A Knife In The Back: A Case for Professor Sally Good by Bill Crider is the second one in the series following Murder Is An Art.  Head of the English and Fine Arts of Hughes Community College located between Houston and Galveston, Dr. Sally Good she is still trying to live down her reputation for solving the recent murder case. Her plan is to focus on student essays and dealing with the daily various difficulties of being the department chair. She has to deal with all that and her ongoing addition addiction to chocolate bars.

Then Ralph Bostic gets himself killed. One of the trustees of Hughes Community College, Ralph Bostic was considered to be a less than stellar human being before he got himself stabbed by a knife. A certain knife made by one of Dr. Good’s department members, Jack Neville. The same Jack Neville who helped her in the previous situation and a guy she is developing some sort of attachment to because she had said yes to a date.

As others in the HCC system overreact to the situation and local police believe no further investigation is needed, Dr. Sally Good is well aware that somebody needs to figure out who actually did the crime. She knows that based on prior experience and long before the murderer strikes again on campus. Once again it is going to be up to Dr. Sally Good to solve the case that literally begins with A Knife In The Back.

Building on the previous character development for Dr. Sally Good, Jack Neville, and others in Murder Is An Art this read is another good one in the series. As in the Carl Burns Mystery series the author is clearly using his background in academia to craft these mysteries. Subtle humor, a dash of romance, and plenty of mystery where there are lots of suspects make A Knife In The Back a mighty good read. While I personally prefer Sheriff Dan Rhodes series, the author’s many other series and stand alones also provide an excellent Bill Crider writing fix even without the Dr Pepper.

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Public Library System. They do not care one whit whether I read it or even if I review it. They just want their book back in the same shape it came to me.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

When one is a bounty hunter in the Old West, one is used to the sound of gunfire. The bark of rifles and pistols is a frequent experience. One that is often followed being in the thick of the flying lead. On this sunny day in the middle of nowhere the sound of gunfire coming over the small ridge to the west is totally unexpected. It can’t be ignored either. Bounty Hunter Bodie Kendrick’s trip to the town of Lowdown in the foothills of the Dos Cabezos Mountains will have to wait.

Once Kendrick gets to the ridgeline and can see down the slope on the other side, he can also see that a stage is under attack. The stage is stopped thanks to the death of two lead horses. It is also clear that the shotgun guard is dead. The driver and at least one person inside the coach are pinned down and shooting back at four ambushers.

Bodie Kendrick intervenes and manages to turn away the ambushers saving the lives of all still living. He also learns of a mystery and quite a lot more in Diamond In The Rough: Bodie Kendrick Bounty Hunter Book 3.  Beyond the possible sighting of the wanted man, the mystery involving the passengers on the stage might very well tie into his original trip to Lowdown.

Third in the series behind Hard Trail To Socorro and Rio Matanza, the Bodie Kendrick character is pretty much fleshed out at this point. He’s a man’s man who does what needs to be done. He isn’t above spending his free time in brothels or saloons, but is most comfortable out on the trail alone in the wilderness. He does not look to avoid problems and such is the case here as he easily could have ignored the distant gunfire and gone about his business. Diamond In The Rough by Wayne D. Dundee is another very good western read.

According to the Amazon overlords, I picked this up in early September 2014. I have no idea now if it was a free read or one that I picked up by way of funds in my Amazon Associate account. I suspect the latter.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

Captain Cookie Sullivan does not normally take her ship, Linda Rae, to Bishop 13, one of the manmade moons of Mars. But, the well-paying contract specifies pickup at the Martian moon so she is there. In about four hours her co-pilot, N’Doro, is to be back at the ship for the twelve hour run from the Corporation moon to Toshiba Station. Once the cargo was loaded –strictly legit this time– she will be free to stretch her legs and get a bite to eat.

She could have eaten something from the replicator aboard her ship. That quest for food will get her in trouble in Blue Plate Special: A Cookie Sullivan Short Story by Kate Thornton.

One of several of the Cookie Sullivan short story series this is another good one. Though is just may make you think twice about what is on your plate when eating out.

Much like author Kate Thornton’s book INHUMAN CONDITION: Tales of Mystery and Suspense  as well as the short story It Doesn’t Take A Genius and her other works, a mystery is present in these science fiction tales. That was certainly the case with Happy Hour: A Short Story and is the case here with Blue Plate Special: A Cookie Sullivan Short Story. Regardless of the genre, Kate Thornton is always a good read.

According to Amazon I picked this up July 2015. I have no idea now if I got it by way of an author free read or I used funds in my Amazon Associate account to snag it to read and review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

Allison Coil came out to Colorado’s Flat Top wilderness to leave memories of death and destruction behind. Which is somewhat ironic since her new chosen profession was to be a hunting guide where she would routinely see death. The concept of death and what death means has become an almost constant companion while she seeks solace in the beautiful Colorado Mountains and the local area known as Ripplecreek. Hunting guides aren’t a rarity in the mountains but being a woman she stands out and once again has to prove herself—especially to the good old boy network. Of course, if the protest group “Fighting Animal Torture Everywhere” otherwise known as “FATE” has its way, nobody will be hunting in the mountains anymore.

As a snowstorm descends on the area, Allison Coil hears a gunshot. Certainly not unusual but the actions of who she thinks is the shooter when she catches a glimpse of him through the swirling snow make her wonder. She watches him or her over on the next ridge dragging something and then the snow thickens and she loses sight of what was happening. Something didn’t look right and she thinks about it as she works to guide herself and her horse, Bear, safely off the mountain.  Her suspicions are further encouraged when she learns that a local hunting guide is missing as is one of the protestors. She knows something funny is going on and after being shoved aside once too many times when she spoke up, begins to investigate in her own way.

In a novel that shifts point of view through numerous characters, author Mark Stevens weaves a compelling tale of greed and murder with the majestic beauty of the Colorado Rockies as his backdrop. Allison Coil is a strong complex character who quickly comes to life despite some of the other characters who seem to be little more than stock stereotype figures. A first novel from the author, it shows most tellingly in that a significant portion of the character depth is recovered for Coil. However, it is also clear that at least two of the secondary characters have definite possibilities should this work become part of a series.

Where the author showcases real talent is in the weaving of the various storylines as well as bringing alive the beauty of the setting. A theme within the work is the fact that responsible hunting is a part of wildlife management today. That theme coupled with the concept of what it means to be a female guide in an area dominated by men could have become a series of information dumps that would preach to readers. Instead, showing real skill, the information is occasionally presented in the course of doing other things and never becomes the reason for anything.

Add in the scenic beauty and the at times harsh elements, good old fashioned greed with a thoroughly modern twist, along with several plot surprises in the last 50 pages and the result is a very good book. Author Mark Stevens has created a very good read that quickly becomes a real page turner and one well worth your reading investment.

Kevin R. Tipple ©  2016