Review of "Vertigo 42: A Detective Richard Jury Mystery" by Martha Grimes

In this 23rd book in the 'Richard Jury' series, a classic movie and two well-known novels provide clues when the Detective Superintendent investigates a number of deaths.

The novel can be read as a standalone, but readers familiar with the series would probably enjoy the story more.



*****

Twenty-two years ago - at a children's party thrown by Tess Williamson - young Hilda Palmer was found dead at the bottom of an empty swimming pool. No charges were filed but Hilda's mother held Tess responsible. Five years later Tess was found dead at the bottom of a steep staircase. The general consensus was that her vertigo resulted in a fatal fall.



In the present day, Tess's husband Tom - thinking his wife's death was no accident - asks Detective Superintendent Richard Jury to look into the old case. Meanwhile, other recent deaths come to Jury's attention: a beautiful blonde in a designer dress and shoes dies of a 'fall' from a tower; and an unidentified man who was looking for a lost dog is found shot.

As usual in Martha Grimes books Jury's friends in Northamptonshire - Melrose Plant and his eccentric cohorts - get involved in Jury's investigations.



There are also two 'found' dogs in the tale, Joey and Stanley.

During their investigations, Jury and his tea-loving assistant Sergeant Wiggins question everyone who was at the party where Hilda died.



They learn that Hilda was a bully, disliked by children and adults alike.



They also discover some possible links behind the recent deaths of the blonde and the dog-lover with those of Hilda and Tess.

The movie "Vertigo" and the books "A Passage to India" and "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" keep popping into Jury's mind as he looks into the cases, which seem to provide him with clues to the crimes.



The plot meanders and the resolution of the cases seems unlikely but it's fun to visit with the familiar, well-liked characters in the series. An okay book to pass some time.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Color Me Murder: Pen and Ink Mysteries #1" by Krista Davis

This is the first book in Krista Davis's new 'Pen and Ink' cozy mystery series.

*****



Twentysomething Florrie Fox is the manager of the 'Color Me Read' bookstore in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC. This is the perfect job for Florrie, because she loves to read mysteries AND she creates her own line of adult coloring books.



Florrie is trying to find an apartment closer to work when her boss, peripatetic Professor John Maxwell, offers her the carriage house on his nearby estate.....rent-free.



Maxwell's only caveat is that Florrie has to move in immediately because his sister, Liddy Woodley, wants her good-for-nothing son Delbert to occupy the premises.



It seems that Delbert - who scams/steals from everyone he meets - has been thrown out by his roommates and needs a new place to live. Florrie gets her things into the carriage house in the nick of time, just before Liddle and Delbert come snooping around.

When Florrie comes across Delbert in the bookstore the next day, he nastily tells her that he's going to inherit his uncle's estate and her job will be toast. Professor Maxwell tells Florrie not to worry, that he'll take care of Delbert. A day or so later Delbert's dead body is found in an old bootlegger's hidey-hole in the bookstore, with an ornamental spear in his back.



The police are called, and Florrie is immediately taken with Sergeant Eric Jonquille, a hunky beat cop who has 'delphinium blue eyes and auburn curls.'



After a very minimal investigation (this only happens in cozies), Professor Maxwell is arrested by hard-headed Detective-Sergeant Guy Zielony - who won't consider any other suspects.



As Maxwell is being led away in handcuffs he tells Florrie to use her little gray cells and artistic skills to find the real killer. So - employing the detective smarts she's gleaned from mysteries and the clues she doodles in her sketchpad - Florrie investigates.

Before long strange things start to happen. Professor Maxwell's mansion is ransacked and his butler/houseman Mr. Dubois is seriously injured; someone tries to break into the carriage house; a woman is badly hurt by an electrical mishap; mysterious noises are heard; and so on. With all this going on, guards are brought in to protect Maxwell's estate, and Jonquille becomes Florrie's 'bodyguard.'

During Florrie's inquiries, she collects clues, speaks to people who knew Delbert (most of whom he's wronged), and cogitates about the peculiar things that have been happening. In the end, Florrie identifies the culprit - who I didn't guess.....and who doesn't quite ring true IMO.

Florrie is a short, amiable young woman who dresses nicely and likes to bake delicious pastries - like blueberry buns and strawberry tortes.



She has a kitty named Peaches and - for safety purposes - borrows her parents' dog Frodo - who everyone loves.



In short, Florrie is a charming girl who's considerate of the bookstore's employees; gets along well with Professor Maxwell's eccentric erudite friends; and always brings breakfast to Jim - a homeless man who sits on a bench near the bookstore every morning. Florrie's not too hip though, and - when she has to check out a nightclub for clues - Florrie's tall blonde sister Veronica has to advise her to wear ripped jeans, a short glittery shirt, and high heels.

In addition to the central mystery in the book (Who killed Delbert?), there are lots of other things going on. Professor Maxwell's ex-wife goes missing; a writer whose books were plagiarized by Delbert gives a talk at the bookstore; a family friend named Norman pursues Florrie romantically....and Florrie's white lie about 'another boyfriend' leads to amusing trouble; people accuse Florrie of sleeping with Professor Maxwell; Florrie has to deal with her kind but intrusive parents; Florrie's sister Veronica has a new boyfriend; and so on.



The book has a lot of secondary characters, which gets confusing, but they'll presumably make good fodder for future books in the series.

This is an entertaining cozy mystery that I'd recommend to fans of the genre. I listened to the audiobook version on Hoopla, but I understand the front and back covers are colorable....so that's an added treat. :)

This is an entertaining cozy mystery that I'd recommend to fans of the genre. I listened to the audiobook version on Hoopla, but I understand the front and back covers are colorable....so that's an added treat. :)

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Low Pressure: A Romantic Suspense Novel" by Sandra Brown

Bellamy Lyston Price's sister Susan was murdered at their father's company picnic in Austin, Texas 18 years ago.



A teenage boy, Allan Strickland, was convicted of the murder.



However Bellamy is still haunted by unanswered questions and writes a novel to expunge the incident from her mind.



When the best-selling book is revealed to be based on a true story many people with something to hide - including police, the prosecutor, relatives, witnesses, etc. - get antsy about the renewed publicity and Bellamy experiences frightening threats and break-ins.



Meanwhile Bellamy hires Dent Carter to fly her family to Houston for her father's medical treatment. It happens that Dent was Susan's boyfriend at the time of the murder and was fingered by Susan's parents as a prime suspect, which he still resents.



However, Bellamy and Dent eventually form an uneasy alliance to look into Susan's murder and discover that witnesses lied, the police and prosecutor wanted to convict someone at any cost, Ray Strickland (Allan's brother) is bent on revenge, and Susan wasn't the innocent her parents portrayed.



Of course Bellamy and Dent have a strong attraction for each other, which he pursues and she resists. Sandra Brown does a skillful job developing the characters and revealing clues to the murder. For me the obligatory romance in the story was an unnecessary distraction but I enjoyed the book and recommend it to mystery lovers.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "The Vengeance of Mothers: The Journals of Margaret Kelly & Molly McGill" by Jim Fergus

This book is the sequel to One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd, a fictional story set in the 1870s in which the U.S. government agrees to send a total of 1000 white women to intermarry with the Cheyenne in exchange for 1000 horses. Supposedly, this will advance peaceful relations between white settlers and the Cheyenne people.

Most of the women in the program are volunteers from prisons and insane asylums, though the dozen or so females in the story are 'nice girls' who got locked up due to unfortunate circumstances. The novel is composed of journal entries from one of the women, May Dodd, who was committed to an asylum by her wealthy father for choosing a man below her station. The novel illustrates the women's lives in Chief Little Wolf's Cheyenne tribe in the Montana Territory, and ends with an army raid on the tribe's encampment.

*****

The second book, The Vengeance of Mothers, takes up right after the army's vicious attack - which kills almost everyone in the tribe.....both white and Cheyenne. Two of the white women who survive are Margaret (Meggie) and Susie Kelly, spirited Irish twins with flaming red hair who vow to get revenge by killing U.S. soldiers and taking their scalps and bollocks (testicles).



By now the government has abandoned the 'brides for horses' program, and is trying to sweep the whole business under the rug for fear of public backlash. Just before the program was cancelled, however, the authorities sent out a second contingent of women, and - due to a confluence of circumstances - seven of these females end up with the remains of Chief Little Wolf's tribe, along with Meggie and Susie.



One of the new arrivals is Molly McGill, a former schoolteacher who was sent to Sing Sing prison for murder.



The story is told in alternating sets of journal entries: one set from Meggie and Susie - who write in colloquial Irish lingo that's very picturesque; the other set by Molly McGill - who writes in the refined diction of an educated woman.

From Molly's diary pages we learn how the 'new' white women settle in among the Cherokee, including: the women's use of sign language to communicate with the Indian people; the tipi accommodations, which contain fires for cooking and buffalo blankets for sleeping; the deerskin dresses and shoes given to the women by Cherokee squaws; the women's 'jobs' in the tribe - collecting firewood and carrying water; Cherokee beliefs, etiquette and manners; and so on.





Molly also talks about her infatuation with a handsome Indian brave called Hawk, who's reputed to be a shape-shifter.



One interesting custom that Molly describes is the matrimonial dance ceremony, during which Indian lads are paired up with single girls by a Cherokee matchmaker. After the traditional Indian dance the white women do a toned down version of the raunchy French can-can, which turns out to be a fun addition to the festivities. After the revelry, each paired off couple embarks on a courtship, which - if all goes well - leads to marriage (the woman moves into her husband's tipi).



The author doesn't say much about the Cherokee/white couples, which was a disappointment. I would have liked to know what the 'betrothed' pairs really thought about each other, a man and woman from vastly different cultures - essentially strangers - who presumably have different ideas about physical attractiveness and romance.

Meggie and Susie's diaries address some of the same topics mentioned by Molly. However, they're mostly about the formation of a band of 'women warriors' - both white and Indian - who plan to get revenge on white soldiers.



The women fighters learn to ride a horse while shooting guns, rifles, and bows and arrows.....and even master the art of hanging off the side of a galloping mount while shooting under the horse's neck. Moreover, the women become handy with tomahawks, which are useful for chopping off scalps and bollocks.

Before long, Chief Little Wolf learns that American soldiers are amassing in huge numbers, to wipe out the Indians in the Montana Territory. Thus the Cheyenne embark on a trek to join up with other tribes in the region, so they can fight together. This will turn out to be the Battle of Little Bighorn.



I rooted for the Indians while reading the book, and cheered for their successes. At the same time I was unutterably sad, because the ultimate fate of the Indians is well known.

The story has a variety of interesting secondary characters, including: Gertie - a tough, wily, donkey-riding loner who's comfortable in both the white world and the Indian world; she's a good friend to the white women; Jules Seminole - a filthy, odorous French scout who works with the American army; he's a sadist who likes to degrade and abuse women; Pastor Christian Goodman - a deserter from the U.S. Army who ran off after observing their atrocities; Captain John Bourke - an American Cavalry officer who's sympathetic to the white women (and maybe even the Indians), but has to follow orders; Lady Ann Hall - an English noblewoman who volunteered for the brides program for personal reasons; she's a whiz with horses and guns; and more.

One of my favorite parts of the book is the beginning, which takes place in the present. A Cheyenne woman, dressed in traditional deerskin garb - complete with scalp belt and knife - visits a Chicago publisher to give him the 1870s journals. Asked if her attire attracted attention in the city streets, she says "I blend in. I become whatever, whomever I need to be in the eyes of the beholder." And she does! (LOL)



I enjoyed the book, which gave me a glimpse into the lives of the plains Indians.....and the shameful mistreatment they suffered.

Though this book is a sequel to One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd it can be read as a standalone.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "The Lost Witness: A Detective Lena Gamble Mystery" by Robert Ellis

In this second book in the 'Lena Gamble' series the detective investigates a particularly gruesome crime. The book can be read as a standalone.



*****

Los Angeles robbery-homicide detective Lena Gamble is on the outs for embarrassing her bosses, but is nevertheless assigned the case when the chopped up body of an unidentified young woman is discovered in a dumpster. The victim is found to be Jennifer McBride, a hooker who may have been blackmailing one of her clients.



Lena's job is made more difficult by police higher ups who are interfering with her investigation and bugging her home, apparently in an attempt to hobble her career.



Several persons of interest are involved in the case including a haughty doctor, a spoiled rich kid and his detestable father, and a missing witness.



Lena uncovers greed and corruption at all levels and, as she pushes to solve the case, dead bodies pile up everywhere. For me the climax of the story was too drawn out; by the end I wanted it to be wrapped up quickly. Nevertheless I enjoyed the book and recommend it to thriller fans.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Cold Service: A Spenser Novel" by Robert B. Parker

In this 32nd book in the 'Spenser' series, his friend Hawke is almost killed, after which Hawke struggles to regain his self-image. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****



Spenser's wingman Hawke is shot and nearly killed while protecting a bookie named Luther Gillespie.....and Gillespie and most of his family are subsequently assassinated. The culprits are part of the Ukranian mob who control the city of Marshport near Boston.



To regain his sense of self after his prolonged convalescence Hawke has to destroy the ENTIRE mob element in Marshport and set up a trust fund for the remaining Gillespie child. So Hawke and Spenser spend a lot of time talking to mobsters, thugs, and cops and cooking up a plan to achieve the goal.

It's a thin plot, but the pleasure of these books is not so much the story as it is visiting with familiar characters. I always enjoy the conversation and clever patter among Hawke and Spenser.....and everyone else.



A side issue of the story involves Hawke and his current lady, Cecile, who would like Hawke to be a different kind of man. This is probably a losing proposition for Cecile. LOL



I like lovable pets in stories and some of my favorite scenes are Spenser and Susan at home, catering to the whims of their pooch Pearl.



An enjoyable fast read.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Red 1-2-3: A Novel of Suspense" by John Katzenbach

The story's villain, who calls himself 'The Big Bad Wolf' (BBW), is a childless married man in his sixties who had mild success as a mystery novelist years ago. Now, feeling unappreciated and forgotten, the BBW plans to write a book that - he thinks - will make him wildly famous.



The BBW is a narcissistic psychopath who's been inspired by the tale of 'Little Red Hiding Hood' - where Red gets eaten by the wolf. Thus, the BBW's big idea is to murder three redheaded women, all on the same day, and then write a book about it. The BBW thinks everyone will be fascinated by the details of his crimes - how he planned and executed them - and that he'll become a legendary criminal. Moreover, the pompous writer is convinced he's too clever to be caught.

To carry out his grand plan the BBW chooses three flaming redheads, two of whom have a connection with his wife (referred to as Mrs. BBW). The proposed victims are:

Redhead 1. Karen Jayson - a fortyish single doctor and amateur stand-up comedian. (Mrs. BBW is her patient.)



Redhead 2. Sarah Locksley - a hard-drinking school teacher who's deeply depressed by the recent death of her husband and child. (Mrs. BBW doesn't seem to know her.)



Redhead 3 . Jordan Ellis - a high school student on the basketball team, who - reeling from her parents' divorce - is struggling in her classes. (Mrs. BBW works in the principal's office at Jordan's boarding school.)



As the book opens the BBW sends a letter to each of the women, announcing that he plans to kill her.



From this point on the women's behavior is completely unbelievable. Karen (at least) talks to the cops on the phone, but lets them blow her off. She doesn't bother taking the letter to the police station and doesn't mention the threatening missive to anyone else. Sarah and Jordan don't tell a single other person about the frightening letter....not even a friend or relative.....much less the cops. Plain and simple, this would NOT HAPPEN in real life. 😏

The BBW, who's been stalking and photographing the redheads, continues his nefarious behavior. Because he's unknown to the victims the killer is able to escort Mrs. BBW to her doctor appointments with Karen, and to accompany his wife to Jordan's high school basketball games. The BBW persists in frightening the redheads with phone calls and internet videos and - soon enough - the ladies learn about each other. They make arrangements to meet up in secret and discuss ways to protect themselves.



Meanwhile, Mrs. BBW remains blithely ignorant of what's going on. The BBW - claiming he needs 'a private space' for his writing - locks the home office where he keeps his stalker pictures and incriminating manuscripts. Then one day the BBW leaves his keys behind and....(I won't give away spoilers).



The book's third person POV alternates between the BBW and the other characters. The BBW is a supreme egotist who endlessly talks about how clever he is, the thrill he gets from 'torturing' the redheads, and all his 'delicious' plans. (I HATE that term unless it's referring to food). Mrs. BBW comes across as a naïve middle-aged (almost) spinster who's thankful she finally snagged a husband - and a 'famous writer' at that!



The three redheads turn out to be rather clever and resourceful. They get gutsy and hatch a plan - however they don't get all their ducks in a row. The ladies set out to kill the man they think is the BBW.....with no proof he's the right guy! This doesn't seem like the smartest idea in the world. 🙄

I don't want to give away too much so let's just say the book's finale strains credulity (A LOT). The ending left me feeling cheated and unsatisfied. I know John Katzenbach is skilled writer but this book isn't among his best. It's amateurish, way too long, and poorly thought out. Not recommended.

Rating: 2.5 stars