The Killing Practice; by Linda Swink

MWSA Review
A good historical mystery demands concentration on two tiers. On one level, the reader concentrates on the facts of the mystery, while on the other the details of the historical setting. The setting, in turn, enriches the mystery by placing it in cultural and historical context. And The Killing Practice is a good historical mystery.
It is post-Civil War Ohio where this suspenseful tale unwinds. There in the town of Willoughby, the devastation of the losses suffered by the small but growing community still hangs heavily over the town. There are the nine white tombstones not even eight years old for the young men of Willoughby who perished at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862. There are the families who lost sons, some more than one.

The novel’s main character is its police chief, Hank Blankenship, a distinguished combat officer in the Civil War, and formerly an experienced investigator with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. But a series of grisly murders and missing children drives home to the thirty-two year old bachelor that he is sorely out of his depth. As he tells his closest friend in Willoughby, the intrepid newspaper editor, – “. . . This is all new to me; solving murders wasn’t one of our duties (at Pinkerton) . . . If we had, perhaps I’d know more about how to go about finding a killer . . . But I did have an exciting time chasing John (Wilkes) Booth after he shot President Lincoln . . . The closest I ever came to being involved in a murder.” Added to Blankenship’s lack of experience is the Town’s pathetically small and ineffective police force.

As the murders keep mounting, the townsfolk find themselves trapped in a collective dark mood of fear and sadness. Blankenship himself, is enveloped by the gloom and has to constantly resist the enervating effect it has upon him, as he fights mightily to overcome his inexperience, a hostile mayor, a frightened populace, an inadequate staff and an arrogant duo of physicians who run the Town’s principal claim to fame -- it’s esteemed medical college. But Blankenship is a man of honor and character, and his efforts to solve the crimes are unrelenting – bolstered by his consuming love for the Town’s school marm and his deep friendship with its newspaper editor, Adam Norville.

The novel is characterized by clean prose and effective dialogue. The plot and character development are equally good. Its pace and suspense hold the reader’s attention as the mystery deepens. The Killing Practice is a good read – especially for the summer months.
Review by Don Farinacci, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
Someone is killing the citizens of Willoughby to cover up a dark secret. As police chief, Hank Blankenship, a veteran of the Civil War, attempts to solve the murders he must deal with a matchmaking busy body, an inept fuzz-for-a-beard deputy, a mayor who wants him fired, and a town hell bent on spreading rumors.

ISBN/ASIN: 10:0692752773
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 244
 

I Promise Do or Die; by Linda Swink

MWSA Review
A well-written who done-it!

Burdened by nightmares of a traumatic event she experienced six years earlier, Catherine Ridenour dreads returning to her hometown, but feels compelled to do so when asked to be maid of honor in her best friend's wedding. Catherine senses that things are not right with the rushed wedding plans to a man Tracy has known for only two months. Yet, no argument can change Tracy's determination to get married. 

The author crafts her novel in a realistic drama sprinkled with frequent comic moments of wedding preparations and old friends remembering the antics of their high school days. The reader's attention does not stray as Catherine uses the investigative skills she developed as a news reporter to unravel the mystery of a serial rapist who may have also attacked her. Overcoming panic attacks and apprehension, she follows leads unknown to the police to determine the identity of a sexual predator threatening young women in the community. Yet because the fear of having to reveal that she also was the victim of a sexual assault six years earlier, she can't tell Tracy she suspects the culprit may be the friend's fiancé. 

I Promise Do or Die as a delightful a mystery that would be at home on Hallmark Mystery Theatre. Yes, there is some violence, but no excessive mayhem that seems to dominate most mystery/thrillers these days. It's a darn good read.
Reviewed by Joe Epley, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
Catherine Ridenour, a fledgling journalist, has a secret she vowed never to disclose, not even to her best friend, Tracy.

When Tracy asks Catherine to be her maid of honor, Catherine is overjoyed, but when she learns her friend is marrying a man Tracy’s known for only two months and the wedding is in one week, Catherine suspects something strange is going on.

Catherine investigates the fiancé and comes to believe the man her best friend is about to marry is a serial rapist.

She must find a way to stop the wedding and save her friend from making the biggest mistake of her life. But to expose Tracy’s fiancé for what he is, Catherine must disclose her own secret, something she just can’t do.

ISBN/ASIN: 10-0692530509
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 278

 

Sheppard and the French Rescue; by G. William Weatherly

MWSA Review
G. William Weatherly brings his troubled hero Sheppard McCloud and the crew of the Argonne back for another thrilling alternative history tale.

World War II (Weatherly's alternative version) isn't going so well for the Allied powers. France's navy, while out of the war right now, is trapped, and will turn the tide of whichever side for which it fights. The British and Americans launch a desperate scheme to rescue the free French fleet, but the German navy will stop at nothing to force the French to their side. Germany's allies, the Italian navy, have decided independently that if the French won't join the fight, they need to be put on the bottom to keep them out of the war. Can the Argonne beat massive odds and rescue the free French fleet?

Weatherly's understanding of WWII naval combat is exceptional, and for the purists he does an excellent job in the prologue explaining what circumstances are different in his alternative version of history. He changes what he wants to change, but doesn’t lose the feel of historical naval combat as relayed by history books and memoirs of the time. The result is an interesting, intriguing, exciting story that history and alternative history fans alike will enjoy. 
Reviewed by Rob Ballister, MWSA Awards Director

Author's Synopsis:
Captain Sheppard McCloud is unexpectedly called to Washington in May of 1942 while his ship, the battle cruiser Argonne is in dry dock undergoing repairs from the Battle of Cape Vilan. At a luncheon with President Roosevelt and the new head of the OSS, he is informed of his next mission—this time unsupported, in a race against General Rommel’s panzers to save the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kébir. Intrigue, spies, the ‘Maquis’, plots by both the Italians and his nemesis from Sheppard of the Argonne German Admiral Schröder, make a thrilling page turner that readers will find hard to put down.

This is the second book in the continuing saga of Captain Sheppard McCloud and his crew on the battle cruiser Argonne.  The first book, "Sheppard of the Argonne", won a 2016 Gold Medal from MWSA in the category of Literary Fiction.  See advance reviews of the new book, "Sheppard and the French Rescue" , on Amazon.com.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-63393--362-0
Book Format(s): Hard cover
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 371
 

The Albatross; by Gerry Hawes

MWSA Review
Have you ever glanced at the open cockpit door of one of those giant passenger jets and wondered how on earth the pilot can find his way around that maze of dials and instruments? In his new book, The Albatross, author Gerry Hawes answers that question.  He takes us deep into the character of Jack Rheinstrom, an airline pilot, and an ordinary man. But he is much more than your usual nice guy.

He has a deep appreciation of the value of life and the beauty of the world around him. He can look at the stars in the sky or the earth stretched out below him and see the design of the universe. And he knows how lucky he is to be able to view the world from his cockpit. Even when it looks as if his life is about to end in a fiery crash, he can look back on his flying career and say, along with one of his crew members, “Lucky me. Lucky, lucky me.”

He has an abiding love for his fellow human beings, whether they be his crew members, his passengers, the ground personnel who support him, or the strangers waiting for him to deliver their loved ones. He cares about their needs and their safety. His compassion even extends to those his life does not touch. In one incident, he sees, but only from the back, a little girl staring longingly at a worn-out stuffed rabbit in a pawn shop window. He never sees her face, but he returns to the shop, pays for the rabbit, and asks the shopkeeper to give it to the little girl the next time she comes to visit.

He has an encyclopedic, almost photographic memory of every training manual he has read. He knows every inch of his plane. He has read the reports of dangerous incidents these planes have experienced so that he knows what to do in almost any emergency.

And last, he has an almost super-human ability to remain calm and detached in a disastrous event, even when everyone around him has given up or succumbed to fear. He is the voice of reason, the one who can access, from somewhere deep in his memory bank, the single detail that can save the lives of everyone involved. 

But such compelling character traits come at an enormous personal cost. His love for everyone around him keeps him from recognizing that one special person whom he could love more than all the rest. His ability to control his emotions keeps him from expressing what he feels. His gratitude for what he already has stops him for wishing for something more. Because he tries to protect the lives of everyone around him, he is in danger of losing his personal life. 

Mr. Hawes is, himself, such a pilot, and it shows. His vast knowledge and his attention to detail sometimes add so much information that his story slows. The voices in the cockpit ring absolutely true because they are word-for-word transcripts of what happens. The story is realistic because it is real. You’ll believe the story because the author makes you trust him. Read this book and be prepared to have your emotions wrenched. But don’t take it with you to pass the time on a long over-water flight. 
Review by Carolyn Schriber, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis
Jack Rheinstrom was the kind of guy that everyone liked. His graduating yearbook read like a Who's Who of high school students--leader, scholar, athlete. He was a special kid that shunned personal attention and cared passionately for others. He never appeared to be in a bad mood; just being around him made you feel  good inside. But there are no guarantees in life. There were two special events that occurred in his life, both having dramatic effects. You can be agile and you can be tough but sometimes that is just not enough. Jack Rheinstrom was an airline pilot. He was an ordinary man -- his life was not.

ISBN/ASIN: 13: 978-1-940244-73-0
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 285
 

Eternally at War; by Jeanette Vaughan

MWSA Review

Captain Robert Lathrop left behind more than just a manuscript—he left a detailed history of his wartime experiences in Vietnam and a good part of himself on its pages.  Struggling to cope with the  effects of PTSD, Lathrop wrote about his time in Vietnam and its aftermath as part of his therapy.  Lathrop’s musings might have languished unnoticed and unread if not for the efforts of co-author/editor Jeanette Vaughan, who organized and compiled Lathrop’s manuscript in this heart-wrenching memoir.  
 
Lathrop’s detailed description of his combat flying as a Marine A-4 pilot are quite detailed, believable, and are a valuable addition to the historical record. Lathrop’s short tour on the Battleship New Jersey was also quite interesting and informative, as were the details of his flying the C-117 in cargo and flare-dropping missions "on the side."
 
The first three quarters of the book deal quite effectively with Lathrop’s time in war-torn Vietnam.  The end of the book is a much more personal and harrowing look at the devastation caused by combat injuries that can’t be easily identified or treated.
 
Struggling to cope with his deteriorating mental state, he became caught up in a strange series of conspiracy theories—all the time pushing away family and friends—which contributed to the downward spiral into deep depression and drug dependence. Lathrop is lucid while describing his combat tour in Vietnam.  However, as the book progresses toward its devastating conclusion, the writing darkens and at times becomes almost impenetrable—deteriorating just like the mental state of the author.
 
Eternally at War is not an easy read.  It is, however, a necessary one for those interested in one Marine pilot’s experiences during combat in Vietnam and his continuing struggle to deal with the aftermath—of being “eternally at war.”
Review by John Cathcart, MWSA Awards Director
 

Author’s Synopsis:
Vietnam. A USMC A-4 Skyhawk pilot. PTSD. He survived Vietnam, but would he survive its aftermath? The experiences of combat produce different memories by those whom have served. Some return as warriors, seemingly unscathed. With others, their life is never the same. The horrors of each mission come back to haunt them for years. Ten years after returning from Vietnam as a two time decorated A-4 Skyhawk pilot, Captain Robert “Gene” Lathrop described war as hell. Flying the scooter as a part of VMA-311, he completed over 275 missions. His squadron completed 54,625 sorties dropping over 9 million tons of bombs. That record will never be broken. But the bomb damage assessment was steep for Captain Lathrop. The nightmares and emotional rage he experienced threatened to tear apart his family. To keep from unraveling, he sought a voice in the written word. This memoir serves as part of his mission to honor the men and women of the military. He believed veterans who return to peacetime should never feel eternally at war.

ISBN/ASIN: 0989207870
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): History, Memoir
Number of Pages: 332

The Last Road Home; by Danny Johnson

MWSA Review
Danny Johnson may have done himself a disservice in writing The Last Road Home, as he has set the bar exceedingly high for himself in all future work. Masterfully crafted and beautifully executed, this book draws readers right in and holds them close for the entire journey. Johnson tackles sensitive issues like interracial relationships, family tragedies, and the brutality of combat and its aftermath with an unapologetic yet tactful tone. Those prone to displaying their emotions may want to read this book in private, as the author leaves no emotion untapped. You will laugh, and tear up, and become enraged, and worry right along with these characters.

It takes supreme skill and a hefty dose of talent to break out of the gate in full stride and never miss a step. Johnson makes it look easy as he sets one scene after another, following Junebug from childhood to the jungles of Vietnam with just the right blend of detail to bring it all to life. Each leg of Junebug’s journey adds another layer of richness to the tale, right up until the last page. There is something here for readers of all genres. 
Review by Barbara Allen, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Summary:
From Pushcart Prize nominee Danny Johnson comes a powerful novel that explores race relations, first love, and coming-of-age in North Carolina in the 1950s and ‘60s. At eight years old, Raeford “Junebug” Hurley has known more than his share of hard lessons. After the sudden death of his parents, he goes to live with his grandparents on a farm surrounded by tobacco fields and lonesome woods. There he meets Fancy Stroud and her twin brother, Lightning, the children of black sharecroppers on a neighboring farm. As years pass, the friendship be- tween Junebug and bright, compassionate Fancy takes on a deeper intensity. Junebug, aware of all the ways in which he and Fancy are more alike than different, habitually bucks against the casual bigotry that surrounds them—dangerous in a community ruled by the Klan. On the brink of adulthood, Junebug is drawn into a moneymaking scheme that goes awry—and leaves him with a dark secret he must keep from those he loves. And as Fancy, tired of saying yes’um and living scared, tries to find her place in the world, Junebug embarks on a journey that will take him through loss and war toward a hard-won understanding. At once tender and unflinching, The Last Road Home delves deep into the gritty, violent realities of the South’s turbulent past, yet evokes the universal hunger for belonging.

ISBN/ASIN: 13L 978-1-4967-0249-4
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 312

Clear To Lift; by Anne A. Wilson

MWSA Review
Clear to Lift by Anne Wilson can best be described as an action novel with a side of romance. From the first page to the last we are swept into the world of search and rescue in the mountains of Nevada. Alison Malone, recently stationed at Naval Air Station Fallon, feels that her career in the Navy has stagnated. Desperate to get her career back on track, she resolutely pushes for a transfer away from a duty station she considers to be a step in the wrong direction. But as she learns new skills and builds relationships within both the military and civilian communities, her resolve wavers. And her desire to be stationed near her corporate-investor fiancé in San Diego begins to crumble.

Clear to Lift follows in the footsteps of Wilson’s first novel, Hover, in that both feature a strong female protagonist making her way in the military. It’s clear that Wilson writes what she knows. Her time as a Navy helicopter pilot shines through in the action sequences and the plot details. Her writing is engaging and complex. The characters, especially those in the military, have a ring of truth.

Wilson’s bio will tell you that she graduated from the United States Naval Academy and served for nine years as a helicopter pilot. After that she worked in the semiconductor industry before owning a triathlon coaching company with her husband. Although her career to date has focused on outdoor ventures and high-altitude rescue specialties, I believe that Wilson is first and foremost a writer. Rather than thinking of her as an adventurous pilot who enjoys writing, I think of her as a writer who happens to have amassed an amazing skill set, one that allows her to share with her readers a world that most people only dream of. 
Review by Betsy Beard, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
Navy helicopter pilot Lt. Alison Malone has been assigned to a search and rescue team based at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, near the rugged peaks of the Sierra Nevada, and far from her former elite H-60 squadron. A rule follower by nature, Alison is exasperated and outraged every time she flies with her mission commander, "Boomer" Marks, for whom military procedures are merely a suggestion. Alison is desperate to be transferred out of the boonies, where careers stagnate, and back to her life and fiancé in San Diego.

Alison's defenses start to slip when she meets mountain guide Will Cavanaugh during a particularly dicey mission. Will introduces her to a wild, beautiful world of adventure that she has never known before. Stranded on a mountain during a sudden dangerous blizzard, Alison questions every truth she thought she knew about herself. When Will braves the storm to save her life, she must confront the fact that she has been living a lie. But is it too late to change course?

Full of action and adventure, dangerous and heart-stopping rescues, blizzards and floods, family secrets and second chances, Clear to Lift by Anne A. Wilson is a thrilling woman's journey as she finds confidence, truth, love, and herself against the majestic backdrop of the Sierra Nevada.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0765378514
Book Format(s): Hard cover
Genre(s): Fiction, Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 320

Raven's Redemption: A Cybertech Thriller; by John D. Trudel

MWSA Review

John Trudel’s Raven is back for his second thriller, and this time it’s not just terrorists in his sights!

Raven and his partner-turned-lover Josie are back, but they just barely survived their last mission in Raven’s Run and both must do some serious healing before they go active again.  However, events force them back into the covert operations game, and they along with John Block and Dr. Goldfarb must act to save the President.  If the President dies, not even Josie’s clairvoyance can see what’s going to happen.

Trudel picks up where he left off in Raven’s Run, with thrilling action, entertaining characters, really bad “bad guys,” all on a canvas that at times is way more truth than fiction.  Readers will love Raven and Josie, worry about Black, hate the bad guys, and through the whole story be more than just a little afraid that the entire thing is just a bit too plausible.  Raven is every bit as engaging and likable as Cussler’s Dirk Pitt or Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan; flawed, but driven to do the right thing even if he needs to break some eggs along the way.

Fans of Clancy, Cussler, Dale Brown, and those of that ilk will enjoy this.

Review by Rob Ballister, MWSA Awards Director 

Author's Synopsis:
Raven’s ragtag team thwarted an EMP attack by terrorists with Iranian nukes, but paid a terrible price. Everyone on his team was badly injured. A peaceful neighborhood was left in flames.

Raven’s partner Josie, a gentle psychic with exceptional powers, is catatonic. Her mind shut down from the trauma of red, raw combat. She is gone along with their dreams of someday having normal lives.

Raven swore to protect her. She trusted him, but he failed. They were outnumbered and outgunned in their own Homeland.

From the White House to the UN, our enemies have friends in high places. Instead of targeting civilian populations, terrorists will now directly attack America’s leaders and the thin black line of agents that protect us. Remove the protectors and the sheep will be helpless.

Without Josie or government support, what can Raven do? Can he find redemption?

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0997805239
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, ePub, Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 404

The Long Return; by David Scheiding

MWSA Review
The Long Return is a detailed, interesting and very well written account of the life of a United States Air Force Forward Air Controller (FAC) during the Vietnam War. The author writes with the clarity of an engineer and does an excellent job of interpreting the technical details for the lay reader. The authors account of many incidents during the course of his tour in Vietnam reveal the dubious nature of the Vietnam war.
Reviewed by Joe Campolo, Jr., MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
The Long Return describes the author's experiences as a Forward Air Controller in Vietnam and his reaction to the significant change in the general American attitude towards the Vietnam War upon his return.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-4809-3080-3
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography
Number of Pages: 200