Sixteen-year-old Reece Avery lives a risky life in the underbelly of South Florida, a desperate kind of life she wants to shake. She longs for stability, normalcy, and friends. Yet her life on the run has denied her these things. Abducted by her father when she was a young child, she was told her mother […]
“Through Any Window” by Deb Richardson-Moore
July 1, 2024 by Leave a Comment
Through Any Window (Red Adept Publishing 2024) is a robust, compelling mystery that checks all the right boxes—twisty, well-paced plot with not one, but three unsolved murders, complex characters, crisp prose, conflicts galore, and excellent world-building. The wickedly clever twists and turns in this engaging, character-driven novel will keep readers intrigued as the author quickly […]
“Key West Sketches: Writers at Mile Zero” edited by Carey Winfrey
June 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
Key West Sketches: Writers at Mile Zero (Blair 2023), edited by Carey Winfrey, is an engaging, well written collection of short stories, poetry, and fiction by some well-known writers as well as lesser known but still outstanding ones—all with connections to Key West. Even though there are some familiar names, some materials in this anthology […]
Read of the Month: “All We Were Promised” by Ashton Lattimore
June 5, 2024 by Leave a Comment
All We Were Promised (Ballentine Books 2024) by Ashton Lattimore is a literary historical novel set in 1837 in which the author accomplishes exactly what an excellent historical novel should—that is, she blends well-researched, accurate historical facts into a fictional plot to create a fascinating, eminently readable, and suspenseful story. Readers will learn true history […]
“Clete” by James Lee Burke
June 3, 2024 by Leave a Comment
As the legions of fans of James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux series will no doubt readily attest, JLB knows how to write a good story. In that regard, Clete (Atlantic Monthly Press 2024) is no different as it’s a darn fine tale of friendship, danger, and despair. It has flashes of noir thriller and exposes […]
“Because I Loved You” by Donnaldson Brown
May 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
In some ways, the broad scope of Because I Loved You (She Writes Press 2023) by Donnaldson Brown never fully transcends its opening chapters about the impact of a first love. The novel spans several decades in a relationship between a couple who first fall in love as adolescents. The novel’s early sections which involve […]