Reviewed by Donna Meredith Instead of losing steam, the hero of SR Staley’s Calusa Spirits gains depth and stature in this third installment of the Pirate of Panther Bay series. In some respects, the captain of La Marée Rouge is a classic pirate yet in other ways defies convention. The captain proves bold and brave […]
“Girl from Blind River,” by Gale Massey
November 13, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Donna Meredith Florida writer Gale Massey’s debut novel, Girl from Blind River, is being compared to Daniel Woodrell’s Winter’s Bone. The comparison is apt. Both feature a teenage girl determined to help family members survive in a community roiled by poverty and addiction. Nineteen-year-old Jamie Elders is caught between conflicting desires: to take […]
October Read of the Month: “Finding Joe,” by Rebecca Hunn
October 3, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Donna Meredith If you’re looking for an entertaining mystery crafted around a strong setting and unusual characters, check out Finding Joe, Rebecca Hunn’s debut novel. The protagonist Donna Cain is “an oil and gas leasing agent—part sleuth, part genealogist, part salesperson,” who believes she has “the best job in the world.” She lives […]
“Snakehunter” and “Last Mountain Dancer,” by Chuck Kinder
August 14, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Donna Meredith Snakehunter and Last Mountain Dancer: Hard-Earned Lessons in Love, Loss, and Honky-Tonk Outlaw Life, by Chuck Kinder, offer a glimpse into the wide-ranging styles mastered by one of West Virginia’s most talented authors. Each of his four books is unique and wholly original in approach. His writing eschews the formulaic, the […]