Chanticleer Book Reviews

Category: Reviews

  • LASTING, LEAVING, LEFT by Robin Dyke, a poetry collection

    LASTING, LEAVING, LEFT by Robin Dyke, a poetry collection

    Every experience is a brush stroke on our life’s canvas. When our life ends, the artwork is completed; what will we leave behind for the world to see? Robin Dyke’s collection of poetry Lasting, Leaving, Left penetrates the deeper questions of what it means to live: Will I make a lasting impression on the world? How has the world made a lasting impression on me?

    Dyke’s works are the perfect balance of poetic eloquence with modern language. Lasting, Leaving, Left will engage and inspire poets and non-poets who seek to reflect and question their lives.

    Dyke’s book is organized into three sections: Lasting, Leaving, and Left. The first section, Lasting, groups together poetry focused on memories or concepts that have emotionally influenced each poem’s speaker. Such ideas ranged from recollections of a deceased grandfather, to the relationship between war and humanity.  

    The next section, Leaving, discusses the different stages people go through in their lives. One of the most unique poems I found in this section described a person playing a pinball game. The individual goes through several strategies to win the game, but once it is over, a new game begins. As time passes, we constantly leave one moment to enter another.

    The last section of the book, Left, introduces the notion of what people have left behind when they are gone. The final poems of this collection leave the reader to question him or herself about how they live their lives. With every poem, the speaker is thoughtful and gently pushes the reader to contemplate such profound questions.

    While the poetry incorporated numerous literary devices, the level of diction is perfect for readers who are not die-hard poetry lovers. Dyke’s poems are inviting to read, but they still leave the audience with wonder and opportunity to reflect upon their own life experiences.

    Nonetheless, poetry fanatics will appreciate the simple, yet thought-provoking ideas Dyke presents. Pretentious vocabulary would only overshadow the rich and naked moments of life that his poetry illustrates.

    Lasting, Leaving, Left allows individuals to find themselves reflected in poetry and use it as a lens to look into their own way of living. Readers can relate to the moments when they have endured losing a loved one, felt true love, or wondered where their life is going. Poetry is intended to connect us with the different facets of humanity. It is a vital form of expression that brings awareness to our intellectual and emotional selves.

    Dyke calls himself an “imagined dream caster” and that “poetry is a new expression of his work as a consultant and educator.” The final notes by Dyke point out that with the three Ls of this book, there is one final L to consider: Living. Through every leg of life’s journey, we need to embrace each moment to the fullest.

    Dyke’s poetry offered me a different perspective of living; life is a fluid cycle that is beautiful in the pain and pleasure it brings. Lasting, Leaving, Left is a poetically pristine read for individuals searching for another viewpoint on how they live their lives, with a dash of alliteration and rhyme.

     

  • I REMEMBER HORSEBUNS by Rafe Mair, a historical memoir

    I REMEMBER HORSEBUNS by Rafe Mair, a historical memoir

    In this delightfully well-written, very personal memoir, Rafe Mair, who describes himself as a British Columbian first and a Canadian second, tells the story of his childhood and beyond as he grew up in Vancouver. Mair was a politician in Premier Bill Bennett’s cabinet in Victoria, then left politics behind to host the radio show Open Line. An opinionated commentator and a lover of history, Mair describes himself as having a “revolutionary bent.” His reminiscences of Vancouver and British Columbia during a time of great growth and change are insightful and fascinating.

    Mair begins his story on a humorous, explanatory note of the book’s title, recalling the early years of Vancouver, during which commodities such as bread, eggs, and milk were delivered to one’s door by horse-drawn wagons. One side effect of these deliveries was the frequent pile of “horsebuns” left behind in the street, which came in very handy for the fertilization of the “Victory Gardens” during the war! Mr. Mair also gives a humorous, yet serious definition of what it is to be a true British Columbian.

    Yet underneath the humorous anecdotes and light-hearted reminiscences, this memoir is a modern historical record of British Columbia and Canada, as told by a man who deeply understands the politics, culture and history of his homeland. He juxtaposes intimate portraits of his family with detailed renderings of events that shaped his hometown and province. His childhood, spent in Vancouver’s neighborhoods, provides a picture of the immigrant communities that became the foundation of the city’s modern, cosmopolitan culture. His love for his country, as well as his in-depth knowledge of it, shines through on every page.

    As an adult, Mair was active in fighting for or against legislation he strongly believed would aid or threaten the very survival of his province and its cities. These events are described with an insider’s understanding of what was at stake. Mair continues his work to this day, as an environmental activist and community leader.

    Readers of this memoir are entertained and also given an insightful rendering of Canada and its culture that they would never glean from reading history books. Highly recommended for Canadians who want a deeper understanding of the events that have shaped their country and culture, as well as for Americans who want to better know their neighbors to the north.

  • THE SEARCH OF GRACE by James Gottesman, a suspenseful women’s fiction novel

    THE SEARCH OF GRACE by James Gottesman, a suspenseful women’s fiction novel

    In November 1972, the sisters of St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Missoula, Montana were stunned to find that a small child, approximately two years old, had been left on their doorstep in the middle of the night. Though she appeared to be in good health and had clearly been well cared for, she carried no identification. After six weeks of attempts by the orphanage and the police to discover who she was, the sisters decided to name her Grace Helena Pine, and to give her a birth date of January 1st.

    This incident was the first of several that led Grace to believe—as many orphaned children do—that no one would ever truly want her. Her biological parents, an absent yet silently malevolent force in her life, had never wanted her; potential adoptive parents who loved her were forced to give her back to the orphanage. And once she turned eighteen, even the orphanage asked her to leave.

    Through luck and no small amount of determination, Grace eventually meets and marries a young doctor, has children, and achieves her own professional success as a professor in linguistics. Years of counseling and hard work have paid off in terms of a reasonably normal life with a family she deeply loves. Nonetheless, she remains haunted by the traumas of her childhood, many of which are similar to those suffered by children in her circumstances. Deep down, she understands that she will never be completely whole until she knows where she came from.

    Through serendipity, her daughter and her nephew both see a woman on the news who looks so much like Grace that both children think she is Grace. The woman even has the same unique mannerisms. Grace decides to investigate, and as she slowly unravels the truth about her past, she unknowingly threatens the lives of others as well as her own. Someone very powerful doesn’t want the truth revealed.

    A former oncologist, James Gottesman uses his extensive medical knowledge as well as detailed research into the psychology of abandoned children to craft a fascinating suspense novel. He accurately portrays the plight of illegitimate children in the late twentieth century, institutionalized by wealthy and powerful families afraid of the potential stain on their good name. Gottesman also shows how such an emotionally fraught situation can cause the biological family members to react with denial and suspicion, making it difficult for the child to ever develop a meaningful relationship with them. However, as Dr. Gottesman reminds us: genetics are irrefutable and will almost always cause the truth to come out.
    Gottesman’s characters are engaging and well-developed; his story builds on itself as the tension heightens and the suspense builds. Highly recommended for those who enjoy women’s fiction novels with literary complexity, but that are still page turners. The Search of Grace is a riveting and satisfying read.

  • GOD FACTOR SAGA SERIES by J. Nell Brown, a historical paranormal series

    GOD FACTOR SAGA SERIES by J. Nell Brown, a historical paranormal series

    NOTE ABOUT REVIEWS: While Chanticleer typically does one book review post per book, we chose to have reviews for these short stories and book in this series all together on one webpage. We felt they all complement each other and deserve to be read together to give a greater perspective to the series. All reviews were written by K. Patterson.

    Review of FROZEN PRAYERS by J. Nell Brown: Book 1 of the God Factor Saga

    Readers caFrozen Prayers by J. Nell Brownn expect a superb blend of genres in J. Nell Brown’s Frozen Prayers: Book 1 of the God Factor Saga. This novel is a suspenseful biblical fantasy that weaves love and the paranormal into the lives of two individuals. This is not only a perfect read for someone wanting an enduring love story, but for anyone wanting to explore profound ideas about spirituality and God.

     

    In 1977, Cillian Finn is born of his mother Mary Finn, entering the world in a dank, dark shack on a    remote island off the Antrim Coast of Ireland. He is the child of rape and unwanted by his mother. That same year, Daniela Cavanaugh is born to missionary parents Austin and Jeanette, in a hospital in Gainesville, Florida. Though she is deeply loved and wanted by her parents, she is a black child growing up in the South, during a time of rampant discrimination. Growing up thousands of miles apart, Daniela and Cillian’s lives will nevertheless become deeply intertwined.

    Shy, young Daniela dreams of a normal life, her days spent playing with a best friend and kindred spirit rather than dealing with the cruelty of reality. However, Daniela possesses a gift—the ability to see far into the past and into the future when she dreams. Her prayers, encouraged by her father, have the power to unlock the mysteries of the world, to bring about wars, and to protect the life of the lonely boy Cillian, living an ocean away in Manchester, England. If Daniela quits dreaming and praying about her kindred spirit, Cillian, what will be the impact on his life?

    At its simplest, this is a novel combining spiritual and paranormal elements in a love story about a young girl who possesses the power of prophecy. It is also the tale of an epic battle between mortals and immortals and of unlocking the mysteries God intended for the world.

    However, J. Nell Brown uses this story to reveal deeper questions about spirituality and how we conduct our lives. Exactly what can one accomplish through the power of prayer? And if you knew how your life would end, would you choose to live it differently? In this deeply spiritual first novel in the God Factor Saga, J. Nell Brown has crafted a heartwarming, sometimes heart-wrenching, and always suspenseful novel that is sure to linger in the minds of readers long after they read the final pages.

    Review of HOUSE GUEST by J. Nell Brown, a prequel short story to the God Factor Saga series

    House Guest by J. Nell Brown  A prequel short story to J. Nell Brown’s God Factor Saga series, House Guest, is an excellent read for   anyone who loves a story that immerses a historical setting into the realm of the paranormal.        Readers of the God Factor Saga will also be thrilled for this new addition to the spiritual and heart-  wrenching series.  

      House Guest tells the tale of the demon Nomed, sent out of the underworld to accomplish a mission    for Lucifer in return for a greatly desired job promotion. Nomed’s assignment is to kill two eight-year-old children, Cillian Finn and Daniela Cavanaugh. Lucifer considers these children to be agents of his enemy, Elohim, who must be stopped before they can achieve their destinies.

    Set in the early days of World War II, House Guest blends rich historical detail with spiritual, paranormal, and horror elements, providing a gripping and entertaining read. 

    Review of A GENERATION OF LIGHTED EVERGREENS by J. Nell Brown: First  Novella in The God Factor Saga series

    A Generation of Lighted Evergreens by J. Nell BrownThe first novella in the God Factor Saga, A Generation of Lighted Evergreens brings readers of the series more spiritual journeys and deeper connections with its minor characters.

    This is the story of Austin Cavanaugh, ten years prior the birth of his daughter Daniela. Austin toils  away in the sugar cane fields of South Florida, drowning out the harsh, grinding reality of his life by  dreaming of the day when he will meet and marry his kindred spirit. He dreams of a future in which  his little girl will lead the life he always envisioned for himself.

    Will Austin’s deep spirituality and belief in God bring him through the trials of his life, to a time in which he will see his dreams realized? As with all of the God Factor Saga stories, J. Nell Brown spins a tale of spirituality that asks important questions about the power of religion and prayer, and enlightens readers with ideas that go beyond the natural world.

     

  • VALHALLA REVEALED by Robert A. Wright, a historical thriller

    VALHALLA REVEALED by Robert A. Wright, a historical thriller

    The year is 1945, and governments around the world are debating how to navigate the political and economic fallout from World War II. The trials in Nuremberg seek to punish those who participated in the Third Reich, whether they are members of the military, or businessmen who produced the armaments that gave Germany its fearsome power. Former officers of the Third Reich have fled to South America, hoping to evade capture. Though the Marshall Plan is helping to rebuild the war-ravaged economies of Western Europe, all eyes are turning toward the Stalinist Soviet Union, wondering whether an even larger threat now looms.

    Businessman Paul Hoffman, whose family was first introduced in Beyond Ultra, struggles to deal with his grief over the ravages the war has forced upon his family. With a mother and brother dead, another brother missing, and a father exiled in Spanish Guinea, Paul must hold the family together while managing its business interests on three continents—the vineyards in Spain, commodities businesses in Africa, and import/export companies in the United States.

    While dealing with divided family loyalties and attempting to lead his family forward, Paul also copes with his grief and survivor’s guilt over the deaths of his family members, as well as a haunting desire to discover what happened to his missing brother Hans, a German U-boat captain who disappeared at the end of the war. Paul’s search for answers will take him to the corners of the globe and uncover secrets with ties to international military and spy networks.

    Employing meticulous research, in-depth knowledge of real historical events, and a deft hand for describing famous figures of the post-World War II era, Robert Wright has crafted a novel rich in detail and amazing in scope. Readers are introduced to people such as Heinrich Mueller, infamous leader of the Gestapo, exiled former SS officers in Paraguay, Stalinist Soviets, and William Donovan, head of the wartime OSS and predecessor to the CIA.

    While the people of Western Europe and America re-awaken after a long and arduous war, complacent in the knowledge that their governments are back in control of world events, Wright reveals the true historical impact of decisions made by a small group of powerful businessmen largely unknown outside their inner circle. Valhalla Revealed is an astonishing novel—it is hard to cover the breadth of it in a review. The informative 540 pages will fly by with intrigue and surprise. Fortunately for its readers, Beyond Ultra, the prequel, will help satisfy the desire to unravel more of Robert Wright’s epic saga of two families whose destinies are intertwined.  

    Highly recommended to those who love historical fiction and international espionage thrillers.

  • THE TREASURE OF MALAGA COVE by John Gillgren, an adventure children’s novel

    THE TREASURE OF MALAGA COVE by John Gillgren, an adventure children’s novel

    Reading John Gillgren’s The Treasure of Malaga Cove is its own enjoyable treasure hunt. I was immediately immersed in the adventures of history, the ocean, and more suspense than I anticipated from a children’s book. The author takes his readers on a captivating series of diving adventures and page-turning treasure hunts with the Cali Family as they try to solve mysteries of the high seas.

    The story begins in 1577 on Sir Francis Drake’s flagship the Golden Hind. While looking for an easier path to Asia, this ship endure storms, battles with the Spanish and Portuguese, and Drake himself faces the mutiny of his own crew members.

    The plot fast forwards four hundred years into the future. The novel’s protagonist Carmine Cali discovers a skull while learning how to dive in the Malaga Cove in southern California. Waves of mystery wash over the setting as Carmine can’t find the skull on a second dive. He spends several years with his wife, Elaine, and his three children, Snail, Carmen, and Caroline, trying to prove that the skulls exist, and link them to the flagship the Golden Hind and its crew members.

    Gillgren is extraordinary at crafting a realistic and engaging narrative. The planning that Carmine and his family do for each of their dives, in addition to the time constraints, are point on with how a divemaster would construct his or her plans. Readers will anticipate every moment of action as the story pulls them in with the dangers that lurk in the ocean, whether it be the high tides or the sharks casting shadows beneath the water’s surface.

    Readers will appreciate that Gillgren has created such a dynamic protagonist. Carmine’s protective watch over his family highlights his strong character as a father and protector. His reluctance to leave the water when they’ve found new information is realistic and captures the reader in the moment of discovery. He’s a character all readers will love and root for to find the truth in the end.

    Suspense is the buried treasure in and of itself in this tale, and readers will never experience a dull moment. The plot twisted and turned in every direction, revealing by the end which character is deemed untrustworthy. The things I learned about Carmine’s family are presented in such a way that readers look forward to learning more about their individual character arcs in subsequent novels.

    While many events unravel quickly, this is still an appropriate book for a younger audience and for a family to read together. It’s a fun story with straightforward dialogue and plot. And while the author judiciously presents responsible diving techniques and know-how, readers without diving knowledge will be able to follow along with it.

    If anything, I think more detail of the reefs around Malaga Cove would have been a great addition to the story. The ocean adds a rich context to the tale, as well as an element of unexpected danger. However, the lack of some description made me revel in the details that were present.

    Gillgren has delivered a mystery story ala Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew, but with more contemporary individuals playing those roles. The Treasure of Malaga Cove is a fantastic novel for children and their families wanting to dive into the depths of mystery and adventure. I will certainly read the next books in the series:  The Treasure of Ching Shih and The Treasure of Ocracoke Island.

    This is the first book in an adventure series that will invite readers of all ages to set sail into the high seas of their imagination with the adventures of the Cali Family as they hunt for mysterious treasure.

     

  • MASTER OF WESTFALL PLANTATION by Bonnie Stanard, a historical novel

    MASTER OF WESTFALL PLANTATION by Bonnie Stanard, a historical novel

    Bonnie Stanard exposes some of the greatest plights of those who suffered from human bondage and slavery in her book Master of Westfall Plantation. Readers will be pulled into the novel’s eloquent prose that paints the tragic moments of the antebellum South. This captivating and well-researched story will resonate with you long after you read the final page.

    Set in Charleston, South Carolina and a nearby island shortly before the Civil War, the book introduces the central character Tilmon Goodwyn. He is cold toward his beautiful wife Georgiana (who is secretly shamed by her humble background), manipulative and suspicious of his widowed mother Phoebe, (who may be flirting with a sophisticated con man), and extremely cruel to slaves (while believing himself benevolent).

    Tilmon blunders through the business of running a large plantation, yet, underpinned by the pernicious institution of slavery, manages to prosper nonetheless. Given to gambling and pleasing himself, he has already impregnated one slave and developed a seething lust for another—young Kedzie, who has a mind towards freedom and a deep hatred of her master that only stirs his passion more.

    Passing his days in questionable business dealings, watching as his foreman lashes his slaves for the smallest infractions, Tilmon gives us little to like. The only time this arrogant husband, indifferent father, maladroit manager, and cruel overlord shows a smidgen of tender feeling is when Billy, a favorite slave, dies, probably having ingested poison meant for Tilmon himself—but administered by whom?

    Meanwhile Georgiana, meeting by chance with the abolitionist preacher who raised her, plots to have Kedzie sent north via the Underground Railroad, not in sympathy for the girl’s terrible circumstances, but as revenge for her husband’s flagrant infidelity.

    In a telling moment, Georgiana hears the laughter of gypsies and wonders how “a person of such poor circumstance could find anything funny,” not grasping that it is freedom, not wealth, which brings happiness. Readers will no doubt want to cling to hope for Kedzie to find a way out of hardship. As the novel ends, there are muted mentions of events in Kansas and elsewhere that may influence Tilmon’s dark empire that he rules with an iron hand and a perverted morality.

    Bonnie Stanard is a freelance writer and editor whose skills come to the fore in this work, with finely honed language that at times borders on the poetic. Master of Westfall Plantation is part of a series, for which Stanard has assiduously researched her subject matter, even attaching a lengthy bibliography. She focuses on the evil of slavery, expressing, in a brief introduction, her conviction that “a man of good will who conforms to a bad culture is more bad than good.”

    The hopeless plight of those who suffered from human bondage and slavery is fervently depicted in the authentic voices of the “low country.” Stanard’s portrayal of Tilmon and other slave masters who believed themselves “righteous and good” chronicles the juxtapositions that permeated the antebellum South. This unrelenting pessimism and, at times, almost complete lack of even a ray of hope can make the read intense and uncomfortable. Nevertheless, Master of Westfall Plantation is a brilliant work speaking honestly of an unspeakable wrong.

    The Master of Westfall Plantation is a companion novel to Kedzie, Saint Helena Island Slave (2012),  Sonny, Cold Slave Cradle (2013), and Westfall, Slave to King Cotton (2014). All four novels compose the well-researched and well-told Westfall series by Bonnie Stanard.

     

  • FIRE TRAP by Richard Mann, a mystery-thriller novel

    FIRE TRAP by Richard Mann, a mystery-thriller novel

    The biotech start-up Genetrix has been begging for a fourth round of funding from the venture capitalists at Hillberg in order to keep pace with well-funded rival, Roark, in a race to see who can put a breakthrough drug delivery system into the marketplace first.

    Just when the high-tech movers and shakers should have been positioning themselves for a taste of profit, the top research and development scientist at Genetrix dies in an absolutely epic explosion that shakes its headquarters in Silicon Valley.

    And that is the white hot intense opening of this clever whodunit. Was it murder or suicide? And who gets the insurance money after a heavily covered “key man” has died?  It is up to ace insurance investigator Randy Justice, who just opened his Justice Investigations office in Portland, Oregon to connect the dots and match wits with the hipster swells of the high-tech corporate elite.

    Randy’s pretty good, knows his own flaws, and can enjoy a scotch. He can handle tough corporate venture capitalists, and he can wrangle with his two feisty teenagers. Randy knows when to play his hunches and his sidekick, Arnie, keeps him focused.

    Randy moved to Portland because he just inherited his parents’ performance theater. He splits his time between a love of the theater and the thrill of chasing down bad guys. I found the author’s frequent glances into the world of the performing arts to be both charming and informative, and he seems to freely enjoy poking fun at the quirks of West Coast culture.

    In Fire Trap, first-time novelist Richard Mann dives fearlessly into the shark-infested waters of venture capitalists and high tech in this mystery-thriller. Mann juggles the complexities required of the successful whodunit with the sure-handed skill of a veteran mystery writer.

    Indeed, Mann seems to be completely at ease with the genre. He demonstrates a solid knowledge of his material, managing to massage potential deal breakers such as the mundane intricacies of policies and insurance investigation, along with forensic science, into Fire Trap’s tightly knitted plot without losing momentum or the white hot intensity of the narrative pace.

    Fire Trap is a totally satisfying mystery/thriller that, in spite of a few nods to the stereotypical, it thrills, amuses, and entertains. Randy Justice faces the deadly dynamics of the biotech corporate world while managing to squeeze a little theater culture and some romance into his life. Mann’s packing so much entertainment into the confines of a mere 206 pages is no less than a marvel—it’s a mystery! First-time novelist Richard Mann has hit one out of the park with this fascinating and uniquely clever whodunit.

    Reviewer’s Note: Fire Trap won First Place in the Clue Awards Private Eye Category for 2013.

     

  • KISMET OR KAMASUTRA by Martha Rather, Book 3 in the Romantic India Series

    KISMET OR KAMASUTRA by Martha Rather, Book 3 in the Romantic India Series

    A tour guide in India and a practitioner of Healing Touch, Sonia has a country farmhouse in Nashville, loyal friends, a generous but unfaithful husband, a flame on the other side of the world who seems to have forgotten her, and … breast cancer.

    This highly engaging story, Part 3 of the series Romantic India by author Martha Rather, begins with Sonia burning up her “chemo pajamas” with her best friend, Clara Mae, in a wild “Freedom Fire Ceremony.”

    We learn in flashbacks the very real fear and agony Sonia experienced in her two-year struggle with breast cancer, losing her memory and almost losing her mind. Now she faces losing Carl, her antique dealer hubby, who prowls for old furniture by day and sweet young things by night.

    Sonia pals around with a lawyer friend, Bob, though she dreams, frustrated, of handsome Raj, her fellow tour guide and Indian prince who, she is told, is about to get married on the other side of the world.

    When Sonia and her friends are tapped to squire some struggling musicians across India, it’s a chance to re-establish trust with the still-single Raj, break with Carl forever, and watch the haunting dreams of previous lifetimes unfold in this one.

    Following the old dictum that writers should write about what they know, the author, like her heroine Sonia, has roots in South Dakota, lives in Nashville, has traveled extensively in India, and is a practitioner/instructor for Healing Touch International. Martha Rather writes in a wonderful girlfriend manner as though she is a dear friend catching us up on the latest happenings. She also seems as much at home with Southern accents as with Hindi street talk.

    Settings, too, are a highlight, from a plain old Tennessee farmhouse to the romantic majesty of the Taj Mahal. There is rarely a moment when the action lags. The first half of the book, with its vivid descriptions of Sonia’s battle with chemo and radiation treatments, projects a depth of self-exploration and insights. Readers are then taken on a rollicking jaunt through India, with a group of self-important musicians and tourists in tow, for the second half of the story.

    Nonetheless, Martha Rather is careful to keep emotions and libidos always on the boil for her intended readers who enjoy stories filled with intrigue, romance, friendships, adventures, handsome princes, and, maybe, a flirtatious elephant thrown into the mix.   

    Kismet or Kamasutra is a journey of self-discovery and the possibility of changing one’s stars.  Kismet means destiny; fate and Kamasutra mean desire, but which one will win out?  In this uplifting and transporting novel of love and connection, Sonia and Raj must confront their worst fears and the fateful patterns that started a thousand years before.

  • THE DEVIL’S HOOK by Pearl R. Meaker, second book in cozy mystery series

    THE DEVIL’S HOOK by Pearl R. Meaker, second book in cozy mystery series

    Empty-nester Emory Crawford is more than just a dab hand at home-making and fiber art. As a newly-installed instructor for the Twombly College crocheting class, she’s also mother hen, mentor, and counselor to her eager students. So when a rash of mysterious gifts, all in the color red, start showing up in the girls’ dorm rooms, Emory’s intuitive radar system goes on alert. Then one of Emory’s students, a recipient of the unwanted gifts, turns up missing and Emory is tasked with piecing together the meager clues left behind.

    In the spirit of calming frayed nerves, Emory consents to move the class from the college campus to the comfortable Twombly residence only to find that society maven Amy Twombly and her wealthy husband Jairus are locked in marital combat over Jairus’s new, and decidedly attractive, personal assistant. Between Amy’s erratic behavior and her shouting matches with Jairus’s assistant, Emory thinks things couldn’t get much worse – until she finds Amy’s custom-made, bloodwood crochet hook protruding from the eye of Jairus’s stone-cold dead assistant. With motive, means, and opportunity all pointing to Amy, Twombly’s antagonistic Police Captain Henry Schneider considers the case closed. But Emory’s gut tells her otherwise.

    In the search for the truth, Amy’s daughter Madison plays Nancy Drew to Emory’s Miss Marple. Using the full powers of her “Gift of Knowing” and a little help from her forensic scientist hubby, Emory and her sleuthing partner Madison unlock the secrets of the past and learn that not everyone is who they claim to be.

    In The Devil’s Hook, author Pearl R. Meaker delivers a fully-developed cast of rich, quirky characters that are sure to satisfy the discerning cozy mystery enthusiast. Her inquisitive and highly intuitive main character Emory Crawford, provides the perfect sounding board for all of the supporting characters and is a clever match to the brilliant young side-kick, Madison Twombly. The author also demonstrates a unique ability to illuminate the myriad facets of human relationships revealing, in the process, the similarities in all of us.

    Twists and turns abound in this delightfully engaging second installment of Pearl R. Meaker’s Emory Crawford mystery series. With the down home small town feel of Murder She Wrote and the multi-layered complexity of an Agatha Christie mystery, The Devil’s Hook is a cleverly-crafted and enjoyable whodunit style cozy mystery.