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Title: The Swiss Spy

Author: Alex Gerlis

Narrator: Stephen Critchlow

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-06-17

Publisher: Jammer Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

It's not unusual for spies to have secrets, but Henry Hunter has more than most, and after he is stopped by British Intelligence at Croydon airport on the eve of the Second World War, he finds he has even more.

In March 1941 in Berlin, haunted by a dark episode from his past, he makes a fateful decision resulting in a dramatic journey to the Swiss frontier, with a shocking outcome.

Critic Reviews:

"Intriguing novel full of extraordinary insights into the human stories behind the great struggle against Hitler. Fascinating read." (Gavin Esler, broadcaster, on The Best of Our Spies)

Members Reviews:

Thrilling tale

Very well written beautifully read very much enjoyed

Kept me listening difficult to stop lisyening

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Title: Black Thunder

Author: Max Brand

Narrator: Jeff Harding

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-17

Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Three short stories, featuring one man seeking justice, a dangerous trip in a river boat down some impossible rapids, and a love triangle.

Members Reviews:

Rough and tumble old fashioned adventures

Three tales about driven men, some good, some not so, but all obsessive in some way. In each tale, there is action and adventure and the desire to earn the heart of a good woman. Not a some flighty lightweight, but one who could hold her own, and was kind and well liked. The kind of person, worth knowing.

"Lawmen's Heart" concerned a man who saw his friend and mentor shot and killed in a stage coach robbery and the extremes he went through to find and capture his killer. The lady in this tale was admired by both the tracker and the killer. "White-Water Sam", was an interesting tale about river boats, Alaska, the Gold Rush, and the rough men, as wild as the country, who sought to make it rich there. The lady in this tale was helping her dad, a former captain, run a bar. "Black Thunder" was about two big, tough, guys, who enjoyed a fight, had hot tempers, and even as best friends, closer than brothers, they could turn on each other. To paraphrase a song, "God Bless the Mate that comes between me and my Kate". It got so bad, the lady left and hid from both of them, even though she loved one, as she did not want a blood bath and both were special to her. .

Black Thunder

Three westerns ala Max Brand, three that are good reads. Shorts are usually no too good but these are an exception.

A good read

There is something to say about the older westerns written by people who actually lived the rugged life of the later 19th and early 20th century. They display, in their writings, the core values and attitudes that have been pulverized, then over pasteurized and over homogenized by late 20th and current 21st century suburban life.

3 stories

Endings of all 3 stories were not very good. Left too many questions unanswered. Would not recommend to others. Max Brand is better than that.

Good western

I enjoyed the work. His poetic descriptions of the west were very detailed and colorful. Five more words required. The end.

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Title: By Blood Divided

Author: James Heneage

Narrator: Richard Burnip

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-17

Publisher: Quercus

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Destiny, inheritance, the world shifting from east to west.

This is an epic audiobook set in an age of dramatic change.

Siward, scion of a great dynasty, commands the Varangian Guard and has vowed to defend the Roman Empire to the last.

Makkim, renowned general to Ottoman rule, has vowed to destroy it. They are enemies in war, but unknown to them, they are also rivals to inherit one of Europe's greatest fortunes. Even worse, they are competing for the love of the same woman .Their vast inheritance lies in Venice, as does the famous courtesan they both love. She is the reason they will find themselves fighting on the walls of Constantinople, in one of the most dramatic sieges in history.

Critic Reviews:

"Wonderful history, adventure and a heart-breaking love story are brought thrillingly to life." (Kate Mosse)

"A dramatic read from the very outset." (Simon Scarrow)

Members Reviews:

Buy the book

I'm a dreamer

Love history come to live

And this books delivers on that dream, although it kept me awake all night :-)

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Title: The Shepherds Bushman

Subtitle: The Final Tales of Sherlock Holmes, Book 3

Author: John A Little

Narrator: Steve White

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-30-17

Publisher: MX Publishing

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In this series of five short stories, Holmes and Watson continue their late investigations into dark crimes in 1920s London, joined by their excitable housekeeper at 221B Baker Street, the brilliant, buxom Miss Lily Hudson, and by Jasper Lestrade of Scotland Yard, the ambitious, respectful son of the late George Lestrade. Thanks to Royal Jelly, Holmes is a fit 72-year-old who has lost his interest in bees and returned to detecting, joining forces again with his colleague and friend, Dr. John Hamish Watson, a 74-year-old unfit twice-widower, who hankers after the good old days of derring-do. Together they explore the case of the Shepherds Bushman when a dying aborigine finds his way to 221B Baker Street; the Acton Body-Snatchers and the disappearing boy sopranos; the Notting Hill Rapist and the stripping of pregnant women; the Clapham Witch, who casts her voodoo spells on sad old men; and the Battersea Fetishists, a secret brotherhood with some truly murderous rituals.

Members Reviews:

Holmes and Watson persevere in their declining years

Although third in a series, this is the first of Mr. Littleâs books I have encountered. From what I gather of its predecessors (based on reviews), the author has conceived a grim, if plausible, family history for Sherlock Holmes to explain his personal peculiarities. Abandoning his bees in the mid-1920s, Holmes reunites in Baker Street with Dr. Watson, where they reside with updated versions of (Lily) Hudson and (Jasper) Lestrade. Mr. Little is a facile and effective writer with an interest in ciphers. His casesâwhich abound with murderous Masons, pedophile prelates, renegade royals, and even a witchâare cleverly plotted and uniformly entertaining. One incorporates two legends of the British monarchy familiar from the films From Hell, Murder by Decree, and Mrs. Brown. Yet, it is a timeworn and melancholy universe that Mr. Littleâs characters inhabit. His portraits of the aging detective and his even more decrepit Boswellâbickering bitterly as they cope with their infirmities, each other, and the modern worldâmay leave some readers yearning for the comforting Victorian milieu of Conan Doyle.

More cases that were rejected by the Strand!

Now they can be told!

My thanks to Steve and Timi at MX Publishing for my review copy of this book. You are the custodians of all things Sherlock Holmes!

This is the second volume in a series that began with The Musical Murders. As I said in that review, the secret of how these stories were found is a solid one. They were written by Doctor Watson, submitted to the Strand and rejected. Because of their content, they were hidden away in Baker Street, discovered only when it was remodeled.

In these stories, Holmes and Watson are in their early seventies and have moved back to 221B. Mrs. Hudsonâs niece Lily, (newly married to Jasper Lestrade, son of Holmesâ old sparring partner and also a policeman) is their housekeeper and landlord.

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Title: Sleeping with the Dead

Subtitle: The Reverend Bernard Paltoquet Mystery Series, Book 8

Author: Pat Herbert

Narrator: Karl R. Hart

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-26-17

Publisher: Pat Herbert

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Just what happened to two young women who disappeared from a small Blackpool guest house just after the First World War? Their fate has remained a mystery for many years, despite attempts by the husband of the first woman and the prospective husband of the second to find out.

Fast forward to the 1950s. Reverend Bernard Paltoquet and his friend Dr. Robbie MacTavish arrive at the same guest house for a fortnight's holiday.

Their summer break, however, proves very far from restful - Robbie is spooked in the night and Bernard is perpetually bombarded by letters from his redoubtable housekeeper, Mrs. Harper.

Members Reviews:

Murder Victims Answers Lie With Their Ghosts

The Great War ending in 1918, was supposed to be the end war of all times, history has shown that this was untrue, however, not too much has been written about the men returning, damaged, back to their loved ones at home. Many had physical injuries, but what about those that look fine, however, were truly suffering from 'shell shock' or 'PTSD,' as it is commonly referred to in 2017?

Headaches leading to blackouts. This was the lasting affect on a hotel proprietor in Blackpool, England. Then, the unspeakable happens, the former soldier maims his wife, so we suspect, and there are two unsolved missing persons accounts in the following two years.

What if these crimes remain unreported? What is the psychological results upon the families and loved ones dealing with the loss and injuries suffered?

This novel explores these situations with a humanity that is palpable. Viewing the crimes from the injured parties, Reverend Paltoquet and his best buddy, Dr. Robbie MacTavish find that the answers may lay with the ghosts themselves.

This novel was complete. Included were letters from housekeepers, romances gone astray, Clergy going into dark areas that perhaps the Church would not look upon well, and more.

Pat Herbert is a superb storyteller and these novels continue to outshine one another. Start with the first volume and you most likely will become addicted.

Looks can kill

A nice creepy murder mystery. I liked it. Kept me guessing who did it...several suspects. The editing was fine. Since it is on a Kindle, you might find it helpful to take notes with names and dates as the story jumps back and forth in time.

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Title: Woman of Ill Fame

Author: Erika Mailman

Narrator: Tiffany Morgan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-23-17

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Looking for a better life, prostitute Nora Simms arrives in Gold Rush San Francisco with a plan for success: to strike it rich by trading on her good looks. But when a string of murders claims several of her fellow women of ill fame, Nora grows uneasy with how closely linked all of the victims are to her. She must distinguish friend from foe in a race to discover the identity of the killer.

Members Reviews:

Delightful

Loved the complexity of the story. Wonderfully told. Especially loved the contrast between the teenage protagonists small and sunny outlook, and the terrors of her reality.

Starts well

I quite enjoyed this book. At first the historical background was intriguing and I liked that the heroine was selfish and grasping and not some angel. To be honest though, it was somewhat too long. It just ran out of steam after a couple of red herrings and the villain could be spotted from a mile away. Still reasonably entertaining.

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Title: A Scandal in Nova Alba

Subtitle: A Case File from "The Redacted Sherlock Holmes"

Author: Orlando Pearson

Narrator: Steve White

Format: Unabridged

Length: 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-08-17

Publisher: MX Publishing

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Orlando Pearson, Watson's successor as the assistant of Sherlock Holmes, was entrusted by the doctor with notes on cases too controversial to publish at the time. Amongst other things these cases covered government failure to regulate the banks, excessively close links between a minister and industry, and an official cover-up of a sexual scandal at the very highest level in society. It is inconceivable that such things could happen in the 21st century, but these stories, freshly unearthed, provide a fascinating insight into some of the issues facing society at the turn of the twentieth.

In A Scandal in Nova Alba, Holmes receives an anonymous note asking for his help and is then petitioned to solve a famous and mysterious murder that had happened 10 years previously. In solving it, he discovers not only a shocking sexual scandal, but also uncovers the true author of the most famous plays ever written.

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Title: Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Winged Ghost

Author: Evan Muller

Narrator: Steve White

Format: Unabridged

Length: 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-05-17

Publisher: MX Publishing

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In one of Sherlock Holmes' most harrowing cases, the crown jewels are stolen from the Tower of London just days before Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. In the race against the clock to retrieve the precious gems to save from national embarrassment, Holmes finds that the case to be more complex and infinitely more dangerous than it first appeared.

Members Reviews:

A thrilling, compact adventure !

This was an exciting, action-packed mystery, with vivid descriptions and characterization. The author clearly is a fan of the original Holmes stories, yet also puts his own style into his writing. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good, fast paced mystery thriller.

The author has a future but---

This novel is not true to the originals. Too much action, not enough of the original style language, centers on Dr. Watson and not Sherlock Holmes, fire arms are too prevalent. Actually for a freshman in High School it is a good first effort.

Keep an Eye on this Young Writer

This jumps into atmosphere like a classic radio play, and remains densely packed with paragraphs capable of giving us a lot of information in a small space. I'm giving bonus points to the author for knowing about the proclivity of Hyde Park speeches to turn into Hyde Park riots! At first I thought the opening sentence was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Dark and Stormy Night contests (the occasional bane of 9th graders with Dolores Umbridge-gleeful English teachers), but that was soon dispelled.

There are small things to remind us that ACD did not write this--but these are small things that enforce Muller's individual stamp and creativity. Muller writes as though he is the Watson for Watson--he offers us glimpses of things that Watson would not write for himself, just as Holmes' style is far different when he writes for himself than when Watson does it for him. Muller's Watson is a tactile man, with a close attention on his senses. He knows that ACD's Watson is a man of action and writes him as such, without apology.

Superstition is a recurring element in ACD's world--perhaps because it is still very much a part of our own today. We saw it in the very first story of STUD and later with WIST and HOUN. The unknown for the common man is a reason for fear--but with Holmes the unknown is the beginning of wisdom. The story slips from atmospheric opening to a pleasantly inexplicable mystery. I've lost count of the stories themed around "The Crown Jewels have been stolen!" but I felt my eyebrows go up as the writer took the time to develop subtle little threads of query and suspicion in the possible suspects. I felt guilty from the beginning--no one wants to think ill of venerable war veterans or the elderly in service but I found myself looking for motives in everybody, because Holmes as usual was his tight-lipped no-help self!

If Basil Rathbone reincarnated and jumped back into Sherlock Holmes films, Muller would be a contender for one of his scriptwriters. He dances on the edge of giving us clues while moving just out of reach. Frankly, this would script perfectly for a Rathbone-style graphic novel--it has Rathbone's style of action all over it with the looming, dark murk of a large, fiendish criminal mind casting psychological darkness over all.

Muller also needs to be given credit for getting inside Watson's skin.

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Title: The Storks of La Caridad

Author: Florence Byham Weinberg

Narrator: Fred Filbrich

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-04-17

Publisher: Florence Byham Weinberg

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Father Ignaz (Ygnacio) Pfefferkorn, a missionary from the Sonora Desert region of northern Mexico, is caught in the Expulsion of all Jesuits in 1767. After enduring eight years of prison and abuse, he is incarcerated in Caridad Monastery where the abbot recruits him to help solve two murders. In the course of his investigations, Father Ignaz finds his own life in peril.

Critic Reviews:

"A rollicking mystery full of plot twists based on real events, interesting characters modeled after historical figures, and more." (Steve Bennett, book editor for the San Antonio Express-News)

Members Reviews:

The Impossible Dream

If you could sum up The Storks of La Caridad in three words, what would they be?

Alive, Engaging, Real

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Storks of La Caridad?

Throughout, the way the tension builds incrementally without seeming forced or contrived

What about Fred Filbrichs performance did you like?

How one voice can bring to life the interior and exterior of so many characters is a mystery to me.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I sat in the parking lot (of my destination) for 45 minutes to finish the chapter I had just begun when I arrived. It was that good.

Any additional comments?

I don't like audio books. I prefer the "feel" of a paper book in my hands, and I was skeptical about this on in particular because I had so enjoyed "Storks" when I read it some years ago. But THIS audio book was "the impossible dream" .. and audio book that moved as quickly and as surely as original. Weinberg's Pfefferkorn has found the perfect voice in Filbrich, and comes alive in a new way. I cannot say enough good things about this merging. I enjoyed it on several levels.

A Mystery & A Mistake for My Voyage

A mystery that begins in the Sonoran desert of NW Mexico, with the expulsion of the Jesuits in the mid 18th Century, The Storks of La Caridad enmeshes a fictional story into the very real history of Mexico under rule of the Spanish Empire. The tale pivots around Father Ignatios sense of honor to his vows of obedience. But, behind the story-line lies the very real events of the time period when King Charles, III felt that the Jesuits had amassed too much wealth and influence over the affairs of the Spanish Empire. It was believed that they had discovered rich mines from which they derived immense wealth in the desert. Many of the priests of that order were shipped to Spanish prisons and locked away during the expulsion. This left a vacuum in the Spanish American colonies, because the Jesuit Order had built hospitals and schools, educating the native populations. Many of the priests that were expelled from the empire there had been born on the continent, so they werent even European.

But, Father Ignatios character is believed to have knowledge of locations of treasure mines, and because he couldnt give them that information, he has been treated very roughly before arriving at the Cathedral of Kindness. Storks live outside the bell-tower window and that becomes a big part of expressing his desire for freedom.

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Title: A Watery Grave

Subtitle: Doc Graystone Adventures, Book 2

Author: Nicholas Olivo

Narrator: Gregory Peyton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-26-17

Publisher: Nicholas Olivo

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Boston, 1932. Doc Graystone is contacted to evaluate security at a paranormal prison built by the US Navy. Before he can begin, a hydromancer assassinates a naval officer to obtain information about the prison. Now Graystone has to track her down before she can break out a prisoner Graystone knows all too well....

Members Reviews:

Another great Gravestone!

This is another great tale about Dr. Gravestone. I continue to marvel at how Mr. Peyton narrates with so many distinct voices. Super job by both narrator and author!