Tag Archives: Book review

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect

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Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect (Ernest Cunningham, #2) by

Benjamin Stevenson (Goodreads Author)

Amy Caudill‘s review

In this sequel to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, the hero/survivor Ernest Cunningham has turned the trauma from the first installment into a book. As the novel opens, he is about to board “The Ghan,” Australia’s modern day answer to the Orient Express for a writer’s festival.

From the beginning of the story, Ernest is plagued with survivor’s guilt and feelings of inadequacy, even as he tries to romance his fellow survivor, the owner of the ski resort, Juliette. Ernest is also feeling the pressure to produce a new book by his publisher and agent Simone, who is on the train for her own reasons.


In an attempt to find inspiration, Ernest begins observing and investigating events that happen on board the train. Of course, there is a murder, multiple suspects and red herrings as the plot becomes more convoluted. A second murder, and rival authors who are also trying to capitalize on the events for their future publications, leads to Ernest being unsure if anyone is innocent, and who could he possibly trust to help solve this mystery that is stranger than fiction.


Author Benjamin Stevenson writes this series in the first person, so most of the story is told through Ernest’s eyes, although there are parts where he deviates to another character. Ernest is not a detective, per say, but his former career was writing books on how to write mystery stories, so he uses his dubious skills, obtained from studying golden age masters of the craft, like Agatha Christie, to assist and lead him forward.


This somewhat unique point of view from the main character allows him to address the fourth wall, i.e. the reader as he seemingly gives away plot points long before they happen, all the while surprising the reader with the twists the story actually takes. These interludes are both humorous and slightly irreverent, showing the author enjoys playing with his characters as much as this reader enjoys his story.


I award this book five stars, and look forward to reading the next installment in the series.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : The Hanging Tree

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The Hanging Tree by Irina Shapiro

The Hanging Tree (Nicole Rayburn #1) by Irina Shapiro (Goodreads Author)

Amy Caudill‘s review

When Nicole checks into an isolated old mansion for a writer’s retreat, she has no idea she will be drawn into the true story of a local legend. Alys Bailey may or may not have been a witch, depending on the definition of such in the 1600’s, but she was most probably hanged on a centuries-old tree that overlooks the current breakfast room of the manor. The mystery of this character inspires Nicole, as does the reluctance of the owners and the locals to speak of her.


Nicole soon forms a partnership with Kyle, a fellow writer, who volunteers his time to assist with her research. As the two grow closer, Nicole learns he has secrets of his own.


This is the first book I have read by author Irina Shapiro, and I found her method of alternating between chapters of the present and the past more interesting than frustrating. She skillfully weaves between the two separate stories, while leaving the reader wanting more.


My only complaint with this novel was that there were several elements introduced into the story the author chose not to capitalize on. The current owners of the manor may or may not have acquired the home by unscrupulous means, a suspicion led by the fact there is no record of Lisa Prentiss in the family genealogy on the grounds. The manor lies next to a man-made lake created by flooding an ancient town, and only the bell tower of the church is visible above the surface of the water. I feel Shapiro could have done so much more with these plot points, but they are relegated to the status of red herrings.


Meanwhile, the reader is lead to see that the real villain of the historic story is not the accused witch but the lady of the manor. The final twists are certainly unexpected, and in my opinion make up for any disappointments with the direction the story takes.


I award this story four stars, and will most likely read more of this author’s work. I recommend this to fans of historical romantic mysteries.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Extinction

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Extinction by Douglas Preston

Extinction by Douglas Preston (Goodreads Author)

Amy Caudill‘s review

A technological breakthrough runs amok in this new novel by author Douglas Preston. A group of scientists have “DE-extincted” several species of dinosaurs, aka Jurassic Park, and set them up in a nature preserve in the Colorado wilderness.


When a wealthy couple disappear deep in the wilderness of the preserve, the reader is left wondering momentarily if the culprits are animal or human, at least from the short early chapters I read before the book’s official release. However, after getting a copy of the entire book I was able to quickly realize the dinosaurs were innocent. Instead, a group of unknown size had somehow infiltrated the park, a group that had insider knowledge of the security, the routines, and the hidden old mining areas underneath the park.


As Colorado Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Frankie Cash and Sheriff Jim Colcord are forced to work together to find the missing couple, they quickly discover clues to far more sinister deeds. The kidnappers have left behind videos and evidence they wanted to have discovered-evidence of murder, cannibalism, and strange, primitive rites conducted under their noses. Who are the members of this group? How are they eluding the security of the park and the manhunt of combined forces of CBI and police investigators?


Forced to work under close scrutiny of the press, the administration of the park who are being evasive, the billionaire father of one of the victims who is outraged but also hiding information, as well as the CBI and the governor; Cash and Colcord are only left with more questions and very few answers. Finally they resort to underhanded means to get inside the laboratories where the dinosaurs are made. Once there, they discover that the scientists bred more than dinosaurs.


The group of scientists actually De-extincted one of humanities’ ancient rivals, a rival species driven into extinction by homo sapiens. The newly resurrected race escape the control of the scientists, and are out for revenge. Their goal- extinction of the human race.


I was shocked at the big twist in this book; I definitely did not predict the direction this story would take. That being said, I believe it was handled in a manner that was all too plausible. Preston has a history of writing stories where technology gets the better of its inventors and this is just the latest example of his writing style. What at first seems like a re-write of Jurasssic Park turned out to be so much more, and I award this novel 5 stars.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Chrysalis

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Chrysalis by Lincoln Child

Chrysalis (Jeremy Logan #6) by Lincoln Child

Amy Caudill‘s review

This sixth book in the series by Lincoln Child features a virtual reality company being attacked through corporate sabotage, murder, and mayhem.

 While the technology in the world of Chrysalis is dazzling, the main plot of the novel lies outside in the “real” world, where inside sources seek to undermine the release of a new system that allows subscribers to experience shopping, sightseeing, etc., in a virtual format from the safety of their own home.   Unfortunately, if Jeremy Logan and the Chrysalis security team cannot find the saboteur, or deliver the ransom he/she/they are demanding, logging into the system just may prove deadly in real life.

Jeremy Logan calls himself an enigmaologist, someone who investigates incidents, coincidences, and events that cannot be easily explained.  Sometimes Jeremy finds a little bit of supernatural activity contributing to the subject of his cases, but often the solution lies in someone, or multiple persons, who have simply used unusually clever means to disguise their actions.

In this case, the reader is inundated with clues that point to a possible antagonist who has done something to the hardware, or software of the virtual world.  Intensive investigation proves these to be red herrings, and the culprit is much closer at hand than thought possible.  Jeremy races the clock to find the suspects before the ransom is due, only to discover they keep dropping dead, sometimes in front of the investigators. 

Someone is cleaning house, and the odds of finding the truth before the saboteurs release their killing machine is next to impossible.  Their only chance is a hail liberty journey into unexplored parts of the virtual system to track down compromised data before the deadline.

This book is an action-packed thriller that shows protagonist Jeremy Logan and author Lincoln Child doing what they do best, delving into the depths of the human mind to understand what motivates a murderer, a conspirator, or simply a devious plot.  I award this book five stars, and hope there will be more in the future.  Meanwhile, Lincoln Child is teaming up with frequent partner Douglas Preston in a new release of their joint series, The Cabinet of Dr. Leng, which I would love to get for Christmas!

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Blood of the Earth

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Blood of the Earth by Faith Hunter
Blood of the Earth (Soulwood, #1) by

Faith Hunter (Goodreads Author)
50275498

Amy Caudill‘s review
Nell Ingram doesn’t think she’s special; actually she’s afraid that the strange “gifts” she has, if discovered by the God’s Cloud of Glory cult she escaped from as a child, would see her burned at the stake. So she lives alone, almost completely isolated save for her mystic connection to the forest that she barely understands. Being alone protects her; being alone is comfortable, but her quiet isolation is not meant to last. Forces meant to help and harm are both coming her way, and Nell will be forced to use her strange connection to the Earth to save lives.

This first book in a new series by author Faith Hunter revisits a world where “paranormals” live and work side by side with ordinary humans, and both groups are touched by good and evil. When Homeland Security’s special division for dealing with paranormal crimes, PsyLED, saves her life, Nell Ingram is forced out of her self-imposed isolation to assist in a case involving the kidnapping of multiple young girls, and work with a group of individuals whose gifts are just as unique as her own.

Nell’s insider knowledge of the God’s Cloud of Glory church, which is suspected to be involved in the kidnappings, makes her a valuable asset. In order to save the lives of the innocent girls, one of whom is her own sister, Nell will have to face her past, and push her strange powers in ways she’s never before imagined.

I picked up this book as a choice from my local book club, and I really wanted to like it simply because of the location; the setting is mainly in East Tennessee, in and around Knoxville, an area that is near and dear to my heart. While the descriptions of the region and are spot on, I had more difficultly with the plot.

The story seemingly meandered along for the first half of the book, before the pacing finally picked up somewhere along the last third of the text. Granted, some of this was necessary world-building, but it seemed to me to be a bit excessive in mass. Still, by the end I was fully invested in the action, and cheered Nell and her team on as they reached a very satisfying ending, and epilogue.

I offer this story three and a half stars, and would recommend that readers interested in paranormal and urban fantasy stories check out this series as well as other works by Faith Hunter.