Blood Lite II: Overbite part two.

Here we are with part two of the collection’s reviews.

Heather Graham’s Death and Taxes

Overview: Can there ever be a truly decent tax collector? Vladimir Oginsky tends to do the very best that he can. Even with problems like MacDonald Keenan.

Conclusion: Very interesting. It was a rather light hearted tale. I liked it .

Jeff Ryan’s Table For Two

Overview: Bernice is out on her date with the love of her life. So, what’s her dream date?

Conclusion: This was almost true love.

J.A. Konrath’s Treatment

Overview: Tyler has a very active imagination. I mean the boy thinks he is a werewolf. Surly, his therapist can help him.

Conclusion: We’ll, that’s a neat way to handle things.

Christopher Welch’s Dead Clown Seance

Overview: Clem, Toodles, Oswald, and Beep-Beep are seeking help from the afterlife. Turns out another clown school had an accident. And they need all the help that they can get.

Conclusion: This one was interesting. Nice cameo from Mr. King.

To be continued….

Blood Lite II: Overbite, a review.

Overview: When we think of horror staples, we usually think of scary stories. Zombies, werewolves, vampires, death, destruction, all-in-all this is considered a rather serious genre. These stories tend to disagree. They say the horror archetypes can be funny. Will they succeed? Let’s find out.

Story Telling: We have a short story collection centering on a horror/ humor style. As always, I’ll be reviewing the stories separately.

Kevin J. Anderson and Janis Ian’s Dark Carbuncle

Overview: What do you get when four older, minimum wage earning, metalheads try to resurrect their favorite artist?

Conclusion: Here’s a warning for all the creative types out there. Find peace with all of your works, as you never know which one will come back to haunt you.

To be continued.

Henry Anderson’s When Parents Worry…from Moles That Seem to move to Funny Smelling Poo

Overview: People need doctors at times, especially new parents. The question becomes, then, why do you need to talk to the doctor. That will depend on the child in question’s birth order.

Story Telling: I guess you could call this one a memoir. However it is mostly just questions that Dr. Anderson has received in his career.

Likes: I truly hope that the parents doing the questioning can look back on some of these questions and laugh about them.

Perhaps soon-to-be parents should skip this one. Other than that, just know that you are not alone in this endeavor of raising the next generation.

Terry Pratchett’s The Colour of Magic

Overview: Rincewald is a failed wizard He flunked out of his apprenticeship due to a bet. Now he has to play bodyguard for his nation’s first ever tourist…and his walking luggage.

Story Telling: This is a fantasy novel, just not a style that I’ve ever run across before.

Dislikes: There is one scene in this book that was jarring, to say the least. The scene seemed so out of place, that I thought my copy of the novel was corrupted.

Likes: Rincewald was quite determined to avoid death, oh, I mean Death. And he kept his word concerning Twoflower.

Conclusion: I think this will be my only visit to Discworld. Brace yourself for a wild ride. Enjoy it if you can.

Wolfgang Riebe’s 100 Quotations To Make You Think

Overview: We all sometimes need some inspiration in our lives. Mr. Riebe has collected these quotes in order to help us with our introspection.

Story Telling: This is a reference book. Though these quotes are not accredited, or attributed to any one.

Likes: These quotes were interesting to say the least. A few were quite funny.

Conclusion: This collection of quotes might be helpful concerning your endeavors. Enjoy the book.

Phil Robertson’s Happy, Happy, Happy

Overview: Many people have heard of the popular duck call company, Duck Commander, since A&E started “Duck Dynasty” a while back. This is the story of the Dynasty’s patriarch, Phil Robertson.

Story Telling: This is a memoir. So, do consider that this is mostly how Mr. Robertson remembers things.

Dislikes: There isn’t much that I dislike about this book, except that Mr. Robertson seems to have a problem with social media, video games, and a rather sedentary lifestyle. Now, don’t get me wrong, sometimes social media causes problems, some games brings out the worse in their players, and some of us could use a little more exercise. Be that as it may, things aren’t bad in themselves, it’s how you use them.

Likes: The chapters regarding the Duck Commander, were quite inspirational.

Conclusion: This book might be better for the fans of the Duck Dynasty show. Enjoy the trip down Mr. Robertson’s memory lane.

The Best American Mystery Stories 2013 part 3

Ben Stroud’s The Don’s Cinnamon

Overview: Burke has spent many months as the mulatto detective of Havana. Now the Don Hernan wishes to find someone he has lost.

Conclusion: This was a disturbing story. More power to you if you can enjoy it.

Hannah Tinti’s Bullet Number Two

Overview: Hawley has been asked to help his friend with a business venture. Nothing bad could happen at the hotel, right?

Conclusion: Interesting story, but where was the mystery?

Maurine Dallas Watkins’ Bound

Overview: Miss Thyrza has people under her contract. But, how do you handle it if your contractor is of the over-reaching sort?

Conclusion: Abusive people are not easy to live with.

Over all Conclusion: This was a decent story collection. Enjoy them over the next month or so.

The Best American Mystery Stories 2013 part 2

Micah Nathan’s Quarry

Overview: Henry and his little brother Sam are working the farm while their father is out. Finding the man in the woods wasn’t part of their plans.

Conclusion: This was a great story.

Joyce Carol Oates’ So Near Any Time Always

Overview: Lizbeth March is just the wallflower. So why does this new kid, Desmond, want to spend so much time with her?

Conclusion: Oh boy, that was one lucky girl.

Nancy Pickard’s Light Bulb

Overview: Judy is now over sixty years old. She is still haunted by one incident in her past. Perhaps it’s time for absolution.

Conclusion: I’ve got to warn you, this story deals with pedophilia.

Bill Pronzini’s Gunpowder Alley

Overview: Mr. Willard has been a bad, bad, boy, and now he is being blackmailed. At least he was smart enough to hire a private detective.

Conclusion: This was a good one.

Randall Silvis’ The Indian

Overview: Harvey is a tired man. Kenny was his one time friend, but after too many betrayals, he has had enough.

Conclusion: That was sick, gross, and I’m not sure if there is even enough brain bleach to get rid of the stain.

Patricia Smith’s When They are Done With Us

Overview: Jo is having a hard time with her son in New York.

Conclusion: This woman was a wimp. It could be that I just know too many women that would have snapped Charlie out of his attitude.

To be continued….

The Best American Mystery Stories 2013 edited by Lisa Scottoline and Otto Penzler

Overview: 2013 had quite a few mysteries printed. Many of these were printed as short stories. Mr. Penzler and Ms. Scottoline have collected twenty of these stories in this collection. So, how did they do?

Story Telling: This is another short story anthology. Yes, they are mysteries. As usual, I’ll be reviewing each story separately.

Tom Barlow’s Smothered and Covered

Overview: After a young girl shows up at an all night cafe, and subsequently ends up dead, regular Tim, and waitress Sandy are haunted by their own loss. So they try to come to terms with the case.

Conclusion: This was an interesting story, but not a pure mystery in my opinion.

Michael Connelly’s A Fine Mist of Blood

Overview: There are two killings, quite a few years apart, with only one similarity. A single witness to both crimes. Harry has one case: a Ponzi scheme leader murdered before the trial ended. And Jerry Edgar’s has the second: an admitted pedophile due for his day in court. Is the single witness a coincidence, or something more sinister?

Conclusion: It’s been a while since I’ve read Bosch. It was good to catch him again.

O’Neil de Noux’s Misprision of Felony

Overview: Officers Savary and Kyntyre are seeking the murderer of an old grocery store owner. All they have is a video of the crime, and a whole street that miraculously didn’t see nor hear anything about it. Just another day in New Orleans, right?

Conclusion: It’s an interesting idea, and a well written story. I liked it.

Eileen Dryer’s The Sailor in the Picture

Overview: What happens when a Baby man is less than pleased over his wife’s choices while he was at war? This story gives an interesting idea.

Conclusion: This was a good story. I enjoyed it immensely.

David Edgerley Gates’ The Devil to Pay

Overview: There’s a missing container from Kennedy Airport. Can the police find it, before the contents go missing?

Conclusion: This is another noir-esque piece. It’s not a favorite.

Clark Howard’s The Street Ends at the Cemetery

Overview: Cory Evans has made the biggest mistake of his career. He gave a ride to a woman who missed her bus. Now, his boss and an F.B.I. agent are blackmailing him.

Conclusion: I didn’t care for this one at all.

Andre Kocsis’ Crossing

Overview: Sierra has a little dilemma. He is almost out of pot, and won’t have many opportunities to get any more. Good thing Owen has a job lined up for him.

Conclusion: This was an interesting idea. Your enjoyment mileage may vary.

Kevin Leahy’s Remora, IL

Overview: What happens when a manufacturing town loses their plant? They gain a new title as a prison town.

Conclusion: This is more of a slice of life story. The only description of a mystery here is the setting of a prison.

Nick Mamatis’ Thy Shiny Car in the Night

Overview: Peter has lived for the longest time knowing that his father is the head of “waste” management. He is also attempting to succeed as a writer.

Conclusion: This is another noir fic. But mostly it’s a slice of life story.

Emily St. John Mandell’s Drifter

Overview: Zoe lost her husband three years ago. In her latest country, she is offered a delivery job. What could go wrong?

Conclusion: What is it with noir stories? There never seems to be any decent folk in them.

Dennis McFadden’s The Ring of Kerry

Overview: A young woman has quite the tale to tell. After all it isn’t everyday that you hear of an expensive ring being buried with the girl’s grandmother.

Conclusion: Didn’t that work out so well. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch.

Micah Nathan’s Quarry

Overview: Henry and his little brother Sam are working the farm while their father is out. Finding the man in the woods wasn’t part of their plans.

To be continued….

Betty N. Thesky’s Betty in the Sky With a Suitcase

Overview: Mrs. Thesky has been flying for quite a while. As a flight attendant, she has had quite a few opportunities to collect some hilarious stories from both her flights, and others.

Story Telling: This is a cross between a memoir, and a podcast transcription.

Likes: A lot of these stories were hilarious. Especially the story of the little wind up mouse.

Favorite Story: That would be the well-endowed woman, and her chihuahua.

Conclusion: This was a fun book. Enjoy it when you need a laugh.