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DANTE ROSSETTI 2017 Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction Slush Pile Survivors
The Dante Rossetti Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works of Young Adult Fiction. The Dante Rossetti Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer Reviews International Book Awards.

The following titles and their authors have made it past the initial “Slush-Pile Rounds” and will compete in the next rounds to see which titles will be Short Listed for the 2017 Dante Rossetti Book Awards.

Good Luck to All!
- Susan Faw – Soul Sanctuary
- Philip P. Carlisle – The Paradox of Jayne Le Faye
- Brittany Evans – Unlocking Olympus
- S.V. Mitchell – The Noble Noggin
- JL Morin – Nature’s Confession
- Alex E. Carey – Fire’s Love
- Richard Mann – Wasted in Waldport
- DJ Munro – Slave to Fortune
- Jan Von Schleh – But Not Forever
- Mario Loomis – Primordium
- Elise K. Ackers – One for the Road
- John Foley – One For The Team
- Isaac Fozard – Coalheart
- Tim Lee – High Heels and Horsepower
- Jean Gill – Fortune Kookie
- Laurel Anne Hill – The Engine Woman’s Light
- Judith Sanders – Star Finder: The First Book in the Diamond Island Saga
- Deen Ferrell – Cryptic Spaces: Dark Edge Rising
- Gregory Saur – Panterror!: The Epic Babysitting Adventures of Rachel Pugsley
- Anne Donaghy – Raven, Tell A Story
- John A. Vikara – My Lonely Room
- Kathy L. Greenberg – The Bully Solution
- Edward Stanton – Wide as the Wind
- Rebekah N. Bryan – Track Two on Repeat
- PJ Devlin – Becoming Jonika
- Taylor Caley – Ice Cold – Part One: The Dark Zone
- J. L. Skirvin – Snow Now Sizzling in Soleil
- Lynn Yvonne Moon – The Tower
- Zoe Kalo – Chameleon
- Lynette Cabrera – Just For Now
- Samantha Crouch – Onyx
- Julian North – Age of Order
- Brittany Evans – Unlocking Olympus
- Alisse Lee Goldenberg – The City of Arches
- Robert Wright Jr – Ruby Red and the Wolf
- Dara Lyons – Twinlove
- Robert D. Calkins – Digger
- Michelle Rowe – Emma Beware
These titles will compete to be SHORT LISTED in the next rounds.

We are accepting entries into the 2018 Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction.

To compete in the 2018 Dante Rossetti Book Awards or for more information, please click here.

Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media, L.L.C. retains the right to not declare “default winners.” Winning works are decided upon merit only. Please visit our Contest Details page for more information about our writing contest guidelines.

CBR’s rigorous writing competition standards are why literary agencies seek out our winning manuscripts and self-published novels. Our high standards are also why our reviews are trusted among booksellers and book distributors.

Please do not hesitate to contact Info@ChantiReviews.com about any questions, concerns, or suggestions about CBR writing competitions. Your input and suggestions are important to us.

Thank you for your interest in Chanticleer Book Reviews International Writing Competitions and Book Awards.
October 3, 2017
The TRAIN from OUTER SPACE by Alan Sproles and Lizanne Southgate – Middle-Grade, Alien Invasion, Wormholes, Magic Trains

Don’t you just hate it when a train from outer space tries to swallow up you and your dog whole in the grassy plains behind your house? And don’t you just hate it when your planet is suddenly sucked through a wormhole and placed smack dab in the middle of a couple even bigger planets? And isn’t it just the worst when you realize that all of the above is all part of some game, that your world is just a cue ball for someone to propel across the pool table that is the universe?

Well, in The Train from Outer Space, that’s exactly the situation twelve-year-old Brady finds himself in, scrambling to make sense of it all while at the same time prevent what looks to be Armageddon on a scale no one could have ever imagined.

In Alan Sproles and Lizanne Southgate’s spirited sci-fi adventure for the middle-school set, insanity is the new normal for planet Earth. Introduced to the reader and Brady is a zany and mysterious universe filled with bizarre life forms, the likes of which no one has ever seen. Chief among them is the tiny, gelatinous being Brady and his spunky best friend Franky refer to as “Li’l Dude,” whose crashed space module heralds the advent of the train.

At first, their new extra-terrestrial companion seems to be more disgruntled than dangerous, but little do they know a whole mess of trouble follows Li’l Dude to their big blue home in the form of Rotaxis, an alien creature who repositions Earth in a brand new solar system.

With little time and planetary fallout imminent, Brady and Franky find they are the only ones equipped to discover the truth behind Li’l Dude’s presence and find a way to reverse the wormhole and send themselves back to the Milky Way. Only they soon realize there’s only one way to accomplish their goal. They must board the train from outer space.

Energetically comical without undermining true, human development, The Train from Outer Space thrusts its protagonists into a world of imagination and color that only seems to accentuate their even more vibrant personalities. While the supporting cast is equally wacky and fun, it’s Brady’s growth during the adventure that ties up the story nicely, as he searches for purpose and a newfound sense of family following the death of his father. Only through loyalty and teamwork will he finally find what he’s looking for… not to mention save the entire planet.

September 22, 2017
JEHOVAH: A NOVEL by James Patrick Weber – Thriller/Suspense, Police Procedural

Highly suspenseful and intricately woven, James Weber’s Jehovah: A Novel, will have you guessing until the very last page.

Austin, Texas is not just the setting of Jim Weber’s novel with vivid descriptions of the overall landscape and the individual neighborhoods, the people, the city’s crime history, the music, even the allergies people suffer from “cedar fever”; the city is more of a character. Weber does a superb job of immersing the reader in this urban environment in the early 1980s, that it’s easy to forget you’re not there.

The protagonist, Detective Sam Cain, knows the city as well as he knows his co-workers and the family he doesn’t see often enough when heading up a murder investigation. What he doesn’t know is who is killing mobsters, drug dealers, rapists, arsonists, drunk drivers and other unsavory types who have cheated the justice system. The victims are found in prayer position, on their knees, shot in the back of the head, the name of an Old Testament figure pinned to the fronts of their shirts.

The Old Testament figures prominently in this novel. The killer, referring to himself as Jehovah, sends typed letters filled with biblical references about unleashing his wrath on the wicked to the local newspaper. Of course, our protagonist’s surname clearly alludes to Cain, the Biblical figure who slew his brother, Abel, and readers are right to expect a mighty showdown between the killer and the detective.

The victim count rises as Cain races to piece clues together with the help from some and problematic interference from others. A most impressive feature of the book is the convincing details regarding police procedures and the internal politics of an investigation. The sections on forensics and criminal profiling are fascinating, while Cain’s meeting with a psychic is understated but nevertheless chilling.

There’s a large cast of minor but memorable characters, from the undercover cop who turned in his gun and chose to become a homeless person to “The Angel,” a shadowy figure of the night whose objectivity has motivated people to confide in him.

Given the religious zealotry evidenced in Jehovah’s letters, it’s appropriate that there’s also a priest, a member of the Holy Cross order of priests, who has his own political past having spent time in South America preaching liberation theology. As in all excellent mysteries, the concluding revelations make you reconsider everything you thought you knew. Weber leaves no loose ends, a feat considering the scope and complexity of the novel, making Jehovah a most satisfying mystery.

September 21, 2017
ARCHIDAMUS by Janet K. Shawgo – Mystery & Suspense, Crime Thriller, Paranormal

One of the NSA’s most talented agents, Zaveen “Zack” Keens, reads the agency’s unofficial notes about a soldier turned ruthless mercenary, murderer, and now her deadly adversary – Archidamus, the man she’d injured and almost stopped. Zack must learn everything she can and hone all her abilities in order to save her kidnapped fiancé and defeat the formidable murderer.

In another city, a man reflects on his first violent encounter with Agent Zack and recognizes that underestimating her is a grave mistake. As his finger follows the jagged cut on his face, he vows to kill her. Archidamus never forgets.

This suspenseful thriller introduces characters with paranormal skills that complement their survival and spy training. Knowing the agents’ capabilities, the reader begins with a confident feeling, like when you bet on a sure thing at the race track, but then you find out that your horse had an unreported injury and suddenly, what you thought was a sure bet, leaves you with growing concerns. Likewise, the reader learns that these skills come with side effects and that this killer is always several steps ahead of the NSA. And Archidamus has secrets of his own.

Zack can read minds even from a long distance, which took some getting used to for her new partner Lane Brigham, who reveals that he has some surprising mental abilities of his own. Just as these two agents get comfortable with their skills, Zach’s fiance’, Eric, is kidnapped by none other than Archidamus. They follow the trail through several states in the U.S. and across the Atlantic to Ireland and Austria. A ransom message arrives but is it already too late?

Let the reader beware, Shawgo’s writing builds a creeping suspense that will keep one engaged in the chase and through the murderer’s evasive steps. The knowledge of weaponry, some of it unique for a thriller, along with skillfully plotted strategy serve this thriller well.

Author Janet Shawgo has written four award-winning historical and romantic novels. Archidamus is her debut thriller. As with her other books, she’s created memorable characters in dynamic situations. Before putting pen to paper as an author, Shawgo served as a healthcare worker for thirty-two years, twenty of those as a travel nurse. Her past informs her writing in the way her characters emote concern and empathy throughout the story.

Archidamus is a paranormal, suspenseful thriller that also tells a story of the strength of loving bonds with friends and family. Love is the glue that holds a strong defense in place. Is it enough, though, when pitted against the face of evil in a twisted man who never forgives and never forgets?

September 20, 2017
STEEL, BLOOD & FIRE by Allan Batchelder – Fantasy, Military, Fairy Tale

Tarmun Vykers, the central character in Allan Batchelder’s accomplished fantasy, has many epithets: “The Scourge of Empires,” “The Reaper,” “The Merciless One,” and sometimes just good old “Vykers the Vicious.” He’s very aware that he’s widely feared but not admired, and that’s just fine with him. He’s not the sentimental type.

On the other hand, he’s darn likable. Why? Well, he’s smart, witty, and often sarcastic, but he’s also able to laugh at himself and the many predicaments that befall him. And he’s not the worst guy around.

No, that would be Anders, better known as “The-End-Of-All-Things.” The-End is not likable. Far from it. When one’s goal in life is taking enormous satisfaction and delight in the destruction of everyone and everything, you don’t have friends, you just have people who do your bidding because they’re terrified of you.

Of course, a showdown between Vykers and The End is going to happen – and Batchelder has lots of fun getting us ready. In this world, the very weapons used have almost as much personality as characters who wield them. Along the way, we meet the cast, many of whom will prove invaluable to Vykers on his quest.

And what a cast! Batchelder provides a lengthy list at the novel’s conclusion but they’re all so memorable, the reader doesn’t have to consult it often. For starters, there’s Arune, a shapeshifter who has taken up residence in Vykers’ mind where she reads his thoughts and responds with zingers of her own. Some of the most memorable scenes in the book, in fact, take place with Vykers seemingly talking to himself, but really, it’s Arune matching his wit, sentence for sentence. There is so much more to explore and fall in love with, we won’t ruin it for you here.

If this all sounds like a lot of fun, it is. It’s easy to imagine Monty Python fans reveling over many of these scenes. This fantasy, however, has more to offer. The humor is adroitly balanced with darker chapters concerning primal fears and terrors.

Steel, Blood & Fire will appeal to a broad group of readers. Although primarily a fantasy, the classic themes of fairy tales, myths and folklore are woven into the narrative. Good versus evil, the gaining of self-knowledge while on a quest or a journey, transformation through enchantment – it’s all here but with a twist because Batchelder so deftly juggles ribald humor and unexpected poignancy. He also allows the reader to view these themes through several lenses. This is particularly true in the battle scenes, the author giving us the individual experiences of several of the male characters. While there are fewer female characters, they are quite strong, fully realized, and residing in the forest and the castle, the folkloric motifs of the poor and the royal in play.

The great news is the book is the first in the series Immortal Treachery. Batchelder concludes Steel, Blood & Fire on a tantalizing note and there’s clearly much more material to be mined. If it’s as fully realized as this book, the entire series is a must read.

Fairy tales, myths, and folklore collide in Batchelder’s first book in the Immortal Treachery series, Steel, Blood & Fire, rollicking fun and seriously addictive read.

September 20, 2017
Building Your Readership Community – Not Just for YA Authors

#SocializingWithInternetStrangersForTheWin

Dear YA Writer,

You know that moment right before you hit “Post”? The seconds seem to still, like a roller coaster summiting a steep incline. Click. Movement. A loading bar appears. Aaaaand, plunge. Self-promotion rockets into cyberspace on the wings of a WiFi prayer to the cat gods of the interwebs.

Then the wait.

Refresh! And still no notification. Doubt creeps in and whispers error messages from your social media past. But you’ve changed. You no longer join the horde of desperate town criers who scream into the void “buy my book!” with every tweet. Your contribution is now a diverse portfolio of hooks and calls to action with appropriate yet ironic hashtags.

A notification pops up. Someone has engaged! Impressions increase.

Inhale relief. You did it! Exhale negativity. Whew, you spelled there/their/they’re right.

Yeah, that moment.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

This is authordom. This is #amwriting about #writerslife and #writerproblems. Because, let’s face it. For all our word-slinging bravado, marketing via social media is not our best use of wordsmithery. OK, some of you are seriously boss when it comes to online engagement. Most of us, though, are introverted, please-dear-god-don’t-make-me-have-small-talk-with-strangers types who require naps to recharge our social anxiety batteries. Shooting proverbial fish in a cyberspace barrel cuts into our writing time. <<inserts angry eyebrows>>

So what do we do? We sin against the Internet by cluttering newsfeeds with our amateur attempts at marketing. Why talk with strangers when we can talk at them?

No, YA Writer. Just, no. Better to not Internet at all.

I know, I know, I know… You’ve changed. A reformed self-promotion junkie. I believe you. But revision is the theme song of writing, amirite? And when it comes to engaging young adult readers, one thing is critical.

Socializing.

Yeah, you read correctly. I said socializing. Some of you just cringed. Sorry-not-sorry. Strange as it may sound, social media is designed for community and relationship building, not marketing. The kind of place where you talk with people, not at them. YA readers (especially actual YA-aged YA readers) are sensitive to this online phenomenon, too.

Get to know your readers and potential readers. Ask them questions about what they like. Be silly. Be serious. Be everything in-between. Share strange but true tidbits about you.

While plunking away at this blog, shoulders hunched and face pinched with all the feels, my elbow bumped a book stack where an unsuspecting gummy cinnamon bear rolled off the edge and met an untimely end in a cup of tea. Not bad. I think I just found my new favorite sweetener. #RIP #GummyBear2017 #NeverForget

What is the strangest thing you’ve drank in your coffee or tea?

What is the strangest thing you’ve drank in your coffee or tea?

See what I did there?

Did I mention my books? Nope.

Did I direct someone to my website or Amazon page? Negatory.

Did I ask them to comment? You betcha.

But I chose a safe topic. Neutral ground. No sales pressure here. Instead, I’m building a community for my followers and establishing a thread of conversation. Interact with comments. Like, heart, wow, and laugh. Weep with your followers when they give you a piece of their troubled heart. Be outraged when they describe crimes against humanity.

Be you.

Socializing.

You totally got this.

True confession: I don’t always post like a saint. Sometimes I sin against the Internet with shameless plugs and yadda-yadda-yadda about my product rather than engaging my community. Sometimes this is necessary. Sometimes it’s too much, and my followers show me by ignoring my attempts for attention.

The best combo is 75% community building and 25% self-promotion.

Hey, don’t worry. I’m still learning this, too. We’ll do this social media thing together.

First, a cautionary tale: Please, for the love of cat GIFs, don’t bore your followers with business details. Your readers don’t care. Your younger readers care even less. Authordom is not the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and readers are not brokers waving money and shouting at machines with fluctuating values. OK, so they sorta are, and the giant AI that is Amazon oscillates prices like Oprah. Here’s a saving for you. And a saving for you. Savings for everyone! You get the gist. They don’t need the gritty details of your sales or the publishing industry. <yawns> Plus, people notice when other people stop looking at them as fellow humans and blink $$$ instead.

Don’t be that author.

Join the resistance! I’ll stand beside you fellow #YAlit writer as we lift our keyboards and Smart tech in solidarity to reclaim our followers and engagement!

Click.

Plunge.

#SocializingWithInternetStrangersForTheWin

Sincerely,

Me

P.S. Pssst. This isn’t goodbye. Oh, no. You’re stuck with me for a few more blog conversations. So stay tuned!

P.P.S. Many of us have day jobs or other duties outside of writing. Since we’re getting to know each other here: Using only GIFs, comment on what you do for a living.

A note from Chanticleer:

Many thanks to Jesikah Sundin for sharing her effective and fun social media techniques with us!

Two words could describe Jesikah: books and coffee. She pours a cup of dark roast writer’s ambrosia before approaching her keyboard. And the forest is her happy place.

Jesikah invites you to socialize with her on her website and social media pages (visit her website for direct links).

Jesikah Sundin is the award-winning author of the Biodome Chronicles.

Short Description of Legacy: Book One

Siblings born and raised inside an earth-based experimental Mars biodome have only known a rustic medieval life rich in traditions and chivalry. Groomed by The Code, they have built a sustainable community devoid of Outsider interference––until the unthinkable happens.

Cultures clash when the high technology of the Anime Tech Movement collides with the Middle Ages in a quest for truth, unfolding a story rich in mystery, betrayal and love.

September 20, 2017
JOURNEY 2017 Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction – The SHORT LIST
The JOURNEY Awards writing competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Narrative Non-fiction. The Journey Awards is a division of the Chanticleer Book Awards & International Writing Competitions.

We are pleased to announce the JOURNEY Awards Official Short-List (Semi-Finalists) for 2017 for Narrative Non-fiction.

This is the Official Short List as of Dec. 7, 2017.

Congratulations to the JOURNEY AWARDS 2017 SHORT LISTERS Semi-Finalists and Good Luck to them as they compete for the First Place Category Positions.

The Official 2017 JOURNEY Awards SHORT – LISTERS:
- Kari Rhyan – Standby for Broadcast
- Marilynne Eichinger – Lives of Museum Junkies
- Theresa Mathews – Fishing With Hyenas
- Rachel Thompson – Broken Places
- Patricia Walkow – The War Within, the Story of Josef
- Deeann Callis Graham – Head-On, Stories of Alopecia
- Alice Grant Binger – Some Steps Back In Time
- Judith Works – Coins in the Fountain
- Susan Marie Conrad – Inside: One Woman’s Journey Through the Inside Passage
- Dennis P Freed – Love, Loss, and Awakening
- Donna LeClair/Emma Baker – Immunity
- Lou Lesko – The Ghost of Communism
- Dr. Scot Hodkiewicz – Getting to Heaven By Going Through Hell
- Bruce Rettig – Refraction
- Kevin M Maher – No Couches in Korea
- Pattie Welek Hall – A Mother’s Dance
- Karen Elizabeth Lee – The Full Catastrophe: A Memoir
- Tommy Donovan – The Rail: What Was Really Doing in the 60’s Bronx
Good luck to all the Journey Awards Semi- Finalists who made the Short List as they compete for the First Place Category Positions. First Place Category Positions will be announced on Saturday, April 21st, 2018 at the annual Chanticleer International Book Awards ceremony.

More than $30,000 dollars in cash and prizes are awarded to Chanticleer International Blue Ribbon Awards Winners annually.

We are now accepting entries into the 2018 JOURNEY Awards. The deadline is February 28, 2018. Click here for more information or to enter.

HOW TO, GUIDES, SELF HELP, and GUIDES works should be entered into the NON-FICTION BOOK AWARDS. Please click here for more information:

More than $30,000 worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to the 2016 Chanticleer Novel Writing Competition winners! Check out out fifteen genres to enter your works into to compete on an international level and distinguish your books from the two million new titles hitting the market this year.
September 10, 2017
THE RABBI’S GIFT by Chuck Gould – Ancient Historical Fiction, Heartwarming Romance

Faith and fact weave together in a beautifully rich tapestry of fiction and fantasy set in ancient times that presents plausible answers to long-standing mysteries in Chuck Gould’s The Rabbi’s Gift.

When the wealthy merchant Eli encounters master builder Yakob and his impetuous son Yusuf in a dispute with the despotic ruler Herod, he intervenes, saving them by employing them to work on a project of his own. They will help construct a new mansion for Eli’s son, Aban, who is soon to be married.

But what will become of Aban’s twin, Miriam? Miriam is the first-born and as custom demands, should marry first, but what man would want her? With her quick-wit, unconventional bent, and a strong rebellious streak, everyone knows she is unsuitable for the position of dutiful wife. Besides, every suitor her father presents to her, she stubbornly rejects.

Yusuf and his father work diligently for Eli. Yusuf constructs stunning mosaic courtyard imbued with astrological and scientific significance. As the work continues, Miriam clandestinely assists Yusuf and before long, the two fall in love. Of course, such a match could never be. Miriam is wealthy, and Yusuf is only a humble tile setter. But, some prophecies and priestly visions are far more powerful than worldly considerations. What obstacles must be overcome to allow twists of faith, fate, and fortune to fall into place and open the door for the couple’s true and epic love?

Author Chuck Gould has created a remarkable blend of Biblical characters, legends, and speculations in this star-crossed romance between Miriam and Yusuf. He depicts Miriam as a healer whose remedies are nothing short of miraculous, and Yusuf as an unschooled savant in mechanical, scientific, and philosophical knowledge. Gould also draws on a myriad of dramatic players – some of whom are firmly set in historical accounts, which serves to create a multiple viewpoint story, widening the scope of his novel without distracting the reader.

Gould’s handling of this grand drama shows a true grasp of the writer’s craft. He deftly combines various elements from lore throughout his storytelling making The Rabbi’s Gift a powerfully rich tale. Using older spellings and secular text, along with Gould’s strategic planting of clues along the way, fortifies the story and draws the reader in.

Babylonian astrology and Jewish mysticism combine with Roman history to create a timeless story of passion and fate in Chuck Gould’s The Rabbi’s Gift.

September 9, 2017
A BIT of CANDY in HARD TIMES by Blaine Beveridge – Historical Fiction, Political, Prohibition, Pacific Northwest

It’s midnight in May and Prohibition is the law of the land. A boat packed with Canadian liquor is racing through the waters off Portland, Maine, and a heavily-armed US Coast Guard Cutter is in hot pursuit—hungry for another kill. The smugglers are about to get paid for their sins—one way or another.

Emmett Dougal has a penchant for working on boats the Coast Guard loves to shoot at. As he hits bottom and realizes he’s out of options, he returns to his home turf near Seattle weighed down by an identity crisis—Emmett’s a wanted man. Even his brother, a county sheriff, swears out a warrant against him. It’s hard to survive when you’re always looking over your shoulder, or your only skill sets involve fishing and smuggling. To make matters worse, he doesn’t even have a boat.

Blaine Beveridge’s initial foray into the world of fiction is a winner with his smooth, confident, and engaging writing style. A Bit of Candy in Hard Times is set in a time where alcohol was illegal, but people wanted it more than ever and were willing to pay handsomely for it.

Beveridge’s clever yet restrained use of syntax and vocabulary is smart, entertaining, and brings the settings, characters, and story alive, grabbing the reader immediately and never lets go. He displays real talent for crafting vivid, yet measured descriptions of the Puget Sound area, boats, fishing styles and equipment, residences of the poor to the affluent, and other items that resurrect the Prohibition era. Of note is his solid and consistent artistry crafting bright, vibrant scenes ranging from a ride at Coney Island, to a seedy bar where a man can buy bootleg beer, attending an opulent holiday celebration, or the grittiness of a dark, waterside warehouse filled with illegal liquor and suspicious clientele.

The well-crafted characters are compellingly believable. As Beveridge trowels on the conflict his characters act, react, or rebel accordingly, adding delicious texture and tension to the story. Trust between parties can sometimes be measured in what remains in the bottle. The usual concrete line between right and wrong is about as real as the yellow brick road. Characters stagger between moral and immoral guided only by the immediate situation, mood, relationships, or the amount of money or liquor involved.

Beveridge is an award-winning screenwriter, an alumnus of The Writer’s Program at UCLA, former Program Administrator for Film and Television at UCLA Extension, served as an executive board officer of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, and a US Army Vietnam Veteran.

A Bit of Candy in Hard Times starts with a bulls-eye and enthralls to the last page. It’s tough to put down, so arrange your schedule accordingly. You’ll be waiting for Beveridge’s next book.

September 8, 2017
DEAD SILENT: An ELIZA GORDON MYSTERY by Amy Beth Arkawy – Cozy Mystery, Amateur /Woman Sleuth

Cleverly plotted and well-paced, Amy Beth Arkawy’s Dead Silent: An Eliza Gordon Mystery will satisfy the appetite of cozy mystery readers and gourmets alike, especially those who enjoy an occasional side of gossip with their novel.

The story picks back up in the small town of Goodship, New York, where Eliza Gordon, former soap star, serves up the daily specials at her restaurant dutifully named “Soup Opera.” A popular eatery, she and her sidekick, Midge Sumner, can’t help but overhear the daily drama spilled by the town locals as they argue and bicker about the latest rumors posted on The Goodship Grapevine, the town’s toxic new gossip site.

Eliza’s life outside work is on the up-and-up, as she and her boyfriend, Tom Santini, the town’s police chief, entertain the idea of moving in together. But things get put on hold when ill-received radio jockey Paul Hackett is found strangled to death with his headphone cord wrapped around his neck in the studio of WHSP. The only evidence police have to go on are the initials V.O.S. scrolled on the studio mirror in red lipstick.

Was it Victoria Salinger, Hackett’s third ex-wife, who scrolled her initials at the scene of the crime? Or were they written with the same lipstick worn by his latest fling, the young and alluring studio assistant, Ashley Hoyns? From there the list of possible suspects only grows, and the table is set for a classic whodunit mystery, as Eliza and Midge get back into their usual swing of finding clues.

Hackett’s murder isn’t the only mystery in the story, either. A secretive cult is going around releasing fliers that urge people to join “The Silent.” What’s more, Jonas, the mysterious playboy brother of Eliza’s late husband, is back in town and his motives seem to be beyond the scope of simply collecting the family estate – it doesn’t help that Eliza is beginning to grow feelings for her newly arrived brother-in-law.

Dead Silent makes for a great cozy read, perfect for the beach or any occasion when you have a couple of hours of free time. The plotline and ongoing suspense will keep fans of the genre quickly turning the pages and leave them satisfyingly entertained.

This is the second book in the Eliza Gordon Mystery series, between Killing Time and Murder, She Tweets. Arkawy is also the author of several plays, including Psychic Chicken Soup (McLaren Comedy Award nominee) and Listening to Insomnia: Rage Amongst Yourselves. Her work had been produced in New York City and featured in several anthologies.

Arkawy’s skills as a playwright sit center stage as she effortlessly seams together fast, witty dialogue between the colorful characters who make up the town of Goodship. The culinary delights described throughout the novel are brilliantly provided in a recipe file at the end of the book. A smart move that is sure to leave readers’ mouths watering and clamoring for next book in the Eliza Gordon Mystery series.

“If you’re hungry for a fast, fun and deadly cozy mystery, Amy Beth Arkawy’s Dead Silent, the second book in the Eliza Gordon Mystery series is what’s on the menu.” – Chanticleer Reviews

September 6, 2017

Chanticleer Book Reviews