THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS

The Perfect Christmas

DEBBIE MACOMBER

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

To me, this is not the endeavor of a New York Times Best Selling Author. #1 The story is too short and predictable. #2 The premise is ridiculous.

Cassie is directed to see Simon, an expert in matchmaking. She pays Simon a year's wages for many to find her a PERFECT MATE.

She wants the impossible but finds it not with Simon's match. I don't need to say who; it's a romance novella.

There are some redeeming qualities in this novella: the characters and the story flow are well put together.

If you like Debbie's writing, this novella is for you. PERFECT did not float my boat. Lastly, I have no idea why Christmas was used as a background.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4pKkIDy

DEADHEAD and BURIED

DEADHEAD and BURIED

H.Y. HANNA

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Poppy, a Londoner in a dead-end job, inherits a small cottage with a large piece of land. The land is cultivated as a nursery of flowers to be sold.

Part of the will requires Poppy to take over the business; she wants to sell, but there are problems with that. She has a second cousin, who claims the inheritance should be his. Her lawyer says not to worry, there are two witnesses to the will.

While surveying the property, Poppy finds a dead body buried in flowers. Snooping begins, and one of her possibilities, because one of the will's witnesses is the dead man.

Poppy's ingenuity and sloppy sleuthing lead to a surprising ending, which is aided by a neighbor's cat. There is also another neighbor's dog, who has little play in this novel.

Ms. Hanna's fun, cozy mystery features several interesting characters who will appear in the second book in the series, and it has a readable, cohesive flow.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4rH7VmX

The God of the Woods

The God of the Woods

Liz Moore

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Alice, a mother of three, has two of her children disappear into the tree and lake-filled area years apart. Many people chime in or investigate the plot; however, they have little to do with it.

Bear, an eight-year-old, goes missing in 1961, and a man is found guilty of murder with no body found. In 1975, his sister Barbara was missing, and the same man was at large.

Sounds like a great plot, but it falls flat on the conclusion. Only when Judyta, a police investigator, in 1975, does the plot thicken and the cases get resolved.

Ms. Moore's writing is grammatically pure and embellished where needed, but it is boringly overwritten. She goes into side shows that are not needed in a mystery with many characters.

If you like long, flowery novels, purchase: https://amzn.to/48jTso4

Confronting Evil

CONFRONTING EVIL: Assessing

The Worst of the Worst

 BILL O'REILLY & JOSE HAMMER

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

"What a piece of work is a man." William Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet. The authors have assembled a collection of notorious individuals, ranging from Genghis Khan to Mao to Hitler to Vladimir Putin, who are pieces of work.

This book is a detailed story prose that will give the inquisitive reader an understanding of evil that is not in any history book I have ever read. Before the college student goes around spouting who is a king, they should consume this chronicle.

I will not go into detail about everyone described in 'Confronting Evil,' but I will say that the humans who followed these men did not have the same level of communication we have today. Present-day humans who follow the concepts of those men are either inhuman or stupid.

O'Rielly and Hammer have put together a book that should be part of all colleges' history curriculum. It's an awakening that young people need to be educated in.

Well written and easy reading.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4qLBKCr

The Advocate

THE ADVOCATE

TERESA BURRELL

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Sabre Brown is a lawyer who handles cases for the Juvenile Division in California, also known as Kiddie Court. One of her clients is a ten-year-old named Alexis Murdock, the granddaughter of a wealthy family in Atlanta, Georgia.

The distance between Georgia and California, the backgrounds of the father and others, and the unusual circumstances surrounding Alexis' upbringing present obstacles for Sabre in protecting her client. These situations lead to thrilling events that cannot be understood by Sabre, her friend Bob, and an Atlanta detective.

When Sabre and Alexis' rollercoaster ride comes to an end, the reader will have mixed emotions that will stick in their minds. The protection of innocents is the central theme.

Ms. Burrell demonstrates clarity and thoughtful precision in her writing. Whether the legal protocol is correct, I'll let you legal beagles decide.

Fine read. Purchase: https://amzn.to/4nHGiqQ

HEXES & HUSH MONEY

HEXES & HUSH MONEY

A Cat Café Witch Mystery

HAZEL CARAWAY

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Hex is the familiar cat of Ivy Rowan, owner of Catnip Café in a small New England town. Ivys and Hex’s lives are put in a tailspin when a man Ivy fights with over a town development is found dead in the alley behind the café the same day.

Gold coins and witchery are the centerpiece of this quirky story of investigating the murder. Even the Sheriff appeals for Ivy to move the plot along.

When all is said and done, a surprise criminal appears at the conclusion. Then the author does something I have never seen in a cozy mystery – an interesting lead-in to Book 2 of the series as a chapter.

This novel is quick and engaging, making it a good read due to its flamboyant characters, including a witch named Rowan Gran and multiple cats.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4hrKFEX

HOW TO TEST NEGATIVE FOR STUPID

 

 

HOW TO TEST NEGATIVE FOR STUPID:

And Why Washington Never Will

 JOHN KENNEDY, USA Senator

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities.

Mr. Kennedy’s dissertation on his journey to and in the United States’ Capital is written in easy-to-read prose with a dab of his classic Louisiana humor.

His explanation of how Washington works and the foolishness of some who control the system has led to the worst of times. Hopefully, common-sense policies will lead to the best of times.

Senator Kennedy’s honest opinions drive home what every American can understand and should be worried about. He contends that an age of wisdom can help keep the USA afloat for another 250 years.

This non-fiction is a personal attempt to involve citizens in their country’s destiny. It’s a well-written journey, and a must-read for those with an inquisitive mind.

Purchase:  https://amzn.to/3WdO28y