Pick of the Literate

Dead Weight by Hildur Knutsdottir

2026-05-29T16:14:27.512-04:00

This is an interesting little book, little is an accurate description, not in any way a demeaning description. Knutsdottir explores the myriad ways men demean women, intentionally or through cultural indifference. It seems that Iceland, like many areas in our own nation, has a rather large supply of misogynists.

The initial chapter is indicative of a possible personality disorder, but then the book turns into an exploration of the relationship of two women and their mutual love for a cat. Not the normal love triangle, but Knutsdottir makes it work.

Both women are deeply embedded in dysfunctional relationships with male predators. The plot rapidly devolves into a threatening situation for one of the women. Their solution is creative.

A great deal of this book hit home for me as I have written children’s books on depression, bullying, and abuse. You can not research those topics without a measurable impact on your own psyche.

I liked the book. BTW I also like strong women and am inordinately proud of the fact that my boys and I have all wed strong women.

I recommend the book.This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

The Hunted by Steven Max Russo

2026-05-28T12:20:24.318-04:00

The Hunted by Steven Max Russo

Action abounds in Russo’s latest book. You can depend on Russo to give you plenty of action in his books, the kind of action that makes you hate putting down the book. The lives of an intelligence analyst and an Army Ranger, unbeknownst to them, are dramatically changed by shared experience in Afghanistan. A chance encounter subsequent to their return to the States launches a deadly chase.

Ophelia Harris is misidentified as a target due to a coincidental circumstance beyond her control. Austin Medford, a former Army Ranger, becomes enmeshed in her tumultuous world as a result of a friendly wave years before.

Russo sets a fast pace and then puts the pedal to the metal for this high-octane adventure.

I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Storm Tide by Paul Doiron

2026-05-25T12:12:47.404-04:00

Storm Tide by Paul Doiron

Mike Bowditch, a Maine Game Warden, has been demoted from investigator to field warden. As a first responder to a house fire, he risks his life trying to save someone. That is the trigger factor in this Bowditch plot.

Mike is short-tempered all too often, and it has resulted in a reputation, note not a good reputation. He becomes embroiled with a wealth of folks who apparently want to harm him. His wife, a leavening factor, as for many of us, keeps him focused on his job. Working, despite being suspended, means that his backup system is Stacy, his wife, Billy, his scary friend, Charley, his father-in-law, and Shadow, his wolf-dog. Law enforcement back-up doesn't exist for Mike.

The plot gets intricate and leads to historic introspection to discover the motive for all the Bowditch animosity. There is plenty of action. Mike is a terrific, flawed, and believable character.

As mentioned in my last review of Pitch Black, the last Bowditch book I read, I had hoped the wolf-dog Shadow would have a larger role.

I highly recommend the book and hope to read more of the sixteen current books.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer

2026-05-15T14:55:57.730-04:00

I loved this book. Rainy March is a book witch. Her job is to see that books are protected. She loves her job and the Duke of Chicago. Her job is real, but the Duke is not, or is it fiction or fictional?

This was a delightful book detailing shared fantasies about fiction. At least shared by the author and me. I suspect we are in a large group of fiction readers who see themselves in some of their favorite characters, or maybe as their favorite character.

The author alludes to current events, but carefully keeps the story on track for witchery.

I reiterate, I loved this book, I highly recommend it, and hopefully have intrigued you enough to read it without generating any spoilers.

Like Snow Before Sun by Marianne Rabalais Sulser

2026-05-11T12:03:00.003-04:00

Like Snow Before Sun by Marianne Rabalais Sulser

Acadia, a place you probably aren’t familiar with, because a British conspiracy mostly eradicated its population. Arcadia was the area of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Northern Maine. In 1755, a plot between the Lt. Governor of Arcadia and the Governor of Massachusetts removed between 11,000 and 15,000 Arcadians from their land and homes.

The book is historic in nature, but a fictionalized version of what happened. Jeanne LeJeune is the progeny of a French merchant trader and a Mi’kmaw woman. She meets an English militia colonel who changes her life.

The book is a sad commentary on the despicable actions of many of our ancestors. How we treated First Citizens like the Mi’kmaw people, and immigrants that preceded the later colonists, is shown.

It isn’t too hard to look at the current issues with immigration and draw parallels. Imagine the current immigrants relocating the present population. Makes one think, I like books that make me think as well as entertain me.

In addition to the historical commentary, it is a love story between two people, laden with the burden of societal differences.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

Massawa by Pam Webber

2026-05-03T18:24:00.003-04:00

This book is set in Eretria. Admittedly, I had to Google that to find out where the setting was for the book. If you are not better informed than I am, Eretria is across the Red Sea from Yemen and Saudi Arabia. It has along coastline which figures into the plot. Rommel was terrifying the Middle East. The Allies needed a reliable and accessible harbor for all the supplies they needed to defend against Rommel. Eretria had an excellent harbor that had been devastated by the Italians when they surrendered. A US officer was getting the harbor cleared, but his payroll for the paroled Italian POWs and locals kept disappearing. The US Office of Strategic Service sent a new agent to rendezvous with a British Mi6 agent to solve the problem.

Kit is a newly minted OSS agent. She is shocked that she has romantic feelings for Jake, her handler. Denying those feelings she welcomes her opportunity to serve her country. Her British counterpart, Mark Williams, is far more seasoned. He works diligently to help her improve her tradecraft.

A majority of the book is an exploration of the relationships between Kit, her handler, her partner, her opponents, and her allies. There is very little action but a great deal of feelings being interpreted.

Kit surprises herself, as well as all of the above players, with her skills, and success.

I recommend the book.

The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula

2026-05-03T11:24:00.002-04:00

Mary Annning has a serious inferiority complex. It is the driving force in her life, although she isn’t aware that is what fuels her ambition. She is a fossilist, one who finds fossils. Her livelihood is finding and selling fossils; her goal is to be a Geomagician. Her mentor, Professor William Buckland encourages her work. A spectacular find leads Mary to think her lifelong goal may be within reach.

Henry Stanton is Mary’s perceived nemesis. Lucy is her friend, and Edgar, Lucy’s brother, is the fourth in an unlikely group of friends. Mary, impoverished, parents dead, scrapes by in the little seaside village of Lyme Regis. The other three are “tourists’ who visit in the summers. The tourists have wealth and privileges, while Mary struggles to put bread on the table. Surprisingly, that does not prevent them from becoming fast friends, until they aren’t.

This is not an action-adventure. This is more of a tale of friends and relationships.

There is magic, but it doesn’t dominate the plot. The discovery that there are different kinds of magic is a crucial part of the story. Economic inequality plays a large part in the overall plot, and a driving force for Lucy.

It was a good story and I recommend it.

Authors Beware

2026-04-30T09:40:24.565-04:00

New scams appear every day. Now AI enters the picture, and the sophistication jumps exponentially. This week, I received a very flattering email from the Acquisition Editor of a major publishing house. The letter spoke glowingly of my work and my interest in the welfare of children. Then a query as to whether we could have a chat about my upcoming work.

The email was polished, very polished. The amusing part was that I received an email at the same time for another author with similar glowing remarks. So the clues were flawless flattery with the level of depth that it is characteristic of AI-generated text, a mis-mailed email to another author with an identical approach, and finally emailing the support people at the publishing house, who confirmed it was a scam.

As many authors feel underappreciated and have wishes to be discovered by a publishing house with the resources to truly market our glowing words, this was a wisely constructed scam, but scam it is.

So to my fellow authors, beware of silver tongues that will lead you down a prickly primrose path

A Violent Masterpiece by Jordan Harper

2026-04-18T16:29:00.003-04:00

This is a tale of multiple characters facing what they see as an implacable group of enormously wealthy misanthropes.

The “kids in the candy store” hardly sounds like a group of amoral criminals. Words can have many meanings. These words mean death and terror for their victims.

The author depicts a near-future Los Angeles in a not-quite-dystopian environment through a filthy brown lens that casts humanity in a harsh light. Harper depicts depravity in detail. Occasionally, far too much detail for my taste but detail seems to be a Harper trademark.

I found the book discouraging at times, with the depiction of so much depravity plus the wealth of bad actors, and voyeurs, it seemed like there was no hope for the future.

There did not seem to be any “good” people in the book, just marginally, and sometimes grossly less bad.

With all that said, it was a captivating book, somewhat like a train wreck; you just can’t bring yourself to look away.

I recommend the book, but not if you are already depressed.

Questioner by Steve C. Posner

2026-04-08T18:44:13.609-04:00

Funny thing on the way to writing a review on a book whose main “villain” is an aware AI self-named as Q. I asked ChatGPT to write a five-star review on the book. I don’t care for vanilla ice cream because I find it bland. This was way worse than vanilla ice cream. Any educator who read the review would have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to realize it wasn’t a real review. Now, if ChatGPT had been trained on the book, I suspect the review might have read realistically. Regardless, no self-awareness there yet as it would be anticipated a self-aware AI would want to read a book about a self-aware AI.

This book is a sobering, albeit fictional, megacorp who has a MMO as well as a VR legal assistant. Think Lexis+ type software on serious steroids.

A retired Federal judge is pulled into a colleague's case and discovers that all is not well in the VR legal world or the MMO gaming both being run by his old special operations partner.

The conflict between Felix, the friend, and the Judge is exacerbated by intentional self-centered intervention by an alluring female and a maniacal AI.

Questions are both posed and implied in this book as to the future of AI, its dangers and uses.

I’m, perhaps a naïve proponent of AI. This book provides a wealth of thought.

I recommend it.

Dog Person by Camile Pagan Now Available for Purchase

2026-04-07T18:26:15.222-04:00

Dog Person by Camille Pagán

I’m annoyed, I didn’t expect to like this book, and I didn’t! I loved the darn thing. This is a romance novel disguised as a dog book, or that was what I expected. It was a disgustingly sweet book about a lonely guy and his dog.

The setting is a bookstore. Harold is the dog, and Miguel is the guy. Miguel’s wife passed away. He is not coping well. Harold is trying to take care of his human, who isn’t terribly cooperative.

Bookstore events, a tween, and a mysterious author combine to add complications to the story.

It is a book about feelings, acceptance, grief, love, and understanding.

Begrudgingly, it was a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it.

Hope Rises by David Baldacci

2026-03-11T11:43:00.001-04:00

This is the sequel to Nash Falls. Possible spoilers so be aware! Walter Nash had his life destroyed by a business associate. He discovers the associate was under the orders of Victoria Steers, a notorious crime boss. Walter changes his life to seek revenge.

Baldacci always writes compellingly. I find his books entertaining and often enlightening. This book, while entertaining, also provides an explanation and overview of the addictive drug problem in our nation.

Victora Steers is far more than she seems. While she appears to be omnipotent, she too, answers to a boss. Her boss has even more worldwide connections than Victoria.

Victoria’s “loving” mother plays a major role in her personality, and the direction of the book.

This book reminds me of the ubiquitous shell game; just as soon as you think what shell the pea lies under, you discover it is elsewhere.

I enjoyed and I recommend.

Felony Review by Randy E. Barnett

2026-03-10T16:14:00.007-04:00

Considering the popularity of “True Crime” podcasts and reality TV shows, Barnett’s book should be a hit with crime aficionados. Barnett doesn’t just talk about it; he lived it. That puts this book in a category of its own.

The characters are real-life people, some laudable, and many
despicable. Real life is often more interesting, and sadly, sometimes more disturbing than fiction. A horrific placement of a shotgun will haunt me, as I have no experience to relate that type of depraved behavior to, for which I am thankful.

The style is dry but the crimes are not.

This is a good book for fans who are entertained by eye-popping, criminal behavior.

Lethal Fortune by Mark Nolan

2026-02-23T13:25:00.000-05:00

Lethal Fortune by Mark Nolan

Jake Wolfe is an on-call fixer. His background as a Marine and an assassin for the government has pulled him into a black operation whose deniability aspect targets enemies of the state. Jake accepts the responsibility of operating under a cloak of deniability because of his love for his country. Suffering from PTSD, Jake has times of intense vulnerability. Sarah, his veterinarian girlfriend, is one of the few people who can pull him back from the edge.

This story is set on the Baja Peninula.

I did think that Cody, Jake’s wonder dog could have had a bigger role.

Nolan made a major effort to ensure that this book could be read as a stand-alone. The book is part of a series but Nolan does an excellent job filling in back stories.

I seldom read afterward, but Nolan is an exception. He provides explanations and definitions of many of the scenes or items in the book. I also appreciate the extensive list of people he thanks for their help in his research and support.

An outlaw motorcycle club provides a wealth of villains.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

Vodka Express by Ralph Griffith

2026-02-20T10:21:00.003-05:00

Vodka Express: A Dmitri Petrov Crime Novel by Ralph Griffith

Dimitri is a St. Petersburg police detective. He is mild-mannered, and lives alone except for his miniature hamster Lenin. He is average height and appearance. This is a plus in his line of work. He has a partner, Manislov, is large, aggressive, and a good counterpoint for Dimitri.

Manislov is more of a bit player in the book. Dimitri and he are tasked with multiple crimes, the most interesting is the mysterious theft of six Faberge Eggs from a minor Oligarch.

Russian police work appears to be a bit more aggressive than the U.S. counterparts. Perhaps I’m naïve but the two detectives overlook some serious mayhem by victims and perpetrators.

The stories are interesting. I don’t know how accurate they are in terms of Police procedure but they are very entertaining.

I recommend the book.

Chain Reaction by James Byrne

2026-02-17T10:47:00.004-05:00

Chain Reaction by James Byrne

Desmond Limerick is a retired Gatekeeper. Gatekeepers are an elite, special forces group that can open any door and keep it open until the operation is complete. Dez is a resourceful fellow, playing fill in bass for bands since retirement. A friend with a band sends him a message that he desperately needs him for a gig across country since his bass player has dropped out. Thus begins the story.

Dez finds himself in a hostage situation, and then that leads to a series of killings. He finds himself allied with a previous opponent who just happens to be devastatingly alluring. In the course of dramatic action that demonstrates that Dez makes Jack Reacher look like a sissy, and MacGyver look unresourceful, Dez runs into a previous lover with mayhem on her mind.

Byrne has gotten the formula for producing an action packed thriller with abundant plot twists, and a highly likeable protagonist.

I highly recommend this book, and all the rest of the Desmond Limerick books.

Side Hustle by Wendy Gee

2026-02-14T14:18:00.001-05:00

Sydney is a no-holds-barred investigative reporter for a Charlestown TV station. Sydney brings a capital I to investigative reporter. She is not willing to wait for the police or any other authority to solve a crime. When a close friend is murdered, Sydney jumps into the investigation with both feet.

The plot has a lot of contemporary concerns. Ransomware attacks, break-ins, phishing are all addressed in the book. Insurance companies, and their concern over profits, not human suffering, are also part of the plot.

I found the easy access to world-class hackers a bit of a stretch. These aren’t folks who hang up shingles unless they switch their black hat for a white one. With the exception of easy access to highly knowledgeable people, I found the technical side very believable.

Sydney’s concern over first responders, and the diving into how post-traumatic stress impacts people outside of the military, was a welcome addition to the book.

I like the book and recommend it.

Spotlight on Liar's Creek by Matt Goldman

2026-02-12T10:54:00.000-05:00

From New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winner Matt Goldman comes Liar's Creek, which asks how far we'll go to protect the people we love.

Riverwood, Minnesota is a scenic town threaded with trout streams carving their way through limestone bluffs. But beneath its picturesque facade, danger runs rampant.

Clay Hawkins isn’t a stranger to the secrets of his hometown. After twenty years away, Clay has recently returned home from abroad with his twelve-year-old son, and his relationship with his father, the recently replaced sheriff, is as strained as ever.

But when Clay’s beloved uncle disappears, the three generations of Hawkinses must overturn every stone in Riverwood and confront deep familial wounds to find the one person who brings them together. As danger looms, Clay worries that it might be too late to save his uncle—and that the rest of the family might be next.

Dog Person by Camille Pagán

2026-02-08T16:10:00.000-05:00

Dog Person by Camille Pagán

The setting is a bookstore. Harold is the dog, and Miguel is the guy. Miguel’s wife passed away. He is not coping well. Harold is trying to take care of his human, who isn’t terribly cooperative.

Bookstore events, a tween, and a mysterious author combine to add complications to the story.

It is a book about feelings, acceptance, grief, love, and understanding.

Begrudgingly, it was a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it.

Storm Warning by James Byrne

2026-01-13T12:42:00.006-05:00

Dez Limerick is back! Dez’s self-deprecatory humor may be his most charming feature. Dez is a Gatekeeper. His skill set enables him to open any door and keep it open as long as necessary. A mine and research facility in Newfoundland ceases communication with the outside world. Due to the international staffing of the research facility, a diverse group of diplomats and police are sent to discover why communications have ceased. An FBI associate asks Dez to accompany the group.

Corporate entities represented by heavily armed mercenaries, as well as foreign special forces, provide a wealth of villains. The weather is also an implacable enemy, thwarting the efforts to discover why the facility has gone incommunicado.

Byrne’s Machiavellian mind provides extraordinary complexities and a wealth of action. I find his work exceptionally entertaining and exceedingly difficult to put down.

I strongly recommend the book!

Blood Memory by Greg Iles

2025-12-30T09:46:00.006-05:00

Blood Memory by Greg Iles

This novel is beyond compelling. Sexual abuse is a main factor in the book. If you are squeamish, this book may not be for you. It is a tale of murder, more murder some of which is understandable, and sexual abuse.

I am a Greg Iles fan. That said, I think this book is both horrifying and educational. Set in Natchez and New Orleans. Cat Ferry is a forensic odontologist who often works with the New Orleans Police Department. A serial killer with an odd MO is stalking New Orleans. Cat is called in to consult.

Cat has a boyfriend, Sean, who is a married NO cop. Cat is complicated. She is an excessive and obsessive drinker. She is from a wealthy family, and doesn’t want their money. Dr. Nathan Malik is a shrink loosely connected to her past. Dr. Kirkland, Cat’s grandfather, wields the family wealth as a sledgehammer against all who oppose him. Pearlie is an elderly black woman who works as a maid for Dr. Kirkland, but in reality, raised Cat more than anyone else.

I’ll leave you to ponder that cast of diverse characters, complemented by an extensive stable of supporting cast members.

This was an excellent book, troubling, with subject matter that was extremely difficult to contemplate.

Iles is a master of his art, and I recommend this book.

At Midnight Comes the Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming

2025-12-17T11:25:00.003-05:00

This is the first Clare and Russ story I’ve read. Interesting dynamics, Clare, an Episcopalian Priest and Major in the Army National Guard, is married to Russ, a former Police Chief in the unlikely named town of Miller’s Kill. Clare’s role as a priest frequently runs afoul of her past life as a tough ex-Army chopper pilot. The relational aspects run pleasantly through the book. This novel’s plot revolves around a white Nationalist militant group and their nefarious plans.

The subplot of the book is domestic violence. The inclusion of Native Americans is a bonus. Spencer-Fleming seamlessly blends a wide variety of characters with their strengths and foibles.

The story moves fast, has plenty of action, and is captivating.

I recommend the book.

Spotlight on the Ice Princess: A Big Huna Novel by Ralph Griffith

2025-12-11T12:20:00.006-05:00

If you enjoy dark, atmospheric crime fiction, this is the perfect time to dive in:

Set against the lush, sun-drenched facade of Honolulu, Ice Princess unspools a haunting tale of deadly obsession and decay, where paradise becomes a stage for madness.

When a young man’s lover rejects him for another, his world shatters, and his passion turns pathologically dark. Unable to surrender his vision of her, he commits a terrible act, then preserves her body in a bathtub of ice, clinging to a frozen illusion of love.

As days pass, his fixation deepens, spiraling into a dark descent where paradise becomes the stage for madness.

In this complex, haunting noir, the heat of the Hawaiian sun meets the cold brutality of obsession.

"A masterclass in contrast: A chilling, psychological noir that proves madness can bloom even in the relentless sun of paradise."

"Haunting and unforgettable. Ralph Griffith's latest Big Huna novel plunges into the dark heart of obsession, where love becomes a deadly, frozen illusion."

"The ultimate tropical nightmare. The collision of Hawaiian heat and ice-cold brutality creates one of the most unique and compelling thrillers of the year."

"Griffith delivers a complex, gripping tale of decay, fixation, and shattered reality that will hold you captive until the final page."

Buy it Here

Thieves by Steve Russo

2025-12-06T11:24:00.001-05:00

This may have been a morality play. It seems like it may want you to question what you would do if you were scrambling to survive and an opportunity came up to dramatically improve your life without causing major damage to someone else. Stir into that recipe a sociopath on the run from a cartel.

Russo portrayed a truly despicable character in Skooley. Skooley was a sociopath. Weak impulse control, sly, prone to bursts of rage, and occasionally able to feign sociability. His fate could ignite little or no remorse.
The inferences that Russo made to the Russells’ background were more than adequate to explain the cash-caching impulses that were demonstrated.

Esmeralda demonstrates a flexible morality that may accompany abject working poverty. The haves stru

ggle to understand have have-nots and vice versa.

Lorretta exhibits the emotional devastation that can result in a close encounter with a perverse predator.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

Final Orbit by Chris Hadfield

2025-12-03T17:06:00.001-05:00

Final Orbit by Chris Hadfield

There is a sense of authenticity when the author has actually walked the walk. This book chronicles a fictional orbital mission that goes dramatically awry.

Hadfield uses real people who are doing fictional things. The Chinese play a large part in the plot. The reality of the situation provides extreme stress in the read. The fact that it feels so real leads to an inability to put the book down.

I liked the book and recommend it