Survivors Will Be Shot Again by Bill Crider

©2016 Minotaur Books, New York

Blacklin County Texas is finally settling in to the quiet Mayberry-like existence that it should enjoy, so Sheriff Dan Rhodes has decided to take a long overdue day off. But when a would-be thief descends on the same convenience store Rhodes has entered to end his hiatus from drinking Dr Pepper, days off vanish from his mind.

It's just as well, because a crime ring has been operating on the outskirts of the county. Billy Bacon, who’s been the victim of thieves on his property over and over again, has called in another incident on his place. This time, the sheriff finds not only an empty space where Billy’s heirloom saddle should be, but also the body of Bacon’s neighbor, Melvin Hunt.

As usual, readers are treated to the squad-room banter of Hack and Lawton, even though Hack is convinced that the high sheriff intentionally keeps his dispatcher “out of the loop.” There is also high adventure as Rhodes heroically wrestles a “prehistoric turtle” and rids Clearview of the scourge of illegal marijuana patches.

We have another fast and fun story played out on the stage of Blacklin County Texas. Rhodes and his cohorts earn another 5 reading glasses for their efforts.

--Benjamin Potter, October 3, 2016

Between the Living and the Dead by Bill Crider

©2015 Minotaur Books, New York

[Note to the reader: I received and read this book several months ago, and now that I have finished the next in the series, I thought I should go ahead and post a quick note about this good Dan Rhodes story.]

Seepy Benton, professor at Clearview College, trained member of Blacklin County’s “Citizen’s Patrol”, and part-time live music for a local restaurant has a new job interest—he’s a ghost hunter. And so is born another headache for county sheriff Dan Rhodes.

As is his fashion, award-winning author Bill Crider, weaves a story filled with ghosts, guns, and intrigue. Throw in some trademark comic relief and mystery lovers have another good evening’s read. Crider is known for his wit and attachment to clichéd phrases, and constantly files them away to surface in one of his mystery novels. As I read the description of Dan Rhodes subduing a run-away bull in the Walmart parking lot, I fairly laughed out loud to see that the good sheriff “took the bull by the horns.” And I wondered how long Crider had been waiting to fit that one into a story.

Again filled with our favorite characters, Sheriff Dan Rhodes fans will not want to miss this edition of crime and punishment in Blacklin County Texas. This one will be fun at Halloween time with its haunted house, reference to ghosts and hat tips to the Ghostbuster movie franchise. Dan Rhodes gets another 5 reading glasses, if for no other reason than he “ain’t afraid of no ghosts.”

—Benjamin Potter, October 3, 2016

Half in Love with Artful Death – Bill Crider

© 2014 St. Martin’s Minotaur, New York

Everybody’s a critic. This is because everyone has their own opinion, and some are more inclined to share their opinions than are others (just read this on-line review journal). There’s really nothing wrong with having, or stating, an opinion about, let’s say art, until the critic turns up dead.

That’s just what happened to Burt Collins (local complainer about everything in Blacklin County Texas) when he makes his opinions noted about the art exhibit in town and the artists it has attracted.

The latest episode in the long-running Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series is another rip-roaring good time. With the help of his faithful force of deputies, his long-time friend and thorn in the side C.P. “Seepy” Benton, and an array of colorful characters (including an orange-haired artist), Rhodes is able not only to solve the mystery, but also a string of convenience-store robberies, some escaped donkeys, and the mystery of the naked woman at the roadside rest area. He even shuts down a local meth lab a la his fictional counterpart Sage Barton in an excitingly dangerous shoot out.

I can’t recommend this series enough. But I can especially tip my ten-gallon Stetson to the newest story in the life of Dan Rhodes. It includes art, music, and some interesting poetry along the way. I give Bill Crider another set of five reading glasses for his latest story.

—Benjamin Potter, September 9, 2014

Read but not Reviewed (Recommended Anyway)

While I like to respond to as much of what I read with a thoughtful opinion in the form of a quick review, I don't always fulfill this desire. I am a fairly slow reader because I have to digest every word. Then, I want to be truthful and thoughtful when I do write my opinions down. When life gets hectic, I find that just fulfilling the normal duties of a small-church pastor can keep me from setting my thoughts to keyboard. So, I thought I'd just give a quick recommendation concerning a few books I read in the first part of the year (and then maybe I won't feel so bad about getting to the next--freshly read--review).

Compound Murder (A Sheriff Dan Rhodes Mystery) by Bill Crider (Minataur, 2013). As with anything by Bill, and especially starring the Blacklin County Cast headed by Dan Rhodes, I heartily recommend this book. I read it around Christmas and the next installment is supposed to hit stores next month, so I thought I'd better at least mention this one (4 reading glasses).

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis (Harper Collins, 2000 edition). I finally got a chance to give this classic defense of the Christian Faith a good solid read and found it to be timely and quotable. This is a book anyone should read. It has my highest recommendation (five reading glasses).

Too Busy Not to Pray by Bill Hybels (IVP Books, 2008, 20th Anniversary Edition). This one is a modern classic on prayer, It is another challenging read with much advise. I recommend it for the Christian who wants to dive deeper into their own prayer life. (4 reading glasses)

Back on Murder – J. Mark Bertrand

© 2010 Bethany House, Grand Rapids

 

I like to read books that I can get for free if they look interesting to me. Author J. Mark Bertrand has made the first of the Roland March mysteries available for free in the e-Book format for a limited time (it was still listed as “free” as of this writing at both Amazon and Barnes &Noble) to do just what I like—introduce new readers to his writing. So, here I am just waiting to have the opportunity to read the next installments in the Roland March series.

March is a cop who’s gotten past his prime. He has been coasting for several years after having a stellar performance back in the mid-2000 decade. Now, instead of an up-and-comer, he finds himself being assigned to suicide cop investigations, or worse shuffled around from team to team on career-killing cases.

In some fluke, he finds himself trying to find a missing Jane Doe (or more likely her body) which leads him to become involved in a high-profile missing persons case. All the while struggling with a 9/11 related personal tragedy that keeps coming home to roost.

I found the writing genuine, the characters engaging, and the police procedures utterly believable. Occasionally the main character would jump around in his telling of the story, but that is easily overlooked because the story is so compelling.

The one big distraction in this Houston-based story (it’s very accurate, even down to the multiple mentions of local independent mystery bookseller Murder By The Book), is the overuse and mis-use of a Texas colloquial term. I encountered this error repeatedly when I was grading sophomores’ papers in east Texas. The term which was misused almost to distraction was a phrase which indicates out of the blue happenstance, and should be rendered, “all of a sudden.” However, as with my high school students, Mr. Bertrand insisted on writing “all the sudden.” Perhaps in some newer editions of the book or in later March stories, we’ll see this infraction either removed or used less often (rant over).

Other than that distraction, I found the book to be a readable feast. Grab a copy and enjoy—get hooked on Roland March. (4 out of 5 reading glasses)

—Benjamin Potter, August 9, 2013

[I got this eBook for FREE from Book Bub!]

Catch a Falling Clown – Stuart Kaminsky

©1981 St. Martin’s, New York

Stuart Kaminsky follows up High Midnight with this Toby Peters adventure in which our ne’er-do-well hero finds himself returning to the small town of Mirador, California in search of a circus. Of course he isn’t welcome in the little town because of the last case that had him visiting—when he got on the grumpy side of the local law enforcement. They haven’t forgotten Mr. Peters and would just as soon he not have shown up again.

Toby’s problem is that he has yet another famous client. This one tied to the circus, namely Ringling Brothers’ famous clown Emmett Kelly (who performs as Willie). It seems that someone’s been trying to kill off the circus elephants in the off-season show that Kelly has hooked up with.

By the time Peters arrives, the targets are not only the elephants, but Kelly himself, and then the flying Tannuccis begin to fall victim to the murderous plot.

Kaminsky gives us another page-turning puzzle of an adventure. This time he includes cameo appearances by great director Alfred Hitchcock “doing research” for a possible film set on a circus lot. It’s interesting that when Hitchcock shows up, so do the accidents. Peters employs his regular team of misfit helpers to help him solve this mystery before he’s either dead or incarcerated.

Find a copy of this old story to enjoy over a cup of joe. (three and one-half reading glasses)

 

—Benjamin Potter, August 5, 2013

Books Sale

Okay, so here's the deal. I have several shelves of books that I have accumulated over the years (many before I ever met the Blushing Bride). Some are even near and dear to my heart. At the same time our family is in need of some funds in a rather immediate fashion. A host of these books have been gathering dust on the shelves for more years than I care to admit. A mountain of them were even languishing in storage while we lived and worked overseas.

To make the two ends work together, I will be offering a great many titles for sale, but since it is a fundraising effort I can't let the books go for a song and dance. My pricing should be fair (but probably won't be competitive, again, the point is to get raise funds for our family need). My first blush out of the gate will be to list several of the authors whose work I have and will be parting with (some reluctantly). As time permits, I list individual titles--unless people are into just buying the author's work. Most titles will be first or second editions (book club editions will be priced considerably less), and many are signed (and/or inscribed) by the author.

To answer the main question--why not use e-bay or Amazon.com? Well, I am using those outlets for some general sales, but most of the titles I'm offering in this fashion would be more suited for personal contact from collectors and bibliophiles.

So, now to the authors included:

Steve Brewer (many early Bubba Mabry mysteries)
Bill Brooks (several western titles--these will go pretty cheap as most are paperback)
Sigmund Brouwer (I have many of his fiction titles for older readers, not too many children's titles)
Susan Rogers Cooper (many Milt Kolvak titles, several E.J. Pugh titles, and all of the Kimmie Kruse novels)
Bill Crider (I have almost all of his mystery titles, including Dan Rhodes, Carl Burns, Truman Smith, and Sally Goode)
Kinky Friedman (all but the last few of his mysteries)
James Grippando
John Grisham
Stewart Kaminsky (many of the Toby Peters titles--several of these are book club editions, but in excellent condition)
Lisa Scottoline
David J. Walker

I also have a number of short story collections to sell. Tune in often for more detail on the books that must go. If you like some of these authors ask for a particular title of theirs and I'll let you know if I have it.

Death Splits a Hair – Nancy Bell

©2006 Worldwide, New York (Originally published © 2005 St. Martin’s Press, New York)

I first started reading Nancy Bell’s mystery stories since the first “Biggie” tale hit the streets. What fascinated me at the time was that the stories were authentically set in East Texas. Since that’s where I was born and where I have a johnboat-full of memories. I’ve been away from Bell’s writing for awhile, but found a paperback copy of the second Judge Jackson Crain novels at a book fair.

Crain’s high school buddy and the town barber Joe Junior McBride winds up dead on his couch. All the evidence points to his son Three (that’s Joe the Third to the unTexan of us), and Three is making himself scarce. To add insult to injury, Joe Junior’s widow (Three’s step-mother) in the midst of her shock-induced breakdown, must now face the disappearance of her own daughter (best friend of Jackson’s 14-year-old daughter) and then her brother-in-law (Junior’s adoptive brother) band director Gerald gets stabbed in the back.

Along with the mystery of multiple family murders, the small-town atmosphere makes this a winner of a read. You’ll be introduced to a variety of East Texas traditions (including Lutie Faye’s (that’s Jackson’s house keeper and cook) succulent cuisine and a Foam Party. Bell keeps things lively with the on-again, off-again romance between the judge and newcomer to Post Oak Mandy d’Alejandro and the coarse but nosy language of Crain’s receptionist Edna.

I liked this little trip to Post Oak, Texas, and think that you will too. I give it four out of five reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, March 30, 2012