Review: Dead Cold, by Ed Gorman

Where do I start with Ed Gorman's "Dead Cold: Book One in the Robert Payne Mystery Series?  Well, for starters, I can start by asking why you haven't read it yet.  If you have, why haven't you shared it with everyone you know?  Better yet, I can ask you if you are as excited as I am that this is a mystery series and not just one book?

"FBI Criminal Profiler Robert Payne just wants to find a quiet town to retire in, and New Hope, Iowa fits the bill. But when a mysterious, seductive woman offers him $25,000 to find the psychopath who brutally murdered her young daughter, he uncovers secrets the small, close-knit community has tried so desperately to keep hidden. But when his client is found on an abandoned farm with her throat cut, Payne realizes that he is facing an evil criminal mastermind who is determined to keep Payne and New Hope's beautiful police chief, Jane Avery, from standing in the way of his murderous plans."

I cannot say when I last read a book that was a part of a series, let alone the first in the series, that made me want to read more within the series.  Sure, there are those that I have enjoyed, but not enough to continue past the book that I just read.  "Dead Cold" is one of those rare books that has me wanting to tune in for more.  It is sort of like that television series that we anticipate each and every week.

From the moment we first meet Robert Payne, we are hooked on his character.  He seems to be an enigma of sorts, yet is still an everyday guy that is easy to like and root for.  He has much depth, that I hope we can explore as the series unfolds before us.

Not only do I recommend "Dead Cold" as a fantastic read, but it is also a very easy read.  I just so happened to read it during a time that I was overwhelmingly busy, but the short chapters (some as short as one page) make it the perfect "on the go" book.  Don't let the 64 chapters scare you aware, you will be disappointed in yourself for passing it by!

As the bars say, don't forget to tip your waitress, do the same for your authors by leaving them a review!  Visit the Goodreads and Amazon to purchase your copy, or leave a review today!

Review: Saving Kennedy by Francis Y. Barel

"Saving Kennedy", by Francis Y. Barel provides us with an intriguing look into a top secret government mission through the eyes of multiple outlets.  Told via diaries, news articles, notes, letters, reports, and more, we get both a behind the scenes look at the story as well as from the media.

When I opened the book, and saw that it was not a normal chapter book, but rather a collection of snippets from the viewpoints listed above, I was immediately drawn in to the dynamic story and was not disappointed at all.

"In 1945, when the first atomic bomb was dropped, Dr. Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project team made an incredible discovery: time travel was possible, under certain conditions. Operation Time Sleeper was born. Out of the ashes of the atomic clouds and dusts, the US government created a program to explore this “time tunnel” that sends objects, and human beings, back in time 50 years, to the day.
In the waning days of 2012, as 2013 is looming and the last possible moments to save President Kennedy are closing, Project Camelot launches 30 timesleepers back 50 years on a one-way trip through time to save Kennedy.

Gabriel Fox is one of these timesleepers: a Navy SEAL trained to survive under any situation, even Dallas, circa 1963. But why would he accept this mission? And how close will he get to saving Kennedy?
Mixing time travel and Cold War espionage, intrigue and high-stakes action, Saving Kennedy is pure genre-bending entertainment."

I will admit that I am a sucker for time travel, and the various ways in which it can be conducted.  Using the blast from an atomic bomb is something I had never thought of in relation to time travel, and Francis Y. Barel does a fantastic job of making the concept both plausible and believable.  If you are a fan of espionage, time travel, political figures, and originality, this is a must read.  Never, have I had so much fun reading such a mixed genre book as this "Saving Kennedy".

Available on Amazon.com (click picture to purchase)