The latest in the Carter Ross Mystery series finds investigative reporter Carter Ross nervously awaiting the birth of his first child. Thirty-three years old he is the investigative reporter for The Newark Eagle- Examiner. With more than a decade on the journalism beat, Carter Ross is all too aware that the newspaper industry is in crisis.

So too is the city of Newark, New Jersey, in some ways. Carjacking has always been a problem primarily because of the ease of access to the nearby port where a vehicle could easily disappear into a cargo container on an ocean bound ship. Such a common occurrence that the locals know not to stop for a red light in the middle of the night.  A white bank executive, Kevin Tieymeyer, seems to have forgotten that while driving his Jaguar. He is now dead as a result of the latest carjacking. Local media is all over the story and his paper has to cover it as well while also giving readers something different than what they are seeing on television or hearing on the radio.

His editor, Tina Thompson, (also the mother of his child to be) wants him to cover the story as well as expand the reporting.  Kevin Tiemeyer isn’t the only one to recently lose his life in a carjacking. Being rich and while does not mean his story is more important than the story of another victim and his grieving family. Carter Ross has a recent carjacking murder victim in mind and intends to develop backgrounds on the people involved in both cases and illustrate how economics and race does not play a role in being a victim.

That is if he can get the families and friends of the recently deceased to cooperate and he is allowed to focus on the story. That is if he isn’t sent off to do a feel good piece on a local charity. That is if Tina will keep him fully updated as to how the baby and her are doing by actually sharing information and not walling him off as is her tendency. Tina and Carter have a complicated relationship and have had for several books. Having a baby is not going to uncomplicated it.

What began with the award winning Faces of the Gone is still powerfully good four more books later. Complicated mysteries coupled with Carter Ross’ occasional cynical humor and observations on life as well as his life’s work make this series well worth the reading. While one could easily start here with The Fraud a lot of the nuance and side joke humor would be lost. Instead, work your way up from the beginning and get here when you can. It will be worth it.

The Fraud: A Carter Ross Mystery
Brad Parks
http://www.bradparksbooks.com/
Thomas Dunne Books (Minotaur Books)
http://thomasdunnebooks.com/
2015
ISBN# 978-1-250-06440-0
Hardback
352 Pages
$25.99

Material provided by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2015

As editor Carolyn Haines notes in the forward to Delta Blues, “Writing short fiction is some of the hardest work around, and many of these contributors took time out from writing novels to do a story for Delta Blues. Their take on crime and the blues fills a wide road, but each twist and turn is executed with skill.” (Page 14) Variety in styles is very obvious here with nineteen contributors all generating stories involving the Mississippi Delta region and the blues. This is not one of those cookie cutter anthologies where all the stories read the same and only the names and places change. This is an anthology with real depth and meat to it.

With nineteen authors and 400 pages of text (including ten pages of author and editor biographies) it isn’t possible to go into detail on each and every story. Therefore, what follows below are my personal favorites from this outstanding anthology. Your personal choices may, and in all likelihood will, vary tremendously. 

James Lee Burke is one of my all-time favorite authors both as a writer and a reader. His ability to create powerful imagery is something I aspire to do as a writer. “Big Midnight Special” is his contribution here and touches on themes familiar to his readers. A long term convict, Arlen, is serving prison time and about to get crosswise with a powerful con by the name of Jody. Principal is a powerful motivator and it cuts both ways.

Not everything that walks in the night is of animal or human origin. In “Crossroads Bargain” by Charlaine Harris, blues guitarist Ernest Washington has trouble on many fronts. Saved from white men looking to have some fun and maybe even kill him, Ernest is at crossroads literally and metaphorically with everything in his life at stake. 

Changing directions in life is also a key part of “Run Don’t Run” written by Mary Saums. After barely surviving being shot in Chicago, Crosby takes stock of what is, and more importantly is not, in his life. Ultimately, he decides to go back home to Mississippi and go to work for the local Sheriff’s department. Crosby is not the only one that decides to go to Mississippi as somebody he occasionally arrested in Chicago has also come down. He’s bringing a bag of trouble with him and things are not going to be easy.

Author of the very good John Deal series set in Miami and Key West, Les Standiford contributes the tale titled “Life and Casualty.” A late night drive, fog, and a hitchhiker are just some of the elements that mark the beginning of a very strange night for Del. 

At 400 pages of intros, stories and extensively detailed author biographies, this is a read that features real depth and broadness to the work. Much like the Mississippi Delta itself, time has little meaning with this book as this rich anthology slowly moves forward. This is not a light hearted work. Instead, the overall tone is somber, powerful and deep with the pain of financial insecurity, racism, and isolationism along with the steady sway of the blues told by characters that feel it for every second of life as the generations before them have. The stories will touch readers in many ways.

Delta Blues
Edited by Carolyn Haines
http://www.carolynhaines.com
Tyrus Books
http://www.tyrusbooks.com
2010
ISBN#978-1-935562-07-8
Hardback  (also available in print and e-book)
400 Pages
$27.95

As noted on the back cover of the book, a dollar from each sale will be donated to the Rock River Foundation to aid in their efforts supporting the arts and literary in the Delta. For more information of the group and their work go to http://www.rrfoundation.org

ARC supplied by Tyrus Books in exchange for my objective review. Material quoted has been verified in the hardback publication.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2010, 2015

Now that Rhiannon has her official witch license making her legal she is almost ready to demon hunt. She knows that her red dress is stunning even if the mirror rudely refuses to confirm the fact. As soon as Howard Henry Spears, her boyfriend, shows up she can tell him all about it her new license and more.

But, Howard has a little news of his own. That is when he isn’t being a bit of a jerk. Things are about to get heated and not in a good way in The Eve of True Forms: A Witch Gone Wrong Kindle Short.

This short story by Shalanna Collins, who also writes as Denise Weeks, is an entertaining fast read. A tad spooky and a couple of surprises result in a solidly good tale.

The Eve of True Forms: A Witch Gone Wrong Kindle Short
Shalanna Collins
http://shalanna.livejournal.com/
Pandora Press
October 2015
ASIN: B016LTZ6IY
E-Book
19 Pages
$0.99

Picked this up to read and review a couple of days ago when the author mentioned on Facebook that it was currently free on Amazon.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

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