The Girl You Killed

The Girl You Killed by Leslie Wolfe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thriller writing at its best!

The Girl You Killed by bestselling author Leslie Wolfe is another fine example of thriller writing that will have you on the edge of your seat. The author again weaves another suspense filled crime thriller with plenty of twists and turns that easily draws the reader in from the opening chapter. It had every element a good story should have. A solid plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book.

The plot is intricately carved, as the synopsis suggests: ‘Andrea Brafford’s life is nearly perfect. A passionate marine biologist, happily married to Craig, the man she loves, recently moved into a home commensurate with their success to enjoy a life many others only dream about, in one of Houston’s most desirable suburbs. But only a few months later, a trial that dramatically polarizes their town names Craig Brafford as a defendant in the murder of his young wife, shattering the serenity of the peaceful community… Andi’s name is on everyone’s lips, her relationships exposed and torn to shreds in a highly publicized case that has everyone’s eyes glued to the internet. Andrea’s life remains a mystery that investigators and public opinion equally fail to solve. Was she the happy, devoted wife she'd made everyone believe she was?... Only she can answer that question.’

There’s no doubt that The Girl You Killed is an exceptionally well written book. The contrast between tone and content is a characteristic talent of only a few authors. Wolfe pays as much attention to her sentences as she does to her plots, shifting or consolidating meaning with the use of a single word. Her writing is impeccably honed, full of juxtapositions and qualifications that help to create a suspenseful atmosphere throughout. Very highly recommended and a well deserved five stars from me.

If you’re a fan of crime thrillers, mystery and suspense, I would highly recommend anything by this author.

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The OTHER Computer History

The OTHER Computer History: Amazing, amusing, and experiencd Stories about the IT from the beginning to the Internet. by Hans Bodmer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Incredibly informative, engaging, and inspiring...

“The OTHER Computer History” is an incredibly informative, engaging, and inspiring read because it reveals the struggles and sacrifices that people with big dreams and even bigger ideas inevitably face on their way to realizing those dreams. Companies and individuals like Hans Bodmer, who isn't as well-known as some of the most illustrious names in the industry but who was nonetheless instrumental in the development of the supercomputers that changed the world, came together to create a new, spectacular reality for us today.

Swiss-born author Hans Bodmer recounts his adventures beginning in the early days of computer science and continuing all the way up to 2004. During that period of time, it was not yet known that this single event would bring about such a monumental sea change in the course of human history. The numerous in-depth explanations of technological processes are interspersed with some witty stories about everyday people.

Personal computers have completely revolutionized the way the world lives, works, and conducts business. In the past, it would take days for companies to do simple calculations not to mention companies that dealt with lots of material and inventory. Computers make this work simple and allow businesses and individuals to become more efficient on a day-to-day basis. For those interested in the history of computers and how it all began, this would make for interesting reading. Recommended.

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Solar Warden: Book Three – Genesis

Solar Warden: Book Three - Genesis by Peter Fuller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An epic sci-fi series that keeps getting better and better!

During his time as an employee at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, award-winning author Peter Fuller spent eight years working in the Military History Department. He has spent many years learning about military history. In addition to this, he has written a large number of articles on the subject of military history and has delivered lectures on this topic at prestigious museums and universities. He is a frequent participant on panels at NORWESCON, which is known as the Premier Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention in the Pacific Northwest. Since he was in elementary school, he has been fascinated by the UFO phenomenon. He is a member of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), and according to urban legend, he's had a few "close encounters" of his own! It should come as no surprise that this book series was projected to be written after his most recent conversation with the son of a US military officer about his late father's work on several special access projects for the covert space program!

“Genesis” is the third installment in Peter Fuller’s Solar Warden series. It's another well-crafted and richly descriptive novel. The author continues to weave his military sci-fi series that easily captures the reader's attention from the beginning. This exciting and suspenseful saga will keep you turning the pages from beginning to end.

Summarizing the synopsis we are confronted with a ticking time bomb, an adversary who will not be deterred by anything, technology that has not been tried and tested, and a spy who targets Solar Warden in a way that they could never have imagined. The reptilians and grays have shifted their strategy and raised the stakes to a level of danger that Earth has never before encountered, putting the planet in the path of unprecedented perils and difficulties… The recently promoted Lieutenant Colonel Richardson is keeping a sinister secret from Scarecrow, and he is determined to uncover it. In the meantime, the team of Solar Wardens is keeping their fingers crossed that the discovery of a damaged enemy vessel will lead them to the origin of the recent deadly attacks. Additionally, the unexpected passing of a much-loved teammate has left the entire Solar Warden squad in a state of shock. Meanwhile, the humans have uncovered intelligence from an alien race that points them in the direction of a surprise that nobody saw coming… The third installment in the Solar Warden series continues the story with hostile alien wolf packs attacking the human fleet with lethal consequences. As Scarecrow and his allies learn more about the true nature of their adversary, they decide to exact their revenge. There will be no surrender, no treaty, and no quarter given in this conflict. The presence of evil has been recast in a new light...

Another incredible work of sci-fi, in my opinion. The reader will be blown away by the author's vivid descriptions of the settings, situations, and people. The author's use of natural dialogue contributed significantly more genuineness to the story's atmosphere as a whole. Few authors have the unique ability to create a striking contrast between the tone of their writing and the subject matter they cover. Fuller gives the same amount of attention to the plots of his stories as he does to the sentences that make up those stories, and he is able to shift or consolidate meaning with the use of a single word. His writing is exquisitely honed, and it is full of juxtapositions and qualifications that help to create a contemporary science fiction novel that is authentic and convincing.

This was such a fascinating and captivating read that it immediately drew me in and kept my attention throughout. There was a natural progression from one scene to the next, and the author demonstrates a remarkable ability in the art of storytelling. This captivating story has a lot of attention-grabbing moments that will keep the reader turning the pages. This is a fantastic find for science fiction readers in search of a series that is both suspenseful and entertaining. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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Into The Realm

Into The Realm by Todd Forrest
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A masterfully written murder, mystery, and suspense...

Todd Forrest will entertain and enthrall you with this exceptionally well-written and researched Cape Cod story about families, resentment, and murder. It’s a captivating book that had me engaged from the opening chapter. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling.

Summarizing the synopsis we find a twenty-two-year-old modern-day fisherman named Caleb Forrest who has a story to tell—what he believes to be a story of justified murder… He sets out on his prized Catboat, "Sea Gypsy," suffering from a sort of memory loss from his previous voyage at sea. The one-day journey will take him past his childhood haunts and the memories, both good and bad, that go with them… As the last member of a once-proud maritime family, Caleb is left with the responsibility of maintaining a piece of land that he neither needs nor can afford but must do so out of respect for tradition… Caleb is up against a dishonest builder turned town politician who, constrained by a shrinking coastline, will stop at nothing to acquire the land, even if that means using his first-born son as a chess piece to do it. He is up against his heroic, albeit flawed grandfather as well… The story is set in the unfathomable beauty of a moorland that has not yet been spoiled and the ultimate price that must be paid to preserve it… The young fisherman's ordeal culminates on the desolate, wind-tossed dunes of Monomoy Island, where he must finally face his crime or face punishment far more terrifying than any hangman's gallows… But is he going to prevail?

This for me was a phenomenal read. The vivid descriptions of the settings, situations, and people were stunning. The author’s use of genuine dialogue further added to the overall atmosphere of authenticity. In addition, the contrast between tone and content is a characteristic talent of only a few authors, and Forrest pays as much attention to his sentences as he does to his plots, shifting or consolidating meaning with the use of a single word. His writing is impeccably honed, full of juxtapositions and qualifications that help to create a genuine and realistic contemporary psychological thriller.

Very highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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A Letter from Sheri

A Letter from Sheri by Cheryl Gyant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A deeply disturbing, involving book - a page-turner that you can't put down.
Cheryl Gyant’s "A Letter from Sheri," is a compelling story that contains scenes of a graphic nature with adult content including sex, drug use, child abuse, abduction, and violence. It’s an unsettling narrative with an atmosphere that lingers long after the last page is turned.

The serial killer murders committed by Charles Ng and Leonard Lake in California in 1986 serve as the inspiration for this tragic story. In 2001, the author started to write a book about what it was like to be adopted. She was made to believe as a child that her biological father had killed her biological mother. However, when she was a teenager, she immersed herself in a ten-year, seemingly endless search for answers.

Consequently, her mother had been a victim of the 1985 Calaveras County, California Charles Ng, and Leonard Lake serial killings. This was confirmed when her biological aunt located her as an adult. When she contacted the retired detective that had worked on the case, he forwarded her an eleven-page letter from her mother that had been retrieved from a mountain of other evidence left at the crime scene. This letter provided answers to almost all of her questions. She came to the conclusion that her mother was never heard or given a chance in life after learning everything from her letter, her biological father, and her adoption files.

"A Letter from Sheri," a story that was once about an adoptee's quest for understanding, has altered its course to tell the terrifying tale of a victim. The details provided in the letter depict a life of trauma that began when Sheri was a young child and culminated with her death at the hands of ruthless serial killers.

"A Letter from Sheri," is a deeply disturbing, involving book - a page-turner that you can't put down. There are no tidy, last-minute plot twists to make you feel good in this documentary, just focus - to keep the reader focused - and the most disciplined writing I’ve read in years. Very highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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MANY WORLDS - The Novelettes of T. E. Mark - Vol VIII.

MANY WORLDS - The Novelettes of T. E. Mark - Vol VIII by T.E. Mark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great collection of sci-fi stories...

My uncle gave me a science fiction anthology forty or so years ago. I went through the entire thick red hardcover book. A lifelong love of the genre was sparked by it. The stories in that book made me think outside the box. They filled me with awe for the imagination it took to write them. The book's name is OMNIBUS OF SCIENCE FICTION, edited by Groff Conklin, a well-known and prolific editor of the genre. It was published in 1952, the Golden Age of Science Fiction. It's a sizable book with 562 pages and 43 stories broken up into sections with a similar theme. Some stories are fun, some are thought-provoking, and some are adventurous. I love them all.

Science author, screenwriter, and editor T. E. Mark wrote his first novel, FRACTURED HORIZONS, at the age of 12 in the city of Bath, England, which serves as the setting for the story. He has studied architecture, music, and literature in the UK and the US. He has been writing stories since he was a young child. For national and international magazines, Mark has written a variety of scientific articles as well as novels for both young and adult readers. For universities, governmental and non-governmental organizations, he also writes and edits academic papers on a range of topics.

Having read this author several times before, I can safely say he delivers again with his latest collection of sci-fi stories, MANY WORLDS - The Novelettes of T. E. Mark - Vol VIII.

To summarize the synopsis: A computer science student's life is turned upside down when someone from the simulated Earth he built to study how scientists and world leaders will deal with catastrophic climate change contacts him, suspecting his world has been artificially created. SIM … A small rebel contingent of pure humans has decided to act desperately as the world council prepares to outlaw human-human procreation as the planned interbreeding of humans and their synthetic creations is near completion. VINDICATION … Travel between dimensions: the Multiverse. As Paise Atherton, a Quantum Worlds Investigator searches the multiverse for his parents, the girl he loves, and the memories of his missions that are routinely taken from him to hide the terrible effects of interdimensional travel to our universe, Many Worlds gives us a glimpse into his life. MANY WORLDS.

I once again appreciated the dialogue, character growth, and stories. Many of the plot twists I didn't see coming contributed to the book's allure. I began to ponder the events of the book and replay specific scenes in order to piece together more information. The pace of this collection of novellas is just right. Here, very little is as it seems, which is exactly how sci-fi fans will want it.

Finally, it’s well worth checking out the other books in this series. With great writing and excellent storytelling, fans of sci-fi will love these also! Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

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