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EIGHT DETECTIVE + WINTER COUNTS + NEXT TO LAST STAND - Review

It was nearing the end of October and what seemed like the 10th or 11th day in a row of receiving packages in the mail is when Mrs. Hungry Detective called a timeout on buying things in the form of a delivery of a box or padded envelope.  She was quite right to do so even if I had a couple of November releases to purchase.  Neither was desperate, both come from best selling authors. Finding those books in December was not a challenge. [Editor's Note: Well, not until they shipped the wrong book...]

More distressing was a 20% off sale from a seller for the month of November. I was anticipate making at least one purchase to fill a hole in my Craig Johnson books. The same seller also has a complete run of James Benn novels. I own Mr. Benn's first and was thinking about buying the next 3-4 books. With the sale, I figured I could get a nice start without having to scour ABE for each book separately. Alas, they will have to wait. [Editor's Note: Sale has been continued through December. Mrs. Hungry Detective will be 'thrilled'.]

EIGHT DETECTIVES - Alex Pavesi

This was fun, but I will rip the bandage off and say the end just is not supported by the rest of the novel. I enjoyed the structure of seven shorts stories being used to elucidate the present day story of a Book Editor visiting the author of the aforementioned short stories about a new release. But about halfway through it was clear we weren't spending enough time with those two characters to get an accurate picture of what was at stake. When the end comes it certainly was an intriguing conclusion, but because this part of the story was underdeveloped it just kind of happens, and then the book ends. Still I found the shorts stories contained within to be entertaining, and certainly pulled me a long well enough to make it an enjoyable if not entirely successful read.

WINTER COUNTS - David Heska Wanbli Weiden

WINTER COUNTS shambles a long for the first 150 or so pages developing characters and more importantly the setting. I was waiting for the dead body, occasionally looking at the dwindling pages wondering when it was going to show up. It never does. WINTER COUNTS delivers something else. WINTER COUNTS is a vibe book, one that I enjoyed quite a bit. In real terms, the plight of drugs on Indigenous Peoples is an annihilation, one undoubtedly in need of exploration. But in terms of a Crime Fiction it took a second for me to click into that narrative....which is my issue with the book and not the authors.

NEXT TO LAST STAND - Craig Johnson

This is a cozy. Craig Johnson writes cozies. Yes Longmire is a professional crime fighter and yes the violence is often front and gruesomely center. Probably a bit more cursing here as well... NEVER THE LESS this is a cozy. Try and talk me out of it. Loved this by the way.

Currently Reading -- BILLY BOYLE - James Benn
To Be Read -- 2.
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