Suburban Fiction Book Reviews

Purple State by Alex Hutchinson

2008-07-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

With oil prices spiking, the war in Iraq dragging on without pause and the economy in decline, it’s no wonder that everyone has a theory as to why these events are taking place. The most popular craze arising from the ashes of our collective despair is that of the world wide conspiracy. Granted this renewed buzzword often precludes amateurish results. The collecting of disparate but incorrect facts together in a nonsensical jumble is fun but ultimately fruitless. On the other hand, the useful theory is one that comes so close to the truth that it is very difficult to disprove. Let’s take the new novel Purple State for example. Author Alex Hutchinson, a political activist himself, has researched a collection of accurate facts and connected them together in a fictional outline that is rather challenging to separate from reality.The story is based in Florida and begins immediately after the 2000 Presidential recount. A young but crafty political operative named Chad Clanton is asked by the State Democratic Party to follow up on accusations of voter intimidation and electoral manipulation. Chad’s findings are accumulated over the course of five months and stored as thirty nine boxes of evidence. Before they can be shipped to Washington D.C. for a Grand Jury hearing, Chad is murdered.

Chad’s old college roommate Ed Morrissey, now a private detective, is called in to investigate the murder. Up to this point the plot is a standard affair but after Ed lands in Orlando the story changes from one of intrigue to one of involvement. Ed knows very little about politics but the men who hired him insist that he must learn as much as possible in order to fathom the motivations of the people who murdered his friend. Ed’s resistance to their partisan lectures is almost comical. He’s an independent thinker. He doesn’t belong to a political party and he’s not interested in their issues or policies. He only wants to find the killer and bring him to justice.

Over the course of the story Ed is provided with a first class education in American politics. Each character tries to teach him something new about the current state of Florida’s affairs and they can hardly help it. This was a time when Floridians were being ridiculed about the Presidential Recount. Following 9/11 the state dived into an economic slump and then the various counties were pressured into spend millions of dollars to purchase computer voting machines. After passing this prerequisite the reader ends up feasting on the much deeper concerns of Ed’s employers who turn out to be a highly entrenched group of activists with agendas of their own. Even the villain tries to win over Ed with his own style of charismatic persuasion.

By the time the reader meets with an episode of suspense they might have to put aside their Safire dictionary and remind themselves that this is indeed a work of fiction. The action is rare but hardly necessary. Alex is a master of assembling real life characters like Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Former Senator Bob Graham and current Senator Bill Nelson, and then placing them in scenarios so plausible that they might have actually happened. He also uses pieces of real life history to connect events in timelines that substantiate his arguments. With all of that in mind, Purple State is two thirds of the way towards being a non-fiction novel. What makes it fiction is that many of the relationships and conversations cannot be proven true or false without a massive and arduous effort. Since it is not standard practice to study such works with an acute eye, we will have to assume that the author has been honest in his genre selection.

What is not in doubt is that Purple State represents a brilliantly contrived conspiracy that connects the Florida elections with the war in Iraq. It depicts a standoff between OPEC and East Texas Oil Companies while adding a couple unique twists suggesting why 9/11 might have happened. For these theories to prove true, Alex hardly needed to stretch. He could have merely quoted any college economics textbook to express what many know but seldom say. War is always about money and power. All other declarations are mere window dressing to sooth the fears of those whose conscience is mightier than their wallets.

If conspiracies are a way to unburden our fears during insecure times then perhaps Purple State is a blessing in disguise. With a retail price of only $12.00 in print and $5.99 on the Kindle, the costs are certainly sympathetic to the bear market jitters that permeate our uneasy lives. Both versions are available at http://www.suburbanfiction.com/

*Book Review by Terri Brashear

Crystal Bay by Brandon Ford

2008-06-24T10:40:00.001-07:00

All of us have a watched at least one movie at the theater and walked away wondering, "What was the point?" Weak characters, a meandering storyline and empty scenery never capture our interest. This often leads to an ending so predictable that you often walk out, angry that you wasted ten dollars. These are the fatal flaws that define a bad movie. Unfortunately, they are the same flaws that define a bad book.

Crystal Bay follows Gage, an English teacher who is tired of grading papers and wants to write his break out novel. To do this he plans a trip to his childhood lake house to spend some time alone and let the creativity flow. There he is confronted by a gorgeous woman who aggressively seeks to steal his youth through numerous sexual encounters. Meanwhile Gage's wife, Beth, is frantically calling because she misses him. Gage is caught between two women, and under the grip of duel jealousy, he starts to write like he never did before. So does he continue the affair in order to finish his book? Or will Beth find out the truth?

Within the plot is the potential for limitless drama but to my dismay it is never fully explored. If anything took center stage in this book, it would be the affair. Having been in a similar situation, I know what it feels like to draw inspiration from a tempting but damaged woman. Gage displays this conflict well by exhibiting the appropriate emotions for a man in that position. Other than that, Gage is a classic stereotype. He's an English teacher who never lived a real life but assumed that he had the ability to craft a great novel without so much as breaking a nail. Apparently, the author had the same idea because Crystal Bay takes no chances. It doesn't teach or explore any ideas at all. It doesn't compel or reflect. It doesn't chill or romance. After a sleepy and laborious read I was left wondering, "What was the point?"

In the modern marketplace, as thousands of new titles hit the shelves, every author must ask themselves a simple question: "What do I have to offer that is unique?" Brandon Ford was unable to answer that question and because of that, his book is likely to accumulate more dust than sales.

Unholy Domain by Dan Ronco

2008-06-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

Daring, innovative, and predictive of ethical quandaries yet to arrive, Unholy Domain is a novel to be reckoned with. Author Dan Ronco utilizes his vast understanding of engineering and technology to give us a vision of the future well within the realm of possibility. This could be one of those rare occasions when we as a people could learn the lessons for mistakes we have yet to make. The drama that defines these lessons is not bad either.

Unholy Domain sets the stage for a future where the internet has been integrated into nearly every business, streetlight and punch clock. A collection of scientists have gathered to create an organization known as the Domain. Their purpose is to allow Artificial intelligence to reach the point where it can assume human traits and be used to enhance physical beings. This bold approach produces a counterculture movement driven by a militant religious sect known as the Army of God. A subversive war rages between these factions worsening the already diminished strength of the world economy. Inevitably, David Brown finds himself in the center of it all.

It is one thing to be the man who almost destroyed society but it is quite another to be his son. David grew up under the dark shadow of his father’s horrific misdeeds. His father, Raymond, had a brilliant mind for computers that somehow got out of control when he launched a virus that delivered chaos amongst the masses. Young David has the same gifts as his father and was always a little skeptical of the official story of his Dad’s guilt and subsequent death. After receiving a time lapse e-mail insistent upon his innocence David sets off on a journey back into the blackened hallways of his father’s past.

Here we are given a world where techology rules not only the economic stability but also the sustainability of humanity. It is in this vortex where ethical walls are breached. Should so much power ever be controlled by the specific knowledge of so few? How can a society be maintained if it is constantly split between those who can afford the ultimate software and those who cannot?

I found myself captivated by the fast-paced action and multiple storylines. As the dueling ideologies espouse their vision, I was struck by the persuasivness of their arguments. Often I wasn't sure who to root for. Each side contains well rounded characters driven by both personal ambition and organizational responsibility. A tug of will between any two produces an explosion of emotional conflict and each of these battles edges their convictions closer to the apex of the government's power center. The author presses forth with curvy heroines and breakneck urgency until a rather abrupt ending stops the reader and forces them into waiting for the next book. While the ending could be considered a cruel teaser, it’s still very easy to fall into fandom over this type of writing.

Francey by Martin Dubow

2008-05-20T20:21:00.000-07:00

The world is not a perfect place. Even when we fictionalize it, there must be, at minimum, a gritty element that allows the reader a hint of plausibility. In Francey by Martin Dubow we are brought into the world of a young girl who begins channeling a past life and with it she assumes the identity and the talents of her former self. Francey’s strange but vivid memories cause more than one public scene where diverse characters including a school teacher, an architect and an English lord, attached to her past life are brought together in their current day bodies.

If all of this sounds a little unusual then you are not alone in that thought. Aside from a badly written flashback of sixteenth century romance, no attempt is ever made to explain why any of this is happening or why we should care. The reader is expected to accept these coincidences hands down while never questioning the validity of the events. Worse yet, Francey’s sudden but spectacular artistic abilities should bring us deeper into the study of art and its old masters but it only touches the borders of this majestic world. I already knew Rembrandt’s name, tell me something I don’t know. Nothing is ventured or gained from this absence of exploration even though it is entirely relevant to the story.

At its core Francey sets a scene where three hundred year old personalities, obviously considered superior to modern ones, are thrust forward in time to settle past emotional entanglements. What the text does not do is allow the reader to become entangled themselves. It is absent of the kind of drama expected of such works. During the action no one ever trips on a step, skins a knee or embarrasses themselves. Despite the background of New York City, the story displays a frigid but harmless setting where everyone is emotionally stable and willing to connect the wildest of speculations. They do this while being tender, uniquely loving and thus supremely boring. This book badly needed a skeptic or a villain. It needed some blood pumping beneath the flowery images and insincere dialogue. Ultimately, it needs a severe rewrite including a barrel of research and a keg of conflict otherwise I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody.

Janeology by Karen Harrington

2008-05-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

A good book will use a strong first chapter to capture your interest but a great book will knock you on your ass in the first two sentences. Janeology by Karen Harrington doesn’t let you escape the prologue without feeling the utmost sympathy for the main character. Tom has just lost one of his children to infanticide. The murderer was his own wife. As we enter the story she is already sitting in jail, and it is Tom who is being accused of negligence. It was Tom who left the kids alone with their mother despite her depression. Shouldn’t Tom have known better? Isn’t this murder really his fault for not paying attention?

What more could you want from a situation tragedy? Here we have a despondent father who feels guilty about the death of his son, an ambitious lawyer who sees the chance to save an innocent man, and a psychic. Okay, the psychic was a surprise even to me, and her presence did flub the credibility of the story a little, but her contribution was important for the reader. Jane is the wife and mother who killed her child, but the question of guilt has already been answered so it’s not a matter of who did it but rather why she did it. Tom’s lawyer has a bizarre strategy meant to bring about the ultimate answer to the question of nature verses nurture.

Despite the excellent plot, Janeology does slow down in parts as we get to know the history behind these tragic events. A litany of seemingly unconnected stories forms a sullen backdrop for the modern day murder, but does so with a sometimes forced intention. The author did a fine job of making us care but the emotions were only skin deep. It was like reading a long magazine article about a real life story instead of reading a novel. Even the main topic of infanticide was brought up for show, but not explored.

Judging by the wild swinging start of the book I assumed Janeology to be one that could not be put down. However, it wasn’t designed for the long haul and ran out of gas midway through, passing the finish line while coasting on fumes. Even though it fell short of greatness, it remains a worthy read. You might not be knocked on your ass, but you’ll have to sit down for this one.

Beneath a Buried House by Bob Avey

2008-04-30T13:45:00.000-07:00

Detective Kenny Elliot had just been handed his first murder case. A dead reporter had been found and was linked to a local prostitute with unusual religious ties. As Kenny searches for the prostitute he finds the same pagan symbols bringing forth the possibility of cult involvement. When the prostitute ends up dead and a second suspect disappears it seems that his trail has dried up but nothing could be further from the truth. Ignoring the orders of his Chief and following a well groomed sense of intuition Kenny follows each nearly imperceptible hint until he ends up in a dead end town that is dominated by an enormous church. Despite the detective’s dogged persistence this backwoods religious order with its own privately owned compound is determined to keep its secrets deeply buried.

Beneath a Buried House is part of the detective Elliot series and holds a lot of promise. Kenny Elliot is a likable character partly for his flaws and partly for his moral certainty. He is a small city, green thumb Colombo with a jock background, an open heart, old fashion values and good instincts. You get the sense throughout that he is easy to manipulate but eventually catches on to the ruse. Overall not a bad main character, however, his visual description was left vague at best.

The plot is a slow to start tale of religious extremism in small town America. Once the engine is revved up the reader starts to take second notice of the importance of suddenly suspicious characters. A couple of scenes involving the effects of religious doctrine caught my attention most fervently. One involved a definition of Unitarian Universalism which was right on the money. As a practicing Unitarian I was happy to see that the author took the time to do his research. The other was a discussion of deprogramming a former parishioner of an organized cult. Both scenes rose above the plotline adding another level of significance to the story.

Author Bob Avey sets forth a clean though sometimes slow presentation of people and places. While the action sequences are nerve racking and unexpected, the love scenes lacked nuance and patience. Whenever Kenny was faced with a pretty lady he sounded like Humphrey Bogart from Casablanca. All things considered it was an enjoyable read and worthy of the modern mystery genre. Beneath a Buried House will be released in June 2008.

Hoi Polloi Edited by Robert McNulty

2008-04-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

Hoi Polloi: A Literary Journal for the Rest of Us is the first book presented by non-profit publisher Dog Day Press. All proceeds from this collaborative anthology benefit the Sowing Seeds Organization of Marshfield, Massachusetts. The title Hoi Polloi in the original Greek literally means "The Many" and the writing in this collection fits the bill. Contained within is a smattering of short stories, poems, author profiles and interviews from a variety of writers. The result is a modest compilation exhibiting a wide range of voices and talents.

Within these pages are works from first-time authors and self-published writers as well as those with established bylines. Chet Raymo is a Professor Emeritus at Stonehill College where as Marilyn Johnson wrote obituaries for Life magazine. The most notable name is Claire Cook, the author of the book Must Love Dogs, which became a major motion picture starring John Cusack.

The writing overall is less than spectacular, but there are some praiseworthy exceptions. "A Sailors Tale" by Walter C. Frye, jr. is a rhythmic poem about a young man trapped in a sinking boat. Mr. Frye does not waste one syllable in casting his protagonist in an unmanageable peril while goosing the reader with the faintest hope of rescue. "Pull Down the Shades" by Harriet Emerson is a story about a girl growing up amidst the background of the Cold War and the threat of nuclear holocaust. The image of a little girl drawing bomb shelters for fun is bound to stick with even the most finicky critic.

The real value of Hoi Polloi comes not from its bite-size musings but instead from its author profiles and interviews. Using what appeared to be a standard question form, Editor Robert McNulty asked today’s writers both great and small about their experiences in this ever-changing publishing environment. The answers reveal a shift from traditional methods of reaching the public, towards Internet-driven campaigns designed to focus on niche audiences. This change allows a product to reach the market faster and to connect more specifically to the needs and desires of select readers.

The value of understanding this paradigm shift is a necessary boon to all writers and will provide benefits galore for anyone who loves to read. By this measure Hoi Polloi is a great success.

Hoi Polloi: A literary journal for the rest of us, Robert McNulty, Publisher: Dog Day Press. (2007), ISBN: 0615177601, 292pgs, $17.95

Unholy Grail by D.L. Wilson

2008-04-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

Successful books set the standard for entire genres. In religious fiction, the bar was raised when Dan Brown's novel The DaVinci Code broke sales records, eventually becoming one of the most talked about and most widely read books in modern publishing. Its popularity grew further with the release of a major motion picture of the same name starring Tom Hanks. The DaVinci Code accomplished many things, one of which was that it established religious fiction as a moneymaking genre, allowing others to follow. However, the authors of those books would have to raise their game in order to pass into acceptance from what is fast becoming a theologically educated fan base of readers.

In the novel Unholy Grail, Father Romano, a Jesuit priest, finds himself intimately connected to a series of murders conducted in a style that suggests that a psychotic religious fanatic is on the loose. During this string of murders, Romano crosses paths with Brittney Hamar, a college teacher of religion who is writing a groundbreaking book called The Jesus Fraud. The two become bound by their mutually passionate desire to discover the truth about a bloodline that might be traced all the way back to Jesus Christ and the organization that has been keeping it a secret.

Parallels to The DaVinci Code cannot be avoided; Unholy Grail carries with it the same central theme. It has two roving characters, one academic, the other investigative, and of course the looming threat of a deadly agent determined to stop them from learning what should not be known. The differences are not in the favor of Unholy Grail. The characters are less interesting and less believable, and the storyline moves with a choppy pace that lacks action, giving the reader picture scenes of where something had once happened, but scenery doesn't trump action.

In the publishing world, timing is important. Had the book come out five years earlier it may have made an impact. Clearly, the story was meant to teach certain lessons concerning faith and skepticism, but anyone who is steadily reading books in this genre will not learn much here that hasn't already been written elsewhere.

The Cage by Jason Brannon

2008-03-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

Cryptozoology is the study of animals that are believed to have existed but have not been seen in any recordable manner. But what if these animals do exist? What would it take to find them, to catch them? What kind of a man would one have to be in order to devote his life to such an unusual and dangerous pursuit?

In the novel The Cage by Jason Brannon we are introduced to such an individual. Captain Jack Omaha is the guiding blight behind a traveling freak show made up of all sorts of animals that are not supposed to exist. He’s a modern day Indiana Jones but with a wicked smile and a fumbling lack of ethics. Unlike the typical carnival act, in Captain Jack’s show the creatures are very real and very deadly. Omaha should know. He risked life and limb to catch them all with his own two hands and often at great personal loss.

While trying to strike a deal with an established zoo in the town of Crowley’s Point a huge lighting storm crashes the meeting. Thunderous waves of rain and wind break open the freak show caravan allowing all of Omaha’s worst cryptids to escape. Within minutes the crowded public zoo is lurking with new inhabitants capable of feasting on or freeing their trapped animal brethren. A bloodbath of chaos ensues as Omaha and the park’s manager Kinston Owens try desperately to restore order. Unfortunately for them all some of these unstudied beasts are much smarter than anything any hunter has ever seen.

Right from the moment the first creature is described it’s almost impossible to not want to find out what happens next. Characters like Captain Omaha and Kingston Owens put you in the position of sometimes rooting for the men and sometimes hoping the creatures will eat them. The story is simple and easy to follow with the slightest twists existing within tactical positions that allow the action to continue unabated.

Some books are just plain fun to read. The Cage is equipped with its own unique brand of carnage. Should Jason Brannon come out with another thriller I will be one of the first in line with a ticket in hand eagerly waiting to see the show.

The Cage. Author: Jason Brannon, Publisher: Black Death Books (2007), ISBN-10: 0976791498, 236pgs, $14.99

Confessions of a Corporate Slut

2008-03-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

How difficult is it to traverse the corporate world? Author Jacqueline Gum knows first hand. In her debut novel, Confessions of a Corporate Slut, we experience the arduous journey of Roberta, a scrappy chick from a broken family who is forced to become self-sufficient at an early age. Prospects for a prosperous future seem grim until she lands a job selling restaurant equipment.

Being one of the few women in the industry is hardly a hamper on her natural charisma, so instead of folding to the male dominated culture, she uses her femininity as a sales tool. Roberta ignores the whining dictates of college stricken feminists, and instead of demanding equal pay, she beats her male counterparts on the race up the corporate ladder.

While the climb itself is impressive and educational, it's the detour that starts the real story. Roberta meets a young man named John Wendell, who has inherited a large sum of money and decided to pour it into the family business. Wendell Industries fast becomes the purpose of his life, while Roberta becomes the love of his life. Herein lies the dilemma.

Roberta wants to be in love. She wants to be a loving wife and mother of his children, but John wants something more. In times of corporate crisis, he seeks her counsel. In times of intimacy, he pushes her aside. Roberta tries to be everything he could possibly need, but it's never enough. As the years pass his insecurities are used against her like weapons, attacking her self-esteem and confidence.

She cows to his every demand, accepting expensive gifts and events as consolation prizes, but none of it can make up for the cruelties he submits her to. She knows someday soon a bitter divorce is inevitable, but a deep sense of denial keeps her from standing in natural defiance as this merciless juggernaut comes barreling down on top of her.

Confessions of a Corporate Slut is a brilliant re-telling of a successful corporate woman who smashed glass ceilings at every turn, only to give it all up for the man she loved. Based on real life events, this novel reads like a biography and is brimming with deeply emotional content. The author might have paved a pathway to the top, but it was through her painful mistakes that she will help so many to grasp what she herself was unable to attain.

As America's business world is steadily flooding with ambitious women, Jacqueline's lessons will no doubt multiply in value. This is a must read for any young vixen who is considering a corporate career and a great book for those who have loved and lost in our age of greed and power.

The Samson Effect by Tony Eldridge

2008-02-20T17:28:00.000-08:00

Dr. Thomas Hamilton is a biblical scholar who has had a lifelong obsession with the story of Samson. His good friend Michael Sieff, an Israeli biblical linguist, finds a clue suggesting that Samson’s mighty strength could have been the result of a botanical reaction to the human body. This discovery thrusts the two men onto a whirlwind journey to find out where the last of this ultimate herb was hidden for safe keeping over three thousands years ago.

Unfortunately they are not the only people hunting for the Samson Effect. A Muslim mob boss named Azim targets the doctor and his friend killing anyone in his way. The Israeli government, police and army all have their hand in securing this find and keeping it from the other factions. Thomas and Michael are trapped within a circle of deceit as gun men, politicians and a suspicious woman named Delia all vie to keep secret a mystery that is quickly spinning out of control.

Samson Effect is a quick, easy read that effortlessly guides the reader into the heart of Israel following a scientific explanation concerning one of the bible’s most well known stories. The action and pace is set to such rapid development that you would swear you were reading a movie script instead of a novel. Much like Dan Brown’s DaVinci Code this story could indeed translate into a great film.

Author Tony Eldridge knows his middle-eastern lore but he doesn’t force it on the reader. Each piece of history is proportioned throughout the text keeping you just hungry enough for the next slice. If the slices were a little bit bigger this might have given the subject more impact but as it stands this is a short book. Should Tony be willing to uncover the truth behind any other biblical lessons we would all be richer to heed his words especially if his literary meal had more than one course.

Samson Effect: Tony Eldridge, Publisher: iUniverse. (2007), ISBN: 9780595451722, 214pgs, $15.95

Scarlet Rose by Julia Madeline

2008-02-20T17:20:00.000-08:00

Scarlet Rose is a jaded, washed up stripper with a violent past. As a middle aged divorcee and mother she is forcing her oldest daughter Fiona to hit the stage night after night now that her own broken body is unable dance as it used to. Fiona, though honest and loyal to her family, is only sixteen.

One night during a show she is recognized by an older gentleman named Charlie who meets her afterwards and reveals that he is her father. Mortified by what she is being put through he tries to help her out but all of his generous acts backfire. His ex-wife, still enraged by his past alcoholism and infidelity, infuriates the situation. She pushes him away and forbids Fiona ever to see him again. That demand was quickly dismissed.

A couple years later Charlie is found dead in a hotel room lying next to a gay prostitute. He had been tortured in particularly gruesome ways and then covered with a sprinkling of rose petals. No one knows who the killer is but with Charlie’s checkered past and a fortune without a will, everyone has a motive.

A vortex of shady individuals are dredged up by the police investigation. Drug dealers, the cabaret manager and the detectives all confront little Fiona for information, scaring her half to death. In addition she discovers that a second long lost brother was living with Charlie before he died. All of the possible suspects are protecting their precious secrets, all of them suspecting that Fiona already knows too much.

Scarlet Rose is the tale of a family torn apart by vanity, desperation, poverty, incest and eventually murder. Never before have the dark corner’s of Canada’s night life and welfare underbelly been spelled out with such enticing sensitivity. The addition of a character based on real life murderer Dennis Howe deepens the intrigue to a frightening level. Comparable to the Oprah book club novel White Oleander by Janet Fitch this twisted tale of familial deceit it doesn’t get any better. As a debut novel one has to marvel at the author’s attention to detail and ability to write in such a personal manner. Scarlet Rose is both a tantalizing tale and a dramatic heartbreaker.

Scarlet Rose: Julia Madeline, Publisher: Black Heart Books. May 2008, ISBN: 978-0-9808874-0-2, 368pgs, $21.00 - Scarlet Rose will be available May 2008

Cold Streak by Lewis Aleman

2008-01-23T03:03:00.000-08:00

Laura has lost it all. In one strange and tragic night her husband and daughters were brutally murdered as she worked late at the office. The news sent her into a downward spiral of depression and regret. It became all the more intense when she knelt in the blood of her husband’s last struggle. Unable to cry, unable to release the pain or share it with others she folds herself into a coiled rage ready to explode as soon as the time is right. Tugged by wisps of memories, her feet move her in whatever direction the pull dictates so long as it leads her closer to understanding what happened and who was responsible.

All the while her inner torment grows, until its grip is unbearable. The only thing keeping her from unloading a pistol in her mouth or diving off the top of a building is the belief that she will be guided to find and destroy the people who did this, but she’d better hurry. Two detectives assigned to the case get swept up in the same spell of happenstance. Fate finds these three individuals crisscrossing the most dangerous parts of the city as well as the darkest parts of the own lives in search of each other and the truth.One of the curious talents developed by some writers is the ability to take the reader into a place that cannot be reached by other means. In Cold Streak, Lewis Aleman takes us deep into the mind of a woman who has been pushed over the edge. We get to hear her rambling, nightmare driven rationalizations, we get to feel her torment in vivid detail and share in her quest for vengeance.

What starts as a straightforward murder mystery changes form as Laura’s vigilance turns one unsightly crime scene into a spree of gruesome killings that would more appropriately belong in a horror novel. Then just as her job is about to be completed a supernatural element seeps its way into the plot making you question everything that once appeared so clear.

If you are fan of multi-layered metaphors then Lewis’s hold-your-breath style of descriptive writing will keep you swimming in his creative vocabulary for hours. His elaborate prose is topped off with a hint of philosophy about the everyday kinks inherent in each character as well as useful insights into facets of modern culture. My only criticism is that this 268-page story is an involved read. It carries the weight of a book twice its size. For those who love to get lost in the depths of a consuming tale, Cold Streak is a frigid dive into the deepest abyss of psycho-maniacal madness.

Time Adjusters and Other Stories

2007-12-20T18:26:00.000-08:00

Genres are classifications for describing the scope of a story but not every story or every book fits so easily into such a literary box. In Bill Ectric’s collection of short stories Time Adjusters we are taken for a multi-genre ride through a series of unique tales that defy classification and opt instead to challenge the limits of the reader’s imagination. Sometimes it takes a haunted house, a dreadful room and a little robot to capture our attention with the promise of mystery but it’s our child-like curiosity that begs us walk into those rooms unhindered by expectations. In the title track "Time Adjusters" and the story "House and the Baboon" we find ourselves bending the rules of relativity to witness events along the chronological spectrum. This visual bounce allows the reader to witness sequences out of order. It’s fun to be a part of even when it’s a little confusing to follow. These parts of the book as well as the science fiction-tinged stories "The Little Robot" and "Fear Flight" should appeal to lovers of pure storytelling.

My own interest was piqued with the author’s Beat Generation style of writing that conducted the speed of the action, and the ease with which you could get carried away by it. These facets appeared strongest in the tales of "Miss Glenly’s Dreadful Room" and "Bucket Head." Each was told from an adolescent perspective that was eager to be in the center of the action without caring how serious or unfortunate the outcome. The result was that I found myself close to tears in one and cringing with disbelief over the other.

The author told me ahead of time that people have had trouble writing reviews of this book and I can see why. The assortment of emotions and situations makes you want to focus on the one or two stories that touched you the deepest, but those one or two are probably different for every reader. One thing remains certain — there is something in Time Adjusters for everyone who loves to read, no matter the genre.

Time Adjusters and Other Stories, Author: Bill Ectric, Publisher: iUniverse (2005), ISBN-10: 0595358071,105pgs, $10.95

Book Review of Crosshairs by Russ Heitz

2007-10-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

A rural Pennsylanvia county is beseiged by a serial killer and many folks are afraid that the new sheriff, with his lack of experience, will be unable to stop the murderer.

Sarasota, FL, October 28, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Jesse Eichenlaub has just been elected Sheriff of Klinkton county, a rural backwoods community of gun lovers that hosts a popular and always dangerous hunting season. Having no previous law enforcement experience Jesse is put under the spotlight by opportunistic locals who mistake his academic demeanor as a sign of weakness. With an abundance of patience and a firm desire to make a difference he takes every opportunity to bond with the residents while guarding his back from the unfortunate incidents of his past. However, it’s the present that threatens to take his job, his girlfriend and perhaps his life.A series of shootings precedes the fabled hunting season forcing the sheriff into action. As the investigation limps along on under funded crutches each succeeding death makes it clear that these are not accidents. Now the newly minted sheriff and his staff are racing to link together seemingly ordinary folks in order to establish a motive and track down the killer.As a mystery Crosshairs hits the target dead center. The characters provide a light, fluid backdrop for a story that is driven by black coffee and personal secrets. Crosshairs presents the reader with the widest possible range of gun toting characters imaginable. From a lesbian Olympic target shooter to a hefty, aggravated county commissioner, everyone is armed with lead. In light of their weapons you’d assume that any individual was capable of justifying a murder but the author teaches you that it just doesn’t work that way. It takes more than a motive to commit the ultimate sin. Crosshairs Author: Russ HeitzPublisher: Yellowback Mysteries (May 21, 2007)ISBN-10: 1596635479260pgs$16.95

If you would like Alex to review your book send a request to Suburbanfiction@gmail.

The Heart of the Caveat Whale

2007-10-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

Author Alex Hutchinson reviews S.J.R Smith's debut novel.

London, United Kingdom, October 17, 2007 -- The Heart of the Caveat Whale is a captivating allegory capturing a timeless struggle between aggression and relief. The Aquavians, a peace loving and joyful race of underwater beings are being threatened by dark denizens of the deep waters, led by a fearsome MerKing. The fight seems hopeless as thousands of Aquavians are either killed or captured and turned against their own as vicious, mindless hordes.Shunda, a lone Aquavian, orphaned by the war and searching for his lost people stumbles upon Hoondiake, the only land fighting back against the MerKing's advances onto dry soil. Allied together Shunda, and Mookori, a prince of Hoondiake, search desperately for a way to win back the minds of the captive aquavians and strike an offensive against the dreaded MerKing and his Merman army. If the unusual names are hard to swallow, don't worry because there is a pronunciation guide at the back of the book explaining how they are supposed to sound. It is yet another thoughtful addition to what is a well contemplated story.I really enjoyed reading this book. The imagery was simply enchanting. I could hear the waves crashing against the shores of Hoondiake allowing a smile at the pure innocence and joy of Shunda, and I shivered when faced with the cold cruelty of the MerKing. S.J.R. Smith did a fabulous job of weaving an entirely new world in such a delightful way that you get submerged in the story and hours have passed before you can tear yourself away. Being that the Captives is only the first book in a series, we as readers won't have to wait ashore for very long before we find out what happens next.The Heart of the Caveat Whale: The CaptivesAuthor: S.J.R. SmithPublisher: Grosvenor House Publishing Limited (January 22, 2007)ISBN-10: 1905529937360pgs$10.99

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