The Neruda Case

The Neruda Case is the first novel by Roberto Ampuero that was translated into English. This book is about the last days of the Chilean poet, diplomat and Nobel Prize winner, Pablo Neruda. Neruda, who was friend with Chilean President Salvador Allende, was battling terminal cancer in 1973. At the same time there was a lot of turbulence in Chile with riots and attempts to overthrow Allende. Neruda approaches Cayetano Brule, an unemployed Cuban-American who moved to Chile with his wife, daughter of a wealthy aristocrat, to find a friend from Neruda’s past. The search takes Cayetano, who’s never done this type of work before, to several Latin America countries and East Germany. Will Cayetano be able to locate this person and get back before Neruda dies?

This book goes more into erotica than mystery at times with entire chapters of women that have been Neruda’s life and also with some of Cayetano’s sexual encounters. The story seems dry at times and not much action. When there is action the story is good.

If interested in reading this book, you can purchase it from the following sites in various formats:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Neruda-Case-Novel-Roberto-Ampuero-ebook/dp/B0074VTHHK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1522029507&sr=1-1&keywords=the+neruda+case

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-neruda-case-roberto-ampuero/1107386647?ean=9781594631474

World of Sleuths Rating: ***

(Three out of five stars)

The Other Side of Goodbye

The Other Side of Goodbye is the first book in the Norman Green series by Ben Follows. Norman Green is a former professional hockey player who was expelled for using steroids. He is now a small time private investigator in Toronto barely making ends meet. Robin Sweetwater, a reporter for the Toronto Post, contacts for investigating the death of her brother Joel, an up and coming hockey player, who the police think was a drug overdose, but Robin disagrees. Norman refuses on the basis that Robin is part of the press that caused is problems in the past until she agrees to pay double his normal rate. Norman reluctantly agrees, but is he in over his head on this case?

This book could have used better editing throughout the entire story with many misspellings and word usages throughout the book. The story is good but sometimes gets to be a little unbelievable. The author could have put in a little bit more research into the writing of the book in order to keep the situations more believable.

If interested in reading this book, you can purchase it from the following site in various formats:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Other-Side-Goodbye-Norman-Green-ebook/dp/B079825F7P/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1522027434&sr=1-2&keywords=the+other+side+of+goodbye&dpID=41vy5d7p4kL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

World of Sleuths Rating: ***

(Three out of five stars)

Cold Cold Heart

Cold Cold Heart is a standalone psychological thriller written by Tami Hoag. Dana Nolan an up and coming television news reporter for a TV station until a serial rapist/killer that’s killed several women across the Midwest, abducts hear, brutally rapes, beats and maims her to a point where she is close to death. While transporting her in the back of his van, she manages to free draw enough strength to free her hands and find something to use as a weapon to get the better of him. After nearly a year in the hospital and a rehabilitation center in Indianapolis, she returns to her hometown in rural southern Indiana. Questions start popping up about the chance of her attacker having been the same person behind the disappearance of her best friend seven years ago. After suffering memory loss from the brain injury she suffered from her ordeals, she starts trying to piece memories together from her past and her friends disappearance which is still a cold case.

This is a very well written story that addresses both traumatic brain injuries and PTSD and keeps the reader wanting more. The author tries not to sugar coat the issues and gives readers a little bit of a look into what it is like for a person that has a traumatic brain injury while also tying in plenty of action.

If interested in reading this book, you can purchase it in various formats from the following sites:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Heart-Tami-Hoag-ebook/dp/B00G3L1CTI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1521680709&sr=1-1&keywords=cold+cold+heart

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cold-cold-heart-tami-hoag/1117225104?ean=9780451470065#/

World of Sleuths Rating: *****

(Five out of five stars)

Project PD Mysteries & Thrillers: Inside the Lines

Inside the Lines is a spy thriller with a little romance mixed in written by Earl Derr Biggers and Robert Welles Ritchie and was originally published in 1815. It takes places place in France, Germany and the Mediterranean region during the onset of the first World War. It follows some Americans that are in Europe at the time and are trying to get home and events that are happening around them.

This was the third novel written by Biggers, who went on to write six Charlie Chan novels in the 1920’s and 1930’s. He keeps both the action and the romance to a level where they’re not too distracting from the story line. This is a story that can be enjoyed be men and women of most reading tastes.

If interested in reading this book, you can download it from the following sites in various formats:

Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/56036

Many Books: http://manybooks.net/titles/biggerseother10Inside_the_Lines.html

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Lines-Robert-Welles-Ritchie-ebook/dp/B004JHYU3I/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1521469865&sr=1-8&keywords=inside+lines+earl

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/inside-the-lines-earl-derr-biggers/1020446522?ean=2940021333900

World of Sleuths Rating: ****

(Four out of five stars)

Project PD Mysteries & Thrillers

Beginning today, you will start seeing posts here for Project PD Mysteries & Thrillers. This is a project that I thought of earlier this week in which along with the other books that I am reading, I will always be reading a mystery or thriller that is in the Public Domain in the United States until I've read them all, if possible. That is harder than you may think. I am taking these from genre lists on Project Gutenberg and ManyBooks.net. Many Books shows 1,000 alone and it doesn't have quite as many books as Project Gutenberg and books are constantly being added to Project Gutenberg. Also, I saw something today that the books published in 1923 will go into the Public Domain as of January 1, 2019 which will most likely include many mysteries and thrillers.

There are many mysteries and thrillers that I have read in the past that are in the Public Domain including several Sherlock Holmes Books and one by Agatha Christie. I've decided that any that I've read prior to this month will be reread sometime during this project. I am considering  The Innocence of Father Brown  as the first book I read for this project. I wrote a review for it earlier this month. I am almost done with the next book I'm reading for this project, expecting to complete it today and hoping to get the review written today also. All of the reviews will have the banner that I have above to distinguish them as part of the project. They will also have links where you can download the books from Project Gutenberg and Many Books. I will also include links where you can versions for you Kindle or Nook for free.

The Professionals

The Professionals is the first novel in the Stevens and Windermere series by Owen Laukannen. Four college friend unable to find jobs upon graduation decide to start a life of crime be going from city to city across the United States and kidnapping wealthy people and contacting their spouses, demanding anywhere between $60,00 and $100,00 in twenty-four hours. They also tell them that that their house is being watched and if they call the police, their spouse will be killed. Two years later, everything is going good until after the leave Minneapolis, the victim calls the police who in turn turns it over to the state police who assign the case to Agent Kirk Stevens. After he convinces his supervisor that the kidnappers are from out of state and have left the state, they contact the Minneapolis office of the FBI, they assign the case to Special Agent Carla Windermere. In the meanwhile, the kidnappers make the mistake of kidnapping the husband of a woman in a crime family, so the crime family sends men out after them. Who will get to the kidnappers first, the crime family or Stevens and Windermere?

Most of this story takes place in the upper Midwest. It is full of action and keeps the readers wondering what will happen next. It is a very good debut novel.

If interested in reading this novel, you can purchase it in various formats from the following sites:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Professionals-Stevens-Windermere-Book-ebook/dp/B005GSZJ9I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1520703274&sr=1-1&keywords=the+professionals+owen+laukkanen

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-professionals-owen-laukkanen/1104075625?ean=9780425250495

World of Sleuths Rating: ****

(Four out of five stars)

Killing Red

Killing Red is the debut novel for Henry Perez and is the first Alex Cappa thriller novel. Alex Chappa, a columnist for the second leading newspaper in the Chicago area has been requested to come and interview serial killer Kenny Lee Grubb by Grubb himself just days before Grubb is slated for execution. Over sixteen years prior to that, Grubb kidnapped and killed nine children and attempted to do the same to a tenth. The tenth, a ten year old girl at the time didn’t die, but managed to escape from Grubb and lead the police to him. Chappa, a new and fledgling reporter working nights at the time managed to be the only reporter at the scene of the capture due to a tip telephoned in to the small newspaper he was working for at the time. That story set off his career. Grubb now wants Chappa to write the his true story and told him that a disciple of his has been killing children across the United States and will be killing the one that escaped just before he is executed. Chappa sets off to find this girl, who Grubb refers to as Red, to warn her and also informs his old college roommate who is now an agent with the FBI in their Chicago office. Will Alex will be able to find her in time?

The author take the readers through many Chicago suburbs in this book and even further west some into some open farmland, as well as into areas within the city of Chicago itself. He keeps the action up in order to keep the book interesting and he has the type of people interviewed by Chappa varied. It is a good book.

If interested in reading this book, you can purchase it in various formats from the following sites:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Red-Alex-Chapa-Thriller-ebook/dp/B01E20JLDK/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1520699360&sr=1-7&keywords=henry+perez

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/killing-red-henry-perez/1100306273?ean=9781530985043

World of Sleuths Rating: ****

(Four out of five stars)

Saving Faith

Saving Faith is the fifth thriller novel written by David Baldacci and is a standalone novel. Danny Buchanan has been a very successful lobbyist in Washington D.C. for a few decades, some of his practices not exactly legal. Over a decade ago, he took Faith Lockhart under his wing and taught her the ropes and she has been a faithful assistant for him. For the past year and a half, Danny has started acting strange and started distancing himself from Faith. With a feeling that something bad is going on, Faith decides to go to the FBI to try to save Danny by telling them about his dealings and the politicians. While taking Faith to an FBI safe house in an old cabin in a wooded area, somebody tries to assassinate Faith, killing the FBI agent escorting her. Fortunate for Faith, Lee Adams, a private investigator, was hired by an anonymous client who mailed him cash to follow Faith. Lee witnesses the assassination attempt and starts firing in the direction of the assassin, causing the assassin to run. Lee and Faith are now on the run from both the FBI and whoever attempted to kill Faith, not knowing who to trust.

This book has elements that will keep both men and women reading. There is action throughout the book along with an element of romance. It has another strong female character in it along with Faith and has some surprises in it. It is an overall very well written story.

If interested in reading this book, you can purchase it in various formats from the following sites:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Faith-David-Baldacci-ebook/dp/B001GUXJQU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520377203&sr=8-1&keywords=saving+faith

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/saving-faith-david-baldacci/1100298908?ean=9780446608893#/

World of Sleuths Rating: *****

(Five out of five stars)

The Innocence of Father Brown

The Innocence of Father Brown is the first compilation of Father Brown short stories written by G. K. Chesterton. Father Brown is a Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective that solves crimes using the knowledge that he gained from criminals’ confessions and his own intuitions. There are twelve short stories in this compilation, many of which include a character named Hercule Flambeau who is a sought after thief throughout Europe in the early stories and through the help of Father Brown, swears off a life of crime and becomes a private detective. The Father Brown BBC television series which also airs on PBS stations in the United States are based from the main character and characters from all of the Father Brown short stories by Chesterton.

The stories in this compilation vary between theft and murder. These take place throughout the United Kingdom and seems that Father Brown is in a different parish in each story. There is humor scattered about in these stories, just like in the television series. Some of these stories are better than others.

If you are interested in reading this book, you can download it for free in various ebook formats from the following sites:

Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/204

ManyBooks: http://manybooks.net/titles/chestertetext95infrb10.html

You can also purchase or download the book in various formats from the following sites:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Innocence-Father-Brown-Illustrated-Centennial-ebook/dp/B06XYWKQJW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520271713&sr=8-1&keywords=the+innocence+of+father+brown

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-innocence-of-father-brown-gilbert-keith-chesterton/1121097671?ean=9781539856467

World of Sleuths Rating: ****

(Four out of five stars)

Digital Fortress

Digital Fortress is a thriller and the first novel written by Dan Brown. This story, written by the same author as The DaVinci Code, takes place inside the National Security Agency (NSA). A former disgruntled employee writes new encryption software for emails that he claims that will make a super secret multi-billion dollar NSA computer that can decrypt any email within a matter of minutes obsolete. The catch isin order for anybody to use this software, they need a pass code that this guy put up for auction to the highest bidder and also stated that if anything happened to him, he sent a copy to another person who in turn would publicly publish the pass key so everybody would have access to it. The NSA’s computer has been trying to decrypt this software fore several hours to no avail and it turns out that the guy that wrote it was just murdered in Spain. The NSA’s head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, is called in to try to do what she can from there in the NSA. In the meanwhile, her fiancée is sent to Spain to bring back all of the dead guy’s belonging’s in hopes that they find something in them with the pass code. Will the bee able to find it in time?

The reader has to keep in mind that this is a work of fiction. Just as with any of the other government and intelligence gathering agencies, the NSA does have federal regulations and budgets that they have to abide by. There is plenty of action in this book and some interesting twists. It is comprised of several short chapters, many of which are from one to four pages long which seems to slow it down.

If interested in reading this book, you can purchase it in various formats from the various sites:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Fortress-Thriller-Dan-Brown-ebook/dp/B003JH8LPW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1519922508&sr=1-1&keywords=digital+fortress

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/digital-fortress-dan-brown/1116702349?ean=9780312944926#/

World of Sleuths Rating: ****

(Four out of five stars)