Mystery Book Review: The Mosquito Tapes by Chris Holmes

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of The Mosquito Tapes by Chris Holmes. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

The Mosquito Tapes by Chris Holmes
Non-series

Highland Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-9823615-1-3 (0982361513)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9823615-1-1 (9780982361511)
Publication Date: June 2009
List Price: $12.95

Review: Chris Holmes' latest thriller, The Mosquito Tapes, features Dr. Jack Youngblood, Chief Medical Examiner for the city of San Diego, investigating the deaths of two men, found in the same general vicinity but both, inexplicably and most unlikely, without any identification.

Jack "studies the dead for a living." His friends call him a ghoul, which he readily admits he is, but he also loves his job. He received his first microscope when he was just 8 years old, and studied everything he could: yeast cells, hair and fur, amoeba from the local pond, and more. And he's working in a profession that allows him to continue to study the minutiae of life. Or death, as the case may be. His current case involves two men. The first is a young man shot in the forehead, no ID, no distinguishing marks, no money, no jewelry. He was found on the side of a road not far from a local Indian casino. It also wasn't far from a tract of Federal property on which the company Biologistics is located. The second is also a young man, this one dead from a hit-and-run. Again, no ID, no distinguishing physical characteristics, but he did have $3000 in his pants pocket and a dead mosquito in a jacket pocket. He, too, was found in the same general area as the first man. Are their deaths related? Might the two men have known each other?

Jack is assisted in his investigation by a new forensic specialist, Jill Hanraty. She's very good at her job, but she's also a stunner to look at. Jack, divorced from his first wife, a widower following his second marriage, a Labrador named Lilly his only companion, realizes he has feelings for his new partner, which may complicate further what is already a very complicated case.

The Mosquito Tapes is a most unusual mystery, fascinating and extraordinary. The author seems to clearly know his science, incorporating the latest forensic methodology into Jack's investigation in a manner that furthers the plot without weighing it down. The relationship between Jack and Jill is both touching as it develops and heartbreaking as it unwinds. Allow for plenty of time when starting this captivating novel; it will be hard to put down.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Mosquito Tapes and to Chris Holmes for providing an ARC of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved

If you are interested in purchasing The Mosquito Tapes from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): Jack Youngblood is a ghoul. That's what his friends call him. More comfortable in the morgue than the coffee shop, Jack is San Diego's Chief Medical Examiner. Dead bodies are his business. A twice-divorced recovering alcoholic, Jack hasn't had a date since he's been sober. His only commitment is to his work; his only love is Lilly the Lab who shares his home.

When red-haired, green-eyed Jill Hanraty, a Forensic Investigator, joins his department, Jack falls for her like a mountain climber losing his grip. Together they investigate a pair of baffling homicides. Jill becomes more than Jack's colleague -- more than a friend. Until she betrays him.

Part love story, part forensic police procedural, this fast-paced novel is full of chases, plot twists, a dramatic climax, and an on-again, off-again romance as mysterious as the murder investigations themselves.

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Mystery Savings: Save 40% on Harry Potter Audio Books

Mystery Savings periodically provides our readers with current promotions that offer discounts or other incentives for purchasing mystery-themed products and services products through our partner websites. Below is a special offer recently received by us that we're pleased to pass on at this time.

To celebrate to upcoming release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Simply Audiobooks is having a "Harry Potter and the 40% off Audio Books Sale"! Starting midnight Thursday July 9th, Simply Audiobooks is offering different Harry Potter books for sale each day up until the movie's release. Check back daily to see when your favorite Harry Potter audio book will go on sale; prices will automatically be adjusted on the Simply Audiobooks website (no coupon code needed), so you'll just need to shop and save! (Sale ends July 16, 2009.)

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Authors on Tour: Rosemary and Larry Mild Visit Allie's Musings and Bookish Ruth

Mystery Books News is pleased to be coordinating this week's online book tour for husband and wife authors Rosemary and Larry Mild for the third mystery in their Paco and Molly cozy mystery series, Boston Scream Pie.

Today, Thursday 9th, Rosemary and Larry will be visiting 2 blog sites:

• Allie's Musings, where the authors are interviewed; and
• Bookish Ruth, which is hosting a guest post by the authors.

We're also thrilled to announce that Rosemary and Larry are giving away a signed copy of their new book to one lucky tour visitor. Visit each tour site on the day indicated and pick up a unique PIN to be used to enter the giveaway on that day. The entry form can be found on Rosemary and Larry's tour page, which also has a complete schedule of their tour including a biography and more information about Boston Scream Pie.

We hope you have the opportunity to stop by each of the tour sites this week to learn more about Rosemary and Larry and their series characters Paco and Molly.

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Harper's Island Concludes This Saturday, July 11th

Harper's Island wraps up its 13 episode season with the final 2 episodes, titled "Gasp" and "Sigh", which, respectively, comprise the 2-hour finale airing this Saturday, July 11th.

8 of the original 25 guests remain: Abby Mills (the daughter of one of Wakefield's original victims), Henry Dunn (the groom), Trish Wellington (the bride), Jimmy Mance (Abby's old flame), Christopher "Sully" Sullivan (Henry's best man), Danny Brooks (Henry's college buddy), Shea Allen (Trish's sister), and Madison Allen (Shea's daughter).

Originally scheduled to air over 13 consecutive weeks from April 9th through July 2nd, CBS (in our opinion) completely mismanaged its self-described "mystery event". The early episodes were not only tediously dull, they were often illogical if not incomprehensible. As a result, viewers quickly abandoned Harper's Island in droves leading CBS to move the series from Thursday to Saturday, the graveyard (as it were) of network television. Soon thereafter CBS unexpectedly replaced one episode with a repeat of one of its other series leading some to speculate that Harper's Island had been canceled. (It had not.) Which is all really a shame because these last few episodes have been rather good, typical of what a mystery series should be, and what this mystery series could have been all along.

If you're still watching Harper's Island, and we are, the final questions will be answered and all revealed this Saturday at 9 PM ET/PT. If you've missed any of the previous 11 episodes, or simply want to catch up on the storyline, you can find full episodes on CBS.com.

Watch a preview of the finale below, which features interviews with 6 of the remaining cast members:

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Mystery Author Harlan Coben Developing TV Crime Drama

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that mystery author Harlan Coben and producer Greg Malins (How I Met Your Mother) are developing an hour-long television series for 20th Century Fox TV. The project, as yet untitled, is about a larger-than-life former private investigator who teaches a criminology class at an UCLA-type college in Los Angeles and is described as a "drama with humor".

According to the article, not long before he took the teaching job, the show's private eye suffered a bullet wound to the head that made him lose his inhibitions. That "makes him a psychopath," Coben said. "It (also) makes him a better cop and teacher because he doesn't have a sympathetic outlook."

Thus the tagline for the show: "They want to learn about the mind of a psychopath. Well, they are about to learn from the best."

Coben's most recent novel, Long Lost, a Myron Bolitar mystery, was published in March 2009 by Dutton. We called it "one of Coben's most entertaining efforts." Read our full review here: Long Lost by Harlan Coben.

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Winners of the 2008 Strand Magazine Critics Award Announced

The 2008 Strand Magazine Critics Awards were given out this evening, selected by The Strand Magazine to recognize excellence in the field of mystery fiction. The winners were:

Best Novel: Lush Life by Richard Price (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Best First Novel: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith (Grand Central Publishing)

See Twitpics of Richard Price and Tom Rob Smith accepting the awards courtesy of @jasonpinter.

Congratulations from MBN to the winners!

Visit Mystery Book Awards for more information on over 30 other awards recognizing outstanding mystery fiction.

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Untitled Tom Clancy Project Screenplay Nears Completion

That was fast! Just a day or so after Variety blogger Anne Thompson posts that George Clooney is interested in assuming the role of Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan, she writes that screenwriter Hossein Amini has a first draft of an "Untitled Tom Clancy Project" nearing completion. She calls it an "original screenplay", which strongly suggests that it isn't adapted from one of Clancy's thrillers. She also doesn't mention whether it's written for a younger Jack Ryan or a role that George Clooney could play.

Anne Thompson opens her post with a somewhat rhetorical question: "Am I the only one who still adores The Hunt for Red October?" Our answer is an emphatic "No!" We watch it at least once a year and continue debate the finer points of how realistic the film is (or isn't) with our closest friends. (For those keeping score, we're right, they're wrong.)

We'll keep you posted on details as they emerge.

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Mystery Book Review: One Big Itch by Sara Williams

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of One Big Itch by Sara Williams. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

One Big Itch by Sara Williams
A John Spyer Mystery

ArcheBooks (BookZine Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-59507-197-0 (1595071970)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59507-197-2 (9781595071972)
Publication Date: July 2009
List Price: $14.95

Review: Sara Williams introduces "hapa haole" private investigator John Spyer, who looks into the circumstances surrounding the murder of an old friend, in One Big Itch. The novel is published as a "BookZine", a format similar in size to a magazine.

Noted economist Dr. Randolph ("Randy" to his family and friends) Haverhill has been on the receiving end of a number of petty crimes, manuscripts shredded, wedding china broken, office vandalized, and the like. But for Spyer, the trouble began with a note tucked inside an engraved invitation to a celebrity event featuring Randy. "John please come. You must. We need your help." It was signed by Randy's new wife, Hillary. Spyer agrees to meet her, but there seems little that he can do. Three months later, Haverhill is dead, shot in the chest and crotch. Though almost certainly a crime of passion (Randy was, well, randy with the ladies), the police arrest his son, Toby. Spyer is puzzled by this ("Toby Haverhill couldn't murder a cockroach. Of that I was quite certain.") and sets out to determine the truth.

The author provides a map of Oahu, with locations referenced in the book highlighted, a glossary of Hawaiian terms used, and even a pronunciation guide, all well and good and much appreciated. What would probably have been most helpful, however, is a cast of characters. There are a lot of them and it's not always easy keeping who's who straight. The story seems to take a somewhat circuitous path at times, but is otherwise well-plotted with an abundance of red herrings. A minor quibble: Toby never makes for a credible suspect and it's a little disingenuous to spend so much time on his defense, especially when there are so many other interesting suspects.

It would be remiss not to mention something about the book's format. Its size and attractive, eye-catching cover make it appear much like a trade magazine. It fits comfortably in a briefcase or seat pocket and in general is easy to read (though the font used is less than ideal). The format possibly works better with shorter novels (this, at nearly 150 pages, is probably on the long side) and it will be interesting to see if other publishers adopt it.

Overall, One Big Itch is a fast-paced, enjoyable novel with a lot of local Hawaiian color, published in an unusual format that's perfect for taking along to read in place of a magazine. It's well worth seeking out.

Special thanks to ArcheBooks for providing an ARC of One Big Itch for this review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved

If you are interested in purchasing One Big Itch from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): One Big Itch is set in Honolulu, the playful tropical city that's also haunted, as Detective John 'Oluhana Maalaea Spyer well knows. Too bad Spyer is a hapa haole (ha-pa how-lee), a half white, and so pays only half attention when Madam Pele herself warns him off the Randolph Haverhill case. No decent Hawaiian ever says no to an old friend, which makes Spyer the quintessential "soft boiled" detective. Despite Madame Pele's warnings, Spyer investigates the death of his childhood pal Randy Haverhill, opening his own psychic wounds and putting the love of his mainland girlfriend Maya to the test. Spyer is soon privy to a frightening tale of obsessive love. Trouble is, Randy became too popular with the ladies for his own good. It appears that one of Randy's crazed lovers shot Randy on his doorstep. So why do the police persist in the notion that Randy was murdered by his own son?

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Authors on Tour: Rosemary and Larry Mild Visit Cafe of Dreams and Wendi's Book Corner

Mystery Books News is pleased to be coordinating this week's online book tour for husband and wife authors Rosemary and Larry Mild for the third mystery in their Paco and Molly cozy mystery series, Boston Scream Pie.

Today, Wednesday July 8th, Rosemary and Larry will be visiting 2 blog sites:

• Cafe of Dreams, where Boston Scream Pie is reviewed; and
• Wendi's Book Corner, which is hosting a guest post by the authors.

We're also thrilled to announce that Rosemary and Larry are giving away a signed copy of their new book to one lucky tour visitor. Visit each tour site on the day indicated and pick up a unique PIN to be used to enter the giveaway on that day. The entry form can be found on Rosemary and Larry's tour page, which also has a complete schedule of their tour including a biography and more information about Boston Scream Pie.

We hope you have the opportunity to stop by each of the tour sites this week to learn more about Rosemary and Larry and their series characters Paco and Molly.

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Mystery Book Review: Black Water Rising by Attica Locke

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Black Water Rising by Attica Locke. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
Non-series

Harper (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-173586-8 (0061735868)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-173586-8 (9780061735868)
Publication Date: June 2009
List Price: $25.99

Review: If you enjoy reading about the struggles faced by African Americans in the 1960s and the prejudice and discrimination that they still face in the 1980s, then Black Water Rising is the novel for you. Black Water Rising is the first novel written by Attica Locke. The inspiration for her novel comes from a real life incident, which happened to her father, Gene Locke, a Houston attorney. Gene heard gunshots and screams, but chose not to investigate them in order to stay and protect his wife, and his ten-year-old daughter Attica.

Jay Porter is a struggling African American lawyer who lives in Houston in the early 1980s. His clients often pay him in trade instead of cash, and he takes many cases for little or no money. One such “fee” was a boat ride on the bayou and dinner for two. The boat turns out to be barely afloat, but he and his pregnant wife Bernadine embark on the “cruise” anyway. As they journey down the bayou they hear screams and several gunshots. Moments later, Jay fishes a young woman out of the water. She refuses to give him any information and he drops her off at the police department. Jay himself does not accompany her into the police department because of his brush with the law in the 1960s. The story continues with Jay trying to find out who the mysterious woman is, and then it flashes back to his “civil rights” days when he was put on trial for “inciting a riot.” Meanwhile, the African American dockworkers of Houston are ready to go on strike because they are underpaid and not represented in management. Violence erupts and Jay is called on to represent the dockworkers. Add to this, the mayor of Houston is a former girlfriend of Jay’s from the 1960s. Will the dockworkers get better pay and more representation in management? Will Jay find out who the mysterious woman is, and if she is responsible for the death of a local man? Will his former lover help him solve the mystery or look out for herself?

This book was perplexing at times. I had a hard time following the jumps from the 1980s to the 1960s. His former girlfriend was white, something the reader was not able to figure out until halfway through the novel. His wife, Bernie, was given very little importance, and instead the focus was more on his former flame from the sixties. The characters as a whole needed to be developed further. As a reader, I did not really care about what happened to them until I was halfway through the book. The description of the dockworkers’ pay issues was unclear and also confusing in parts. If I were to rate this book, I would give it a 2.5 out of 5 stars. It took too long for me to want to continue reading this novel.

Special thanks to Ruth Miller for contributing her review of Black Water Rising and to HarperCollins for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Ruth Miller — All Rights Reserved — Reprinted with Permission

If you are interested in purchasing Black Water Rising from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right. Black Water Rising (Kindle edition) is also available. Learn more about the Kindle, Amazon's Wireless Reading Device.

Synopsis (from the publisher): Jay Porter is hardly the lawyer he set out to be. His most promising client is a low-rent call girl and he runs his fledgling law practice out of a dingy strip mall. But he's long since made peace with not living the American Dream and carefully tucked away his darkest sins: the guns, the FBI file, the trial that nearly destroyed him.

Houston, Texas, 1981. It is here that Jay believes he can make a fresh start. That is, until the night in a boat out on the bayou when he impulsively saves a woman from drowning—and opens a Pandora's box. Her secrets put Jay in danger, ensnaring him in a murder investigation that could cost him his practice, his family, and even his life. But before he can get to the bottom of a tangled mystery that reaches into the upper echelons of Houston's corporate power brokers, Jay must confront the demons of his past.

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