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Small Caliber Reviews by Kevin R. Tipple

Zee and the kids are off vacationing which means that J. W. Jackson is home alone on Martha’s Vineyard, bored, and ripe to be pulled into another case in his role as the unofficial island investigator. In the “Vineyard Stalker” it happens very fast in the form of the persuasive Carole Cohen who requests help for her reclusive brother, Roland Nunes. Known locally as “The Monk” the Vietnam Veteran is living quietly a minimalist lifestyle in a small cottage that he owns. While the home may not appeal too many, he has turned down very good offers for the land as he doesn’t want to sell. Now he is being harassed in the middle of the night with petty acts of vandalism and his sister is worried that such activities will only get worse. Roland won’t go to the police as he has his reasons. Carole wants J.W. Jackson to identify and scare off the harassers to end the problem. J. W. agrees and once more finds himself in another mystery based on the age old concepts of jealousy and greed. This latest Philip R. Craig novel released after his death earlier this year, is another enjoyable cozy style mystery as it takes its well deserved place in his long line of good books.

“The Ever-Running Man: A Sharon McCone Mystery” opens with a bang—literally. Having just been hired to investigate a series of attacks against RKI going back two years, Sharon narrowly escapes death after the building that houses an apartment she was using is blown up and destroyed. Surviving and feeling survivor guilt over doing so while others were injured and killed, Sharon realizes that whomever is doing this isn’t committing random attacks but instead has a focused well thought out campaign of attrition. Is it the shadowy figure that was seen at a couple of locations nicknamed “The Ever Running-Man?” Regardless of who is doing this steadily escalation attacks, Sharon realizes she has to investigate the ownership of RKI which includes her husband Hy. Something guaranteed to strain their marriage but she has no choice because more will die if the person isn’t stopped. Despite being obvious mid book that the mastermind is of the attacks, the read is a good one with plenty of action, twists and turns in the case, and strong secondary storylines. Marcia Muller has created another good novel in this long lasting series and another book well worth reading.

"Love Kills" is the latest by Author Edna Buchanan to feature reporter Britt Montero. Still devastated over recent tragic events and the upheaval in her life as things will never be the same in so many ways, Britt is lured back home to Miami thanks to the discovery of the body of a former high profile fugitive. Known for taking children from Moms by force and returning them to the custodial fathers, he was praised and hated. The case generated huge notoriety and Britt appears to have been the last to see him alive. While one case brings her back, another soon begins and before long she is on the road chasing a serial killer. Despite a garish cover, huge basic geographical errors regarding locations in Texas, and an ending that is open and leaves the reader hanging in regards to a monumental life changing secondary storyline, the majority of the novel is a good read. Just don't hit anything when you throw the book across the room after reading the last two pages!

"Justice Denied" by J. A. Jance is the latest mystery involving J. P. Beaumont and another very good book. J. P. is still with the "Special Homicide Investigation Team" and as such knows that something huge is in the wind when Attorney General Ross Conners shows up at his cubicle office to see him. LaShawn Tompkins, a gang banger who went to prison for rape and was ultimately cleared by the "Innocence Project" through DNA testing became a media celebrity who, at least in public, seemed to have turned his life around. His brutal murder a few days ago may have been nothing more than another killing in the age old battle of turf. Or it could be something more serious and Ross, who is worried about another leak out of his office, wants J. P. to nose around and see where the case stands. He is concerned about something more serious than a leak and while J. P. wonders what the real deal is, he also knows you never say no to the boss. Before long, in typical J. P Beaumont fashion, he is deep in the mess and it just keeps coming both professionally and personally.

Male/female kill teams seem to be all the rage these days as a number of authors are using the concept. As in many other books, the kill team in Thomas Perry's recent release "Silence" is good and has deep emotional issues. Six years later, they are on the hunt for a woman that private investigator Jack Till helped disappear. Now, he has to find Wendy Harper alive before they do and get her back to Los Angles so that by her presence she can prove her old boyfriend didn't kill her. Much of this readers have seen before and in a better way in his Jane Whitefield series but for new readers this is a decent novel.

Betrayal has always been a major element of Patricia Cornwell's work and certainly is a strong element in "Book Of The Dead." Psychological manipulation has also been a constant theme and it is certainly present in this one as Scarpetta and group try to find a killer that is working overseas as well as in Charleston, South Carolina. While some reviewers have praised the book and called it "vintage" Scarpetta it is not. In the early days, the mystery was front and center and the relationship issues were secondary. This read is emblematic of her more recent work which has featured the decaying, almost poisonous, relationships between Scarppeta and others as well. As such, the actual mystery is regulated to an almost minor role in the book in favor of tortured discussions between characters regarding the mental stability of other characters. The result is an uneven chaotic read where everyone is deeply shattered and one begins to wonder why one keeps going through the four hundred page plus read.

Author John Sandford is back with his recent released novel, "Dark Of The Moon." While Lucas Danvenport of the Prey series makes a couple of minor appearances, the novel is about Virgil Flowers of the Minnesota Bureau of Crimminal Apprehension. He has been with the BAC for three years and has a reputation well earned of being a loaner as well as getting the job done. He is sent to the small town of Bluestem, Minnesota to investigate the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Gleason. Almost a month ago they were executed in their house and arranged after death to make some sort of statement to those unlucky enough to find their bodies. Gradually over the next 373 pages Virgil Flowers gets drawn into a constantly expanding case where the Gleasons were just one example of payback in a deal that goes back decades. Far different than the Prey series in both style and tone, this is an engaging fast moving read.

Taking a break from his usual stuff, author James Swain gives us the disturbing novel "Midnight Rambler." Jack Carpenter is a disgraced cop sure that the notorious serial killer Simon Skell should not be released from prison. But, thanks to a recent discovery of a murder victim that has evidence pointing away from Skell to another suspect as well as the media firestorm around Carpenter, it could happen. As Skell works his way towards release, Carpenter works feverishly to try and prevent it. Before long, he figures out that Skell is just one small cog in a terrifying plan that has to end-one way or another. This is another good read from author James Swain despite the openness of the ending of a novel billed as a stand alone thriller.