Murder in a Wish-Book House by Wayne Zurl

by Carol1 Comment
Murder in a Wish-Book House is a novella that's heavy on plot, light on character, but is definitely enjoyable and a good little mystery. Sam Jenkins is a police chief in small town Tennessee, but he used to be a New York detective so he's got plenty of experience, friends on call and a bit of an attitude - all of which help him out here. The narrator does a great job with Sam, giving him a bit of that New York accent. At first the mystery seems simple enough, but there's a bit of a twist that worked well. Sam is used to knowing what's going on, he's good at reading people and tough to fool, but this time around someone gets the better of him. There's action, blood, some good dialogue. A lot's crammed into this hour of audio. It's available on the Audible mystery channel, free for members. I think it makes a nice introduction to the series, even though...
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Review: Heroes and Lovers by Wayne Zurl

by Carol6 Comments
Heroes and Lovers by Wayne Zurl is at heart one of the many, many police procedurals out there. I've read good ones and bad ones, ones I can't remember and ones that have gotten stuck in my head for various reasons. So the question becomes what makes this one stand out? And it has to be Sam Jenkins, police chief of the small town of Propect, Tennessee. Sam may be living in small town USA now, but he was a detective in New York City, so knows his way around investigations, but when what seems like a routine sting of a low-life repair shop owner ripping off women customers goes awry, Sam may be more emotionally involved than he should be. A good friend of his, perhaps a too close friend, TV reporter Rachel Williamson is kidnapped. Sam calls in the FBI, but of course being who he is, he retains as much control of the investigation as possible. Sam is a charming...
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Review: A Leprechaun’s Lament by Wayne Zurl

by Carol3 Comments
A Leprechaun's Lament is the second Sam Jenkins mystery by Wayne Zurl I've read. I expected it to be an enjoyable story and it was. Light, funny at times, a bit of danger, just an overall good read. Same Jenkins, chief of police in Prospect, Tennessee, is a retired New York City Detective. He's a charming man, a little bit of a fish out of wated in small town Appalachia, but he's charmed his way into the hearts of the locals. He's also a good boss and has gotten some grant money thanks to the Patriot Act to do a background check on the town's civilian employees, which will also give his staff a little overtime money which is always appreciated. Things run into a snag however, when Typewriter Murray, the office equipment repair guy, seems to have shown up out of nowhere thirty years ago. No birth certificate, the high school he claims to have gone to never heard of him, no...
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Review: A New Prospect by Wayne Zurl

by Carol5 Comments
1. Why I chose this book When I was contacted about the tour for A New Prospect by Wayne Zurl, I jumped at the chance to review it. Finding a killer in a small Appalachian community doesn’t look that difficult to gritty ex-New York Detective Lieutenant Sam Jenkins. Adjusting to the culture of rural Tennessee , dealing with shady politicians, powerful rich families, and colorful residents, makes Sam feel like a fish out of water, or a cop out of bourbon. I read and enjoy a variety of mysteries, but it was the Appalachian setting that really drew my attention. It's one of my soft spots. 2. Reasons I liked the book This is a mystery at heart. Who killed Cecil Lovejoy? Granted, the man was a horrible, nasty person and the murderer was probably doing the world a favor, but the suspect list is long and Sam is not getting much help form the deceased's family or the local politicians. The plot was well-done,...
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