John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

A gripping pastoral thriller that could easily be a movie or series, The Icehouse by J.J. Richards is a richly developed tale of a murderous specter reappearing from the past. An aging and charmingly out-of-touch detective is pushed to the edge of ethics and emotions when a dormant menace embarks on a deadly spree in the English countryside. The dense writing is deeply nuanced, packed with allusion and detail, summoning a vivid world to life, despite the ominous, slow-burning pace. There are occasional anachronistic or odd words that feel out of place in a UK setting, but overall, the novel […]

Pulled into the crossfire of another deadly conflict from the past, Stephen Grant must switch collars from wedding officiant to efficient warrior to save his friends in For Better, For Worse by Ray Keating. Fueled by a furious desire for revenge, a merciless arms dealer targets the nuptial weekend of two CDM team members, but with a guest list of hardened heroes on hand, it won’t be an easy party to crash. The story hits all the notes of previous installments in the Pastor Stephen Grant series, with a typically ferocious pace, high-tension storytelling, and a spray of breathless action […]

Teeming with extraterrestrial world-building, The Northern Route by Walter Robinson is a jaw-droppingly creative sci-fi adventure splashed on a truly epic canvas. Vesta Amore is a skilled investigator in any star system, but joining a controversial humanitarian mission brings unexpected dangers, temptations, and tests of loyalty. Challenging the most powerful corporations in the galaxy is a good way to make enemies, but along with a brilliant yet bitter sleuth, she won’t be unraveling the conspiracy alone. A breathless plunge into a fully-developed galactic collective of alien races, histories, traditions, and grudges, along with future-tech galore, there is something new for […]

Thrilling from the start, Her Devoted Protector by Alessa Kelly is a high-stakes romance with a healthy splash of tense drama. Ivy Wren has plenty of secrets, and Mark has a wound in his heart that simply won’t heal, but she is the Attorney General going to war with a sprawling drug empire, and he is the loyal soldier she can always count on in a crisis, particularly when her son gets caught up in a kingpin’s dangerous web. This installment of the Rescue & Protect series crackles with dramatic intensity, pushing deep into Ivy’s traumatic past, for a powerful, […]

Jack and Sam are an unlikely pair of strangers turned sleuthing partners, but Alice Kanaka unites them perfectly for a dramatic Southwest mystery in The Cardinal & the Crow. Discovering you have a cousin, and being handed a huge pile of cash, is more than enough excitement for one season, but when land speculation turns deadly in her beloved corner of New Mexico, Sam fearlessly joins the hunt for justice. Testing the depths of loyalty and the bonds of friendship, this unpredictable mystery is lighthearted but still hits hard, with thoughtful themes about family and community, and eccentric but […]

Shriya Das presents a novel testing method linking fetal hemoglobin levels and sickle cell disease in the clear and insightful thesis, Relation Between HbF, Hematological Parameters & XmnI Gene Polymorphism: In Sickle Cell Disease. Beginning with a thorough but not exhaustive introduction to sickle cell anemia and hemoglobin levels, particularly as they relate to neonates, the author then presents a broad review of related literature, followed by the nuances of her three-objective analysis. Clearly organized, with appropriate figures, photographs, diagrams, and visualized results, this is a neatly edited and executed examination of a complex subject. Though the target audience […]