Review of "A Gathering of Secrets: A Police Chief Kate Burkholder Novel" by Linda Castillo

In this tenth book in the 'Kate Burkholder' series, Kate - the Chief of Police in Painters Mill, Ohio -investigates the arson death of a young man. The book can be read as a standalone.



*****

The Amish community of Painters Mill, Ohio seems serene, but there's trouble brewing beneath the surface. First, 17-year-old Emma Miller wakes up one morning, does her chores, then hangs herself. Six months later, 18-year-old Daniel Gingerich sneaks out to the barn expecting a midnight tryst. Instead, Daniel is locked in the tack room and burned to death.



When Police Chief Kate Burkholder starts investigating Danny's death she learns that the tack room door was not only locked from the outside, but blockaded with hay bales and a wheelbarrow. Who would do such a thing? Interviews with Danny's family, close friends, and employers provide few clues, since everyone says Danny was a great guy and a good worker.

Further inquiries, however, reveal that Danny had a wild streak, and had taken advantage of being on Rumspringa to drink whiskey and buy a car. Danny also liked to attend Amish singings (gatherings of teens), and often invited Amish girls to attend with him. Danny was an amiable fellow and had little trouble luring girls into his orbit.....and not only at singings.



Kate suspects that Danny's eye for the ladies may have led to his death, but inquiries among the Amish go nowhere. The Amish seem to live by the aphorism, "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil", and zip their lips. 😑



Moreover, Kate - having been raised Amish before she left the fold - knows that Amish people hide their heads in the sand when it comes to sexual abuse/rape of women. Their first reaction is, 'it doesn't happen', and their second response is, 'if it happens, it's the woman's fault.' NOTHING could be worse for victimized young girls.

Much of the book is a police procedural, following Kate and her police officers as they question persons of interest, gather clues, study CCTV footage, look into anonymous tips, and so on. Lucky for Kate, her boyfriend John Tomasetti is an agent for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and his help is invaluable - especially his connections with fingerprint experts and the like.



As evidence accrues, Kate is reminded of an incident in her past - one so traumatic that it led her to abandon the Amish community. (This issue crops up often in the series, and I for one wish it would be put to rest already.)

There's also some excitement in the novel, and - at one point - Kate is lured into a deadly situation and has to make a 'shots fired' call.



Fair enough, since this couldn't be anticipated. It bothers me though, that Kate later waltzes into ANOTHER dangerous predicament.....without backup. I wouldn't go so far as to say Kate is TSTL, but really girl - you need to learn from your experiences!! 🙄

During the police probe, deep secrets are revealed and more deaths ensue. In the end, Kate figures out exactly what happened, and it's a sad story all around.....one made worse by everyone's silence.

I enjoy the series' tidbits about Amish society, and I like that Kate uses Pennsylvania Dutch when she speaks to Amish people. (I have a smattering of German - which is a similar language - and I like to try to suss out the meaning before I read the translation.) In this story, we also learn a little about two different Amish sects: the Swartzentruber Amish - which is very strict....



.....and the Beachy Amish - which is more liberal.



The story is a compelling page-turner, but the novels in the series are becoming too formulaic (IMO). The pattern goes as follows: there's a crime among the Amish population but no one wants to talk to the police....which usually results in additional trouble. I'd love to see something a little different in future books.

Still, I'd recommend the book to readers who like mysteries, especially Kate Burkholder fans. 🙂💚

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Linda Castillo) and the publisher (Minotaur Books) for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Doctor Death: A Madeleine Karno Mystery" by Lene Kaaberbøl

This first book in the series introduces Madeleine Karno, a budding female pathologist/detective in 1890s France.

*****

Twenty-year-old Madeleine Karno, daughter of French pathologist Dr. Albert Karno (also known as Dr. Death), takes a keen interest in science and assists her father with his cases.



This is unusual, because the year is 1894 and such pursuits are considered inappropriate for women.

When seventeen-year-old Cecile Montaine - a student at the school run by St. Bernardine Convent in Varbourg - is found dead in the snow Madeleine and her father cannot find a cause of death.



They do, however, discover odd mites exiting Cecile's nostrils. Soon afterwards the priest who prayed over Cecile's corpse is murdered and his body stolen. Moreover, a teenage boy who worked at St. Bernardine's is missing. Clearly something odd is going on.

Madeleine consults Dr. August Dreyfuss, a leading Heidelberg parasitologist, about the mites and learns they're usually found in dogs.



Turns out St. Bernardine Convent is home to a pack of wolves (for superstitious reasons) and Mother Filippa, the abbess, keeps an elderly male wolf as a pet. So dog mites...wolves...things start to gel a little bit.



As the story goes on more deaths occur, dead bodies are found to have bite marks from human teeth;



the mites are associated with a bacterial disease; a young lady seems to be hypersexual;



a young novice nun is at odds with her father; Dr. Dreyfuss takes a shine to Madeleine; and so on.



There's a lot going on and the story gets confusing. There are also a great many characters, some better developed than others.

The book's finale, though thoroughly explained, is complex, hard to believe, and not totally satisfying. All in all, I thought the book was okay. It does address some interesting concepts and I like Madeleine, a spirited young woman determined to follow her dream against all odds.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Accused: A Rosato and Associates Novel of Suspense" by Lisa Scottoline

This first book in the 'Rosato and DiNunzio' series is a spin-off of the author's popular 'Rosato and Associates' books. ***** Mary DiNunzio, a brand new partner at Rosato & Associates and a softie at heart, takes on the case of 13-year-old Allegra Gardner. Allegra's older sister Fiona was murdered six years before and Ronnie Stall, a college student who moonlighted as a waiter for Gardner family parties, was imprisoned for the crime. Allegra is convinced that Ronnie is innocent and - having c   This first book in the 'Rosato and DiNunzio' series is a spin-off of the author's popular 'Rosato and Associates' books. ***** Mary DiNunzio, a brand new partner at Rosato & Associates and a softie at heart..... .....takes on the case of 13-year-old Allegra Gardner. Allegra's older sister Fiona was murdered six years before and Ronnie Stall, a college student who moonlighted as a waiter for Gardner family parties, was imprisoned for the crime. Allegra is convinced that Ronnie is innocent and - having come into a trust fund - decides to hire a lawyer to help him. Allegra's parents are adamantly opposed to re-opening the case, insisting that Allegra has a destructive and misplaced obsession about justice. Nevertheless Mary forges ahead. There's a big problem however: Ronnie actually pleaded guilty to the crime. Mary talks to Allegra's parents and relatives, Fiona's old boyfriend, Ronnie, Ronnie's mother and members of his church, etc. - in an attempt to find the truth. Meanwhile, Mary has become engaged to her boyfriend Anthony, though she's not quite sure she wants to get married. Family and friends of the couple, however, are thrilled. This includes Mary's parents, their three friends named Tony ('the three Tonys') and Anthony's mother and brother - all very traditionally Italian. Mary's dad and the three Tonys even get peripherally involved with Allegra's case. Interactions among these folks adds a touch of humor to the plot. The story visits favorite characters from Scottoline's previous books in a plot that's engaging and has an okay (though not totally believable) resolution. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to mystery fans. Rating: 3 stars

Review of "The Second Chair: A Dismas Hardy Mystery" by John Lescroart

In this 10th book in the 'Dismas Hardy' lawyer series, the attorney helps an associate in his firm defend a boy accused of murder. The book works well as a standalone.

*****

High school student Laura Wright and her drama teacher Mr. Mooney are rehearsing for the school play in his apartment when both are shot dead.



The prime suspect is Laura's on/off boyfriend, 17-year-old Andy Bartlett, reputed to be jealous of Laura's crush on the teacher.



Defense attorney Amy Wu, an associate in Dismas Hardy's law firm, gets the case. However Amy's dad died recently and she's been drinking and partying too much and using good judgment too little. Thus, without Andy's agreement, Amy makes a deal for the boy to "admit" to the crimes.



This is supposed to guarantee that Andy will be incarcerated in the juvenile system for 8 years rather than being tried as an adult and risking life in prison without parole. When Andy refuses to "admit" to the shootings, this "misunderstanding" leads to the wrath of the prosecutor and judge, who think Amy tried to pull a fast one.



To help Amy out of the hole she dug herself Hardy says he'll act as second chair (co-attorney) during Andy's subsequent court hearings. Once involved in the case Hardy launches his own investigation, questioning witnesses and examining evidence in the author's usual satisfying style.




Meanwhile, Hardy's cop friend Abe Glitsky, now San Francisco's Deputy Chief of Investigations, is dealing with a bizarre string of serial murders around town.



I thought the early part of the book - dealing with Andy's admitting or not admitting - was too slow and drawn out. Past that part, though, the action picked up, the story got more intricate, and the intermingling of Hardy's and Glitsky's cases was deftly handled. Overall a very good mystery book, recommended to fans of the genre.

Rating: 4 stars

Review of "The Wife: A Novel of Suspense" by Alafair Burke

The Long Island Hamptons are among the ritziest vacation destinations in the country, with a robust service industry composed of year-round residents. Summer visitors may date the locals, but that's usually as far as it goes. So it's a big surprise when Jason Powell proposes to Angela - the pretty Hamptons caterer he met at a party.



Jason and Angela are something of an odd duo. Jason is a gregarious economics professor at NYU and Angela is a reserved single parent who never went to college. Still, the two wed and settle in Manhattan with Angela's school-age son Spencer.

The couple lives quietly for a few years until Jason becomes an unlikely celebrity. The professor - a strong proponent of fairness in the workplace - publishes a book called "Equalonomics", which posits that companies can 'maximize profits by making corporate decisions based on principles of equality.' The book becomes a best-seller and leads to Jason becoming a talking head on television, opening a successful consulting business, and launching a popular podcast.



Jason's newfound fame and wealth allows the couple to buy a carriage house in Greenwich Village.....



......send Spencer to an expensive private school, and treat themselves to the best of everything. You'd think all this would make Angela happy.....but not so much. It turns out that Angela is hiding a big secret, which she fears might be exposed by her husband's renown.

Still, the couple's lives are rolling along smoothly until Jason is accused of sexual harassment by a student intern named Rachel.



Rachel claims that she went to Jason's office to deliver a memo, and - when she took the opportunity to show the boss her new engagement ring - he put his hand in his pants and made suggestive remarks. For his part, Jason says that he happened to be changing his clothes when Rachel entered his office, and the supposed 'suggestive remarks' were sardonic comments about getting married too young.

It seems like this 'he said - she said' incident might blow over until another woman, Kerry Lynch - who works for one of Jason's consulting clients - accuses Jason of raping her two months before.



This time Jason suggests that Kerry is making false allegations to deflect attention from her company, which was about to be exposed for shenanigans related to supplying fresh water to poor African villages.

As often happens in cases like this, Angela stands by her man - asserting that she believes Jason.



Moreover, Angela doesn't want to upset Spencer, who thinks of Jason as his dad.



Still, Angela becomes increasingly anxious, obsessively watching the news and scanning social media - to see what it says about Jason.....and herself.

The story is told from the dual points of view of Angela and Detective Corinne Duncan - the investigator who's looking into the charges against Jason.



Duncan - who doesn't need all the Dunkin' Donut jokes.....thank you very much 😏 - knows that sometimes accusers are mistaken or untruthful about accusations of sexual harassment and/or rape, but from a 'politically correct' perspective, all allegations have to be treated as gospel truth (at least at first).

Jason's life goes down the toilet when the indictments surface.....and heads to the bottom of the sewer when Kerry Lynch suddenly disappears.



The investigation escalates at this point, and secret after secret after secret is exposed, leading to an explosive climax.

The book has an interesting array of secondary characters, including Angela's close friend (and former catering client) Susanna - an aging television journalist who's worried about her job; Jason's best friend Colin - a lawyer who has a secret crush on Angela; and Angela's mother Ginny - a fierce woman who has Angela's best interests at heart.

The book's biggest problem (IMO) is that - for purposes of plot secrecy - the author withholds a lot of information. This makes Angela's behavior appear dubious and distorts the flow of the story. Thus the book starts off a bit too slowly, but escalates to a full on gallop by the end. Overall, I enjoyed the book and recommend it to mystery fans. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Bone Deep: A Novel of Suspense" by Debra Webb

In this first book in the 'Bone' series, a man is dead and a toddler is missing.

*****

Attorney Jillian Ellington grew up in the idyllic town of Paradise, Tennessee, then moved to Mississippi for college and law school. This 'desertion' angered Jill's parents and allegedly 'killed' her father - so Jill hasn't been back for years. Now, big trouble in Paradise has drawn Jill back.

Jill has an identical twin sister Kate, who is suspected of stabbing her husband to death.....and the couple's three-year-old son is missing.



Moreover, Kate can't explain what happened because she's in the hospital.....beaten, bruised, and catatonic - unable to move or speak.

Stunned by this occurrence - and desperate to help her sister and find her nephew - Jill has returned to town. At the suggestion of her former law professor, Richard Lawton, Jill has engaged the services of former FBI profiler, Dr. Paul Phillips. Paul, who has psychic abilities, was once a top FBI analyst, but quit after a case went bad.



The profiler is now a lonely, hard-drinking depressive who rarely takes a job. In fact Paul only agreed to help Jill because he owes Professor Lawton a favor.

Jill and Paul don't hit it off right away but a romantic attraction soon has them working together. Once the duo start asking questions, though, they run into hostility from EVERYONE in Paradise, including: Jill's mother; the police chief; the mayor; the senator; and much of the local populace. It's pretty clear that the town has a secret no one wants revealed.



Paul's paranormal talents give him insight into what's going on, and he and Jill start to suspect that Paradise's medical research facility - which is very important to the town - had something to do with the death of Kate's husband and the disappearance of the toddler.



In fact, Jill and Paul fear the laboratory is engaging in unethical Nazi-like research. During their investigation, the twosome look up the experiments of the Nazi doctor, Josef Mengele - and there are graphic descriptions of the disgusting monster's horrific 'research.'



Though Jill and Paul face fierce opposition - including threats (and worse) - they carry on to uncover an almost unbelievable conspiracy. 😮

I enjoyed the suspense/mystery part of the story, which is interesting and well-done. Nevertheless, the book has some problems (IMO):

- First, it's hard to believe that Jill's decision to attend college in another state would rip her family apart. This rings a false note.

- Second, Jill's mother behaves very oddly. She actually gets angry because Jill is trying to find Kate's vanished child. Who would believe this? 🤨

- Third, the romance between Jill and Paul doesn't ring true. It's hard to accept that an attractive successful attorney would instantly fall in love with a gruff loser who's almost an alcoholic. In addition, Jill and Paul's romantic thoughts about each other are adolescent and goopy. And finally, the initial 'consummation' of the couple's love is laughable, and a picture I don't need in my mind. 😝



All that said, I'd mildly recommend the book to fans of romantic suspense. Other mystery fans can probably find books they'd enjoy more. 

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "My Mother Was Nuts: A Memoir" by Penny Marshall

I listened to the audio version of this book, narrated by the author in her unmistakable deep voice and New York accent.


Penny Marshall

Penny Marshall was born to Marjorie and Tony Marshall in 1943. Her show business career started in Marjorie's dancing school in the basement of their Bronx, New York apartment building. Young Penny, who wanted to run around the neighborhood and do her own thing, grumbled mightily about the mandatory dance lessons. However the numerous performances staged by Marjorie gave Penny confidence and stage experience.


Penny Marshall as a child

Though Marjorie Marshall loved doing shows Penny didn't become a child actress. She drifted through school and graduated with less than stellar grades. After searching for a suitable college Penny chose the University of New Mexico, which had a very lenient acceptance policy. Penny was surprised by her mom's acquiescence to this distant school....but came to realize that her mother thought all the "New" states (New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico) were clustered together. Ha ha ha. In any case, Penny headed west.


Young Penny Marshall

Penny liked college, especially partying and hanging out with the football team. Before long Penny - who was a little naive about sex - was pregnant. Soon afterward she was married and living in a cramped apartment with her husband Mickey and baby girl Tracy.


Penny Marshall and her baby daughter Tracy

The marriage soon foundered and twenty-year-old Penny lit out for Los Angeles, where her brother Garry Marshall was becoming a successfully writer/producer/director and her sister Ronny was a producer and actress.


Garry Marshall


Ronny Marshall


Penny Marshall (right) with her sister Ronny and brother Garry

Penny was an indifferent mother and left little Tracy with Micky and his parents in Albuquerque. I was put off by Penny's casual attitude about her child.....but mother and daughter grew closer when Tracy grew up.


Penny Marshall with her grown up daughter Tracy

In Los Angeles Penny, helped by her brother Garry, got small parts in various movies and TV sitcoms. Penny married Rob Reiner (star of "All in the Family") in 1971 and they bought a nice home where they entertained family and friends - including many Hollywood bigwigs and celebrities.


Penny Marshall and Rob Reiner


Penny Marshall and Rob Reiner got married

Over the course of her career Penny seems to have met almost everyone in show business (she names names.....lots and lots of names), and many of these folks became her close friends. People were always welcome to drop by Penny's house to eat, drink, do drugs, and sleep over....and some guests stayed for months (or even years). I thought this was very generous.

In 1976 Penny landed a role in "Laverne and Shirley" - she played "Laverne" and Cindy Williams played "Shirley."


Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams starred in 'Laverne and Shirley'

The program became a runaway success and Penny talks about the scripts, cast, crew, filming, locations, etc.


Cast of 'Laverne and Shirley'

She also mentions how pleased she was to be able to hire friends who needed a job. Cindy Williams left the show in Season 8, after which the two women didn't speak for 15 years. Penny was bewildered by Cindy's actions and suggests that Cindy's husband, Bill Hudson (Goldie Hawn's ex), wanted her to quit.


Cindy Williams and Bill Hudson

It's not clear exactly what happened but Penny never badmouths her co-star. In fact this isn't a 'tell-all' book at all and Penny doesn't 'dish the dirt' on anyone.

Penny and Rob divorced in 1980, a few years before "Laverne and Shirley" ended. This was a difficult period in Penny's life. Afterwards she turned to directing movies. Penny goes into great detail about each movie she helmed, including who auditioned for the leading roles, how the stars were chosen, the film crews she selected, and all the nitty gritty of movie making. I found all this very absorbing and these were my favorite parts of the book.

Penny generously acknowledges the professionals (including Steven Spielberg) who helped her learn the craft and expresses no bitterness about being overlooked - again and again - for (well deserved) Oscar nominations.


Steven Spielberg

Penny says she's satisfied doing the work she loves and entertaining people.The movies Penny directed are: "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (I love that movie); "Big"; "Awakenings"; "A League of Their Own"; "Renaissance Man";"The Preacher's Wife"; and "Riding in Cars With Boys." Penny also made a documentary about basketball player Dennis Rodman, called "Rodman Rebound."

















Penny's personal life was eclectic and intriguing. She talks about flings with various beaus and a long romance with singer/songwriter Art Garfunkel.


Penny Marshall and Art Garfunkel

Penny also traveled all over the world; threw numerous joint birthday parties with Carrie Fisher (featuring fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and a roster of A-list guests);


Penny Marshall and Carrie Fisher

Penny mourned the deaths of friends; welcomed the birth of grandchildren; took care of her aging parents; repeatedly went to the Pritikin Spa to get healthy and stop smoking (the smoking part didn't work); obtained season tickets to the Lakers and the Clippers; and much more. Penny also speaks about her 2010 diagnosis of lung cancer - which spread to her brain. Penny reports that - right after she heard the news - she asked someone to go out and buy her White Castle hamburgers.



The actress glosses over the illness but mentions that she went into remission after treatment.

I enjoyed Penny's book and think it would be fun to join her for pizza (or hamburgers) and beer and hear more stories about television, movies, and Hollywood personalities. This is a fun light book that I'd recommend to fans of celebrity memoirs.

Rating: 3.5 stars