My Buy Essay

Posts Tagged ‘mystery’

The Crack in the Teacup, by C.M. Albrecht, is a mystery fiction novel with a slight seasoning of romance and suspense to spice things up. The story line is centered in a small Californian town where an 11-year-old boy, Jerry Beakey, goes missing on his way to a music lesson. Author C.M. Albrecht skillfully walks the reader through every aspect of the case and what happens in police departments, support centers and within the family of the missing person.

There are two main characters in The Crack in the Teacup. Detective Steve Music and his co-workers butt-heads with the FBI while working on the case. Lovely, and sympathetic, Shelly Lambert guards an awful secret and harbors a guilt that drives her to volunteer at the Missing and Exploited Children Coalition whenever she could get away from her job as a Notary.

Whenever Detective Music and Shelly meet during the investigation, something deeper between them happens. Neither of them seems to know what to do about it. Steve discovers Shelly’s secret when he looks into her past and creates a huge rift between them that could destroy their romance.

A classic who-dun-it written in the Agatha Christi style with a very unusual motive for child kidnapping. I suspected nearly everyone involved at some point in the book and I liked that the characters represented true society, with people of different races, ideals and backgrounds. The Crack in the Teacup has very little violence, but a lot of mystery and a happy ending.

ISBN#: 1-59466-037-9

Author: C. M. Albrecht

Publisher: Port Town Publishing

This 284-page mystery thriller has twists and turns that will keep readers guessing right until the end. I was thinking about the book for days after I completed this review project. I knew it had to be read again from the moment I finished the last page.

Handsome, well-built Michael Bannagan is CEO and founder of a successful computer company &ndash he’s also a womanizer. Unaccustomed to hardship or a messy life, Michael is having a difficult time with his cold and beautiful wife. He’s been caught cheating, again (but he’s not the only one), and she wants a divorce. Out of the blue, he finds he is arrested for a murder he did not commit. All the clues point to Michael and he knows he is being set up &ndash but by whom, and by how many? Are they working together? And WHY?! After all, Michael has never done anything evil in his life.

Don’t Go Alone is a story of high-society – of limousines, kept wives and fancy homes. It is a story of passion and shame, of regrets and betrayal, mistakes and love… hate and revenge.

This is the third book by Margaret Lenois that I have had the pleasure of reviewing. She may very well be the next female author that we see on the best selling list!

ISBN#: 0-9771971-3-1

Author: Margaret Lenois

Publisher: Better Be Write Publishing

Druxel Manor is a stimulating thriller-mystery-romance novel that keeps the reader guessing. Who do you trust? Everyone seems to know a little something but no one is willing to explain &ndash or rather, what is revealed only creates more confusion.

There are three main characters here. Trevor and Angel are adopted siblings who were raised in a life of the privileged &ndash growing up in a mansion and attending only the best of schools. Angel is a dedicated and driven journalist, while her brother is obsessed with his quest to find their biological parents. Their adopted parents’ insistent warnings to never try to find their real parents and other small clues drove Trevor to find out the truth. In his bones, he knew something was out of place and what he found out put both of their lives at stake.

Suddenly, Angel finds herself thrown into the midst of a mysterious and dangerous adventure &ndash and she has no idea why. Then James arrives, her rescuer and protector &ndash whether she likes it or not – and her undeniable animal attraction to him turns her world upside down. She must decide who to trust and find out the reason for all the things left unexplained.

Tarra Young performed a difficult task in keeping the pace fast and momentum high in this novel. I never knew what was going to happen next &ndash and all my suspicions were wrong in the end. I thought this book was a fun and interesting read and is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy a good mystery.”

Publisher: Publish America, Inc.

ISBN#: 1413766242

Author: Tarra Young

Fern’s Dragon is a wonderfully fun read that stimulates the imagination of both young people and the young-at-heart alike. It is a good mystery-fantasy story that is artfully composed.

Fern is a bright, artistic young girl who is utterly fascinated with dragons. One day she created a masterpiece with beach sand and loved it so much that she was reluctant to leave her dragon, Nogard. When her mother brought Fern to visit Norgard, they were shocked to discover he was missing. Later that night, Fern is visited by Norgard, who begs for her help in saving dragon-kind.

Little Fern finds herself leading the last of the race of dragons, following clues and trying to piece together a way to save the dragon king &ndash the only dragon with the power to stop the catastrophe about to fall.

David Wills has done a superb job on this children’s book. His use of colors and visually stimulating words is sure to spark the imagination. The light ending will leave a smile on the readers’ face.

I highly recommend this book to parents, as they are unlikely to become bored with their children begging to have the story repeatedly read to them. I know I certainly enjoyed it.”

ISBN# 1413770177

Publisher: Publish America, Inc

Author: David Wills

The first thing that stood out for me about Michael Putegnat’s novel, Laguna, was the author’s excellent writing skills. He has the ability to create a vision in the readers mind and employs a clever use of humor. Attractive hooks at the ending of most chapters kept me unable to resist reading at least the first paragraph or two of the next one.

Laguna opens with Octavio Paredes, the missing fisherman, and his wife Anajita. This interesting inter-racial marriage gives glimpses of underlying racism in their families. From there we are introduced to Jason, a sergeant at a police station, and his brother Jack, who is depressed and out-of-work. The hands of fate drag these two brothers into the case of the missing fisherman. Intriguing threads lead back to Jack’s old job and his only refuge is his sailboat. However the unexpected romance with Angela brings a ray of relief to Jack’s battered life.

Sweet Angela, the green-eyed daughter of Sophia Poole, is more than she seems. She gets that from her mother. Sophia, no ordinary elderly lady, holds an emotional secret.

John Mange, his wife and two sons are facing financial loss on a grand scale. But nothing small in this family has been done in more than four generations. Greed runs deep in John’s genes and like his forefathers, he stoops to unspeakable levels to get what he desires most.

Enter Fester Stubb, a former IRS tax fraud specialist is employed by John Mange. John doesn’t yet know it, but he has just made his biggest mistake.

As you can probably tell by the list of characters, the back cover statement accurately describes the setting for Laguna as a place where “power and greed are the new religion and love is an accident”.

This book invokes political scams and rich men’s schemes, harbored loves and dedications that control women’s lives – and my favorite of all themes &ndash the love and desire to protect the environment. I love the good verses evil scenario set out from the start. Here we have greed working against vengeance with the backdrop of romance and the need to do what is right. I was stunned to discover this is this author’s very first book. It is of excellent quality with writing skills I have seldom seen.

The characters are made to appear so real. No one in particular is a “hero”, yet they all play a heroic part in some way &ndash each without knowledge of what any of the others were doing. It was a great example of what each of us can do by playing an active role.

In his real life, author Michael Putegnat is familiar with the political arenas and enjoys sailing. He also comes from a long line of Texans; his family has lived in the state for 5 generations or so. Because of this, his book comes alive for the reader with seemingly little effort on his part.

This has to be one of the best detective novels I have read in some time &ndash right up there with Lawrence Sanders! P.J. Lawton is far from new to the world of writing and he displays excellent story-writing skills in Lethal Option. He shares much of the same history as his main character, giving the detective more depth than could be achieved otherwise.

I think I would classify this book as a ‘thriller-mystery’. The reader is taken on a roller-coaster ride from one seemingly unconnected crime into another. The main character is a Private Investigator who has a loyal heart and honestly tries to make wrongs right whenever he can. Along with his military history and police experiences, the PI was aware of and listened to his sixth sense, which allowed him to detect when things were not quite right &ndash a lethal combination. In his private life his heart is beginning to awaken after many years of slumber and he is faced with a decision that he is not sure he is ready to make. Eventually the PI encounters something so great that it changes his destiny, and possibly his character, forever.

I sincerely enjoyed reading and reviewing this book. Honestly, I could not put it down and I have already begun a second read &ndash this time for pleasure. I will be found pacing the floors until I can get my hands on book #2 to see what happens next! I give this book the highest rating possible and recommend it highly to readers who love a book that makes you think.”

ISBN#:1413779301

Publisher: Publish America

Author: P.J. Lawton

Quest for the Source of Darkness, Patricia Perry’s first novel, has an action fantasy story line with a strong mystery theme and an interesting romantic twist. This is no short novel, at 422 pages you’ll be kept entertained for quite a while.

The main hero character is a strong and gifted woman who is stricken with a form of memory loss. Little flashes of memory come to her, but she is frustrated with not knowing who she is and what her origins are. All she can remember is her name, Ramira.

Baffled in a tumultuous world of elves, dwarves and desert nomads, whose inability to co-exist peacefully could spell doom for all. They are forced to work together to battle the evil Mahn and his minions, a variety of demons from the low demons called Kreetch to the terrifying Vox, who are capable of possessing a body and torturing its soul for centuries.

The Elf Kings, Alyxandyr and Gard, and their royal peers – the Dwarf King, Seven, and the rulers of the Herkahs, Zada and Allad – converge together at the gates of grand city of Bystyn. Together their people find solace in numbers while they prepare to battle the sourcerous evil. Ramira discovers her power and learns that she is not meant to be alone. There is also a powerful seer and the hidden elf magic to aid her &ndash but they all must grow in strength if there is to be any hope at all.

Patricia does not explain things in this novel. Instead, the book expertly unfolds little tantalizing bits to the reader at just the right pace. Quest for the Source of Darkness is a larger-sized book that will take the reader on fantasy adventure for many days.

ISBN#: 141377427X

Author: Patricia Perry

Publisher: Publish America

Scott Underhill takes readers on a stimulating, emotional ride in his book The Cranberry Bog, an environmental suspense novel. Environment Engineer, Jeff Ridge works for the Environment Protection Agency. He and his co-worker, Tara Clemens, are walking on eggshells around an unusual assignment after being called into investigate tainted water at a Bed and Breakfast owned by Joshua and Debra Klickman. Jeff and Tara are quickly exposed to the ‘small town syndrome’ &ndash everyone knows everyone else’s business.

Meanwhile, Jeff is feeling ousted by his superiors who choose to compromise the Sheziou Report. Heated tempers and flared verbal exchanges are not enough to deter Jeff from his ideals. When the criminals resort to beatings and persecution, Jeff is only fueled by the knowledge that he is on to something big. The mysterious helper who drops off notes and envelopes of evidence leads Jeff to clues that egg him on to seek the truth.

Attraction to Lydia Kittle, the heiress of Kittle Manufacturing, contradicts his nearly fanatic feelings towards big business, which has often turned its back on the environment. Jeff’s tragic tale of loss froze his heart, but the sight of Lydia gives him the strength to thaw and except love again.

I really enjoyed reading this novel, which seemingly has it all. Environmental pollution, corrupt officials, politicians and companies lead to thrilling chase scenes and to cold-blooded murder. It is a moving romance with a glorious ‘David against Goliath’ theme that will have you cheering for the underdog. Of course, the focus on the environment is very appealing to me as I deeply cherish, and work towards, the health of the planet.

I highly recommend Scott Underhill’s novel, The Cranberry Bog &ndash and I look forward to reading his other novel, Give a Little!

ISBN#: 0975357158

Author: Scott Underhill

Publisher: The WordPro Press

I enjoyed reading this book. The characters were portrayed very well. Jack, a multimillionaire who experiences mid-life crisis and ends up finding meaning to his life &ndash but it costs him millions of dollars and emotional pain. Adele is a heavy-drinking, free-living, multimillionaire with an independent mind and a sense of humor. Wendy, a single mother who finds the love of her life. Mixed up educators playing with their students’ lives in their conquest and the retiring professor who resists this plot has a big secret. A married advisor carries on an affair with another man and when he is discovered, he thinks his world has ended.

I would say this fiction is a light comedy that is quite entertaining and has some romance elements as well. Author Robert Mercer-Nairne brings attention to common human frailties with a sense of fun. He clearly reveals the desire to ‘get rich quick’ in North American Society. Members of this society tend to hear what we WANT to hear and perceive the greener pasture out there somewhere &ndash rather than in the here and now.

Readers are shown the foolishness of following others blindly and the danger of where our greed can take us. Innocents can have their life irrevocable altered by someone else’s desire to climb a corporate or social ladder. The benefit of spiritual leaders to help ground the characters in this novel, helping them learn to forgive themselves and move on in life is used at several points in the story.

I recommend this book for anyone looking for a light, entertaining read.

ISBN#: 0974814105

Publisher: Gritpoul, Inc

Author: Robert Mercer-Nairne

Carol Bennett writes a stunning mystery-thriller. Her chilling entrance is one I have encountered only rarely in a book. Here, we have a victim who looks like he had been swarmed by bees in the middle of a storm, but the reader is lead to believe that it was something much more ominous and that it is about to get worse.

There are many characters in the tale, but a group of teenagers that are about to graduate from high school (Mike, Jack, Jared, Jenny, Tracy, Dana, Alan) and Sheriff Nate are the main characters. The lead character, Mike, is more like a father figure for the group in that he concerns himself with the needs of his friends and becomes a compassionate leader to his community during an emergency. His girlfriend Dana, as a sweet and supportive character, gives him strength. Shy, Jenny who is blooming into a beautiful girl has a crush on Mike’s friend Jack, which sends Alan into a jealous frenzy. Though James and Tracy are dating, their buddy Jared holds a secret fondness for Tracy.

Carol did a wonderful job in portraying the characters in Unspoken Dreams. I was so involved in the story that by the time Mike finally broke down in grief for his friends’ death, I had tears running down my cheeks &ndash this was less than 2 dozen pages into the book! Mike’s humorous relationship with his parents had me laughing aloud. And I felt real pity for Alan’s situation.

An excellent read for those who love a good thriller with a solid rate of tension throughout the book.”

ISBN#: 1413767397

Publisher: Publish America, Inc

Author: Carol Bennett