Review: Idolmaker

In Tokyo, an earthquake can put a crimp in your wedding plans. But only a murder
can put the kibosh on them. That's right, we're back with detective Kenji Nakamura, the love of his life Yumi (who's about to say I do to someone else) judo sensei Sgt. Oki, and the most important character in this series, Tokyo itself. 

And this time we're in the mad world of Japanese teen music idols. Now I'm guessing that the world of teen music idols is probably crazy worldwide, but nowhere near as crazy as in Tokyo, where they seem to squeeze them out like sausage. Is there murder? Of course. A couple ok 'em. And perversion? A soupcon. And a manhunt (or rather a woman-hunt which becomes...oh, never mind). 

What you need to know is that there are more satisfying twists and turns than ever, against a backdrop which mixes ancient customs with cutting-edge culture by an author who knows and loves Japan down to her toes.

Golden State Gabfest

Up for more talk about 

The Strange Case of the Dutch Painter, as well as a peek at my nearly-completed next next Holmes epic, The Strange Case of the Pharaoh's Heart, and even a whisper of what's to come after that?

Then tune into:

Golden State Media Concepts Podcast

for all the lowdown.

 

Dancing Men

 I decided I should give you a little sample of my novel, The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle, to whet your appetite. This is from the first paragraph. Enjoy!

Readers and Writers Podcast

 Miss my dulcet tones?

Want to get the lowdown on my latest novel The Strange Case of the Dutch Painter, and my upcoming novel,
The Strange Case of the Pharaoh's Heart?

Then hie thee to: 

 Readers and Writers Podcast (by request, no arithmetic was involved in the making of this podcast)for the double scoop treatment.

Review: Fields Where They Lay

 Okay, I'm a sucker for a good Christmas story, and this is the best one I've read in a
while. It's also the best Junior Bender story I've read, and it's #6. 

Of course, it's not your usual Christmas story. Not when the main character is a thief who specializes (whether he likes it or not) in clearing up problems for some pretty nasty crooks, and this time finds himself working for perhaps the nastiest of the whole bunch, a guy who's as likely to murder him at the end of the job as pay him. 

    And our hero is pretty ambivalent about Christmas. And his girlfriend seems to hate the holiday. And he's stuck in the crummiest of crummy malls in the lead-up to Christmas, eternally playing shlocky Christmas carols. And he's pretty sure that the supposed reason he's been hired is not really the reason he's been hired at all. (Which is admittedly, par for the course in a Junior Bender novel.) And did I mention the murder?

    And yet, it really is a guaranteed, choke 'em up, weepy Christmas tale to touch your heart, even though even the writer is not too sold on Christmas. How you ask? Read the holly-jolly book.

Fields Where They Lay can be found here on Amazon.