A Good Excuse To Be Bad

A Good Excuse To Be Bad by Miranda Parker

Genre: Suspense-Drama

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.

Publication Date:  June 28, 2011

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

Since only a handful of books are worth reading past its opening paragraph, chances are most readers will pass on a novel and perhaps opt for mindless television, unless the author manages to capture their attention, and propel them to read chapter-after-interesting-chapter, and that's what Miranda Parker has skillfully been able to do in, A Good Excuse to Be Bad.

 Miranda Parker's debut novel, A Good Excuse to Be Bad showcases a female heroine, Angel - but don't get it twisted, the name Angel was given to her, but not necessarily earned. This former investigative reporter has become a tough bail recovery agent, aka - Bounty Hunter, with ballistics training, a black belt, and an array of weaponry; and she’s on a mission to save her twin sister, Ava from a scandalous murder charge, and when I say scandalous, I do mean the murder of Bishop Devon McArthur was scandalous.  The action, humor, and thrills keep this fast-paced suspense intriguing while the anticipation unfolds and until the final pages are turned.

Although Angel reluctantly promised the annoying pain-in-her-side detective Salvador Tinsley, that she would not interfere with the investigation, and despite the animosity between Ava and Angel, she is still compelled to save her sister from the death penalty or at the very least, life in prison – so Angel launches a private investigation of her own.  The road to the truth, leads her on a journey of lies, deceit and more dead bodies. At the same time, Parker throws Rev. Justus Morgan, the lavender scented handsome pastor into the mix as Angel's wanna-be sidekick with hints of a taboo romance on the horizon – to learn how far it will blossom, readers will have to follow the story to a close.

 

While on the trail of clues, evidence and motives – not to mention romance, readers will discover some surprising elements that will keep them perplexed and captivated to find out where and with whom the trail will end. 

Ms. Parker has cleverly added some twists and turns that are sure to keep any suspense reader fascinated until they uncover every mystery, including why Angel detested her brother-in-law and what caused her, her sister and the Bishop to be on such bad terms - how does their estranged relationship and the six-year old history between Angel and the sizzling-voice Detective Tinsley fit into this web of deception and the murder investigation?  Oh and then there’s finding out who Rachel is and what if anything, is her connection to Bishop McArthur’s murder.  This story will have readers on edge as they continue to clutch the pages to find out who amongst the suspects is actually guilty of the murder(s).

Readers don’t pass on A Good Excuse to Be Bad, by talented author, Miranda Parker – if you do, you will regrettably miss out on a very interesting read of dramatic-suspense with a cultural trip through the streets of Metro Atlanta and its surrounding areas. 

After reading A Good Excuse To Be Bad, I know I want to find out what happen to put Angel on bad terms with Ava and Devon - so I'm really looking forward to joining Angel on her next manhunt in the latest Angel Crawford installment, Someone Bad and Something Blue, scheduled for release in July 2012 from Dafina Books.

Review copy provided by publisher.

  

Cabin Fever (Diary of A Wimpy Kid – Series #6)

Diary of A Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever - Series #6 by Jeff Kinney

Genre: Children's Series

Publisher: Abrams, Harry N., Inc.

Publication Date:  November, 2011

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

Writer Jeff Kinney continues his diary entries about the adventures of his stick figure Protagonist, Greg Heffley in, Cabin Fever - Diary #6.  In this installment Greg finds himself in trouble again - and this time he is somehow involved in vandalizing school property - the other perpetrator is of course, his closest friend, Rowley who, as usual is along for the ride.

The winter holidays is the setting for this Wimpy Kid installment.  While Greg is trying to figure out what to put on his Christmas list, he chronicles a number of events that take place prior to the blizzard that trap him and how he manages to deal with them - including, looking for ways to earn money to buy Kritterz Kash to care for his demanding cyber pet.  At the same time, Greg's little brother, Manny has his own solution to Greg's virtual pet problem, and it's a doozy.

And like any average stick-figure adolescent, Gregg has finally grown up a bit, and is a little less whiny.  Although his primary goal is to earn money to care for his virtual dog and not get busted for defacing school property -  Greg brings attention to the fact that recess has become like a prison yard after the last of the playground equipment is taken away - because according to Greg, the school was having trouble paying the insurance for the playground, so each time there was an accident or injury they removed the offending piece of equipment - until there was none, and the children were left with no recess-time activities.  Greg may very well be on to something,  because, that may be the lame explanation for the lack of physical activity in today's public schools. 

After successful eluding the school authorizes as well as the police for his accidental crime, to Greg's surprise he his anonymously ratted out by none other than, one of Westmore Middle School's usual suspects - discover along with Greg, who it is.

An entertainingly quick, easy read for young children.

Review copy provided by publisher

Holler At The Moon - by Tinesha Davis

Holler At The Moon by Tinesha Davis        

Genre: Drama

Publisher: Word of Mouth Books

Publication Date:  2009

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

Tinesha Davis, debut novel Holler At The Moon, is filled with plenty of drama….

Holler At The Moon is a stimulating descriptive, though sometimes bittersweet, dramatic novel.  This story definitely offers a heavy slant towards the importance of family, friendships, love, and loyalty – which I'm certain readers will enjoy.

As ghastly as it was, this story is about more than three young sisters witnessing the murder of their mother at the hands of their father.  It is about the trials, tribulations that they suffer following the senseless act committed by their father - it is about, the three sisters who are seemingly delightful talented and gifted individuals, who in spite of their youth must somehow triumph over adversity - but is it possible for them to do so, or has their fate already been sealed by the dreadful situation and the blood that runs through their innocent veins?

The author's skill, imagination, and gifted storytelling provide a captivating story for readers. The realism of this story is what makes it heartfelt, yet frightening because it is the life-story far too many children live daily.  And it's certain that more than just a few readers will be able to identify family, friends, or even themselves  depicted throughout the pages of this challenging story - and because of this or in spite of it, this story will cause readers to, laugh, become angry,  and even want to cry.

Tinesha Davis manages to dab a bit of humor - by way of one of my favorite characters, Damita - throughout the novel as she tells a horrific tale of the abandonment the girls experienced and the never ending grief they suffered, as well as the horror they were made to endure at the hands of those that were suppose to love and protect them. However, the strength that the main female characters continued to maintain throughout and in spite of their horrendous circumstances is to be admired. 

The three Jackson sisters are separated, and living hard lives far away from each other...

The oldest Jackson sister, Dominique is sent to Virginia to live with her father's cousin Rhanda.  Unfortunately, Rhanda's home is absent of any type of love and Dominique seeks comfort elsewhere. Unable to grieve so she can embrace her past, Dominique finds herself on a destructive path.   Dominique later becomes a well adjusted twenty-five year old professional, living a seemingly perfect life…or so it seems - she's in love with a man who once saved her, but is now threatening to destroy her.  Will she be able to break free from him in time?

The middle Jackson sister, Donya  was sent to live with her father's sister, Aunt Chuck, and tries hard to keep in touch with Dominique and look after her younger sister,  Damita.  But as a young teen Donya is forced to leave her Aunt's house and falls into troublesome circumstances, and has to claw her way from living on the streets to being a self-made Bohemian whose life becomes filled with rainbows and dance.  But then she finds herself stuck in the middle of two disasters and not certain which she should try to resolve.

And then there's the youngest of the Jackson sisters, Damita, who is also sent to live with Aunt Chuck; and learns quickly that in order to survive she must gravitate and become indispensable to the only person left in her immediate circle, and that is Aunt Chuck - another mean character who needs Damita to run errands, that her obesity won't allow her to handle.  Damita becomes a fast-talking, straight-A high school student with a serious sarcastic wit and an attitude and temper inherited of her father and his desire to resolve issues by any physical means necessary.     She is an intellect with a promising future, but will she allow her hot-headed ways to ruin her the way her father allowed his to ruined him?

Author Tinesha Davis displays a writing talent that is so polished that it is difficult to believe Holler At The Moon is her debut novel.  The story was awesome, and I believe that readers will find this book to be an enjoyable and fascinating read, so if you haven't had the pleasure of reading this book, be certain to pick up a copy before the sequel, Twice On Sundays hits the stands.

Review copy provided by publisher.

  

Nick Of Time

Nick of Time by Tim Downs

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date:  2011

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey 

Dr. Nick Polchack  is an interesting character in Tim Down’s, Bug Man series (Shoo Fly Pie, Chop Shop, First the Dead, Less Than Dead, and Ends of the Earth), Nick is a forensic entomologist who understands one thing well … bugs, but as far as people, not so much.

On the last page of Ends of the Earth, Nick asked someone to marry him. Unfortunately we didn’t know who. Nick of Time answers that question.

In this  installment  of the Bug Man mystery series there are plenty of twists and turns  for the reader to discover and enjoy; including the fact that Nick and Alena are preparing for their wedding, well, Alena is.  Nick is a bit distracted when he finds himself out of town, chasing clues to solve the puzzling murder case of an old friend.

Will he make it back in time for the nuptials?  Will he find the killer before it's too late?  Will he survive the dangerous situation he's unwittingly placed himself in?  The answer to these questions will be revealed in due time throughout the pages of this quirky mystery.

Besides getting the answers to those intriguing questions,  readers will also learn, what happened early in Nick’s life that caused his disconnection from people and fascination with bugs.  Readers  will  finally get to see the light bulb go on in Nick’s heart about what loving another human being, namely Alena, really means. But what they won't get to see is, a neatly packaged ending - because, there are always surprises in store when Tim Downs puts pen to paper.

Catfish Alley

Catfish Alley by Lynne Bryant

Genre: Fiction
Publisher: New American Library - Penguin Group
Publication Date: April 2011

Lynne Bryant grew up in rural New Hope, Mississippi - outside of Columbus and admits she had little interaction with "Black folks", yet it was not until she reached adulthood and moved away, that she became intrigued with the history of her hometown and her obliviousness of the issues of race raging around her and uses many of the events as inspiration for her debut novel, Catfish Alley.

Lynne Bryant's debut novel, Catfish Alley is about a White woman in the South whose research into local Black history introduces her to several elderly Black women, and their stories of tragedy and endurance in the days before Civil Rights. In Clarksville, Mississippi, Blacks and Whites live largely separate lives, and racial prejudice maintains a powerful hold.  Although she claims not to have a self-serving motive, Roxanne Reeves didn't take on the task of adding African-American history to the town’s famous annual Antebellum House tour, because she had an interest in, or some deep desire to examine Black history, no, she did it so that she could get the contract to do the restoration at Riverview  – the most beautiful property in Clarksville; not only would it be a feather in Roxanne’s cap, but the money she’d earn from getting the contract  to restore it, would be substantial.  However, she thought it was going to be some simple little list of places that Grace Clark would come up with and they'd be done- Roxanne never thought she would get so pulled into their lives and their history.

Catfish Alley is a story involving Grace Clark, a retired Black schoolteacher who mysteriously owns one of the grand plantations of Clarksville.  She becomes Roxanne’s guide to undistinguished places that are sacred to the Black community because of what happened there - even, a senseless photographed hanging used as an initiation into the Klan.  Grace and a few of her friends share stories of the past, especially 1931, when they were young, happy and full of hopeful promise – yet a racist’s hatred for Grace’s brother, Zero, led to events that changed all their lives, and continued to touch people decades later.  Author, Bryant manages to a good job of maintaining the White characters' tone of entitlement throughout the novel, with ease; and sadly during this journey much is revealed about how the majority, if not all of the Black characters suffer terrible tragedies at the hands of White people, yet they continue to pursue their personal dreams, refusing to allow grief and loss to make them bitter, resentful or angry. 

Books of this nature generally depict Blacks living with the expectation that law enforcement would offer little if any protection against violence so they try not to make waves or seek help against their oppressors – but instead opt for the old turn-the-other-cheek mentality, and Lynne Bryant vividly expresses how her characters in Clarksville, Mississippi are content to preserve the status quo.  In the beginning chapters, the multiple points of view, and multiple time periods are slightly distracting, but evidently the reader can become accustom to it and follow along easily, as the author’s writing skill kicks in and demonstrates how  she can readily maintain the flow quite well. 

As Bryant wraps up the story, Roxanne and Del have gained a whole new perspective about the Black community in Clarksville Roxanne so easily dismissed, and her life opens up in unexpected ways;  thereby making Catfish Alley a somewhat heartwarming story of hope, self-discovery, and friendship.

This book contains extreme racially offensive content, strong language, and descriptions of horrible scenes of White brutality.  This book can also be considered extremely insulting and a challenge for anyone, but more so, if the reader is African American. 

That said,  I'm not certain if there was a need for yet another derogatory book written by a White woman, about Blacks in Mississippi – after all,  The Help managed to stir up enough controversy surrounding this subject to last the readers for quite some time.  The two books may not be exact in their content, but they are not far off the mark from one another.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Missing Persons

Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Plume
Publication Date: May 31, 2011


Missing Persons is the debut of an edgy, exciting new Kate Conway Mystery series, by author, Clare O'Donohue,  featuring a funny, but cynical television producer turned amateur sleuth.  In the oddest chapter of her life, Kate navigates a sometimes dangerous path of lost love, bad television, unsolved cases, and her husband's girlfriend, who keeps getting in the damn way.

Crime TV producer, Kate Conway has a pretty simple job. Gain the trust of unsuspecting interviewees to extract the true story and capture it all on camera - ideally, while they cry on cue. However, Kate finds herself on the other side of the line of questioning after she gets a call from her soon-to-be ex-husband's lover, Vera Bingham who informs her that Frank, collapsed after playing basketball and was rushed to St. Anthony's Hospital, where Frank dies from a heart attack. But an autopsy shows Frank had excessive amounts of digitalis in his body; And the two women in his life -Kate and Vera - are the prime suspects. To make matters worse - Frank's grieving mistress suddenly wants to become Kate's new best friend.

As the investigation into Frank's death heats up, Kate throws herself into her work on a new television program Missing Persons. Her first assignment is the story of Theresa Moretti, a seemingly angelic young woman who disappeared a year earlier. Except, Theresa may not be as innocent as everyone thinks. Interviews with Theresa's ex-boyfriend, her disinterested "best" friend, and an attractive, but amoral, local politician, lead Kate to believe she's being lied to about the real Theresa. Although, All Kate wants is a clichéd story and twenty-two minutes of footage to take her mind off her own messy life, but when two cases appear to overlap, she begins digging into the case herself; but Kate needs to work fast before another body turns up - and it just may very well be her own.

Missing Persons is a mystery with surprising depth and smart, hip, snappy dialogue. Kate is a sharp, cynical, person who makes mistakes and learns from them - she grows and changes as the story progresses. The Kate Conway series is certain to become a favorite with mystery fans; and I, like many readers, look forward to seeing what O'Donohue does with the main character going forward.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Dreams of Joy

Genre: Drama
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: 2011


Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of Shanghai Girls, Peony in Love, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (which has been adapted into a film), Flower Net (an Edgar Award nominee), The Interior, and Dragon Bones, as well as the acclaimed memoir On Gold Mountain. The Organization of Chinese American Women named her the 2001 National Woman of the Year.

In her most powerful novel yet, Lisa See returns to the timeless themes of mother love, romantic love, and love of country. She continues the story of sisters Pearl and May from Shanghai Girls, and Pearl's strong-willed nineteen-year-old daughter, Joy.  Dreams of Joy provides a glimpse of the cold, cruel damage to the humanity of people that was caused by war and the Communist regime in China in the late 1950s.  In this segment the return to Shanghai shows the Paris of Asia, may have been lost forever.

Acclaimed for her richly drawn characters and vivid storytelling, Lisa See once again renders a family challenged by tragedy and time, yet ultimately united by the resilience of love.

Dreams of Joy is the sequel to Shanghai Girls which revisits sisters Pearl and May and the continued development of their relationship while telling the story of Joy, a Chinese-American at the time of the inception of Mao's "Great Leap Forward".  It is an epic historical drama with strong characterization and authenticity - the reader is taken on an emotional journey to China and into the lives of the Chin family.  Joy is an idealistic and naive college-student hell-bent on helping China's "Great Leap Forward".  However, what Joy finds is not the communist paradise she thought she wanted to be a part of;  Instead, what she finds is that her commune is more or less a refugee camp - her marriage and life in the countryside are so deeply disturbing and the "Great Leap Forward" is an actual  "Great Leap Into Famine".   Some may consider this to be a beautiful coming of age story, while others may view it as a story of a hardheaded teen defying her mother and trying to escape the guilt of her step-father's suicide, while at the same time trying to process the newly uncovered family secret of her parentage that has scattered her emotionally and placed a wedge of anger between her mother, aunt and herself.

The adventure, if one can call it that, begins after naïve Joy flees to China to seek out her biological father - the artist Z.G. Li, with whom both May and Pearl were once in love. Devastated by Joy's flight and terrified for her safety, Pearl is determined to save her daughter, no matter what the personal cost.  Against better judgment, Pearl leaves the comforts of L.A. on a quest to find Joy; once there she confronts old demons and challenges as she tries to reunite with Joy.  Added to the stress of trying to locate her daughter is the realization of the perils of the new China - including not being allowed basic freedoms of wearing a bra, sending and receiving mail, possession of her own passport, or even worst, not being allowed to leave China once there.

This story is permeated with the most vivid descriptions of sights, sounds and smells that transport the reader to a time and place where no one in their right mind would willingly want to go - yet, one will find themselves eagerly leaping forward through the story, to discover the moral fabric of China’s society as it unravels, with the abuse of its people, which sometimes resorted to cannibalism.  Readers will find themselves transfixed and perhaps emotionally invested, as old, new and restored relationships are woven within the dangers of this sage.  Not only fear for the safety of the main characters, but will root for their survival, but will Joy, Pearl and May survive the devastation of China’s new regime or will they perish along with millions of others?

Sometimes you come across a book that touches your heart, whether through a moving story-line, a narrative so beautifully heartbreaking it smothers you emotionally or a character or characters so absorbing you can’t quite put the book down – Lisa See’s Dreams of Joy is one such book.

This is a must read and highly recommended for anyone who wants to be vividly transported historically back in time - Lee allows readers to explore the details of the Maoist era (1958-1962) without restoring to dull dry statistical facts, as she unleashes a story about the worst catastrophe in China's history, and one of the worst anywhere; but at the same time provides a story about the love, loyalty, devotion and strength of a family.


Review copy provided by publisher.

The Worst Thing

The Worst Thing by Aaron Elkins

Genre: Suspense - Mystery

Publisher: The Penguin Group

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

The Edgar Award winner and author of the Gideon Oliver mystery series, Aaron Elkins is back with The Worst Thing, an exciting new stand-alone novel of mystery and suspense that illustrates how quickly everything can go wrong when you ask--what's the worst that can happen?

 In this novel the author ventures deep into the mind of Bryan Bennett, a designer of hostage negotiation programs, and chronic sufferer of some serious panic attacks. Bryan recalls in detail about being abducted at the age of five and imprisoned in a Turkish dungeon - this resulted in Bryan harboring an unbearable fear of being kidnapped. Although it’s been over thirty years since the kidnapping, Bryan still can’t seem to deal with kidnappers in hostage situations - one would think he'd opt for a different career in a totally different field.  Instead he allows his fear of enclosed spaces to control him and refuses to travel outside the safe confines of Redmond, a once relatively sleepy little town outside of Seattle.

But with the help of a therapist, his wife's overwhelming desire to travel - beyond the radius of their own residence, and armed with a life-time supply of Xanax, Bryan agrees to teach a corporate kidnapping seminar in the unusual setting of Iceland. 

As the story takes place primary in Iceland the author allows the reader to share in the adventure of a different culture through his descriptive prose, somewhat like a visiting tourist. Learning about Icelandic delicacies - minke whale, smoked puffin, and Icelandic lamb; Getting lost on the Icelandic streets Bolstaoarhio, Braedraborgarstigur and places like Kópavegur; or stumbling over all these names - who but an Icelander could pronounce, including those of some of the characters, e.g., Stig Trygvasson and Dagnyár Eyjólfsdóttir.

The novel is fast-paced and well-plotted as the story moves to a twist-filled ending and the protagonist does confront what he imagines as “the worst thing" when a group of radical soldiers actually take him hostage - and it isn't until nearly the bitter end, that Bryan realizes he just might be his own worst enemy.  The Worst Case is an interesting an enjoyable read that has appeal for intermediate and adult readers, alike.

Aaron Elkins is the author of 14 previous Gideon Oliver novels and two stand-alone thrillers. His work has been published in over a dozen languages. Aaron and his wife currently live on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, and have collaborated on other mystery novels and short fiction.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Dead Detective Agency

The Dead Detective Agency by Peg Herring

Genre: Detective Mystery

Publisher: LL - Publications

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey       

Peg Herring's novel, The Dead Detective Agency, is the first case in The Dead Detective Mystery Series. Herring writes a stimulating, though somewhat improbable, detective novel in The Dead Detective Agency. Meaning that some of the characters are supposedly dead and the others are seemingly serving as their hosts. And yet, other scenes are somewhat reminiscent of a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys mystery. And as in the amateur sleuth mysteries, this 261-page detective mystery has some twists and turns that will keep readers guessing right until the end.

The main character, Tori Van Camp, is a vibrant carefree young secretary, who wakes one morning on a luxurious cruise ship, where she is offered anything she may desire, including: food, clothes, recreation, and the companionship of congenial people.  The problem is, Tori has no memory of booking a cruise.  But what she does have a vivid recollection of is being shot in the chest at point blank range.

With the help of the stunningly handsome Mike and the unnervingly serene Nancy, Tori soon learns the purpose of her voyage.  Still, she is haunted by the image of the gun, the crack of the shot, and the malevolent face of the shooter.

Tori is determined to find out who wanted her dead and why? And to do so, she enlists the help of Seamus, and eccentric but somewhat shrewd detective. Together they embark on an investigation. Death is all around, the future is uncertain, and if Tori doesn’t act quickly, two people she cares about are the prime candidates for murder.

The Dead Detective Agency is not only a story of a young woman in search of her killer and the reason for her brutal death, but its also a story of the struggle to find some sort of solace as it relates to the afterlife.  Author, Pat Herring touches upon what may occur after death in such a pleasant yet humorous way, with a sprinkle of Christian faith as reassurance, one can't help but be more accepting and less fearful of the eternal life she writes of.

I initially thought this book was going to be a cutesy story geared toward the less than avid reader, but, I must say I was pleasantly surprised to discover through my journey that, The Dead Detective Agency will not only appeal to the garden-variety reader or the teenage reader, but will be of interest to intermediate and young adult readers alike - as well as those with discerning taste for "detective" mysteries.

This is the first book by Peg Herring I have had the pleasure of reviewing. I look forward to the next case of The Dead Detective Mystery Series: Dead for the Money coming soon from LL-Publications.

Peg Herring lives in Michigan and writes both historical and contemporary mysteries. When not reading or writing, Peg loves travel and directing choral music.

 Review copy provided by publisher.