Biggie and the Devil Diet – Nancy Bell

© 2002 St. Martins Minotaur, New York

I first started reading Nancy Bell’s stories about Biggie when they first appeared some sixteen years ago. What appealed to me then was that the author was another Texas native telling mysteries set in Texas, and not just Texas—a fictional setting not so far from my own old stomping grounds. I liked the stories well enough to sit through the first four episodes (I missed number 5, and have just found number 6 to shuffle through).

The stories are told from the point of view of Biggie’s grandson JR Weatherford, who has finally turned thirteen by the time our present story takes place. In the midst of JR learning to deal with all these new feelings that he doesn’t understand (including a weird feeling around a pretty new girl and a newfound need to be disrespectful to Biggie), he discovers that his actual grandfather was not the man Biggie had been married to all those years, but an earlier love who became a wealthy race car driver and entrepreneur.

Just about the time JR gets to know Rex, the grandfather is shot, but not before changing his will to include the young Weatherford. Mixed in are all the lovable and nosy characters from previous Biggie stories, and we are treated to one of Willie Mae’s recipes (Willie Mae and Rosebud live in the “servants’ quarters” type house behind Biggie and JR, and Willie Mae cooks and cleans for Biggie) at the end of the story.

This story includes a ranch converted into a “fat” farm for young girls, a tornado that does significant damage to Job’s Crossing, and a dilemma brought on when JR forgets that he’s asked his long-time best friend Monica to the dance and asks Misty (the pretty newcomer) as well.

The story moves relatively quickly as with all the Biggie stories. The biggest drawback when you visit Job’s Crossing is the dialect. In attempting to give color and character to the inhabitants of our little east Texas village, Bell often overdoes it. Even so, I’d be glad to recommend this to any and all cozy mystery connoisseurs with a four reading glasses rating.

—Benjamin Potter, August 11, 2012

Road Kill – Kinky Friedman

©1997, Simon & Schuster, New York

In this latest foray into the world of amateur detection, erstwhile country singer (and later Texas politician), Kinky Friedman takes an oddly new twisting road. Again the author plays the starring role in a mystery.

Waking up to find himself halfway to crazy-ville, Kinky has a discussion with a gypsy in the bathroom mirror that leads his friends to send him on a sabbatical trip with long-time friend Willie Nelson on the Honeysuckle Rose (Willie’s tour bus). The trip, while restoring some of Friedman’s sanity (if indeed there is any) drops a new case in our sleuth’s lap—one involving Indians (of the Native American variety), roadies, curses, and pot-shots.

In the end, Friedman and friends find themselves investigating age-old Indian legends and Willie’s ex-wives.

Kinky is his usual irreverent self in reporting this tale of music-world travel and murder. If you’re a fan, you’ll still be one. Three out of five reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, February 27, 2011

The Affair of the Wooden Boy – Ian Doyle

© 2011 [eBook by Mel Odom] New Pulp Press

Occasionally, as an amateur reviewer who posts his opinions in the blogosphere, I get the chance to cybermeet new authors and even read their stuff. Such is the case with this short eNovel. I was fortunate enough to get one of a few review copies in my email inbox. One of the pleasant things about such situations is that I get to sample new authors and even different genres than I normally read.

James Stark is also known as Lord Gallatin and offers his services to the local constabulary when they are unable to solve mysteries in their line of duty. At times he works privately when clients are not inclined to involve the police. His wife, Mina, narrates the tale and is heavily involved in helping her husband solve the mysteries.

It took me a couple of chapters to realize that this was more than a historical story set in England, more than another Holmesian journey into investigative techniques. As the story developed I found glimpses of Gothic and Historical Romance coupled with Sleuthing and magic. In this particular tale, Simon (a little wooden boy) shows up on the Stark doorstep. We discover that he has been bewitched, and the only thing that saved him is the love of his little wooden puppet (who now held his life-force while some enemy was in his body).

I found that this genre is not my cup of tea, but suspect if one likes gothic-style fantasy, and puzzle stories you will enjoy this outing with the Starks, and you will also enjoy the fact that Mina is more than just a trophy wife. Another thing you’ll like is the more affordable price that accompanies electronic books and stories. As always click on the cover art to order the book. Three and one-half reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, February 5, 2011

Bread – Ed McBain

© 1974, Avon Books, New York (1st Avon printing July 1987)

At least part of the boys from the 87th Precinct are at it again. Bread is set in August just after Steve Carella has returned from vacation, and it seems that almost everyone else has left for theirs. In the heat of late summer, Roger Grimm has stopped by to see what progress has been made on the arson investigation that started before the lead detective went on vacation. Carella agrees to look into it (even though it’s not his case) and inherits the case when the crime becomes the murder of the “inside” man.

McBain has another police procedural winner on his hand with Bread. This one includes two fires, two murders, a beating, and a look at racism from the policeman’s side of the equation.

Bread is a good summer diversion—or any other time for that matter. Four reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, September 30, 2009

Dark Side of the Morgue – Raymond Benson

©2009 Leisure Books, New York

Raymond Benson is probably best known for picking up the James Bond character and penning six novels featuring 007. Dark Side of the Morgue is the second of his Spike Berenger Rock ‘n’ Roll Hits. I found it to be an excellent introduction to the author, the character, and the Rockin’ Security team.

Berenger is a fan of the limited music scene known as Chicagoprog (note: there is no real progressive music scene in Chicago). Then he’s hired by the only truly successful artist to investigate the rash of murders that is picking off the movement’s founding artists. Police are reluctant to admit a connection between the first three incidents that claims the lives of five of the musicians, but other musicians with connections to the Loop and its spin-off bands, Windy City Engine and Red Skyez, are living in fear

of a groupie ghost who is picking them off one and two at a time.

Berenger has to learn of

drug-related events over thirty years old, and break a code of silence that has been strictly kept since those days, in order to find and stop the killer before she strikes again.

Dark Side of the Morgue is a great choice for your reading pleasure. You’ll visit the sometimes seamy, sometimes glitzy world of progressive rock, waltz down memory lane with the continual music references that are included, but not limited to, chapter titles (along with preferred performers noted), and get to solve the case with Berenger and his sexy partner, Suzanne Prescott, all while enjoying a well-written, fast-paced mystery. Get ready for well-developed characters and moving plot-lines, with all the twists and revelations of any good mystery novel.

Four out of five reading glasses!

—Benjamin Potter, April 20, 2009