C.L. Davies's Blog, page 3

Book Review: 'Street Crimes,' by H. L. Le Roy

The Synopsis

H. L. Le Roy is the author of the short story anthology, Street Crimes, and the upcoming YA dystopian novella, I am Called Terra. He is working on a Jillian Varela, P.I. novel scheduled for publication in 2013. Le Roy, a former journalist who covered NASCAR events and wrote a monthly column for a motorsports magazine, has written two novels and two screenplays. Le Roy lives in California.

This 21,000-word collection of four short mysteries includes:

MISTAKE PROOF - A bank robbery goes wrong in this noir story.

RARE JUSTICE - The first appearance of Private Investigator Jillian Varela.

HOLLYWOOD HITMAN - Making Hollywood a kinder and gentler place, one hit at a time.

THE GAME'S END - Jillian Varela's young client only wanted to know if her boyfriend had been cheating on her. Now she may wind up on death row.

The Review

This is only the second collection of short stories I have ever read (Stephen King’s Nightmares and Dreamscapes being the other) believing, as I did, that the characters never had time to develop, and you could never get into a short story properly. Le Roy has well and truly proved me wrong with ‘Street Crimes.’

The collection begins with ‘Mistake Proof,’ a witty, easy-to-read story about a bank robbery gone wrong, and it’s repercussions for done-over Dellicott. The humorous twist at the end of it reveals that the asylum, his hideout of choice, was perhaps, after all, the best place for him.

‘Rare Justice’ takes on a completely different tone, with a P.I. on the cold case of a murdered girl. A distressing tale, it introduces us to Jillian Varela, who also later appears in the fourth story. Jillian is both physically and mentally strong - we later learn she had been in the Marines - single-handedly taking down the murderer. Jillian is straight to the point, if not blunt, but with her determination to help the wronged, she is totally likeable. With these characteristics she challenges the female stereotype, as voiced by one of her clients, who says, ‘I thought you were a man.’  

‘Hollywood Hitman’ is an amusing tale of a hitman on the job. As in the first story, the conclusion brings a couple of twists that I never saw coming. Strangely enough, Le Roy writes the hitman - who is, to all intents and purposes, a glorified killer - with such depth and morality, that you are actually glad he comes out on top. 

Finally, ‘The Game’s End’ takes us on another bloodied case with Jillian, to discover the identity of a throat-slitting murderess. Jillian is again tough and competent, although she gets more involved than she intended.

Le Roy's writing is versatile, perfectly suited to each style of story - sometimes funny, sometimes disconcerting, sometimes truly terrifying, always easy to read and fast-paced. I really enjoyed each of the four stories that 'Street Crimes' offers. Here's to a whole new world of short stories!   

Book Review: 'Ship of Haunts: the other Titanic story,' by Ellie Stevenson.

The Synopsis

Carrin remembers a past life - on Titanic. And now she's being stalked by a ghost from the ship.

Lily the ghost is searching for her cousin. She's crossed time to find Lucie, but now time is running out.

One hundred years after the ship sank, Carrin's shipmates are gathered together to remember Titanic. But who can she trust - certainly not the man who drowned her. But can she even trust herself?

For Carrin has a terrible secret, one she's been hiding all her life. But at least Lily's on her side. Or so she thinks...

From the heat of the harsh Australian sun to the darkest depths of the ocean floor, Ship of Haunts is a novel of conflicts. Carrin is scared and Lily is desperate, both of them in a race against time. Will they manage to make it through, including surviving the vengeful Mad?

And when is it time to let the ghosts go?

The Review

Although starting out on a negative, this review will finish on a positive, so bear with me …

When I began Ship of Haunts, I struggled to get into it, for two reasons. First, I found the ‘staccato’ sentences did not flow too well. Of course, the next person might enjoy such a style of writing, and these reviews are simply my humble opinion. Second, the characters that populate the novel are sometimes alive, sometimes dead, sometimes living their second or even third lives, and sometimes reminiscing about previous lives that they can somehow remember. Yes - very confusing, and to be honest I nearly abandoned the book a few times. That said, I’m glad I didn’t because …

 (cue the positive)

… once I got to know the characters, and got involved with their interwoven stories, I began to truly enjoy the novel. I especially loved the chapters with Carrin’s ghost, as she floated around lonely and lost on the seabed, and felt quite sorry for her. For a long time I too wondered where all the other ghosts were, with a satisfactory answer revealed towards the end of the book.

One wonderful aspect of this book is its visiting chapters to Titanic, both when it floats grandly upon the ocean, and when it rests at its depths. Ellie Stevenson has obviously done her research and demonstrates a wealth of knowledge about Titanic. Like many people, I’m fascinated by the tragedy and romance of the lost liner, and Ship of Haunts does not disappoint - describing the majesty and detail of the floating Titantic so brilliantly as to make me somehow feel I’ve actually set foot upon it. Also, through the eyes of Carrin’s ghost on the ocean floor, the rich description makes you vividly imagine the sediment shrouding it to this day.

Finally, the novel also visits child immigration in Australia – where the reader feels deeply for the children living in dire conditions at ‘The Halt.’ There’s so much going on in this novel that it’s impossible to mention it all, but all the elements and stories weave together and make for a good ending. If you enjoy a detailed and intricate novel, then Ship of Haunts is absolutely well worth a read.