 Fool's Errand written by Jeffrey S. Stephens, 237 pages This was an interesting find. First let me say it was a delightful read. This is a novel that has all the earmarks of a successful thriller mystery story. We have death, money, a questionable past, a bright young man, his relationship with his farther and the presence of Daddy’s crooked mob cronies always in the vicinity. A young man has long since buried his father. He always wanted to please that man and yet never felt he fully measured up to the bar that his father set for him at the moment of his birth. Still, he went and made a life of his own, away from his father. Things were going fairly well until one day his mother calls and says she has a letter for him from his Dad that she found in a bunch of his things. As I think anyone would be, the son is a little leery about opening this letter. What could possibly be in this letter that his father hadn’t told him already? His mother won’t open it and she doesn’t want to discuss it. So, what’s with all the mystery? What kind of information is lurking in that letter? This young man knows his father was a mobster and not always walking the straight line. He knows his old man did and got involved with some very questionable, if not down-right wrong activities.  Jeffrey S. Stephens, Author Here are the actual blurbs:
Back Cover: “Years after the death of his gangster father, a young man discovers a letter that sends him reluctantly defying the mob as he races to locate a hidden treasure.” Inside dust jacket front flap: “It’s been six years since the ultimately untimely death of Blackie- a charming rogue who endlessly pursued “The Big Deal”- when his son discovers an enigmatic letter telling of a cache of stolen money. Feeling no choice but to pursue his father dream, he embarks on a search that leads from New York to the strip in Las Vegas and ultimately to the south of France. Along this life altering journey, he is confronted by the dangers of his father’s past as he unravels a decades-old mystery, while revealing other long-buried secrets.” Once in possession of this letter the son is soon pulled into a world of his father’s unique personality and communication, not to mention his father’s old business associates, leading him to investigate the past in order to understand the present. Winding through all kinds of dangers and strange and suspicious obstacles, he makes his way onward, determined to solve the mystery of his father’s cryptic letter. But soon he finds that along with many other things, people, friends, acquaintances and business partners, the people and things he knew as a kid were not all what they seemed. Now it’s a question of who he can trust and how much he can trust them. This was a gripping and exciting read. I tore through it once I finally got to it on my reading list. What a great find! The mystery aspect of this book is written so well that you are completely absorbed, wanting to know everything, just like our main character, who is also narrating the story. This novel is filled with surprised, twists and turns, one thing after another bringing constant questions, constant answers and constant suspense. Any thriller or mystery lover is sure to totally dig this book. RATINGS 5/5 Stars
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  Moonlight Becomes You Author Robert Herold This was a selection of mine from the good people at Blackthorn Book Tours. I originally got interested in this when I read the summary/blurb for the novel. “The Eidola Project travels to Petersburg, Virginia, to investigate a series of murders in the Black community--rumored to be caused by a werewolf. Once there, danger comes from all quarters. Not only do they face threats from the supernatural, the KKK objects to the team's activities, and the group is falling apart. Can they overcome their human frailties to defeat the evil that surrounds them? Winner of two 1st place wins from the Southeastern Writers Association, including Best Novel!” I must say I got more than I anticipated out of this novel. It does start a little slow but once you get to the meat of the story the action is practically nonstop. This is a story full of supernatural villains, real-life villains, good vs. evil, romance and all kinds of mental and emotional drama. All carefully and expertly woven into a tapestry of a tale. From the beginning you start this slow climb through the details and by the time you get near the top it all seems to be masterfully coming together. Then with rapid and consistent pace you finish the ascension with a satisfying finale worthy of the time spent reading. Excellent action all the way through. There is a strong and very real KKK presence in the story. This of course leads to some very disturbing scenes in the book. However, if you compare what is in the story to the things that really happened in this country alone, I’d say the content in the story is a fairly mild representation of the racial issues in that era. I understand that this might make some people uncomfortable but it was a reality and still is to a large degree. I think it was bold of the author to include such situations so that people who haven’t experienced that kind of discrimination can get a glimpse of what it is like. I really enjoyed this novel. It was a fast read and very easy to get through. The chapters are well organized and everything flows perfectly. Truly a must read for any thriller lover. RATINGS 5/5 Stars Book Information: Moonlight Becomes You by Robert Herold
 Acclaim for Moonlight Becomes You
Moonlight Becomes You earned 1st place in two categories for the Southeastern Writers Association, including Best Novel. About Robert Herold The supernatural always had the allure of forbidden fruit, ever since Robert Herold's mother refused to allow him, as a boy, to watch creature features on late night TV. She caved in. (Well, not literally.) As a child, fresh snow provided him the opportunity to walk out onto neighbors' lawns halfway and then make paw prints with his fingers as far as he could stretch. He would retrace the paw and boot prints, then fetch the neighbor kids and point out that someone turned into a werewolf on their front lawn. (They were skeptical.) He has pursued many interests over the years (among them being a history teacher and a musician), but the supernatural always called to him. You could say he was haunted. Finally, following the siren's call, he wrote The Eidola Project, based on a germ of an idea he had as a teenager. Ultimately, he hopes the book gives you the creeps, and he means that in the best way possible. https://robertheroldauthor.com/ |
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