Chanticleer Book Reviews

Category: Reviews

LEGENDS of the VALE: A Martial Arts Story, Book 1 by Rey Clark – Middle Grade Fantasy, Coming of Age, Adventure

The magical creatures of the Vale are being destroyed, in Rey Clark’s fantasy adventure novel, Legends of the Vale.

The Cursed Queen, an elf bent on controlling all magic, is wreaking havoc on the inhabitants of this formerly peaceful, beautiful world co-existing parallel to normal life on Earth. As a woodland fairy, Robyn Greywink isn’t able to do much because of his small size; however, because of his father’s dying command, Robyn finds himself responsible for the last dragon, the final defense against the queen’s power. In a last ditch effort to protect the unhatched egg, Robyn sends it through a portal into a forest on Earth.

Before Robyn can retrieve and move the egg, it is found by Allison Doyle, a fifth grader who has no knowledge of the secret world around her. After the egg hatches to reveal a tiny purple and green dragon, she is Awakened to magic and quickly becomes Izzy’s protector. She and Robyn are determined to return the hatchling to the Vale.

After enlisting the help of her friend Vanessa, the three embark on a journey into a magical realm, but at every turn, they are pursued by the Hunter, the Cursed Queen’s chief assassin. When Allison discovers she has a much bigger role in the fate of the Vale, she must find the courage to face an enemy with the power to destroy anyone – or anything – standing in her way.

Determination and perseverance to duty are two major themes shining through the adventure within this novel.

Robyn, a creature so tiny he has no real power beyond the magical dust he carries, is given what seems to be an unattainable and insurmountable challenge. His father gave his life to secure the dragon egg after watching the Cursed Queen and her elven army kill the only adult dragons left in the Vale by sealing their power within the jewel of her sword, Death Striker.

Knowing he has no hope of defeating such a foe himself, he sends the egg to Earth then follows it, entering a foreign land with only the limited dust he is carrying. He refuses to give up on the dragon baby nor give up the mission given to him by his dying father. Robin knows he cannot dishonor his father’s memory by taking the cowardly way out and abandoning the egg. There’s no time to mourn or even think of the danger he now finds himself in because he cannot let the egg hatch in a place without magic. He must Awaken Allison and convince her to help him return the dragon to the Vale.

Allison is just a girl starting a new school year.

She thinks she has no unusual abilities or talents, but as a student of Kuk Sool, a Korean martial art, she is a warrior within her soul. Allison and Vanessa defend the tiny dragon against trolls and goblins before even entering the Vale. She goes from facing school bullies to a deadly Hunter overnight, and she takes all of this in stride, never allowing her uncertainty or fear keep her from a duty she acknowledges as her own from the first moment Izzy looks at her.

The dragon chooses Allison as his protector because he sees her inner strength. Upon arrival in the Vale, she soon learns she has been chosen not just to protect Izzy but to save the entire world. It is her job to overthrow and defeat the queen who has terrorized all of the creatures in the Vale. She cannot let her doubts stop her from helping everyone under the tyranny of the Cursed Queen, her Hunter, or her army.

The world of the Vale is so well-crafted that the reader will immediately feel immersed in a cursed land.

From trolls who turn to stone in sunlight to enchanted buildings that defend those inside, the fantasy-building is thorough and wonderful. Readers will find themselves seamlessly immersed in a world totally different from their own, and while the worlds built in high fantasy can often be difficult to understand, the rules of the Vale are accessible and understandable for young readers, who will find themselves facing all manner of creatures. They will feel just as Awoken as Allison and will revel in their discoveries.

In true Lord of the Rings fashion, this fantasy adventure will send readers spinning through a world of adventure and magic.

Legends of the Vale by Rey Clark won 1st Place in the 2019 CIBA Gertrude Warner Book Awards for Middle-Grade Fiction.

May 27, 2022
COGNITION by Jacques St-Malo – Technothrillers, Philosophical Fiction, Genetic Manipulation

A scientific thriller by Jacques St-Malo, Cognition draws from a variety of sources – from Middle East royals to Asians, corporate tycoons from the US and UK to the Chinese and US administrations – to create a canvas as broad and fascinating as the philosophical and moral speculations it presents.

Cognition moves along in the span of a few decades, with its many facets of people in search of the child entrusted with the full capability of germinal-choice technology – to finish off the exclusive child before its countrymen could claim the genius mind for themselves. Meanwhile, an agitation based on the rage of those denied this germline manipulation is being waged against the richly endowed children of the privileged. The tug-of-war between the several factions throughout the book, each with their own set of interests and ideologies, creates numerous opportunities for philosophical debates among these genetically engineered children, educating the reader on the many ramifications of genetic manipulation that results in mental and physical enhancement.

Upon the fall of the last monarch’s regime in Turkey, the royal child prince is taken away to a foreign land to live with his mother’s maidservant for safety of life.

The Chinese Code Seagull is under operation to locate the child entrusted with the full Prometheus module —alpha and beta complement. Ethan, the sought-after child, is growing up away from his regal life and knowledge of real identity as a housekeeper’s son in the home of billionaire business mogul Bruce Taylor. Valerie Taylor, Bruce’s daughter, is another ‘extra somatic’ or genetically tailored child whose fate intersects with Ethan’s. Their course is eventually altered by the gap in their familial genealogy.

Driven by resentment against privileged for the lack of opportunities, Connor Dashaw becomes a rolling force in populist Aamon Wade’s political party fighting against germ line-treatment, which is only affordable by the rich.

All the big players in the novel – political, business, and administration – enact a cat-and mouse game to get grip of a clue puzzle to gain greater power. The collision of many motives results in a chain reaction that consumes everyone in its radar – those seeking a countermeasure to humanity’s predetermined DNA on the one hand, and arbitrariness on the other.

The novel explores, through the psyches of three children, the feeling of estrangement.

Ethan and Connor, in their own ways, embody the estrangement: one is a prince who is oblivious of his identity, while the other is socially deprived of prospects. Ethan feels at ease in the peaceful seclusion of tycoon Taylor’s historic palace-like property. However, his position as a servant’s son stings him, and he considers it humiliating to spend his life “tending to another’s leisure.” Connor, on the other hand, becomes a staunch supporter of political ideology against extrasomatics. The feeling of not belonging returns to Ethan, along with genetically modified Valerie, when they do not find friends or partners who share their “eccentric” views.

Each chapter of the story begins with a quote and introspection about the topic of the chapter.

The author’s tone is upbeat and open about his various philosophies as well as current technologies, which demonstrates his extensive knowledge and necessitates thought. A subtle critical tone accompanies the ardent tone: there is an occasional commentary on the human urge to exert control over others and his own fate, however unethical it may be.

Cognition mixes a wealth of material – from science and technology to business and philosophy, and politics – to create an enthralling fiction about modern evolution. A heavy-read that requires time and consideration, Cognition will especially appeal to tech nerds due to the abundance of scientific discussion that it presents.

Cognition by Jacques St-Malo won 1st Place in the CIBA 2019 Cygnus Book Awards for Science Fiction.

May 25, 2022
BLUE FLAME: Book 2 of the Daemon Collecting Series by Alison Levy – Fantasy, Supernatural, Adventure

Leda Morley has just discovered she stands between the world and total devastation in Alison Levy’s second book, Blue Flame.

As a gatekeeper, Leda is descended from a long line of women responsible for keeping Apep, a chaos daemon, from devouring the sun and spinning the world – at least the Notan dimension – into complete oblivion. After barely escaping the a terrifying journey to the world of Arcana, Leda has decided to learn everything she can about these alternate dimensions and the rules controlling them. Rachel Wilde, a collector in charge of sending defective daemons back home for repair, has agreed to allow Leda to shadow her on her job in order to collect as much data as possible. However, both Leda and Rachel get more than they bargain for when they investigate a market already familiar to Rachel.

Naji El Sayed, the young son of the owners, has accidentally brought a Djinn into the Notan world, and the creature is bent on revenge and attempting to murder Naji’s mother. Rachel worries she won’t be able to help the family at all until she finds help in an unlikely place, a formerly homeless oracle. Bach Chesterfield spent six months living under a bridge and raging against the images constantly bombarding him until Rachel rescued him and moved him into her house, but will this unlikely hero have the courage to step up before it’s too late?

Bach is truly a shining character in this novel. In this second installment of the series, the reader will see his backstory and his personality come forward.

Having spent the last six months living under a bridge with other homeless people, Bach is terrified of “normal” life. He knows it would be incredibly easy to slip back into his previous life of obliviousness, but he refuses to do that. With the help of Simon Morley, Leda’s brother, he is painstakingly attempting to rebuild his shattered existence and overwhelmed mind from the wealthy parents who disowned him to the partner who kept his belongings and moved on.

Seeing the past, present, and future of most people and creatures he meets has left Bach consumed and imprisoned within his own gift, but his resiliency to retake his life is touching. Even though he knows it’s impossible, he would help every person on the planet if he could, and he insists on giving back to those who helped him along the way, going so far as to track down a fellow homeless man who acted as his protector and giving him the information he needs to find the daughter who desperately wants to find him.

When he must confront the Djinn, he finds a strength he never knew he possessed and even manages to bring forward the “humanity” within the being. Bach’s role in the plot cannot be undervalued and promises to be one of prominence within future installments.

Leda and Rachel present an intriguing dichotomy. The women share a few similarities, yet their differences really highlight the unique world-building within the novel.

The work of these women is one such area. While Leda loves learning about diverse cultures and has a voracious thirst for customs and language, she hates her job working for an administrator at a local museum. Her boss is lazy, often requiring her to perform his duties then complaining when the quality suffers following her near-death kidnapping and subsequent injury. She detests the harassment and sexualization she feels within her workplace and longs for the kind of world where that would never happen – a world like Arcana.

In Rachel’s matriarchal society, a woman would never experience such an insult. She has a much more equalized workplace, but she, unlike Leda, has no love for what she does. Five years into her eight-year length of service, Rachel wants out. She dreams of returning to her family’s farm. Though she answers Leda’s myriad questions, she’s often confused by Leda’s conflicting emotions so different from her own background.

Faith is, perhaps, the biggest and most significant difference. Leda struggles to reconcile her Christian upbringing where demons and angels hold supernatural posts with Rachel’s dogmatic practical explanation of inter-dimensional creatures malfunctioning on Earth’s plane. Though she sees the daemon in action, she cannot believe the stories she remembers so fondly are make-believe. Rachel cannot see them as anything but broken creatures needing help. However, while their discrepancies leave Leda with questions, her faith, interestingly, doesn’t diminish.

The Daemon Collecting Series is a great spin on an age-old stereotype. It’s fun, engaging characters will create a fantastical journey without leaving the very world surrounding us.

May 23, 2022
PRISON From The INSIDE OUT: One Man’s Journey from a Life Sentence to Freedom by William “Mecca” Elmore & Susan Simone – Journalistic Non-Fiction, Memoir, Civil Rights Law

Prison from Inside Out: One Man’s Journey from a Life Sentence to Freedom is an illuminating chronicle that tells the story of a man who not only survived the stoniest soil but used his experiences to thrive as a human being.

This arresting memoir is essentially a road trip of William ‘Mecca’ Elmore, a man with a tumultuous childhood, growing up in a neighborhood chock full of social problems. It is in this environment that Elmore is involved in a crime that consequently leads to his arrest and trial. The story builds upon his incarceration in various correctional facilities, his experiences, his release through a Mutual Agreement Parole Program, and his eventual redemption.

The story is documented by Susan Simone and includes accounts from Elmore’s sister, his mother, friends, and cellmates giving this memoir an all-round picture of prison life for those behind bars and those they leave behind to go and serve their sentences. Often, due to years of incarceration, former convicts face a hard time, at times life-threatening, making a reentry into society and sometimes returning to a life of crime. This tapestry brings out the redeeming value of human beings by giving hope to this group through its honest account and how he managed to survive after release.

At turns, heartbreaking, cheerful, and inspiring, Elmore’s memoir glides in deep awareness.

His perceptible emotional voice, ever-present in the narrative, pulls back the curtain to reveal the harsh realities of prison life, the sometimes indelible effect of solitary confinement, the politics that revolve around prison, and the determination to keep one’s head up amidst the chaos. The text is not potentially traumatizing nor does it ignore some of the inadequacies of the US penal system, but rather seeks to educate in a hopeful way about the true possibility of starting anew.

The text opens a door to a much-needed discussion on the need to have prison reforms that guide prisoners on a path of transformation and staying crime-free upon returning to society rather than crushing their hope and resolve to change. William’s courage along with his family’s to tell their stories without acrimony will go a long way in offering hope to many who feel sidestepped and forgotten.

The book winds up towards a ruminative ending that sees Elmore, Bessie, and Cheryl primarily reflect on Elmore’s past incarceration giving the book a heartfelt conclusion.

The book integrates vintage photographs along with captions inviting the audience further into the story. Candid and insightful, it stands among the world’s most moving testimonies of the profound value of literature.

Ultimately, Prison from the Inside Out: One Man’s Journey from a Life Sentence to Freedom by Susan Simone and William Elmore is a beacon of hope for those who have passed through the prison system and a necessary read for legislators, police officers, and all who work with the penal system.

Learn more about the background of the book by visiting the website: www.PrisonFromTheInsideOut.org

Prison from the Inside Out by William Elmore & Susan Simone won Grand Prize in the 2020 CIBA Nellie Bly Book Awards for Journalistic & Investigative Non-Fiction.

May 20, 2022
MALEVOLENCE – A Hollywood Mystery by Britt Lind – Women Sleuth, Mystery Thriller, Suspense Thrillers

Britt Lind delivers the second book in her Hollywood Mystery series, Malevolence. Rosemaria Baker, a former homicide detective, serves as a Beverly Hills city prosecutor.

As an assistant DA, Rosemaria investigates the death of a teenage prostitute at a plush Beverly Hills hotel. At first, no one realized that the girl’s murder could uncover a criminal conspiracy headed by a congressman with millions of dollars at stake.

Rosemaria lives with her boyfriend, Josh, a former alcoholic she met while investigating another crime. Josh, now sober, works as a performance-shy songwriter. His love song features in a high-profile motion picture, his first major show break. A major celebrity, Joell, described as part Adele and part Celine Dion performs this song.

Josh’s passion for animal rights acts as a foundation in his relationship with Rosemaria.

In the first book, Josh and Rosemaria adopt two panthers, giving the big cats a place to call home. Now, Josh’s attention turns to Sammy the elephant. For years this poor creature endured abuse at the L.A. Zoo and Josh is committed to freeing it. His efforts will ultimately involve Joell, a broad swath of Hollywood entertainers, spokespeople for the city’s homeless community, and eventually the L.A. City Council.

In addition to the murdered girl, Rosemaria investigates other cases. Those include a senior citizen accused of embezzling funds from an old folks’ home, an undercover cop overly involved in the crimes of his teenage posse, and an alleged beating of an elderly chauffeur by his employer–a prominent physician and a large political donor.

Walter Atkins, her new boss, makes Rosemaria’s job difficult. Atkins wants her to go soft on the physician because of his high-profile connections to local politicos. When he fails to dissuade her, his anger turns to rage. But Rosemaria finds ways, including at least one devious scheme, to get him off her back.

Her main concern remains the murdered girl because of its potential ties to a larger crime.

The murdered girl overheard something when she visited the hotel room of some political figure. Those words cost the girl her life. If leaked, the information could destroy a carefully nurtured criminal enterprise involving the passage of a bill through Congress with the potential illegal payoff of millions of dollars.

Rosemaria’s investigations soon uncover two young prostitutes who knew the murdered girl. Now, they find themselves in danger of being killed because of what their friend might have told them. Would-be assassins make several attempts on their lives. They track the sex workers no matter how well their protectors work to keep them safe, leaving Rosemaria to wonder just how high up the corruption goes.

Anyone who talked to the girl or her friends might have a target on their back.

Malevolence – A Hollywood Mystery is the second book in the highly-rated series by Britt Lind. Like the first book, Malevolence weaves the themes of commitment and love, along with animal rights into the narrative. And in the end, those who should get their comeuppance do.

For readers who like their police novels with a good heart, strong female leads and a well-integrated animal rights theme, Malevolence—a Hollywood Mystery will excite and satisfy.

May 18, 2022
INDEPENDENT LIVING WITH AUTISM: Your Roadmap to Success by Wendela Whitcomb Marsh – Autism & Asperger’s Syndrome, Parenting Books on Children with Disabilities, Mental Health (Books)

Author and autism counselor Wendela Whitcomb Marsh has created a specialized guide for those with autism, seen through the eyes of five characters of different ages, with differing needs and aspirations in her book, Independent Living with Autism: Your Roadmap to Success.

Boldly launching her work with the ambitious chapter, “Solutions,” Marsh depicts some of the possible departure points for her readers: those just out of school, those who were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or who self-diagnosed, and all who face the challenges of ASD, whether alone or with family or social supports.

Marsh relays her story, focusing on the lives of five individuals with ASD.

Her five role models are: Jacob, age 18 and a high school senior facing an uncertain future; Emily, 22 and still living at home with over-protective parents; Zach, 33, who without a formal diagnosis investigated AS websites to gain clues to his particular issues; Maria, 45, divorced mother of twin daughters who are now off at college, leaving her alone and indecisive; and Robert, a sixty-two-year-old man who has inferred his AS by helping his daughter with his autistic grandson. A year will pass, during which these five people will take greater charge of their lives, aided by incidents, friends, and advice they encounter along the way.

Marsh examines the lives of her autistic characters in terms of many of the most prevalent aspects of their disorder, which can present itself in widely differing ways.

A person with ASD may feel a terror at loud noise, disgust at certain smells, fear of physical contact, obsession about a certain game or musician, the need to walk with heavy steps or slap one’s thighs rhythmically or compulsively tap one’s ears, talk too loud or too softly, avoid conversation or dominate it, all the while unaware of how these behaviors might seem to the “neurotypical” people around them.

Each of Marsh’s five subjects will learn from others and by their own diligence what changes they need to make, and what habits they may have that are in no need of alteration.

Jacob must ask a counselor’s help in inviting a girl to the prom, and that conversation changes not only his approach but his intended invitee – with positive results. Emily is determined to live on her own, even though it will mean confronting her father about the handling of her monthly support checks and learning to coexist harmoniously in a group home environment. Zach is fortunate to get a job as a temple caretaker so he pays no rent, but will branch out to other, more sociable work when experiences and practice make him ready. Maria, though very nervous about being with other people, luckily lands a home-based job as a book editor, and finds socialization with other women when she joins a book club. Robert, whose career as a TV repairman went dry when the technology changed, spends time with his “old geezer’s club” until he blurts out some inappropriate, but to him logical, remarks, and apologizes, disclosing that he has autism and gaining new acceptance.

Marsh, with two autistic adult children, concentrates her professional efforts on working with neurodivergent adults and their families. As shown in the highly organized, down-to-earth “case studies” presented here, the goal is always increasing independence for her clients, whether that means making radical changes in their habits, or understanding and embracing their quirks and helping others understand and accept them. Her panorama covers life events such as housing, recreation, and employability, and offers a list of references for further road-mapping by her readers. Her book will be of great help to those with ASD, their families, counselors, and indeed, almost anyone looking to hone social, personal and work skills and advance in all realms of life.

Independent Living with Autism by Wendela Whitcomb Marsh won Grand Prize in the 2020 CIBA I&I Book Awards for Instruction and Insight, and it’s one book we highly recommend!

May 18, 2022
FROM BRICK and DARKNESS By J. L. Sullivan – YA Urban Fantasy, Mythology, Coming of Age

Dreams become a reality for a high schooler who gets more than he bargains for when he unwittingly releases a demon in J. L. Sullivan’s urban fantasy novel, From Brick and Darkness.

Fifteen-year-old Baxter (Bax) Allen encounters a creepy homeless-looking man at his apartment complex with purple eyes. The stranger, who asks for Greg, Bax’s estranged father, hands him a ring affixed with a purple stone. The man says that the costume jewelry is valuable, although Bax has difficulty believing his claim.

At school the next day, as he shares his weird experience with his best friend, Jason, Bax accidentally rubs the ring, the stone emits a hypnotic glow, and a small monkey-like creature appears, saying, “How can it serve?” Once Bax and Jason realize that the ring summoned a genie (or Janni, as the creature says), the two plan to investigate this strange phenomenon further at Bax’s house. One thing leads to the next, and before the boys know what’s going on, Ashley, Bax’s neighbor catches a glimpse of Janni. She joins the boys and is sworn to secrecy about this enchanted creature.

Although Janni’s job is relegated to fetching objects instead of granting wishes, Bax wonders if it has untapped power, especially when Bax has a vivid dream involving his estranged father.

The dream activates the ring, causing it to emanate a purple light. Janni, who admits to knowing where to find a more powerful djinn – an ifrit, more akin to a demon – leads the trio to an ordinary box fitted with yet another purple jewel. Bax rubs it, producing a gastly-looking creature that Bax immediately orders back in the box.

That evening, Bax has another vivid dream that, to his horror, exactly matches the death of Nick Ruiz, a popular student at Truman High. The mysterious conditions behind Nick’s demise can only point to one culprit: the ifrit. Bax and his friends feverishly scramble to find a way to stop the demon from unleashing more harm. What the trio doesn’t know is that the ifrit has more sinister plans in the works.

Rising young adult author, J. L. Sullivan, combines mythology, theology, and astronomy to create an invitingly fresh, nail-biting coming-of-age teen tale.

At the center of all the “ologies” is an ordinary teen with ordinary desires, except that he often wonders about the father he barely knew who seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth. Sullivan excels at making not only Bax Allen a real person, but making the entire St. Louis-based environment come to life. In Bax’s world, teens are just teens with hormones, angst, bullies, and rumors galore.

But what happens when, amid a commonplace high school atmosphere, one teen accidentally walks into a realm beyond the three-wish genies’ basic concept? Sullivan’s imagination takes “curiosity killed the cat” to a new level when not just Bax but his clever best friend and Bax’s annoying teen neighbor are grouped as an unlikely trio on a research-driven quest that turns deadly. Because Janni and the ifrit only answer to Bax, he constantly finds himself in sticky situations. Tension builds between him and his mother as his excuses pile on top of one another.

Sullivan’s sure and engaging writing style offers a well-balanced mix of narration and dialogue with a small but mighty supportive cast that provides readers with an inside scoop on the main character’s thought processes and internal struggles. Scenes slowly build, especially while highlighting victims and surly characters, creating non-stop tension and a gripping page-turner.

From Brick and Darkness is guaranteed to become a new teen favorite.

May 16, 2022
CITY Of PEACE by Henry G. Brinton – Murder Mystery, Religious Tension, Multicultural

Religions and personalities collide, mix, and meld in this vibrant multicultural, multinational mystery by author Henry G. Brinton, set in the engaging town of Occoquan, Virginia.

Harley Camden never heard of Occoquan before he is assigned there by his bishop. She insists on a change of venue for him because both his sermons and his management of church affairs have lost their flavor – understandably – after his wife and daughter were killed in Brussels, by Islamic terrorists who used nail bombs to make their horrifying statement.

Camden realizes that he needs the change, and soon finds that, despite his inner pain, Occoquan has many charms, and many charming residents who go out of their way to make him feel at home.

Tim, who lays claim to no religion, introduces him to the remarkable history of the region, staunchly abolitionist during the Civil War. Tim also tells him about the Bayatis, an Iraqi family who operate the local bakery. Not long after Camden’s arrival, the complacent riverside town is rocked by sudden tragedy when Norah, the baker’s daughter, is murdered; the presumption made by law enforcement is that her father Muhammad is guilty of a ritualistic killing because Norah had consorted with a man, thus dishonoring her family.

To preach the Christian gospel, find forgiveness in his enraged anti-Islamic mind, and to find a way to bring together the many strands of spirituality in the town – Christian, Jewish, Muslim – will be a task that Camden never expected to take on.

Tormented by strange, seemingly prophetic dreams, and guided to meet a Coptic Christian couple and a Jewish woman about whom he receives psychic “messages,” Camden will also befriend the Bayatis and begin, almost without meaning to, to investigate Norah’s murder. In doing so he will uncover obscure but meaningful lore with a bearing on the town’s dilemma, providing regenerative fodder for his emotive sermons. In seeking Norah’s actual killer, he will also imperil himself, and ultimately uncover a terrifying danger hovering over Occoquan.

Brinton knows whereof he writes, as a Presbyterian minister and well-known journalist whose articles often encompass the themes of multiculturalism, religious understanding, and tolerance.

Examining as he does the thorny religious and political issues gripping the nation and our world today, Brinton makes Camden a spokesperson for those crucial themes. Mining materials from the history of the Galilean city of Sepphoris as the “city of peace” brings his story into broader focus, while the real-life town of Occoquan is almost a character in the book’s plot, so deeply does Brinton delve into its unique and admirable qualities.

The first in a series of Harley Camden sagas, City of Peace is a tale of disruption and chaos – followed by reconciliation and interfaith resolve – that will fascinate readers of intelligent mystery fiction and make them seek more offerings from this talented wordsmith.

City of Peace by Henry G. Brinton won 1st Place in the 2019 CIBA Mystery & Mayhem awards for Cozy & Not-So-Cozy Mysteries.

May 14, 2022
TROUBLE the WATER by Rebecca Dwight Bruff – Black & African American Historical Fiction, Biographical Fiction,

Robert Smalls’ life should have been one for the history books.

Smalls was born a slave in Beaufort, South Carolina, in 1839. When the first shots of the Civil War were fired upon Fort Sumter, Smalls was an experienced helmsman aboard a small cargo ship plying the coastal waters of South Carolina and the neighboring states. Once the war broke out, he found himself working to support a cause that kept him, his wife, and their children locked in chattel slavery.

But in a daring escapade that fell somewhere between a raid and a rescue, Smalls planned, with the help of his fellow crew members (also slaves) aboard the CSS Planter, to abscond with the ship, its cargo of munitions taken from Fort Sumter, and bring their families. The plan was to sail the ship as though its white officers were still on board, pretending to be carrying out their orders—at least until the ship was out of the reach of Fort Sumter’s guns.

If they failed to fool the Confederate batteries as they passed by in the night, the crew planned to set fire to the munitions in the hold rather than return to slavery. If they didn’t manage to strike down the Rebel colors and raise a white flag of surrender before they reached the Union blockade of the harbor, they’d be killed.

But no price was too high to pay for the hope of freedom.

This is the story of Smalls’ life from his childhood enslaved to Henry McKee through his hiring out in Charleston to his well-planned, well-executed and incredibly lucky escape, told in this fictionalized autobiography as if seen through the eyes of Robert Smalls himself.

The reader is inside the protagonist’s own thoughts and feelings as he grows from a childhood of slavery under the watchful eyes of his mother to learn at a very young age that the world in which he lives is designed to keep him in a cage. The unfairness of his world is in the very air that everyone around him breathes. To the point where those who benefit from that unfairness don’t even recognize that they are perpetuating the problem—no matter how good or how righteous or God-fearing they believe they are.

The lessons are hammered home as Smalls grows up to be a man who can never chart the course of his own destiny or make his own decisions—until he takes that destiny in his own hands at the wheel of that ship.

Smalls’ well-planned escape is the pivotal point of this true story. That desperate night makes for gripping, edge-of-the-seat reading as the small ship and its anxious crew, along with their praying families, ride the edge between hope and terror for a chance at freedom—no matter the cost.

But the heart and soul of the story are in the hero’s journey from a childhood as he grasped the cruel institution of slavery through growing consciousness of his precarious place in a world set against him. It’s not just that the reader is able to walk with him, but in this first person perspective his thoughts are laid bare and the reader can feel him reach for his own truth – and his own answers. Rebecca Dwight Bruff wrote a timely and brilliant debut novel that captures the lion-hearted Congressman Robert Smalls who continued to push boundaries for the political rights of African Americans.

Trouble the Water is an inspiring story of courage and grace under fire in its many forms. It rings with a voice of heroism along with thoughtfulness and sincerity. Stories matter.

Trouble the Water won the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards Overall Grand Prize for 2020.

May 13, 2022
LIFE FORCE PRESERVE: Book 1, Anna and the Resurgent of Precious Blood by Courtney Leigh Pahlke – Mystery, Thriller, Conspiracy

What is lurking in the shadows? When did these footprints appear outside her house? Anna is sure she’s being followed again in Courtney Leigh Pahlke’s mystery thriller, Life Force Preserve.

What is it that follows her? She’s still recovering from the last dire, grave accident. Now Anna can only wonder if that dark day, the worst day of her life, even was an accident. Someone or something is after her. With no idea why, Anna doesn’t know where to turn for help. How will she find her way, now that something beyond her control has knocked the life she loved out from under her?

Anna is suffering from disabling injuries after a shocking car accident that killed her beloved mother. Her father, brother, and best friend are all a phone call away and dedicated to helping Anna recover. Sometimes it’s surprising how far away that phone call can be. When Anna takes a terrible fall in the snow outside her house and regains consciousness, there’s a figure rushing nearby her, moving erratically and watching her. She can’t get a good look at it. Is it her imagination? She has to get away, to find safety. She has to get herself back to the hospital where they can help her.

Anna is able to make it to a cab and the hospital. What she discovers there is good news and bad news.

Tests reveal that her healing is miraculously ahead of schedule. It’s truly a mystery to the doctors how she is mending. They order more tests and procedures to be sure what they’re seeing is real. For Anna, this heartening news is quickly overshadowed by suspicious strangers in the hospital corridors. An ominous movement in her direction, a watchful stare, several others giving her too much attention and Anna is once again on the alert and on the run.

Anna’s fears are confirmed when she’s approached by Bryan. He’s a stranger yet knows about her situation. His concern and his actions to help are puzzling, but he convinces her to trust him. They leave for a safe place where Bryan introduces his associates. That’s when he explains what is after Anna and why. Her only hope, according to Bryan, is to join them in their own desperate fight against these brutal beings. Their efforts are the last chance to stop these villains from achieving their terrifying goal. Bryan offers no guarantees, and Anna must decide if she can trust him.

Author Courtney Leigh Pahlke’s Anna is a most thoughtful and courageous protagonist confronting a life altering crisis.

Now we see how Anna has to rethink what remains of her life and gather her remaining strength and judgement to find her way forward into a turbulent future. The author skillfully immerses the reader deep into Anna’s point of view so we can see the world around her as she does, feel her emotions, and weigh her choices right along with her. Anna is surrounded by an engaging group of characters. The plot pacing builds subtly at first, then intensifies with the suspense of what may be following Anna. The excitement compounds with the revelation that the risk is even bigger than Anna ever imagined. As threats close in, Life Force Preserve stands guard.

Life Force Preserve by Courtney Leigh Pahlke won 1st Place in the 2019 CIBA Global Thriller Book Awards for High-Stakes Thrillers.

May 11, 2022