Muddy Waters

Maggie Toussaint's Muddy Waters is a romantic suspense novel that draws the reader into the story from the first page with the pull of the tide against the Georgia coast.
Roxie Whitaker inherited her grandmother's real estate firm and though there is not a high demand for homes in Mossy Bog she is determined to make a go of her responsibility.
Sloan Harding is the boy from across the tracks who has established a niche for himself in Atlanta, but is drawn back to his grandfather's house where he live a "hit and miss life" with a drunk for a father. The one person who had faith in him was Roxie's grandmother.
The small cottages they inherited are in aging states of disrepair and Roxie has one client who is persistent in his desire to obtain Sloan's cottage. Property management is a venue that keeps Roxie afloat and Sloan hires her to oversee the restoration of his cottage. Roxie accepts with visions of an eventual sale floating through her dreams.

Roxie returns home to find her home ransacked, which adds impetus to a feeling she has endured for several days that someone is watching her. What's a girl to do when she doesn't feel safe in her own home? Sloan may not be acceptable to the Mossy Bog's citizens, but he provides a safe haven (maybe).

This is a fun read and a delightful break from some heavy tomes.
Visit with Maggie at http://maggietoussaint.com
Nash Black, author of Haints.

The Dangerous Edge of Things

Tina Whittle's debut novel, The Dangerous Edge of Things will keep you on the edge of your chair enthralled by her precise yet vivid descriptions of Atlanta, GA. Ms. Whittle's characters do not depend on their southerness for their uniqueness, but evolve with the modern city.

Teresa Ann "Tai" Randolph inherited half of a Confederate gun shop and moved from Savannah to explore the possibilities of her inheritance. One week in town, crashing at her brother Eric's home she discovers the gunshot body of a young woman.
The belated welcoming party gets worse as Eric is in the Bahamas and doesn't answer her frantic messages when subsequent events prove he is acquainted with the victim. Eric is employed by the security firm Phoenix and in typical older-brother fashion provides his impetuous baby-sister with a body guard and employment she does not want.

Enter the body guard, Trey Seaver is one of the most original characters in modern mystery fiction. Ms. Whittle builds Trey with adroit descriptions that fascinate and create empathy with Tai's frustration while she attempts to communicate with "the Iceman."

Tai and Trey must work as a team to keep her alive and unmask a killer. Her approach to anyone in authority is to argue and ignore while he is subservient to unreasonable demands. Tai has yet to find a box and Trey can not function without one. The tug-of-war between them is explosive until the very last word. The action's pace is faster than his Ferrari; it will drive you into the midnight hours.

Visit Tina at http://www.tinawhittle.com.

Tina Whittle's The Dangerous Edge of Things is soon to be released by Poisoned Pen Press to book stores and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

The Day of Small Things

Vicki Lane's lyrical The Day of Small Things is the perfect book to curl up with at anytime, a hammock in summer or by the fire when winds are brisk. This reader is delighted that Ms. Lane took the time from her outstanding Elizabeth Goodweather series to explore in depth the engaging character of "Miss Birdie."
Fan's of the Goodweather series demanded more of Miss Birdie because in the brief sketches a real person shown through who was worth every moment they spent exploring her character.
The Day of Small Things is not a small story, but a saga of a young woman who against all odds learns to love and comes to grips with the divergent aspects of her own heritage. Least was her given name and her expectations did not exist until her aging Cherokee grandmother gave her five years of undivided love and the teachings of her people.
Her mother's bitterness and anger fueled a devastating revenge against her youngest child, Least. The mother's death gave the young woman a chance to explore the outside world if she can stay ahead of the sheriff. Her mother had signed papers committing her to a institution to be sterilized.
Each obstacle Least encounters on her journey to become "Miss Birdie" will keep you turning the pages, reading every word for the story, the customs, the atmosphere, and the charm that shines through some dark days.

This is a book you will not want to miss and it is one you will want to keep on your shelf to dip into when you need a glimpse of the perseverance of the human soul.

Visit with Vicki Lane at http://www.vickilanemysteries.com/. Vicki's books are available in the paperback book section of book stores and on line from Amazon.com.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree

Susan Wittig Albert's The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree transports the reader directly to the 1930s and a woman's gardening group.
The country is in the midst of the Great Depression, but the ladies of Darling, Alabama have their hands deep in the soil and the lives of each inhabitant of this southern community.
Life isn't easy as their pennies are tight, but they are determined to restore Mrs. Blackstone's family home and the gardens that she left in their care. The work is hard because the old place was sadly neglected during Mrs. Blackstone's declining years.
Everyone is talking about the escaped convict and it isn't a surprise when reports of a ghost digging the gardens near the cucumber trees are reported. Nothing is ever what it seems in a good cozy mystery and the ladies are not about to put up with any nonsense from a ghost.

Mrs. Albert is an established writer with two successful cosy mystery series under her belt, but The Darling Dahlias may be her best yet. Her work reminds me of another great cozy writer Charlotte MacLeod. Mrs. MacLeod wrote an exceptional funny gardening series as Alisa Craig, an example is The Grub and Stakers House a Haunt.

If you enjoy a break from horrific murder and mayhem with a yen for gardening either of these two authors will give you hours of pleasure.

Susan Wittig Albert's books are available at bookstores everywhere and on Amazon.com

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

Spookiest Stories Ever

Roberta S. and Lonnie E. Brown have spent a lifetime collecting stories of actual experiences with ghosts. They have complied these stories from family and friends in Spookiest Stories Ever: Four Seasons of Kentucky Ghosts published by The University Press of Kentucky.
Encounters with the paranormal does not occur just at Hallowe'en, but at any time when the veil to the world beyond has a window in time. Roberta and Lonnie recognizes this and have arranged their tales of phychic phenomena as to when they occurred.
Lonnie tells of his first encounter with something beyond the grave in The Cold Touch when the newly dead left a flower to indicate their presence.
Roberta tells of her experience at the Tab in Ghost of Berea College. I recognized the old theater building; it was there when I was a member of the library staff and teacher at Berea. A young boy could see the ghost, but Roberta could only hear his footsteps.
A suicide that keeps on dying is the subject Ghost Chains. No one has been able to live in the house in south Central Kentucky since the death occurred. It is a dripping, dripping, chilling tale of death; a perfect story to read on a warm summer's night.
When an event is of extreme importance to two individuals it isn't unusual for the dead to visit the living. From the winter section Roberta retells a story of the bond that existed between a young woman graduating from college and her father.

I've cited a sampling of these eerie true stories for each season. This is a book to savor and put down, pickup and reread as you visit with some very spooky haints.

Roberta Simpson Brown is a noted folklorist, oral story teller, and author. Other books by her are Queen of the Cold-Blooded Tales and The Walking Trees and Other Scary Stories. Her husband Lonnie E. Brown is a musician and author of Stories You Won't Believe. They currently live outside of Louisville, but were born in Russell County, KY.
Look for their books in bookstores and on Amazon.com as they are a perfect gift at any time of the year.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning

Nancy Pichard adds one more stunning mystery to a long line of successes. The Scent of Rain and Lightning sparks across the Kansas plains with storm flashes as Jody Linder prepares to enter the world of professional work as an English teacher.
Jody has been sheltered by her grandparents and uncles. They have love and protected her since the night her world was blown apart by Billy Crosby. Billy was tried and convicted of the murder of Jody's father and sentenced to life in prison.
The burning question for Laurie is what happened to her mother the night her father was killed. Laurie Linder disappeared; her body was never recovered; she was never seen again. Throughout her childhood Jody has been drawn to Testament Rocks and collected artifacts from the soil and sand to discover a connection to her mother.
Old vague memories rise out of the past to haunt Jody when she learns that Billy Crosby will be released from prison and return home for a new trail that was arranged by his attorney son, Colin.
The cadence of the novel pounds like the thud of hail on a tin roof as Jody relives her childhood images and discovers a new direction for her heart that leaves her head spinning with shock before justice is served.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning is available at bookstores everywhere and visit with the prolific author at http://nancypickardmysteries.com/.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

Broken

Karin Slaughter's Broken will be her next award winner. The complex story of depression, revenge, greed, disabilities, and hatred is told with the stunning brilliance of a master writer.
There is never any let-up in this fast-paced police procedural. A young woman is murdered and the young man who is arrested for her killing commits suicide in his cell.
Their deaths reunited some of Slaughter's most intriguing characters as Dr. Sara Linton calls the state crime division to report Detective Lena Adams for negligence and lying about the circumstances surrounding the arrest. Dr. Linton believes this previous behavior of evading responsibility caused the death of her husband and she wants Lena punished.

Special Agent Will Trent is sent to the scene to investigate and is thwarted at every turn by the members of the force to prevent him from doing his job. He must turn both to Sara and Lena for help after the boy friend of the murdered girl is also killed by the same methods. The conflict between the two woman is detrimental to his efforts to complete his investigation, but for both women an internal devotion to their respective jobs finally supersedes their hatred of each other.
Slaughter exhibits a fantastic talent for descriptive prose that will have you putting the book in your lap to savor her images. Her strength shows in the small ordinary experiences of life and vividness of the surroundings. She handles the raw scenes of death with the crisp flat style of a police report, never broaching sensationalism.

I had the privilege of sharing a head table at a writing workshop with Karin. One of the things we discussed was, "Why are women never taught to protect and respect themselves as children?" It is a question I've not forgotten and for which I still seek an answer.
Broken will be available in bookstores everywhere in late June, until then you can visit with Karin, who loves to get letters at http://karinslaughter.com/.

Nash Black, author of Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

Devil's Island

Carl Brookins continues the story of Mary Whitney and her husband, Michael Tanner in Devils Island.
Brookins gives the reader an inside view of a strong relationship between two unique individuals through his complex suspense/thriller. There is never any question in the story line as to who is the bad guy. He is Mary's ex-husband. Edwin Tobias can not endure to let Mary live after escaping from his domination.
Michael Tanner and Edmund Hochstein (director of Whitney Enterprises) do their best to protect Mary from the danger they foresee on the horizon, but how far does one go without becoming the same oppressive menace Mary escaped from when she left Tobias?
A planned vacation to Lake Superior divides Michael and Mary. He has obligations on the West Coast, which can not be ignored or postponed. Mary travels to Minnesota alone for a few days of sailing and research to trace her family's early logging interest on the islands of the lake.
Mary enjoys her time on the lake with the aid of a young woman who is a novice sailor. Then this fast paced story churns the turbulent waters even faster as Tobias plays cat-and-mouse games before moving in for the kill.
The conclusion is one of the most exciting and illuminating I have read in a long time. You must read the story for yourself to understand the gallant respect Michael has for Mary despite his own fears for her safety.

It is a gripping tale from start to finish. Put it on your must read list.
Devils Island is available on-line and from http://www.echelonpress.com/.

Carl is a professional reviewer, a member of the Minnesota Crime Wave, and you can visit with him at http://carlbrookins.com/.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

Saintly Remains

Tony Perona has stepped over to the dark side of the human experience with the forthcoming addition to his Nick Bertetto mystery series, Saintly Remains.

A shooting spree at the high school of Nick's wife, Joan leaves five students and the killers dead. The small town of Jasper, IN in shock and parents of all the young victims devastated.

Nick, Joan, and their daughter, Stephanie return for a well-earned vacation six months after the tragedy, but a residue of confusion and loss clouds their home coming.

When Joan's mother opens the back door for her cat Mr. Jangles, the horror is overwhelming; someone has skinned the pet and left him to die. While Nick and his mother-in-law are in the vet's office they learn of another mutilated pet in the neighborhood plus several dogs and cats who have disappeared. Nick vows he will find the vicious person who is practicing these vicious acts of cruelty on helpless victims. His search for the truth uncovers rumors of the existence of a Satanic cult, which emerged during the police investigation of the killings at the high school.

The reporter in Nick shouts "no" to coincidence.

The next blow to the close knit community comes when the body of the young girl who said she believed in Jesus before she died in the massacre is stolen from her grave. The grave has become a point of reverence as friends and believers leave tokens of faith, while her parents cope with pickers who are stealing their garbage to recover a possession of Keri's to sell on the illicit trade in saintly artifacts.

Are the seemingly random acts connected? The reporter in Nick again shouts "no" to coincidence.

Page after page will slip by as your eyes race across the type to follow the adroit narrative of Tony Perona as he covers a dark subject. Nick, his family, and friends dig deep to write the true story behind the deaths of Jasper's young citizens.

Who hides in the dark and commits acts of revenge against the unsuspecting? Who will kill and kill again to protect a deadly secret?

If you haven't met Nick Bertetto, a father who works from home and cares for his daughter while Joan follows her career try Saintly Remains, which will be available on March 17th on Amazon.com. Then you will want to go back and enjoy Second Advent and Angels Whisper for a good visit with a nice guy who gets a little help from above.

Visit with Tony at http://tonyperona.com/ to learn more about Nick Bertetto.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

The Bone Chamber

Multiple award winning Robin Burcell's The Bone Chamber is a first class bone chilling romantic/suspense/thriller, which will keep you glue to each page.

Sydney Fitzpatrick is a forensic artist who is pulled from her last session at the FBI Academy and asked to take on a new assignment on the eve of a well deserved vacation with her family in San Francisco. Sydney doesn't want to job or the aggravation, but a friend invites her to dinner and persuades her to take the assignment.

It isn't until Sydney is finishing what seems to be a routine facial identification of a young women does Sydney learn her friend is dead. Dr. Natasha Gilbert was the victim of a hit-and-run accident. She is furious with Special Agent Zachary Griffin who kept the information from her. Who is Agent Griffin who can enter the portals of Quantico with impunity and change lives at his command?

Sydney is not without resources and investigates Agent Griffin, whose identity and employment circumstances become stranger and stranger. Fueled by her anger with him and her grief for Tasha, Sydney follows him to Rome and a case that is definitely not a vacation.

The sparks fly between Sydney and Zack, but neither has the time or inclination to indulge in personal affairs while they are fighting to stay alive. The twists and turns of plot and relationships will propell the reader the tombs of ancient slaves to the final page.

The Bone Chamber is title I acquired through Amazon's Vine Review program, which I consider worthy of a broader review. It is available in bookstores and online everywhere. Comments are welcome at Harper@harpercollins.com.

This review is in compliance with FTC rules of September, 09.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

The Crossing Places

I came across British author Elly Griffiths's The Crossing Places through the Amazon Vine program where I also write reviews for new books.

Seldom do I read a book from cover to cover at one sitting, but this cozy/suspense is a page turner from the first word.

Ruth Galloway is an archaeologists with a deep love for the lonely salt-marsh country where she did her early internship working on the resurrection of a henge. The mudflats, when the tide recedes reveal evidence of human activity back to the Iron Age.

A chance discovery of the bones of a child prompts Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson to ask for Ruth's help as to their identity. He is hoping they are the remains of a child who has been missing for ten years, but Ruth identifies the bones as those of a Bronze Age child who was allowed to die in a ritual sacrifice.

Since the kidnapping Detective Nelson has been taunted by letters as to the location of Lucy Downey's remain, but when another child goes missing the hunto is on by all parties to locate a killer before he can strike again.

With a masterful pen Ms. Griffiths creates word pictures to draw the reader into the bleakness of the English coast and the lives of her characters who populate the windswept Norfolk marshes. Each has a spark of life that shines through to enthrall the reader.

The Crossing Places is not Ms. Griffiths first novel, but it is the first in a new mystery series that will have this reader coming back for more. The book will be available on Amazon.com some time in the new year. Visit Elly Griffiths and Ruth at http://ruthgalloway.com/.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

Merry, Merry Ghost

Carolyn Hart brings back the most delightful ghost in mystery land, Bailey Ruth Raeburn in Merry, Merry Ghost to decorate the season with fun and fantasy.

Bailey Ruth has a new assignment from the Department of Good Intentions: "to protect a little boy" from his greedy faux relatives.

A return trip from Heaven to Adelaide, OK during the holiday season is just the ticket Bailey Ruth has been anticipating. A short side trip to check on her children and she's off to do her duty to little Keith Flynn who has lost both his mother and father.

Keith is left on the doorstep of his grandmother's home; she was not aware of his existence, yet his papers prove he is the son of her estranged son, Michael.

His arrival is not greeted with joy from all the members of his grandmother's extended family and someone is willing to kill to prevent her from signing a new will in Keith's favor. It is up to Bailey Ruth to enlighten the authorities there has been a murder, bring the culprit to justice, and protect Keith's inheritance.

Merry, Merry Ghost is just the book to enjoy for yourself after all your holiday chores are finished and give to friends that deserve a bit of cheer on cold winter days.

Merry, Merry Ghost is available on line and at bookstores everywhere. Visit with numerous award winning author Carolyn Hart at http://www.carolynhart.com/.

Nash Black, author Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

http://twitter.com/Pennhand

Serpent in the Thorns

Jeri Westerson has given her growing list of fans a new adventure for Crispin Guest in Serpent in the Thorns. Ms. Westerson's first medieval noir mystery for Crispin was Veil of Lies, where she introduced the disgraced knight who when stripped of his heritage by Richard II must eek a precarious living by finding lost items.

Crispin's "lost items" are not mundane and this time he is besieged from all sides for the return of the sacred Crown of Thorns, which he picked up while investigating a murder French courier in the room of a simple minded girl who claims she killed the man. How could she have killed the man with a special arrow known only to the English court? His duty is to protect his new client whose sister has given him a small fee.

A novel set during the period of the rule of the House of Lancaster is backed up with the extensive research and knowledge Jeri Westerson brings to the printed page. The minute details of life for both commoner and aristocracy of the era ring with authenticity and pull the reader deep into the story for a fascinating adventure where rogues and honorable men are known. But are they when the unstable rule of a vain seventeen year-old governs their lives?

Crispin wants to use the Crown to regain his status. Follow him as he risks his life and the lives of those who have befriended him during his hours of darkness to pursue his ambition.

Serpent in the Thorns, as Veil of Lies, apply demonstrats the work of a master for plot, character development, and setting. You will enjoy every tight word of this exciting medieval noir mystery. Both books are available on Amazon.com and bookstores. Veil of Lies in the new paperback edition has a new cover.

Join Jeri at http://jeriwesterson.com/ or Crispin who keeps a journal on his own Web site at http://www.crispinguest.com where you will learn more about him and the times in which he lived.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

Death and Honesty

Death and Honesty by Cynthia Riggs continues the sleuthing skills of Victoria Trumbull for the delight of the author's many fans. Victoria is ninety-two-years-old and her nosiness when it comes to murder has earned her the position of a deputy on the local police force, which is a responsibility Victoria strives to fulfill.

Cynthia Riggs parlays a varied background and a position as a thirteenth-generation Islander on Martha's Vineyard into an outstanding series that gains more fans as each addition is published.

Victoria discovers the body of a neighbor who happens to be one of the community's tax-assessors. No one really cares for a person who fulfills this position, but murder is taking distaste too far.

Another name for honesty is money plant and though its bright bluish/purple bloom is lovely in a late-spring garden; it is invasive and roots out frailer plants.

This soon happens as Victoria discovers the tax-assessors have been raising the assessment values on properties owned by the seasonal residents, the extra income is not evident in the towns coffers.

Delilah Sampson is one such owner who is facing financial crisis of her own. The heat begins to build for Delilah when the body of the private pilot for a disreputable minister is found in her pond. A former helpful friend of Victoria's is acting as Delilah's chauffeur under another name, which leads Victoria to wonder if he, too, is no longer to be trusted.

Join Victoria in a cozy mystery that is well plotted, filled with humor and substance that will take you to the beach. A well-written cozy is a welcome break for the deluge of heavy chiller-thrillers.

Death and Honesty is available where mysteries are sold and online. Visit with Cynthia Riggs at http:www.cynthiariggs.com to discover what she has in store for Victoria's next adventure.

Nash Black

Writing as a Small Business and Haints, Indie Award Finalists

Homicide in Hardcover

Kate Carlisle has introduced a new sleuth to the cozy mystery scene with Brooklyn Wainright in Homicide in Hardcover. Brooklyn has an intriguing occupation, she repairs and restores antique books, this painstaking work gives her a deep insight into teeny details the ordinary person would never see.

As I read I kept wondering if Brooklyn my precious copy of the first American edition of Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist. It is bound in green patterned silk, but the spine has parted ways with the body. This is how well Kate Carlisle (a debut author) develops her characters. They become real to the reader.

Brooklyn was named for the place she was conceived by her "flower children" parents who have managed to make their avocation a success in a commercial world. She discovers her mother leaving a basement studio of her mentor just minutes before she discovers his body in the disaster strewn workshop. Why was her mother in the museum where a major collection of prize books is being shown? What is her mother hiding and did she have anything to do with the crime?

The plot and its numerous threads are woven together like the very fabric of a fine book covering. The suspense builds as evidence accumulates that points to several candidates for the killer in this fine who-done-it.

I've been looking for a new sleuth to follow and purchased this title through Amazon's Those Who Bought This Book Also Bought section, otherwise I may never have discovered this jewel of a cozy.

Kate Carlise has also received another review from a fan, see http://mmgornell.wordpress.com/ for a second opinion and welcome Kate to the world of cozy mystery fiction.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

http://twitter.com/Pennhand

DEAD ON

DEAD ON by Robert W. Walker is a chiller thriller of the first magnitude. Rob takes the reader's capacity for the imagination of horror to stomach turning depths, and then gives it more twists than a Georgia backroad that paves an Indian trail. This new addition to his broad range of titles will keep you awake long after the last page is closed.

I've reviewed several titles on this blog that were heralded as thrillers, but none of them had the spine tingling power of DEAD ON.

From the first page when former Atlanta police detective turned PI, Marcus Rydell is contemplating ending his life through his gun point first date with Dr. Kat Holley the tension and suspense builds as they bind together to catch a psychotic killer who has destroyed their lives and halted their careers.

The reader is compelled to keep turning the pages. Rob does little pseudo psychological musing as to what has turned ex-marine, professional hunter Iden Cantu into a monster killer. He illustrates by the deviants' blood curdling actions how a man slips over the line into insanity.

Cantu thrives on torture, both physical and mental for his victims. Cantu picks Rydell as his adversary when Rydell experiences a blackout as his partner and two other policemen are executed over his prone body. It is a duel manhunt of Cantu's choosing unless he can destroy Rydell from inside his own brain before Rydell finds him.

Nothing is predictable in this fast paced horror/thriller and the descriptions are sparse as each character controls their own destiny, which are fought against an unpredictable opponent.

This reviewer will be back for the sequel DEAD END, because there are many questions left unanswered.

You can find DEAD ON in your favorite library or online at Amazon.com. Visit with the award winning author at http://robertwalkerbooks.com.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

http://twitter.com/Pennhand

A Trace of Smoke

Rebecca Cantrell's A Trace of Smoke takes the reader deep into the noir world of Berlin in 1931. A world in upheaval with the rise of the Nazi party just before Hitler comes to power. The power of this debut mystery is enthralling, spurred by the in depth research of the author.

The minute details makes the novel come alive in the reader's mind because the word pictures she paints are both stark and vivid. Rebecca recreates a world that becomes a major character. A Trace of Smoke could not exist, except for the setting.

Hannah Vogel is a crime reporter for Berliner Tageblatt under the pen name of Peter Weill. On her way to the Criminal Investigations Department she discovers her gay brother's picture on the wall of the Hall of the Unnamed Dead. He had been stabbed and his body was dumped in the river, where it was discovered by a passing tourist boat. Hannah is shocked and frightened, but she vows to unearth his killer.

Hannah inherits a five year old boy who calls her Mother. Anton carries a birth certificate which names her as his mother and the brother as the father. Who is "Little Eagle?" Did her beloved bother father this child at the age of fourteen?

Follow Hannah as she searches for the truth through the dangerous streets of Berlin, the El Dorado (gay bar) where her brother was a performer, Tegel Prison, and the abandoned homes of her friends who've fled the coming Holocaust. This is one you will not put down until the last page.

Hannah's story will continue in 2010 with A Night of the Long Knives. Visit Rebecca Cantrell at http://rebeccacantrell.com/.

PS, this copy is from the Russell County, KY public library. Thanks you all, you have good taste.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.

The Last Bridge

The Last Bridge by Teri Coyne is a symphony of pain.

Alexandra "Cat" Rucker has buried her memories in an alcoholic haze for all of her adult life, but the suicide of her brutalized mother brings her home to avoid or face the future.

The complex threads of her life are woven around the cryptic note left by her mother.

"Cat, He isn't who you think he is." Who is the "he?"

Is it her father? Her teenage lover? Her bother? The son she gave birth to and abandoned?

Abuse both sexual and physical leaves many scars and grows twines like a deadly snake around the lives of everyone it touches. What saves this title from being a travesty of malignancy is the powerful writing style of debut author Teri Coyne.

The story itself reminds me of Michaela Jefferies's, Grasping for Love, which is a non-fiction title by a victim of sexual abuse. I have met Michaela and watched her struggle against a past she can never forget.

Cat doesn't forget her past either, and it takes many months to find her way to a tentative understanding of who "he" is or was. With fiction there is a grain of hope buried in the final pages for Cat's recovery. A graphic read that is not comfortable, but it is enlightening. Teri Coyne has a profound voice and a superb story for a debut novel.

You can learn more about Teri at http://www.tericoyne.com/. The Last Bridge will be on sale July 28, 2009.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists Writing as a Small Business and Haints.