Murder Below Zero

by John Lawrence Reynolds
a Rapid Reads book

 January in June, living in northern British Columbia, I can identify. Unusually cold this year, spring just doesn't seem to be in any hurry to arrive in Port Ainslee causing little excitement in the small village. Two conflicting policing sections, can Maxine Benson, chief of Port Ainslee's small police force, keep her cool and wits while the pushy provincial police both ignore and restrict her from doing her official job? The shocking discovery of a body in a ditch brings all enmity to the fore as Max tries to solve the crime with considerable interference from the overbearing head of the provincial police who are virtually scrambling the discoveries made by Max. It takes awhile but methodically Max has answers that are being ignored. Who could have murdered the man in the ditch and why does the body seem more frigid than expected? I enjoyed this book on several levels, a lot of plot packed into this Rapid Read. I will definitely be watching for more books by this author.

Legends, Oddities & Mysteries - including UFO experiences in New Brunswick by Dorothy Dearborn

Illustrated by Carol Taylor
Published by Nimbus Publishing

This little book is a fast read of short stories. Good one to read while in a waiting room or coffee shop. My copy is 122 pages long. I'm not too sure that legends is the right word, these might more rightly be called folklore but then legends are born in folklore. Certainly the book contains many oddities, best known perhaps is the Magnetic Hill, a well-known tourist attraction, and certainly the "gull" doors of the Bricklin car were odd at the time. Ahead of its time, but through excessive spending it went the way of the Dodo bird. I actually remember it. Some of the stories are well-documented and these are dealt with by the Dorothy Dearborn in her own unique voice as well as the voices of the actual witnesses.

Real people made contributions to the author and granted permission to use their names. To me this puts a truer light on the oddness of the incidents. One of the quirkiest and humorous stories is "The Great Submarine Chase of 1914". A particularly strange legendary one is "Kingston's Lunar Rogue and Mysterious Stranger". Several of the stories are quite amusing. There are ghost stories, stories of buried treasure, facts, and finally a section on UFOs in New Brunswick. I've heard that the Maritimes are a hot spot for UFOs and even USOs so it seems natural these stories would be included. All said, the book is quite interesting although most of the stories are only a couple of pages or so long. A fascinating look into New Brunswick's unique history and lore.

The Jade Pirate - Elizabeth Latimer Pirate Hunter series by Deborah Cannon

Published by Createspace

Great adventure, mixing history with fantasy
The Latimer girls, their friends and CJ the parrot are on the hunt again. In this, the second book of the series, they are once again searching for their missing father supposedly lost at sea. While their cousin is working as a marine physicist on a classified mission on an oceanographic research vessel in China, they are enjoying their day at the market when Elizabeth notices a shop with little wooden boats exactly like her father used to make, right down to his unique signature graphic. Thus begins another rollicking adventure through the vortex, this time into the days when pirates ruled the China Sea.

I love this young adult adventure series by Deborah Cannon, full of humour, murderous attacks, kidnapping and Elizabeth's feelings escalating between two young men, one from the past...or is it the future...one from her own time. Though she finds her father in the home of Cho, and escapes with him, he is again kidnapped. Will she find her father again? Will he know her if she does? Fraught with danger, this is a great adventure, mixing history with fantasy as their search for their father and Cho, a modern day pirate and his captor, goes deep into the pirate world of the greatest pirate on the China Seas in the 1800s, Cheng I Sao, Mrs. Cheng.

The biggest problem facing our group, other than staying alive, is to avoid changing history. Lulu at home is keeping track of that on her I-phone and indeed history has been changed a few times; they must correct all the wrongs. Great characters, along with CJ the irascible but irresistible parrot and the mysterious Daniel, all in all, this is an exciting storyline, built on fact and fiction both. This book has all the elements of excitement for young adults, early teens, and adults.

Really Dead - a Ria Butler Mystery by J.E. Forman

Published by Dundurn

When action is called on this set, they really mean business!
An entertaining romp in the British Virgin Islands as a TV reality show is in the multiple forms of production. Ria Butler is just returning from a trip in the Andes when she receives a call from her brother's friend to come to the British Virgin Islands. Forget Galapagos and the promised photo for her niece of a blue-footed boobie, she is on her way via a number of flights.

As a travel writer, Ria Butler has seen many strange and interesting things, but nothing could have prepared her for what she finds when she arrives on the set of the reality show her brother James is producing. When she finally gets to the island where filming takes place she finds herself unable to avoid being under surveillance everywhere. How will she be able to find out from Rob, James' friend, what prompted his urgent call that James may be in trouble?

On her arrival James certainly seems to have both hands and more full with his room-mate, presumably not the trouble referred to. Ria does smell a mystery, though, and her curiosity expands the more she gets to know the cast and crew, but goes into overdrive when it comes to James' partner the obnoxious Dan, and Albert the mysterious courier, curiously coming and going at odd times flying between the islands and Toronto, delivering canvas bags one way and carrying a metal case back.

When action is called on this set, they really mean business! Fast-paced and unexpected action. As a reality show, competition runs in the extreme with the finale about to be filmed. With the assistance from afar of Ria's boyfriend Glenn, an investigative reporter, the mystery deepens. A young member of the crew has disappeared and left behind her luggage and her severed foot...or was that a production prop? Why do the police in Toronto say she is at home and whole? I loved this book, not just for the mystery and intrigue, but for the feel of the excitement, practical jokes, hustle and bustle of TV production. Well-written and taut, great characters, J.E. Forman knows what she's talking about. I'm happy to learn this book is first in the "Ria Butler series," a series I'm sure will have a long run.

The Goddaughter's Revenge by Melodie Campbell

Published by Orca Rapid Reads

A Rapid Reads book, lots of personality, humour, zany characters and a fun read, short and compact. The action and dialogue is so reminiscent of an old Black and White madcap movie set in modern day I knew immediately I would enjoy it. The characters are all written with their individual IDs intact and ready to go.

Melodie Campbell has an ability to take a storyline by the roots and shake it up with often hilarious results. This the second book I have read by this author, both from different series. Still, the author's innate ability to create fantastic stories is the foundation of both series.

Here we have Gina Gallow, the goddaughter of a Mob Boss and owner of her own jewelry store. Though she doesn't want to be part of 'The Family' business, she is not beyond eliciting help when she needs it, even enlisting her fiance in her capers. Who else would be burglarizing to steal fake gems to replace with the real thing? And what about the Lone Rearranger? Who but Melodie Campbell would pull off this zany story of family characters with their crazy personalities? Which comes first, loyalty to family or loyalty to the job? Loved this romp; Melodie, I will happily follow wherever your books will take me!

Hazardous Unions: Two Tales of a Civil War Christmas by Alison Bruce and Kat Flannery

Published by Imajin Books
Reviewed from e-book 

Personalizing the American Civil War
Two authors, two stories, two sisters; twins who, after the death of their father, must work as domestic help on different plantations. Money is needed for their mother and sick brother. Alison Bruce and Kat Flannery have personalized the Civil war with these diverse yet integrated stories. Two tales of how life goes on, albeit changed in nature by the war. This book provides an insight into how the people caught in the middle lived extraordinary lives, often far removed from what they have known before.

Well-written with definitive research, I really enjoyed the two stories told from the sisters' points of view. Although they are far from home and working in two different locations and two different types of domesticity, they try to keep in touch by letter, an almost insurmountable undertaking with soldiers from both north and south disrupting travel routes. Their stories show how love can be found anywhere at anytime, even in times of chaos.

Both stories are very different, and show entirely different ways of life and the threat to their existence. I think the authors have a winner here, great characterizations and fascinating insights. A war story that is more about the people and family dynamics than fighting, though the tension is still felt. An unusual telling, but brilliant.

Sweet Karoline by Catherine Astolfo

Published by Imajin Books

Today she killed Karoline. Didn't she? This book is a psychological first person journey within the mind of Anne. A very unique yet intriguing stroll of how she perceives herself, how she believes others perceive themselves, and how it all went wrong. But where did it go wrong, exactly? Does she really know? And though we know at the beginning of the book what Karoline's cause of death is, we do not know how it happened, we can only surmise from hints.

The death of Karoline puts Anne into a tailspin, one she doesn't know how to stop, and probably one in which she doesn't know if she wants to stop. Past, present and future all seem to be intertwined. When she finds a box of letters written by Karoline but purportedly written by Anne she begins a journey of discovery and madness. Most importantly, she must begin to discover herself and this is one thing she can do, though not without Karoline's hatred following her. She must have a true acknowledgment of self both good and bad in order to become her true self.

Finding her family is the first step to recovery from the depth of her self reproach. The journey is one of bewilderment and danger, loss of friendship and self. Who is really writing the diary? Is it Karoline or is it Anne? Why does her family, long unknown to her, calling Karoline the "other Anne?" But fulfillment is ahead as Anne begins to learn her family history, bond with her very ill mother and her siblings. There is so much she doesn't know and must learn as quickly as possible or her whole life may come tumbling down again. This book was written in a compelling manner. I found myself drawn in more the more I read. Life is never all it seems and truth is not always easy to seek, find, or accept. I fell in love with Anne and her family as well as the acceptance it brought. Catherine Astolfo has created a fine-tuned instrument that brings music to heal the soul.

Black Loyalists: Southern Settlers of Nova Scotia's First Free Black Communities by Ruth Holmes Whitehead

Published by Nimbus Publishing
Reviewed for Edwards Book Club

This historic non-fiction book has increased my awareness of many things I didn't know or recall, both in 1700s America and in Canada. Ruth Holmes Whitehead has done her research well, and from very good sources. She has written the book in three major parts: the Slave Trade years; the British-American skirmishes of the 18th century and finally the American Revolution; and the eventual escape to freedom in Nova Scotia, slaves and freemen alike. Many of the original slaves were a mixture of three or more races: African, Native Americans primarily of the south and whites. These are basically the divisions of the book, but there is more to each part than I am including. There are also some photos, drawings, prints and records included in the book.

What I find fascinating is the number of Black Loyalists whose family tree has been recovered and recorded, even occasionally going right back to Africa. This is amazing research. There are many citations and quotes in the book, perhaps a few more than necessary but all give an excellent picture of life in these centuries.

This is the first known record of biological warfare being used (in the wars of the late 1700s). The virus which became a part of the wars was smallpox, and it was indeed used as a targeted weapon. So, we have the horrors of slavery, the horrors of war, and possibly the biggest killer, smallpox.

Part three brings us to the final routing of the British from the Carolinas and other southern provinces. From this point negotiations begin between the Americans and the British. Negotiations meaning mostly the fate of the slaves, freed or not, as this was almost the only "currency" left, the land being totally devastated.

This section also brings us to the early part of the movement of the Black Loyalists and escaped slaves toward what is now Canada, to Nova Scotia, the establishment of Black settlements, and the group of Black Africans that had paired up with these slaves and with Native North Americans. Loyalists who requested a return to Africa carried on to settle in Sierra Leone. This movement becomes a source or resource for genealogy today and some people are able to actually trace their ancestry to the original lands in Africa from which they came.

It was not all smooth sailing to eventually reach this northern clime however. Many were "dumped" at separate and often barren locations along the way. The author is to be commended for the amazing research she has done putting this cohesive work together both in the book and in the Nova Scotia Museum. There is so much more than I can say in this book, excellent coverage of a difficult time in North American history.

Some Day the Sun Will Shine and Have Not Will Be No More by A. Brian Peckford

Published by Flanker Press 

A very well-written memoir of the life of A. Brian Peckford, Newfoundland's third Premier from the time Newfoundland was still separate from the Confederation of Canada (Newfoundland and Labrador became a province of Canada in 1949). He has a humility about him along with empathy, something he was born with but apparently seems to have honed in his work both in teaching and social work. He saw the hardships facing his people and never lost sight of that. But he can also be a force of reckoning and is fearless when it comes to politics. Never losing sight of his main goals, to help his province grow and flourish, bring his people out of their poverty and fight for their rights to their own resources. There are many times his earlier careers prove helpful, aside from the fact that in his earlier positions he made it a point to meet and sincerely assist these people to get the help they needed, one way or another.
  
Once Brian Peckford gets into his Premier years, his passion really shines through. As a social worker in the past, he came to be known throughout Newfoundland and Labrador and easily made the conversion to political door-knocking in every tiny settlement, isolated fisherman's cottage, town, and city. He made it a point to get to know the people personally. I wouldn't hesitate to guess that he has probably been one of the best and most honest Provincial Premiers anywhere in Canada. His foresight, his quick and decisive actions, are the signs of a truly caring man who acts almost as fast as he thinks.

 

Brian's writing is as powerful and clear as his oration. It is not full of convolution, but precise. What he has to say is forthright, clear, and definitive. The latter part of the book, with his multiple attempts at interaction with the federal government and non-action from the federal government, is as suspenseful and full of twists and turns as any piece of fictitious mystery would be. But this is real life, not only the memoir of Brian Peckford, but of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the struggle to truly be a "have" rather than "have-not" province, to have its own say in the management of its own resources. The book contains an Epilogue with documentation and notes, also a copy of the Atlantic Accord Memorandum of Agreement. And the sun did shine. An amazing story of an amazing man and his supporters, I definitely recommend this book.

Submerged by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Published by Imajin Books
Review based on pre-release e-book 

You don't just read a Tardif book, you live it.

From Whale Song to Children of the Fog, Multi-talented Cheryl Kaye Tardif has consistently taken us on many exciting journeys. Different stories, but always with something new to learn, a fact I enjoy. Now suddenly we find ourselves immersed in her latest book "Submerged." Once again she allows us to get to know the new characters then plunges us into terror and keeps our hearts pounding. There are many heroes in this book, including a very convincing ghost, and hints of other paranormal activities.

Rebecca has no idea she has anything to fear. All she wants is some peace of mind, a couple of days of rest and solitude away from home as she waits for her husband to sign their divorce papers. A small hitch in her plans when her sister can not keep her children for the weekend means that she will have to take them with her.

"Submerged" dishes up a dash of reality, some pinches of the paranormal, a splash of romance and mixes it into a heart-wrenching terror-filled plot that will have you on the edge of your seat. Will the broken "superhero" Marcus arrive in time to save Rebecca and her children? Is it possible to find a new beginning after deep trauma and guilt? You don't read a Tardif book, you live it. With a deft hand she has us caring what happens to her characters. A taut suspenseful plot to rev up the adrenaline.

Dark Water by Chynna Laird

Published by Imajin Books

Chynna Laird has filled this many-faceted book with a story that mirrors so much of life and cuts very deeply into subjects relevant today. Suspenseful and compelling yet heart-warming. A young mother disappears shortly after her husband is killed on a peace-keeping mission in Afghanistan and the book centers around her family, her friends, and even the community where the family summers every year. Many of the lake campers start talking about an old Indian legend about the Watcher of the Lake. Clues are found, but they confuse the issue even more. Some are locked away in the mind of her youngest daughter, Sage, who  has not spoken a word since her mother disappeared.

This is but a small issue in a larger one because Sage suffers from a specific type of SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder). Her mother is/was a clinical psychologist, well versed in taking care of her younger child all while teaching her older daughter Freesia what works, what doesn't, and how to calm Sage in one of her terrors. Freesia is 16 years old as the story begins one year after her mother's disappearance and the girls are living with their grandparents. Fortunately for them, they are in a good family situation with their grandparents. Full of fun and mischief, yet caring and comforting, they too are able to work with Sage. When a lone girl who seems familiar begins to show up watching Freesia more than she is comfortable with, they finally have it out and become friendly in a way. Mizu wants to help look for clues.

The reader may feel they have a grip on who committed the crime, now upgraded from a disappearance. But there are so many possibilities. The peace-keepers on the mission with Freesia's father all have issues. All have been treated by her mother for PTSD. While it was called a mysterious disappearance, all kinds of rumours surfaced. Now it is surmised to be foul play, anyone might be suspect. Nothing is really as it seems.

This is not just a murder mystery, there are too many odd sequences and discoveries. Who is Mizu, how does she find clues others miss? I found a lot in this book to keep me glued to the pages. I love learning something new, and also have an interest in SPD. With so much going on the storyline could easily have been lost, but it is all held together with personalities, relationships, the feel of the lake and forest, sailing and swimming, living normal lives during a time when there is precious little normalcy. Aside from the background of the mission in Afghanistan, this story takes place in Canada, I loved the book through all its passion, trauma, laughter and love. That is what life is about after all, don't you think?

White Heaven Women by Jessie B. Tyson

Published by Imajin Books
Review based on ebook

An intriguing find, this book is definitely using a ghost writer as you will soon see. What does a 101-year old woman, a blue light, Sally Witherspane's nightmares and a psychic have in common? Much more than one might think. Sally has long planned to write a novel, and now is her chance. Sitting at her computer, she finds herself typing the night away but can't remember doing so. Working at a columnist for the White Heaven Weekly, writing should be easy ... but not that easy!

Sally is terrorized by her nightmares of hideous red-eyed monsters and screaming women in old-fashioned clothing. What can it all mean? The sounds and smells are so real, and she is always in the dream. To put even more fear in her mind, a terrific storm rages outside sending lightning crashing into trees and to the ground leaving trails of smoke. Sally is terrified of storms and this one is a whopper.

As part of her job, she has been asked to cover a past-life meeting. The psychic she has met urges her to go to the meeting, too, and to pay special attention to a woman called Lillian Canterbury, who may be able to help her understand her dreams.

What follows is as fascinating story as ever I've heard. A story which begins in 1899 in another raging storm. This is the story of 101-year old Mrs. Beth Madeleine. How, you might wonder, does this woman's story relate to Sally in the year 2000? I think you will enjoy reading this book to find out. Fascinating, paranormal, and historical, this will become Sally's story, and the debut novel written by Jessie B. Tyson. Gripping, sad, delightful, suspenseful, paranormal and an eye-opener to life in the nobility of a different generation, it is bound to captivate. I enjoyed it completely.

Fatal Error: Book Two of the Backtracker Series by Eileen Shuh

 Published by Imajin Books

This is the second book in the Backtracker series, and begins after we left Katrina/Sarina in book one, "The Traz."  Katrina Buckhold is only thirteen years old, Mensa certified, and still using her pseudo-name, Sarina. She is being prepped as the only eye-witness for the trial of the three bikers from The Traz who tortured and killed her friend prior to the police take-down of the gang. It will be a long and heart-wrenching trial.

Once again, Eileen Shuh is writing a lesson and an intense drama in one. Her characters are well-formed on both sides of the law. This is an important book that I think parents and teens should read. I suggest you to read "The Traz" as well, whether before or after doesn't matter, this book is the outcome of the events in the first book.

As one might expect in a court case involving both gang members and undercover police living in the dark world of the gangs, there are very graphic descriptions of the biker crimes; there is coarse language. Katrina must face what she has blocked in her mind, and testify in court.

Emotions run high in this book. Is Katrina really the innocent babe caught up in life with the  criminal element? Or is her past on the streets going to trip up her testimony and let the bikers go free? Can she learn from these experiences? This book has so much to say, we all should listen. Rebellion, terror, drugs, murder, loss, lies and broken promises, all are there. I commend Eileen Shuh in writing on such difficult subjects in such a true and meaningful way.

Promised Lands: Growing Up Absurd in the 50's and 60's by Douglas Williams

Douglas Williams begins his memoir somewhere in the middle, describing life as a hippie at a time when so many young people slung on their backpacks and took off for the quest to live life wild and free, travelling through Europe mostly, some dipping into Africa and Asia as well. He has described the scene of the counter-culture life of the '60s well, both good and bad. It may be symbolic that he next reverts to his childhood memories in the second part of the book.

Living rural near a small town in post-war Canada, his parents immigrants, life was loosely structured but strongly disciplined. The author bares his heart and soul in this memoir. We see a slice of life in what could be referred to as a border town on Lake Erie through the eyes of a child, then through his teen-age years. His honesty is "no holds barred" about himself and the lack of adjustment to the times in a small town.

His father's death when Doug was 7 profoundly affected him in numerous ways. The most consistent theme in his life appears to be his creativity, whether it be in ill-chosen exploits with school friends, or the creativity that comes through during the 1960s, it remains central to his character. By the time the '60s are in full swing, he lacks a close family relationship and is ready for his journey abroad.

As he tours several countries, intimate encounters, and whatever drugs come along, his descriptive writing gives the reader one man's record of a unique and surprising decade. He makes fairly lasting friendships regardless of the nature of his meanderings through time and place. This decade is forever etched in the minds of anyone who lived through it, whether in the counter-culture or away from it, it was a stupifying time filled with change. A time of living music speaking to a new generation.

This book reflects the changes in the traditional mores, beliefs, politics, drugs and sex, a book for those who will remember the distrust, unrest, the revolt on rigid morals, religion, war and corporate greed driving political agendas, and as such is definitely an adult book. The book is true to itself -- Doug Williams kept a journal which is probably why he was able to write so comprehensively on his subject. We learn that among the spaced out, starving, and sharing, there is also humour. Travelling with friends in a malodorous, airless, traditional old VW van is often hilarious. In keeping with his creative side, he touches on his occasional forays into the film industry while in Europe,  a stint at a film school in London, England, discussing with the reader his thoughts on movie-makers and their impact on him. Among those movie contacts he mentions are Truffault, Kubrick, and Hitchcock, as a few.

For readers who were not around during what really begins in the 1950s through into the '70s, this book is an eye-opening trip, both in hippiedom and in the aftermath of WWII, segueing into the fear and adulterated suspicion of the Cold War and on through the biased Viet Nam war. This book deals primarily with those fast-changing decades.What he writes in this memoir is baldly honest. What you read is what he is.

As a descriptive and thought-provoking author, I suspect we haven't heard the last of Douglas Williams. But whether his next book will be about the industry of film making, the National Film Board, TV directing, producing and writing, or more travels, we will have to wait and see. Regardless, I'm sure it will be interesting.

Contingency Plan by Lou Allin

Published by Raven Books, an imprint of Orca Book Publishers
Review based on Advance Reading Copy

Manipulation. No matter what type, it is all too prevalent. Lou Allin, in this fiction mystery, has described it well. This is a "Rapid Read" book, an entire novel condensed into a book you can read in a day. I've now read several and enjoy them when I have less time to read.

I thought the book had a bit of a slow but mesmerizing start which through its gradual build-up emphasized the terror to come. A chance meeting of a wonderfully considerate man after losing the love of her life, Sandra Sinclair finally agrees to going out with him. She wonders if young widows should allow themselves to love again, especially when a child is involved. This man is so incredibly courteous and interacts with her daughter well, too, including her sometimes when they go out, but is he what he seems? This book although fiction, gives a lot of pointers to watch for.

The tense build up to horror brings unsettling images to Sandra. Once she realizes what she has become, she fears for her daughter. A flight into terror follows to a sensational ending. I really got into the book as the tension built. Always have a contingency plan, it might save a life or two. A solid thriller well executed.

Raven's Blood by Deborah Cannon

Published by Trafford Publishing
Part four in this Raven Chronicles series takes the reader to ancient underground passageways in an attempted revival of an ancient dark Mithra cult. Jake Lalonde, half-Haida archaeologist is seeking his own truth of his heredity as a shaman and is caught up in a deadly fight for his survival. He is off the radar as far as his fiancé Angeline is concerned, and concerned she is. She is preparing to go to Europe to find him, his last known whereabouts place him in Rome. She is not aware of the other two people who are following her. Her deep knowledge and perception, of Jake, plus her gut instinct, says he is in trouble. A morbid discovery is found in Israel, when the body of the man Jake is to meet in Rome shows up in the truck that has arrived from Italy to take an iconic statue found at the site in Israel to Rome.

Deborah Cannon has gone deeper than ever in her latest book, mystic, full of twists and turns in plot, labyrinths, hallucinogenic mushrooms, visions, paranormal, Mithraic Mysteries, thrills and chills, if you like unusual mysteries you've found the right book! The action clings to the rails at full-speed. The characters are strong and unique. Deborah's previous books in the series have taken the reader to Tonga, the San Juan Islands in the US, and Haida Gwaii in Canada.

What Angeline learns when she finds Jake terrifies her. He is not himself, and appears to be spellbound by Sophia Saveriano, an archaeologist earlier laughed out of the academic community and now bent on proving her theories with Jake's assistance, but she is unlike anyone Angeline has ever met and seems ethereal. Who or what is she? She is everywhere and nowhere, she's like a will-o'-the-wisp. Who is the man from "Interpol" who followed Angeline and keeps turning up in strange places? What is happening to young men in Rome who disappear? Are the gruesome discoveries related?

The author has outdone herself in a story I couldn't put down. A great read. For anyone interested in Haida lore, ancient mysterious cults, the paranormal and thrillers, this book is for you. I was enthralled from beginning to end. A real winner!

The Traz - Book I of the Backtracker Series: School Edition by Eileen Schuh

Published by Imajin Books 
Revuewed for Imajin Books
Reviewed from e-book

 Written for older children, tweens and teens to help those in trouble or give options how to avoid trouble in these often emotionally and physically cruel years. Author Eileen Schuh has written this version as a school edition. There is also a regular edition. Every parent should read this book and perhaps even discuss it with their kids. This story is full of the pitfalls that multiply as teens get older, become more street smart and more in need of security and love. Some strong language as can be expected, the language of young people caught up in street life of which drugs and gangs play a large part.

Katrina is very small for her age, and extremely intelligent, actually Mensa certified, a genius at the age of 12. These two points are the root of bullying Katrina, causing her to leave school at this age. An alcoholic mother and a father who is too involved do not help ease the pain and loneliness. Very dark and frightening, how could such an intelligent, sunny little girl get dragged in to this vortex of the dark side? A lesson for all in the early part of the book. As Katrina, or Sarina as she prefers to be called in the world she has entered, loses all the usual types of security, she becomes involved with a motorcycle gang, the Traz, when she accepts a bike ride from a very interesting biker. Who is this man, vying for control of the gang? Why is he so protective of Sarina?

This is a very interesting book from a lot of points of view. Not all dark, there are many characters running the gamut from gentle and caring to pure evil. Traumatized after witnessing an event she can't remember, Katrina/Sarina's story will continue. Excellent characterizations, dialogue, interaction, descriptive settings, the storyline setting up for a series, Eileen Schuh's writing is compelling and encompassing.  Although occasionally I got a slight feeling of disbelief, I also felt this was intentional, a necessity to the plot. I have a feeling there will be a lot brought to light in the future. I am looking forward to reading the second in this very different and exciting series.

Deadly Legacy (A Carmedy & Garrett Mystery) by Alison Bruce

Published by Imajin Books
Reviewed for Imajin Books from 1st edition ebook

An intricate weaving of a celebration of life and the results of sudden death, this book with its intriguing characters is sure to pull the reader in like a whirlpool. With ingenious plotting, prickly relationships, futuristic technology and bodies dropping like flies, Alison Bruce has a knack for descriptive narrative that breathes life right into the scene. The landscape, streets, murder scenes and characters rich and poor, are all clearly established in the mind. Set in the winter of 2018, there is plenty of opportunity the author to play with technological possibilities.

From the opening scene in a cold muddy field with a rookie cop gathering evidence from the drugged vicious rape of a young girl in the hope of saving her life, to the sudden accidental death of Joe Garrett, the very popular retired ex-cop turned private investigator, and coincidentally the father of Kate, the rookie cop who was working in that muddy field, the story appears to go in many directions, but does it really?

It's been a very difficult and emotional day for Kate and there are many decisions for her to make, not the least of which is whether to remain with the police force or to take over her father's business, as his will splits ownership between Kate and Jake Carmedy, Joe's business partner. Unfortunately, Kate and Jake do not get along, but a hidden undercurrent they aren't aware of seems to promise a hot romance in the future. In the meantime Kate is going to have to take over the current case Joe was working on, as well as pursuing the police case of the now declared murdered girl.

Alison Bruce's writing almost takes on a life of its own as it weaves in and out of these relationships and cases. The murdered girl died of prescription drugs, Joe died from a car accident, while following a man for his protection, a man who claimed he had been threatened. But why was this man threatened? It didn't make sense. Yet bodies and coincidences begin to pile up even while both police and family friends are mourning Joe's death.

When do coincidences become conspiracies? Joe's death seems unrelated, but why do the murders appear to have commonalities? The action is rapid-paced, the suspects are many and unusual, and the story is compelling as it gets deeper into the mystery. It all comes down to a perfectly Agatha Christie-esque finish with all suspects in one room. Yet we are left with the question, are Kate and Jake going to be able to put aside their antagonism? Will they? won't they? Can they make this partnership work? With the ultimately odd backdrop of the Santa Claus parade going by, surely anything can happen!

Deadly Accusations - a Casey Holland Mystery by Debra Purdy Kong

Published by Touchwood

In this, the second of Casey Holland's escapades, she is once again hard at work on a dangerous assignment as a public transit security cop on Mainland Public Transport, trying to catch a vandal who hurls large rocks at the bus windows as it drives by. What she doesn't know is she will soon be a target for more than a rock. This book by Debra Purdy Kong delves into our misperceptions or preconceptions of others we meet or work with. Casey does not usually fit this mode of prejudging, but senses that for whatever reason, Jasmine simply does not like her and in fact is downright hostile. Worse yet, they have now been paired to work together on this case. When Jasmine is murdered, leaving behind a small son and a violent ex-husband, Casey discovers a Jasmine she never knew. What could have been the cause of such hostility?

The characters set up in the first of the series grow and mature in this second book...at least some do. Now that Casey is responsible for Summer, her ward, she is not too thrilled with being pushed into another investigation. But pushed she is, by another co-worker Marie, self-proclaimed friend of Jasmine who may or may not have an agenda of her own.

The more Casey learns about Jasmine, the more she needs to learn in order to solve this case, even after a terrible threat to Summer if she doesn't stop investigating. As usual, there are several possible suspects, but only two really fit into the realm of probability. Of course the police chief doesn't want her "assistance" in the investigation at all, and Casey in all honesty does try to extract herself but keeps being drawn back in by Marie, and finally by Jasmine's mother, who is convinced Casey can solve the crime. When some co-workers come under investigation, hostility reigns supreme. Who really committed the crime and why? Who has anything to gain? The book is consistent, the characters are realistic especially in their response to becoming targets or suspects. A well-crafted book with lots of teasers. A plus for me is that it takes place in my original hometown. An unusual company to anticipate crime within, or maybe it has nothing to do with the company. Regardless, it will keep you guessing, while Casey and Summer do their best to keep alive and unharmed. An interesting premise and a quick and enjoyable read.

Children of the Fog by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Published by Imajin Books
Reviewed from Kindle ebook

A parent's worst nightmare—a mother's greatest fear. This story of terror, fear, remorse, and unfulfilled closure is deftly written. The contrast between the sweetness and light at the beginning and the bleak blackness and despair in the midst of the horror is overwhelmingly realistic. The excruciating pain of not knowing, coupled with the feeling of guilt—she should have done things differently, she should have been able to save her child—chews at the mother's insides. This very dark story may seem over the top with other problems running throughout but it is not. Trauma flattens the soul, the voice is still and dead or shrill and frenzied as different parts of the story unfold.

As a mother myself, I found this an emotional book to read, and yet I was mesmerized by it and couldn't put it down. Cheryl Kaye Tardif brings detail and personality to every book she writes. Midway through this story as our protagonist Sadie runs from the myriad upheavals in her life into solitude, a shift in the feel of the book follows her and leads us into a different place, a place of temporary respite from tragedy, bringing us into nature and the natural order of things, however brief it may be. But when Sadie sees glimpses of children and hears childish laughter in the woods, is she hallucinating? Who is leaving her little gifts, and why an onion for goodness sake? What does the crow that taps on her window have to do with anything?

The suspense builds up until it spills over in this tense story. Is it God? Kismet? Fate? Something or someone is driving Sadie deeper and deeper into the fog and dark. She must keep her wits about her to understand what is being shown her. This book tugs at the heart and dredges up our fears and mortality. A tale of innocence and evil well told, with an ending that will both thrill and chill.