Reading and #Reviews (Fagan, Plakcy)

I'm an author, but I'm also a reader. Each month, I'll share with you reviews of present and past reads. My available time to read is limited because I write, but I love to curl up with a paperback or an eBook at night for the last hour of my day. 

I tend to read what I write, but not exclusively. Besides Romantic Suspense, I read crime and law novels, once in a while a true story, WWII historicals, mysteries, and mainstream character driven books.

Here are some of the books I've read recently or in the not-too-distant past. Maybe you'll discover a new book or author. 

Fade Out by Laurie Fagan 

Impetuous and driven.

Young radio reporter Lisa Powers has a lot to learn, but in her zeal to cover the big city crime beat, finds herself facing down criminals in addition to reporting on them.

From the dark streets of the metro Phoenix area to the peaceful red rocks of Sedona, Lisa dodges bullets investigating the cold case of a kidnapped bank executive found murdered, and discovers horrors she never imagined while tracking down a missing father.

She’s first on the scene of a massive fire that destroys the opulent mansion of a reclusive pharmaceutical heir, but her career is jeopardized when the story gets way too hot. 

AMAZON BUY LINK

My Review:

Because I was born and raised in Phoenix, I enjoyed the book from that perspective. It’s fun to read books set in familiar locals. The story, the main story that is, was interesting. I didn’t find it a real page turner, but it was entertaining. What I didn’t like about the book was the podcast. Lisa Powers is involved with a podcast, and the script is interjected from time to time. I found the podcast annoying. I kept waiting for it to tie into the storyline, but it didn’t. 

Dog Willing by Neil S. Plakcy 

When his neighbor is accused of murder, reformed computer hacker Steve Levitan and his golden retriever Rochester are asked to sniff out clues to prove her innocence.

Who could have killed bookstore owner Darlene Nowak? One of the food truck venders she angered when they parked in front of her store? Someone from the writer’s critique group she sponsored? Did a self-published author she refused to promote write her into a real murder mystery?

Steve knows that cooks and creative folks are very sensitive about criticism—but could one of them be angry enough to kill? 

https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Willing-Retriever-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B08B43KJHH 

My Review: I’m a dog lover, so throwing a dog into a story is a good technique from my perspective. Steve takes his dog everywhere. But Rochester really doesn’t do anything to solve the crime as I expected. Still, the few sidelines about the dog were fun. The food vendor world was interesting. The murder solving part of the story was pretty tame. But all and all, I found the story an entertaining read.