A Blake Harte Mystery, Book 5 - Spotlight

Not gonna lie here - I see or hear the word "Spotlight," and I automatically start humming the tune to Madonna's song from the late '80s (1987, to be exact - my graduation year!). So, when I got the fifth Blake Harte mystery by Robert Innes and saw the title, well - let's just say, it brought a smile to my face. Obviously, the title and the story have absolutely nothing to do with Madonna or her song, but there isn't anything wrong with allowing something to bring some great memories to the forefront.

That being said, Spotlight is yet another of Innes' wonderful little impossible mysteries - only, instead of a locked room murder tale that he is so great at writing, this story finds our young Detective Sergeant figuring out what happened to a couple of drug dealers whose car he follows into a tunnel - but when he comes out the other side, Harte is shocked to discover the car never came out! And before you even think it - there was no hidden rooms, off-shoot tunnels, or hidden walls or floors within the tunnel. Nope, it was just your average, typical tunnel. So, then, you ask yourself - how in the world can an entire car that Harte and his new "partner" were following simply disappear? That is the whole premise for the fifth book in the Blake Harte series.

Harte is just beginning to settle into his new life with Harrison Baxter, and things appear to be looking up for the two of them, particularly after all of the hardships that Baxter has faced (see previous books for those stories). But, as always, life has other plans. Harte and his small police force have been feverishly trying to catch two local men who are dealing in drugs, but have been unable to do so. Detective Inspector Jacob Angel has called in someone to assist Harte - one Detective Alex Woolf, a hot-shot young detective from America. Younger than Harte, Woolf has quite the repuation, and Angel thinks Woolf is just the man to catch these drug dealers. The only problem is, Woolf is driving the car with Harte riding shotgun when they chase the two dealers on a rainy night into the darkened tunnel, only to emerge from the other side without the other car! How is that possible? Harte and Woolf saw the taillights of the car in front of them, they followed them into the tunnel, and for one split second lost sight of them - and that was all it took.

It's a new kind of "impossible" crime for Harte to solve, and Woolf's ego tends to get in the way. Unfortunately for Harte, Woolf isn't the only trouble he has to deal with, for without warning, Harte's parents show up on his doorstep! They were not aware of Harte's new partner, and his mother makes it clear that she wants him out of the way so that she can get Harte and his ex back together again. Tensions rise, and poor Harrison is trapped in the middle of everything - literally! As Harte gets closer to the truth, someone is determined to stop him from investigating, even if that means kidnapping Harrison.

Each of Innes' mysteries are fast-paced, drawing you in from the opening page and keeping you turning until the very end. The Blake Harte series is one of the very few series that, once I start the book, I can't put it down until I'm done. The characters are engaging and entertaining, and they are written in a way that you actually care about them. The mysteries are always quite the conundrum, and even when you think you have it figured out, Innes manages to throw some unexpected twists that make your jaw drop in surprise. In Spotlight, despite the fact that I had figured out who was involved in the deception, I was not at all ready for the reason or the heartbreaking revelation at the end regarding one of the dealers.

Of all of the mystery series that I read, I can honestly say that Robert Innes' Blake Harte series rates right up in the top three series that I would recommend to any mystery lover.  (And to emphasize the point, I went on Amazon a couple of weeks ago and ordered all of the rest of the books in the series that are currently in print!)

RATING:  10 discarded beer bottles out of 10 for never ceasing to amaze with the most puzzling murder mysteries that you just can't put down!

Short Lived Comic Series #11 - Brenda Starr, Reporter (Dell Comics)

Brenda Starr is a name that is likely familiar to you. The glamorous reporter had her own comic strip in the newspaper for many years, and she was also featured in several films, both on the big screen and the small screen. And while she had a couple of comic book series, the one I am focusing on for this blog posting is the shortest series of them all, published by Dell Comics back in 1963. Lasting all of one issue, Brenda Starr Reporter (Oct-Dec 1963) was written and drawn by the character's creator, Dale Messick.

It's funny - I used to never be one to read "romance" comics - I never found them appealing at all. As I've gotten older, I have found that my tastes have changed, and I've come to appreciate more than just your standard super hero comics. Sure, I like a big hero vs. villain battle; but, I've also come to really enjoy some well-told stories that center around the lives of everyday people who don't wear spandex, don't have super powers, and don't fight world-challenging battles. And while Brenda Starr may have a certain level of romance in it (the mysterious Basil St. John being her love interest), she is a reporter, and with that comes some rather dangerous and exciting situations.

I have both of Hermes Press's hardcover collections of Brenda Starr's various comic series, but the Dell Comics' only issue of Brenda Starr Reporter is the only actual Brenda Starr individual comic book that I own. And being that it is written and drawn by Brenda's creator, I feel like this is much more of a treasure than the reprint books.

As the cover so aptly totes, in this single issue, Brenda must sole the mystery of "The Poisoned Black Orchid." The story centers around a mysterious black orchid that is delivered to the City Room where Brenda Starr works a a reporter. Brenda collapses after opening the orchid, and soon enough, it is discovered that the orchid is not really black - someone sprayed it black, and its scent is enough to knock a person out!  Of course, the black orchid is a very important symbol for Brenda - it seems any time Basil St. John is in town, he sends her a black orchid, a very rare species of the orchid family, with a note of where to meet him. But when Brenda receives another black orchid at her apartment, she immediately takes it to the incinerator, assuming it is another fake. She fails to notice to card that falls to the ground - but someone else definitely notices, and Olga Volga thrills that her plan has worked!

It's part mystery (who sent the poisoned orchid, was the second orchid real or poisoned, and can Brenda discover who the mysterious woman is that was seen in the company of Basil St. John?), and part romance (will Basil think that Brenda has given up on him when she doesn't show for their rendezvous? will Olga Volga win his heart? and what will Brenda do when she discovers the wedding dress meant for her in Basil's empty apartment?), and all fun! Messick's story moves along rather quickly, and her art is somewhat exaggerated, but the facial expressions are so spot-on (just look at Teaser's and Twirl's expressions in the beginning of the story - you'd know what was going on even without any word balloons!).  The hairstyle, though?  Whoooo-boy, those woman has some bouffants, that's for sure! But, I'm guessing that was what was in style back then.

Having read the 12-issue series published prior to this by Superior Comics in the Hermes Press's collected edition, I can easily see there is a strong difference in storytelling and style between Messick's Brenda Starr and the stories told by other creators in the Superior Comics' run. Messick's Brenda is definitely more romance-oriented, and while she is still strong-willed and determined, her story is not so focused on the adventure and action end of things as the previous comic book series was.  Still, this one-hit wonder was a great read, and it's a shame Messick didn't do more.

RATING:  8 little frowzy looking wigs out of 10 for still holding up nearly 60 years after the fact - a female character comic book written and drawn by a female creator - a comic way ahead of its time!

Scarlet and Ivy, Book Four - The Lights Under the Lake

Mystery always seems to find Scarlet and Ivy (well, let's face it though - mystery seems to find any protagonist in a mystery series; I mean, after all, the books would not be much fun to read if there was not actual mystery to solve, now would they?), and a school field trip is no exception!  After rescuing Scarlet from being false imprisoned in a mental institution, after discovering Rose being hidden away behind the walls of their school, and after rescuing their dance teacher from a crazed kidnapper (not to mention fending off a dangerous headmistress while doing all of the foregoing), one would think these two girls deserve a break.  And what could be more relaxing than a weekend at a secluded lakeside hotel with the opportunity to explore nature?  Yeah, right - Friday the 13th, anyone?

The Lights Under the Lake finds Scarlet and Ivy, along with their best friend Ariadne and their new friend Rose, venturing away from Rookwood School on a school trip with their fellow classmates, their new headmistress (Mrs. Knight), the swimming instructor (Miss Bowler), and the prissy, bullying prefects (Elsie and Cassandra) who would like nothing more than to cause trouble for the twins and their friends. Needless to say, the mystery begins before the girls ever reach the Shady Pines Hotel, when Ivy notices a pair of headlights behind them that seems to be following them.  Is it her imagination, or is there someone following the busload of schoolgirls - and if so, why?

While the previous books centered around the school that the twins attended, this book has the perfect setting for a spooky mystery - a run-down, isolated hotel that seems to be haunted by ghosts (The Shining, anyone?). The only thing shining, however, are the strange lights that the girls see coming from underneath the water of the lake just outside the hotel. Were they simply a reflection, or is there something else going on? When the girls go on a hike and explore a cave with the help of a local man, Bob Owens, who gives them the grand tour. When they reach a large cavern, he has them all turn off their lights, and he tells them the gruesome story of what happened to the small village of Seren that used to be there. It seems one day a man showed up in town, telling all of the villagers that he had bought their property and they had to leave. He was building a dam and redeveloping the land, and the valley where the village of Seren was located would be flooded to create a resevoir. The people were forced to leave, and the water came pouring in, destroying all of the village, including the local church. And the graveyard next to the church, where long dead family members had been buried. And if you listen to the locals, they will tell you that those who were buried there have come back - they ring the church bell - and they light the church candles, creating lights under the lake...

Everyone scoffs at the idea of ghosts, but can they brush off the strange things happening at the hotel? A crucifix appearing on the wall that was not there moments before? Someone rummaging through all of the students' luggage? The hotel owner finding a soaking wet hymnal behind the desk? The strange sounds at night in the hall? When one of the prefects' necklaces goes missing, Rose suddenly becomes the target of all the blame. And when Ivy finds Rose wandering into another room at night, her clothes wet, she begins to doubt her friend's innocence - particular when those wet footprints lead up to the prefects' room, where someone has written a warning message in what appears to be blood!

Scarlet and Ivy (and Ariadne and Rose) must put their heads together to determine what is really going on at the hotel. And when Rose goes missing, and a fierce thunderstorm prevents anyone from leaving the hotel, the girls realize it is up to them to solve this case before Rose - or anyone else - gets hurt!

Sophie Cleverly definitely provides her best story yet in this fourth mystery.  Previous books gave readers insight into the secrets surrounding Scarlet and Ivy's family, but this time around, another character gets to shine, with revelations coming out that change the character - and how everyone sees her - going forward.  The story is well paced, and there are a number of suspects to keep the reader guessing until pretty close to the end (I'll admit, even I was stumped until about half-way through the book).  Each of the books in this series gets better and better, so I can hardly wait to see what the fifth and sixth books have in store!

RATING:  10 wind-up gramophones out of 10 for a suspenseful, thrilling mystery that is fun for any age to read!

Jackaby, the Fourth Novel - The Dire King

I love series books because every time I pick one up, it's like reconnecting with old friends. But the problem with some series, though, is that they come to an end.  It's always bittersweet when a series I likes comes to an end, because I hate knowing that this will be the last opportunity I will get to spend time with my "friends," but at the same time, I would much rather see a series end on a really high note than to have it continue with sub-par stories just for the sake of sales.  This is what I felt when I finally picked up the fourth, and final, Jackaby novel.  Knowing this was the conclusion of this four-book series, I have put off reading it - but at last, I finally took the plunge.

The Dire King finds Jackaby, Abigail, and all of their compatriots dealing with the after-effects of the last book.  The mythical creatures thought to be just stories have been brought to light, the townspeople are in fear, and the police are hunting down anyone suspected of being a creature and arresting them, under the guise of protecting the populace.  Jackaby's home is the only safe-haven, but there is only so much room to host everyone (despite its TARDIS-like interior that boasts a pond with vegetation in the attic).  Abigail's beloved Charlie, who is, himself, a were-creature, is on a mission of his own, so Abigail, with the assistance of Jenny the ghost, is doing everything she can to help everyone - even if that means having to feed the captured evil nixie on a daily basis.  A nixie who still claims that her father, the wannabe Dire King, is coming for her.

Author William Ritter gives readers his best work with this final novel in the Jackaby series.  The story is compelling and action-oriented from the get-go, as alliances are formed, enemy lines are drawn, and the seams between the world as we know it and the unseelie world are suddenly ripped asunder.  The dead are being brought back to life. Hatun has gone missing, possibly kidnapped. The evil nixie has disappeared. An enigmatic twain reveals how his life-partner sacrificed her own life to give life to another - and how that sacrifice has implications on the current events. Charlie's father and sister show up, demanding that he take his rightful place at the head of their clan. And a faithful priest shows up on Jackaby's doorsteps, aging hundreds of years before their very eyes with a very simple warning - the Dire King has the crown; the spear has been destroyed, but it can be remade; protect the shield!

It's Doctor Who meets Lord of the Rings, as Jackaby, Abigail, Charlie, and Jenny, joined by Hudson and a host of others, prepare for the final against the Dire King and his army of unseelie creatures.  Ritter provides plenty of twists and turns, a number of surprises, a few shocks, and a wholly unexpected (but perfect) ending to the tale of Jackaby and Abigail.  And, as with any war, there are some casualties, one hitting particularly close to home.  Hard choices are made, roles are reversed, and all of the old becomes new again.  And just when you think all hope is lost...well, that would be telling, now wouldn't it?  Let's just say that Ritter will bring you to tears - both in sadness and in joy.

I am so saddened to see this series come to a close, but at the same time, I am overjoyed at the wonderful four-part tale that Ritter has given us.  While each book can stand alone, there is an over-arching story that flows smoothly from one to the next, and by the conclusion of this book, he resolves all of the subplots, answers all of the questions, and opens up the potential for a whole new world for his cast of characters.  If you are going to end a series, this is definitely the way to do it!

RATING:  10 new sundries bags out of 10 for telling an amazing story that captivates, tugs at the heartstrings, thrills, and satisfies with every page!

The Book Case - An Emily Lime Mystery #1

Yet another new series!  I know, I know - I certainly have enough series that I read on a regular basis, so why am I adding another? Well, let's face it - the title is clever enough (The Book Case - so many meanings there!), a female protagonist, a mystery set in a boarding school, and a mystery involving books ("A break in. A librarian detective. A missing book with the key to it all." This tag line is a definite hook for mystery fans like me!). Add all of those up, and they equal a certain-to-be-entertaining mystery that I couldn't pass up. 

There is one thing I should clearly note up front - while the book is advertised as an Emily Lime Mystery - that is not exactly the case. While Emily Lime is in the book, and as the assistant librarian at St. Rita's School for Spirited Girls, she is most certainly involved in the mystery, she is not the true protagonist of the book. Daphne Blakeway, a young girl who was expelled from her last school and has come to St. Rita's on a scholarship to be the assistant assistant librarian, is the true protagonist of the tale. It is Daphne who the readers follow through the story, and it is Daphne who truly figures out the clues to ultimately solve the mystery (even though she is merely Emily's assistant-in-training for the school library).

Author Dave Shelton introduces his readers to the unusual and, in many cases, threatening and off-beat world of St. Rita's School for Spirited Girls, and the readers get to discover its oddities and eccentricities right along with Daphne.  Like the large crater in the driveway at the front of the school.  And the broken panes of glass in the second story windows, having been broken from the motorcycle incident (don't ask!).  And the peeling wallpaper throughout the hallways of the school. And the large hole in the floor of the girls' room upstairs that happened when Marion's cannonball fell threw it (again - don't ask!). And the magnificently large library, with a maze of bookshelves - - shelves that are all empty save for the nearly complete set of Smeeton Westerby mysteries by J.H. Buchanan (hardly proper reading material for already troubled girls - but that's a whole 'nother story...)

Oh, yeah, and there is the mystery, too...

It starts with something innocent enough - as Daphne is boarding the train that will take her to St. Rita's a mysterious stranger gives her a book to return to the school library - Scarlet Fury, a Smeetong Westerby mystery.  Unsure what to do, she takes it.  On the train however, she receives strange looks at the subject matter, so she trades the dust jacket with a children's book she has brought with her.  Oh, any mystery fan will tell you that is a huge signal that something is going to come of that - and sure enough, it does!  It seems someone is willing to break into St. Rita's, trash the library, and for what?  What are they looking for?  And what does Daphne's book have to do with it?  Of course, when a fellow student steals the Scarlet Fury book (well, not really, since she switched dust jackets, but, hey, that's all part of the fun of this mystery!), Daphne begins to realize that something is clearly important about that book.

Meanwhile, she has to prove herself to the assistant librarian, Emily Lime, in order to be taken on as the assistant-assistant librarian.  Plus, she has somehow endeared herself to pudgy George, who also helps out in the library.  Soon enough, it's Nancy, Bess and George...er, oops...I mean Emily, Daphne, and George (hey, at least I got one name right!) on the case, as they set a trap to try and capture the culprit who is breaking into the school.  And how in the world is a bank robbery connected to all of this?

Shelton writes a magnificent mystery with fun, eccentric, wacky, and all the time enjoyable characters that will keep every reader turning page after page to see just how all of this is going to turn out.  I just hope that Emily, Daphne, and George return for more mysteries, and this is not just a one-off story!

RATING:  10 scratched enamel badges out of 10 for creating a unique new sleuthing team that keeps reading mystery stories fun!

Zatanna and the House of Secrets - a DC Graphic Novel

This latest graphic novel for young readers by DC Comics is just further proof that DC is finally getting it right when it comes to comic books for kids.  The stories and art do not need to be childish and silly to be enjoyed by young readers - DC can still provide well-written stories with great art that kids will love, and Zatanna and the House of Secrets proves that comics CAN be for kids again!

Zatanna and the House of Secrets introduces readers to a young Zatanna and her father, Zatara. Zatanna has not yet come into her powers, and she thinks her father is just a stage magician who recites his "magic" words backwards - little does she realize the power those words have!  But this is much more than just a story about how Zatanna came into her powers. It's also a story about friendship. About loyalty. About growing older. About responsibility. There are definitely a lot of lessons learned in the story, but none of them are done in an "in your face" way of storytelling; rather, they just happen to be there as Zatanna herself grows throughout the story.

Now, for those who are continuity hounds, take note! This story is not set within the standard DC universe of comics. This story is a self-contained, all-in-one story in a universe that is clearly all on its own.  In this story, Zatara and his daughter Zatanna live in a house for which Zatara is the guardian. It is a house full of secrets, as Zatanna soon discovers when she disobeys her father and sneaks out to attend a party with some friends - and she takes along the rabbit she is supposed to be watching.  Only, someone is watching her!  Soon enough, Klarion the Witch Boy steals the key around the rabbit's neck, Klarion's mother takes over the house, and Zatara disappears!  What's a young witch who doesn't yet know she is a witch to do?

Writer Matthew Cody weaves a magical tale (pun intended!) about a young Zatanna coming into her own and learning exactly why her father speaks those words backwards when he performs his magical acts.  She also learns more about her family, her heritage, and a really huge secret about herself along the way.  Zatanna also discovers the importance of loyalty to her friends, as well as the responsibility of power, and with the help of Klarion, she manages to weave her way through the numerous halls and rooms of the House of Secrets in an effort to find her father.

Artist Yoshi Yoshitani provides a cartoon-style art that almost makes the reader feel as if he or she is watching a cartoon rather than reading a graphic novel.  The panels flow nicely one to the next, and while I personally prefer more realistic art for my comics, I found that I enjoyed Yoshitani's art for this story. Simple where it could be, but detailed and expressive where it needed to be.

I enjoyed the book quite a bit, and I could easily see this as a regular, ongoing series (or at the very least, a series of graphic novels).  With more stories along this line, I think DC could really improve its readership with the younger generations!

RATING:  10 Jimmy Stewart films out of 10 for providing good, clean, light-hearted comic reading for a whole new generation of fans!

Blackwater, Part I: The Flood

Back in the '80s, I remember this series of horror books that were published - Blackwater was the name, and the covers to the books were all black, with a different image on each cover that somehow tied into the title of that particular book. But what stood out the most for me was the fact that each cover had this ominous eye - just one eye, right smack in the middle of whatever image happened to grace that particular cover.  Now, this was well before Stephen King or V.C. Andrews or any of these other authors published a series of novellas that told one full story - no, author Michael McDowell did this way before any of these other authors thought of it.  He was the forerunner of the serialized horror tale, so to speak.  But, as fate would have it, I never picked them up as they came out, and they did not stay on the shelves long.  As the introduction to this collection I recently purchased so aptly puts it - these were published at a time when horror books had their own section of the bookstore, with numerous books appearing on the shelves and just as quickly leaving the shelves, never to be seen again.  But, for some reason, Blackwater always stuck with me, and since then, I've always kept an eye out for them in used book stores, but never came across them.

Until I stumbled across this full collected edition on Amazon....

The Flood, which is the first book in the series, introduces readers to the Caskey family, who reside in the small southern town of Perdido, which borders the Perdido River. . The Caskey family history is steeped deep in the annals of Perdido, and they hold a place of power within the town.  Everyone there knows the Caskeys. Mary-Love Caskey is the matriarch of the family - strong and controlling.  James Caskey is her brother, described as effeminate and weak, never quite able to control his drunken wife. Oscar Caskey is her son, who has always done everything his mother wanted. Until the day he and Bray (the family's servant) go paddling through town after the flood and discovery a lone survivor - a young woman trapped on an upper floor of a hotel. The only problem is, after they rescue her, Bray goes back for her belongings and notices something - the water stains on the walls of that hotel room are far above where the woman was capable of standing, even on top of the bed.

So, who exactly is Elinor Dammert?  That is the central question on everyone's mind in The Flood...

This first book in the series is not what you might think of as straight-forward horror. There is one rather bloody scene that I won't spoil for you (as it has a direct impact on the main characters), but otherwise, the horror in The Flood is more of a psychological nature, slowly building as the story unfolds. There is an intense power struggle that is evident between Mary-Love and Elinor, and it's pretty clear from the get-go that Elinor is going to gain the upper hand.  She takes on the job of a teacher when the current teacher leaves town suddenly.  She becomes a mother figure to James' daughter, Grace.  She proves more than strong enough to face-off against James' wife, Genevieve when she returns to Perdido.  She enthralls Oscar to the point where he asks her to marry him, despite his own mother's objections.  Bray seems to be the only one who truly sees through Elinor's façade, knowing that she is hiding something that could ultimately destroy them all.  And while Elinor has the uncanny ability to charm an entire community, her complete lack of fear of the Perdido River and the legends surrounding the monstrosity that lives beneath the whirlpool at the junction leaves one to wonder - does she know the legend is just that, a legend, and there is nothing there; or is it something far more sinister?

By the end of The Flood, the reader is familiar enough with all of the main cast (and even many of the supporting cast) to be thoroughly involved in their lives and with a burning desire to know what comes next. This is not a Friday the 13th or Annabelle or Frankenstein, or any other "typical" tale of horror and scares - at least, not yet.  I am definitely hooked, and I am curious to see where McDowell will take us on this journey with the Caskey family and the enigmatic Elinor Dammert...

RATING:  9 family jewels raining down from the ceiling out of 10 for proving that psychological terror can be much more frightening than the bloody-slasher kind any day of the week!