Killer Story by Matt Witten

This is a good mystery with an abhorrent main protagonist.  Petra is a camp counselor for Livvy, an ebullient fourteen-year-old who dreams of becoming a journalist.  After losing touch over the years, Petra discovers Livvy is an alt-right podcaster.   Mystified by her change Petra finds once more she will lose her job due to downsizing in the journalism world.  Even online newspapers are cutting, and she seems to be last in, first out endlessly.  Her fears and frustration lead her to abandon her compassion, common sense, and empathy in chasing “the” story that will ensure her future employment.

I struggled with this book, not due to the writing but to my disgust with Petra, the main character.   She epitomized the fears I have about honesty in the media and the incessant peddling of “fake” news.  One troll can ruin someone’s life if the trash they are pushing goes viral.  This book forces you to look at a declining industry and wonder what lengths the depicted journalists will go to maintain employment.

Witten did a good job, the book is personally revolting but certainly worth reading. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Scorched by Don Silver

This book is about the coming of age of a troubled child who becomes a troubled adult.  Jonas, a hard-to-love kid, finds soulmates at Lafayette, a school for kids who are alone.

Jonas ends up as a quintmate. He and four other troubled kids are bound together through trials and tribulations.   They experience a life-altering event that separates them forever, except it doesn’t.

As a successful adult Jonas is approached by Dugie, a long-lost quintmate.  Together, the experience is anything but positive for Jonas.

Jonas’s ex-wife and children provide a sense of normalcy for Jonas, staying with him through manic and depressed periods.   Their loyalty is startling.

I found the book hard to read when Jonas was self-destructing.   It is an interesting read, persevere to the end, it is worth it. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

The Innocents by Bridget Walsh

This is the second in the Variety Palace Mystery series that I’ve read.   Minnie and Albert, a mismatched detective team, find themselves facing multiple homicides.  All the homicides seem to relate to either a Ponzi scheme or a dreadful theatrical tragedy.  

Walsh does a good job setting the late 1890s scene in London.   The aromas of the time jump off the page resulting in a twitching nose and a squeamish reaction to many of the settings.

The impact of privilege regarding justice seems unchanged over the ensuing years with the obvious comparison to today’s country club prisons.

The interaction of Minnie and Albert once again is the sub-plot.   In the foreground, are a series of seemingly unrelated homicides and dog-fighting villains. 

I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

The Diabolical by David Putnam

This is a Bruno Johnson Crime book.  Bruno, whose solution to every negative issue is blood and bone, has mellowed.  He may still be a little crusty on the outside but he is a major marshmallow on the inside for his fourteen kids. His job as a bartender at the Punta Bandera Hotel and Beach Club in Costa Rico is impacted when some friends are slaughtered at a local nightclub.

A diamond heist, philandering, a hot psychotic manager, and Waldo the not-so-wonder dog add to the eclectic mix.

Putnam puts together an entertaining story with some unusual trappings for the hotel golf course.  

I enjoyed the story and recommend it. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Hardy Belch and Hidden Valley by William G Bentrim

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