The Spy Across The Table Mysterious Book Report No. 290 by John Dwaine McKenna Although prognostication and predicting the future isn’t what we normally do here at the MBR, there’s always exceptions, and this is one. I’m gonna stick my neck all the way out to the cut-on-the-dotted-line tattoo and forecast the near future. In about a week and a-half—June 20th to be exact—a new thriller will be released
Dancing With The Tiger Mysterious Book Report 271 by John Dwaine McKenna Today, in nearly every corner of the world, works of art are being stolen, forged or destroyed by persons of the criminal classes. They are rapacious, greedy, ignorant and uncaring of the fact that their crimes are against all of humanity—for all time—because each piece of art is unique and cannot be replaced. And nowhere is this
Nothing Short of Dying Mysterious Book Report No 310 by John Dwaine McKenna We’re excited here at the MBR, to bring you part I of an event that only comes along once in a blue moon and is scarcer than two-buck Chuck at a gang-banger’s ball. It’s our awesome two-fer . . . just like the five-to-seven happy hour at the He Ain’t Here Lounge . . . we’re
She Rides Shotgun Mysterious Book Report No. 305 by John Dwaine McKenna Some authors hit the bookstores in high gear and never stop producing exciting and original works that become award-winners and best-sellers almost overnight, because readers get excited and tell their friends about it. Word-of-mouth spreads like wildfire and the writer establishes a bigger fan base with each new book. Our author this week deserves just such chit-chat.
The Force Mysterious Book Report 301 by John Dwaine McKenna According to Dwight, one of my retired cop buddies, only a few crime fiction writers Really get it, when writing about the demands, the stresses and the effect—on marriages, children and personal lives—of being a police officer in America today. It’s a career that is rewarding, exciting, sometimes monotonous, and always dangerous enough to take your breath away. Not
American Static Mysterious Book Report No. 300 by John Dwaine McKenna The Mysterious Book Report has reached another milestone with this, our 300th review. It’s taken a little more than six years and a couple of hundred thousand words to get to this point, so we wanted to mark the occasion with something special . . . something out of the ordinary . . . something so memorable that
The Blue Light of Yokohama Mysterious Book Report No. 285 by John Dwaine McKenna Every now and then, a forthcoming book generates so much pre-publication interest that the MBR wants to get a look at it at the earliest possible date. If an ARC, or Advance Readers (i.e. Reviewers) Copy isn’t readily available, we can sometimes spend some extra money and get a true first edition from the British,
Mysterious Book Report No. 283 Revolver by John Dwaine McKenna The MBR has often reviewed works of historical fiction—plotted as crime fiction, murder mysteries and whodunnits of all flavors, sizes and eras—and even some which take place in the future. This week however, is as unique a piece of historical fiction as we’ve yet encountered, and an awesome job of suspenseful, twisted plotting to boot . . . Revolver,
IQ Mysterious Book Report No. 281 by John Dwaine McKenna One sure way to know you’re reading a great book, is when you just don’t want it to end. Perhaps it’s because you’ve found the main character to be so fascinating, endearing or heroic that you don’t want to break contact with him; or the story is so compelling, you have to know, What happens next? Those are the
Darktown Mysterious Book Report No. 280 by John Dwaine McKenna Only a few authors have the ability to educate, entertain and thrill their audiences, all at the same time. It’s a gift; and a rare talent practiced by luminaries like Dennis Lehane, Walter Mosley and Philip Kerr; each of whom have a unique, and special skill that allows them to make history come alive in the pages of their