Review of Storm Sail

STORM SAIL

A Connie Barrera Thriller

CLR DOUGHERTY

Review by Roy Murry, Author

The Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea are the backgrounds of Captain Connie's thriller. She and her soon to be hubby Paul, pick up shipwrecked castaways on their way to the Caribbean islands.

The new guests, Gina and Dalton, are not what they seem. A psychological war to maintain control or takeover of the ship begins after one guest breaks into a box.

From there on, this thriller intensifies each day at sea, matching wits of the crew with some absurdities of their guests. The drama builds up to a surprising confrontation when Gina and Dalton find out the boat is near St. Thomas, keeping the reader on edge the whole voyage.

Dougherty's writing is always worth the "Dime" - enjoyable and all page-turners. This read was my second of the series.

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Review of DRAIN THE SWAMP

DRAIN the SWAMP

How Washington Corruption

is Worse Than You Think

Congressman KEN BUCK

with Bill Blankschaen

Review by Roy Murry, Author

After reading this book twice, I will continue to post my mantra ‘TERM LIMITS’ on Social Media until the end. BUCK, a Congressman, agrees with that policy which will never be proposed by the Congress.

Those limits and a Balance Budget must come from the PEOPLE via States’ vote at a Constitutional Convention for Amendments. But I feel, and I think this congressman agrees, unfortunately, will not happen because of the 'Making Congress a life profession' in Washington. 

BUCK has upset his cohorts in Congress with his PEOPLE FIRST attitude which comes across in his writing of various contra acts by the members. He gives the reader short explanations as to the character crisis of members in general, corporate welfare through lobbies, the government in a zombie state, and other oddities of the USA stagnant government.

DRAIN THE SWAMP is published in 2017 as President takes office, and BUCK makes his recommendations. It is interesting how little the American people are fooled by the ones they voted to send to represent them. 

The writing is clear and understandable giving the reader a shock of reality. I recommend the book for anyone who is interested in helping to DRAIN THE SWAMP.

Here is the interview that helped me to decide to buy this book. Interview of Congressman Ken Buck by Sharyl Attkisson on Full Measure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIiozu2g12I

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Review of Lady of Conquest

Lady of Conquest

TAMARA LEIGH

Review by Roy Murry, Author

 "Keep Your Friends Close, But Your Enemies Closer," is a saying that is appropriate to describe the Lady of Conquest's main character, a Norman knight who was part of the invasion of 1068 Saxon's England. Knight Maxen keeps Lady Rhiannyn, a Saxon, close until he can find out who killed his brother. He died in her arms, and she doesn't know who threw the knife that did the deed.

The crux of the story is how close they get after many conflicts and disputes they and their countrymen have. Maxen and Rhiannyn learn that their people, as well as themselves, have common ground that can be built on.

Rhiannyn's beauty and her ability to sway Maxen’s strong-minded ebullient positions to do the right thing on many levels bring the two together over a period. Killings stopped, and a bright future is over the horizon happens when they bond to change the King's mind.

This medieval romance is not a normal one with its culture conflicts. I believe that the proper English language and decorum are used but not overwhelmingly.

Lady of Conquest is an enjoyable love story to read.

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Review of Murder of the Maestro

Murder of the Maestro

Georgie Saw Cozy Mystery #6

Anna Celeste Burke

Review by Roy Murry, Author

If murder can be fun to read about, Ms. Burke does a great job making it so. Her characters are interesting and engaging, especially Georgie’s husband who detects and the cats who at one point find a clue.

The clues of The Maestro's murder lead everywhere, one could conceive but not directly to the killer.  Only one conversation does that, and if you do not read many whodunits, you will miss the reaction of that character – the accidental killer of the maestro.

Another crime is in play which confuses the reader following the murder of a witness. Ms. Burke hides this well, and one may feel the killer is the same person, which may or may not be true.

Don't fret, Georgie will summarize after all is said and done at dinner on the veranda with hubby and friend. You will be amazed at Georgie's deductive thinking.

Murder is a fun read, so don’t peek.

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Review of The Intuitionist

The Intuitionist: A Novel

Colson Whitehead

Reviewed by Roy Murry, Author

The Intuitionist is the story of bias and racism in the world and a profession one would not think of - city elevator inspection. A woman of color becomes the first woman of color to get a badge as a City Inspector when new elevators were going up and down all over the city.

Lila Mae is an Intuitionist, which has a 10 percent higher accuracy in evaluating elevators as opposed to an Empiricist. Intuitionists are a negative group according to the guild, who don't believe you can communicate with an elevator.

One of Lila Mae's client's mechanism does a dead drop which leads to a significant professional upheaval. She turns into a sleuth to find the cause of the accident, hiding from the public and her cohorts.

In her investigation is a tale of corruption, deceit, bias, white male domination of a profession, and union battles. Where her story ends, is a surprise, the reader will applaud.

Articulate prose with racial allegories. Metaphors that will delight the reader, and images relating to a mundane subject as an elevator that is disturbing but understandable.

Intuitionist is an excellent read for the thinking mind.

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Review of CAT'S CRADLE

CAT'S CRADLE

KURT VONNEGUT

Reviewed by Roy Murry, Author

If you want to think and like satire, as I sometimes do, this read is for you. Not the thriller, mystery, or romantic type of novel one usually read.

The chapters are short chunks of defecation on humanity and where it is going - religion is all lies according to his invented religion Bokononism which is a lie too.  You will laugh but cry inside. Science sold and manipulated by man will destroy humanity – end of the world.

Global Climate Change was not invented science yet in 1963 when Cat’s Cradle was published. If Vonnegut were around today, I would think he would be a "denier," based on his opinions within.

Vonnegut's John is writing a book about one of the men who invented the atomic bomb. In his investigation and interviews with the man's children and others on an island, he confronts questions of why humanity goes on complicating itself. 

When reading this novel, you should have some knowledge of the Cold War to understand Vonnegut's strong points of view which come through clearly in his dancing around the subjects of why we are who we are. At the time, nuclear war with the USSR was near. (North Korea and Iran today?)

This novel is a must-read for people who are intellectuals and those who think they are. Which are you?

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Review of LUKEWARMING

    LUKEWARMING

    The New Climate Science

    That Changes Everything

    Patrick J. Micheals

                 and

Paul C. Knappenberger

Reviewed by Roy Murry, Author

I have listened to Main Stream Media and heard many debates concerning Global Warming over the last fifty years. Moreover, when President Donald J. Trump pulled us out of the Paris Accord, I started to think about it again. Was he right in doing so?

LUKEWARMING came up in an interview. If you hated President Trump, like many, you would call him and others "deniers" and pay up accordingly to an agreement, not a treaty that President Obama signed because he could not pass it through Congress.

The wording of the original document was President Obama's dilemma. He signed another executive order in essence. Hail to the Chief.

The two scientists from the CATO Institute who penned LUKEWARMING, in so many words debunk the notion that the world is in danger of over warming to the point of the coastal loss in Florida (a 1989 prediction by Al Gore and others) and other HOT predictions. They write their truth about those government paid prognosticators whose "Sky is falling" ideas brought the craziest surrounding their predictions.

Using mathematical and logical comparisons, these CATO scientists present a simple understanding of what is happening to the earth that an individual like myself can understand. You will find too.

Cut to the chase: President Trump is right as these scientists suggested before him taking office - the Paris Accords would hurt only the USA and the EU. The rest of the world would receive funds for the wrong reasons.

Easy to read, with short paragraphs and uncomplicated descriptions of their observations. The read is worth the price, but it should be free so people could know the truth.

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