Suspense Magazine July 2013

CHIHUAHUA CONFIDENTIAL
By Waverly Curtis
Seattle P.I. (don’t call her a Girl Friday!) Geri Sullivan is back solving another mystery with
the help of her Chihuahua, Pepe. Geri adopted Pepe from a local animal shelter, and they’ve
developed a unique relationship—Pepe talks and Gerri is the only one who can understand
him. And Pepe, who is addicted to Spanish soap operas, is super smart, super cute, and a true
Lothario when it comes to wooing potential girlfriends like a cute Pomeranian named Siren
Song.
When Siren Song’s owner, the wealthy Rebecca Tyler, decides to shoot a television pilot for
a reality show called Dancing With Dogs, Pepe convinces Geri that they should be one of the dancing couples.
He’s thrilled to leave rainy Seattle for the golden sunshine and glitzy lifestyle of Los Angeles, especially when
he learns that starlet Caprice Kennedy will be one of the show’s judges. Pepe claims that he once belonged to
Caprice, but Geri doesn’t believe him, since he’s also told her that he once fought a bull in Mexico, raced in the
Iditarod in Alaska, and wrestled an alligator in an Alabama swamp.
When one of the reality show judges is found murdered before the dancing lessons even start, Geri and
Pepe realize they’ve become much more involved in solving a mystery than learning the tango or being fitted
for matching costumes. Then Siren Song, and Caprice Kennedy’s new dog, Princess, are kidnapped and Pepe
and Geri decide to deliver the ransom so they can catch the criminals.
“Chihuahua Confidential” is the second book in this delightful series by mystery writing team Waverly
Fitzgerald and Curtis Colbert, using the pen name of Waverly Curtis. I give it ten dog bones—it’s a hoot!
Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, author of “Class Reunions Can Be Murder” for Suspense Magazine ■
HER LAST BREATH
By Linda Castillo
Speaking of breath, I held mine while reading this latest novel by Castillo. As typical of this
author’s quality of work, “Her Last Breath” is another shocking story centering on the lives of
the Amish.
An Amish family of five is reduced to two when a senseless slaying occurs. Coming back
from a weekly visit with the doctor at dusk, Paul Borntrager slowly leads his horse and buggy
and his three special needs children cautiously through an intersection only to be hit by a
speeding vehicle. Two of the three children and Paul die.
Mattie, the mother is crushed and grieves when she hears of their deaths. She nurtures her sole remaining
child David back to health. But that’s not the end, not even close. Discovering that it was not just an accident
and unsure if Mattie or Paul was the target of someone’s rage, Kate Burkholder, Chief of Police in Painter’s Mill
leads up the investigation and tries to protect Mattie and David from further happenstance.
But Kate is working through personal issues of her own involving a lover—whether or not she should
take a chance and commit—and her sordid past that is coming back to haunt her. Kate feels the sting from
the loss of the Borntrager family because she is not only ex-Amish but also because Mattie was her best friend
while growing up. Devastation after hardship spins Kate through a spiraling tunnel, only to end up being
the killer’s target when she gets too close to the truth of the murder of the Borntragers. When I read who
was behind the deaths and the calamity surrounding it, I was astounded. I wasn’t right about one person I
suspected.
Castillo has always been able to—and probably will always do so—flabbergast me. Another fantastic
story.
Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “The Other Side: Melinda’s Story” published by Suspense
Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■
GENERATION V
By M.L. Brennan
This is the first in a brand new series that centers on (you guessed it) vampires. Yes, the
metaphors and sarcastic barbs may race through the skull; however, if the rolling of the eyes
can stop for a minute, there is one thing that readers should most definitely know about this
particular book. It’s good.
We begin with Fort (short for Fortitude) Scott, who is what you would call a vamp-intraining.
Half-and-half, Fort grew up basically normal and wants to stay that way. He has literally
no desire to transition into a full-fanged ‘baddy’ when he reaches adulthood. Not to mention,
his relatives are so mean that he definitely does not want to be like them.
Fort attempts to slow down his change by making a living working in a coffee shop and living in an
apartment away from his blood-sucking family. His mama, Madeline, is a little heartless and creepy; his sister,
Prudence, would turn a cold fish…cold; and his brother Chivalry, who was born around the Civil War era, is
a real hunk. Very aloof, but most people actually like him.
Suzume is a shape shifter sent to watch over Fort as he tries to stay human. Being able to shift into a fox,
she is just as sly as the animal she becomes. And Luca is the real stinker here; the bad guy who wants nothing
more than to infiltrate the family’s territory.
The suspense is all over the place in Fort’s life, as people go missing and he tries to exchange his fated
black cape for the Superman red and blue. If you’re looking for the fluffy romance of a Twilight saga, forget it.
This is way better. (Yes, I can feel the angry glares right now).
With a cool cliffhanger that will lead readers to the next installment, this may be one vamp series that will
step away from the pack and shine.
Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of “The Sapphire Storm: Tallent & Lowery Book Two” published by
Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■
SuspenseMagazine.com
NIGHT TERROR
ANTHOLOGY
Edited by Karen Henderson
Since the rise and rise of
e-Books, short stories and novellas
have become increasingly popular.
I think of short stories as a sorbet
between longer books; something
to refresh your palette before
moving on to that six-hundredpage
tome or if you are a Stephen
King fan, one-thousand plus page
doorstop.
The “Night Terrors
Anthology” edited by Karen
Henderson of Kayelle Press is
a creepy little anthology of all
things nasty with an abundance
of demons, vampires, ghosts, and
the undead. Inside are seventeen
top-notch horror stories from
international authors; many of
whom are award winners.
The quality of the stories
ranges from very good to
exceptional. The first of the
anthology, A World Not Our Own
by J.C. Hemphill, proves you can’t
trust vampires and is as far from
“Twilight” as a good vampire story
should be.
Now the publishing and film
and television world have fallen in
love with zombies, zombies have
become the new black. Move over
Edward. Read Share the Love by
Chris Donahue to get your quality
zombie fix.
White Lines, White Crosses by
Andrew J. McKiernan could have
been written by Stephen King. It
is a cool little ghost story about
a teenager’s desire to fit in and
the price he pays when the peer
pressure comes from the other side
of the grave. It is seriously dark and
beautifully paced.
There is also a few classics
thrown in for good measure. They
are just as fresh today and fit right
in with their modern counterparts;
Edgar Allan Poe’s A Tell-Tale
Heart, The Dead Girl by Guy de
Maupassant and A Ghost Story by
Mark Twain.
The “Night Terrors
Anthology” is a solid collection
with some truly enjoyable,
clever tales that will stay with
you whether you want them to
or not. The “Creepy” Badge of
Honor is awarded to editor Karen
Henderson for having a great feel
for a good story.
Reviewed by Susan May http://
s u s a n m a y w o r d a d v e n t u r e s .
blogspot.com.au/ for Suspense
Magazine ■
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