Steven Ramirez's Blog: Glass Highway, page 10
May 25, 2020
Book Review—Cades Cove: The Curse of Allie Mae
Okay, I’ll just say it. Cades Cove: The Curse of Allie Mae, by Aiden James, is one mother of a scary book. Immediately, I became caught up in the story of a man with questionable judgment who, through a seemingly innocuous act, stumbles into a world of sheer mayhem. As a result, he puts not only himself but his family in danger. What starts out as the innocent taking of a souvenir from a magical vacation spot soon turns into an unrelenting reign of terror conducted by the vengeful ghost of a dead girl.
This kind of story has been told countless times. In lesser hands, it might have been trite. But the author has taken great pains to create a rich world of Appalachian and Native American folklore that lends an incredible depth to the haunting tale of a young Tennessee girl wronged in another century. I particularly enjoyed James’s meticulous description of a Sioux ritual meant to protect the protagonist, David Hobbs, and his family.
If you enjoy novels that harken back to an earlier, less civilized time in America and feature nail-biting scenes of supernatural horror, then I suggest you read Cades Cove: The Curse of Allie Mae. It will be well worth the nightmares.
You can find this review at Goodreads.
Book Description
Buried deep in a ravine in the picturesque Smoky Mountains is a very dark secret.
David Hobbs, vacationing with his wife Miriam, inadvertently stumbles upon a small cloth ‘keepsake’ bag and a broken tooth. A human tooth. Miriam begs David to hand the bag and tooth over to park officials, but he ignores his wife’s pleas and secretly keeps the ‘harmless’ items. The action opens a doorway that had been closed for nearly a hundred years and unleashes hell on earth, or at least hell in the lives of David and Miriam.
Following the brutal murder of his best friend in Denver, and unprovoked attack on his oldest son, David desperately seeks to understand why a mysterious teenage girl has chosen to terrorize him and the males closest to him. To prevent further devastation to his family and end the wanton bloodshed, he returns to the enchanted hills of eastern Tennessee, where a terrible truth awaits discovery… one that forces him to face the consequences for the unpaid sins of his ancestors.
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May 4, 2020
Book Review—The Gun
As I read The Gun by Fuminori Nakamura, Holden Caulfield immediately came to mind. Both novels are told in the first person. And both characters are alienated, though Nishikawa gets the prize. He hangs out with friends he is not close to, has sex with girls he cares little for, and attends school because he has nothing better to do. Wandering the Tokyo streets seems to calm him. One night, when he discovers a dead body, his life changes. But it’s the gun lying next to the corpse that intrigues him, and he becomes obsessed.
Chekhov wrote that story elements should not make false promises. If we see a gun at the beginning, then someone must use it. Nakamura takes this principle to heart as he weaves his tale of ever-growing madness. He builds an almost unbearable tension as Nishikawa tries to decide when and where to fire the weapon. In the meantime, the character’s personal relationships continue to suffer. Feelings of hatred emerge, making the threat of violence more palpable.
The Gun is a taut thriller that begs the question, “Was Nishikawa already crazy, or was it the gun that made him so?” If you enjoy nail-biting crime fiction, then I highly recommend this book.
You can find this review at Goodreads.
Book Description
A Tokyo college student’s discovery and eventual obsession with a stolen handgun awakens something dark inside him.
On a nighttime walk along a Tokyo riverbank, a young man named Nishikawa stumbles on a dead body, beside which lies a gun. From the moment Nishikawa decides to take the gun, the world around him blurs. Knowing he possesses the weapon brings an intoxicating sense of purpose to his dull university life. But soon Nishikawa’s personal entanglements become unexpectedly complicated: he finds himself romantically involved with two women while his biological father, whom he’s never met, lies dying in a hospital. Through it all, he can’t stop thinking about the gun—and the four bullets loaded in its chamber. As he spirals into obsession, his focus is consumed by one idea: that possessing the gun is no longer enough—he must fire it.
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April 16, 2020
April 2020 Highlights and We’re All in This Together
Courtesy of Joachim DoblerWell, we’re carrying on in the Ramirez household. We have food, water, and enough toilet paper to make it through the next couple of weeks—and no one is sick. I sincerely hope you and your families are safe and that you have enough to eat. These are the strangest times I’ve ever lived through. I can’t wait for the world to get back to normal, whatever that means.
Like many men out there, I’ve pretty much given up shaving. This is me now. What do you think? I’ve been told now that I’ve embraced the natural look, I need to invest in beard oil. Yikes. What happened to the good ol’ days of washing with Lifebuoy soap? Next, they’ll be telling me I have to wear cable knit sweaters.
One good thing came out of this, though. I finally purchased the French Basque hat I’ve always wanted. Yeah, I know. But come on, we’re in a pandemic, for crying out loud.
Writing
I’m making headway in Book 3 of my Sarah Greene Mysteries series. I’m hoping to finish it by the end of the year, God willing. When it’s published, I’ll create a box set.
Sheltering at home means many of you are reading a lot more. For those of you who are Kindle Unlimited subscribers, you can now read The Girl in the Mirror and House of the Shrieking Woman for free.
I’ve also signed up to write a longish short story as part of a Friday the 13th collection featuring thirteen writers, to be published at Amazon. I’m really excited to be a part of this. Stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, what do you think of my first teaser?
Recommended Reading
If you enjoy psychological thrillers that leave you breathless, then One For Sorrow by Sarah A. Denzil may be the ticket. You can read my review here.
Recommended Viewing
For those of you with an Amazon Prime account, check out Fortitude, a dark mystery thriller set in the Arctic Circle. For me, this series is perfect for these pandemic times.
Once again, stay safe. See you next month, when I plan to spin up a face mask-making business. Keep your eyes open for a GoFundMe. Peace and love.
April 13, 2020
Book Review—One For Sorrow
Reading One For Sorrow by Sarah A. Denzil is like getting into the mind of a deeply conflicted, mental patient who must still function in society. Leah Smith is a tragic character whose need to help others while fighting her demons is heartbreaking. When she starts a new job at Crowmont Hospital and is put in charge of a troubled girl named Isabel, who may or may not be a murderer, the road to sorrow is perfectly paved.
Immediately, Leah falls under the girl’s spell, believing her innocent of the brutal murder of a small child. And we fall with the good-hearted nurse. Isabel is an incredible artist and always cheerful. She especially loves drawing birds—magpies in particular. She doesn’t remember what happened all those years ago, and she is grateful when Leah takes an interest in her. Will Leah’s kindness be rewarded in the end?
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with characters who ring true like notes on a piano, I suggest you grab this book. Oh, and one other thing. Beware of magpies.
You can find this review at Goodreads.
Book Description
A chilling psychological thriller by the million-copy bestselling author of Silent Child.
Who really killed Maisie Earnshaw?
Within the walls of the high-security psychiatric facility, Crowmont Hospital, reside many violent offenders. To nurse Leah Smith, no matter what, all offenders are patients first and foremost. When Leah is appointed as nurse to Isabel Fielding, she is determined to remain professional despite the shocking crime Isabel allegedly committed in her past.
Years ago, six-year-old Maisie Earnshaw was found face down in a duck pond, her body mutilated. Isabel—at age fourteen, found covered in Maisie’s blood—was convicted of murder.
As Leah spends time with Isabel, she comes to know her as a young woman with a sweet, gentle nature, someone she could never see as a murderer. Leah begins to suspect members of the Fielding family of framing Isabel as a young girl, and she’s not the only one. True crime blogger James Gorden thinks Isabel is innocent too.
Is Leah allowing her own dark past to taint her judgement as she grows closer to her patient? Or has a young woman been unjustly robbed of her childhood?
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March 19, 2020
March 2020 Highlights and Writing Competition News
Courtesy of DaPugletWith all the news surrounding COVID-19, I want to say first and foremost, stay safe. If you are sheltering in place, make sure you have plenty of food and water on hand. And try to stay positive. We’ll get through this. Speaking of which, I had planned to set up book signing events—which included attending this year’s Los Angeles Times Book Festival. Well, the festival has been postponed. And that made me reconsider doing other events. So, I’ll most likely look to start setting up these signings again in the summer.
Writing
Previously, I announced that The Girl in the Mirror had won a 2019 Best Indie Book Award (BIBA) in the Paranormal Fiction category. Well, it seems I’m at it again. The first book in the Sarah Greene Mysteries series is a finalist in the 32nd annual IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards Horror Category. These awards are regarded as one of the highest national honors in independent publishing. I’ll keep you posted on the final results. You can see a complete list of the finalists here.
Recommended Reading
What do you get when you combine a homeless girl from New Orleans looking to avenge her best friend’s murder, a time-traveling psychic grieving the loss of his family, and Jack the Ripper? To find out, grab a copy of The Curse She Wore by Jordan Dane. You can read my review here.
Okay, that wraps it up. See you next month, when I’ll be painting Coronavirus-free Easter eggs. Peace and love.
February 24, 2020
Book Review—The Curse She Wore
What do you get when you combine a homeless girl from New Orleans looking to avenge her best friend’s murder, a time-traveling psychic grieving the loss of his family, and Jack the Ripper? Why, you get a Jordan Dane supernatural thriller, of course. The Curse She Wore is a wild, unpredictable ride filled with twists and turns that would make a Disney Imagineer jealous. And it has heart—a lot of heart.
I’ve visited New Orleans several times in my life, and I have to say, the author brings the famed city to life in glorious Technicolor. And if that weren’t enough, she does a masterful job of recreating the Whitechapel district in East London at a time when Jack the Ripper was terrorizing its impoverished citizens with grisly murders that began in 1888 and ended in 1891.
What I love best about this novel is how adept the author is at combining the traditional elements of a serial killer story with those of supernatural tales such as Peter Straub’s terrifying Ghost Story. And trust me, the combination works. If you’re in the mood to be scared, then touched by the tortured yet loyal and loving Trinity LeDoux, I suggest you stop what you’re doing and acquire The Curse She Wore. Oh, and did I mention there’s humor? I’ll leave you with my favorite quote:
Tell me something while you’re here. Why do men go to bars to find women? It makes much more sense for them to go to a garage sale. Women are already looking for things they don’t need.
You can find this review at Goodreads.
Book Description
Trinity LeDoux, homeless on the streets of New Orleans, has nothing to lose when she hands a wealthy, yet reclusive clairvoyant a cursed vintage necklace.
During one of Hayden Quinn’s rare public appearances, he is unexpectedly recruited into Trinity’s perilous mission–a journey back through time to the exact moment of death for two very different victims.
Hayden and Trinity, two broken people with nothing but death in common, pursue the dangerous quest to stop the murderer emulating the grisly works of a notorious serial killer. Trespassing on Fate’s turf comes with a price–one they will never see coming.
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February 17, 2020
Book Review—Suitcase Girl
This is my first time reading a Ty Hutchinson novel, and wow. With Abby Kane, he’s created a character who is tough but with a huge heart. A skilled FBI agent, she can hold her own with anyone, yet the tenderness she expresses toward her dead husband’s mother and his two kids is almost heartbreaking.
Suitcase Girl is set in modern-day San Francisco, a town with many dark secrets. Abby is Chinese—originally from Hong Kong—and much of the story centers around Asians. Many are good, but some are bad—really bad. Combine that with sex trafficking, rogue science, and violence, and you’ve got a story that doesn’t let you breathe. It’s as if the author wants you to be as tense and focused as Abby.
If you enjoy crime thrillers that feel like the bass line in a Nirvana song, then grab this book. Trust me—it’s fun.
You can find this review at Goodreads.
Book Description
She’s your average twelve-year old, except there’s something about her that’s unthinkable, and quite frankly, unexplainable.
When a lone little girl is abandoned outside FBI headquarters, agent Abby Kane’s investigation points to a human trafficking ring—and something even worse.
For a tense, disturbing thrill-ride, pick up this USA Today Bestseller. Book one in the Suitcase Girl Trilogy.
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February 13, 2020
February 2020 Highlights and “I Must Be Nuts” Book Pricing
Hard to believe it’s the middle of February already. Before I get any further, Happy Valentine’s Day! Here’s what’s happening.
Writing
Book 2 in my new supernatural suspense series, House of the Shrieking Woman, is available in electronic format, and the paperback edition will be out soon. For more information, check out my Sarah Greene Mysteries page. I’ve already begun writing Book 3, so stay tuned. As if things in Dos Santos weren’t bad, they are about to get worse.
Announcing “I Must Be Nuts” Book Pricing
That’s right. I’ve finally lost my grip on reality. I reduced the prices of all my ebooks, and you know what? I’m not sure I’m ever going back. You can check out my Amazon page—and also this page—for details.
Recommended Reading
If you enjoy stories of mystery, suspense, and dark souls, then Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey is for you. You can read my review here.
Recommended Viewing
For those of you with Netflix accounts, check out The Stranger, a new series based on the novel by Harlan Coben. If you like police procedurals with lots of interesting twists, then check it out.
Okay, that wraps it up. See you next month, when I’ll be selling my house to raise cash for March Madness. Peace and love.
February 10, 2020
Book Review—Unspeakable Things
Lilydale is the polar opposite of the idyllic paradise people usually think of when you mention a small town. In this place, there are secrets—lots of secrets. And they begin with the parents of a middle-school girl named Cassie. Though she and her sister appear to be fine, they know they need to keep silent about the goings-on in their own home, mostly centered around their father. A dark threat hangs over them like a poisonous cloud. And, to survive, they must hold their breath.
But then, things become worse. Inexplicably, young boys go missing for a time, then reappear, damaged and sullen. There’s a sexual predator loose in the town, and, although the police establish a curfew, they don’t seem to be doing enough to find the villain. Meanwhile, Cassie conducts an unofficial investigation, putting herself in danger and opening doors that are better left closed.
I enjoyed this novel, but I warn you, it is disturbing. Based on a real case, the author Jess Lourey has painted a picture of a slow-burning hell where children are at risk, and most of the adults are corrupt in one way or another. If you enjoy stories of mystery, suspense, and dark souls, then Unspeakable Things is for you. But don’t be surprised if, after reading it, you crave something—anything—to make you laugh.
You can find this review at Goodreads.
Book Description
Inspired by a terrifying true story from the author’s hometown, a heart-pounding novel of suspense about a small Minnesota community where nothing is as quiet—or as safe—as it seems.
Cassie McDowell’s life in 1980s Minnesota seems perfectly wholesome. She lives on a farm, loves school, and has a crush on the nicest boy in class. Yes, there are her parents’ strange parties and their parade of deviant guests, but she’s grown accustomed to them.
All that changes when someone comes hunting in Lilydale.
One by one, local boys go missing. One by one, they return changed—violent, moody, and withdrawn. What happened to them becomes the stuff of shocking rumors. The accusations of who’s responsible grow just as wild, and dangerous town secrets start to surface. Then Cassie’s own sister undergoes the dark change. If she is to survive, Cassie must find her way in an adult world where every sin is justified, and only the truth is unforgivable.
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February 3, 2020
Book Review—The Elegance of the Hedgehog
In The Elegance of the Hedgehog, a lot can happen when a middle-aged concierge and a precocious twelve-year-old girl connect thanks to the influence of a retired Japanese businessman. The fact that both the widow and the girl are well read does nothing to assuage the deep existential angst they suffer from as they pretend they are as shallow and uninformed as everyone else. In less-skilled hands, the story would be maudlin. But I found myself often laughing at the sheer absurdity of the situation.
Despite my enjoyment of this well-crafted work, I couldn’t help but wonder if, in the real world, intelligent people are doomed to a life of sadness. The concierge Renée is friends with a Portuguese woman who is more wily than smart, and they do enjoy their afternoon chats over tea and cookies—the one bright spot in Renée’s life. But it’s the girl—Paloma—who doesn’t seem to have anyone, least of all her older sister. And because of this, she is determined to end it all—dramatically. It strikes me that poor people do not have time for such fantasies.
There’s a lot at play in this engaging book, which is mainly a satirical poke at wealth and privilege. The Japanese businessman, Monsieur Ozu, seems to be the antidote. He has taken up residence in the upscale apartment building recently and brings with him a sense of calm beauty. Though privileged himself, Ozu seems to retain genuine humanness that sees beyond rich and poor, well read and illiterate. Thank goodness for that.
You can find this review at Goodreads.
Book Description
The phenomenal New York Times bestseller that “explores the upstairs-downstairs goings-on of a posh Parisian apartment building” (Publishers Weekly).
In an elegant hôtel particulier in Paris, Renée, the concierge, is all but invisible—short, plump, middle-aged, with bunions on her feet and an addiction to television soaps. Her only genuine attachment is to her cat, Leo. In short, she’s everything society expects from a concierge at a bourgeois building in an upscale neighborhood. But Renée has a secret: She furtively, ferociously devours art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture. With biting humor, she scrutinizes the lives of the tenants—her inferiors in every way except that of material wealth.
Paloma is a twelve-year-old who lives on the fifth floor. Talented and precocious, she’s come to terms with life’s seeming futility and decided to end her own on her thirteenth birthday. Until then, she will continue hiding her extraordinary intelligence behind a mask of mediocrity, acting the part of an average pre-teen high on pop culture, a good but not outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter.
Paloma and Renée hide their true talents and finest qualities from a world they believe cannot or will not appreciate them. But after a wealthy Japanese man named Ozu arrives in the building, they will begin to recognize each other as kindred souls, in a novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us, and “teaches philosophical lessons by shrewdly exposing rich secret lives hidden beneath conventional exteriors” (Kirkus Reviews).
“The narrators’ kinetic minds and engaging voices (in Alison Anderson’s fluent translation) propel us ahead.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Barbery’s sly wit . . . bestows lightness on the most ponderous cogitations.” —The New Yorker
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