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Mitchell Manor
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Mitchell Manor is a place that holds a lot of secrets. The Mitchells were one of the most...
mystery paranormal mystery
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Murder Buys a One-Way Ticket in Books
Jul 11, 2024 (Updated Jul 11, 2024)
Your One-Way Ticket to Fun
Freelance writer Jaine Austen’s latest client is gym owner Chip Miller. Chip has hired Jaine to ghost write a book on exercise, and she’s been invited to join Chip’s family on a train trip to Santa Barbara and back. While on the train, Jaine learns what a bully Chip is, so it is hardly a surprise when someone kills him. Meanwhile, Lance is trying to join a club in West Hollywood, and enlists Jaine. And her father has decided he’s related to Elvis, and is planning an appearance at a costume party to honor his cousin. Where will it all lead?
Fans of the series (and there are plenty after twenty books) will know what to expect here. And they’ll love Jaine’s latest adventures. I did figure out a key part of the mystery early, but there were other things I wanted to see filled in, and I enjoyed the journey. The characters are more caricature, but they fit the story. That’s because this is an over-the-top comedic mystery. I laughed plenty along the way. When you want a light mystery, this is a series to pick up.
Fans of the series (and there are plenty after twenty books) will know what to expect here. And they’ll love Jaine’s latest adventures. I did figure out a key part of the mystery early, but there were other things I wanted to see filled in, and I enjoyed the journey. The characters are more caricature, but they fit the story. That’s because this is an over-the-top comedic mystery. I laughed plenty along the way. When you want a light mystery, this is a series to pick up.
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Charnel House (2016) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
Characters – Alex Reaves is the man behind the refurbishment of the building, he sees this as a fresh start for his family which will give them financial support for life, he starts having visions which will bring the connection back to the previous owner. Charlotte is the artist and designer (I think she did this too) who has help turn the building into the apartments and soon becomes the one that needs to fight to keep her family together. Mia is the daughter of the couple who starts seeing the little boy haunting the building, treated like the imaginary friend for the most part, she has behavioural problems and follows in her mother’s artistic nature. Devin Pyles is the man that has a connection to the previous use of the building, he is here to investigate just what happened here and knows about the darker side of the building.
Performances – Callum Blue in the leading role is fine without ever standing out in the leading role, which is going to be a theme when looking at the performances, nobody does anything to make themselves feel stand out in the film.
Story – The story here follows the re-opening of an old slaughterhouse as luxury apartments, but the ghosts of the old building are still there haunting the people that move in. this does give us the limited characters as the building isn’t officially opened, but will let people move into the property they have purchased early, this helps the story because an over crowded building would have only dragged the film down. The story is trying to be clever with certain connections only to fall mostly short with this side of the story telling. Once you do work out where the story wants to go you will work out the ending pretty easily which again disappoints and as for the supporting characters they seem to have no connection to the actual hauntings and are here just to give us a body count.
Horror – The horror in the film comes from the ghost visits and the technology not following the rules it should be, again simple scares which don’t give us anything to be frightened off.
Settings – The film is set in one house, we have an apartment building with history which gives us the haunting side of the film. it works well for the most part too.
Special Effects – The effects are not over used, they are simple when needed but nothing that becomes clear to what is happening in the film.
Scene of the Movie – Butch the Yorkie.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The pointless disposable supporting residents.
Final Thoughts – This is a very simple horror, it does the basics right without ever being put in the position of being anything special or standout, nothing is terrible, it is just average throughout.
Overall: Average horror.
Performances – Callum Blue in the leading role is fine without ever standing out in the leading role, which is going to be a theme when looking at the performances, nobody does anything to make themselves feel stand out in the film.
Story – The story here follows the re-opening of an old slaughterhouse as luxury apartments, but the ghosts of the old building are still there haunting the people that move in. this does give us the limited characters as the building isn’t officially opened, but will let people move into the property they have purchased early, this helps the story because an over crowded building would have only dragged the film down. The story is trying to be clever with certain connections only to fall mostly short with this side of the story telling. Once you do work out where the story wants to go you will work out the ending pretty easily which again disappoints and as for the supporting characters they seem to have no connection to the actual hauntings and are here just to give us a body count.
Horror – The horror in the film comes from the ghost visits and the technology not following the rules it should be, again simple scares which don’t give us anything to be frightened off.
Settings – The film is set in one house, we have an apartment building with history which gives us the haunting side of the film. it works well for the most part too.
Special Effects – The effects are not over used, they are simple when needed but nothing that becomes clear to what is happening in the film.
Scene of the Movie – Butch the Yorkie.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The pointless disposable supporting residents.
Final Thoughts – This is a very simple horror, it does the basics right without ever being put in the position of being anything special or standout, nothing is terrible, it is just average throughout.
Overall: Average horror.
Eventide 2: Sorcerer's Mirror (Full)
Games and Stickers
App
FANTASTIC HIDDEN OBJECT PUZZLE ADVENTURE GAME FROM THE CREATORS OF ENIGMATIS AND GRIM LEGENDS! ...
Eventide 2: Sorcerer's Mirror
Games and Stickers
App
FANTASTIC HIDDEN OBJECT PUZZLE ADVENTURE GAME FROM THE CREATORS OF ENIGMATIS AND GRIM LEGENDS! ...
BookInspector (124 KP) rated In Her Shadow in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist in this book is Jessica, mom of two kids, who even after five years, still devastated by her sister’s death. Suddenly, her little girl starts telling that she can talk to her auntie and starts revealing very accurate details from Isabel’s past. Did Isabel really died by accident or was she murdered? How does Jessica’s little girl know so much about the aunt she never met? Read the book to find out!
I really loved this book and its characters. The main characters would be Jessica and Isabel, who were telling the story. I really loved the multiple perspectives in this book, it allowed to see what was actually going on, and Isabel’s story made the whole reading experience more suspenseful and intriguing. I really liked the ghost element to it, the author very cleverly incorporated the experiences from the main characters past, to create more mystery. I liked the diversity and variety of other characters, even though their personalities were not discussed in detail, they played vital parts in the “bigger picture”.
The narrative was very absorbing for me. I really wanted to see what Jessica will find out next, and these little clues kept me on the edge all the way through. This novel has plenty of twists and turns, and the transition between chapters is very smartly written.
One thing for sure, Mark Edwards really knows how to write a good psychological thriller. The chapters have a very decent length and they are divided into smaller parts that did not leave me bored. I absolutely loved the culmination of this novel! It was incredibly twisty, rounds up the story nicely, but at the same time still leaves the reader guessing.
So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this dark and entangled family drama, filled with well-written characters, ghosts, and a very engrossing plot filled with unexpected findings. I strongly recommend to give this book a go, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
I really loved this book and its characters. The main characters would be Jessica and Isabel, who were telling the story. I really loved the multiple perspectives in this book, it allowed to see what was actually going on, and Isabel’s story made the whole reading experience more suspenseful and intriguing. I really liked the ghost element to it, the author very cleverly incorporated the experiences from the main characters past, to create more mystery. I liked the diversity and variety of other characters, even though their personalities were not discussed in detail, they played vital parts in the “bigger picture”.
The narrative was very absorbing for me. I really wanted to see what Jessica will find out next, and these little clues kept me on the edge all the way through. This novel has plenty of twists and turns, and the transition between chapters is very smartly written.
One thing for sure, Mark Edwards really knows how to write a good psychological thriller. The chapters have a very decent length and they are divided into smaller parts that did not leave me bored. I absolutely loved the culmination of this novel! It was incredibly twisty, rounds up the story nicely, but at the same time still leaves the reader guessing.
So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this dark and entangled family drama, filled with well-written characters, ghosts, and a very engrossing plot filled with unexpected findings. I strongly recommend to give this book a go, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Small Spaces (Small Spaces #1)
8.5
Rate It
Book
Bestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy,...
Childrens Middle School Middle Grades Horror Fantasy Fantasy Horror
Merissa (12894 KP) rated A Voice at Midnight (Regency Rhapsody #4) in Books
Apr 10, 2023
Veronica Swift is given an ultimatum by her step-father - she must marry by the New Year or she will have to learn to live without her inheritance. After arguing against this as best she can in those times, she accepts the advice of her companion and goes to visit her friend for the holidays who is hosting a party.
When she gets there she meets two men who are also attending together and feels a strange sense of familiarity with them both. Then the atmosphere of the castle comes into play and people start acting strangely, shadows are cast by no one and music can be heard where there should be none.
The ghosts at Wyemont Castle are real and they are certainly not like Casper! There has been a curse placed on the castle and its inhabitants and the ghosts keep trying to make history repeat itself so that the curse won't be broken.
This is a wonderfully written novella with enough action going on to keep you intrigued as you turn the pages. It is written in a genteel style so completely appropriate for the times. This is not a bodice-ripper but is all proper and above board (unless you count a couple of kisses between Vero and Tristan before they announce their courtship/engagement). With this story, you could either read it on the build-up to Samhain/Halloween for the ghost story aspect or on the build-up to the Winter Solstice as this is when the story reaches its climax. Either way, I would recommend curling up with this book, a hot drink and relax.
I love Elizabeth Cole's writing style and have enjoyed more than one of her books. I can recommend her highly without hesitation.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
August 11, 2016
When she gets there she meets two men who are also attending together and feels a strange sense of familiarity with them both. Then the atmosphere of the castle comes into play and people start acting strangely, shadows are cast by no one and music can be heard where there should be none.
The ghosts at Wyemont Castle are real and they are certainly not like Casper! There has been a curse placed on the castle and its inhabitants and the ghosts keep trying to make history repeat itself so that the curse won't be broken.
This is a wonderfully written novella with enough action going on to keep you intrigued as you turn the pages. It is written in a genteel style so completely appropriate for the times. This is not a bodice-ripper but is all proper and above board (unless you count a couple of kisses between Vero and Tristan before they announce their courtship/engagement). With this story, you could either read it on the build-up to Samhain/Halloween for the ghost story aspect or on the build-up to the Winter Solstice as this is when the story reaches its climax. Either way, I would recommend curling up with this book, a hot drink and relax.
I love Elizabeth Cole's writing style and have enjoyed more than one of her books. I can recommend her highly without hesitation.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
August 11, 2016
It took me a bit to get into Trust, but I’m glad I persevered, and that I went back and read the synopsis!
Trust is made up of four narratives about the same man. The first is a book written by Harold Vanner called ‘Bonds’. It tells the story of tycoon Benjamin Rask in the 1920’s and his role in the 1929 crash. It’s also about his wife, Helen, her love of the Arts, how she descends into mental illness and dies in a European asylum.
The second story is comprised of the notes that Andrew Revel, a Wall Street banker and tycoon, makes in order to write his autobiography. His wife Mildred also features, and her death from cancer, also in a treatment centre in Europe.
The third is written by Ida Partenza (my favourite part), where she is looking back on the time that she worked for Revel, ghost-writing his biography. She clearly intensely dislikes her employer, mainly because he lies throughout his storytelling, and is quite upfront about doing it. He’s also aware of her father being a political refugee from Italy, an anarchist, and there’s an underlying menace.
And the final part are the notes and diaries that Ida finds in the ‘present’ day written by Mildred, leading up to her death. They reveal the secrets that her husband would rather not know. Why these are still in a library that can be accessed by the public isn’t known, but the handwriting is pretty indecipherable, so that may well be the reason.
Obviously the first story is about the man in the last three, and we are asked to trust that the man who wrote the first is lying - and therefore trust that Andrew Revel is telling the truth. Clearly he isn’t. His wife’s notes back that up. Revel is a manipulative man, who doesn’t hesitate to ruin other people’s lives in order to protect his reputation.
I read this whole novel with horrified fascination. It’s a good one!
Trust is made up of four narratives about the same man. The first is a book written by Harold Vanner called ‘Bonds’. It tells the story of tycoon Benjamin Rask in the 1920’s and his role in the 1929 crash. It’s also about his wife, Helen, her love of the Arts, how she descends into mental illness and dies in a European asylum.
The second story is comprised of the notes that Andrew Revel, a Wall Street banker and tycoon, makes in order to write his autobiography. His wife Mildred also features, and her death from cancer, also in a treatment centre in Europe.
The third is written by Ida Partenza (my favourite part), where she is looking back on the time that she worked for Revel, ghost-writing his biography. She clearly intensely dislikes her employer, mainly because he lies throughout his storytelling, and is quite upfront about doing it. He’s also aware of her father being a political refugee from Italy, an anarchist, and there’s an underlying menace.
And the final part are the notes and diaries that Ida finds in the ‘present’ day written by Mildred, leading up to her death. They reveal the secrets that her husband would rather not know. Why these are still in a library that can be accessed by the public isn’t known, but the handwriting is pretty indecipherable, so that may well be the reason.
Obviously the first story is about the man in the last three, and we are asked to trust that the man who wrote the first is lying - and therefore trust that Andrew Revel is telling the truth. Clearly he isn’t. His wife’s notes back that up. Revel is a manipulative man, who doesn’t hesitate to ruin other people’s lives in order to protect his reputation.
I read this whole novel with horrified fascination. It’s a good one!
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Down These Strange Streets in Books
Mar 1, 2018
This anthology gathers stories from authors who normally write in various genres. The commonality is that each story is a mystery, and there's a fantastic twist to each. Martin's introduction calls such stories the "bastard stepchild" of mystery and horror.
[a:Charlaine Harris|17061|Charlaine Harris|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1307925926p2/17061.jpg]'; "Death by Dahlia," set in the Sookie Stackhouse universe, is one of a series of stories about the vampire Dahlia Lynley-Chivers. Each story stands alone, but my enjoyment grows greater with each addition to her tales. I'd much rather see Dahlia as the main character of a novel than Sookie, to be honest. This story, set at the party for the ascension of a new vampire sherrif, was a little gem, and a nice start to the collection.
"The Bleeding Shadow" by [a:Joe R. Lansdale|58971|Joe R. Lansdale|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1200406474p2/58971.jpg] is grittier from start to finish, set in the south of black folks in the 1950s. A beautiful woman sends her sometime-suitor to find her brother, a blues musician who has gotten into music that isn't of this world. I couldn't be done with this one soon enough, as it gave me the willies. I have a feeling Lansdale would be happy that it stuck with me for a while.
[a:Simon R. Green|41942|Simon R. Green|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1224555729p2/41942.jpg]'s "Hungry Heart" takes us to the Nightside, where John Taylor is hired by a young witch to retrieve her stolen heart. I haven't read any of the Nightside novels, but this is probably the third or fourth short story I've read, and for some reason they never leave me wanting more. I don't hunger for the darkness, I guess. I will give Green points for creativity in evil henchmen, though.
"Styx and Stones" by [a:Steven Saylor|42919|Steven Saylor|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1243268148p2/42919.jpg] takes a teenage version of his novel hero Gordianus on a world tour to see the Seven Wonders of the World, and this stop is Babylon. Gordianus and his companion, Antipater, find a murderous ghost in residence near their inn in addition to seeing the Ziggurat, the Gate of Ishtar, and what's left of the Hanging Gardens.
[a:S. M. Stirling|6448047|S. M. Stirling|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s "Pain and Suffering" was unsatisfying to me. It opened with an ex-soldier's combat flashback twisted into something Other, then we learn that the ex-soldier is a cop. He and his partner spend a lot of time investigating an apparent arson and possibly-connected kidnapping. The flashbacks repeat. There's more, but I don't want to spoil the story. I just felt that there was a lot of build-up for very little payoff, and that perhaps this story was meant as a teaser for a novel in which context it would all make far more sense.
"It's Still the Same Old Story' by [a:Carrie Vaughn|8988|Carrie Vaughn|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1231952277p2/8988.jpg] features vampire Rick, from the Kitty Norville books. An old friend calls him needing his help, but by the time he gets to her, she's dead. Most of the story is told in flashback, with him remembering when he originally met the now-old-woman, when they were lovers for a time. The murder is no great mystery for very long. The story felt more rote than anything else, as if perhaps Vaughn wanted to humanize Rick a bit by showing that he had cared for this woman at one time. I didn't feel much of anything from it.
One of the more creative pieces, "The Lady is a Screamer" by [a:Conn Iggulden|119121|Conn Iggulden|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1235073163p2/119121.jpg], is told in first person by a con man turned ghostbuster. I didn't like it, precisely, and i certainly didn't like the narrator. It stands alone, though, and doesn't feel derivative at all, so that says something all by itself.
"Hellbender" by [a:Laurie R. King|6760|Laurie R. King|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1314242901p2/6760.jpg] is probably the only story that left me determined to hunt down more of the author's work. I would classify it as near-future science fiction, but it certainly fits in the noir detective genre as well. I have no hesitation giving this one story five out of five stars.
"Shadow Thieves" is a Garrett, P.I. story by [a:Glen Cook|13026|Glen Cook|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1207159752p2/13026.jpg]. That's another series I haven't read, but I believe this is the first time I've read a short story set in that world. I wouldn't mind reading the series if the novels are all light-hearted like this story. There was some darkness, obviously, or the piece wouldn't be in this anthology - but overall, there was humor.
[a:Melinda M. Snodgrass|725899|Melinda M. Snodgrass|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1271184595p2/725899.jpg]'; "No Mystery, No Miracle" is probably the most controversial story in the book if anybody is really paying attention. I found it intriguing and well-written.
"The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery" by [a:M.L.N. Hanover|1868743|M.L.N. Hanover|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-M-50x66.jpg] takes us a big city, where an overworked cop is trying to get a confession out of a supposedly demon-possessed killer. He gets help from an unusual minister (Unitarian, we're told - not something that will thrill any UUs out there). I found this one of the most chilling stories in the book. Telling you why, however, would be a spoiler.
I would love to see a novel featuring the main characters of [a:Lisa Tuttle|38313|Lisa Tuttle|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1296860221p2/38313.jpg]'s "The Curious Affair of the Deodand" - a young woman in the Watson role and a young man as a Sherlock Holmes-type consulting detective. The young lady is every bit as vital to resolving the case as the man is, which is one of the things I enjoyed about the story. The resolution isn't as satisfying as it could be, though, which is one of the reasons I'd like to see the same characters in other circumstances.
"Lord John and the Plague of Zombies" by [a:Diana Gabaldon|3617|Diana Gabaldon|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1213918339p2/3617.jpg] is a Lord John Grey story. This is, I believe, the first thing I've read by Gabaldon. It wasn't bad and it wasn't earth-shakingly good. It was decently-plotted with predictable characters and a nice little twist at the end, so enjoyable to read. I won't avoid her work but I'm not burning to read more, either.
"Beware the Snake" is an SPQR story by [a:John Maddox Roberts|19522|John Maddox Roberts|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1285244765p2/19522.jpg]. Once again, I'm unfamiliar with the author and the series, but the story gave enough context for me to understand the setting and the characters, so that was all right. It was enjoyable, although I probably would have twigged to a couple of things more quickly were I more familiar with Roman naming customs.
[a:Patricia Briggs|40563|Patricia Briggs|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1228867484p2/40563.jpg]'; "In Red, With Pearls" is set in Mercedes Thompson's world but featuring werewolf Warren Smith and his lover Kyle. Kyle is set upon by a zombie assassin who is thwarted by Warren, but of course Warren wants to know who sent the zombie, why, and who made the zombie. It's a very good story, as I've come to expect from Briggs. I had a bit of a hard time keeping up with some of the secondary characters in the story, but then I was distracted at the time.
"The Adakian Eagle" by [a:Bradley Denton|198305|Bradley Denton|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1320697919p2/198305.jpg] is a Dashiell Hammett story - as in, Hammett is a character. That was interesting alone, but the story in general was well-told. Spare and hard, as befits one of the main characters.
All in all this is a collection that I can definitely recommend. There are very few clunkers are several excellent stories. [a:George R.R. Martin|346732|George R.R. Martin|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1195658637p2/346732.jpg] and [a:Gardner R. Dozois|12052|Gardner R. Dozois|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1247758142p2/12052.jpg] did their jobs very well.
[a:Charlaine Harris|17061|Charlaine Harris|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1307925926p2/17061.jpg]'; "Death by Dahlia," set in the Sookie Stackhouse universe, is one of a series of stories about the vampire Dahlia Lynley-Chivers. Each story stands alone, but my enjoyment grows greater with each addition to her tales. I'd much rather see Dahlia as the main character of a novel than Sookie, to be honest. This story, set at the party for the ascension of a new vampire sherrif, was a little gem, and a nice start to the collection.
"The Bleeding Shadow" by [a:Joe R. Lansdale|58971|Joe R. Lansdale|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1200406474p2/58971.jpg] is grittier from start to finish, set in the south of black folks in the 1950s. A beautiful woman sends her sometime-suitor to find her brother, a blues musician who has gotten into music that isn't of this world. I couldn't be done with this one soon enough, as it gave me the willies. I have a feeling Lansdale would be happy that it stuck with me for a while.
[a:Simon R. Green|41942|Simon R. Green|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1224555729p2/41942.jpg]'s "Hungry Heart" takes us to the Nightside, where John Taylor is hired by a young witch to retrieve her stolen heart. I haven't read any of the Nightside novels, but this is probably the third or fourth short story I've read, and for some reason they never leave me wanting more. I don't hunger for the darkness, I guess. I will give Green points for creativity in evil henchmen, though.
"Styx and Stones" by [a:Steven Saylor|42919|Steven Saylor|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1243268148p2/42919.jpg] takes a teenage version of his novel hero Gordianus on a world tour to see the Seven Wonders of the World, and this stop is Babylon. Gordianus and his companion, Antipater, find a murderous ghost in residence near their inn in addition to seeing the Ziggurat, the Gate of Ishtar, and what's left of the Hanging Gardens.
[a:S. M. Stirling|6448047|S. M. Stirling|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s "Pain and Suffering" was unsatisfying to me. It opened with an ex-soldier's combat flashback twisted into something Other, then we learn that the ex-soldier is a cop. He and his partner spend a lot of time investigating an apparent arson and possibly-connected kidnapping. The flashbacks repeat. There's more, but I don't want to spoil the story. I just felt that there was a lot of build-up for very little payoff, and that perhaps this story was meant as a teaser for a novel in which context it would all make far more sense.
"It's Still the Same Old Story' by [a:Carrie Vaughn|8988|Carrie Vaughn|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1231952277p2/8988.jpg] features vampire Rick, from the Kitty Norville books. An old friend calls him needing his help, but by the time he gets to her, she's dead. Most of the story is told in flashback, with him remembering when he originally met the now-old-woman, when they were lovers for a time. The murder is no great mystery for very long. The story felt more rote than anything else, as if perhaps Vaughn wanted to humanize Rick a bit by showing that he had cared for this woman at one time. I didn't feel much of anything from it.
One of the more creative pieces, "The Lady is a Screamer" by [a:Conn Iggulden|119121|Conn Iggulden|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1235073163p2/119121.jpg], is told in first person by a con man turned ghostbuster. I didn't like it, precisely, and i certainly didn't like the narrator. It stands alone, though, and doesn't feel derivative at all, so that says something all by itself.
"Hellbender" by [a:Laurie R. King|6760|Laurie R. King|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1314242901p2/6760.jpg] is probably the only story that left me determined to hunt down more of the author's work. I would classify it as near-future science fiction, but it certainly fits in the noir detective genre as well. I have no hesitation giving this one story five out of five stars.
"Shadow Thieves" is a Garrett, P.I. story by [a:Glen Cook|13026|Glen Cook|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1207159752p2/13026.jpg]. That's another series I haven't read, but I believe this is the first time I've read a short story set in that world. I wouldn't mind reading the series if the novels are all light-hearted like this story. There was some darkness, obviously, or the piece wouldn't be in this anthology - but overall, there was humor.
[a:Melinda M. Snodgrass|725899|Melinda M. Snodgrass|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1271184595p2/725899.jpg]'; "No Mystery, No Miracle" is probably the most controversial story in the book if anybody is really paying attention. I found it intriguing and well-written.
"The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery" by [a:M.L.N. Hanover|1868743|M.L.N. Hanover|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-M-50x66.jpg] takes us a big city, where an overworked cop is trying to get a confession out of a supposedly demon-possessed killer. He gets help from an unusual minister (Unitarian, we're told - not something that will thrill any UUs out there). I found this one of the most chilling stories in the book. Telling you why, however, would be a spoiler.
I would love to see a novel featuring the main characters of [a:Lisa Tuttle|38313|Lisa Tuttle|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1296860221p2/38313.jpg]'s "The Curious Affair of the Deodand" - a young woman in the Watson role and a young man as a Sherlock Holmes-type consulting detective. The young lady is every bit as vital to resolving the case as the man is, which is one of the things I enjoyed about the story. The resolution isn't as satisfying as it could be, though, which is one of the reasons I'd like to see the same characters in other circumstances.
"Lord John and the Plague of Zombies" by [a:Diana Gabaldon|3617|Diana Gabaldon|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1213918339p2/3617.jpg] is a Lord John Grey story. This is, I believe, the first thing I've read by Gabaldon. It wasn't bad and it wasn't earth-shakingly good. It was decently-plotted with predictable characters and a nice little twist at the end, so enjoyable to read. I won't avoid her work but I'm not burning to read more, either.
"Beware the Snake" is an SPQR story by [a:John Maddox Roberts|19522|John Maddox Roberts|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1285244765p2/19522.jpg]. Once again, I'm unfamiliar with the author and the series, but the story gave enough context for me to understand the setting and the characters, so that was all right. It was enjoyable, although I probably would have twigged to a couple of things more quickly were I more familiar with Roman naming customs.
[a:Patricia Briggs|40563|Patricia Briggs|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1228867484p2/40563.jpg]'; "In Red, With Pearls" is set in Mercedes Thompson's world but featuring werewolf Warren Smith and his lover Kyle. Kyle is set upon by a zombie assassin who is thwarted by Warren, but of course Warren wants to know who sent the zombie, why, and who made the zombie. It's a very good story, as I've come to expect from Briggs. I had a bit of a hard time keeping up with some of the secondary characters in the story, but then I was distracted at the time.
"The Adakian Eagle" by [a:Bradley Denton|198305|Bradley Denton|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1320697919p2/198305.jpg] is a Dashiell Hammett story - as in, Hammett is a character. That was interesting alone, but the story in general was well-told. Spare and hard, as befits one of the main characters.
All in all this is a collection that I can definitely recommend. There are very few clunkers are several excellent stories. [a:George R.R. Martin|346732|George R.R. Martin|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1195658637p2/346732.jpg] and [a:Gardner R. Dozois|12052|Gardner R. Dozois|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1247758142p2/12052.jpg] did their jobs very well.