Required Reading

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Books I have authored.

Many times I receive books for FREE to give them an honest review. I do not get paid to give a good or bad review. Spotlights are promotional and should be regarded as advertising for the book spotlighted. Regardless of where or how I got a book, my review will be as honest as I can make it.

Monday, July 29, 2019

The Russian by Ben Coes

 Ben Coes writes an intense, action laden adventure.   This story is not focused on Dewey Andreas but on Rob Tacoma who has been peripherally involved in the Dewey series.   The Russian Mafia is taking over organized crime.   Th US is their prime market and biggest money maker.   The mob takes steps to remove impetus to the government thrust to thwart their efforts.   The CIA leads the battle to combat the Russian Mafia.

Coes provides an edge of your seat reading experience.   Rob is a kinder more civilized version of Dewey in the Dewey books.   In this series he demonstrates that he is just as tough and brutal as Dewey.

The plot is complex enough to captivate and the action is just rollicking.

I really enjoyed 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.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Sail by James Patterson and Howard Roughan


A loving couple separates as the wife takes her children on a sailing trip to reconnect.   The stepfather remains at home to pine away for his love or does he?

This is a typical Patterson with the two- and three-page chapters that keep you turning pages.   The pace is fast and the plot is familiar.   The characterizations are good.  There are characters that you love to hate and hate to love.   Devoux’s character could have had more depth but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Good entertainment. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Friday, July 19, 2019

My Enemy’s Enemy by Robert Buettner


This story see-sawed between WWII and the present.   A terrorist who want to harm the USA and a German who wants to save Jews are the different ends of the see-saw.

The rise of Hitler and the genocide of the Jews set the stage for the development of the Nazi’s ultimate weapon.   Peter Winter, as an up and coming physicist, is drafted to be the mind behind the Nazi’s ultimate weapon.   Little did Himmler know that Aryan perfect Peter Winter with an impeccable Nazi’ pedigree hated the Nazis.

Cass is a museum geek who would prefer field work.  She gets her wish but it is far more than she bargained for when she faces Islamic Jihad and Frank Luck, a drunken cowboy.

This was an excellent story with lots of action and believability.

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.

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Justice Makes A Killing by Ed Rucker



Private, for profit, prisons are on trial in this book.   The author provides some interesting arguments that provide a great deal of thought.  It was an entertaining novel but it was much more as it makes you skeptical about the societal benefits of the three strike laws.  

An attorney finds herself in need of defense when an incarcerated whistle blower is murdered.   Bobby Lee Earl is a defense attorney who finds himself up against not just a murder but a conspiracy that not only threatens his client but puts his own life and relationships in jeopardy.

Rucker did a great job with this book.  It is a legal thriller but it also made me do some research.   If you consider the percent of people incarcerated in our nation, it is significantly higher than any other major country.   Consider for a moment the astounding number of immigrants who have recently been incarcerated.  All of this cost money and where there is money to be made, there will be corruption to follow.   Rucker’s suppositions may not be too far from the truth.

An excellent novel and an even better as a thought provoking treatise. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Speaking in Tongues by Jeffrey Deaver



For some reason I found this book more emotionally provocative than other Deaver books.  Perhaps my stint as a school counselor sensitized me to the plights of troubled teens, but I found this captivating and disturbing.  Simplistically, the premise of the book is that eloquent oratory can be dangerous.

Megan, a teen, feels alienated and acts out.  Her estranged parents seem oblivious to her pain.  A therapist with a grudge uses his oratory skills to manipulate and murder a wealth of people to get revenge. 

The plot was complex and deviously Deaver.

I recommend the book but it is emotionally provocative.


This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Thursday, July 4, 2019

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves


This was a British mystery.   It was slow at times but it kept your interest.   A fallen away from a cult gay police detective becomes embroiled in a case that he may need to recluse himself from due to his husband’s connection to the victim.  A murder victim, a center for the arts combined with a work environment for down’s women provides a confusing scenario for Matthew Venn.

I am seeing many more plots with LGBTTQQIAAP (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, ally, pansexual) characters in a setting that places little or no emphasis on their gender identity.  The acronyms may be confusing but the bottom line is that gender identity as plot point really isn’t important.  

The alienation of Matthew from his family due to a charismatic and flawed cult leader provides a lot of motivation for Matthew.  He shows compassion and understanding for a wide range of characters.
Secrets and the protection of the status quo certainly play a part in the plot.

I enjoyed 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.

Happy 4th!



Politicians come and go,
Political parties wax and wane.
The strength and spirit of our nation is our acceptance of others. 
A refuge for all, a caring for the less fortunate.
We the people means All of the people!
If we are to survive the current divisiveness of our nation we must not forget our country’s basic truths and what and who we pledge to be, our pledge is to the nation
not to politicians, not to consumerism, not to race or religion but our 
Pledge is to the principles of our Constitution and our Bill of Rights.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."