Reading and Reviews (Black and Grafton)

I'm an author, but I'm also a reader. From time to time, I'llshare my reviews of present and past reads. My available time to read islimited because I write, but I love to curl up with a paperback or an eBook atnight for the last hour of my day. 

I tend to read what I write, but not exclusively. BesidesRomantic Suspense and mystery, I read crime and law novels, once in a while atrue story, WWII historicals, romance, and mainstream character driven books.

Here are some of the books I've read recently or in the not-too-distant past.Maybe you'll discover a new book or author. 

The Case of the Croaked Coach (Hannah White Mysteries, book1) by Susie Black 

There wasn’t an honest bone in BuzzBixby’s body. The Encino High School’s head football coach was anequal-opportunity scoundrel. Bixby cheated and lied his way to the top andscrewed anyone and everyone in his wake. So, the question wasn’t who wanted thebastard dead. The question was, who didn’t?

Student reporter Hannah White’s interview with the coach is a nonstarter whenshe discovers varsity football hero Dean Snyder standing over Bixby’s batteredcorpse holding a bloody trophy. Despite how guilty Dean looks, Hannah isconvinced he’s innocent. When Snyder is arrested for Bixby’s murder, thewise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to flesh out thereal killer.

But the trail has more twists and turns than a slinky, and nothing turns outhow Hannah thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent onrevenge. 

My Review 

Susie Black has launched a new cozymystery series with The Case of the Croaked Coach. At Encino High School, thehead football coach has collected quite a list of enemies. Who would like acheating scoundrel who lies, treats women badly, and steps on anyone who getsin his way? When he ends up dead, murdered, and one of the football players isthe prime suspect, student reporter, Hannah White is on the case…with a littlehelp from her lawyer Uncle B and a female private investigator whose smartmouth rivals Hannah’s.

I found Hannah a delight, and theseriousness with which she takes her position on the school paper fun. Theamateur sleuth in this series might be a high school student, but I’m convincedfrom this first book, this is a full-fledged cozy that will give mysteryreaders hours of entertainment. 

Ms. Black has established a cast ofcharacters that I’ll enjoy following in the next book and beyond.

 

Y is for Yesterday (A Kinsey MillhoneNove, book 25) by Sue Grafton 

In 1979, four teenage boys from anelite private school sexually assault a fourteen-year-old classmate—and filmthe attack. Not long after, the tape goes missing and the suspected thief, afellow classmate, is murdered. In the investigation that follows, one boy turnsstate’s evidence and two of his peers are convicted. But the ringleader escapeswithout a trace.
       
Now, it’s 1989 and one of the perpetrators, Fritz McCabe, has been releasedfrom prison. Moody, unrepentant, and angry, he is a virtual prisoner of hisever-watchful parents—until a copy of the missing tape arrives with a ransomdemand. That’s when the McCabes call Kinsey Millhone for help. As she is drawninto their family drama, she keeps a watchful eye on Fritz. But he’s not theonly one being haunted by the past. A vicious sociopath with a grudge againstMillhone may be leaving traces of himself for her to find... 

My Review 

It’s hard to find fault with anauthor who can crank out 25 novels around one detective, Kinsey Millhone. Andthis is the fourth book in the series I’ve read, but not in order, so I haveenjoyed them. I enjoyed this one too, but found a little trouble following thestoryline a few times. She uses a flashback technique to slowly reveal whatactually happened in 1979. So we hop between that and her investigation in1989. She also dropped in a villain who is after her from one of her othernovels. The problem could’ve been caused because I read in brief segments oftime before I go to bed…actually in bed. If I read for longer times, maybe Iwouldn’t have gotten lost. Regardless, it was an entertaining book. I’m sure I’lldrop back and read at least some of the others in the series.