Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer: mystery

Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts

Friday, April 18, 2025

[Review] —BATTLE MOUNTAIN by C.J. Box (★★★★★)

Billy Burgess books , crime

BATTLE MOUNTAIN

A Joe Pickett Novel

by C.J. Box

Putnam, 2025

The campaign of destruction that Axel Soledad and Dallas Cates wreaked on Nate Romanowski and Joe Pickett left both men in tatters, especially Nate, who lost almost everything. Wondering if the civilized life left him vulnerable to attack, Nate dropped off the grid with his falcons in tow to prepare for vengeance.

When Joe gets a call from the governor asking for help finding his son-in-law, who has gone missing in the Sierra Madre mountain range, he enlists the help of a local, a rookie game warden named Susan Kany.

As Nate and fellow falconer Geronimo Jones circle closer to their prey, Joe and Susan follow the nearly cold trail to Warm Springs. Little do Nate and Joe know that their separate journeys are about to converge . . . at Battle Mountain.

[Review] — NOT THE KILLING KIND by Maria Kelson (★★★½✰)

Billy Burgess books , mystery

Crime thrillers are everywhere, often with similar titles and cover designs that make it hard for readers to choose a specific one. What caught my eye about NOT THE KILLING KIND by Maria Kelson was not just the title but the cover art—it reminded me of the famous show "Twin Peaks.” However, the book itself is different from "Twin Peaks,"—nothing in common at all—and that’s not a bad thing.

[Review] — BECOMING THE BOOGEYMAN by Richard Chizmar (★★★½✰)

Billy Burgess books , horror fiction

I’m back! Well, sort of—I am attempting to reignite my habit of writing reviews for this blog. Admittedly, I've been a bit of a recluse lately, but everything is all right—at least as good as it can be under the circumstances. For those who remember, last year I reviewed Richard Chizmar's gripping fictional true-crime thriller, Chasing the Boogeyman. I found it thoroughly engaging and ended up giving it a five-out-of-five-star rating. Since then, I dove into its sequel, BECOMING THE BOOGEYMAN, and I'd like to share my thoughts on it.

[Review] — Leaphorn, Chee, & Manuelito Return in Anne Hillerman's LOST BIRDS

Billy Burgess books , mystery

I am a latecomer to the world of Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn & Chee series, now known as the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series. My journey into this captivating universe began after I watched the first season of AMC's Dark Winds in 2022. Strangely enough, I stumbled upon several of Hillerman's novels at local thrift stores around the same time the show premiered. I can't help but wonder if I had encountered his books in the past but simply overlooked them. Given my strong memory, I find it hard to believe I wouldn’t have recalled seeing those distinctive covers.

[Review] — James Patterson's LIES HE TOLD ME is an Intriguing, Mindless Fluff

Billy Burgess books , mystery

James Patterson novels are plentiful—trust me, my visits to thrift stores have confirmed this. You can easily find at least one new title every month, and for dedicated fans, it is often a challenge to keep up with the latest releases. His most recent thriller, LIES HE TOLD ME, was co-authored with David Ellis and published by Little, Brown and Company.