Sunday, May 19, 2013

Review of The Blues Detective


The Blues Detective
Written by Andrew Peters

Reviewed by R. Murry


“…Any Blues related problem in the City of Obesity ends up at my door.” Notes the Blues Detective in one of his crime breaking solutions to a case
that comes through his Memphis office door.  A musician by night and a sleuth by day is how it’s played in a southern tone – soft and mellow - cool.

His name is Otis King and he is a crime solver who is by far the most uncomplicated human to be a crime buster: he drinks; he eats; he fornicates; and he solves problems. Music is his passion and because of that he gets the coolest and strangest crimes to solve. Some of which are not crimes at all. They are just misunderstandings that this Welshman demurs over.

The Blues Detective cases are short but sweet.  Andrew’s writing keeps your attention and imagination in the game. He’ll use a short phrases like “I re-trouser.  I ask my questions.”  You laugh and understand what he meant by putting it at that precise moment.  His paragraphs are short and sometimes a word or two.  You'll get the meaning when Otis says “I open an eye.” and moves on to “A mistake.”

Mr. Peter’s Otis King is the person telling the collection of tales that will have you laughing and thinking – did he say that?  Unfortunately, there are only ten cases to be solved in this book.  I’ll keep it in my Kindle and I'll go back and read a case or two when I need a little fun time.

Andrew Peter’s off the wall interview is below.  Have some fun and read it too.

Where can people go to read Andrew's work?
I have about ten things available now, short story collections, novellas and novels and they can all be found on my Amazon author page.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/AndrewPeters/e/B008PDVKBM/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1  

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Review of The Hand of Yemanja


Review of The Hand of Yemanja
Written by Claudio Tapia

Reviewed by R. Murry

Today is Mother’s Day 2013 in America and the novel I just finished was about the migration of a strong woman, someone’s mother, to the Americas.  The fate that she traveled to by leaving her identity behind in Europe is the crux of this character driven novel by Claudio Tapia, a migrant himself.

Lydia, just Lydia, a single woman, travels into the unknown. She, like many adventures going west to find one’s fortune, encounters events that bring out her real character.  This innate being that was there but was not tested because of a shelter background – being a woman in a man’s European world in the 1900s.

Although this is fiction, well written I might add, Lydia's character is made real by the detailed way Claudio presents her side of the equation of the novel’s events of arriving in a strange country, that she is looking forward to.  The arrival sets the tone of this unpredictable story.  People are met in the first encounters on ship and upon docking that change Lydia’s life and others near her for every.

Lydia is redefining herself and the young native girl she takes under her wing when arriving in America.  Their relationship is intertwined - Lydia being the saint and Edmilce the follower.  Their relationship comes together because of a man and ends that way.  Not because they are both in love with him, Paxi, but because fate deemed it that way.  And no one runs from fate.

There is much going on with the three main characters. It would be unkind of me to not let the reader enjoy this adventure on his own by giving out details.

Mr. Claudio Tapia has presented his case for the historical novel with a colorful geographical background to boot.  He has written a book to enjoy because of its flawed characters that come alive on the written page and an adventure that is also plausible.

Claudio's interview and links are below: http://
bit.ly/1oDEfUE

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Review of The Fall of the Empire


Review of

The Fall of the Empire                 

Written by

Zoe Saadia


Reviewed by R. Murry


Most of my readers know that I’m an ex-Green Beret and have been exposed to unconventional warfare and hand-hand combat.  Where Ms. Saadia acquired this information, only she knows.  She did her research, and her battle scenes come alive on the written page.  One of the Warlords is praised for his unusual way of setting up a fight that will commence in an unconventional way, leading to many victories.  

However, the story is not about warfare – its backdrop.   It’s about people, trying to stay alive in the turmoil they had no control over. A young lady of sixteen wants to avenge the death of her family and is in the process of solving it when interrupted by force bigger than her.

A young trader, who has feelings for the slave girl, is put in a position where his allegiance is opposite to that of the girl unbeknown to him.  Each becomes spies for opposing the army of warriors.  This is what propels the story forward.

Battles are fought hand to hand.  The firm with moral purpose survives in the story.  They believe that the gods are helping them, but it’s their inner strength that moves them forward.  Zoe’s has written characters who show their feelings on their sleeve so to speak.

Zoe’s young lady is the strongest of all the characters with a moral goal.  Her strength is noticed by an invading Warlord who helps her to move towards her goal to the point that he is in awe of her uncommon beauty with physical and inner strength. He noticed that she is not a slave and he was right.  You’ll have to read the book to see what she really is.

Zoe Saadia prose is well written and will keep you wanting to know – What next?  It’s a delightful tale.  Something you shouldn’t miss.

Purchase at: http://
amzn.to/1mQr4N2