Smashbomb

Nic and the Captain bring personality and camaraderie to the true-crime table without the outright silliness and irreverence of some of the more popular podcasts. Soft-spoken and smooth-voiced, they weave stories of victims and crimes with vivid detail while still respecting the dignity of the victims. They are never careless in that respect.

Even the stories that are familiar to the average listener are compiled in such a way as to make them feel fresh, and most are peppered with items that may not be so widely known.

Nic and the Captain are lifelong friends and their chemistry is one of the best parts of the show. From the first few minutes of your first episode, you will feel as if you are in the garage with them, having an IPA and talking about true crime.

I suggest The Boys On The Tracks as a good first show to throw you headfirst into a multi-part, multi-layered story that showcases the amount of research the guys put into their work. Unfortunately, I feel that it also is one of the episodes where their personal views made me a bit annoyed. They rarely seem to cross over into the realm of conspiracy, but this one episode seems to do that. But it is very good, nonetheless.

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Let’s Fake a Deal in Books

Jul 31, 2019

My Enthusiasm for This Book Is Not Fake

Sarah Winston’s latest garage sale turns into a disaster when the police show up just after she has opened. It turns out Sarah is selling stolen goods, and the people who hired her have vanished without a trace, making it look even more like she is guilty. That night, Sarah meets up with her friend Michelle at a local bar. Michelle, who is up for a promotion in the Air Force, is facing a bogus discrimination complaint. The next morning, one of the men Michelle thinks is behind her complaint is found dead in her car. Can Sarah clear her friend while keeping herself out of jail?

With two strong mysteries, I’m sure it is no surprise to say that this is a fast-paced book. Sarah is always working on one case or the other, and author Sherry Harris balances them perfectly, so we can easily follow what is happening in both cases. I had a hard time putting the book down, which is standard for this series, and I was satisfied when I reached the ending. The characters are great as always; I’m especially enjoying getting to know Sarah’s brother Luke. This book highlights another issue that career military people face without forgetting that it is a mystery novel first, something I especially enjoy about this series. Now comes the wait for the next time I get to visit Sarah.

Kudos

Bernie Fineman: Original Motor Mouth: East-End Hardman to TV Star - Fifty Years in the Motor Trade

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Doddie: My Autobiography

Alex MacDonald and Sandy Jardine

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This is the autobiography of a Rangers legend. Alex MacDonald's compelling memoirs cover his...

Do it Yourself 12 Volt Solar Power

Michel Daniek

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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated The Gift of the Magpie in Books

Dec 13, 2020

Who Used a Helping Hand to Murder?

This year at Christmas, the churches in Caerphilly, Virginia have started a Helping Hands for the Holidays charity event, and Meg is right in the thick of it, organizing and helping. One of their projects is helping Harvey the Hoarder declutter and fix up his house before the county is called to intervene. Day one goes pretty well, but when Meg shows up for the second day, she finds him lying in a pool of blood in the garage. Are the rumors of a treasure hidden in the house true? Did that get Harvey killed?

I always enjoy visiting Meg, and this book was no exception. The sub-plots involving her large family slow down the main mystery early on, but as a fan of the series and the characters, that’s a minor complaint. Once the mystery gets going, it is strong with several good suspects and twists before we reach the great climax. The sub-plots still weave in and out of the main mystery, and I really enjoyed them and the Christmas spirit they give us. I didn’t find this book quite as funny as some of the others, maybe because it left me contemplating which side of the hoarder or collector line I’m on. If you are looking for an entertaining mystery set at Christmas, there’s still time this year to cozy up to the fire and enjoy this mystery.