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Bethr1986 (305 KP) rated Clean Win (A Sam Quinton Mystery #4) in Books
Apr 28, 2023
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sam Quinton is a retired wrestler, who now owns a gym as well as has the side hustle of being a private investigator. He gets hired for a high-profile case that doesn't seem as straight-cut as it should. Will Sam figure it out before it's too late?
This is the 4th instalment of the Sam Quinton mysteries and, although I haven't read any of the other books in this series, it didn't matter. There were a couple of mentions of previous cases he had worked on but nothing that would confuse you or takes away from this book. I would say it could be read as a stand-alone.
There is a lot of detail given in the story and in this case, which is good as you are able to go along at the same pace as him in discovering the answer to whodunit.
I didn't expect it to be who it was I had bets on another character! There is a lot to keep you hooked and continue reading.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Sam Quinton is a retired wrestler, who now owns a gym as well as has the side hustle of being a private investigator. He gets hired for a high-profile case that doesn't seem as straight-cut as it should. Will Sam figure it out before it's too late?
This is the 4th instalment of the Sam Quinton mysteries and, although I haven't read any of the other books in this series, it didn't matter. There were a couple of mentions of previous cases he had worked on but nothing that would confuse you or takes away from this book. I would say it could be read as a stand-alone.
There is a lot of detail given in the story and in this case, which is good as you are able to go along at the same pace as him in discovering the answer to whodunit.
I didn't expect it to be who it was I had bets on another character! There is a lot to keep you hooked and continue reading.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Lucifer's Triangle (The Trove Chronicles, #1)
9.0
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In a city where belief means everything, putting your faith in the wrong person can get you killed. ...
Thriller Historical Elements
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2664 KP) rated City of Shadows in Books
Dec 15, 2021
Target: A Fake Medium
Newlywed Elizabeth Miles Bates is enjoying her new life in 1919 New York City, but she has to call upon her conman roots when her friend Anna Vanderslice comes to her for help. Anna’s mother has started going to a medium, spending money they don’t have in their budget to do so. Elizabeth quickly confirms that the medium is a fake, and her husband, Gideon, figures out that there is more to the plot than Elizabeth originally thought. Can she figure out how to stop the medium?
I enjoy this series since the caper storylines are a break from the mysteries I normally read. This one was a bit more straightforward than some of the others, but I still enjoyed every page, and there were a few branches to the plot I didn’t expect. Another draw to this series is the characters. They are their usual charming selves here. The multiple viewpoints add to the fun since some of the reactions to the events are funny. Yet, the characters have some real depth to them and I love seeing how they are growing as the series progresses. If you are looking for a little something different in a crime novel, this is one you’ll enjoy.
I enjoy this series since the caper storylines are a break from the mysteries I normally read. This one was a bit more straightforward than some of the others, but I still enjoyed every page, and there were a few branches to the plot I didn’t expect. Another draw to this series is the characters. They are their usual charming selves here. The multiple viewpoints add to the fun since some of the reactions to the events are funny. Yet, the characters have some real depth to them and I love seeing how they are growing as the series progresses. If you are looking for a little something different in a crime novel, this is one you’ll enjoy.
Murder on Madison Square
7.0
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Sarah and Frank Malloy must catch a scheming killer in this latest gripping installment of the USA...
Hiss Me Deadly
5.0
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Charlie and Diesel must catch a killer before he strikes another deadly note in this latest...
Murder at Ochre Court
8.0
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For fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age, explore the dark side of the alluring world of America’s 19th...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2664 KP) rated Dead Days of Summer in Books
Jul 29, 2026 (Updated Jul 29, 2026)
What Happened to Max?
As this book opens, Annie thinks the biggest problem she is facing is keeping the surprise birthday party she is planning for Max a secret, especially given how Laurel, Max’s mother, keeps thinking for herself. But that’s before Max vanishes. He’d taken a new case that Monday afternoon, and he let Annie know he’d be home late. But he never comes home. The search uncovers a dead body. What does it mean? Where is Max?
Being a fan of the series, the premise pulled me in right away. Sadly, it stalled out in the middle before picking up again for the third act. Even so, one major question I had was left unanswered. The series regulars were their usual charming selves, even getting a laugh or two from me at times. One character undergoes a transformation here that fit his personality from earlier in the series better. The suspects don’t get much page time until the end, but they are good for the page time they have. There are hardly any references to other mysteries; I hope we get more in the following books. While this won’t be my favorite in the series, it is one that fans will still be glad they read.
Being a fan of the series, the premise pulled me in right away. Sadly, it stalled out in the middle before picking up again for the third act. Even so, one major question I had was left unanswered. The series regulars were their usual charming selves, even getting a laugh or two from me at times. One character undergoes a transformation here that fit his personality from earlier in the series better. The suspects don’t get much page time until the end, but they are good for the page time they have. There are hardly any references to other mysteries; I hope we get more in the following books. While this won’t be my favorite in the series, it is one that fans will still be glad they read.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2664 KP) rated Thicker Than Water in Books
Sep 18, 2026 (Updated Sep 18, 2026)
The Young Woman in the Shack
When a college student walks into Sally’s office asking for protection from a man, Sally is willing to help. But the young woman doesn’t give many details before she disappears. Two days later, Jim is pulled into the hunt for a missing autistic young man. While the man is found, he is talking about a “sleeping blue lady” he saw in a nearby shack. Sure enough, there is a dead young woman there. And it’s the woman that came to Sally for help. Sally just can’t let it go, so she starts investigating on her own. Will the two be able to figure out what happened to the victim?
The plot quickly pulled me in. I appreciated that, as always, we got just the detail we needed on certain things to bring the story to life without going too far. There were a good number of twists, but the climax was a little messier than I would have liked. Still, it did tie everything up. I loved watching Sally and Jim take another step forward in their relationship while learning from what has come before. I’m as invested in their relationship as the mysteries in each book. As always, reading this book is time well spent.
The plot quickly pulled me in. I appreciated that, as always, we got just the detail we needed on certain things to bring the story to life without going too far. There were a good number of twists, but the climax was a little messier than I would have liked. Still, it did tie everything up. I loved watching Sally and Jim take another step forward in their relationship while learning from what has come before. I’m as invested in their relationship as the mysteries in each book. As always, reading this book is time well spent.
Midge (525 KP) rated The Winter Mystery in Books
Mar 18, 2019
Great & Humorous Cozy Mystery
Over recent months I've become a great fan of cozy mysteries so, when I saw this second book in the series featuring Jenny Starling being launched, I knew I had to read "The Winter Mystery." Also, it has a culinary theme which I love and a little light humour. The first book ‘The Birthday Mystery’ was so good, I knew it was likely that Faith Martin had written a winner with this book, too, and I was right!
Best-seller author Faith Martin has also written the ‘Detective Hillary Greene’ mysteries.
First, we are introduced to Jenny Starling who is spending Christmas in a snowed-in country house cooking all the traditional food she loves, however, the family she’s working for are not full of the seasonal spirit. On Christmas Eve, someone is found dead on the kitchen table and the head of the family is blaming Jenny! But with an incompetent detective called in, and seemingly no motive for the murder, Jenny will have to turn amateur sleuth again. She will stop at nothing to clear her name and find the perpetrator.
Faith Martin’s writing skills set the scene beautifully for this novel. The house is a large, charming, Cotswold-stone, Georgian farmhouse in rural Oxford, complete with stables, outhouses, a cobbled courtyard and a resident sheepdog.
Faith Martin’s character development is wonderful, particularly that of Jenny who is an impressive woman and in her late twenties. Curvaceous and sexy, she’s a modern single woman, living and loving life as a travelling cook. She is happy travelling the country catering for different events and cooking great food. She doesn’t like having to divert her attention from baking delicious cakes or creating a new sauce recipe by having to solve murders. She is great at reading people and unmasking killers, always with a good dose of humour.
There are many suspects in this mystery, with clues and lots of red herrings to keep the reader guessing. It was a thoroughly satisfying read and I often found myself asking the same questions as Jenny and I was kept in suspense to the end. The pacing in "The Winter Mystery" was very good and I never lost interest, as it wasn't long before something intriguing would happen. Things came together for a fulfilling finish and wrapped everything up very neatly.
I'm definitely looking forward to the next novel featuring Jenny Starling and other books by the author, Faith Martin. "The Winter Mystery" whets your appetite for more to come.
My thanks to #NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author for providing me with a free advanced copy of #TheWinterMystery.
Best-seller author Faith Martin has also written the ‘Detective Hillary Greene’ mysteries.
First, we are introduced to Jenny Starling who is spending Christmas in a snowed-in country house cooking all the traditional food she loves, however, the family she’s working for are not full of the seasonal spirit. On Christmas Eve, someone is found dead on the kitchen table and the head of the family is blaming Jenny! But with an incompetent detective called in, and seemingly no motive for the murder, Jenny will have to turn amateur sleuth again. She will stop at nothing to clear her name and find the perpetrator.
Faith Martin’s writing skills set the scene beautifully for this novel. The house is a large, charming, Cotswold-stone, Georgian farmhouse in rural Oxford, complete with stables, outhouses, a cobbled courtyard and a resident sheepdog.
Faith Martin’s character development is wonderful, particularly that of Jenny who is an impressive woman and in her late twenties. Curvaceous and sexy, she’s a modern single woman, living and loving life as a travelling cook. She is happy travelling the country catering for different events and cooking great food. She doesn’t like having to divert her attention from baking delicious cakes or creating a new sauce recipe by having to solve murders. She is great at reading people and unmasking killers, always with a good dose of humour.
There are many suspects in this mystery, with clues and lots of red herrings to keep the reader guessing. It was a thoroughly satisfying read and I often found myself asking the same questions as Jenny and I was kept in suspense to the end. The pacing in "The Winter Mystery" was very good and I never lost interest, as it wasn't long before something intriguing would happen. Things came together for a fulfilling finish and wrapped everything up very neatly.
I'm definitely looking forward to the next novel featuring Jenny Starling and other books by the author, Faith Martin. "The Winter Mystery" whets your appetite for more to come.
My thanks to #NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author for providing me with a free advanced copy of #TheWinterMystery.
Verner Latskin (74 KP) rated Mr. Robot - Season 1 in TV
Jul 21, 2017
The Writing (6 more)
The Cinematography
The Direction
The Performances
Best Dream Sequence that David Lynch didn't create
The Music
Best plot twist since Fight Club (the one that isnt inspired by Fight Club)
Brilliant, breathtaking, addictive.
I love this show. I only watched it on a lark, expecting to make fun of it - a hacker drama on USA called "Mr. Robot"? This is gonna be hilarious, I thought. I was so incredibly wrong. By the end of the pilot, I was hooked harder than any show since Twin Peaks had hooked me.
It's maybe the most cinematic TV series ever made, more so than a lot of movies. The mysteries it creates are gripping and compelling, inviting intense theorizing and speculation. It pulls off the best twist I've ever seen on television, and does it by blinding you with one that is telegraphed and inspired by another famous plot twist. Rami Malik goes from that guy you've seen in a bunch of stuff to legend status in one scene. In fact, the entire cast is nothing short of amazing. It makes the audience into a part of the show like no show ever has. It's already one of my favorite series ever made. It's brilliant.
It's maybe the most cinematic TV series ever made, more so than a lot of movies. The mysteries it creates are gripping and compelling, inviting intense theorizing and speculation. It pulls off the best twist I've ever seen on television, and does it by blinding you with one that is telegraphed and inspired by another famous plot twist. Rami Malik goes from that guy you've seen in a bunch of stuff to legend status in one scene. In fact, the entire cast is nothing short of amazing. It makes the audience into a part of the show like no show ever has. It's already one of my favorite series ever made. It's brilliant.