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Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness
2020 | Crime, Documentary
And so, this is the one you are probably most familiar with, even if you have never watched a True Crime Doc before. Essentially a 7 part mini series with a making of extra program tagged on at the end that definitely does not need to be watched. Does any of it? It certainly showcases the nuttier side of America and some of the more eccentric characters that exist, not Least the compelling car crash human that is Joe Exotic – at times likeable, often very unlikable and almost certainly criminally insane. But it isn’t really about murder. The title is misleading in that sense. Mayhem and madness, oh for sure, but the murder part is an almost incidental detail of the show, as if to give it more gravitas.

It focuses on rivalries that existed between exotic animal parks that seem to take pride in mistreating tigers and other wild animals that have no place being there at all. The “fun” of it is watching “crazy” people, mostly Joe rolling around as if they were tiny kittens, and holding your breathe waiting for the inevitable moment they rip him to shreds. As it turns out, there is so much filler and false promise in this show that I would have to put it at the bottom of the list. It may not even have got on there at all if it wasn’t for the fact Lockdown viewing made it a shared experience that became ubiquitous. Otherwise, it is a poor circus freak show, badly presented and entirely cheap.
  
Cold As The Grave
Cold As The Grave
James Oswald | 2019 | Crime, Paranormal, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A treat for crime fiction lovers
This is a treat for crime fiction lovers with a bit of the supernatural thrown in for good measure. Mr Oswald knows how to write a great story and he has done it once again with "Cold as the Grave".

DCI Tony McLean finds himself, quite unexpectedly, in the midst of a strange and disturbing investigation following his discovery of the mummified remains of a young girl. Being a DCI, Tony is not supposed to get into the day to day investigation of crime however, Tony being Tony just can't help himself and he quickly becomes in the thick of it.

This is a dark and sinister case to investigate and includes themes on refugees, asylum seekers, illegal immigrants, trafficking, modern slavery, the murder of children and violence towards women as well as introducing a less than "normal" slant on the perpetrator of the crime and the method used for committing murder.

With fantastic characters throughout and written in a sympathetic rather than sensationalist way with the back drop of a winter in Edinburgh, this is a great read.

I admit to not having read all the previous books in this series and although I have probably missed out massively on back story, character development, etc., it did not detract from my enjoyment of this book.

On to the next .... when it comes out!

My thanks must go to the Publisher and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased review.
  
The Murder of Twelve
The Murder of Twelve
Jessica Fletcher, Jon Land | 2020 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Weddings are Murder
With a record setting blizzard on the way to Cabot Cove, Maine, Jessica Fletcher is planning to hunker down in her temporary home – the Hill House hotel. Before she can do that, she joins Sheriff Metzger when he gets a call about a man found in his car on the edge of town. What at first looks like a tragic accident is indeed murder. On arriving at the hotel, Jessica learns she will be joined for the weekend by a wedding party. But with the bride and groom missing, tempers begin to flair. Then a dead body appears. Are they trapped with a killer? Is it connected to the man outside of town?

This is another fast-moving mystery that obviously pays homage to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. I felt it was a bit more of a thriller (minus the language and violence) than a true cozy, but I’m not complaining since I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what was going to happen next. Much of the book features Jessica and those trapped in the hotel with her, and they are all strong enough characters to carry the story. Unfortunately, the little bit we did see of the recurring characters fell into predictable patterns, although I still enjoyed spending time with them. The writing was so vivid, I felt the cold as I was reading. Any complaints are minor, and I’m happy I picked up this fast-paced book.
  
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

May 11, 2020 (Updated May 11, 2020)  
Sneak a peek at the murder mystery audiobook COVEY AND JAYJAY GET EDUCATED by Shelton L. Williams on my blog, and enter the #GIVEAWAY to #win a copy of the book as well as other Shelton Williams books - THREE WINNERS!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2020/05/audio-book-tour-and-giveaway-covey-and.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
Amateur detectives Covey Jencks and JayJay Qualls are drawn into a triple murder on the campus of Baker College in West Waverly in the Texas Hill Country. Both end up taking positions at the college: Covey as an adjunct instructor and JayJay as a visiting actor.

Initially they believe that money is the motive for the murders, but over time they learn that the college is a cauldron of political and social intrigue. The college's new president and his beautiful wife, various staff members, a prominent trustee, and parties not associated with the college have the motives, opportunities, and wacky agendas that might implicate them in the murders. It turns out that a white nationalist group may be using a college house for its nefarious activities, but are they more talk than action?

The West Waverly police are little to no help in the investigation, and Covey himself has to depart the college to deal with his father's death. JayJay takes over and makes a critical breakthrough. Upon Covey's return, the couple must rely on deception, a bit of luck, and martial arts skills to solve the crimes and to try to prevent a high-profile assassination.