Since the Day We Danced

SINCE THE DAY WE DANCED

KERK MURRAY

https://amzn.to/4v4XkUJ

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Emma and Luke met because of unusual circumstances and immediately liked each other. Their family problems interfere with the relationship, and they keep it a secret.

When the secret is found out, separation begins. Everyone involved believes that Emma and Luke, including his son, will not get back together.

But does love help them find a way for reunion? The twists and turns bring this novel to an end that the romance lover will enjoy.

Each chapter is one of the main characters commenting on the situation at hand. This made the novel's prose move smoothly forward with their feelings known.

'DANCED' is a good novel.

Purchase https://amzn.to/3PBkv8L

 

MANUFACTURING DELUSION

MANUFACTURING

DELUSION

BUCK SEXTON

 https://amzn.to/4uF3iLD

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

As you know, I'm an ex-Green Beret Operations and Intelligence Specialist (Vietnam Veteran) and a graduate of the JFK Warfare Center. I believe Mr. Sexton has described the world as it is today. Using historical data on how people react to psychological manipulation, he outlines the stepping stones to how people are swayed into a delusional mindset.

He describes how past civilizations, including current ones, often show instances where humans have bowed to a small group's ideology, resulting in nations or small groups being controlled, believing nonsense. Brainwashing and indoctrination are spread through propaganda on many levels, which the left uses constantly.

Buck Sexton's nonfiction is well written, so anyone with a cognitive mind will understand and enjoy his narrative. Those on the left of the Democratic Party in the USA, Muslim countries, and places like Iran and Cuba will condemn this book as fantasy.

Read MANUFACTURING DELUSIONS and decide for yourself.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4uF3iLD

 

A HIGH PRICE TO PAY

A HIGH PRICE TO PAY

CYNTHIA HAMILTON

https://amzn.to/4diqKb9

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Madeline (Maddie), a P.I./Party planner, is caught up in an unconventional cluster of murder and thievery. As a party planner, she is hobnobbing with the Hollywood elite by overseeing a birthday party for the unhinged wife of a famous director.

Maddie Dawkins and her partner, Mike, try to unravel the crimes using clean police procedures, while dealing with a psychopath who is possessed by Madeline. It all comes to a head in a thrilling event that will leave the reader wanting more from the series.

This is the second book in the Madeline Dawkins Mystery Series; however, an avid mystery reader like me would have figured out a key point early on. Nevertheless, all readers of mysteries will be entertained to the end of this character-driven novel.

I liked the characters and the plot, and will return to read another in this eleven-book series.

Purchase Series: https://amzn.to/4diqKb9

A Cat's Garden of Secrets

A CAT'S GARDEN OF SECRETS

JACQUELINE DIAMOND

https://amzn.to/3OMvkVa

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

"Cat's" is a quirky journey into another world adjacent to California, where the main character, nineteen-year-old Chess Vevoda, travels through fog to Loobly. This land has magick in every endeavor, where the cats talk to each other, and Chess learns this quickly.

Chess has been brought to Loobly by a self-controlling car to claim an inheritance due to her grandmother's death, but many contest it. There is a question as to how her powerful grandmother died.

With her close family and friends, Ms. Vevoda embarks on a turbulent journey to clarify the situation. Control of a library of historical importance is at the heart of the Loobly society and part of the inheritance.

The reader will enjoy the colorful circumstances of this story, which is more of a fantasy than a cozy mystery. When the epilogue begins, the mystery is solved, and the reader will be content purchasing another of Ms. Diamond's fun novels about cats.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3OMvkVa

HEALED BY LOVE

HEALED BY LOVE

MELISSA FOSTER

https://amzn.to/4r1TGaS

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Ms. Forster's excellent writing is a romance addict's delight. She takes two people, Jewel and Nate, and puts them in a position of mental conflict even though they had feelings for each other since childhood.

There is a rollercoaster ride of emotions with family and friends, who take the place of a psychiatrist. Everywhere Nate and Jewel go, they are reminded of their personal blockage in taking the leap of love.

When it happens, romance readers will be content and most likely buy the second book in this 'Love in Bloom' series. HEALED BY LOVE hits all the pleasures of a Book 1 in a series: multiple family characters, open doors to other romances, and the harbor setting.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4r1TGaS

THE QUEST OF COSMIC JUSTICE

THE QUEST FOR COMIC JUSTICE

THOMAS SOWELL

https://amzn.to/4s62zkK

Review by Author Roy Murry

I have read several of Mr. Sowell's endeavors interpreting the world around us. QUEST, even though it was written in 2002, explains many of the conflicts the USA is facing today without mentioning any global event.

The author explains how Comic differs from Social and Actual Justice in decision-making by intellectuals and governments. These conflicts drive our societies forward, whether for good or bad.

Thomas Sowell delves into many areas with ease; the wording flows without getting into intellectual mumbo jumbo. The reader will understand his explanations without stretching the mind.

A book for the Inquisitive Mind.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4s62zkK

 

A BODY ON THE DOORSTEP

A BODY ON THE DOORSTEP

London Ladies Murder Club Book 1

MARTY WINGATE

https://amzn.to/4rQmFiI

Review by Author Roy Murry

Miss Mabel Canning, a Renaissance woman of the 1920s, has moved from her small town to London. She has taken up residence and has employment at a service agency, Useful Women.

Her first mundane job for the agency is to help at the wake of a wealthy man. She opens the front door, and a non-guest is lying dead with a letter for the widow.

What happens next is Miss Canning going from one job to another while snooping. Mable and the other main characters are woven into an intriguing mystery that culminates in a sensitive conclusion.

Wingate's writing is crisp, well-developed, and flows quickly. The characters fill the bill as a Book 1 lead-in to an enjoyable historical series.

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

FACE-OFF

FACE-OFF

A Vampire Vigilante

Justice Novel

ELIZABETH MONTANO

https://amzn.to/45RpcAx

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Vampires, faes, witches, warlocks, and demons from the underworld. Who could ask for more? No one who enjoys this genre.

I read this for my fans and was surprised to find that I enjoyed the main character, Sahara, and the storyline, unlike in other vampire novels I have read. She is a no-frills, gorgeous, kick-ass Vampire P.I, who has a human side.

There is the beginning of a love story with a male client who takes orders from Sahara like a recruit because he wants her to find the killer of his twin brother. The client has hidden talents; he and Sahara's witch friend provide helpful assistance in the search.

A serial killer is loose from the underworld. Sahara and her entourage have a plan that sends the story into a whirlwind, leading to a conclusion any reader of the Vampire Genre will love.

 Purchase: https://amzn.to/45RpcAx

 

The Irish Cottage

THE IRISH COTTAGE

Finding Elizabeth

JULIET GAUVIN

https://amzn.to/4q9rgv8

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Elizabeth, a persuasive, successful litigator's surrogate mother, dies, and Beth, as she is known, goes to Ireland to contemplate her future. She takes seven letters from that mother to read on her journey.

She meets Connor, and, with the reading of those letters and fate, their involvement rises at each level, following an instructive template of life. Each person has their psychological baggage to overcome in a love affair.

Connor's friends are amazed by his change; he has enjoyed Beth's transformation since the first day they met. Both adults mend together, physically and emotionally, to the point of saying, 'I love you.'

The ending of this journey is uplifting, leaving the reader wanting more.

Book one is an excellent hook into book two. You'll love it.

#purchase: https://amzn.to/4q9rgv8

LIKE BOTTLED FIRE

LIKE BOTTLED FIRE

DOMINIC PIPER

https://amzn.to/46jep29

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

I enjoyed reading several of Mr. Piper's novels, and his writing kept me on the edge of my seat. This read is my first short story.

After he purchases a deadly item, the man goes to eat, flirts with his waitress, and asks her out to dinner. They go out: The food, the company, the kissing, and the guessing game culminate before dessert.

Wow, I was completely surprised by what happened next. When the end came. The outcome hoodwinked me.

The story is thrilling from his breakfast to the delicious dessert ending, with conversations that leave you wondering what will come next in their encounter.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/46jep29

 

The Body in the Closet

THE BODY IN THE CLOSET

JINTY JAMES

https://amzn.to/4jWrRyF

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

This Pru and Pip Investigator mystery is a no-brainer. Not many characters, but they are interesting enough to carry a series.

However, the terrier is used too much for an approval act with his "Ruff." If you like dogs in a novel, you'll enjoy Teddy's antics.

 The plot is not complicated, and the investigators don't do much sleuthing. Crook is found dead in a vacant house closet, where Pru and Pip are working on their current projects.

 There are a few characters, so the reader can easily solve the mystery. "Closet" is too cozy to be called a true mystery, but it is a fun and quick read.

 Purchase: https://amzn.to/4jWrRyF

 

 

 

THE LAST QUEEN; Book One

THE LAST QUEEN

Book One of the Chronicles

of Cleopatra

G. LAWRENCE

https://amzn.to/4sNerZY

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

This is the story of half-sisters Cleopatra and Arsinoe, princesses of Egypt, 58-57 BCA. Their conversations are recorded in a chronicle of their father's reign as Pharaoh, up to Cleopatra's accession.

The two twelve-year-olds grow up during a turbulent time of war, famine, and family disputes with their other half-sister, Berenice. The girl's words flow with flowery descriptions of Gods that determine the fate of life in general and the future.

Many events transpire that the Gods willed during their lives, according to family records. Cleo is a history buff and explains to Arsinoe what will be, after their separate mother's murder.

Love and hate drive the young ladies to take control of their own fate, leading to a somewhat peaceful existence in Alexandria on the Nile. The journey is well-chronicled.

Gemme Lawrence's prose is beautiful; however, it is hard to believe twelve-year-olds could speak so eloquently. But it is a Pharaoh's verbal history of Egypt.

Excellent read: https://amzn.to/4sNerZY

Where the Crawdads Sing

WHERE THE

CRAWDADS SING

DELA OWENS

 https://amzn.to/4sywRNN

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Kya, a six-year-old, is homeless in the marshes of North Carolina. Where her family went is described in a heartbreaking way that lingers throughout the novel.

In descriptive, colorful prose, Ms. Owens takes the reader on a journey through Kya's survival and growth in the marsh. The young girl's connection to the world around her and her ingenuity develop her into a loving, beautiful, self-educated hermit.

When the opposite sex becomes an issue, her feelings of abandonment come into play, and a relationship begins and ends. She is left again, rebounds sexually with another man, Chase, who promises the world.

This last involvement ends with his death, Kya on trial for the crime, and an unresolved situation where the town is divided. Her first love, Tate, returns.

Years pass, she dies, and, as in other parts of Kya's journey, her lover, Tate, reads a poem Kya wrote. She did what nature would have her do: protect herself.

CRAWDADS SINGS is a lovely, enjoyable, well-written novel you should not miss.

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

Brave Companions

Brave Companions: Portraits In History

David McCullough

https://amzn.to/4sywRNN

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

This storybook is about people who bravely went where no one had gone before them. Mr. McCullough's descriptions of people and events, some of which you know, are woven into a read you will enjoy.

You do not need to be a 'History Buff' to enjoy learning how the Brooklyn Bridge's structure was devised and built by a person you may not know. Or the enormous effort of that endeavor and the construction of the Panama Canal come to life in a people profile.

Those events and others will keep the reader wanting to know the next person the author delves into and explains their position in history. This will include Theodore Roosevelt and his Badlands adventures, as well as those who brought those western experiences to life.

Whether you enjoy reading about history or not, this book is well worth the price.

 Purchase:  https://amzn.to/4sywRNN

 

 

 

FLAIR for FLIP - FLOPS

FLAIR for FLIP-FLOPS

A Sadie Kramer Flair Mystery

DEBORAH GARNER

Review by author Roy Murry

 

Sadie and her Yorkie, Coco, go on vacation to California. It seems like death follows Sadie and Coco wherever they go. In this cozy mystery, book five in the series, a famous person washes up on the beach dead.

Sadie, of course, cannot let it be. She needs to snoop. With Coco in a carry-on bag and a new friend, she flip-flops around, interrupting her vacation to get to the core of the death.

This novel is a fun read for the weekend. The Yorkie is part of the main show, and if you like dogs, you will enjoy Coco's part in the book.

Enjoyable fun with an unlikely ending.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3YKr1ex

married for Christmas

married for

CHRISTMAS

Noelle Adams

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Ms. Adams writes a fine novel that portrays a love triangle among a pastor, his deceased wife, and a longtime friend. The pastor cannot let his wife's spirit go.

 Jessica, who loves Pastor Daniel, devises a plan to marry him, and he agrees. What happens next is a melodrama that the reader will enjoy.

 Jessica's and Daniel's relationship goes from hot to cold and all over the spectrum, including their sex life. Their conversations highlight the development of a somewhat Christian love affair.

Love at Christmas is Jessica's endgame. How the two get there is a fascinating journey.

'married for Christmas' is a well-written and enjoyable romantic read.

 

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3MH7Kbf

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

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

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

First Deadly Sin

The First Deadly Sin

Lawrence Sanders

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Captain Edward X. Delaney (Police) vs Daniel Blank (Nut Cake). Both men are consumed by what they are attempting to accomplish.

Blank’s deviation from his norm kills and loves his victims at the same time because of his love affair with a disturbed woman. Delaney is caught up in administrative bull that leads him to search for Blank outside the regular police channels.

The author uses too much detail in describing each man’s journey – Blank, a psychopath, enjoying his kills, and the Delaney, using everyone to reach his end of bringing Blank to justice.

This turmoil is well-written, but overly psychologically developed. I would have liked a shorter version without all the ‘mumbo jumbo’.

If you like reading a lot of boring police details or a man’s reasons for killing, this book is for you. If not, read a cozy mystery.

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

The Girl Behind the Gate

THE GIRL BEHIND THE GATE

BRENDA DAVIES

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

The times (1930 – 1950s) that Nora is put in a mental institution for a “Defect,” which is explained in this novel, is one of the UK’s historical defects. Her journey in that HOSPITAL is long, exasperating, and cruel.

Nora goes into a cocoon, without psychological aid, for many years, because of the crude, authoritarian management system of the institution. Modern psychiatry arrived forty years later, in the form of Dr. Humphrey, a compassionate woman who also struggled with her own personal issues.

Nora and Humprey’s interviews and communications change each woman’s understanding of who they are positively, making for an inspirational read. The novel is a lengthy and complex read, making it time-consuming.

Tears and laughter will guide you through to the end.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4mGrN63

FIELD RULES

FIELD RULES

Romance in the Ruins, Book 1

CARLA LUNA

Review by Author Roy Murry

Olivia wants to earn her PhD in archaeology and is invited to a survey school dig to instruct undergrads. She had a sex experience on a prior dig where she fell for Rick.

Several years after that experience, unknown to her, Rick is at the school in Greece, and memories return to both – not good ones. However, the spark is still there; now they are teachers, not students.

Conflicts arise from personal, school procedures, and ethical issues, which put both in a position of losing credibility in their chosen fields. Olivia and Rick’s resolve leads to a Hallmark ending.

This archaeological background romance is the first in a series and is well-written with characters who pull the reader in. Next stop is Turkey.

If you like Mediterranean adventures, you will enjoy this novel series.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/46eAjUV

Murder Mystery Book Club

MURDER MYSTERY

BOOK CLUB

DANIELLE COLLINS

Review by Author Roy Murry

Eva owns a Bed & Breakfast in Key West, Florida, where everyone knows your name. Her guests are from off-island.

A storm breaks out on the key, and a strange event happens to Eva between the main house and her cottage. The next morning, a Detective is knocking on her door.  

There has been a murder on her property, he says. The games begin, ending with a setup to catch the murderer.

The events that follow the killing are fun to watch when Eva’s book club gets involved with the investigation. Old members and a new one move Eva’s investigation into conflict with the Detectives.

The writing is crisp, the characters are fun, and the dialogue directs Eva’s actions. This novel is a well-crafted cozy mystery, serving as a lead-in to a series.

Excellent read: https://amzn.to/3Vc7d21

STAGE 3

STAGE 3

KEN STARK

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

There is an axiom in writing novels that is ‘Show, don’t tell.’ By using sensory details, character behavior, and subtext to convey meaning naturally, Mr. Stark draws the reader into a world immersed in zombies.

Immersed is saying it lightly. From beginning to end, the main character, Mason, kills more zombies than exist while protecting an intelligent, blind ten-year-old Mackenzie on a journey to find her aunt Sara.

With limited conversations, Mr. Stark pulls off a compelling novel that keeps the reader engaged with horrific events. I am not a zombie novel enthusiast, but I enjoyed most of this long, drawn-out story.

I recommend the STAGE 3 series for people who like zombies. For those who don’t, read a romance novel.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/481zzna

 

 

 

Books, Bubble Tea, and Bodies

BOOKS, BUBBLE TEA, and BODIES

LISA PEVEY

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Yes, this is a cozy mystery, a long one. This story is about three friends: Callie, Maya, and Josh. The murder is accidental to the reader.

An elderly friend of Callie dies. The police call it accidental, and while Callie is snooping around, another accident is fatal.

Callies is on the right track, and she pulls her friends along for the investigative ride. Between episodes, they drink bubble tea while feeding Smokie, the dog, treats.

The characters are cute, the story is plausible, but there is too much fluff - description of events. Take it out, and you have a great cozy mystery.

 Purchase: https://amzn.to/4lCHNFv

 

VIA con DIOS

ROY MURRY'S #Suspense #Thriller 'VIA con Dios' is now an Amazon eBook. The paperback will be available soon. https://amzn.to/3Jgccff 

 

FBI Agent Amelia Maloney finds herself in a conundrum. She has a case to solve, but her Boss wants to sweep it under the rug, so to speak. "Washington says let Florida solve the case of four ministers murdered."

Agent Maloney is determined to get justice for the victim's families, which leads to a suspenseful investigation of the VIA con DIOS murders. She does what needs to get done, which crosses religious and border lines.

What will she do?

Coming to America

COMING TO AMERICA

A History of Immigration and

Ethnicity in American Life

ROGER DANIELS

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

If you are a Social Studies major in college, this book is for you. The book is full of statistics that one would need to complete a term paper.

However, if a reader is looking for entertainment, I recommend staying away from this chronicle of our North American ancestors' origins. The history is often dull, and the book is a long read, as it's full of information that you will likely never use.

Some parts of Daniel's chapters do tell stories of why people move about the world. Reading this detailed history will reveal how various individuals and groups came to America, which may come as a surprise to the reader.

I recommend that if you care about why your group, the Irish or the Italians, for example, immigrated, the reader can find out. If not, this is not for you.

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

FRONT PAGE FATALITY

FRONT PAGE FATALITY

Maisy Marple Publication

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

I love cozy mysteries. This mystery about a small-town newbie reporter, Lucy Hartwell, hits most of the bells to be a great first in a series read.

However, the book is a good, entertaining read. The supporting characters required a bit more background, as did the town.

The story had its moments, and Lucy shone as a person with an inquisitive mind, which is essential as a reporter. She gets the job done, and it will be interesting in this series to see the situations she’ll be put in.

As for FRONT PAGE, the author keeps the reader interested to the surprising end. Lucy, through elimination, determines the culprit, and the murderer knows everyone in the town.

Good, quick, and fun read: https://amzn.to/46HCjFT