Review of The Surgeon's Blade

The Surgeon's Blade:

A Diana Rivers Mystery Thriller

(The Diana Rivers Mysteries Book 3)

FAITH MORTIMER

Reviewed by Author Roy Murry

As many of my followers know, I love a good mystery, and The Surgeon’s Blade falls into that category. Ms. Mortimer’s writing style has me going back to her library of written novels for enjoyment.

In this Diana Rivers mystery, Diana is the relative of one of the main characters, Robert. He becomes infatuated with Libby, a nurse, after rescuing her from a yachting accident on Nigel’s sailboat, as an air ambulance medic.   

Before and after getting to know each other, nurses are disappearing and murdered in Southampton and London, United Kingdom. The nurses, sisters, all have something in common that is the key to unraveling the mystery of the police’s predicament in not solving the crime spree.

Libby’s on again, off again fiancé Nigel is a doctor who works at each of the cities and has a home in London where his ex-wife has reappeared to compete for Nigel’s affection. Libby’s relationship with Nigel never seemed to be real for her since the accident, and she is about to call off the engagement.

This thriller takes off after the lead-up Ms. Mortimer has woven with few clues left for the reader, but they are there. Diana consulting with Robert brings us to an ending that will keep you on the edge of your reading seat.

The storyline pace keeps you engaged throughout leading to a thrilling ending.

Purchased at http://amzn.to/1VRQZaF

Review of No Hope in New Hope

No Hope In New Hope

By Peggy A. Edelheit

Reviewed by Author Roy Murry

Samantha Jamison just seems to be in the right place when something out of the ordinary happens a la TV 80 -90’s “Murder She Wrote.” Sam, as the TV character Jessica Fletcher (Actor Angela Lansbury,) lives in a world of mystery. Both are well-constructed characters, who use logic to get to the answer.

Ms. Edelheit’s Sam has her crew who helps her with the clues in a non-murder mystery, which has a twist to it that art lovers will like. Oh, there is a death of an involved person, but it’s hard to connect it to the core problem – what is going on in a small town’s art community.

Strange things are happening in an art gallery Sam’s lover is contemplating buying. They are also housesitting while his owner friends are in Europe on vacation. Mysterious items are confusing to Sam, her boyfriend, and her crew.

No one can understand what is going on. Ms. Edelheit gives us the clues one by one and the reader must watch for them since they're hiding in happenstance. These circumstances I enjoy about her writing.

Example: Who could go in and of the art gallery at will? Only someone with a key could. But who has the key and the alarm code?

This is my second novel in the Samantha Jamison Mystery Series. It's #7 in the series. It stands alone, and its storyline will keep you interested to the end.

Buy at Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NvyJfm

Review of Better Living

BETTER LIVING

Through Criticism

A. O. SCOTT

Reviewed by Author Roy Murry

“Who but a lunatic or an idiot would critique a rose or a mountain or a sunset, or for that matter an earthquake or a thunderstorm?” is a line from Mr. Scott’s inviting titled dissertation. I hope he got his doctor’s degree.

I am the lunatic that is reviewing a book about criticism written by a prominent critic. What a way to start a Sunday morning with coffee.

Kidding aside, I have been reviewing books since college and have as recent as three years ago been writing them for my blog to help promote my novels. If I weren't an avid reader with an eclectic background and a college education, I might be confused in Mr. Scott’s historical interpretation of criticism.

From the allegories of Titian or Rubens to Kant in the 1790s to Keats and then to the present century’s anointed, Scott gives the reader an education – information for the inquisitive mind. If you are in this user category or a college student studying World, English, or American Literature, this may be what you need to expand your mind.

His study into the psychological reasons humans criticize one another whether it be for poetry, writing, movies, theater or whatever, was an enjoyable read. I wasn’t surprised at the immense connecting content, after reading the Index and Acknowledgement sections while reading the core explanations.

As they say, “It takes a village to bring up a child,” I say about this book, “It took an army of critics, professors, and writers to put BETTER LIVING Through Criticism into print.” Mr. A.O. Scott spent his time wisely to get this thesis into print, but I don’t feel it was written for the general public, where I usually don’t fit.

A.O. Scott's discourse leads to what I already knew – The right way to make a criticism, in other words, is not to do it. It's another line from his book. But we are all consumers, and all consumers criticise, as I just did, the lunatic I am for starting this read.

Good read for the inquisitive mind: http://amzn.to/1RSJrk0