Vodka Express by Ralph Griffith

Vodka Express: A Dmitri Petrov Crime Novel by Ralph Griffith

Dimitri is a St. Petersburg  police detective.  He is mild-mannered, and lives alone except  for his miniature hamster Lenin.  He is average height and appearance.  This is a plus in his line of work.   He has a partner, Manislov, is large, aggressive, and a good counterpoint for Dimitri. 

Manislov is more of a bit player in the book.  Dimitri and he are tasked with multiple crimes, the most interesting is the mysterious theft of six Faberge Eggs from a minor Oligarch.

Russian police work appears to be a bit more aggressive than the U.S. counterparts. Perhaps I’m naïve but the two detectives overlook some serious mayhem by victims and perpetrators. 

The stories are interesting.  I don’t know how accurate they are in terms of Police procedure but they are very entertaining.

I recommend the book. 

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

Chain Reaction by James Byrne

Chain Reaction by James Byrne

Desmond Limerick is a retired Gatekeeper.  Gatekeepers are an elite, special forces group that can open any door and keep it open until the operation is complete.  Dez is a resourceful fellow, playing fill in bass for bands since retirement.  A friend with a band sends him a message that he desperately needs him for a gig across country since his bass player has dropped out.   Thus begins the story.

Dez finds himself in a hostage situation, and then that leads to a series of killings.  He finds himself allied with a previous opponent who just happens to be devastatingly alluring.  In the course of dramatic action that demonstrates that Dez makes Jack Reacher look like a sissy, and MacGyver look unresourceful, Dez runs into a previous lover with mayhem on her mind.

Byrne has gotten the formula for producing an action packed thriller with abundant plot twists, and a highly likeable protagonist.

I highly recommend this book, and all the rest of the Desmond Limerick books. 

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

Side Hustle by Wendy Gee

Sydney is a no-holds-barred investigative reporter for a Charlestown TV station.  Sydney brings a capital I to investigative reporter.  She is not willing to wait for the police or any other authority to solve a crime.  When a close friend is murdered, Sydney jumps into the investigation with both feet.

 The plot has a lot of contemporary concerns.   Ransomware attacks, break-ins, phishing are all addressed in the book.  Insurance companies, and their concern over profits, not human suffering, are also part of the plot.

 I found the easy access to world-class hackers a bit of a stretch.  These aren’t folks who hang up shingles unless they switch their black hat for a white one.  With the exception of easy access to highly knowledgeable people, I found the technical side very believable.

 Sydney’s concern over first responders, and the diving into how post-traumatic stress impacts people outside of the military, was a welcome addition to the book.

 I like the book and 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

Spotlight on Liar's Creek by Matt Goldman

From New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winner Matt Goldman comes Liar's Creek, which asks how far we'll go to protect the people we love. 

Riverwood, Minnesota is a scenic town threaded with trout streams carving their way through limestone bluffs. But beneath its picturesque facade, danger runs rampant.

Clay Hawkins isn’t a stranger to the secrets of his hometown. After twenty years away, Clay has recently returned home from abroad with his twelve-year-old son, and his relationship with his father, the recently replaced sheriff, is as strained as ever.

But when Clay’s beloved uncle disappears, the three generations of Hawkinses must overturn every stone in Riverwood and confront deep familial wounds to find the one person who brings them together. As danger looms, Clay worries that it might be too late to save his uncle—and that the rest of the family might be next.

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

Dog Person by Camille Pagán

Dog Person by Camille Pagán   

I’m annoyed, I didn’t expect to like this book, and I didn’t!  I loved the darn thing.  This is a romance novel disguised as a dog book, or that was what I expected.  It was a disgustingly sweet book about a lonely guy and his dog.

The setting is a bookstore.  Harold is the dog, and Miguel is the guy. Miguel’s wife passed away.  He is not coping well. Harold is trying to take care of his human, who isn’t terribly cooperative.   

Bookstore events, a tween, and a mysterious author combine to add complications to the story.  

It is a book about feelings, acceptance, grief, love, and understanding.

Begrudgingly, it was a wonderful book, and I 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