Suspense Magazine July 2013

RAVEN GIRL
By Audrey Niffenegger
My ten and twelve year old
boys are, sadly, at an age where
they don’t want me to read to
them anymore. In fact, thanks
to iPads, X-boxes, and cable TV,
they don’t want to read anymore.
However, they both
expressed interest in me reading
them “Raven Girl.” In the end,
my hubby sat in and for several
nights, we eagerly anticipated the
next reading. It was a wonderful
experience. First they wanted to
read it, then they didn’t want me
to stop. They loved the story and
wanted it read again. A miracle.
“Once there was a Postman
who fell in love with a Raven.”
The opening line in this
modern-day, dark fairy tale begins
a marvelous tale of a postman
who “thought he had seen just
about everything Her Majesty’s
Postal Service could offer in the
way of danger and difficulty,
hilarity and boredom.” When he
rescues a baby raven, which has
fallen from her nest, they fall in
love and eventually have a baby
raven girl who has human form,
but speaks in raven. The raven
girl is not happy with herself and
seeks to be transformed.
Niffenegger has collaborated
with Royal Ballet Resident
Choreographer Wayne McGregor
to produce a ballet based on this
book. It premiered at the Royal
Opera House in London in May
2013
Ȧudrey Niffenegger was
on my list of beloved authors
before this book. Her first novel,
“The Time Traveler’s Wife” was
an international bestseller and
her second book, a ghost story
entitled “Her Fearful Symmetry,”
is in my top reads.
Niffenegger puts words
together from which spin magic.
She is also a talented artist. In
“Raven Girl,” she not only wrote a
charming tale she also illustrated
it beautifully using the 17th
century technique of aquatint,
which uses metal, acid, wax, and
rosin to achieve delicate tone and
detailed images.
Anyone, any age reading
this will fall in love with the tale
of the “Raven Girl.” It is a book
of exceptional beauty and one to
treasure.
Reviewed by Susan May http://
anadventureinreading.blogspot.
com.au/ for Suspense Magazine ■
OF GRAVE CONCERN
By Max McCoy
For any reader who misses those real, rootin-tootin westerns, you will be truly fascinated
with this work. The author, who has penned a variety of “Indiana Jones” tales and is an awardwinning
writer of the western genre, takes this cowboy plot in a brand new direction.
Ophelia Wylde has many gifts; one of which is her ability to talk to the dead. She has been
left a widow because of the angry battles in the Civil War, and is now attempting to leave the past
behind by heading west.
Leaving New Orleans, Ophelia’s final destination is Colorado, where she has an appointment
to give a lecture/demonstration of spiritualism. However, her new life gets put on hold when Ophelia finds
herself in Dodge City, arrested and charged with murder.
The arresting officer claims that Ophelia’s real name is Kate Bender, a woman who really is guilty of
murder, and throws Ophelia in jail. Managing to find a lawyer, she’s turned loose until she can go before the
judge and somehow prove that the officer got it wrong. She needs to clear her name in order to escape the
hangman’s noose.
Jack Calder is a bounty hunter and more than a bit skeptical about not only Ophelia’s situation but also
about her supposed psychic gifts. He stands by as Ophelia gives a few spiritual shows, provides readings to
people who need them, and tries to talk to the dead. The townspeople soon think she might be running a small
scam. Becoming an angry mob, they take Ophelia to “Boot Hill” and bury her alive. Only then do the real dead
begin to speak…and they have a whole heck of a lot to say.
This is a fun read with characters that fit perfectly in that western genre. But this plot is far more thrilling
when the Old West meets the paranormal realm head-on for an unforgettable ride.
Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of “The Sapphire Storm: Tallent & Lowery Book Two” published by Suspense
Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■
STOKER'S MANUSCRIPT
By Royce Prouty
With all the vampire books flooding the market recently, it’s hard to find an original and
fresh take on the legend. Royce Prouty, though, has accomplished it. In “Stoker’s Manuscript,”
he imagines Bram Stoker had guidance in creating “Dracula”—a guide who wasn’t happy with
the result.
Rare book expert Joseph Barkeley is hired to authenticate and purchase the original draft of
“Dracula” along with the author’s notes. Included in this version are a foreword and an afterword
that were removed after a fire destroyed Stoker’s first publisher along with the to-be-published manuscript.
Barkeley brings the manuscript to Bran Castle in Romania, the legendary home of Vlad Dracul. He’s told that
the manuscript will be a centerpiece on display as part of the reconstruction of the castle as a tourist attraction.
For Barkeley, the trip to Romania is a journey into his personal history. He and his brother were saved
from a state orphanage there after his English father killed their Romanian mother and then committed suicide.
They grew up as the wards of nuns in Chicago, and while it was far from ideal, it has allowed him to create a
pleasant, safe life for himself. But now the bill for their salvation has come due.
Barkeley discovers that he is the prisoner of one of Vlad Dracul’s sons who sets a task for him: decipher
cryptic clues in the manuscript to discover the burial places of other members of his family. As he delves into
the history of the manuscript and the world of the 1890s when it was written, Barkeley discovers his own
history is wrapped up in the task. But can he save himself before his usefulness is used up
Prouty weaves the story of the publication of the original novel and the history of Vlad Dracul and his
family into a satisfying and well-told story. The vampires here are the stuff of nightmares, just as in Stoker’s
novel. For horror buffs, this is a pleasant return to form for the genre.
Reviewed by David Ingram for Suspense Magazine ■
ONE HOT MURDER
By Lorraine Bartlett
This is the third installment in the Victoria Square mysteries, and it’s just as cool as books one and two.
Katie Bonner has always dreamed of owning a B&B, but she found out—when her husband passed
away—that he had used all of their savings to buy a mall that handled local crafts. This mall is already going
down the tubes and Katie now finds herself the manager of a business she never even wanted.
Her job is to deal with a lot of weird characters that have set up booths in her mall—some with very strong
personalities and others that are just plain crazy. On the upside, Katie has a little romance going with the owner
of the pizza parlor who’s also her landlord. Her only drawback seems to be the fact that she’s the local ‘Jessica
Fletcher,’ and every time there’s a crime, she finds herself right in the middle of it.
Katie is trying to get over her husband’s mistake of buying the white elephant that hangs like an albatross
around her neck, but can’t seem to stop whining. Even some of the mall characters are complaining that they’ve
heard the story over and over and Katie should just get over herself.
One very hot morning, Katie looks out her window and sees smoke billowing from one of the stores that
sells wooden artifacts and furniture. Although not completely destroyed, a dead body is found inside, and the
victim did not die from smoke inhalation.
Ray Davenport, the trusted detective in charge arrives and is much nicer to Katie than he usually is, but
there’s a reason for this new attitude.
The plot, yet again, is a whole lot of fun. Katie may whine, but she’s a strong character that wants nothing
more than to find the answers. Once again, the recipes in the back are scrumptious!
Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of “The Sapphire Storm: Tallent & Lowery Book Two” published by Suspense
Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■
38  Suspense Magazine July 2013 / Vol. 049