Review | Valley of Shadows : by Rudy Ruiz
This tale of Soltario Cisneros weaves the history of Chihuahua, Mexico, near the big bend of the Rio Grande River, and Apache – Mexican spiritual beliefs into a read that is haunting yet compelling. Ghosts, both literal and metaphorical, in a desolate place, circa 1870-1883, transport this story to a spiritual realm. Well developed characters,…
Review | Kingdom of the Blind : by Louise Penny
For Penny fans, this read will be a welcome return to Three Pines, an inviting Quebeec village, and to its inhabitants. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, six months into his suspension from the Surete du Quebec, finds himself involved in two separate criminal investigations. The first story line begins as a Three Pines local mystery. Gamache,…
Review | MACBETH : by Jo Nesbo
If you are a frequent browser of thrift bookstores, you will understand the excitement felt when dislodging Jo Nesbo’s MACBETH from the shelf. Two literary favorites in one package – the treasure of a day’s hunt. There was a great deal yet to discover in this 500 page crrime thriller. In addition to finding the…
Book Review | The Last Resort: by Michael Kaufman
I have just put down The Last Resort, and it has been a great start to my 2023 reading list. This latest novel from author Michael Kaufman taps into some highly compelling, near-future, speculative fiction concepts, and I’m a fan. A Near-Future Detective and Climate Crisis Collide This is a detective story set about 10-12…
Review | The Boys From Biloxi : by John Grisham
When I think of Biloxi, I envision Gulf Coast beaches, seafood restaurants, shrimp boats, reports of hurricane destruction, however, this novel draws the reader into a much darker side of the region. Grisham relates the experiences that shape and mold two families, of Croatian descent, the Rudys and the Malcos, through eight decades, from 1912…
Book Review | Cold Sweat, By: Katelyn Peterson
I just wrapped up Katelyn Peterson’s Cold Sweat, and despite Romance not being a favorite genre, found it engaging. I think this was for two main reasons; first, the work is equally a crime mystery, as well as a romance, second, it is a short novel with snappy pacing. If you’re seeking a light read…
Review | Running at Hialeah : by Don Marinelli
Out of the gate this story springs into action. There is no initial fifty page set up of characters and setting. Bernie Buccellato spontaneously develops as a complex main player from the start. There is plenty to wonder about before his race for redemption is over and his father’s death bed request of having his…
Review: Deadly Odds 5.0 | by: Allen Wyler
I picked up Deadly Odds 5.0, the latest in author Allen Wyler’s series of techno-thrillers, all bearing the same title, appended with the number in the series. The books are able to stand-alone without having read the previous novels in the series, which is a smart theme I’m discovering amongst the small-scale published writers. This…
Review | Stargazer : Anne Hillerman
“Anne Hillerman’s taken familiar characters and locations and has struck out on a literary legacy all her own.”~Craig Johnson, author of the Walt Longmire Mysteries ~ “Stargazer” is a must read for anyone who loves the notable Tony Hillerman novels. Anne Hillerman has written several novels prior to “Stargazer”. She has kept her father’s (Tony…
Review | Killers of the Flower Moon : by David Grann
This book is a very well written history text. An historical account of a period in America’s – Oklahoma’s – Osage County’s past. A past that never was disclosed in any history book I encountered in school. A dark secret as evil as the greed that spawned it. In the 1920’s, the richest people per…
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Penna Book Reviews 