The Bee Sting

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

Book reviewed by Teri Davis Takle

t’s odd how one event can change your life, your future, and your future family’s lives. It’s simply one thing that could be traumatic, but it becomes the pivot point for everyone. That’s rather terrifying when you think about it.  Purchase Here.

Cass is a high-achieving, attractive student looking forward to attending college in Dublin next year along with her best friend, Elaine. She is apprehensive about her upcoming exams and has found alcohol changes things, including herself.

Twelve-year-old P.J. is running away from home. Life is not good, and an older bully is threatening him.  

Imelda, the mother of Cass and P.J., has problems.   She is the typically born-beautiful wife who expects to be admired by all, completely self-absorbed. Born into an impoverished and dysfunctional family, she fears going backward.   However, keeping her spending under control can be a challenge. Additionally, she feels the burden of keeping up her image to the rest of the town.

Dickie Barnes is in a downward spiral. Can he save his job and his family before bankruptcy?

You would think that Dickie was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, being that he inherited his family’s Volkswagen business.    However, Dickie is changing, his business is in financial trouble, and his priorities are out-of-whack.

The Bee Sting is an epic history of the Barnes family in about 650 pages—each character’s insecurities, the parents’ pasts, and how their emotional baggage affects their children, themselves, and each other. 

The style is a little unusual, omitting commas and ending punctuation. Usually, this is fine, but occasionally, you need to reread the sentences to follow the storyline. 

The story surrounds those who make life happen instead of those who choose the easy path; ambition, lack of opportunity, and chance all play a role in everyone’s life, along with expectations of family, friends, or society. All are influencers along this curved road of life. The importance of dreams and goals, or lacking these, often decides our success or failures.    

The characterization and setting are superb. You know these people and understand their choices in usually taking the easiest path.   You can picture each one along their misadventures. 

The ending troubled me because it did not tie up all the loose threads. I finally realized that someone finally dared to put others before themselves and do the right thing.  

Paul Murray is an Irish author and has also written three more award-winning novels, An Evening of Goodbyes, Skippy Dies, and The Mark and the Void, and additionally wrote the screenplay Metal Heart.   

The Bee Sting is not for everyone, and the issue of homosexuality makes this an adult book.

The Bee Sting was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

Stella and Shell

Stella and Shell by L.S. Lentz

Book reviewed by Teri Davis Takle Making new friends is always a little scary, especially when moving to a new home. For Stella, a big dog, there is so much to explore and the nearby river is almost calling to her.  She is an adult dog, but she sometimes cannot help herself by getting into the trash, like a naughty puppy.  Purchase Here. Moving to a new home is exciting.   What new adventures are waiting?  Who will these adventures be with?  Who will be her playmates?   Who will be her friends? Stella and Shell is a beautifully illustrated children’s book.  The lush, picturesque settings immediately pull the reader into the story with the simple text in perfect correlation.   It’s easy to relate to the farmhouse, the kitchen, the river, and the surrounding area. Friendship is the theme and the need to find something in common to build those friendships.   With the challenge Stella has about how to approach new friends and being persistent, many lessons can be learned. There are numerable teachable lessons in Stella and Shell.  Vocabulary lessons with the words amber, oozes, startled, and fluffy would be appropriate for young children.  With Stella sniffing, patting, and barking the senses could be mentioned along with when to best use those actions.  For everyone, discussions about how to approach new people, as well as dogs, and big dogs could be wonderful life lessons.  Even a little problem-solving could be used with asking how could Stella later make friends with Mr. Fish, Mrs. Owl, and Brother Beaver.   Who could be friends with these other creatures? Unlikely friendships are essential for everyone.  We all need to respect each other’s natural abilities, strengths, weaknesses, disabilities, and gifts.  There is a need for everyone to learn to make friends and to further develop their friendships.  Who would ever imagine a friendship between a large dog and a turtle who enjoy digging together? The ideal reader for this book would be for young children with the book being read out loud to them.  However, the audience could easily be extended to older children, especially those with any type of difficulty, disability, or those who have problems making friends. The author, L.S. Lentz, is an experienced educator who recently moved to a farmhouse in Massachusetts.  Stella is her actual dog and she really created a bizarre friendship with a turtle and the two of them enjoy digging together.  Stella and Shell is her first published children’s book. Stella and Shell is a delightfully wonderful story for young children, those who enjoy a happy story, and friendship.  We each differ but finding common sharing is the key to building lasting relationships and lifelong friendships.  
Second Place - Children's Books
Hat Trick

Hat Trick by William LeRoy

Book Reviewed by Douglas R. Cobb

Hat Trick is the latest book from the pen of the best-selling author, William LeRoy. It features the down home-style sleuthing of one of LeRoy’s most intriguing main characters, PI Maximo Morgan, in three long short stories. The first tale, “One Shoe Blues,” won the Percy Wilson Society’s prestigious Not the Butler Award, and the other two stories, “Prankenstein Monster” and “Ham for the Holidays,” are also gems of brilliant storytelling, making this collection a captivating and engrossing “hat trick,” indeed. The three tales make this book a Must Read for fans of mysteries, especially those that are laced with a generous helping of humor, cultural references, and the trademark sort of clever wordplay that LeRoy is known for. Like the author’s other novels, Hat Trick is set in Oklahoma, with much of the action taking place in the small backwater town of Henryetta.  Purchase Here.

“One Shoe Blues,” originally published in PWS Periodical II, is my personal favorite of the three Maximo Morgan Mysteries, though I also thoroughly enjoyed reading the other two tales.  It takes its title from the B.B. King song of the same name. Maximo, or “Max,” has a knack for jumping to conclusions and making assumptions, some fairly accurate in a sense, some of which are erroneous. Ah, well — not all of the conclusions reached by other examples of literature’s most famous PIs have been completely accurate, but that’s one of the aspects about Hat Trick and LeRoy’s other books that lend humor to them and make you want to keep turning pages to discover what Max will be up to next. Reading the very cool first story, “One Shoe Blues,” you might even learn a thing or two about shoes and shoe-related expressions. I know that I did.

The other two tales in Hat Trick are also stellar, if you are a fan of clever and humorous mysteries, as I am. The first chapter of “Prankenstein Monster” begins on the Monday after Halloween, on November 1, 2023, and Max is faced with another day at  work at the local Mister Quickie’s copy shop. He is not in the best of moods because the night before, the front door of the house that he shares with his mom got egged. The incident reminds Max of Mike Hammer’s Case of Ghostwritten Graffiti and the quote that Halloween was “a green light for some to engage in perverse passions.”

Max relishes in associating the exploits and lives of literary PIs with his own. The “perverse passions” that lead to three costumed people egging his mother’s (and his) house is what sets off a chain of links that is the plot of “Prankenstein Monster,” a story originally published in the October edition of Private Dickwork Illustrated. This is a great story with many twists and turns to it. Max finds himself trying to solve the mystery of why a “dame” disappears following a Halloween party.  A stranger “smelling of embalming fluid,” who crashes the party adds to the fun of reading “Prankenstein Monster.”

The third tale in Hat Trick is “Ham for the Holidays.” Besides the natural desire that many people have of wanting to be home for the holidays and spending time with friends and family, traditionally also over indulging in all sorts of food, like ham, is another experience that can make holidays special. Max has that “natural desire” in spades. In “Ham for the Holidays,” a story that was “originally commissioned as course material for a 2023 Harvard 4-H Club Symposium on “Homicide and Hunger in Hamlet,” our intrepid flatfoot PI faces some of the issues that Shakespeare’s tragic hero, Hamlet, also faced, like hunger.

In “Ham for the Holidays,” Max can’t help but recalling the hard lesson that another one of his heroes, the literary PI Percy Wilson learned. Sadly, the Latin expression “Cherchez la Femme,” or “Shedunnit,” was often true when it came to the perpetrator of nefarious deeds. Max, like Percy Wilson, is reluctant to consider the possibility that “Sometimes a guy had to walk over burning charcoal and his own mother to wrap-up a case.”

Hearing that his Mom is going to get remarried, Max goes on a “hunger strike.” Mom Morgan enlists the aid of Dr. Stern, to help her “troubled son.” The table is turned when Max, himself, gets accused by guilty the good doctor of “emotional blackmail.”  Everybody’s a suspect in “Ham for the Holidays,” even Max’s own sweet Mom Morgan, and…himself.

Hat Trick by William LeRoy is a treat to read, whether it’s read before, during, or after the upcoming holiday season. The three Maximo Morgan Mysteries included in the book are sure to bring a smile to the faces of everybody who checks out Hat Trick. If you’re someone who loves reading mysteries with plot twists galore that are also laced with a heaping helping of humor, this is definitely the book for you!

 

 

 

The Three Sisters

The Three Sisters – Apocalyptic Action Thriller (Book 2 of The Pulse) by Owen Garratt

Book Reviewed by Daniel Ryan Johnson

Jack Broderick is at it again in The Three Sisters, the second book in Owen Garratt’s epic apocalypse series, The Pulse. Garratt makes it easy enough to jump into the series about a world devastated by fires and a lack of electricity following a devastating solar storm, even if you haven’t read the first novel. He gives new readers the essential details they need without feeling like an unnecessary recap for those fans already hooked on the story of Jack’s fight to get home to his family.  Purchase here.

Jack Broderick is aptly named because he is a true Jack of all trades. No matter what obstacle he comes up against, he has the knowledge needed to overcome it. On top of that, Jack has the ability to handle himself in a fight. While skilled in combat, his ability to take a hit is what makes him a particularly dangerous adversary. The beatings he takes in the week after the pulse leave the reader wondering if anything can take him down.

In The Three Sisters, we see Jack continue to face one challenge after another, as he did throughout the first novel in the series. While the new world in which he finds himself is full of dangers, many of the perilous situations he gets himself into could have been avoided if he kept his head down. However, that is not who Jack Broderick is. Jack continues to be driven by a need to help those in need, no matter the personal cost. Furthermore, he puts himself at additional risk in an attempt to find one more moment of bliss in a world where the notions of peace, harmony, and beauty seem to be quickly disappearing.

The Three Sisters is nearly impossible to put down. With short chapters and a plot that pulls the reader along and leaves them desperate to know what will come next, Garratt makes it too easy to decide to read just one more chapter over and over again. Garratt’s writing is not overly dense but provides enough detail to give the reader a clear image of the world Jack Broderick is struggling through.

Upon finishing the book, the reader will be left eager for the next chapter in the saga of Jack’s journey from Florida to Washington state. They will also be able to take satisfaction in the idea that there are many tales left to tell as the journey across the country is a long one, and Jack Broderick has only just begun.

The Grave Listeners

The Grave Listeners by William Frank

Book Reviewed by Timea Barabas

While The Grave Listeners is just a brief incursion into life in a mystical medieval setting, it is a memorable visit. William Frank creates a strangely familiar yet distant world in which we cannot feel welcome but are tempted to linger as outside observers. The author answers the call by granting us a look at a whirlwind of events from an outsider’s vantage point.  Purchase Here.

The main character, Volushka, is the village’s grave listener. More than simply being his chosen profession, this is his birthright. The gift of listening to the dead was passed down in his family through generations. While a seemingly noble profession (given that it protects the living and the dead alike), Volushka is despised by most villagers.

As the story unfolds, William Frank reveals more details about the tools of the trade, and the reader becomes increasingly more familiar with what grave listening should truly be. While this vocation is intriguing, to me, the most entrancing aspect of the short novel is the social dynamic between Volushka and the villagers.

The relationship between the people and the outcast is elastic, it snaps when stretched, and the atmosphere is often tense. Although they keep Volushka in contempt, the villagers also need him; he is a seemingly indispensable part of their life. However, the day a stranger walks into the village, everything changes. His presence impacts the entire community and threatens to offer a more socially acceptable alternative to Volushka.

In stark contrast to all of Volushka’s other relationships is the one he cultivates with Benzi. Their interactions are filled with prolonged playful banter. If Volushka is associated with death, the child is a vivid representation of life. Benzi is joyful, lively, innocent, and beloved. While the scenes these two characters share highlight contrasting traits, on occasion, they also reveal some common ground.

This is a story about decay. Social. Personal. Carnal. The Grave Listeners is a daring incursion into an uncomfortable world where innocence does not survive long. This is the author’s first novel after having published numerous books of poetry. The vivid imagery and playful language scattered across the pages stand as a testament to William Frank’s previous literary work.

The Zone

The Zone: A Cyberpunk Thriller (The Zone, #1) by Stu Jones

Book Reviewed by Timea Barabas

A thought-provoking cyberpunk thriller, “The Zone” by Stu Jones, is an immersive tale that tingles all the senses. In an apocalyptic future, what remains of humanity insists on surviving while the elites reach for absolute domination. This futuristic dystopia may feel familiar to most readers, like an intense dream that lingers on into daybreak.  Purchase Here.

After a post-nuclear global event, a few livable hubs like Neo Terminus remain where survivors struggle to build a life. However, the strictly regulated access to limited resources creates a fertile ground for criminality.

The population seems enslaved by hi-tech visors that become an extension of their bodies. The constant stream of entertainment diverts their attention from the gloom and savagery around them. Visors leave many wearers oblivious to the rot but also the timid beauty that creeps along the infested streets.

While humanity clings to the brink of total collapse, the NTPD struggles to maintain order. Officer Chance Griffin fights crime alongside his devoted partner while trying to secure enough funds to pay for the surgery his infant son desperately needs. Just as the fragile family life starts slipping away, new hope finds its way to Chance.

Out of absolute desperation, Chance succumbs to the siren’s song and decides to join the biggest social experiment turned live entertainment, The Zone. This is the worst part of the old city, infested with dangerous criminals. Those convicted of severe crimes are sent to the walled-off sector and left to fend for themselves.

Building on the Ancient Roman gladiator fights, this wasteland becomes monetized by streaming live battles for entertainment. Elite officers who undergo bio-technological enhancements are also thrown into The Zone with the sole mission of survival.

Lured by the prospect of financial security and the possibility of treating his son, Chance sheds the only life he knew to equip the Enforcer uniform. As soon as the shock caused by the sudden transition to the new life wears off, Chance seems to soar to new heights. However, the elevation gives him a shocking perspective of secret plans unfolding over the general population.

As a veteran law enforcement officer, Stu Jones leans on his knowledge and experience to create a realistic universe populated by flesh and bone characters. “The Zone” is a masterfully layered book that invites personal and societal introspection.

Vessels of Wrath

Vessels of Wrath: A Big Ray Elmore Novel by Thomas Holland

Book Reviewed by Daniel Ryan Johnson

Vessels of Wrath is another strong showing from the talented Thomas D. Holland. Protagonist Ray Elmore, or “Big Ray” as he is commonly known to his chagrin, finds himself once again investigating a murder in the small, less-than-peaceful town of Split Tree, Arkansas. As the chief of police for this small town, Big Ray is pulled out of his normal routine when the county sheriff asks him for help investigating the apparent suicide of a friend.  Purchase Here.

This third installment in the Big Ray Elmore series does not require the reader to have previous knowledge of the series to enjoy the story. However, diving deeper into the happenings of Split Tree will certainly enhance the experience. Set in 1963, the novel details a small-town murder investigation set against the backdrop of a country in turmoil amid the civil rights movement and the growing anticipation of the U.S. fully entering into the Vietnam War.

Mr. Holland’s character work is in top form throughout the novel, painting a clear and realistic picture of the players. Ray Elmore is the quintessential reluctant hero. Never having sought a position of power, Big Ray had the role of police chief thrust upon him years earlier. Despite a clear affinity for the job, he consistently downplays his aptitude while quietly punishing himself for his self-perceived shortcomings.

Vessels of Wrath pulls you back through time and firmly sets you down in a fictional town that is all too real. While set sixty years in the past, the novel echoes back the violence, hatred, and uncertainty that abounds today. The story expands beyond the investigation of a crime in a small town to explore the larger issues present throughout the world.

As he attempts to solve the mystery surrounding the death of Ring Johnson, Big Ray is faced with battles on several fronts. Between allegations of misconduct, the threat of an escaped convict, relationship issues regarding those closest to him, a personal nemesis, and the ever-present ghosts of war, Big Ray has his hands full as he attempts to solve the crime and keep the town of Split Tree and its inhabitants safe from harm.

All Hope of Becoming Human

All Hope of Becoming Human by Lonnie Busch

Book Reviewed by Rahul Gaur

When Ben Jonson first came up with the saying “Curiosity killed the cat,” he probably didn’t imagine that it would continue to be used to describe humans for a long time. We’ve seen this idea in many movies, books, and this story is no different. But what makes it interesting is how he presents this theme in a captivating way.  Purchase Here.

The opening chapter sets a chilling tone as Officer Reggie’s peaceful surroundings clash with the horrifying reality he uncovers. The vivid descriptions and palpable tension create a sense of unease that permeates the entire story. I must say that the opening chapter serves as a fantastic hook for the reader, just like an exciting thriller movie.

As the plot progresses, we are introduced to a diverse cast of characters, each with their motivations and struggles. From Professor Braden’s archaeological expedition to Karen and Lizzy’s fight for survival, the chapters seamlessly intertwine, propelling the narrative forward while leaving breadcrumbs of intrigue along the way. The characters are well-developed. I felt like I got to know them and understand their motivations. The characters’ individual experiences, struggles, and encounters with the extraordinary events happening around them add depth and complexity to the narrative. Each character brings their perspectives, motivations, and reactions, shaping the overall dynamics of the story.

One thing that deserves attention is the pacing of the story. In some places, it felt like the story was moving too quickly, and I didn’t have enough time to get to know the characters or understand what was happening. Some part of the story felt like it was dragging on, and I was eager to get to the next part. However, the plot effectively grabs hold of the reader, generating a sense of intrigue and leaving them excited to uncover the unfolding narrative.

The author skillfully blends elements of horror, suspense, and the supernatural, crafting a gripping tale that defies traditional genre boundaries. The characters and their world are in a state of constant dissonance, which mirrors the unease that permeates the story. It is a testament to the author’s storytelling prowess that even in the most dreamlike moments, a sense of realism summons the reader into the story.

This story stands out by compelling readers to contemplate the duality of humanity and the decisions we make when confronted with extraordinary situations. Given that people continue to live as they do now, the events depicted in this book may come true one day. Some may call my perspective pessimistic, but I see pervasive chaos all around, which makes me wonder when we will develop the ability to coexist harmoniously with nature. What price must we pay to rediscover our humanity? Is there any hope for our collective return to a more humane state, or have we lost that opportunity entirely? The answer lies in the latter portion of the idiom, “but satisfaction brought it back.”

View the Trailer for All Hope of Becoming Human

All Hope of Becoming Human_26 second trailer from Lonnie Busch on Vimeo.

The Chancer

The Chancer by Fiona Graham

Book Reviewed by Timea Barabas

Fiona Graham’s debut novel, The Chancer, is a seemingly fun and easy read. However, there is a lot simmering under the surface. The story explores the fragile relationship between living an authentic life and fully abandoning oneself to a dream.  Purchase Here.

Somewhere on a crisp green field in Ireland, Donnie McNamara daydreams about joining the starry Hollywood sky. Despite having few opportunities to explore and hone his acting skills, he is determined to make it. However, his aspirations of becoming a famous actor are ridiculed by family and friends.

Just as Donnie’s hope starts dwindling, an unexpected gift from a dear friend and mentor lights the way. Tired of being a disappointment to his parents, who would have liked their son to follow his farming heritage, Donnie books a ticket to Los Angeles. His chosen path is windy and filled with countless obstacles, many of which are laid by Donnie himself, perhaps as an unconscious act of self-sabotage; or just simple recklessness.

Once in Los Angeles, Donnie’s path becomes intertwined with Abe Nelson, a fallen Hollywood star who gracelessly crashed from stardom. While an unlikely duo, the two seem to complete each other and become better versions of themselves.

Donnie’s quirkiness leaves many perplexed, but it awakens a lost sense of authenticity in a select few. His erratic behavior and uninvited honesty lead to rejection both in his professional and personal life. At the same time, Donnie lives a duplicitous existence that looms over his daydream and fragile happiness.

Fiona Graham constructs an intriguing plot that draws the reader into Donnie’s frantic fight to reach what might just as well be a mirage. On a backdrop of humor, she paints a neon bright picture of the ugly side of beautiful. While fame and popularity have a magnetic allure, these could be inherently dangerous. Falling from a great height can shatter one’s will to live. So, is it even worth trying to climb to the top?

I would encourage anyone to take a chance on Fiona Graham’s debut novel, The Chancer, to find out Donnie’s answer. This fictional story will likely ring true to many, as readers may easily spot a glimpse of themselves in the recklessly foolish dreamer.

 

The Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Poetic Version by Robert W. Watson

Book Reviewed by Michaela Gordoni

The Epic of Gilgamesh is popularly considered to be the oldest piece of written literature ever discovered. Robert W. Watson’s The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Poetic Version sets out to recount the story of the great King Gilgamesh in poetic verse across 120 pages. The timeless tale starts when a boy sees Enkidu, a strange beast, in the woods. He alerts the King, who sends a woman to bring out the beast-man’s humanity with a kiss. Upon turning into a much more human-like version of himself, he becomes enraged when he hears about the King’s unjust marriage plans. He starts a riot, and the King is the object of his fury. But somehow, the two stop their fighting and realize that they are one and the same, and a fierce and deep friendship ensues between the two. Together, Enkidu and King Gilgamesh embark on a monster-hunting quest, which eventually turns into a venture seeking eternal life.  Purchase Here.

Watson’s poetic retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh serves as an excellent introduction to this ancient epic. Though Robert W. Watson has taken a good dose of poetic liberty, it does not bear great significance in a recounting of this sort. The format is easy enough to understand and, for the most part, sounds pleasant when read aloud. Though there are a few instances where the key rhyming words are awkwardly placed, when reading aloud, the orator has to be aware of these and read carefully in order for the text to sound right and flow smoothly. Yet shaping the ancient story into a rhyme is a big task, and Robert W. Watson has still done very well, considering.

Robert W. Watson has also thoughtfully included pictures to go with sections of the epic. At first, the images seem slightly rudimentary and lack a bit of detail, but on further inspection, they seem to be in step with the kind of art that is often found in versions of the Bible. It seems like it is likely intentional, meant to be a subtle correlation to the time of the Old Testament. It suggests that the illustrations are intentionally designed to evoke a sense of time immemorial and align with the context of the ancient tale.

Overall, Robert W. Watson’s The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Poetic Version is a great way for readers of any age to learn about this ancient story of quests and friendship. Despite the occasional poetic liberties and minor issues with rhyming, Watson’s retelling captures the spirit of Gilgamesh’s epic journey. With its accessible format and accompanying illustrations, the book serves as a compelling entry point into the world of ancient literature, allowing readers to appreciate the enduring themes and engaging narrative of the Epic of Gilgamesh.