Review: 77 Days by James Theimer

 Genre: Political Thriller

Description:

“Elections have consequences. This one could spell the end of humanity.

Cursed with a near-perfect memory, former investigative reporter Quinn Hamilton cannot forget the nightmare image of her husband’s twisted, broken body. It’s been four years since she severed all ties with the outside world, so it’s a shock to forgotten friends when she suddenly resurfaces to take the job of White House press secretary just weeks before the next presidential election…

…for the man who accused her husband of treason.

The president is defeated, but he refuses to concede. Before Quinn can expose his plot to use a deadly virus outbreak to seize the White House, she is forced to flee the capital. But as a suddenly vulnerable America hurtles toward a calamitous nuclear war, she cannot escape the staggering truth her husband uncovered before his death. It will be neither contagion nor conflict that dooms us, but something more monstrous.

Something only she can stop, with memory her only weapon.”

Author:

“James Theimer didn't break all the rules to build a successful small-town architecture practice; sometimes it just seemed that way. Nationally recognized for his design, writing, and public speaking, he now follows that same path with his first work of fiction. James' writing examines how ordinary people respond when confronted with extraordinary events. Born in New Jersey, he met his wife in the Caribbean before moving to northern California. They currently reside on the coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean.”

Appraisal:

This story, that could rightfully be called apocalyptic or dystopian in many ways, is in theory over the top. It has a president who pretends to be religious, something we’ve seen before, but this guy, President Gentry, goes way over the top with this. (Hopefully I don’t need to tell you that President Gentry, just like the current guy, was all talk in this regard though.) I read this book in late 2025 and was surprised to realize that the book was published the month prior to the 2024 US elections. That’s because there was talk of president Gentry using ICE in some questionable ways that happened in real life shortly after the book was released. Hopefully everything that happened in the book doesn’t happen for real or we’re in for an even tougher time than we’ve already seen.

It’s a good read regardless and I hope it remains (mostly) fiction. I should point out that it is a long read, about double the size of a typical novel, but still falls way short of the length of War and Peace, so not totally over the top in that regard. Definitely a good read, just keep repeating to yourself, “it’s only fiction” and you’ll be okay.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 180-185,000 words

Review: Cross Checking by Dennis Pierce

 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Description:

“A search for hidden treasure linked to a decades-old crime. A race against time to stop a fanatical church leader’s murderous plot. A well-educated mob boss who stands in the way of one of these goals—and could be the key to achieving the other.

In Cross Checking, book 2 of the Parker Hanson mystery series, former journalist turned private investigator Parker Hanson and Amalia Velasquez, his ex-Army Ranger neighbor, are back with not one but two major mysteries to solve.

When they aren’t trying to stop what they fear might be a large-scale assault, Parker and Amalia find themselves looking for a stolen painting that could help solve a 35-year-old crime.

Juggling two critical cases with far-reaching implications will require Parker and Amalia to summon every ounce of skill and resolve they possess. And when Parker is faced with a moral dilemma that could determine the fate of hundreds of people, how will he respond?

Featuring humor, pulse-pounding suspense, and plenty of hockey and pop culture references, this crime thriller set in New Hampshire from veteran journalist Dennis Pierce will keep readers engrossed until the very last page. If you’re a fan of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser series or relatable, underdog heroes in general, you won’t want to miss this book.”

Author:

“Dennis Pierce is a freelance writer, author, and journalist. A graduate of Yale University, he began his professional career as an education journalist with eSchool Media, working his way from assistant editor to managing editor and editor-in-chief. In his last few years with the company, he served as director of content partnerships, working with advertisers to develop and execute content marketing campaigns. He has covered congressional hearings on Capitol Hill, interviewed former astronauts and Secretaries of Education, and ghostwritten thought leadership articles for company CEOs.”

Appraisal:

This was a fun, enjoyable read. I always enjoy a good mystery that keeps me engrossed in the story, trying to figure out what the answer is along with the protagonists makes for a fun read. With two cases intertwined in this story there was plenty to keep the reader engaged.

One thing that stood out in this book and set it apart in a good way from many mysteries was the subtle humor that is scattered throughout the story. There might be some things that I missed because I wasn’t clued in to a subtle reference, but I caught some that I suspect others might not pick up on. For example, if you aren’t enough of a music nerd to recognize the name Charlie Sexton, you won’t giggle like I did at one reference. But you ought to still enjoy the mystery.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Contains a minimal amount of adult language.

This is the second book in a series featuring Parker Hanson. However, each book is standalone.

Format/Typo Issues:

My review is based on an ARC (advance reviewer copy), so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Review: Class Action by Gail Ward Olmsted

 Genre: Legal Thriller

Description:

“R U in? Need $ now

Third year law student Lennon Gallagher’s life turns from complicated to overwhelming when she receives a message meant for someone else. The text offers an advance copy of a final exam—a guaranteed ‘A’—but accepting it will violate the honors code she refuses to break. When Lennon declines, the collaborators behind the cheating scheme demand her silence or they will ensure she takes the fall if necessary.

Fighting for her future while balancing an internship, exams, studying for the bar, a boyfriend who no longer seems to understand her, and a mother who needs help rebuilding her life after prison, Lennon tries to handle everything alone. But when she discovers the lead plaintiff in her firm’s class action lawsuit might be the father she’s never known, it’s the final straw. She needs help.

With the support of her friend and mentor, attorney Miranda Quinn, Lennon must navigate betrayal, legal intrigue, and personal discovery. As one relationship unravels, another blossoms in this gripping story of resilience, secrets, and second chances.

A captivating read full of unexpected twists and emotional depth.”

Author:

“Gail Ward Olmsted was a marketing executive and a college professor before she began writing fiction on a full-time basis. A trip to Sedona, AZ inspired her first novel Jeep Tour. Three more novels followed before Landscape of a Marriage, a biographical novel featuring landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, a distant cousin of her husband's, and his wife Mary. Miranda Fights is the third book in the Miranda Quinn Legal Twist series. Olmsted enjoys writing about quirky, wonderful women in search of a second chance at a happy ever after. When not writing, she loves being on the water, especially in a kayak. She is well known for her blonde brownies, and coffee is her love language.”

For more visit her Facebook page.

Appraisal:

I loved this book. The main character, Lennon, is someone I immediately liked and was pulling for her to do well. She’d beat the odds reaching the point she was at when the book started and was on the verge of graduating from law school with a bright future. However, these last few months throw more than a few curves at her. How or if she’d work through it while dealing with all her normal life struggles kept me engrossed from the first word to the last. I wish every book I read captured me the way this one did.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an ARC (advance reviewer copy) and I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Review: Resonant Blue and Other Stories by Mary Vensel White

 Genre: Short Story Collection

Description:

“The first collection of award-winning short fiction from the author of Bellflower and Things to See in Arizona, whose writing reflects ‘how we can endure and overcome our personal histories, better understand our ancestral ones, and accept the unknown future ahead.’”

Author:

“Mary Vensel White is the author of the novels Starling, Bellflower, and The Qualities of Wood, and the young adult novel, Things to See in Arizona. Her short fiction and essays have appeared in numerous publications. Born in Los Angeles, Mary has lived in northern California, Denver, and Chicago, and has been back in southern California for two decades.”

For more, visit her website.

Appraisal:

A unique and interesting collection of short stories. Each of the main characters in the stories were working through a significant event or change in their life, and observing how they dealt with them compared to how the reader or people they know have reacted to similar things is great to get the reader thinking about life and the differences in how different people approach it.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an advance review copy, so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Reprise Review: Demon Walk by Melissa Bowersock

 

Genre: Mystery/Supernatural

Description:

“Private investigator Lacey Fitzpatrick and Navajo medium Sam Firecloud are called in by the Director of Mission San Juan Capistrano to unravel the mystery surrounding an evil presence that is threatening the mission’s people and its liability, maybe its very existence. While Lacey digs into the research, Sam pulls out all the stops, planning to fight fire with fire and witchcraft with… witchcraft. Lacey finds his methods disturbing, but knows they have to combat the ancient, supernatural force that has killed before, and may very well kill again.”

Author:

“Melissa Bowersock is an eclectic, award-winning author who writes in a variety of fiction and non-fiction genres: biography, contemporary, western, action, romance, fantasy, paranormal and spiritual. She has been both traditionally and independently published and is a regular contributor to the superblog Indies Unlimited. She lives in a small community in northern Arizona with her husband and an Airedale terrier. She also writes under the pen name Amber Flame.”

Learn more about Ms. Bowersock on her website or follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

With Lacey and Sam’s notoriety growing they are contacted by the Director of Mission San Juan Capistrano to investigate the strange happenings going on at their mission. While Lacey looks for connections from the mission’s past, Sam searches the more esoteric connections.

With their combined resources and skills will Lacey and Sam be able to determine the source of the ancient magic they have to face and defeat? Find out as Ms. Bowersock includes more members of Sam’s family and challenges Lacey to believe in herself.

I found Demon Walk enthralling. Ms. Bowersock continues to captivate me with every story she spins. Her secondary characters are strong and make each story well-rounded, which aids in the suspension of disbelief. I highly recommend this series to readers of paranormal mysteries. I guarantee you’ll love Lacey and Sam. I can’t wait to see where their next case takes them.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Demon Walk is book six in A LACEY FITZPATRICK and SAM FIRECLOUD MYSTERY SERIES. Each of these mysteries can be read as a standalone if you choose. However, I am enjoying the relationship developing between Lacey and Sam, so I would recommend reading from the beginning to get the full benefit of their storyline.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues. 

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 30-35,000 words

Review: Reunion Cruise by Maria A Palace

Genre: Thriller

Description:

“Margarita Kauzlaskas (a/k/a Margot), a beautiful immigrant girl from Lithuania, is determined to have it all, no matter who she has to use to get it. The result is a long list of enemies, including a jealous husband, a revengeful ex-wife, an obsessed girlfriend, and a star-crossed lover. After convincing her four best friends into taking a reunion cruise to Bermuda, on the night of the ship's return to New York, a body is spotted going overboard. The next morning, Margot is nowhere to be found.

Enter FBI Agent Richard Heller, whose early abandonment issues cause him to become obsessed with finding out what happened to the infamous femme fatale. As the investigation unfolds, an aura of foul play descends upon her friends as well as her enemies. With insufficient evidence to convict, the case grows cold––until he receives an anonymous envelope in the mail. Is it someone's idea of a joke, or can it help him solve the mystery once and for all?”

Author:

Born in the Republic of San Marino, an enclave in the Apennine Mountains of northern Italy and one of the smallest independent states in Europe, Maria Palace moved to the US at a young age. After a career and raising her family Maria retired from her job in the legal field and started writing. This is her second book.

Appraisal:

My thoughts on this book are all over the place. There are some things I liked a lot, the characters, the overall premise of the book, and to some degree the solving of the mystery. But there were some things that happened that I found questionable. The FBI agent did a few things that, while I’m not an attorney, I still recognized as clearly being illegal. One specific time was not long after he started his investigation when he basically broke into an office that he didn’t have a warrant to do. That’s not to say that every FBI agent always toes the line, but this struck me as unlikely to happen the way it was told. He did a couple other questionable things as the story progressed. If you’re able to suspend your disbelief in parts like this, there is a decent story here.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an advance reviewer copy, so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words

Review: A Friend of Dorothy’s by Richard Willett

 Genre: LGBTQ/Coming of Age

Description:

“It's 1986 in New York City and 27-year-old Eric Summerfield knows that ‘yuppies’ are supposed to be obnoxious, easily dismissed, but he envies the clarity of their delusions, their seeming ability to keep mortality at bay. He yearns, in fact, to be one of them. The catch: He's no Wall Street insider, but instead the underpaid employee of a Canadian chain bookstore in Midtown Manhattan, a Canuck himself, and gay, and AIDS suddenly seems to be everywhere, including in the body of his flamboyant friend and coworker Dale, who inexplicably singles out a reluctant Eric to be his chief caregiver. It's an experience that will change both of them.

Moving back and forth across time and place from youth in the 1960s and '70s-Eric's in Vancouver, Dale's on a farm in Kansas-to the pressure cooker of New York in the gay eighties, A Friend of Dorothy's is also a timeless, universal coming of age novel, in which the crucible of illness compels one young man to reach for something greater.”

Author:

Richard Willett is a playwright, screenwriter, as well as writing short stories published in several venues and now a novelist as well. For more, check out his website.

Appraisal:

I find that in some books, especially books that focus on a specific character and their life, whether true like a memoir or fiction, like this one, that I’ll compare myself to the character. When there are similarities I’ll wonder how I’d have handled a situation. But sometimes the differences are pretty drastic. In those books I find that these are good at the glimpse it gives into a life different than yours and hopefully helps the reader understand others better. This book, while happening during a time, the 1980s, when I would have been roughly the same age as the characters involved, is full of characters that I have very little in common with. However, it helped me understand the struggles some of my friends were going through during this era, when AIDS was spreading and killing many in the gay community and someone who was trying to come to terms with their sexuality would have encountered struggles worse than at most other times in history.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Adult language and content.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Review: Extra Grumpy Trumpy by Stacey Russo

 Genre: Politics/Humor/Parody

Description:

“Extra Grumpy Trumpy is the sequel to Grumpy Trumpy no one asked for, but everyone deserves—and let’s just say, the material kept coming. Inspired by more recent events and the ever-growing absurdity of the political landscape, this book practically wrote itself. The hardest part? Deciding what not to include.

Built on the playful repetition and escalating silliness of The Wonky Donkey (but not written by or endorsed by its authors), this sing-songy satire turns chaos into catharsis. It’s packed with clever wordplay and poetic protest for grown-ups who laugh through the madness and rhyme through the rage.

It’s for readers who believe storytelling can be silly, sharp, and subversive all at once. It’s also a playful stand for free expression, a reminder that the First Amendment still matters—and we’re using it with heart, wit, and a healthy dose of rhyme.”

Author:

“Stacey is a mom, business owner, travel enthusiast, and unapologetic beach lover who turned her pet peeves into punchlines. Her writing journey began with parody—sing-songy, satirical books that helped her laugh through the chaos and find humor in the things that bothered her most.”

Appraisal:

If you’re a fan of Trump, this book is definitely not for you. If you’re not a fan this book should give you a good laugh while discussing several reasons why your lack of fandom makes sense. This parodies the style of the Wonky Donkey series of kids picture books in a way that even a pre-school kid could understand. Unfortunately those fans of Trump are unlikely to get it, but you’ll get a good laugh. I’d have never guessed that an adult picture book that looks just like something I’d read to a grandkid would have appeal to me, but I was wrong.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 24 pages

Review: Scenes From A Song by Susan Sloate

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Description:

“On Halloween Eve, 1961, in his dingy Bronx walkup apartment, 17-year-old Jimmy Welton hears the opening notes of a song in his head. Jimmy’s still mourning his firefighter father, who taught him to play the guitar but recently died in a house fire, leaving his family destitute. Jimmy takes this song, about all he misses from his life now, to his after-school job at a New York amusement park, where he meets Mark Morgan, a rebellious teen with his own band, who eventually invites Jimmy to join them. And the rest is rock'n roll history...

The GooseBumps become a worldwide phenomenon, and the songs they write and sing together become the backbone of rock musical history. And the song Jimmy first heard on Halloween, Wrapped in Gauze, becomes the song that not only comforts him but also comforts others in life-changing moments: Victoria, recently divorced and dealing with an unthinkable family tragedy; Carolyn, whose final flippant words to someone in pain can't be taken back; and Jack, battling back from unimaginable loss with the help of his cheeky therapist and a song he thinks he hates.”

Author:

Award-winning author Susan Sloate is the author of 26 published books in multiple genres, both fiction and non-fiction. Her hometown is near Charleston, SC where in addition to writing her own books she is involved in politics and helping other aspiring writers.

Appraisal:

The main story thread of this book is of a band who through hard work, musical skills, and probably a bit of luck as well hit it big on the music scene. You can imagine if The Beatles had formed in the US, but otherwise their story was the same as in real life and you’ll have a good idea of the timing and trajectory of The GooseBumps, the band at the heart of this book. This part in itself makes for an engrossing story. But note the title of this book. It isn’t about a band, it is about a song.

One of the original songs the GooseBumps write, sing, and have a hit with is the real star of this book. It not only is the big hit that everyone knows has to be played at every GooseBumps concert if you don’t want the fans to go home extremely disappointed, it is a song that inspires, comforts, and helps people in different ways. One of those songs that has a lot of meaning for people. Scattered through the book are stories of some of the fans of the song and how the song helped them. If you’re a music fan, especially one who pays attention to more than just whether it ”has a good beat” and you also notice the lyrics and what they mean to you, this book will strike home.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Reprise Review: Pocketful of Bones by Julie Frayn

 

Genre: Psychological Suspense

Description:

“Finnegan MacGillivray, red-haired, freckle-faced social pariah, finds solace in his mother's garden while she entertains ‘dates’ in his home. When an accident takes the life of a friend, Finnegan buries the evidence amid the purple dead nettle and bougainvillea, and unearths a treasure trove of human remains. Did his house rest atop an ancient burial ground? Or was there a killer tucking him into bed at night?

His fascination with bones grows as fast as his obsession with his mother. She rejects his advances, and he escapes to the other side of the country. Years later, he returns to his childhood home, to the secrets and the guilt and the bones -- and to fulfill his destiny.”

Author:

“Julie Frayn is a multi-award-winning Canadian author of novels and short stories that pack a punch. And a few stabs. She is fluent in three languages — English, sarcasm, and profanity. Although she didn't invent swearing, Julie wields it like the visionary vulgarian who threw the first f#(k out into a crowd. She writes psychological suspense filled with a lot of death, a bit of sex, and sprinkled with the F-word (sometimes… not so sprinkled). Her favourite pastime is murder night (translation: watching crime drama and drinking beer with her daughter). Her least favourite pastime is writing author bios (translation: author bios — yuck).”

Appraisal:

They say there are only so many stories and, at a high level, I understand they’re right (whoever they are). But it’s the added detail that makes or breaks a story and gives it its unique flavor. In the case of Pocketful of Bones, I’m sure it fits one of those high-level templates, but it has so much in the details that isn’t like anything I can remember reading before that I can’t imagine what pattern it might fit. It’s a strange story that has me liking and pulling for characters that I could easily find repulsive, yet don’t, even when they do things that are … we’ll call them “not good.” Bad is going too far. (Okay, maybe I’m trying to cover for them here.) But I understand why they do what they do. I’m sure you would too.

In case it isn’t apparent, I liked this book, both the characters and the strange, out-of-left-field life that they lead. If you like slightly offbeat stories and psychological suspense, you should too.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Did you read the author’s bio? Obviously if a swear word or 50 are going to be an issue for you, this isn’t your kind of book.

Canadian spelling. You can deal with an extra ‘u’ heure aund there, riught?

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words