Murder Run by Shelly Frome

If you like 1940's mob movies, you will love this book. The story is set in today's time but the character's are out of an old movie. I could picture Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney as a couple of the characters. :)

Jed has made some mistakes in his life and is trying to stay on the straight and narrow. He moves away from the bad influences, and gets a job as a handyman for Miss Julie. She has moved out to the country in Connecticut and seems to be afraid of something or someone. When Miss Julie turns up dead, and everything seems to point to him, he must return to his old acquaintance's and neighborhood to clear himself. Unfortunately, those acquaintance's are "mobsters".




"In this crime novel, a wayward handyman grapples with the suspicious death of his employer, a fragile choreographer who secluded herself in the Litchfield Hills. As the fallout mounts, the reader is taken to various locales in and around Manhattan, an escapade in Miami Springs and back again to the hills of Connecticut until this twisty conundrum is finally laid to rest."

Here is a bit about the author, which I found interesting too.

"Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at the University of Connecticut, a former professional actor, and has written over twenty-five plays and novels and continuing profiles for Gannett Media.
A frequent contributor of articles on all facets of creative writing and acting, Shelly appears in numerous periodicals including Southern Writers Magazine. He is also a film critic and contributor to writers' blogs and websites in the U.S. and the U.K.
His fiction includes Twilight of the Drifter, The Twinning Murders,and Lilac Moon. His Hollywood crime caper Tinseltown Riff was released in March 2013.
Among his works of non-fiction are the acclaimed The Actors Studio and texts on The Art and Craft of Screenwriting and writing for the stage. Shelly lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina."

Good lazy summer day read.

I received a free copy in exchange for a review.

251 Things to do in Tofino

Went off my usual path and read this book. It is not a mystery and it is not fiction. I "met" Kait on Goodreads and she offered me a free copy of her book on Tofino.

251 Things To Do In Tofino: And It Is Not Just About Surfing by Kait Fennell



The mystery for me would be "Where is Tofino? Why would a person want to go there?"

"Welcome to Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the surf capital of Canada and much, much more. They call this the “end of the road” for Western Canada, but you are going to be calling it the start of the best time of your life. All you need is this eBook, an open mind, an open heart and the sense of wonder and adventure to embark on the journey of a thousand lifetimes."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

"Kait Fennell is a permanent resident of Tofino who finds herself more at home in the water than anywhere else. An islander at heart, she has travelled all over the world - from flying and developing pilot guide books in the Okavango Delta, Botswana to volunteering for a small pilot school in Durban, South Africa. Recognized as a National Garfield Weston Foundation Scholar, and graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Technology with a Commercial Pilot License, she left her aviation roots to pursue her passion for surfing, healthy living, the environment and indigenous culture."

I enjoyed reading through this book.  This book is so comprehensive. I particularly liked the history of Tofino and its native people that is given at the beginning. One of my favorite books when I was a kid was Island of the Blue Dolphins. I was very intrigued about the people that lived on the Aleutian Islands. Not Tofino, but I also liked reading about the natives of Tofino.

 The book then goes on to give you 251 things you could do while in Tofino: from hiking, biking, surfing, camping, to where to stay, places to eat (lots of fish, sushi, but even Tex Mex, ice cream, coffee), shopping and how to get around, things to do in the summer and things to do in the winter. The Appendix provides a list with contact information of places to stay, restaurants, stores and even emergency services. A bonus is short interviews of some of the people that call Tofino home, with their favorite things to do and information about businesses. Again a WIDE variety.

If you are planning a trip to Tofino or Vancouver area, grab this book! Easy to read, not dry and stuffy.

I received a free copy in exchange for a review.

Missing Inheritance

Just finished Missing Inheritance by Ken Herring.



"JT Lockie and Shawna have to solve the mystery before it's too late as they are swept up in a mystery going back several decades. It starts with the mysterious death of his father and a stranger who appears out to get Shawna. The story centers around stolen art, Colorado gold mines, Russian rubles, murders, and family secrets. JT and Shawna must travel to Italy in search of clues and solve the mystery before more people die."

This book is exciting and suspenseful all the way up to the end. I liked it because it is a different storyline than I have read lately. It deals with the stolen artwork by the Nazi's in WWII. People are after some of the artwork that they believe J.T. knows something about, and they are serious about getting it back. Can J.T. and Shawna stay one step ahead of them? And there are people going after those people. There is a lot of history mixed in with this fictional story. Or is it?

This story made me want to look up information about the stolen artwork. Here is a interesting article from a couple of years ago about finding some of it. You will see that this book, Missing Inheritance, isn't that far fetched. Wow!

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2014/04/degenerate-art-cornelius-gurlitt-munich-apartment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.

A Kind Worth Killing

Our Mystery Book Club selection for July is A Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson.

What happens when the child of Nick and Amy Dunne (Gone Girl) grows up? You get Lily Kintner.



"A devious tale of psychological suspense involving sex, deception, and an accidental encounter that leads to murder. This is a modern re-imagining of Patricia Highsmith’s classic Strangers on a Train from the author of the acclaimed The Girl with a Clock for a Heart.

On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the mysterious Lily Kintner. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing intimate details about themselves. Ted talks about his marriage and his wife Miranda, who he’s sure is cheating on him. But their game turns dark when Ted jokes that he could kill Miranda for what she’s done. Lily, without missing a beat, says calmly, “I’d like to help.”

From there, Ted and Lily’s twisted bond grows stronger as they plot Miranda's demise, but soon these co-conspirators are embroiled in a game of cat-and-mouse--one they both cannot survive--with a shrewd and very determined detective on their tail."

This one is hard to put down and has a turn in the middle that makes you say "ohhh". It is told in the first person by four different characters, Lily, Ted, Miranda and the detective. I liked that style in this story. You could see what the characters were thinking and how they got to where they did more than a traditional third person story.

I then watched the movie Strangers on a Train directed by Alfred Hitchcock. I had seen it before. I have seen most of Hitchcock's movies. But I didn't remember it in detail. I would say they are pretty close (although one starts out on a train, one on a plane), but then there is an added twist in the middle taking the story to a different level.

And then there is always Throw Momma From the Train. A hilarious take off of Strangers on a Train. I love that movie. :)

Criss cross....