Review of "Finger Lickin' Fifteen: A Stephanie Plum Novel" by Janet Evanovich

In this 15th novel in the 'Stephanie Plum' series, the bounty hunter and her cohorts serve up the usual zany fun. The book can be read as a standalone.



*****

Stephanie Plum's friend and co-worker Lula arrives at work in a frazzle, having just seen two thugs chop off a man's head.



At Lula's urging, Stephanie calls her sometimes boyfriend, Detective Joe Morelli, to investigate.



When the head turns up, the victim is identified as Stanley Chipotle, a well-known celebrity chef.



Chipotle was in town to promote a barbecue contest sponsored by the makers of 'Fire in the Hole Red Hot Barbecue Sauce.'

Morelli sets out to catch the chef's killers, but he's not alone in his quest. The barbecue sauce company is offering a million dollar reward for the capture of Chipotle's killers, and Lula wants to win the prize. Speculating that a cook-off contestant killed Chipotle, Lula decides to enter the competition and (hopefully) find the murderers there.



Since Lula can't cook she teams up with Grandma Mazur, and the two wackos try to perfect a recipe for tasty barbecue ribs. Unfortunately Lula and Grandma Mazur have neither the know-how nor the proper equipment, and they create one disaster after another.



In the meantime, the killers - knowing Lula can ID them - keep trying to bump her off. Lula takes to wearing a flak helmet and Kevlar vest - which makes a nice contrast with her hunky firefighter boyfriend, who wears a blue Dolly Parton evening gown.



While all this is going on, Stephanie is chasing bail skips AND doing a side job for Ranger's security company, Rangeman.



Some of Ranger's clients have experienced break-ins, and Stephanie is checking out the Rangeman staff - to see if an 'inside man' is stealing security codes. As usual, there's lots of 'flirting' between Ranger and Stephanie. 😉

An on-going joke in the series is Stephanie's bad luck. In this book, several of her cars burn down or explode;



Lula and Grandma Mazur blow up a pressure cooker in her apartment; killers shoot grenades into her windows; she's attacked with paint balls; and a bucket of paint is spilled on her. In a very funny scene, Lula gets stuck in Stephanie's car window - with her generous butt on the inside and her big boobs on the outside.

Many series' regulars make an appearance including Stephanie's mom - who introduces Stephanie to 'eligible bachelors' (unemployed losers); Stephanie's dad - who unhappily endures barbecue experiments for dinner; and Joyce Barnhardt - who puts her skanky eye on Morelli - much to Stephanie's chagrin.

Eventually, Rangeman's problems are solved; Chipotle's killers are nabbed; and the reader's had a lot of laughs.

This is an entertaining cozy mystery, recommended to fans of the genre.



Rating: 3 stars

Review of "The Purity of Vengeance: A Department Q Novel" by Jussi Adler-Olsen

In this fourth book in the 'Department Q' series, Detective Morck and his team deal with a Nazi-ish politician and a woman who wants revenge. The novel can be read as a standalone.

*****

Several decades ago, Danish farm girl Nete Hermansen lost her mother at a young age, and growing up among her father and brothers, learned to curse like a sailor and freely exhibit her body - habits that shocked teachers and townsfolk.



After a difficult childhood and two early pregnancies Nete was sent to Sprogo Island by evil Dr. Curt Wad, a eugenicist determined to rid Denmark of 'inferior people.'



Sprogo Island housed girls considered to be mentally defective or sexually promiscuous, and the girls were treated harshly, forced to work, and often sterilized.



Later - after Nete left Sprogo, got an education, and was happily married - a chance meeting with Dr. Curt Wad upturned her life once again.



Meanwhile, in the present, Copenhagen police Department Q is looking into a series of decades-old disappearances. The cold case squad consists of three odd but endearing individuals: Detective Carl Morck;



His language-challenged assistant Assad;



And his secretary Rose, who appears to have a peculiar type of multiple personality disorder.



The investigations reveal that the old disappearances seem to have ties both to Dr. Curt Wad, who now heads a political party poised to institute eugenics in Denmark, and to Nete Hermansen, now an elderly lady living alone.



When the police start to look into Dr. Curt Wad he panics, afraid his old Nazi-like tactics on Sprogo will be exposed, and Wad and his allies take extreme measures to protect themselves.

Nete Hermansen's connection to the disappearances revolve around retribution against those who wronged her in her youth.

The story skillfully switches back and forth between past and present and engages the reader in every scene. The characters are well written and varied: some funny, some earnest, some evil creeps you'd gladly throttle. Not too many twists and surprises but a very good book. Highly recommended.



Rating: 4 stars

Review of "Die Like an Eagle: A Meg Langslow Mystery" by Donna Andrews

In this 20th book in the 'Meg Langslow' series, the blacksmith/amateur detective investigates a murder related to her kids' baseball league. The book can be read as a standalone.



*****

Meg Langslow - blacksmith, wife, mother, amateur sleuth, and assistant to the mayor of Caerphilly - is the team mom for her twin sons' baseball team, the Eagles. The President of the Caerphilly Summerball League is local builder Biff Brown, a dictatorial bully who makes up and enforces his own rules.



In addition, Biff's company is contracted to maintain the baseball field, but he does almost nothing. Thus the field is all weeds and potholes with bleachers and dugouts that are falling apart and one small smelly porta-potty. And wouldn't you know it, on Summerball League opening day the cramped porta-potty contains the body of a dead man.



First identified as Biff Brown, the body turns out to be his lookalike brother Shep. Is Biff the intended victim or is it really Shep - an umpire notorious for making calls that favor Biff's teams?



Another attempt on Biff's life seems to answer the question. Police Chief Burke investigates the crimes with a little unofficial help from Meg.

As it happens Biff has been hired to remodel Caerphilly town square and - as aide to the mayor - Meg has to track his progress.....which is zero. Biff has also been ignoring Meg's phone calls and texts for weeks. So the amateur detective decides to visit Biff's estranged wife and previous clients, to find out more about him.

Meg soon gets an earful: Biff's jobs are shoddy or incomplete; he has a bad temper; he extorts money from clients for the baseball league; and so on.

Besides the mystery there's plenty going on in the story: kids are practicing and playing baseball and there's a picnic for the Caerphilly Eagles and their families (the 'Biff alert' during the party is funny);



The Summerball League has an important meeting; Shep's drunken ex-wife totters over to the police station and fires a gun; and more.



Like other books in the series, Meg's extended family is on hand to help out as needed. Meg's mom is very resourceful, able to conjure up a party for 100 people (with an enormous amount of food) in an hour and to produce volunteers for the Summerball League's snack stand at a moment's notice.

This is an enjoyable light mystery that would appeal to readers who like cozies, especially Meg Langslow fans. 

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "The Supremes Sing The Happy Heartache Blues: A Novel" by Edward Kelsey Moore

This sequel to The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat revisits three women - Odette, Clarice, and Barbara Jean - who grew up as best friends in Plainview, Indiana. Affectionately called 'The Supremes', the trio of African-American women, now in their sixties, have supported each through life's ups and downs for decades.

I strongly suggest that interested readers start with the first book.

*****

Odette and her husband James are happily married empty nesters, whose children and grandchildren live in Chicago.



Odette, who was born in a sycamore tree, is a fearless woman who sees - and speaks with - ghosts....most often her mother and Eleanor Roosevelt. James is a State Trooper with a long facial scar from the time his drug-addict father cut him with a razor blade before deserting the family. James fell in love with Odette when they were in grade school, and the story behind this is marvelous!💖

Clarice is a concert pianist, living separately from her husband Richmond, who was a notorious womanizer. The couple still see each other, especially when Clarice needs some loving.



Clarice is happy with the arrangement, but Richmond wants to reconcile - and is trying to prove that he's mended his ways.

Barbara Jean is a gentle philanthropist who's married to the love of her life.



The beautiful, wealthy fashionista has clothes closets that would swallow the average apartment. 👗 However, when she was a child, Barbara Jean lived in a run-down shack with her drug addict, prostitute mother.

*****

As the book opens, Clarice's elderly mother Beatrice - a very devout Christian lady, is marrying Forrest Payne - owner of the Pink Slipper Gentleman’s Club.



The club was once a nightclub/brothel, but 'true love' convinced Forrest to turn it into a music venue. The wedding of the two octogenarians has brought legendary guitar bluesman El Walker 🎸 back to Plainview, to sing at the nuptials. El left town under a cloud more than fifty years ago, and his return starts a lot of wheels turning.



As a child, El lived in the same terrible foster home as Barbara Jean's mother Loretta, who he thought of as a sister. The bluesman has memories and photos of Loretta to share with Barbara Jean, who comes to understand her mother better.



El also has other connections to Plainview, which are revealed as the story unfolds.

Another thread of the story revolves around twentyish Terry Robinson, who used to hide out in Odette's pavilion when he was a frightened schoolboy. Odette befriended the youth, who was shunned by his father and bullied by his schoolmates for being too feminine.



When Terry's father threw him out, the boy loudly vowed to come back and piss on his dad's grave. That time might be getting close, since Terry's father - Wayne Robinson - is dying.....and quite worried about the peeing.😒



As all this is going on, Clarice is preparing for an important piano recital in Chicago, a concert that could affect her future as a musician. Clarice is extremely nervous about the upcoming show, and her anxiety is exacerbated by Richmond's constant pleas to get back together.

The book depicts a lot of heartache, with many of the most painful scenes harking back to difficult childhoods, drug addiction, illness, and dysfunctional families.

There's also plenty of humor in the novel. Some of the funniest parts are about Clarice's cousin Veronica, who longs to be influential and admired. Veronica has a new grandbaby, Apollo, who (unfortunately) looks like an ugly little piglet. People's reactions to photos of little Apollo - and the infant himself - are hilarious. (If you're a 'Seinfeld' fan, this is reminiscent of the ugly baby episode.)



Veronica's issues comes to a head when she substitutes for the sick pastor at a Sunday church service. Veronica's sermon - and what she says afterward - will be remembered in Plainview forever!😁

Edward Kelsey Moore has created memorable characters that range from religious zealots to people who are gay and transgender. The empathy of (most of) the townsfolk toward the latter folks is nice to see.

I enjoyed this book very much, and look forward to more stories about the residents of Plainview. Highly recommended.

Rating: 4 stars

Review of "Dangerous Minds: A Knight and Moon Thriller" by Janet Evanovich

This second book in the 'Knight and Moon' cozy mystery series finds Emerson Knight and Riley Moon trying to save the world from a nefarious conspiracy. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Since she lost her bank job, financial advisor Riley Moon has been working for hunky eccentric billionaire Emerson Knight, trying to straighten out his financial records.





Knight has no patience for this tedious paperwork, so he's thrilled when his friend, Buddhist monk Bagus Wayans, shows up at his mansion - called Mysterioso Manor - in Washington DC.





Bagus, who was living on a small island in the Pacific Ocean, has a strange story to tell. He was forcibly removed from his island by furtive strangers - and when he escaped and went home, the island was gone.



Knight is intrigued by this odd occurrence, and the game's afoot. Emerson, Riley, and Bagus hurry off to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to ask about the missing land mass. The NOAA claims they have no record of the island, which seems very suspicious.



Meanwhile, Emerson's cousin Vernon - a crude but likable schlub who lives in an RV behind Mysterioso Manor and writes a blog about unexplained occurrences - learns that hikers have been vanishing from U.S. National Parks.....especially parks with volcanic activity.



So Emerson decides that he and his friends - Riley, Bagus, and Vernon - will go to Yellowstone National Park to investigate the case of the missing trekkers.

SPOILER ALERT    SPOILER ALERT    SPOILER ALERT

All this activity brings Emerson and his friends to the attention of Bart Young - director of the National Park Service, and Tim Mann ('Tin Man') - the murderous head of security for park resources. These two tough dudes spread their chests, try to intimidate the foursome, and tell them to mind their own business....or else.🔫



Of course the adventurers ignore the warning and proceed to search Yellowstone.



They don't find any missing hikers but they DO come upon a multi-billion dollar installation with enormous pumps that are bringing up lava. Further investigation reveals a scheme that can endanger the entire Earth.



The intrepid bunch then make their way to Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii, where their peril from Tin Man escalates even further.



Emerson, Riley, Bagus, and Vernon will have to fight for their lives if they're going to save the planet. (This series leans toward these kinds of fearsome, over-the-top scenarios.) 😲

END SPOILER ALERT    END SPOILER ALERT   END SPOILER ALERT 

The globetrotters hilarious escapades involve hatchets; guns; cars; planes; helicopters; enormous lava tubes; science fiction-like matter traps; a forklift; and more - as wicked villains hunt the foursome, and allies and friends help them out.


Lave tube

We're also treated to Bagus's mystical Buddhist philosophy and sharp sense of humor. When asked how he got to Washington DC, Bagus says, "I walked." From Bali? “I walked onto a boat. Then I walked onto a plane. Then, when the plane landed in Richmond, I walked some more.”



During the team's adventures, Emerson and Riley take baby steps in their budding romance💖.



Bagus demonstrates Houdini-like powers of escape; Vernon constantly makes (what he thinks are) hilarious raunchy remarks.....and we learn why Vernon's ex-girlfriend is SO mad at him (and the reason is a doozy!).

This is a fun cozy mystery. Recommended to fans of the genre.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Rough Weather: A Spenser Novel" by Robert B. Parker

In this 36th addition to the 'Spenser' series, the private detective deals with abduction and murder. The book can be read as a standalone, though familiarity with the characters is a bonus.

*****

As the story opens, beautiful socialite Heidi Bradshaw glides into Spenser's Boston office to engage his services.



Heidi tells the private detective that her daughter Adelaide is getting married on her private island, Tashtego, in a few days. With come hither glances, the sexy diva goes on to explain that she's separated from her husband and needs a 'substitute man' for the weekend celebration - presumably to watch out for trouble.

Heidi offers Spenser a large fee to attend the affair, even though the island has a professional security service. Spenser agrees to go, and arranges to bring his longtime girlfriend -psychologist Susan Silverman - to the festivities. Susan packs enough clothes to fill Bloomingdale's and off they go. 👗🕶



On the day of the wedding, Spenser and Susan are shocked to see Spenser's longtime nemesis, Rugar (The Gray Man) stroll into the venue.



They hope Rugar won't make any trouble, but no such luck. During the ceremony, Rugar's cohorts arrive in a helicopter, and - before long - shots are fired, people are dead, and newlywed Adelaide is kidnapped.



Spenser is shocked, because this kind of flamboyant abduction isn't Rugar's style. The Gray Man is a pro, and his crimes are usually less showy. So what's up? Is the kidnapping a cover for something else? The picture gets even murkier when there isn't an immediate ransom demand for the bride.

Spenser, who's upset about the crime occurring on his watch, is determined to find out what's going on - and to rescue Adelaide. Spencer starts investigating, with backup from his tough-as-nails friend Hawk.



The two men learn that Heidi has always been a gold-digging vamp; that the socialite's various husbands need looking into; that Adelaide is a troubled girl; that a lot of money is at stake; and more.

After Spenser starts making inquiries, a bunch of thugs try to kill him and Rugar phones to warn him off. This is followed by the brutal murder of another person of interest. Nothing will stop Spenser, though, until he gets answers, and hopefully the girl.



As usual, Spenser and Hawk exchange lively humorous repartee - which is always a highlight of these books.



The two bruisers also get into scrapes with the bad guys, and (of course) come out on top.

In the course of the story, Spenser, Susan and Hawk hang out and play with Blanche (the bulldog).



They also have lively conversations; exchange opinions about the crimes; drink some bubbly; dine out; etc. They go to an Italian eatery where Hawk enjoys his chop; Spenser has his usual pasta Bolognese; and Susan nibbles a salad. (I'd be surprised if Susan eats more than 600 calories a day.) I always enjoy these scenes of the characters' normal, everyday activities.

Susan and Spenser's love affair, and the accompanying banter and intimacy, is going strong. 🧡 I could do with a bit less of this, but it's a boon for romance lovers.



The novel is a good addition to the series, with plenty of excitement and suspense. I'd recommend it to mystery readers, especially fans of the Spenser books. 

Rating: 3 stars