Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #55 - Mystery of Crocodile Island

Okay, so with this whole pandemic thing, we've had to place our Central Florida Sleuths get-togethers on hold. However, with Barnes & Noble open again, and the coffee shop back to having tables and chairs, we decided to have a small get-together - and I figured what better way to start things off than to read one of the mysteries set in Florida! I have not read this 55th book in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories since it first came out back in 1978 (yes, I'm that old!), so quite honestly, I didn't recall very much from it (in fact, I had thought it was set in the everglades, but it turns out it was set in the Keys!).  Thus, it was almost like reading it for the first time again.

Mystery of Crocodile Island was published back in 1978. It was written by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, who, at this point, had been writing the books for over twenty years.  By the end of the run of books published by Grosset & Dunlap (who stopped publishing them with book 56, at which point, Simon & Schuster took over with books 57 and on), the stories were becoming a bit more unusual.  The Crooked Banister, Mystery of the Glowing Eye, The Sky Phantom, etc.  In this book, however, Nancy and her friends travel down to "Crocodile Island" down in the Florida Keys to investigate the crocodile farm in which one of Carson Drew's clients is a partner.  The man believes his two partners in Florida are doing something untoward, and he wants Nancy to find out what it is.  This premise sounds straight-forward enough.  Yeah, well, don't let appearances deceive you!

SPOILER ALERT!

SPOILER ALERT!

If you don't want to be spoiled on the mystery, then read no further.  If you've already read the book, or if you don't mind spoilers, then go ahead and keep reading.

While the mystery is set on Crocodile Island and peripherally references crocodiles that the girls do see on the island and at a local family's home zoo (yes, this family actually has their own zoo at their home!), the mystery itself has nothing to do with crocodiles - although Nancy, Bess, and George first believe it does.  It seems this endangered species is not quite as valuable to the criminals as ... are you ready for this? ... smuggling cameras into Mexico.  Yes, that's right.  The big mystery here is that the business partners Roger Gonzales is so worried about are actually using the crocodile farm as a front to smuggle cameras out of the United States and into Mexico, where they are making a huge profit selling them.  And what's even more surprising is that they are using a submarine to do it!  A huge tanker ship brings crates of the cameras down the Atlantic from Connecticut to the Keys, where they dump the crates into a small watercraft used by the island in the dead of night, and then the crates are then emptied into the waiting submarine that lies silently in the waterways around the island before taking off to Mexico to sell the wares.

Okay, now forgive me for not being overly knowledgeable about this, but was smuggling cameras out of the United States really such a big thing in the late '70s?  Did Mexico have such a hard time getting cameras that they had to buy them from the black market at inflated prices to give criminals a steady income?  Drug smuggling, I can see.  Even human trafficking I can believe (I certainly don't like, approve, or condone it - in fact, it's down right inhuman and the traffickers should be taken down at all costs!!!).  But smuggling cameras?  That makes no real sense and comes out of left field in the story!  There's no references whatsoever to stolen cameras or missing shipments from up North, or anything?  I mean, if somewhere in there, Nancy or one of her friends had read an article or heard a news report about a shortage of cameras or police investigating the thefts from a camera manufacturing plants, then at least the seeds for the story would have been planted.  But, no, there's nothing.

So, while Rudy Nappi gives us a great, spooky cover with Nancy getting ready to feed a crocodile with someone watching her in the background, inside readers get a story about a group of men who are using forced labor (with the very threat of their lives if they leave the island or tell anyone!) to help cover up their camera smuggling operation.  For me, I would have much rather had the mystery been the illegal selling of crocodiles to private collectors, or maybe even the criminals trying to pass of alligators as crocodiles or some such - something at all related to the crocodiles themselves.  I think that might have made for a much more interesting tale.  Instead, the only dangerous instance we get is when Nancy does try to feed a crocodile in that home zoo and gets a little too close for comfort, barely jumping out of the pen before one gets its teeth in her!

Now, that's not all to say there aren't some good points to the story.  As Adams so often did with her stories, there was some educational information in the book, as Carson explains to the girls the differences between alligators and crocodiles. And for the first time that I can ever recall in a Nancy Drew book, she actually speeds well over the speed limit - going seventy in a fifty-five mile per hour zone! (p. 119) However, in true Nancy Drew fashion, as soon as she explains that she was chasing some criminals, the officer just lets her off with a warning and informs her he will go back to the station with the information she has provided.  Would it be that we could all get out of a ticket so easily!

I do love the fact that on page 2, George is described as a "vivacious dark-haired girl with a winning smile..." Don't know that I've ever seen George described as "vivacious" before, but hey - you go, girl! Another scene that made me laugh out loud was on page 104 - while playing a game of catch with a ball of seaweed, Bess accidentally overthrows, and it ends up landing on a sunbather.  When Bess sees the man, she thinks to herself, "He's old and fat and bald-headed...I hope he won't try to get too friendly." Wow, talk about judgmental! Usually the derogatory descriptions are saved for the villains, but not in this case.

Mystery of Crocodile Island is a quirky book, and aside from the whole camera thing, it was a fun little read.  Let's see if it takes me another 40 years before I pick it up and read it again...

RATING:  6 bobby-pins and nail-files for lock-picking out of 10 for trapping Nancy and Ned in a submarine with two rough-and-tough villains with no way to escape!

The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter - the First Extraordinary Adventure of the Athena Club

The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter is a book I had seen on the shelf of the science fiction department in Barnes & Noble on several occasions, and I had even picked it up and read the description on the back at least once. Invariably, though, I always put it back on the shelf, as I found other books in series I already collect to buy. Recently, though, I found nothing else to buy, and - well, let's face it - I can't go into a Barnes & Noble and walk out without at least one book! So, I picked up this first book in the Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club and figured I would give it a shot.  Boy, oh boy, am I sure glad that I did!

Theodora Goss has a definitely hit on her hands with this series! The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter is a unique romp in a world populated with numerous fictional characters from various classic monster tales throughout the years (as well as a very popular British detective and his physician sidekick)! I knew the story was about Mary Jeckyll, the daughter of the infamous Dr. Jeckyll, and how she sets out to find her father's assistant, one Edward Hyde, in order to earn the reward for his capture. What I did not realize was that this adventure would lead Mary to discover a sister in Diana Hyde, the daughter of Edward Hyde, and comrades and fellow "monsters" of sorts in Beatrice Rappaccini (a girl who breathes poison, the daughter of medical researcher Dr. Giacomo Rappaccini); Catherine Moreau (a puma turned into a human girl by the mad scientist Dr. Moreau); and Justine Frankenstein (the female creation of the crazed surgeon, Dr. Victor Frankentsein). After rescuing Diana from a society set on reforming ladies of the evening, saving Beatrice from a scientist exploiting her deadly condition, and gathering Catherine and Justine from a traveling circus, Mary finds that the four young women become an important part of her life and invites them to stay in her home - and thus is born the Athena Club!

Goss integrates a number of the supporting characters from the various classics - from Renfield to Edward Prendick, among others - thus remaining true to the source material, while expounding greatly on the lives of these young women who, in the original classics, are cast aside and made to be of much less import than their male counterparts.  Goss empowers these five monstrous women, giving each of them strong, yet differing, personalities that play well off of each other, and allowing their non-human natures to add to their character, not detract.  As for the mystery itself - even though Sherlock Holmes is there to offer his insight and observations, the story follows Mary and her friends as they hunt down clues as to her father, Mr. Hyde (who she is only just beginning to suspect may be one and the same with her father), and the Societe ds Alchimistes (a/k/a Alchemist Society), who are conducting horrific experiments on women in an effort to further the evolution of mankind. There are plenty of lies, plenty of close calls, a kidnapping or two, some bodacious brawls, and an explosive climactic confrontation with the villains of this tale - basically, there is enough craziness throughout the entire book to keep the reader thoroughly engaged!

And one thing Goss does that was at first a bit jarring, but eventually became a narrative tool that I grew to enjoy was the interjections by the characters throughout the story. You see, in the story, Catherine is "writing" this adventure, and the other characters are providing their thoughts and insights as to what happened along the way, to help her as she writes the story.  Thus, throughout the entire book, there are sudden interjections by Mary, Diana (and boy, does she interrupt!), Justine, Beatrice, and even Mrs. Poole and Alice (the housekeeper and the scullery maid), commenting on the story, correcting Catherine's descriptions, and outright contradicting the dialogue and facts written down by Catherine in the story.  These interruptions further develop the characters and provide the reader with greater insight into the girls' relationships with one another, as well as their own personalities and quirks.    By the end of the book, I found that I enjoyed the interjections just as much as the story itself.  Definitely a unique way of telling the story - hope she continues in this format with the other books in the series.

Another thing I must make note of - on page 115, when Mary and Diana are off to rescue Beatrice, the girls come across shelves of jars containing various body parts - and one of them is labeled: "BRAIN OF CHARLES BABBAGE, MATHEMATICIAN."  Now, I would likely not have known this name had it not been for Chris Riddell and his "Goth Girl" series, for in that series, there is a Dr. Babbage, who is an inventor who is trying to create a calculating machine, and who in real life, was a mathematician, inventor, philosopher, and mechanical engineer.  I smiled, when I realized that the old saying really is true - the more you read, the more you know!

If there is anything that truly sums up the absurdity (in a good - no, a GREAT way) of this book, it is the last paragraph of Chapter XII, which reads: "Catherine was already supporting Justine on one side, and she would need to support Justine on the other, since Diana was too short and Mrs. Poole wasn't strong enough to help the Giantess upstairs. And Beatrice, of course, was poisonous. No, Mary's life was definitely no longer ordinary..."

RATING:  10 heavy brass watch fobs out of 10 for an entirely new vision of mystery, sci-fi, and horror all rolled into one with strong female protagonists who can definitely hold their own!

Goldie Vance GN - Volume Five - Larceny in La La Land

Okay, this is it - my 500th post on this blog!  (Well, technically, it is my 501st post, but since the first post was not a book review, but more-or-less an introduction, I don't really count it.)  When I first started this blog, I don't think I ever imagined in August 2015 when I started this blog that five years later I would have read 500 books/comics/graphic novels - that averages out to about 100 per year. Wow, that's a lot of reading! So many have been so good, a few have been pretty bad, and some have been redeemable. But, above all else, I am thankful to my mother who got me started with my love of reading - it has opened an entire world (worlds, really!) to me and has taught me so much in terms of grammar, spelling, history, geography, and so much more.  Without books, I know I would never be where I am today!

 

So, that brings us to my next reading venture - the fifth Goldie Vance graphic novel by BOOM! Studios.  While I miss the regular monthly issues of the ongoing series that got cancelled after only 12 issues (and three stories), I am glad that BOOM! has seen fit to continue the series in the graphic novel format.  I am rather surprised, though, that the creators (Hope Larson and Brittney Williams) have stepped back and allowed other writers and artists take over the series.  While Williams does provide the cover for this fifth graphic novel, Jackie Ball provides the story and Mollie Rose provides the interior art - and Ball and Rose do a wonderful job of carrying on the legacy started by Larson and Williams and remain true to the characters, settings, and mysteries.

 

"Larceny in La La Land" finds Goldie heading off to California with her friend Cheryl and her girlfriend Diane - Cheryl has an internship at the Jet Propulsion Lab, while Diane has a summer gig shadowing Daryl Belchera. Goldie, on the other hand, is going out there with her mother, who has been called out as a consultant due to the movie filmed at her mother's Mermaid Club (which was a very nice reference to the recent book that came out, The Hotel Whodunnit, a review of which can be found elsewhere on this blog!). So, California, here we come...and a reunion with Goldie's old nemesis-turned-friend, Sugar Maple!

Goldie and her friends, of course, do all of the typical tourist things, but soon the others are caught up in their work, leaving Goldie on her own. As chance would have it, Goldie happens to spot a female detective chasing a criminal - and when the detective loses her hat, Goldie sees it as an opportunity to get involved in yet another mystery!  Goldie just happened to be taking photos at the time she saw the chase, and she happened to get a photo of the license plate of the car that the man the detective was chasing drove off in, and she happened to be able to track down the owner of that license plate, as well as the address of the owner - so, when she shows up at Del Avery's office with her hat, she also manages to talk her way into becoming Avery's assistant - especially when a well-to-do woman shows up asking for their help in finding out who stole a precious pair of tap shoes (not worth much, but the sentimental value is worth more).

Ball provides a great little mystery involving a string of stolen items that leads Goldie and Avery on a chase through the upper class of Hollywood and the forgotten stars of the silent film age. It seems a number of silent film stars have had items of sentimental value stolen, and Goldie, with a fresher, younger point of view, manages to point Avery in the direction to find the clues needed to solve the case. There are plenty of twists and connections among the characters, and, of course, there is a big climax with a plan to set-up the thief and wins Goldie the respect of a hardened detective who originally told Goldie she had absolutely no interest in teen detectives (because she used to be one herself!).

Rose's art, while not a mirror image of Brittney Williams' art, does maintain the same simple, almost-cartoon style art that works so well for this series.  As I read the story, my mind basically "saw" it as an animated film, making me realize that this series would make a wonderful series of animated movies (even if only direct-to-DVD) - I think they would sell pretty well to the younger audience as a family-friendly series of movies.  Maybe, one day...

No word yet on whether a sixth graphic novel is in the works, but my fingers and toes are crossed!

RATING:  10 cups of steaming hot rocket fuel out of 10 for proving that the innocence of yesteryear provides the perfect setting for some great mystery and detective stories!

The Fouth Goth Girl Novel - Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony

Young Ada Goth returns for her fourth (and final?) adventure in Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony. Author Chris Riddell has given readers an amazing series, both in his writing and his beautiful art throughout each book, and it would truly be a sad thing to see this series come to an end.  But, if this is the end, at least Riddell wraps it up nicely and gives Ada an unexpected surprise that she truly deserves.

 

From the first book in this series, Ada has been struggling to fit in, trying to garner the attention of her always-distracted father, and working hard to grow up without a mother.   She has had to deal with a ghostly mouse, a crazed cook-off, and a ludicrous literary dog show - and now her father has opened the doors to Ghastly-Gorm Hall once again - this time, for a music festival! It's Gothstock, a festival of new music! Maltravers (who, Ada is sure, has his own agenda with this whole thing) is organizing the various musical talents to perform at the festival, and people from all over are on their way to camp out on the spacious Dear Deer Park (yes, that's what it is called, because it is where all the dear deer roam freely) to enjoy the festival. Ada isn't sure what to make of her father's latest project, but that becomes the least of her concerns when she gets two very unexpected surprises...

First, she finds a young fawn sleeping in her closet (he's used to sleeping in wardrobes - those who enjoy reading might figure out what reference Riddell is making here! And, of course, if that is not enough of a clue, how about the young lion cub named Alsatian and the old wardrobe left abandoned in a lonely part of the great Ghostly-Gorm mansion)...

Second, her grandmother, Lord Goth's mother, the one and only Lady Carole, has come for a visit, and she's brought with her three eligible young ladies who are vying for Lord Goth's attention - there's Mademoiselle Badoit; Miss Highland Spring; and Miss Malvern...

Ada and her friends (the Attic Club, including Emily, William, Ruby, Arthur, and Kingsley) aren't really sure what to make of the three potential partners for Ada's father. Quite frankly, Ada isn't too fond of any of them - so she and Emily come up with their own schemes to make them as unattractive as possible to her father.  Thankfully, Lady Carole has brought her own seamstress - the ever-so-talented Tailor Extremely-Swift (yes, yes, the pun is very blunt with this one) - who quickly becomes friends with Ada.

The mystery pretty much plays second-fiddle (no pun intended there) to the outlandish characters - from the various musicians to the silly attendees; Riddell pulls out all of the stops to ensure that the reader giggles, smile, groans, rolls his/her eyes, and outright laughs at the names, descriptions, and antics of these characters. Riddell even pokes a bit of fun at our POTUS, with the orange-faced guest by the name of Donald Ear-Trumpet, whose hair looks like a raccoon-skin hat and who has the tiniest of hands! No one and nothing is off-limits to Riddell's humorous takes on literary, musical, and otherwise famous (and infamous!) people, so if you love to read at all, you will find the Goth Girl series to definitely be to your liking.

The novel ends in the most wondrous way, and fans of Ada Goth will be more than pleased with her change in circumstances. (The ending also pretty much confirms the conclusion of the series, sadly, but I would much prefer for Riddell to wrap up the series than to try and force out more stories when he doesn't really have any more to tell...).  It's been a fun run, and to Riddell, I give the highest praise for a series well-done!

RATING:  10 dinner served by The Frying Scotsman out of 10 for good, clean, fun reading that brings a true smile to your face!

A Nicky & Noah Mystery, No. 4 - Drama Luau

The drama returns in the fourth Nicky & Noah mystery, Drama Luau, by Joe Cosentino.  This series has been a real hoot to read, and each book can always be counted on to not only make you giggle, but at the same time tug at your heart strings - and none more than this one!  Cosentino pulls out all the stops for this one, and by the end of the book, you'll be sitting there with your jaw dropped and your mind reeling!

Drama Luau takes our intrepid sleuths to Hawaii for a magical honeymoon. Of course, their theater department head, Martin, and his husband, Ruben, come along for a vacation of their own. As luck would have it (whether that's good luck or bad luck is the real question!), the hotel where they are staying happens to need someone to take charge of their luau show. Nicky has no qualms about taking over the production, and with his beloved by his side coaching the dancers on their characters, there can be no doubt the show will be a huge success!  At least, that's what the hotel manager is counting on.  Until one of the dancers falls down dead on opening night, just as the show ends.  And then his body disappears!  What happened to him? How did he die? Who could have killed him? And where in the world did his body go?  It seems no one saw anything - none of the dancers, nor the guests, and the two police detectives sent in to investigate begin to question if there even was a murder...

 

Cosentino provides his usual dose of humor, irony, and fun-filled acting antics as everyone - from Nicky to Noah to Martin to Ruben - gets in on the drama and takes an important role in helping to crack the case. Because one disappearing dancer may be pure chance. Two disappearing dancers, a coincidence, perhaps. But, three? Well, by that time, there can be no doubt that someone is murdering the hula dancers, and if Nicky and Noah don't find out who it is, their show may be shut down - permanently!  Cosentino provides plenty - and I do mean PLENTY - of suspects for this one. There is the waiter who has always wanted to be a dancer and would do just about anything to get a part in the show ... there is the Senator and her husband, who own the hotel, whose hatred of gays is just about as strong as their proclivity for sexual deviance with the dancers ... there is the hotel housekeeper who blames the dancers for the death of her daughter ... there is the hula dancer who is tired of being held back and wants to move up the ladder to lead dancer ... there is the manager's daughter, who has been keeping some secrets of her own ... and then there is the charismatic preacher who hosts weekly gatherings for his congregation at the hotel, preaching intolerance against gays, immigrants, poor people, and basically anyone who is different.

 

 Oh, and yes, then there is little Taavi - the housekeeper's young grandson, the son of her deceased daughter. No, he's not a suspect. He is, however, a persistent little fellow who endears himself to Noah (and eventually Nicky) and ends up playing a big role in their lives - much bigger than either of them ever expected!

The mystery has plenty of twists and turns, and while the identity of the killer may not be too much of a surprise, the ultimate goal of the killers comes as quite a shock - certainly not something that is typical of many murder mysteries, and while a bit over-the-top, even for a comical mystery series like this, it pushes the envelope just a bit too far.  And while I'm on the topic of things that didn't exactly work so well in this book, Cosentino's constant use of the phrase "try saying that three times fast" every time there is an alliteration gets overused way too much in this book. It begins to feel like the author is purposely throwing in the alliterations, just to use that line as a running gag - unfortunately after three or four times, it starts to fall flat and takes away from the story rather than adding any humor to it.  Cosentino's dialogue and overly dramatic characters provide humor naturally, there's no real reason to force anything else into it for the sake of getting a laugh or two.

However, the book overall was still a fun read, and the adventures of Nicky and Noah are sure to please any mystery fan.  

 

Oh, and before I forget, there are a few truly noteworthy moments in the book that are worth mentioning - the first on page 22 when there are not only references to all of the previous murders that Nicky solved, but also Martin's observation that "Nicky, with all the murders of students at Treemeadow, it's a wonder any student will come to the college.  When the students cheer at graduation, it's because they've gotten through their four years alive!"  Any series that can poke fun of itself like that gets some big kudos from me!  Then, later, when Nicky and Noah contact their parents, the first question out of both sets' mouths is, "So, how's the murder investigation coming" - because, as they quickly point out, anywhere Nicky and Noah go, murder is bound to follow!

RATING:  7 seahorses made of coral, algae, and jellyfish venom out of 10 for finding the most unusual and possibly sickening reason for murdering people of any mystery I've read to date!

Her Name is Savage - a Graphic Novel

So, apparently back in 1968, comic book artist Gil Kane (known to me for his work on the Green Lantern series by DC Comics) created, drew, and published a one-issue, digest-sized comic called "His Name is Savage."  The story centered around an espionage agent named Savage who has to stop a crazed villain from starting World War III.  I had never heard of this comic or character (although I had heard of the character Doc Savage, who is no relation whatsoever) when I came across this graphic novel in an issue of Previews not so long ago.  Her Name is Savage! The title caught my eye (since I love hard-hitting female leads), and the cover showing a dark-haired woman jumping out towards the reader, firing her gun with bullet holes shattering what looks to be glass (or perhaps the actual cover to the comic).  She reminded me so much of another favorite of mine (Ms. Tree) that I had to get it.

Written by Katie Batchelor and Shane Riches and drawn by Jesus Antonio Hernandez Portaveritas, Her Name is Savage! is the story of a tough-as-nails female espionage agent known only as "Savage" - and she definitely lives up to that name. While the story opens with her apparently trying to protect an orphanage in the Ukraine, as it progresses, the reader quickly learns that there is much more to Savage's ultimate goal than meets the eye.  Everything she does seems to come back to the Naude family, who have their hands in more illegal operations than one can imagine. Savage has ties to that family, and every move she makes, every action she takes is carefully calculated to bring the head of the Naude empire out in the open. Nothing Savage does is by chance.

Batchelor and Riches give readers a truly wild ride of adventure with this story - every time you think you know what Savage has planned, you (along with the characters in the story) discover that Savage has deeper ulterior motives and that she has been moving people and situations around like chess pieces to achieve her ultimate goal.  But despite that tough exterior, Savage has a soft side (although she doesn't necessarily like it), and she'll do whatever it takes to protect her friends.

I could easily see this as more than just a graphic novel, but as an ongoing series.  The character is strong and likeable, the tales of espionage and danger are certainly stories that would appeal to a lot of comic readers, and the art by Portaveritas fits nicely with Batchelor and Riches' narrative.  In fact, with the writing and art combined, the graphic novel has a very cinematic feel to it - no unnecessary, drawn out back stories; the pages and panels move the story at a fast pace to keep the action going; and while the story itself is constantly weaving this way and that, it is easy to follow and keeps the reader turning page after page.  (And that three-page "origin" story at the end of the graphic novel makes for a nice "post-credit" scene!).  Plus, I have no doubt the writers could come up with plenty of evil villains for Savage to take down (after all, let's face it - the world has plenty of evil men and women in the criminal underworld that need someone like Savage to take them out).

Unshakable. Irrepressible. Undefeatable.  Savage.  She definitely lives up to her name!

RATING:  9 pacifiers left behind out of 10 for a new, strong female lead that without a doubt can carry her own book!

Craven Manor - some secrets are better left forgotten ...

Although I rarely pick up books that are not part of a series, sometimes one catches my eye that I just can't walk away from.  Craven Manor, by Darcy Coates (whose two-book House of Shadow series I thoroughly enjoyed) is one of those. Supernatural. Gothic. Horror. These are story elements that I absolutely love, ever since I started reading Nancy Drew as a child and fell in love with Dark Shadows as a pre-teen. So, any time I am at a book store, I always check out the horror/Gothic books to see if anything stands out. This particular book caught my attention for one simple reason - the protagonist in the story is a man.

That may seem like an odd reason, but the fact of the matter is that most Gothic stories feature a young woman as the lead character; usually, the man in the story is her love interest who has a dark history and whose entanglement with the supernatural elements of a particularly forlorn palatial estate create fear and nightmares for the young woman.  In Craven Manor, however, a young man by the name of Daniel Kane takes the place of the young woman. Yet, instead of also switching the gender of the dark, brooding man of the manor, Coates maintains the mysterious, enigmatic man as the lord of the manor.  Which raised the question in my mind: is this a Gothic tale with an underlying male/male romance?  So, I bought the book to find out.

Craven Manor opens with young Daniel Kane at the end of his rope.  Formerly homeless, young Daniel has found a temporary home with his cousin, Kyle, who, it is easy to see, is taking advantage of him. Daniel, who has been floating from job to job on pretty much a daily basis, barely scraping by and rarely having enough money to eat, has a kind heart, and usually gives some of his much-needed money to his neighbor, Mrs. Kirshner, who is worse off than him. But one day, Daniel finds an envelope with his name on it lying on the linoleum floor just inside the front door. Inside the envelope, he finds the most unusual invitation - someone by the name of "Bran" is offering him a job as the groundskeeper for Craven Manor.  Daniel has no idea who "Bran" is and he has never heard of Craven Manor.  He doesn't know what to think - but when his cousin moves someone new into the apartment, kicking Daniel out of his room and putting him on the couch, he decides to take Bran up on his offer, since it comes with a small cottage on the grounds of Craven Manor, where Daniel can live for free.

Coates' description of the decaying mansion that is Craven Manor is so vivid that you can not only picture the peeling wallpaper and chipping stones, but you can hear the sound of dry leaves crunching underfoot and you can smell the decay and disuse within each room.  The crows that seem to always be present just outside the manor's front doors ... the black cat that seems to watch Daniel's every move ... the disconcerting painting of the young girl who Daniel discovers to have died so very tragically ... the locked room that Daniel has been instructed to never EVER open under any circumstances ... and the fact that Daniel has never met his benefactor, but instead gets all of his instructions through envelopes left on the foyer floor of the manor (and he receives payment each week in the form of two very old and very unique gold coins) ... so many mysteries, so many questions, but for inexplicable reasons, Daniel feels drawn to the manor.

As with any good Gothic tale, the manor has a sordid and sad history, filled with death and supernatural horror.  The Myrick family built Craven Manor - but the last of the family to reside in the manor met with a horrifying end - the daughter, Annalise, was thought to be a witch because of a rare disease she had, and she was burned alive (her remains kept in a small mausoleum, which becomes Daniel's first job to clean up); the mother was believed to be slowly going insane and ultimately was killed; and the son - well, the son was sent away to boarding schools, kept away from the house and the family, and upon his return, he discovered the horrible things that had happened to his family.  And when Daniel finally has the opportunity to meet his benefactor face-to-face, he discovers the unbelievable truth - Bran Myrick is the son that came home over a century before!

Coates never truly allows the reader to get too comfortable, because just like with poor Daniel, it's hard to determine what the truth is.  Is the story told by the barkeep in town about what happened with the Myrick family and the nearby town that has disappeared because of the horrors that occurred the truth? Or is the sad, heartbreaking tale told by Bran himself about his sister's untimely death and the curse placed upon his family the truth?  Or is it somewhere in-between?  And who is being kept locked away in that tower room, who Daniel catches mere glimpses of now and again?  And why must Daniel keep his cottage locked up tight with all the curtains drawn every night?  What lurks in the darkness of the estate's grounds at night, tapping on the door and windows of the cottage, trying to get in? And what will truly be unleashed is Daniel unlocks that tower door?

It is interesting to note that aside from Daniel's neighbor, Mrs. Kirshner, there are no women in the book (while, no living women I should say!).  The cast consists completely of men - Daniel, his cousin Kyle, the new roommate Fletch, the barkeep, Bran, the delivery man Joel, and Joel's father. And maybe it was just me looking too much into it, but during the first meeting of Daniel and Joel, there is an underlying sexual tension between the two men that made me think something was going to eventually come of it. Both men felt there was something unnatural about the manor and the means by which Bran chose to communicate with his hired help; they seemed somewhat awkward with each other (the same way two men might act when the first meet each other and feel an instant attraction); and the fact that before he left, Joel made sure he gave Daniel his phone number in case he needed anything - well, it just felt natural that these two would eventually express their feelings for one another - particularly since there is absolutely no mention anywhere in the book that either of these men has ever had a girlfriend or even expressed any feelings for the opposite sex!  Then there is the strange relationship between Daniel and Bran.  When Daniel finally meets his employer and, even more, when he discovers exactly what Bran is, he finds himself facing conflicting feelings of whether to trust the man or run away.  He chooses to stay (obviously), and the hurt he feels each time he thinks Bran has betrayed him or lied to him easily leads the reader to believe that Daniel is developing more than just feelings of friendship for Bran.

Maybe I am just projecting my own ideas into the story, but I really kept hoping Coates would explore either (or both!) of those potential relationships - and, perhaps, in her own subtle way, she did acknowledge this with the ending.  Maybe, just maybe, playing down the romantic side of things and emphasizing the dark supernatural horror of the story was a way Coates allows her readers to take the story in the manner of their own choosing, so as to allow readers to find their own satisfaction and enjoyment with the direction the story takes.  In any event, this book was truly a magnificent read, a definitely different take on the standard Gothic trope, and one that I hope to see more of in the future!

RATING:  10 old tin cans of Spam out of 10 for spinning a new twist on the Gothic horror tale and giving me a truly superb story of supernatural suspense!

Doctor Who, the 10th Doctor with Donna Audio Book - Volume 3.3 - The Creeping Death

I recently took a trip up to Jacksonville with a friend to visit the Chamblin Book Mine (a huge, huge, HUGE used book store).  Normally, I have the radio blaring, but with my friend in the car - someone who also happens to be a big Doctor Who fan, and who loves Donna Noble nearly as much as me! - we decided to listen to the third of the three 10th Doctor/Donna Noble audio stories.  The two hour trip there and return trip home gave us plenty of time to enjoy this latest story of my favorite Doctor/companion pairing.

The Creeping Death, written by Roy Gill, takes the Doctor and Donna to London in the early 1950s. Donna is hoping to have a vacation, but as it always turns out, the TARDIS has other plans for the Doctor and his companion! The Doctor and Donna arrive in London to find it enveloped with a deadly smog, so thick one can barely breathe. Donna is ready to go back into the TARDIS and head for someplace sunny and relaxing, but the Doctor knows they were pulled to this place and time for a reason - and anyone who knows the Doctor knows he will never pass up the chance to right a wrong, fix a problem, or help out those in need. So, off he goes, and before you can say, "Wait a minute," the the Doctor and Donna get separated in the ever swirling smog that makes it nearly impossible to see where you are going.

The Doctor meets up with young Ivy Clark, who works in a movie theater. But something strange has happened in there, and Ivy is crying out for help.  The Doctor can't help himself, and he runs to investigate, only to find the theater filled with dead people - all of whom seem to have died of suffocation.  Ivy tells the Doctor that things came into the theater - tiny, like insects - and killed all of those people. And when those shadowy things show up again, with their buzzing, the Doctor and Ivy do the one thing the Doctor does best - they run!

Meanwhile, Donna bumps into someone of her own - literally!  As she searches for the Doctor, a gentleman by the name of Terry Hopkins knocks into Donna, as he doesn't see her in the smog.  After a rather rocky start, Donna comes to like Terry (not in that way!) and joins him as he heads off to meet Richard Cooper, who just so happens to be his boyfriend (shhhh!  don't say that too loud - after all, it's only 1952, and their love is not something people of that time take too kindly to!).

It isn't long before circumstances reunite the Doctor and Donna and bring Ivy, Terry, and Richard, along with an overly dramatic stage actress named Alice and an out-of-shape vacuum salesman named Malcolm together at the bus station, where they find themselves trapped against an unknown enemy who seems intent on killing more people.  But the Doctor has a plan - he's ALWAYS got a plan - and soon enough, the survivors from the bus station (you don't really think I'm going to give things away, do you?) head over to the local museum for a final confrontation with these alien smog creatures (and before you ask - no, it is not those crab-like creatures from the Martha Jones season).  The final confrontation is serious, but fun, with plenty of danger and excitement, and provides a spectacular ending in true Doctor Who fashion!

Gill has a very firm grip on the characters of the 10th Doctor and Donna Noble - their dialogue and actions are so consistent with the television show that this feels very much like a missing episode from series 4 of the new Doctor Who.  The sound effects and music do not overpower the dialogue, as a previous audio or two have done in the past, and it makes for much easier listening and much greater enjoyment of the story.  Of all the Doctor/Donna audios to date, this one could very well be my favorite so far.

Now, to patiently wait for the Donna Noble solo audio stories to come out...

RATING:  10 glowing rocks from outer space out of 10 for continuing the adventures of Donna Noble's time with the Doctor in such a wonderful way!

The Virginia Mysteries, Book 8 - Escape from Monticello

It's back to Virginia with the eighth installment of this mystery series for children by Steven K. Smith. As the series has progressed, so has Smith with his writing, his characterization, and his ability to weave more complicated mysteries with more dangerous elements to them.  With this eighth book, readers will find that Sam, Derek, and Caitlin have all matured and grown based on their experiences in the past seven books, so when the door of opportunity drops yet another mystery in their lap, they each face it in their own unique way...

Escape from Monticello is another mystery about Thomas Jefferson - or rather, about his grandchildren.  When Sam and Caitlin come across a journal written by one of Thomas Jefferson's granddaughters, they find some clues in the girl's writings about possible treasure that was hidden by Jefferson when he had to flee his home hundreds of years ago. But when the journal is stolen from the bookstore that Caitlin's mom owns, the kids are left with just one page from the journal - a very important page that leads them on a hunt for the possible treasure!  The only problem is, someone else is also on the hunt. The girl who stole the journal keeps turning up - first, at the library in the University of Virginia, and later at Jefferson's homestead, Monticello.  Who is she, and why is she following them?

The clues Sam, Derek, and Caitlin find seem to be leading them back and forth, and when the thief owns up to what she did, Derek and Caitlin are willing to join forces - after all, she is in college and old enough to drive, meaning they won't have to be dependent on their parents to take them where they need to go.  But Sam is not so sure. He is wary of the thief, and his warnings go unheeded.  Then, Sam gets the worse possible news: a villainous criminal from their past (one they helped put away in an early case) has been released from jail!  Sam is fearful and can't seem to shake the feeling that their enemy is coming for them.  Of course, his fears turn to reality when Derek and Caitlin are kidnapped, their parents are out on the town for a night, and the only person who can help Sam is... Mr. Haskins?!

Smith, as with his previous novels, manages to put enough historical facts into the story to ground the story in reality, while adding in just the right mix of mystery, adventure, and danger to keep readers turning page after page.  Smith has gotten the hang of intertwining the real history with the fictional history, and readers of this mystery will never feel like they are sitting through a history class or being beaten over the head with stories from the past.

A very satisfying read, and it leaves me wondering...will there be a ninth book?

RATING:  9 loose bricks out of 10 for maturing the mysteries right along with the characters for a fantastic read.

The Con Artist - a murder mystery at the San Diego Comic-Con

I absolutely LOVED this book!  Not only goes it have a really great murder mystery, which has you bouncing from suspect to suspect as you try to figure out who did it and why; but, it is so chock-full of geekdom goodness that I couldn't help but giggle, cheer, and sign in remembrance of some of the long-gone comics and creators of yester-year.  And it is VERY obvious that the author, Fred Van Lente (whose name I don't recognize, even though it gives a list of comics he has written - of course, I don't read any of those listed, so maybe that's why I don't recognize his name....), is very familiar with comic conventions, fans, and the entire feel of a super-crazy, over-packed, twenty-four-hour-a-day convention like San Diego Comic Con (THE Comic Con).

So it's only apt that the name of the book is The Comic Con.  Not only does it immediately tell the reader the setting of the story, but it also gives a not so subtle nod to the premise of the mystery.  The protagonist, Mike Mason, is a comic book artist that has had his time in the spotlight, has garnered his fame and fortune writing the ever-so-popular "Mister Mystery" series, as well as the almost-as-popular "Gut Check" series.  Things have changed, however - a younger generation of creators have moved in; comics are more about what superstar is writing and/or drawing them than about the stories themselves; conventions have become less about the comics and more about the media and the cos-players; and Mason himself has a failed marriage behind him (his wife left him for one of Mason's co-workers!) and is basically homeless, living from hotel to hotel as he literally bounces from one convention to the next all year long.  And he makes his way to San Diego Comic Con ("SDCC") this year in order to present his mentor, Benjamin Kurtz, the creator of the "Mister Mystery" comic, with the lifetime achievement award at the Kirby Awards ceremony.

There's only one problem.  Kurtz is dead.

Now, he hasn't been murdered, mind you.  He died of natural causes.  But that one death sets off a chain reaction that forever changes Mason's life and that of those around him.  He suddenly discovers that everyone has something to hide.  People he thought he knew, he didn't.  Not really.  And the business behind Kurtz' work, and even Mason's own work, at Atlas Comics suddenly becomes a lot more dangerous that Mason ever could have dreamed possible!  Pages of Kurtz' art that were thought stolen years ago are suddenly turning up for sale at the convention.  The dealers are tight-lipped about where they got the art from, but they all have one thing in common - they are surprised Mason doesn't know.  And when his former co-worker (and his ex-wife's now ex-boyfriend) turns up dead the morning after he has an altercation with him, Mason becomes suspect number one.  He has an alibi, as he was being toted around San Diego by a pedi-cab driver - the only problem is, she seems to have disappeared, and no one knows where to find her!

With the help of an old friend, Dirtbag (not his real name, obviously), Mason begins his own investigation into what happened to Danny Lieber, if for no other reason than to clear his name.  But in order to do so, he has to evade two oversized bodyguards intent on hunting him down; the owner of Atlas Comics intent on making him a deal he can't refuse; the star-of-the-moment comic icon, Sebastian Mod, intent on collaborating with him on the latest "Mister Mystery" stories; and his own ex-wife, who seems to have reasons of her own for being at SDCC this year.  And then his ex-wife turns up dead, and wouldn't you know it - he's the one to discover the body, with no one else in sight!

Van Lente provides readers with a well-plotted murder mystery with fun, believable characters in a setting that will thoroughly thrill any comic book / sci-fi / convention fan!  So, so, SO MANY pop culture references - from calling the two police detectives investigating the murders "Sam" and "Twitch" (and any fans of Spawn will immediately recognize those names), to the appearance of the TARDIS, to the Ripley v. Alien burlesque show, the Plastic Man cartoon reference, Star Wars, Star Trek, Game of Thrones, and pretty much any other genre that you can think of - it's in there!  And not to be left out, one my other favorite fandoms gets a brief mention when Mason is actually using an old-time photocopier to copy a page out of a phone book and he says, "Kicking this Hardy Boys $#!+ old school, yo."   I mean, let's face it - for a nerd like me, books just don't get any better than this!

Obviously, the mystery eventually gets solved, but with some definite unexpected twists, and Van Lente literally brings the story full circle with the last page and the last few paragraphs.  Let's just say Lieutenant Yoo turns out to be a very important person (and when you get to that part, you will completely understand!).

I definitely hope Van Lente will eventually revisit Mike Mason and give us another mystery like this - I would thoroughly devour it!

RATING:  10 missing art portfolios out of 10 for the perfect combination of fandom, mystery, suspense, humor, and just plan good reading!