Category: Fiction (Page 17 of 19)

As Chimney Sweepers Come To Dust by Alan Bradley

December 2, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

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Many thanks to NetGalley for providing this review copy in exchange for this review.

This 7th outing of Flavia De Luce’s adventures is so much better than the last few have been. I was growing so weary of the same old thing that I skipped #6, [easyazon_link asin=”0385344066″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”no” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches[/easyazon_link]. To me, the plots were becoming rote: body, murder, adventure, droll humor, ending.

Now I regret not reading book #6 only because I feel like I missed a turning point. Chemistry loving Flavia is growing up, and the series is fresh again. The setting is new, the characters are new, and we are seeing a new side of Ms De Luce as well.

Flavia has been sent to a girls’ boarding school in Canada, which was noted in the ending of book #6. She is to become a member of an organization called the Nide, following in the footsteps of her mother, who is revered as a goddess at Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy. On Flavia’s first night there, a body falls out of a chimney, and wham! shes off working on another murder. She is very homesick, and references are made to the Buckshaw clan only via our heroine’s thoughts.

There is a lot of interaction between Flavia and the other students, and I found the conversations to be razor sharp and fun to read. The condescending tones which the adults use to interact with Flavia are gone, and it seems that everyone is treated more or less, as an equal. Of course, there is the caste system found in all schools, but since this is a classroom that is supposedly turning women into spies or the like, everyone is assumed to be intelligent and well-spoken.

I loved the whole tone of this book! The only problem I had is that it seemed that the plot was going in circles, with tiny plotlets added to round out her experience at school. Even though the conversations with her peers were scintillating, it seems that much of the content had to be read between the lines, and that got to be exhausting. By the time the murder was solved I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on. Is Flavia IN the Nide? Was the ending happy or sad? It seemed to me that the secret society was like Fight Club–don’t talk about it. This vagueness was the only thing that bothered me. Otherwise, you will see Flavia maturing and coming to terms with new emotions, with flashes of the egotistical mad chemist here and there.

Bradley has given me new faith in this series, and I will go back to read #6. For those who have been following our girl all along–you will like this, as long as you don’t expect to be reading about Daffy, Feely, Dogger, and Bishop’s Lacey. This was a refreshing break; a cleansing of the palate. As Flavia would say, it was a “jolly good” read.

Want your own copy? Click [easyazon_link asin=”0345539931″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here.[/easyazon_link]

Antisense Giveaway Winner Selected!

November 24, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

A winner has been selected for our giveaway of a copy of Antisense by R.P. Marshall! Congratulations, David H of Leeds, West Yorkshire! We hope you enjoy it. We surely did! The book is traveling a looooooong way to get to you.

If you entered the contest, and you didn’t win, then you can still get your hands on a copy of the book [easyazon_link asin=”B00GCS3WUO” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link].

Want more information? You can find our review of Antisense here!

Here’s the blurb that appears on the book:

What if you could evolve in a moment? What if you had the power to change the genetic future of your loved ones and the people they become – simply by the way you live your life? When neuroscientist Daniel Hayden’s father dies, such thoughts begin to erode his very sanity, with the growing fear that he might share a dark secret buried deep in his family’s past – a past he is about to relive. The idea only seems to gain credibility from the bizarre results coming from his own laboratory, forcing Daniel to resurrect the discredited theories of an eighteenth century naturalist in the process. Was Daniel’s fate sealed all those years ago? Has he been betrayed by his own DNA? Antisense combines literary fiction with the sharp, crisp prose and pace of the best suspense novels. The author’s insight into medical science and how it might inform the nature of human behaviour is all the more compelling because it is based on real science. It’s not a whodunit, but a whydunit. Not science fiction, but fiction with real science woven through it. A thought provoking and enigmatic work.

The Savant Of Chelsea by Suzanne Jenkins

November 18, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

[easyazon_image add_to_cart=”yes” align=”center” asin=”B00D94QVSO” cloaking=”default” height=”500″ localization=”yes” locale=”US” nofollow=”default” new_window=”default” src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FvXJmYI-L.jpg” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ width=”313″]The Savant of Chelsea[/easyazon_image]

The blurb for this book made it sound like it was going to be all about a surgeon with a severe psychological issue, and how she interacted (or didn’t) with the outside world. The first half was great–it was dark, and scary, and heart rending; when she told her story in graphic and disturbing flashbacks of how she was abused as a child, I shook my head in disbelief. It was all downhill from there.

The fictitious surgeon in the novel is torn apart when her illegitimate baby is taken from her one day. The rest of her life is spent thinking about her and wanting to find her, but afraid to because of a threat her mother made to her. After her mother dies, she goes back to her native Louisiana and tries to find closure.

From that point on, the book deteriorated into an obsession with children and a hard to believe personality change. In the beginning, this woman didn’t speak to anyone and was unable to dress herself or interact normally…she had assistants take care of things for her. She was driven to the hospital by a car service, did surgery like an automaton, and then spent her free time jogging on the streets of NYC to keep her demons at bay. After she returned to her native state of Louisiana, and certain events occurred (can’t tell you without spoilers), she essentially became a normal person. Very hard to believe. Major personality disorders don’t just spontaneously resolve.

The story then takes on a ridiculous twist, and the ending is abrupt and eye-rollingly impossible. Well, I suppose it’s possible, but highly unlikely in the real world.

Suzanne Jenkins touts the book’s ending as something that will galvanize the reader, either it will make you think, or not. Personally, I thought the book could have been shorter, especially all the stuff that took place after her mother died, and I was highly unsatisfied how the character of the surgeon changed from an unstable and fascinating person to a boring, seemingly “cured” normal functioning woman. It seemed as if there were two books with different people melded together. The premise was so brilliant, and the story was such a waste once the plot took that turn for the worst. I really wanted to like this book. I actually almost loved it up until Alexandra returned to Louisiana. At that point, the book’s personality changed, just like the surgeon’s did.

[easyazon_link asin=”B00D94QVSO” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]You can get the book here![/easyazon_link] Please, tell me what you think. And if you haven’t done it already, download the Kindle reading app.

Antisense by R.P. Marshall (and book giveaway)

November 14, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 1 Comment

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Many thanks to the folks at Publishing Push for this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s very hard to like any of the characters in this book. The narrator, Daniel Hayden, may be unreliable; his motives may be inscrutable. The story starts at the funeral of his father, and we can feel the awkwardness in the air as Daniel describes the scene: I remained by the fireplace, holding onto the mantelpiece where for over an hour I had managed to avoid justifying my existence to a group of people with whom I shared little beyond a small portion of genetic material ( and for most, not even that).

Just a few moments before, a rock is thrown through the window of the room where the gathering is taking place, and the perpetrator runs away, unapprehended. Daniel takes his leave, carrying a small box of his father’s effects, and gets a ride to the train station from his Uncle George, his father’s brother. When he gets home his wife Jane is sitting by herself at home, with a glass of wine and an abundance of sarcasm. We learn that their marriage is not a happy one, and their day to day conversation consists mostly of anger and condescension. I did wonder why they were still together, as it seemed there was nothing really holding them together. The author paints a picture of a bleak childless marriage, in a holding pattern of quiet suspense, and I believe Marshall kept the marriage intact to highlight Daniel’s sense of isolation.

Daniel is a neuroscientist, performing experiments on lab mice to see the activity of different proteins and genes in the amygdala. He is a loner there at work also, and is frustrated by the failure of his current project, which consists of studying aggression in rodents and seeing if certain brain secretions can make them either more or less aggressive. Results seem to be incorrect, and his bosses and grant providers are starting to suspect the worst. A new employee named Erin catches Daniel’s eye, and he is confused by it: The effect she was having on me was difficult to comprehend. The opportunity to learn something new about oneself tends to diminish with age, particularly as one grows accustomed to one’s shortcomings (if not oblivious to them), but she seemed to make so many things possible.

Daniel takes a trip to Chicago to meet with some of the grant providers, and careens through the city in a kind of a fever dream–drinking , bringing a girl back to his hotel room one night, finding himself in a porno shop the next. Things go bad there and he ends up at the police station. The way Marshall describes the scene afterwards is typical of the striking prose encountered throughout the book: A squad car returned me to the hotel sometime after one AM. The night porter ushered me into the glittering, vacant lobby where I stood shell shocked at the brightness and clarity of it all. Hotels have a nightmarish quality at that hour. their empty corridors and hushed elevators sumptuous but sterile like a last meal on death row.

Once Daniel returns back to England he remembers the box he was given at the funeral, and opens it to find a mysterious newspaper clipping. The rest of the book proceeds with him making an effort to discover the meaning of this clipping, which in turn brings him to an unwanted realization about his family, and his recent behavior in America.

I tagged this novel under suspense, but it’s not your typical suspense. It’s quiet, insidious, the kind that creeps up on you, surrounded by vapid images and bland, even dull activities: drinking, small talk, descriptions of the weather. Make no mistake: this book is written brilliantly. Even though you must read 50% of it to even GET to the crux of the matter, it hooks you and makes you wonder where all this is going. The author is a master of the uncommon sentence; his proficiency with language and his ability to turn a phrase makes Antisense one of the best books I’ve read this year. The character of Daniel does not so much develop but is revealed, and he is an unusual protagonist; not evil enough to be hated, too vanilla to be liked. Even the ending is unobtrusive, even peaceful, though somehow mournful.

I look forward to more by RP Marshall. Visit his website to see what his next project is! He was kind enough to provide a print copy for a book giveaway: click HERE to enter. Entries will be accepted from November 14th to November 30th –good luck!

If you are not the lucky winner, click [easyazon_link asin=”B00GCS3WUO” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]HERE[/easyazon_link] to purchase it.

Flawless by Jan Moran

November 11, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

I received this book from author Jan Moran in exchange for this honest interview.

Flawless is an easy, breezy type of read. Set in Beverly Hills, it oozes opulence and glitters wonderfully. The plot is fairly simple: Verena Valent, head of a family owned skincare company, is dealing with money problems. The economy is not what it was, and her big launch in Asia is threatened. Her boyfriend Derrick is pushing her to sell the company, but Verena’s family ties are too strong for this to be an easy decision. To top it all off, she is starting to develop feelings for a man she just met: Lance, the executive chef of the Beverly Hills Hotel. She wants to stay loyal to Derrick, but his actions are pushing her away. As money gets tighter, her family and friends cannot give her all the answers she seeks. Only Verena can be the master of her own destiny. Can she save her beloved company from the sharks?

This book made me feel as if I were sitting along Verena in the boardroom, in the spa, on a jet, and in Paris. Each detail is accurate and adds to the luxury of the story. In fact, if I knew more about the skincare world, I might think this book could be a roman a clef. It’s that authentic.

Verena Valent is a strong woman, even is she is unsure of what she wants, or needs. Her loyalty to her family is strong and refreshing. There is just enough romance in the book to add that warm feeling without overpowering the plot or reality….and what woman wouldn’t want a guy like Lance?!

The bad guys hold the purse strings, and there is a good deal of merger/acquisition/banking talk going on–but not so much that it bogs you down. This book will appeal to those who want romance, and those who want to read a twisty plot with some thorny intellectual problems to solve.

The character’s attitudes are not entitled or exclusionary; rather, they are real and understandable. Granted, most of us don’t have million dollar companies, but Verena and her grandmother are easy to identify with and root for, as you turn the pages and hope that their financial worries will be rectified. No spoilers here; but the ending was satisfying and left the door open for many different paths for Verena’s life to take.

Jan Moran is an expert in the beauty field, and it shows here in Flawless. I would definitely read book two of the Hostile Beauty series, just to see what Verena and her friends have accomplished. Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.

Also, if you haven’t already, download the Kindle reading app here.

What Happens to Men When They Move To Manhattan? by Jill Knapp

November 7, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

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Amalia Hastings is happy. She’s attending graduate school in Manhattan, her relationship with her college boyfriend Nicholas is going strong, and she feels as though the world is her oyster. So far, she has been able to ignore the growing feeling that she has a crush on her friend Michael. However, when you are 23 years old, things are not always what they seem to be, and changes can happen fast. This book is first in a series about Amalia and her best friend Cassandra chasing love, life, and dreams in the Big Apple.

Jill Knapp brings the city of Manhattan alive with details only a seasoned New Yorker would be familiar with. Place names, brand names, and pop culture are all name dropped and referenced on almost every page. As I read, I truly felt as if I were on the streets of Greenwich Village with Amalia, experiencing the seasons:

“When you’re in Manhattan, it seems like you never really notice a nice day. The only sign of it is when restaurants open their side doors, and allow for outdoor seating. That’s about it.”

Getting your hair done at a chic salon:

“When we finally got to the salon, I was bombarded with over-friendly, and overly thin, employees who quickly offered me everything from a bone dry cappuccino, to what I was pretty sure was an offer of Quaaludes. I settled for the coffee and sat idly by as Cassie brought over an obviously gay hair stylist. ….They chattered in Italian and ran their fingers through my hair like I was their My Size Barbie.”

What St Patricks’ Day really means:

“The streets of the Village has transformed into a David Lynch movie. People looked way too happy. The happiness was undoubtedly due to the copious amounts of alcohol people were consuming all day…. To New Yorkers, St Patty’s Day commemorates green beer, shots of Jameson, and scantily clad girls wearing what can only be described as sequined cocktail napkins designed to make them resemble sexy leprechauns (if there ever was such a thing).”

Amalia, Olivia, Alex, Cassandra, Michael and Nicholas all seem authentically young/hip/collegiate. Each has their own set of problems, and there are a few subplots that highlight the struggle of dating in a city that never sleeps. We get to meet Amalia’s dyfunctional family, sympathize as no nonsense professors pile on the work, and feel the outrage at the bizarre antics of guys who trifle with girl’s hearts. Knapp’s writing is tight and humorous, and I never felt as if the characters were in improbable situations.

Self discovery is the theme here, as we watch Amalia weather a few romantic storms. This is the first book in a series, and it ends with Amalia leaving for a trip to Brazil. No spoilers–it’s mentioned throughout the book. Who will she choose upon her return? Will her friendships still be as tight? You can find out on 11/20/2014, when book # 2, We’ve Always Got New York, comes out. Check out my post on the cover reveal.

Want your own copy? [easyazon_link asin=”B00KKC43BA” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Pick it up here.[/easyazon_link]

Also, if you haven’t already, download the Kindle reading app here.

Blue Labyrinth by Preston and Child

November 4, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 3 Comments

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Many thanks to NetGalley for offering this book in exchange for this honest review. The 14th outing of Pendergast and Co is a complete winner; let me start by saying that. A few of the most recent books have not been my favorites, and I was hoping to see Preston and Child back in their groove. This one does the trick.

The action starts early and continues evenly throughout. One evening, our favorite Special Agent is home, relaxing with Constance, when he hears a knock on the door. Constance opens it, with grisly results. A dead body falls through the doorway, and Pendergast springs into action. The chase scene that follows is pure reading joy. No other authors can create such wonderful flow and lexicographal magic.

During the autopsy, a piece of turquoise is found, and this has no small significance to Pendergast. He then tries to run his own private investigation, much to the chagrin of the officer assigned to the case. Their paths cross again and again, and each of them starts resenting the other as more clues are uncovered.

One of the longer scenes takes place at a fascinating location in California: the Salton Sea. As I was reading, I had to stop and learn more about this abandoned town and its terrible history. What a wild location to send Pendergast! Preston and Child are thorough in their descriptions, as always, and they set the scene perfectly. (I have a particular love of abandoned towns and I would love to visit this tragic place.) What happens in Salton has far reaching consequences for Pendergast, and this provides the crux of the novel. Also appearing to assist the Agent are Lt. D’Agosta, Constance Greene, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The authors have outdone themselves with esoteric weaponry, detail rich descriptions of new locations in the Museum, and more backstory of the Pendergast lineage. Also satisfying to me was the way Constance handled herself–she is nearly feral in her defense of Pendergast during a chilling scene towards the end of the story. In fact, there is so much going on, that the actual end of the book seems like an anticlimax. I am still pondering if what happened is completely out of character for, well, the characters—or if it is a red herring constructed by Preston and Child. In any case, I loved, loved, LOVED this book. The authors have found a way to better their unique voices in this most lyrical of novels. Whether you are familiar with the character of Pendergast or not, there is enough going on to keep you entertained. Grab this one immediately–and be prepared to put your life on hold as you devour it.

This book will be published on November 11th, 2014. Want to win a free copy? I have 2 copies to give away to a lucky winner!! Enter here!!

[easyazon_link asin=”B00JU3RZ6K” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Click here to get a free preview (first 11 chapters)[/easyazon_link]

Also, if you haven’t already, download the Kindle reading app here.

Descent (Forgotten Origins #3) by Tara Ellis

October 31, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

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Many thanks once again to Tara Ellis for gifting me this book! I was looking forward to finding out if Alex, Chris, Seth, and the rest of the gang were able to save civilization. Book #3 of the Forgotten Origins trilogy is a dark, intense, detailed and emotional story, quite different from the first two books. Alex undergoes some heavy soul searching throughout, as she debates with herself about being strong enough to fight RA and his henchmen. The changes that the Holocene Virus has caused are beginning to upset her, and she is wondering if her friends still see her the same way. As the group of young adults prepare for war, they must ALL come to terms with the fact that things have changed, and may never be the same.

The story picks up after the Nephilim ship arrived on Earth. Alex and Seth are heading back to Senator Zane’s ranch on a motorcycle when a blinding flash of light illuminates the sky above them, and the motorcycle’s engine immediately stalls. The aliens have sent an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) to disable all the electronics, rendering everyone back to the 1800’s…..no electric, no cellphones, no cars. The group finds out the Senator has been moved to an Air Force base in Great Falls, Montana, and must make an arduous trek there.

Chris is butting heads with Seth along the way, with the tension intensified by the fact that Alex can get into Chris’ head, just as she can “sense” the Shiners. The relationship between all three of them ebbs and flows, with lasting results. However, they must put their differences aside and unite against the Mudameere. There is violence and bloodshed, all of which wreak havoc with Alex’s psyche. As the story progresses, she is reunited with her relatives in the biodome under the sea, is transported aboard the Nephilim ship, and tries to reason with RA and the Elders. Can she do it? Will they be able to overcome an army of Shiners and discover a cure for the Nephi2 virus? As the group fights for freedom, many answers to the questions posed in the first two novels become evident.

I especially enjoyed the development of Alex, coming into her own as a leader and a strong girl. The description of their journeys on foot and on horseback capture very well the tension and fatigue the characters were feeling, and there were plenty of “oh, NO!” moments as injuries were sustained and emotions were bared. Descent is not a sweet YA novel, but a dystopian tale, gritty and full of tension. Author Tara Ellis also raises some moral questions about stem cells and their potential, as the plot thickens. Perhaps the events in the book are not possible,in real life, but you will certainly be forced to think about an America fighting against a virus, without modern conveniences, against an enemy that you never knew existed. Pride of heritage runs deep in this book, and so there is a moral to the story: keep family and friends close, learn to rely on yourself, and never compromise your beliefs.

Want to join Alex and her friends? [easyazon_link asin=”1502757214″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”] Complete your trilogy here.[/easyazon_link]

Also, if you haven’t already, download the Kindle reading app here.

Interview with Ellie DeFarr (author of the Hera Hunter mystery series)

October 23, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Ellie DeFarr is the author of two books in the Hera Hunter Mystery series: [easyazon_link asin=”1491009195″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Haunting Memories from a Troubled Past[/easyazon_link] and [easyazon_link asin=”1500835463″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Melancholy Manor[/easyazon_link], which was just released September 6th. She is currently at work on her third novel, which you can read more about in this exclusive interview. Please visit her website at elliedefarr.com.

Your author bio states you have a Master’s in a scientific field. Tell me more about how you started writing.

From the time I learned to read, there has always been a book waiting for me on the bedside table. Like so many avid readers, I dreamed of writing a book that would bring enjoyment to others, as so many books have done for me. That dream began to unfold with the embrace of the internet.

Instead of calling long-distance friends, I emailed them. Soon, I started each letter with a short story, usually an anecdote about some wild animal that had crossed my path. Eventually a good friend encouraged me to write a book, repeatedly. I tended to ignore his advice. Occasionally I sat down to write an outline of a tale that piqued my imagination, but I soon bored with the outline and abandoned it.

Still, the encouragement continued. Then one day I began typing on my computer without any previous thought for the story that was instantly unfolding. I realized then that this unfettered approach was more natural and rewarding for me. From that moment on I never stopped writing. And I never wrote another outline.

Describe your writing routine. What is a typical day in your life?

I write in the afternoon, when most of the day’s demands are met and my home and neighborhood are at their quietest. I am content when I write. But putting together a story does not come easy for me. I have to work at it. I turn on soothing music, so low that it cannot be heard outside the room. And I like a cup of coffee, sometimes a glass of wine, at my fingertips. I suppose these familiar comforts calm me and ready my mind to enter the story.

I write six days a week, allowing a day off for my mind to rest and engender new story ideas. Each day I write a scene, which will end up as six to eight single-spaced pages in the final book. Once the scene is written, I start at the beginning and carefully edit it. Each sentence must consist of the fewest words necessary to express its idea. And all words must be the most commonly used. I check for sufficient detail throughout the scene to plant pictures in the mind of the reader. I’m not talking here about page after page of description, but a couple sentences or a short paragraph to make the reader see what my character is seeing, and in that way make the reader feel they’re in the midst of the action.

I am finished for the day when the scene is clear, fast paced, and moves forward smoothly, while adding to the story. If there’s still time left in the afternoon, I grab a good book and let someone else entertain me, even if it’s for just fifteen minutes.

Did you intend the Hera Hunter character to be a continuing story, like the Nancy Drew mysteries you used to read as a child?

I love a good whodunit. I grew up reading them. And a mystery series featuring the same interesting characters is even better. Also, book series seem to be popular with readers. So yes, from the very start I wanted to write a continuing story.

However, I intend that each book can be read as a standalone story. The murder mystery is unique in each book. But each book will also continue one or two subplots that were seeded in the previous book. I think that the experience will be richer if the series is read in proper sequence, since it will provide a fuller background for each story. But reading the books in order isn’t necessary.

The inclusion of Lucky is so unusual. Not many authors give a dog a supporting role in a novel. Is there a real dog that you draw inspiration from? How did you choose his character?

I can’t imagine life without a dog. They need attention and affection, so I’ve always spent considerable time with my pets. It seemed only natural that my leading character, Hera Hunter, should have a pet and pamper it, too. I’ve witnessed with my own dogs most of the situations that involve Lucky. So, I’m drawing inspiration from all of my past and present pets. Also, dogs are so entertaining that they’re a useful means for adding humor to a tale.

My characters tend to come from the fringes of society. They are flawed. Lucky should be, too. He has to be small, so as not to be physically cumbersome to Hera, since he’s always with her. She can’t carry an eighty-pound dog while she climbs to a second-story balcony. And since he prefers to hide when danger is at hand, there must be plenty of places in his surroundings for him to squeeze into, not so easy for a larger dog.

But although he is timid, he is not a coward. In the first book, Hera is strangled from behind by a hired assassin who’s dragging her backward, denying her any purchase to fight back. Lucky attacks the man’s ankles, distracting him and giving Hera just enough opening to change the outcome of the assault.

This little dog will always come through for Hera whenever she needs him to.

What is next for Hera & Co? I can’t wait to read the next installment!

The third book of the series should be available around August of next year. In it a young runaway named Paperback Rose falls to her death. The police deem it a suicide. But Calamity Jane, another street child, claims she saw someone with Rose when she fell. Hera isn’t sure she should believe Jane, since Jane’s a known thief, pickpocket, liar, and peeping Tom. But when Rose’s mother hires Hera to find out what happened to her daughter, it falls to Hera to discover what evil is brewing in her town that would give reason for throwing a child off the top of a three-story building.

Melancholy Manor by Ellie DeFarr (Hera Hunter mystery #2)

October 21, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

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Many thanks to author Ellie DeFarr for gifting me this review copy! This is book #2 in the Hera Hunter series.

Hera Hunter is a private investigator with secrets. She comes from a troubled past, which drives her to create more justice in the world. I’ll admit, in the first few pages where the author introduces Hera’s friend, Gwen Oates, as a “cat burglar” in a completely not-tongue-in-cheek way, I was intrigued. Other colorful characters are Toby, who is her Man Friday and expert computer hacker; Billy, Hera’s sister, who owns a brothel; and Lucky, Hera’s faithful canine sidekick.

Lucky is an unusual addition to this book. I can’t recall ever reading any novel where a little dog was a part of a mystery–at least, not a book where it wasn’t dog-centric. Hera and Lucky travel around together, and he chimes in with a bark here and there to brighten up even the most tense of scenes. Kudos to the author for writing him in! As I read along I could easily picture him in my mind, and it was a pleasant image.

Back to the plot; two women are found dead in Hera’s home town of Centreville. A man named Kyle Dunham is accused–by his own sister Zoey– of being the murderer, and their mother hires Hera to discover who the real killer is (declaring Kyle innocent in the process). Kyle’s sister Zoey is a choleric woman, and her mood swings are legend.

There are a few subplots going, as well. A homeless man is seen in the park and looks uncomfortably familiar to Hera. Gwens’s mysterious new boyfriend is asking a lot of questions. And why are there ghostly voices emanating from the basement in the Dunham mansion?

The characters are written well and the dialogue flows. I was eager to see how everything was tied together, as sometimes I can figure out a mystery’s ending well before the book is finished. The author does a great job of bringing things together, while giving us Hera’s backstory and building up the characters without being intrusive.

As a reviewer, I am always reading 3 or 4 books at a time, and the ones I reach for first are the ones I’m personally enjoying. Melancholy Manor was one of those books. I was truly curious to see what would happen next. Each subplot had a purpose; too many books have things going on in the first third and then you never hear from the characters again. Ms DeFarr’s minor characters are sprinkled throughout the entire story–some with a purpose, nefarious or otherwise; some are there just for color and depth.

The only issue I had was that there was a little too much written about people pouring coffee, choosing what to wear, or driving. Many times Hera was in her vehicle and each and every street name and turn was documented. That really doesn’t take a lot away from the story, but I’m just suggesting that the book could’ve been made tighter by cutting some of that out, as it seemed like filler to me. Otherwise, I have no other complaints about the writing style. All in all, I’m definitely recommending this book. You don’t need to read book #1: Haunting Memories From a Troubled Past, to jump right into Hera’s world, as there were no cliffhangers in that story–but why not? In a series it’s always best to start at the beginning.

Book Three of the Hera Hunter mysteries will be out in 2015, and I’m eager to see what Hera & Co will be up to. I’ll also be posting an EXCLUSIVE interview with author Ellie DeFarr soon–watch this space! In the meantime, why not [easyazon_link asin=”1500835463″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]pick up a copy of Melancholy Manor[/easyazon_link]? You will really enjoy it.