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Small Caliber Reviews by Kevin R. Tipple

Politics within and without the LAPD has always been a strong theme in the Harry Bosch series and the latest “Echo Park” is no exception. A case thirteen years old has always bothered Bosch and now a potential serial killer has confessed to the crime. Bosch has doubts and before long, as impatient with procedure as always, dives full bore into issues others want covered up for their own reasons. The result is another fast paced twisting read pitting Harry against almost everyone else in his quest for truth and justice and another excellent read from Author Michael Connelly.

“Snow Blind” is the latest novel in the “Monkeewrench” series written by the mother/daughter author team known as P. J. Tracy. This time around, someone is killing folks and then building snowmen around the bodies. For Minneapolis Detectives Maggozzi and Rosleth that is sick enough it its own right and when it is discovered that the two first bodies are fellow cops it just makes things so much worse. An enjoyable read with a premise that does work. However, those readers that expect the gang from Monkeewrench to be deeply or at least more than marginally involved since the novel is billed as “A Monkeewrench Novel” will be sadly disappointed.

Sharon McCone returns in “Vanishing Point” In this latest in the series written by Marcia Muller, Sharon is asked to investigate the disappearance of a woman twenty-two years ago. Abduction, suicide or did she just walk out on her family? While not the best in this long series, this latest effort provides another interesting and enjoyable read.

“Blue Screen” is Robert B. Parker’s latest entry in the Sunny Randall series and another pleasant diversion that can’t be taken seriously. This time around, Erin Flint, money making machine for producer Buddy Bollen may need protecting and Sunny is hired to do the job. That job, sure to be difficult from the start, becomes much more so when Erin’s sister Misty is killed. What follows is a criss-crossing trail across America for Sunny and readers and another fun lightweight read.

Stuart Woods brings back trial attorney Ed Eagle in the recent release “Short Straw.” Santa Fe’s most prominent trial attorney is soon to be rocked as his soon to be ex-wife tries to take the money and run. He catches on and quickly begins to marshal his forces and resources in a plot to get even. Ed has been scorned and though he is quickly on the rebound with another love interest, as always expected in a Stuart Woods book, he plans on teaching the current problem a thing or two despite the ever increasing obstacles in his way. A pleasant diversion and certainly better than some of his recent efforts but as always don’t look to Woods for books of meaty substance and deep character development. Those days are long gone.

The latest novel by J. A. Jance titled “Dead Wrong” features another enjoyable mystery with Sheriff Joanna Brady at the center of it all. Not only is she expecting to give birth any day now, she is quickly involved in a case that began years ago with an arrest made by her father, D., H. Lathrop. The case bothered her father and with repercussions still happening, it bothers Sheriff Brady and showcases how she has become Sheriff in every sense of the word.

If you haven’t taken a look at the Lewis Cole Mystery series by Brendan DuBois, you really need to immediately as you have no idea what you are missing. The latest one featuring ex Department of Defense research analyst Lewis Cole finds nearly everyone around intruding on Lewis’ highly valued sense of privacy. Not only is it primary season in New Hampshire, but Lewis has come up for a threat assessment by the Secret Service. That isn’t a good thing with his past and it becomes much worse when shots are fired in an attempted assassination and Lewis finds himself a suspect. As always there are plots within plots and the result is simply an excellent 278 page read.

Magazines:

We all know about AHM and EQM so enough said on them. It is always a good thing when a new market comes around. It even better if it’s a print market. What is really good is when the magazine lives up to its advance hype. The premier issue of Great Mystery & Suspense Magazine (summer 2006) certainly did with veterans such as Tony Burton, Herschel Cozine, Charles Schaeffer and Earl Staggs. It also promoted very good writing from folks that aren’t as well known yet such as Al Mora, Ruth A. Hunter and Michael Limmer. The issue was an excellent read and more info can easily be found at www.greatmysteryandsuspnse.com Haven’t seen issue two yet which was recently released but it looks like it may be another winner.