The Hanged Man by Jane Brookwood

 This is part of a series that appears to be able to be read as a stand-alone.   The owner of a metaphysical gift shop reads Tarot cards.  They figure prominently in the plot as does a cat who may be psychic named Rosie.

 A man commits suicide or is murdered.  The controversy begins to divide a community, with many who have been impacted by the victim or deceased. Fiona is deeply involved as the deceased and his brother/suspect are the sons of her deceased best friend.

 There is a police chief, chef, contractor, and younger, computer-literate employee also involved as well as Vinny, a fixer of sorts.

 
It isn’t as complex as it might appear. 

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Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan

Annie Gore is a private eye.  A former Air Force special investigator, she now finds herself wondering where the money to fix the AC is going to come from.  A distraught daughter comes to her for answers on her estranged father.

Annie discovers that it isn’t quite that simple.  The town of Mount Zion seems to harbor a wealth of dysfunctional citizens.  The estranged father is a snake-handling tent preacher who seems to have alienated half the community while endearing himself to the other half. 

There is a Hell Hole, the smell of brimstone, missing bodies, drug traffic, ex-cons, vision-seeing waitresses, and much more to provide this book with a plethora of entertaining characters. 

I enjoyed the book and recommend it. 

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THE ADVENTURES OF JUAN PLANCHARD by Jonathan Jakubowicz.

 

The initial preoccupation with sexual encounters with far too much detail initially turned me off this book. If that is your jam, you will love the fact that it occurs throughout the book. Juan is an opportunist who successfully games the Venezuelan political climate. In his mind, he is a revolutionary; in actuality, he is the capitalist of the worst kind.

Personally, I recommend reading the author’s notes at the end first. When I discovered that the author was chased from Venezuela due to his controversial movie, his credibility soared.  His explanation as to what I saw, as gratuitous sex, was calculated to capture readers in a society that has little love for reading.

Juan considers himself a man of the world while demonstrating self-defeating naivety.  His relationship with Scarlet is a harbinger of his future difficulties.

The description of Venezuelan corruption is daunting.

The book has a wealth of eye-opening vignettes. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

PENDERGAST the Begining by Preston & Child

 

This is an origin story for Pendergast.  Note, I said, “an origin” story. This goes back to Pendergast’s beginings in the FBI. It does not delve deeper into how he ended up in the FBI.  The story takes place in New Orleans. A serial killer is running amok under the radar of local law enforcement. Pendergast identifies the crime and eventually the killer.

 

In a typical Preston and Child book, one comes to expect nuances, abundant misdirection, and intricate plots.  This book admirably continues those practices. 

 

I’ve read books written individually by the authors, but I feel that when they work collaboratively, their work is superior.

 

I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Death at the End Zone by Lynn Slaughter

Two outstanding scholar athletes end up dead in the end zone of the football field they dominated.  Detective Caitlin O’Connor, and partner Stan catch the case. Things in the two detectives' lives complicate solving the case.

Slaughter addresses a lot of different issues in her book.  Relationship issues for both Caitlin and Stan, mutually exclusive relationships, add stress to an already stressful case.  A major problem with the case is an excess of persons of interest. 

 

Slaughter addresses alcoholism and the inherent dangers that accompany an occasionally dangerous career.  Homophobic reactions to otherwise “normal” crimes contribute to the complexity of the case.

 

Pedophiles, drug dealers, gun dealers, small needy boys, big needy boys, and needy men are all factors in the case.

 

It was a good book and a good story. I recommend it. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned