A miscellany of thoughts about dogs, cats, writing, life in the Ozarks, & occasional book reviews
Interpol works with international organizations and law enforcement agencies dedicated to tracking and returning art and cultural artifacts stolen from museums and sites around the world. Award-winning author M. A. Monnin shines a spotlight on this important work in her Intrepid Traveler Mystery Series. She's created an Artifact Retrieval Team (ART) whose investigators take us to …
Continue reading Gold Relics and Murder
As a reader, one of the things I most enjoy is the “hook” that captures my imagination and pulls me into a book. In the case of Ruth Knafo Setton's Zigzag Girl, I was hooked by contrasting landscapes, compelling characters, and the lure of magic. The novel is a magical performance in itself, weaving a …
Continue reading Illusion & Murder
Looking for a multi-dimensional mystery with plenty of action and a high-tech twist? You'll find it—and much more—in Dying With A Secret, the fourth book in the Dead Detective Casefiles written by award-winning author Tj O’Connor. Some categorize this book—and the series—as a paranormal mystery or PI mystery, while others might shelve it among crime …
Continue reading The Dead Detective Returns
If you've ever watched a character in a TV show reconstruct a skull and produce a near-instant match of a victim's face before the credits roll at the end, you might be forgiven for thinking facial reconstruction is a quick, reliable way to identify missing persons and solve crimes. The reality, however, is quite different. …
Continue reading Forensics & Fiction
This year, I've explored new-to-me authors writing in a multitude of genres and styles. Many of these discoveries came to me as a reviewer for Partners in Crime Tours--a "one-stop for all things mystery, crime, thriller or cozy!" One of these discoveries is the work of award-winning indie author Gledé Browne Kabongo, who writes psychological …
Continue reading A Tangled Web