Book Review – A Prairie Homicidal Companion

A Prairie Homicidal Companion – The Best Landon To Date!

Rating: 5 of 5
Author: Brian Landon
Format: Kindle, Paperback

After the on-stage murder of aptly named “Unlucky Larry” at the Fitzgerald Theater, detective Doyle Malloy is on the case.  What he finds is much more complex and personal than he would have ever imagined. Threads to his investigation point to a potential serial killer!  But a killer that had been put away and died years ago by Malloy’s own father.  So who could be perpetrating these new crimes?  Or was the wrong person convicted years ago.  Doyle must know.  Unfortunately, the danger is much greater than any of his previous investigations and when his Malloy’s girlfriend is kidnapped and his friend grievously injured, Doyle wonders if he is in over his head.

Brian Landon’s private investigator “Doyle Malloy” is a wonderfully rich character and previous installments in the series feature his unique foibles and humorous way of solving murders almost by accident.  As such, the mysteries themselves were the background vehicle to showcase Malloy’s unique Midwestern Pink Panther-esque style.  But in “A Prairie Homicidal Companion” not only does Landon stay true to Malloy and the quirky humor he is known for, but the serial killer and solving the mystery is in itself a very compelling story.  With this work, Landon has really stepped up his game and taken the Malloy mysteries to an entirely new level.  If you have read previous works by Landon, you are sure to be pleased with this latest volume.

“A Prairie Homicidal Companion” is the best in the series, in this reader’s opinion.  I can’t wait for the next one!

Book Review – A Dubious Plan

A Dubious Plan – Supernatural Nazi Hunting Mystery!

Rating: 4 of 5
Author: Gerald Kubicki
Format: Kindle, Paperback

Off for a weekend of fun, four friends find something they never expected during an intimate tryst in Death Valley National Park – the tail of old World War II plane buried under years of blowing sand.  Hoping to claim a reward, the friends soon find themselves in mortal danger as this is no ordinary plane.  Rather, it is the pivotal piece of one man’s dream to bring the Nazi movement to America and while he may be long gone, his followers aren’t.  This plane and the technology it could lead to could mean a change in world power, and Colton Banyon along with his partner Loni and their colleagues must find this power long before modern day Nazi’s do.

A Dubious Plan, by Gerald Kubicki, is the fifth in a series of books featuring Colton Banyon.  I have not read the previous installments and while there are references made to previous characters and events, readers won’t miss a beat if this is their first Colton mystery.  The plot clearly drives the story – a Nazi escapes with secret “wonder” technology at the end of the war to secretly setup up a new “beach head” in America but then both he and the plane are lost for years – I was immediately engaged.  The novel has the feel of a popcorn movie as the characterization is secondary and most of the women are, for me, a little too flighty but the action keeps things moving.

Overall, a fun beach or vacation read and if you like it, there are plenty more in the series.

Note: A complimentary copy of this novel was provided in return for a review.