Film Noir Mystery set in Quebec

I received a review copy of this book through NetGalley in return for writing a review. This is my true and personal opinion.


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Pray for Us Sinners by Peter S Fischer, in #7 in the Hollywood Murder Mysteries. I had not read any of the earlier book, but had no difficulty in understanding the story. The Hollywood Murder Mysteries is for the late 40's and 50's What The Toby Peters Mysteries by Stuart Kaminsky was for the early 40's. Brushes with Hollywood stars, period pieces, with a film noir vibe.

The protagonist in the Hollywood Murder Mysteries is Joe Bernardi, a press publicist for Warner Brothers studios. In Pray For Us Sinners, he is in Quebec overseeing the publicity needs for the production of the movie, "I Confess" starring Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter, and Karl Malden, and, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. While having dinner with the beautiful Jeanne d’Arcy with the Quebec Province Film Commission, assigned to assist Joe in his publicist work for the film. A gentleman the Joe does not know approaches the table, obviously drunk, and begins to argue then yell with Miss d'Arcy. The argument is in French and Joe does not speak French, but he gets the feeling that there is more to this relationship than Jeanne is sharing. The next morning, the gentleman is found dead and all the evidence points to Jeanne. Being the eager, caring guy that he is, Joe becomes embroiled in finding the real killer and clearing Jeanne of the charges.

There are behind the scenes info on the filming of the movie, the relationships of the stars with Hitch and with each other (Clift is a "method" actor and Hitch just wants the actors to follow his orders), the world of broad sheet publishing, the back scene production office, etc. Mr Fischer is very gifted in setting a mood, developing realistic interactions, and creating interesting, multi-layered characters. this is a fun, interesting read, and I intend to get started reading the entire series. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Lost Legacy: A Tale of Murder, mystery and self-discovery

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my review. This is my personal and true opinion.



Lost Legacy by Annette Dashofy is a second novel in the Zoe Chambers series. I have not read the first book and did not feel I was handicapped in understanding the story in any way. As a paramedic, Zoe responds to a call at a local farm. There she and her partner discover a farmer hanging from a beam in the barn. What at first appears to be a suicide is soon questioned as a possible homicide. Zoe remembers that some 40+ years ago another body had been found in this barn, part of a murder/suicide of two brothers. With a link to her family, she tries to ask her mother and step-father what they remember of the incident. Their side-stepping and irritability when questioned, leads Zoe to question what else is going on. A note left by the dead farmer, opens the possibility that her own father, killed in a car crash 20+ years earlier, may still be alive. With all these open questions, Zoe is on the hunt for the truth about all these events, and, an understanding of how they are related.

As Zoe searches deeper and deeper, Police Chief Pete Adams, struggles with his personal feelings for Zoe, and his fear that the truth will bring more pain and disappointment for Zoe. After two more citizens are killed, they realize that the killer is still at work. Zoe has a difficult relationship with her mother, and as Zoe begins to question what role her mother and/or step-father may have played in this tangled web, their relationship only deteriorates more.

This is an excellent book, with well sculpted characters, and complicated, gripping plot, and an assortment of small town characters that provide some comic relief. An excellent novel! I will definitely be waiting for the next book in the series!

Fives and Twenty-Fives

I received a review copy of this book through NetGalley in return for writing a review. This is my true and personal opinion.




This book will be published on Aug 26, and, with the current events in Iraq, could not have come at a more opportune time. The author, Michael Pitre, served two combat tours in Iraq, and while the story is not autobiographical, it has been enriched by his first hand experience.

This is the story of a Marine platoon assigned to fill potholes, usually created by IEDs that have exploded. But before they can begin their road work, they must first make sure there are no additional bombs in the area or in the hole. Everyday brings tension, and gut-ripping fear. Each person in the unit handles the pressure in their own way.

Told in flashbacks intermingled with current problems adjusting to being back in the States, this gripping story kept me on the edge of my seat for 4 days as I read. I cannot imagine the psychological, physical and spiritual toll this kind of terror must wreck on the soldiers who are in country for 12-18 months at a time. Watching friends explode in front of you, or be shot by snipers as you work to make the road safe for future transit. The mundane silliness of friends when you return home, who have no idea what you have seen and experienced while you were gone. 

There is also a gut-wrenching story of the unit's interpreter, Dodge. What happened to his family when Iraq was invaded by the US, how he survived and eventually came to be an interpreter, and what transpired when the unit returned to the states.

If you want to better understand what has happened in Iraq, this is a must read. Well told with terrorizing action, poignant moments of humanity, and gallows humor, Fives and Twenty-Fives is a record of a war no one wanted, and even fewer understand.

A Matter of Mercy by Lynne Hugo

I received a free copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for writing a public review. This is my personal and truthful opinion of this book.




This is a mystery that takes place on Cape Cod and focuses on the aquaculturists that "farm" the shallows for shellfish. As a big fan of Philip R Craig's Vineyard Mystery Series, I decided to give this a try.

Mercy explores the lives of two people who grew up on the island, their intertwined stories as a storm throws them together with long-term consequences.

Caroline Marcum has returned to the island to care for her dying mother. Ridley Neal is a former high school acquaintance who works a grant that is in front of Caroline's home. A wealthy "weekender" has filed a lawsuit against Rid and two of his fellow aquaculturists for use of their grants, claiming he owns the land and they interfere with his view.

Land rights, traditional vrs progressive land rights, death and dying,  shell fishing, and love all play a part in this touching and at times scary story of life and love on Cape Cod. The fact that it is based on a true story, make it all the more compelling.

A well-written novel that digs deep into your emotions and the circumstances of life fore Caroline and Rid. I highly recommend this book.

The Competition by Marcia Clark: A "keep-you-guess-until-the-very-end" book

I received a free e-book copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review of the book. This review is my free and honest opinion.




This is the fourth book in the Rachael Knight series. I had not read any of the previous books, but I plan to now. I admit, I didn't read any of Marcia Clark's books because I thought she had done a very poor job of handling the OJ case. But her writing skills are very good, and she uses her legal knowledge to create excellent stories! I am now a fan.

Rachael Knight is an LA special trials prosecutor. She teams with her best friend, Bailey Keller, an LAPD detective, when a Columbine-style shooting takes place at a high school in a San Fernando Valley. This is a study in stereotyping, troubled youth, and what makes kids kill.

Very quickly Rachael and Bailey believe they have the suspects. In their search for them, and for hard evidence, things do not add up. Just when I thought they finally had a handle on the case, another twist would rear it's ugly head.

I could not put the book down. This is a great team of tough, intelligent women who struggle through trying to have close relationships, a fulfilling life, and a harder than nails career. If you like police and legal procedurals, you will love The Competition.

The Summer Wind: A great read for the last days of summer

I received this book as an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for agreeing to write a review. This is my true and honest opinion.

The Summer Wind (A Lowcountry Summer, Book 2)

By Mary Alice Monroe

I did not read Book 1 in this series, and while I am sure it would have added greater understanding if I had, I enjoyed this as a stand alone book.

This is a story of the family matriarch, steeped in Southern history and tradition, her life-long servant turned personal friend, and the matriarch's three granddaughters. Mamaw has brought the three half-sisters together to help them renew their childhood friendship. Mamaw is planning to sell the family home, but wants this one last chance to strengthen the bonds of these young women. 

Dora has fled a crumbling marriage with her young son, diagnosed with autism. Carson has returned from Florida in order to sort through her life and make decisions about her future. Harper has returned from New York, trying to decide if high-flying corporate life is what she want for her life.

During all this inner searching, there are new and renewed friendships to consider, Lucille has a health scare, Marietta (Mamaw) is reminiscing over the years spent on Sullivan's Island and hoping her plan to draw the three sisters together doesn't backfire.

This is a very enjoyable summer read, fairly light and easy, but with some interesting elements on what abuse is, how to interact with special needs children, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, and race relations on a small southern island.

I highly recommend this and will definitely be reading Book 3 when it is published. I give this 4 stars out of 5.

They Are Not Me

We Are Not Ourselves is a first novel by Matthew Thomas. I have such mixed feeling about it that I give it 3 stars. It deserves 5 stars for being well written, unrelenting and strong. For me personally, I would give it 1 or 2 stars for being slow moving and incredibly depressing. This book is the story of Eileen Leary who grew up in Queens NY to immigrant Irish parents. She is left yo raise herself due to alcoholic parents who are so depressed themselves that they have little time or attention left for Eileen. So she weaves dreams of living a better life. To her this means living in a better neighborhood, having an ambitious, upwardly mobile husband, and the perfect home.Of course, real life does not unfold kindly for Eileen. The book progresses painstakingly slowly through the rest of her life as she continues to strive for her dream at all costs, and her struggle to reconcile reality.The plot moves so slowly, it reminds me of literature from a long-ago era. At times it felt as though I was watching paint dry. But the characters were so clearly portrayed that I continued because I kept hoping they would find a way to bring hope, peace and happiness to their lives.It is a vividly conceive saga of the life of many people in the Boomer generation. It also made me so grateful that I was raised and chose to live with a heart for others and not just be consumed by my own existance.