to change as Nate is drawn into the case, and maybe even further than he could have imagined. Nate begins piecing together the face of the killer and he himself then becomes a target.

The killer also sketches people, his victims, and he uses his abilities to turn the investigation in a different direction. You will find this story erupts with some explosive twists, so hold on for a heart pounding ride.

Jonathan Santlofer is also an artist and has his works displayed in several locations including museums. He received his Masters of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute. Santlofer began writing in 1989 after a gallery fire claimed five years of his works. Anatomy of Fear contains both of his talents; his artwork enhances the strong compelling and intriguing plot, each complementing the other.

Santlofer has a steady flow of action and suspense with enough twists and turns to leave you with anticipation. The characters are distinctive and interesting with qualities that make them believable. The scenes are written with such a compelling impact that is gripping and makes this a genuine page turner to the end.

A guaranteed 5 star read.

Pattern of Vengeance A Maria Sanchez Thriller by C. Hyytinen

Pattern of Vengeance

A Maria Sanchez Thriller

By C. Hyytinen

Echelon Press Publishing

9735 Country Meadows Lane 1-DLaurel, MD 20723

www.echelonpress.com

ISBN: 978-1-59080-520-6 $12.99

April 2007 286 pages

The setting begins in Minneapolis and then moves between LA, Minneapolis, as well as some scenes set in Florida. Agent Stan Bauer has been murdered and believed to have been a Mafia hit. Detective Maria Sanchez is on the case. Her partner is Tom Powders who is nearing retirement and he has been acting very odd lately, Maria is not sure what he is up too, but begins to speculate as the story continues. They believe there is a leak in the department and no one can be trusted. Special Investigator Joe Morgan is Maria’s husband of ten wonderful years.
Chief Sandra LaSalle is the new chief having moved from New York only a year ago, she is a petite redhead in her fifties and is not very well liked and has earned some names since arriving as the new Chief in Minneapolis. Due to the nature of the crimes being committed, the possibility of a leak within the department LaSalle has made the decision to assign the case to Sanchez and partners her with Morgan.

Maria was once married to Jack Sanchez known as The River Rat and was the father to her daughter Tess. He was also father to a boy named Tony, whose mother died and Maria and Joe adopted him, after all he and Tess are brother and sister. Tess is in college and is twenty years old, Tony is a teenager about sixteen. It is nearly Christmas and Tess has finished with finals and comes home to stay for a month, which is just in time as the case heats up for her parents. Will they finally be able to put an end to all the mafia’s crimes? Will anyone else die as a result of this investigation? Will the person responsible for leaking the information to Marco be discovered in time?

LaSalle brings in Etina Altmark a Russian from New York to go undercover as a runaway, she is twenty eight but looks as if she is only fifteen. Hyytinen has a way of leaving you on the edge of your seat, she has incorporated vivid details and accounts throughout the story, making this one that you have to read from front to back non-stop. The chapters are short and each chapter leaves an inevitable hook at the end leaving you with the desire to read one more and then another. The author has superbly written scenes with impact, with a steady flow of action and suspense. This story is so relentless, gripping and intriguing and a genuine page turner. The characters are so finely tuned, believable and real, you find yourself cheering them on, hoping for the best, and feel these are people you have known for quite some time. You will find yourself thinking of the characters long after finishing the book. The story erupts with explosive twists and delivers a powerful ending that will leave you breathless. This is a must read, I will warn there is mature themes including language, but I have no hesitation in saying I highly recommend reading The Maria Sanchez Thrillers. If looking for an explosive read you will not want to miss this one.

It has been a great pleasure to read and review Pattern of Vengeance and I truly cannot wait to read the first in the Maria Sanchez Thrillers, and look forward to all her new releases.

Lost Echoes by Joe R. Lansdale

Lost Echoes
By Joe R. Lansdale
Crime thriller
ISBN: 978-0-307-27544-8 $13.95
Vintage Books
A Division of Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.RandomHouse.com

Lost Echoes is a story about a man named Harry Wilkes, who at the tender age of six came down with the mumps and developed a severe ear infection which affected his brain. Harry’s mind would fill with images of past crimes and he could see the events taking place as well as see the faces of the people involved in the crimes. Harry eventually develops a taste for alcohol as it helps him to suppress the images as well as the sounds contained within his mind.

Harry is in a bar one evening when he notices three men taking a drunk out through the back. Harry knows what is getting ready to happen and decides to step in. The drunk is Tad Peters and immediately he and Harry become friends. Soon after Kayla, Harry’s first love comes back into his life, now a police officer she is determined to find her fathers’ killers. With Harry’s ability he soon figures out that the men responsible for Kayla’s fathers’ death are connected to other unsolved murders.

Joe R. Lansdale has penned several novels in the genres of suspense, horror and westerns. He has won many awards throughout his career. He currently resides in Texas with his wife and children.

Lansdale writes scenes with high impact and vivid details and accounts. He incorporates the correct intrusive amount of twists and turns that leave you breathless and drawing you into the heart of the story. The characters are so believable and you feel as if you have known them for quite some time, he is descriptive and adds that human touch to his characters.

An indubious 5 star read.

The Chronicles of the Virago by Michael K. Bialys

The Chronicles of the Virago
By Michael K. Bialys
PublishAmerica
ISBN: 1424133653

The stories main character is Makenna, who is your typical 12 year old girl. The setting isPasadena, California.
It all begins when Makenna is approached one evening by three fairies who tell her she is to protect her twin siblings from evil forces. The fairies arm her with an Armasword which is a powerful mystical weapon. Upon their visit they also tell her that she is the chosen one, the protector which they call the Virago. Her twin brother and sister are born with a gift of goodness and Makenna must protect them from evil, this is her quest and so the journey begins.

In this fantasy an earthworm reveals the evil force by name and that name is Sir Seaton. It is he who will be on his own quest to locate and destroy the twins preventing them from defeating pure evil in the future. Will Makenna discover Sir Seaton among the many disguises? Will she fail or prevail?

This is contemporary fantasy at its finest. A rich captivating story between good and evil with a picturesque ending where good prevails. It is both enchanting and a stimulating read for young readers, and offers vivid accounts and memorable characters. The story will excite your children and spark their imaginations, all while teaching family values. Your daughters will be cheering for Makenna, and your sons will be captivated and thrilled with the story filled within the pages.

This is a must for children, and highly recommended. It was a delightful pleasure reviewing this title and look forward to the next in the series.

Ladykiller by Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony

Ladykiller
By Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony
ISBN: 1-933515-05-8 $23.95
Suspense/Thriller 240 pages
Oceanview Publishing

Ladykiller is the debut suspense novel by Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony, the husband and wife writing team, and what a unique writing team. They have penned a novel that is a must for crime enthusiast.

The setting is the streets of New York, and the year is 1991. Four women have been murdered from all different walks of life, including a cheerleader, stockbroker, a housewife and a prostitute. Homicide detective Dave Dillion of the NYPD is on the case and must solve these murders or risk losing his job. Dave encounters a beautiful social worker by the name of Megan Morrison, the two join forces in search for the serial killer, and romance ensues.

The press is calling the serial killer “Ladykiller”. The killer has left no clues and no trail behind to follow. The murders always take place in some out of the way place where no witnesses can be found. There are never any signs of the victim being taken against her will and no signs of a struggle with their attacker, and the murders all appear to be personal in nature. Will Dave find the killer before its too late?

Lawrence Light is an award-winning journalist and is currently the Wall Street Editor for Forbes magazine. He graduated from Columbia School of Journalism and is the author of the Karen Glick novels. He currently resides in Manhattan with his wife and co-author Meredith Anthony.
Meredith Anthony has written for a variety of sources including film, television, print and the web. She graduated from St. John’s College and also received a MA from The Johns Hopkins University.

Ladykiller is an intriguing, compelling and suspenseful crime novel packed with enticing twists and turns to keep you on the edge. The authors have created a powerful thriller that tantalizes with a sense of suspense and a steady flow of action. The characters are believable, finely developed and engaging. Ladykiller is superbly crafted with vivid detail that draws you into the story.

An astounding 5 stars!

Virgin River by Robyn Carr

Virgin River

By Robyn Carr

MIRA Books

Melinda Monroe is a nurse and midwife, her husband Mark Monroe was murdered during a convenience store robbery. Melinda reads a want ad wanting a Midwife/Nurse Practioner in Virgin River with a population of only six hundred and includes a rent free cabin. She decides this might just be the perfect place for her to heal her heartache and also might be just the place for her nursing career. She accepts the job as the Doctors assistant in this small town. When she arrives nothing was as she expected or as advertised, the cabin is dilapidated and a wreck, and the old Doc Mullins does not even want her. She did receive a warm welcoming from Jack, the restaurant owner, but she still decides this was a mistake and makes the decision to leave, but her plans quickly change when she discovers the newborn left on the Doc’s front porch steps. Has she found the escape she was looking for, or has she discovered her home?

The main characters are Melinda, Doc Mullins, and Jack, whom is in love with Melinda, but he is being patient as he recognizes that her heart still belongs to another man.

The story line is solid; the characters are likeable as well as believable. Virgin River is a fabulous book that is addictive reading. There is so much packed into this book including Melinda’s adventure, great characters, and passion. I highly recommend curling up with this book.

Sins and Secrets by P.F. Kozak

Sins and Secrets

by P.F. Kozak

Kensington Aphrodisia

ISBN: 0-7582-1418-9 $12.95
Category: Historical Romance

Release date: October 2006
www.kensingtonbooks.com

P.F. Kozak’s erotic historical romance, Sins and Secrets is set in Victorian London and is a very unique choose your own sexual adventure. A sensual delight with blazing hot eroticism.

Set in Victorian London, as a time when people were proper, but yet indulged in their sensuality, passion and sexual inclinations behind closed doors. The author is so vivid in detail that we are transported back in time. In this erotic tale, we as the reader can choose to have either the male or the female dominate the sex scenes, this is quite a change from the ordinary.

Pamela Kingston wishes to indulge her fantasies with her guardian Peter Rennard, the man whom she has loved forever. And Peter has loved Pamela from the moment she was a child, working as the family barrister. When Pamela’s father dies she becomes the ward of Peter. Pamela is blooming into a beautiful young lady and Peter’s sexual attraction to her is becoming very strong. Peter sends Pameal off to boarding school in hopes to prevent his growing desires and to avoid the taking of her innocence. He must keep his promise to Pamela’s father, as he promised to make sure Pamela would marry into someone of her own status.

Upon her return, she has fully blossomed into a beautiful woman and is discovering her sexuality and desires. They immediately recognize their sexual attraction has grown even stronger due to their seperation. Peter introduces Pamela to her hidden desires and her sexual fantasies. But as time continues, Peter realizes he must find someone to marry Pamela, but he cannot stand the thought of someone else touching her. Will Peter find someone for Pamela to marry, or will he marry her?

You will find wonderful characters, adventure, love, romance, and erotic sexual tension making this one hard to put down. This is a highly recommended historical romance read as it sizzles with passion and sexual tensions.

Bicycle Shop Murder by Robert Burton Robinson

Bicycle Shop Murder

By Robert Burton Robinson

ISBN: 978-1-84685-611-2

Are you looking for adventure, romance and murder? “Bicycle Shop Murder” has all of that. This is the first in the Greg Tenorly mystery series.

The book begins with the death of Sam Spokane, the bicycle shop owner, later in the book it is revealed that he only has a few months to live due to a recent diagnosis of prostate cancer, so why would someone want him dead now?

The setting is Coreyville, Texas, a small town where everyone knows everybody. Greg Tenorly is a divorced music teacher, leads the choir at church, and is a marriage counselor, it all starts when a beautiful red head by the name of Cynthia Blockerman, vice president at First State Bank comes to see Greg. Cynthia is in her late 20’s and is married to Troy Blockerman, she has come to see Greg as her marriage is in trouble, her husband drinks a lot, is abusive and she finds herself in a loveless marriage. Troy’s normal routine is coming home from work, drinking beer and watching TV until he passes out in the living room. Cynthia usually sleeps in the marital bed alone, which is completely fine with her as she is afraid of Troy especially when he has been drinking.

As the story continues, Greg Tenorly finds himself being called up for jury selection and is then picked and called upon to be a juror in the murder trial of Sam Spokane. Little does Greg know what troubles lay ahead for him? The troubles all begin when one Buford Bellowin a high powered attorney in Dallas wants the black man accused of murdering Sam Spokane found innocent. Greg and Cynthia are thrown together and both their lives are in danger, there have already been several other murders relating to the murder trial, a witness for the prosecution has had a terrible accident and died, one of the jurors is murdered, and the wife of the bicycle shop is murdered. Who is committing these murders and why? Who will be the next target?

Greg and Cynthia are starting to piece together the murders and who is committing them, they think maybe a hit man or maybe 2 different hit men, after driving to Dallas to see Buford. On the way back to Coreyville, they discover they are wanted for murder, and they have a killer after them, things are going from bad to worse. Will they be murder victims or will they be found guilty of murder? You will want to find out the answer to all these questions.

Although the book has a few errors and typos, it is very well written. The characters are believable and common people that you fell as if you know them. “Bicycle Shop Murder” has enough action and intrigue to keep you turning the pages. Robert Burton Robinson has done a wonderful job of bringing murder, mayhem and romance all into one book. I am anxiously awaiting the next one in the series.

If Truth Be Told by Lynda Fitzgerald

“If Truth Be Told”

By Lynda Fitzgerald

Five Star, June 2007

ISBN: 1-59414-568-7

“If Truth Be Told” by Lynda Fitzgerald, WOW, I loved this book, this story touched me so deeply, this is an emotional and a great read.

The story is told through the eyes of one of the main characters “Christie”. The setting takes place between Cocoa Beach and Melbourne Beach, and the story begins in August of 1961. Christie is the youngest of the three O’Kelly sisters, and is 14 years old when she meets the boy of her dreams. His name is Todd, soon to be her step cousin. Her Uncle Jack is marrying Carly, Todd’s mother. After falling for Todd she decides to put away her teddy bear, which from time to time she takes back out of her closet for comfort. After four years of dreaming about her future with Todd, she is devastated from a letter to her aunt and uncle revealing that Todd is married.

The story progresses through eight years; Christie comes home to find that Todd had been to her place looking for her. Todd is determined to win Christie back, but Christie wants no part of being hurt and lied to again. Todd offers to be there for her as a friend due to her uncle’s illness, she does not believe him and calls her uncle, and it is true, he is sick.

They are thrown together time and again due to her uncle’s series of medical conditions. Christie finally gives in due to Todd’s persistence. They become engaged, and then suddenly her uncle dies.

Christie is confused she though he was doing better, and Carly’s behavior and actions around her are very different, almost as if she feels guilty about something. Christie is determined to find out the truth, she does not believe her uncle’s death was natural. So she begins asking questions, prodding for the truth, but is afraid this will be the end to her relationship with the man of her dreams.

The author mixes romance and a touch of mystery. The plot is intriguing, the characters are believable, and the story has vivid details. In my opinion the writing as a whole can have no blemish thrown its way. The story will tug at your heart and will bring tears to your eyes.

A fascinating read, I could not put this one down, highly recommended, a definite 5 star read.

The Will To Defy by Ken Myler

The Will To Defy

By Ken Myler

ACME Publications

ISBN: 0-9774636-0-5

The Will To Defy is a gripping story filled with intrigue, it is a psychological tale that will send chills up and down your spine. Ken Myler draws you into the story with vivid accounts and detail.

Ben Pearce is a husband, a father, and a broker In New York who is thrown into a nightmare in this suspense/thriller. He is woven into a whirl of trying to prevent his own demise, when the daughter of an underworld mobster is accidentally killed. The underworld boss, Victor Draeken is out for revenge and Ben Pearce is set on a quest to keep his family safe as well as himself. Ben is faced with extraordinary experiences turning his life from a peaceful one into survival from a father’s revenge. Ben even goes as far as to start planning his own funeral, but stumbles upon a one page document that may keep Victor Draeken at bay out of fear. So Ben decides to put a plan into motion using this one page document, but as with most plans things become complicated.

Ken Myler has developed a plot that will keep the reader on the edge of your seat. The story contains twist and turns, and just when you think you have it figured out, Wrong, he takes you in a different direction to keep you on the edge.

This is a definite page turner and demands to be finished, I would recommend starting it on the weekend as you will want to finish this in one weekend.

The Will To Defy definitely earns 5 stars and is a Must read!

Calling The Dead by Marilyn Meredith

Calling The Dead

by Marilyn Meredith

Mundania Press

ISBN: 1-59426-352-3

Calling the Dead is an intriguing mystery which delivers suspense Native Americans who practice in calling back the dead. The story unfolds in Bear Creek California, where Deputy Tempe Crabtree is investigating two deaths. One of the deaths appear to be from natural causes and the other looks to be murder. She investigates these murders by using her insticts and her intuitions as well as investigative tools to solve these crimes. Upon further investigation things become complicated and now the question is was this a murder or an accident or suicide? Other questions arise concerning the two young people who actually reported finding the body, why did they give false names and addresses? And why did they flee so quickly? Then did the other death occur to natural causes or something else? As she continues her investigation into these deaths she is forced to gain answers by use of drastic measures, which puts her own life in danger as she comes closer to solving these deaths.

Marilyn Meredith has her own unique writing style which brings her readers in and allows them to put the pieces together like a puzzle, and to help solve the mystery as they are engaged in the reading of her work. This is a great story with good characterizations, and well developed plot. I highly recommend this book which can be read in a day or two.

Fringe Benefits by F.M. Meredith

Fringe Benefits

By F. M. Meredith

Tigress Press, 2006

ISBN10: 0-977-160-9-X $13.95

Cal Sylvester, a California police officer despises Gordon Butler, who is his rookie partner. Cal does however find his partner’s wife to be hot and has a plan to have her for more than a friend. Cal and Darcy begin a heated romance, after several months Darcy informs Cal she wants and expects more from her men.

In order to keep Darcy in the style she requires, Cal begins to plot the murder of his wife Lee Ann in order to get the money he needs to keep Darcy. He’s plan is to use his wife’s life insurance money, but what about their kids at home? Cal is completely obsessed with Darcy and now needs to fulfill his obsession. Will Cal continue with his plot to kill his wife?

While this book is compact, it delivers a complete read. It combines a luscious blend of police procedurals and thriller, and is a great read. In Fringe Benefits, F. M. Meredith brings a cast of engaging and winsome characters. And most definitely earns 5 stars, and is a must read. Hope there are many more on the way.

Summer of Light by W. Dale Cramer

Summer of Light
By W. Dale Cramer
Bethany House Publishers, 2007
ISBN: 0-7642-2996-6

Contemporary Fiction at its finest 5 stars

“Summer of Light” is a story which addresses stay at home fathers. The main character, Mick Brannigan was an ironworker whom after a bizarre accident is thrown from his life in construction to that of a stay at home father. Layne, Mick’s wife urges Mick to stop looking for a job as their four year old son Dylan needs constant supervision. Due to Dylan’s special needs and a predictable daily routine, Layne urges Mick to stay at home and care for Dylan and their other two school-aged children. Layne returns to work as a paralegal at the law firm with mixed feelings, she would rather be the one at home tending to the chores and tending to the children as she is not confident that Mick is quite up to the task at hand.

Mick is unsettled as he wants to be the provider of his family, his father had left when he was a child and that disturbs him, and he yearns to remain the provider. Mick eventually agrees to stay home for awhile, so he begins to manage the house, the chores, the children, the animals and their five acres of land. During his year long journey of being a stay at home dad he makes discoveries about himself, his children, and his wife.

The stories setting takes place in Georgia, and the Brannigan’s neighbors are pesky to say the least. Mick has a gift of photography and he does not even realize he is great with the camera, but it catches the eye of one of his neighbor’s wife. In short, this is a story of more modern day families who are struggling through with everyday life, reversal of roles, and the circumstances in which we all face eventually. Mick finds faith and hope and through his photographs of his children, the country, and his work at a homeless shelter it reveals his beliefs.

Dale Cramer has a unique writing style, and he draws you into the story. His characters are so believable and the story contains vivid accounts and details. Cramer has a gift for telling a great story that is driven by his characters, which are engaging, strong in emotion and believe in what they are doing. They are so well-developed that by the end of the book, you feel as if you have gained new friends.

This is contemporary fiction at its finest, engaging and surprisingly humorous at times; it also is an emotional story and will touch your heart. I highly recommend this book to anyone whether male or female looking for a light but touching read. I enjoy this author’s work and he brings new elements into his story while still retaining his unique voice.

Summer of Light earns 5 stars and is a highly recommended read.

The Thief Maker by David H Schleicher

The Thief Maker
By David H Schleicher

William Donovan is a con man who steals from nursing home residents, and his girlfriend Alice, and the security guard Lucas Tolliver are his accomplices. They prey on the Alzheimer’s ward, knowing these patients cannot be witness to their crimes. Felice Morrison, the granddaughter to one of the nursing home’s residents and Marcus Pierce a private investigator are determined to put a stop to Donovan and his accomplices. The setting takes place on the streets of New York and Philadelphia.

As the story continues, the characters interact and then you become aware that Donovan and his accomplices have ties that you did not know about in the beginning. A great read for those who enjoy mysteries. This is not only a thriller and a mystery, but it also plays on the psychological aspects, including memory loss. The characterizations are engaging, and believable.

This was a wonderful book full of twists and turns and lots of surprises.

Twisted Perception by Bob Avey

Twisted Perception
By Bob Avey

The story begins with the murder of Lagayle Zimmerman, she is found in her vehicle with a shiny necklace hanging from the rearview mirror. Kenny Elliot is a detective in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is on the investigation of the murder of Lagayle. Kenny remembers a time back in Porter where a similar necklace hung from the mirror, where the bodies of his friends were found. He also remembers being a suspect in their murders, but the murders were ruled as murder/suicide, however, Kenny never believed this to be true. The reason Kenny was suspect in their murders is the night before the murders there had been an altercation between he and his friends, and Kenny was known to have a temper. Now with this new murder of Lagayle, Kenny is faced with the past and to finding the answers in order to find the true killer of this murder as well as his friends murders from years ago.

The characters are well developed and believable. It has an intricate plot, the story is full of detail, with twist and turns, and is loaded with surprises.

This is a must read for mystery fans. I highly recommend this book, not only is it a page turner, but will keep you guessing.

Pythian Cafe gives Twisted Perception 5 stars.

Cracking Grace by Steven Stromp

Cracking Grace
by Steven Stromp

Cracking Grace is amazing; I have never read anything quite like this before. Talking statutes? Wow, this is gripping. The story is told through the eyes of Audrey, a young girl who has lost her mother. Audrey’s father takes care of the cemetery and is very proud of the statues he has created; they include Mary, Jesus, and two gargoyles. You will also find an eccentric ghost, Mrs. Grant who is trapped in the cemetery after committing suicide, and you will even find a blue bird named Bluebell. The story unfolds after the death of Audrey’s mother; Audrey feels second best to her dead mother and doesn’t feel like she can compete with her dead mother for her father’s attention. Audrey’s father is slipping away due to being consumed by grief.

The novel focuses on grief and the coming to terms with both loss and death. A father unable to accept his wife’s death, a woman trapped in stone, and new found relationships for the daughter, and coming to terms with loss and grieving in different ways are all an intricate part of this story.

I highly recommend this story for everyone, and especially for those who have suffered a loss and are grieving. This is a wonderful story, and very different.

Absolute 5 star read!