The Black Tortoise - a Peter Strand Mystery by Ronald Tierney

 based on Advance Reading Copy
Published by Orca Rapid Reads

I love a mystery with humor and Ronald Tierney has certainly given us that. The story is almost mystical at times with the occasional appearance of a black tortoise at the wharf. Not something one would expect in a story featuring a forensic accountant and a suspected fraudulently run organization. Or is it?

Almost ready to wrap up his investigation of a nonprofit organization, things rapidly change with the death of David, the "IT guy." How did  he end up in the ocean, and why didn't he try to climb out onto one of the piers? Was he killed? Murdered? This changes everything. Once again, Peter Strand has a possible case of fraud, if he can find it.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was interesting, lots of possible suspects, and humorous. Definitely quirky characters, an entertaining quick read.

David Winter Mysteries Book One - Fly Paper Soup by Cleve Sylcox

reviewed from e-book

Seven is supposed to be a lucky number...isn't it? Or is it? How many husbands have to die before you become a black widow? Is this wife unlucky (or her husbands)? Or is there more to it than we think. David Winters is about to find out when an old friend, a fellow Viet Nam vet, asks him to be his aunt's lawyer in a court case. Influenced by a real case in 1940, if this book is any indication of what's to come, this will be the beginning of an exceptional series. This will be a short review because the book is packed with everything a series could deliver. A lawyer (with the attitude of a '40s private eye and an eye to the ladies), an adventurous investigation, murder, mystery, confusing twists, humorous asides, and a surprising ending. If I say more, I may inadvertently spoil the plot. Cleve Sylcox certainly knows how to capture my attention. Trust me, this book kept me reading and is worth the adventure.

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

I really loved this book! A great debut for Lisa Lutz. It had a comfortable feel about it, like an old "screwball" or “madcap” movie. A perfect read for a snowy day in the north. This book flowed along like a brook in flood season, finding alternate routes to its destination, with the occasional boulder or tree in its way.

This is a family that works together and lives together, with the exception of the son, David, who has made a career for himself outside of the family business. To say the family is dysfunctional does it a disservice as they are not so much dysfunctional as overzealous in their protection of each other, at the same time trying to protect their individual privacy. The family business is private investigation, the only problem being that they are more apt to be investigating each other than regular clients, at least in this first book. 

It's a good thing there are more in the future because I found I wanted more when I was done and continued right on into the preview of the next book.  That left me dissatisfied because it made me want the book right now. Fortunately, the next two are already out, “Curse of the Spellmans” and “Revenge of the Spellmans” with a fourth due out shortly, “The Spellmans Strike Again”. I’m only sorry I didn’t read “The Spellman Files” when it first came out.

The characters are wonderful, right down to Milo, the bartender who constantly has to phone Isabel, the main character, to come and get her little sister out of the bar before he gets arrested. My favourite character though, at this point, is Rae, the young sister, who has learned the art "negotiation" (translation blackmail) by the time she is eight.

Isabel is the rebel of the family and blames both the business and her family for all her life failures. She uses the same techniques of surveillance in her search for a boy-friend as in her search for clues.  Consequently at the end of this book she has reached Ex-Boyfriend #9.  This is a great read, fast and easy, funny and sad sometimes, I even loved the cover with all the pairs of eyes peeking through the newspaper. I recommend it for a relaxing change of pace. 5 stars.