Archive for August, 2012

Interview: Giacomo Giammatteo

Thursday, August 30th, 2012

Rhodes Review: Who were some of your favorite characters in Murder Takes Time?

Giacomo Giammatteo: My favorite character was Nicky. I had the most difficult time writing him, which is probably why I liked him so much.  After that, I think Mamma Rosa.

Rhodes Review: Which of your characters would you most/least to invite to dinner, and why?

Giacomo Giammatteo: Mamma Rosa because she cooks such magnificent meals. Johnny Much because he’d be frightening to have in your house. At any time, let alone dinner.

Rhodes Review: What would your ideal career be, if you couldn’t be an author?

Giacomo Giammatteo: An editor, but if we limit choices to something outside the publishing business, then I’d have to say something dealing with helping animals or kids.

Rhodes Review: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Giacomo Giammatteo: Not until late in life. When my youngest son was a teenager, we started reading fantasy books together. When we finished, we’d discuss them, talk about plots, characters, what we would have done differently. That led to us saying, “hey, we could write one of these.” And so we did, although being a teenager, he quit on me after we plotted out the first one. By then, though, I was hooked.

Rhodes Review: How long does it take you to write a book?

Giacomo Giammatteo: That’s a loaded question. I can usually write the first draft pretty fast. I did this book in two months. But…and this is the key, it takes a lot of time after the first draft to get it to the point where you say, “Okay, this is ready for publication.”

Rhodes Review: What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

Giacomo Giammatteo: My days are hectic, and yet, organized. My wife and I have an animal sanctuary with 41 animals, so I get up early—6:30 or so—feed some of the animals, do some work with Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, etc… then go to work on my normal job. I take off in mid-afternoon to do the primary feeding of our animals, then back to work. I quit work around 6:00, go inside to eat, spend more time doing social media things, and then spend a few precious minutes with my wife. After she goes to bed, I write until late at night.

Rhodes Review: What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Giacomo Giammatteo: If you mean writing process, it’s probably writing with loud music and several dogs beside me. If you mean regarding the books’ content, I’d say it would be that I put my animals in all my books.  There is always a character/animal that is represented.

Rhodes Review: What are some of your favorite authors/books?

Giacomo Giammatteo: Favorite book of all time is The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas. Modern day, I’d have to say Frank Hebert, author of Dune, and in the mystery category, John Sandford’s Prey novels.

Rhodes Review: I know you are bringing back Rat and Bugs in the next book, can you provide any details?

Giacomo Giammatteo: I’m not one to spoil things for readers. About all I can say is that it will be another dual plot line, and will take place in Brooklyn and Wilmington.

Rhodes Review: What were some writers who influenced you?

Giacomo Giammatteo: Dumas for his storytelling. Sandford for his brevity. Hebert for his meticulous attention to detail. I can’t compare to any of them, but I strive to get there.

Rhodes Review: What was your favorite part of the book?

Giacomo Giammatteo: When the kids were young. I loved writing that, mostly because the majority of it was real.

Rhodes Review: What was the hardest part to write in the book?

Giacomo Giammatteo: Some of the death scenes. I don’t mean the murders, but the ones where the good guys died. I had to dig deep for those emotions, and it took more than I thought it would.

Rhodes Review: What do you wish was different about the book?

Giacomo Giammatteo: This is a difficult question because I don’t want to sound like an ass, but I really am happy with the book. I don’t think I’d change it.

Review: Murder Takes Time – Giaccomo Giammatteo

Tuesday, August 28th, 2012
 
Paperback: 438 pages
Publisher: Inferno Publishing Company (April 12, 2012)
English
ISBN-10: 0985030208
ISBN-13: 978-0985030209
Order book here:

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Order E-book here:
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Characters:

Frankie “Bugs” Donovan – Brooklyn Detective.
Nicky “The Rat” Fusco – Ex Con and Childhood Friend of Frankie’s.
Tony “The Brain” Sannullo – Gangster and Childhood Friend of Frankie’s.
Paulie “The Suit” Perlano – The fourth member of the childhood group.

Synopsis:

Against the backdrop of a series of brutal murders is the tale of four friends. These four friends are growing up on the streets of Brooklyn New York. When young they commit crimes such as stealing cigarettes. As they grow older though, some go towards more violent crimes, while others find themselves on the opposite side of the law. How can they maintain the childhood oath they took of friendship and honor while still staying true to themselves.

Review

I really loved this story. I’ve always had quite a passion for mob stories and this one didn’t disappoint me. The characters are very well developed and designed, and each has their own unique personality. As a reader, I grew to like the characters, and as happens in this type of life sometimes those around them die. When this happens, I felt sorow for the characters and felt the attachment to each other.

The book alternates between the real world where Frankie “Bugs” Donovan, a divorced detective in Brookyn is assigned the case of a series of four murders. Clues left at the scene lead him to believe that one of his childhood friends was involved. The other aspect of the book is the story going forward from childhood of Nicky “The Rat” Fusco. Through Nicky’s story we see the events of the book unfold from 13 to 15 years earlier to present day. This was actually an interesting way to unfold the whole mystery aspect of it.

If you are someone who loves thrillers, mob stories, or mysteries, then grab this one and give it a read, you’ll be hooked from page one. I would say due to language, extreme violence, and other adult content that it is for older teens and adults.

Grab a copy and when you’ve read it, drop back by and let us know what you thought about it.

About the Author

I live in Texas now, but I grew up in Cleland Heights, a mixed ethnic neighborhood in Wilmington, Delaware that sat on the fringes of the Italian, Irish and Polish neighborhoods. The main characters of Murder Takes Time grew up in Cleland Heights and many of the scenes in the book were taken from real-life experiences.

Somehow I survived the transition to adulthood, but when my kids were young I left the Northeast and settled in Texas, where my wife suggested we get a few animals. I should have known better; we now have a full-blown animal sanctuary with rescues from all over. At last count we had 41 animals–12 dogs, a horse, a three-legged cat and 26 pigs.

Oh, and one crazy–and very large–wild boar, who takes walks with me every day and happens to also be my best buddy.

Since this is a bio some of you might wonder what I do. By day I am a headhunter, scouring the country for top talent to fill jobs in the biotech and medical device industry. In the evening I help my wife tend the animals, and at night–late at night–I turn into a writer.

Go check out the website: www.giacomogiammatteo.com. Look around, click some links, and, if you’ve got time, tell me what you think.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Tracee and the Author at Pump up your Book for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Review: Publish Like The Pros – Michele DeFilippo

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012
Paperback: 88 pages
1106 Design (June 10, 2012)
English
ISBN-10: 985489901
ISBN-13: 978-0985489908
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Synopsis:

Have you ever wanted to write a book, but wasn’t sure how to publish it. Self-Publishing is a big trend now in book publishing, and this small guide shows you how to do it, and avoid some of the pitfalls at the same time.

Review

I found this book to be very interesting and easy to read. I learned a lot about the various jobs that occur in the publishing process, such as the difference between an edit and a substantial edit, or a proofreader vs. a copywriter. The book was very informative in these areas, and if you are an author or dream of being an author, I’d suggest it as a good place to get started.

There were some slight drawbacks. The book is published by a company that works with you to self-publish, so of course they are going to mention throughout the book that they offer these very services. So while the information is valuable, I think the reader has to take it with a grain of salt and still do their own investigations and decide what works well for them.

I would say that it’s suitable for any age.

About the Author

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Rebecca at Cadence Marketing for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Review: Resurrecting The Street: Jeffrey Ingber

Tuesday, August 21st, 2012
Paperback: 414 pages
Publisher: Jeffrey Ingber (May 22, 2012)
English
ISBN-10: 0985410000
ISBN-13: 978-0985410001
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Synopsis:

On 9/11 we know about all the loss of innocent lives. But what we may not know about were the struggles that the wall street and financial community went through to keep from going into economic collapse. This book details that struggle.

Review

There was a lot of interesting stories in this book from people who were involved in the financial industry during the weeks following 9/11. One thing that really surprised me was how inadequatelly prepared these companies were, and many still are. There was no plans in place for backup systems, no recovery process, and just a poor job of data management. This was so poorly done, that according to the book, years worth of information on SEC investigations was destroyed with no way to recover.

The author takes us through from the actually occurrence of 9/11 up through some of the major banking and finance corporations as they struggle to get back up and running. The reader is allowed to see some of the behind the scenes stuff that we never was witness to, and learn how close we really came to a complete shutdown of our economic system.

The book is well written, very well research, and for history fans, or those interested in finance or the overall impact of 9/11 on America, I’d suggest this book. Due to content and language, I would gear it towards adults. It’s definitely a good guide for data communications people to see how things shouldn’t be done.

About the Author

Jeff Ingber is a native New Yorker and a graduate of Queens College and NYU Law School. He has worked in the financial industry for over three decades, including positions with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation. Jeff currently is a Managing Director with Citigroup.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to at Rebecca – The Cadence Group for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: Hunter’s Moon – R. J. Terrell

Thursday, August 16th, 2012
Publisher: Tal Publishing
Publication date: 8/8/2012
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Characters:

Jelani – A young Software/Game tester
Daniel – His best Friend

Review

This novel comes close on the heels of Mr. Terrell’s first entry into the Vampire phenomenon. We once again see the characters we came to know in Running From the Night. This time they are in danger from even more Hunters. A new threat is exposed. The reader also gets a glimpse into the “government” of the Vampires.

I found this one like it’s predecessor to keep me glued to the page, I really like the characters and some of the things I was critical about in the first book were cleared up in this one. It was a very tight story, with interesting characters, and a lot of action.

There were also many unexpected events that left me with that “Oh Wow, Did he really just do that.” feeling with the various characters. Their lives are fun, and they (despite being hunted by Vampires) I think would be fun people to hang out with.

If you are into Action, Fantasy, Vampire Stories or just good survival against all odds books, give Hunters Moon a chance. I think you’ll like the the world that Mr. Terrell created for you.
About the Author

R. J. Terrell was instantly a lover of fantasy the day he opened R. A. Salvatore’s: The Crystal Shard. Years (and many devoured books) later he decided to put pen to paper for his first novel. After a bout with aching carpals, he decided to try the keyboard instead, and the words began to flow. When not writing, he enjoys reading, videogames, and long walks with his wife around Stanley Park in Vancouver BC.

Connect with me at:

R J Terrell on Facebook

RJTerrell on Twitter

R. J. Terrell on Goodreads

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to the Author for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Review: Back to Bataan – Jerome Charyn

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012
Publisher: Tribute Books
English
Order e-book here:
amazon

Characters:

Jack Dalton – 11 Year old dealing with death of Father in WW2.
Mauricette – Jack’s Fiancee.

Synopsis:

Jack is a precocious 11 year old living in New York in 1943. His father was killed in WW2 and Jack dreams of becoming a soldier like his father. His world begins to unravel when he has to write a composition for his private school. In it he mentions his engagement to his friend Mauricette. She breaks it off with him, and embarasses him in front of the whole class. He then accidentally sets fire to a rival’s house, which propels him into a dangerous adventure.

Review

I found some of the themes of this similar to Tom Sawyer or the Home Alone movies, though not necessarily with all the humor. But you have a young boy embarking into the world on adventures he’s not yet prepared for.

I liked the characters and liked the story. The pacing went quick, and possibly a little too quick. A lot of story was packed into only 80 pages. I think this led to the story moving along a little quicker than it should have and maybe not delving as deep into the characters. I’d like to have seen more into Hans head, Jack’s mother, etc. and seen the relationship with the vagrants drawn out a bit without seeming so rushed.

Overall, for you readers, I’d recommend this, though I’d say 13 or so would be the most appropriate age. Some of it may be a little dark for younger readers.

Excerpt

Mauricette told Harriet Godwin I was the pig of the class. I had treated her like garbage. Mauricette wouldn’t answer my phone calls. She wouldn’t read the notes I dropped inside her desk. But Arturo Fink kept reminding her who she was. “Fiancée,” he said. “Jack’s fiancée.”

I promised myself I wouldn’t write anymore compositions, but how could I graduate from Dr. Franklin’s class and join General MacArthur?

It felt lonely without a fiancée.

Mauricette began seeing Barnaby Rosenstock after school. They were holding hands and having chocolate malteds at the Sugar Bowl on Seventy-ninth Street. Fat Arturo was eating two ice-cream sodas. The Sugar Bowl is our hangout. It’s the official candy store of Dutch Masters Day School. I didn’t have money for ice-cream sodas. I didn’t have money for malteds. I’d buy a Hershey bar or some Chuckles once a week. I’d peek at the comic book rack and wonder what was happening to Captain Marvel or the Sub-Mariner. Marvel and the Sub-Mariner were already at war, fighting Japs. And when Mauricette was still my fiancée, I’d sit with her over a glass of water and treat her to some candy whenever I could. But now she was sucking malteds with Barnaby Rosenstock. I could hear her from my corner, next to the comic book rack.

“Oh, Jack Dalton,” she said. “He has a wild imagination. He likes to fling words around. He thinks half the school is going to marry him.”

She didn’t have to shame me in front of her friends. Arturo was laughing into his fat cheeks. Barnaby had a chocolate rainbow on his lips. I didn’t even bother with the comic books. Marvel would have to fight the Japs without me. I walked home.

Mama was at the factory. She makes parachutes. Sometimes she’d bring home a little piece of silk left over from one of the chutes. That’s how I get my handkerchiefs. Not even Arturo with all his father’s money has a handkerchief of genuine silk. But handkerchiefs couldn’t make me feel good. Silk is only silk. I wondered about the American fliers who had their planes shot down and had to fall into the dark wearing some of that silk.

I couldn’t concentrate on my homework. It didn’t seem important when you considered all the Japs and Germans out there. I hope General MacArthur takes me with him to Bataan. I’m not asking for a Purple Heart. I’m only asking to kill Japs. And if I have to die, I want to die near my dad…

Mama came home at seven. The streets from my window looked so dark, I thought the world had gone gray. I didn’t care. I wouldn’t mind going to school after midnight.

“Darling,” Mama said, “what’s wrong?”

I couldn’t tell her how I lost a fiancée, because she would have figured I was insane.

“Mama, I’m blue…that’s all.”

“You’re still dreaming of the Army, aren’t you? We’ll have dinner and listen to the radio, my little blue boy.”

We had soup and bread and boiled potatoes and peas out of a can. It’s not Mama’s fault if meat is rationed and sugar is rationed. No one can inherit ration stamps, not even the President or Arturo’s dad.

We listened to Jack Benny. He played the violin and talked about the Japs. Mama laughed, because Jack Benny is the biggest miser in the world. He would never spend a nickel. But he told everybody to buy war bonds.

“What about you, Mr. Benny?”

Mama told me it was time for bed.

I put on my pajamas. But I didn’t feel like sleeping. I dialed Mauricette’s number and let the telephone ring. Somebody picked up the phone.

“It’s me,” I said. “Jack Dalton. Your former fiancé. Coco, are you there? I wanted to—”

Mauricette hung up. And I wondered who was lonelier. The dead cowboys on Bataan, or young Jack Dalton.

About the Author

Jerome Charyn (born May 13, 1937) is an award-winning American author. With nearly 50 published works, Charyn has earned a long-standing reputation as an inventive and prolific chronicler of real and imagined American life. Michael Chabon calls him “one of the most important writers in American literature.”

New York Newsday hailed Charyn as “a contemporary American Balzac,” and the Los Angeles Times described him as “absolutely unique among American writers.”

Since 1964, he has published 30 novels, three memoirs, eight graphic novels, two books about film, short stories, plays and works of non-fiction. Two of his memoirs were named New York Times Book of the Year. Charyn has been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received the Rosenthal Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and has been named Commander of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture.

Charyn lives in Paris and New York City.

eBook
ISBN: 9780985792206
ISBN: 9781476119076
Pages: 98
Release: July 1, 2012

Kindle buy link – $2.99
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Back to Bataan web site:
http://backtobataan.blogspot.com/

Back to Bataan Twitter hashtag:
#BackToBataan

Back to Bataan GoodReads page:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13613896-back-to-bataan

Jerome Charyn’s Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/jerome.charyn

Jerome Charyn’s Twitter:
http://twitter.com/jeromecharyn

Jerome Charyn’s Website:
http://www.jeromecharyn.com/

Jerome Charyn’s GoodReads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/53408.Jerome_Charyn

Tribute Books website:
http://www.tribute-books.com

Tribute Books Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Archbald-PA/Tribute-Books/171628704176

Tribute Books Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/TributeBooks

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Nicole at Tribute Books for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: The Violinists Thumb – Sam Kean

Thursday, August 9th, 2012
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (July 17, 2012)
English
ISBN-10: 0316182311
ISBN-13: 978-0316182317
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Review

DNA and how we’ve come to be. Sounds like one of the driest topics you could possible imagine. But in The Violinist’s Thumb by Sam Kean he takes the reader on an entertaing and informative ride through the history and discovery of DNA.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I discovered a lot about myself, genetics, evolution, and just the overall mystery of being part of the universe around us.

If you are interested in science, biology, genetics, or just love learning new things, then you should definitely pick this up. I think like I did, you’ll find many of the stories within it to be fascinating and informative.

About the Author

Sam Kean spent years collecting mercury from broken thermometers as a kid, and now he’s a writer in in Washington, DC. His work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Mental Floss, Slate, and Science, and has been featured on NPR’s “Radiolab” and “All Things Considered.” The Disappearing Spoon, his first book, was a New York Times national bestseller. Read excerpts at http://www.samkean.com.

(un)Official bio: Sam Kean gets called Sean once a month. He grew up in South Dakota, which means more to him than it probably should. He’s a fast reader but a very slow eater. He went to college in Minnesota and studied physics and English. He taught for a few years at an experimental charter school in St. Paul, where the kids showed up at night. After that, he tried to move to Spain (it didn’t take) and ended up in Washington, D.C. He has a master’s degree in library science he will probably never use. He wishes he had a sports team he was passionate about, but doesn’t, though he does love track & field.

See our Giveway here for your chance to win one of 2 copies. This giveaway is courtesy of Hachette Book Group.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to at Anna at Hachette Book Group for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Giveaway – The Violinist’s Thumb – Sam Kean

Thursday, August 9th, 2012

Thanks to Anna at Hachette Book group I”m able to offer my readers 2 copies of this book. To enter, follow these simple rules:

1) One Entry if you’re a follower [You can follow through Google Friend connect to the right, you can also sign up to follow through Twitter or Facebook].
2) An Additonal Entry if you blog about this contest.
3) An Additonal Entry if you’re a new follower.
4) One entry each for posting on facebook and/or twitter.
5) Must leave a comment letting me know how you follow me, blog link to this post, facebook/twitter link, etc.
6) Contest will continue until 08/23/2012 .
7) This giveaway is open to residents of US and Canada. No PO Box addresses (street mailing only).

See our review here.

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Review: Measure of the Magic – Terry Brooks

Tuesday, August 7th, 2012
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Del Rey; First Edition edition (August 23, 2011)
English
ISBN-10: ISBN-10: 0345484207
ISBN-13: 978-ISBN-13: 978-0345484208
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Characters:

Phryne Amarantyne – Elven Princess
Panterra Xu – Human Tracker

Synopsis:

Sider Ament is Dead. Panterra Xu finds himself as the new Bearer of the Black Staff and must learn his new powers. The Troll Army is marching towards their world bent on conquest. Not only is all this happening, but a Demon is on the loose and he’s determined that he alone will survive.

Review

As the followup to The Bearer of the Black Staff, I found this to be a compelling story. We finally get to see the powers of magic returning to the world we’ve known. We see young Panterra come to grips with his new powers, and how the acceptance of those will forever change his life.

We’ve managed to come full circle now from the world as we know it introduced in Running with the Demon, to the beginnings of the world we first learned about 35 years ago in the Sword of Shannara.

The characters are strong, the action is packed, and unfortunately as sometimes happens, some of those characters we love will not survive the evil that is unleashed.

If you’re a Terry Brooks fan, you definitely want to read this. If your a fan of Shannara, or a fan of Fantasy novels, I think you’ll really enjoy it.

Due to content and some of the darker events I’d say it’s geared towards older teens and adults. Mr. Brooks returns to the world of Shannara later this month with the release of Faerie Ward.

About the Author

Terry Brooks is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five books, including the Genesis of Shannara novels Armageddon’s Children and The Elves of Cintra; The Sword of Shannara; the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy: Ilse Witch, Antrax, and Morgawr; the High Druid of Shannara trilogy: Jarka Ruus, Tanequil, and Straken; the nonfiction book Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life; and the novel based upon the screenplay and story by George Lucas, Star Wars(R): Episode I The Phantom Menace.(tm) His novels Running with the Demon and A Knight of the Word were selected by the Rocky Mountain News as two of the best science fiction/fantasy novels of the twentieth century. The author was a practicing attorney for many years but now writes full-time. He lives with his wife, Judine, in the Pacific Northwest.

*Disclaimer* You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

The Classic Corner Review: The Roman Hat Mystery – Ellery Queen

Thursday, August 2nd, 2012
Mass Market Paperback: 239 pages
Publisher: Signet Books (February 6, 1979)
English
ISBN-10: 0451084705
ISBN-13: 978-0451084705
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Characters:

Richard Queen – Retired Detective
Ellery Queen – Author and Amateur Detective
Monte Field – The Victim

Synopsis:

At a theatre play, a show called Gunplay is being performed. In the audience is Monte Field. This will be the last play Monte Field will ever see. Tonight he’s being murdered. It will be up to you, Richard Queen, and his son Ellery Queen to take the witness testimony, piece together the clues, and figure out who killed Monte and why.

Review

This was the debut novel for the detective character Ellery Queen. The authors begin with a long list of all the possible characters. Then there are maps of the crime scene. Throughout the book, like in all good mysteries, the reader is given the opportunity to solve the crime. In fact, The characters break the third wall and step out of the book before the reveal to give the reader a chance to put it all together.

Unlike a previous novel, The Devil to Pay, I found myself unable to solve this one. The ending was a surprise, but when all the pieces were laid on the board, the solution made complete sense.

If you’re a fan of the old style of mysteries where you have to solve the puzzle, rather than the thriller type, pick this book up. I think you’ll find it’s a good entry into the series. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Queens adventures as time goes on.

About the Author

Ellery Queen was both a famous fictional detective and the pen name of two cousins born in Brooklyn in 1905. Created by Manfred B. Lee and Frederic Dannay as an entry in a mystery-writing contest, Ellery Queen is regarded by many as the definitive American whodunit celebrity.

When their first novel, The Roman Hat Mystery (1929), became an immediate success, the cousins gave up their business careers and took to writing dozens of novels, hundreds of radio scripts and countless short stories about the gentleman detective and writer who shared an apartment on West 87th Street with his father, Inspector Queen of the NYPD.

Dannay was said to have largely produced detailed outlines of the plots, clues and characters while Lee did most of the writing. As the success of Ellery Queen grew, the character’s legacy continued through radio, television and film. In 1941, the cousins founded Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. Edited by Queen for more than forty years, the periodical is still considered one of the most influential crime fiction magazines in American history.

Additionally, Queen edited a number of collections and anthologies, and his critical writings are the major works on the detective short story. Under their collective pseudonym, the cousins were given several Edgar awards by the Mystery Writers of America, including the 1960 Grand Master Award. Their novels are examples of the classic ‘fair play’ whodunit mystery of the Golden Age, where plot is always paramount. Manfred B. Lee, born Manford Lepofsky, died in 1971. Frederic Dannay, born Daniel Nathan, died in 1982.

*Disclaimer* You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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