“Mouthpiece” by L. Ron Hubbard

“Mouthpiece”
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multicast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio (2012)
Approx 2 hours

Being a comic book fan I’ve always been drawn (pardon the pun) to the pulp magazines from the early to mid 20th century.  Actually, the pulp magazines were printed between 1896 and into the 1950s.  Pulp magazines with their thrilling over the top stories and characters and sensational cover art could easily be said to be the founding fathers of comic books.  With authors such as Isaac Asimov, H.P. Lovecraft and L. Ron Hubbard the stories were often more valuable than the mere 10 cent cover price of the pulps.  Many well known authors wrote for the pulps and provided a plethora of short stories that have been nearly forgotten.  The pulps are making a comeback, thanks in small part to the old Quentin Tarantino movie, but the biggest reason for the comeback is the efforts of Galaxy Press and Galaxy Audio.

Since 2008 Galaxy Press/Galaxy Audio have been publishing the stories L. Ron Hubbard wrote for the pulps.  This not only preserves the stories for the future, after all the original pulps were printed on cheap paper (thus the name) and not meant to last, but this re-releasing exposes the readers of today to some fun stories in nearly every genre; mystery, sci-fi, adventure, westerns and more.  The added bonus is that Galaxy Audio is releasing each of these books, which contain one to four stories each in a pulp magazine feeling edition, into audiobooks.

The audiobooks from Galaxy Audio capture the feel of the original pulp magazines of the pulp era by dramatizing each book in the manner of radio shows from the same era. They use great vocal talent that are able to bring these over the top characters to life, sound effects that keep the story going and incidental music that fits perfectly with each genre and story.  Each time I listen to one of these audiobooks, I’m always amazed at the escapism provided.  By the end of each book I’m left wanting more yet still feeling satisfied by the great stories provided.  Then I have to wait another book for the next issue to be released.  (Actually you could buy the “ePulp” through their website, which is an iPod classic preloaded with all 80 audiobooks with lots of extras including photos, glossaries, videos and more, and not have to wait.)

This time around I gave the February, 2012 release of “Mouthpiece” a listen.  This audio pulp release from Galaxy audio features for stories from the Mystery genre of L. Ron Hubbard’s pulp writings. These stories were perfect Hubbard stories in that they not only were fun to hear but they included the inevitable Hubbard story twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.

The first story in this collection is, “Mouthpiece” originally published in the September, 1934 issue of “Thrilling Detective, and tells the story of Mat Lawrence who returns from building a power dam in the desert to track down the murderer of his gangster father. It had been a long time since Mat Lawrence went to the city. Only something urgent could take him from his job something as urgent and shocking as the grisly murder of his father. His father was a big-time gangster so it was no big surprise, Mat was an honest man but shared his father’s temper which gets him to seek revenge on his father’s murderer.  Seeking the help of his father’s attorney, Mat goes after the murderers and the million dollars that has gone missing.

Story number two is “Flame City,” originally published in the February, 1935 issue of “Thrilling Detective” and tells the story of Fire Chief Blaze Delaney whose job is in jeopardy because of a rash of fires hitting the city.  Blaze gets help from his son to stop an epidemic of fires and bring the arsonists to justice.

The third story is “Calling Squad Cars!” originally published in the April, 1934 issue of “Phantom Detective” and tells of a police dispatcher suspected of helping a gang of bank robbers.  When he is fired as dispatcher he fights back by tracking down the gang.  When he is taken hostage by the gang he soon learns how they were able to put out false reports on the police band to cover up their actual heists.  Now the dispatcher must use his skills as an expert radio man to foil the gangs criminal antics.

The final story is “The Grease Spot,” originally published in the July, 1936 issue of “Thrilling Detective” and tells the story of former race car driver now owner of a wrecking company who has been warned against using the police band as a means to get his tow jobs.  He soon finds himself a captive, at gunpoint, and needing help from the men in blue, or can he turn it around and help them out?

All four stories in superb audio drama form are the perfect companion for anyone who loves a good mystery.

“Red Mist” by Patricia Cornwell

“Red Mist”
by Patricia Cornwell
Read by Kate Burton
Produced by Penguin Audio

Dr. Kay Scarpetta has been a staple in Patricia Cornwell’s novels since 1990 and this latest novel brings Kay to Georgia.  Dr. Scarpetta is a Forensic Examiner/Expert and in this 19th novel featuring her as the protagonist, she has agreed to meet with an inmate at the Georgia Prison for women.  The inmate is a convicted sex offender and mother of a vicious killer.  The woman is convicted of molesting then 12 year old Jack Fielding Scarpetta’s former deputy chief.  The daughter is the result of that relationship and is also the murderer of Jack Fielding.  Scarpetta’s quest is personal, but soon she finds herself roped into an investigation that could clear a woman, now on death row at the same prison, of murder.

The author, Patricia Cornwell is a founder of the Virginia Institute of Forensic Science and Medicine, a founding member of the National Forensic Academy, a member of the Advisory Board for the Forensic Science Training Program at the office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York City, and a member of the Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council where she is an advocate for psychiatric research.   With these credentials you know you are getting an author that knows what she is writing about.  The science and techniques used in this book not only have that real feel, but Patricia Cornwell has not forgotten the general public and writes so that any person will understand even what could be the most technical jargon.  She keeps the science real but easily understood.  Not only that but Cornwell’s writing involves some unique techniques that capture the surroundings so all clues can be observed in this mystery.

And example of this is when the people investigating the facts of a case over a dinner all are talking about the case throughout, but at times the listener/reader only hears thoughts in Kay Scarpetta’s head, while at the same time, we hear parts of the conversation and at other times we hear off-hand comments from her friend and detective Marino.  Marino comments on how he hates artificial sweeteners, which have nothing to do with the case but puts you in a very realistic scene. Very well done to make the story real.

The reader of this audiobook, Kate Burton, does a superb job of vocalizing all the different voices and attitudes of each character, from Boston accents, Southern, New York and even an Australian, all performed clearly and effectively.

“Red Mist” will engross you in a full investigation that may clear the woman on death row, but the possibilities of what may have actually happened may solve a spree of murders across the country, alert Homeland Security to possible terrorist activities and solve some burning questions from tragedies in Kay Scarpetta’s past.  I don’t usually start a series late but this time around I was curious and jumped right in.  Patricia Cornwell did an excellent job explaining the past histories of all the personnel involved and this novel serves well as a stand-alone piece in the Kay Scarpetta series.

“Black Mask 1: Doors in the Dark -And Other Crime Fiction from the Legendary Magazine” Edited by Otto Penzler

“Black Mask 1: Doors in the Dark -And Other Crime Fiction from the Legendary Magazine”
Edited by Otto Penzler
read by Eric Conger, Oliver Wyman, Alan Sklar, Pete Larkin, and Jeff Gurner
Produced by High Bridge Audio
Approx 7 hours

When I say the words “Pulp Fiction,” what comes to your mind?  Maybe the movie of the same name?  Keep that in mind because I’ve got a surprise for you.  For me the movie was the first thing that would come to mind, but recently I’ve been listening to audio books of stories from the days of the Pulp Fiction magazines.

This latest audio book is a real gem.  “Black Mask 1″ is the first in the series of stories turned to audio books from the “Black Mask” pulp that was printed between 1921 -1950.  These stories all have that great film noir/gumshoe detective feel and make for some great short stories.  In its hey day, “Black Mask” printed stories from some prominent authors of the day, and this first edition starts out with a bang with some great and fun stories.   Before we talk about those, remember the movie “Pulp Fiction?”  The movie was, in its early days, actually titled “Black Mask,” because Quentin Tarantino drew his inspiration from the pulp magazine.

Each of the stories is read by a different narrator and each one does a superb job of reflecting the story’s emotion and the sound of the time.  If you close your eyes while listening to “Black Mask 1…” in your mind you can easily visualize a film noir gumshoe detective movie from the same era of these stories.

The introduction to the audio book is written  by Keith Alan Deutsch and read by Eric Conger.  It gives a very nice history of the age of the pulps and especially that of “Black Mask” magazine.

The stories included in this collection are:

“Come and Get It” by Erle Stanley Gardner; read by Oliver Wyman.
Erle Stanly Gardner was a self taught lawyer who took on the extra job of writing for the pulps to make up for the lack of money he earned as a lawyer, after a few years he turned his writing into full time and created the character, Perry Mason.  This story “Come and Get It” ran in the April, 1927 issue of “Black Mask” and features the character, Ed Jenkins.  Ed Jenkins is known to many as the Phantom Prowler, because he can never be caught.  This time around Jenkins is warned by a crook that a woman with a mole on her hand will try to kill him.  In trying to track down this woman, Jenkins discovers a plot by the local crime boss to steal the city’s best jewelry.  Jenkins sets out to foil the plot of the crime boss and the lady with a mole.

“Arson Plus” by Peter Collinson (Dashiell Hammett); read by Alan Sklar.
Peter Collinson (Dashiell Hammett) worked for the Pinkerton Detective agency and was one of the folks that brought down actor Fatty Arbuckle.  Published originally in the October, 1923 issue of “Black Mask,” and tells the story of a detective that comes in to investigate a shady arson which the local sheriff has considered the case closed.  The best part of this story is the reader in this case.  Alan Sklar’s voice fits the story perfectly and keeps you listening with what his cigar and gin soaked voice.

“Fall Guy” by George Harmon Coxe; read by Pete Larkin
George Harmon Coxe wrote in the sports, romance and sea stories but his best known works are his detective stories.    This story first appeared in the June, 1936 issue of “Black Mask,” and tells of newspaper photographer “Flashgun” Casey who gets called on to deliver ransom money for an old gal pal who had some photos taken when she was younger that she doesn’t want released.  You know the story, she was young, needed the money, so nude photos were taken.  Casey helps her out but finds out things are not all on the up and up.

“Doors in the Dark” by Frederick Nebel; read by Pete Larkin
Frederick Nebel created the stories featuring the tough detective Steve McBride and the wisecracking Newspaper reporter Kennedy.  Warner Brothers bought the McBride series and made nine films, in the movies Kennedy was turned into a woman by the name of Torchie Blaine and the object of her affections was McBride.  This story was originally published in the February, 1933 issue and tells the story of an apparant suicide of one of McBride’s friends.  But something doesn’t sit right with McBride so he investigates deeper even though every single clue only leads back to suicide.

“Luck” by Lester Dent; read by Jeff Gurner    Introduction by Keith Alan Deutsch; read by Eric Conger
Lester Dent created Doc Savage under the name of Kenneth Robison and was very successful with this series.  After Savage, Dent created the loner boatman Oscar Sail who is the subject of this story.  Originally published in the October, 1936 issue and is an earlier draft of one the Oscar Sail stories.    In this story Sail sets out to find some seedy characters, all the while setting up slot machines to pay off to some lucky gambler, never himself.

Each one of these stories has its twists and turns that keep you guessing as to what happens next, which is what makes them so fun to hear. I know I’m looking forward to the next edition.

“The Unexpected: Volume 1″ released by Radioarchives.com

“The Unexpected: Volume 1″
released by Radioarchives.com
Multi-cast Old time Radio Shows
Approx 5 hours

Being a 25+ year veteran of Radio Broadcasting I may be a little biased here, but I love old time radio, or as is commonly referred to as “otr.”  OTR has that classic theatre of the mind feel that is nearly forgotten.  Today’s radio is ruled by top 40 pop songs or talk radio and these lack the creativity that the early years of radio represented.  The stories were told on the air and the audience created the images in their mind.  Today I try to keep this up with every commercial I write or produce, when you feed off the audience’s imagination, you have an unlimited supply of material.

Radio great, Stan Freeburg, once drained Lake Michigan and filled with hot cocoa, whip cream and had U.S. Air Force jets top it all off with a giant cherry.  He then said, I’d like to see you do that on television.  Sure now with CGI we could do it, but it would take hours and I could do that in a radio studio in just a few minutes, so still a win for radio.   The old time radio shows used to be the main source of entertainment and had to keep the audience coming back each week.  This was usually done through simple great entertainment, and sometimes cliffhangers that the listener had to come back next week to find out what happens next.

Radioarchives.com has recently released a this series of “The Unexpected” radio programs
that were originally aired in 1947.  Each time the audience would keep coming back with some great stories that would not end with the expected.  With this release you don’t have to wait a week for the next mystery.  Volume one contains 20 of the 15 minute episodes that have been restored from the original transcriptions from what were probably acetate pressings.  Radioarchives.com have restored these recordings to perfection, the sound quality is superb and equal to any modern audio production.

Every episode begins with: “Who knows what drama may happen tomorrow…or an hour from now…or in just a moment? Who knows what destiny has in store for the lady down the street, the fellow at the next desk, or you yourself? Who knows?”  Each story is then presented  with superb acting from actors of radio/screen and stage of the time.  Some of the actors that rang familiar with me were; Barry Sullivan, Lyle Talbot, Marsha Hunt, & Jackie Cooper.  The story genres range from Mystery & Suspense, to Drama, and there’s even a bit of comedy thrown in.  And just when you get to the end of the story, a voice comes in and says, “You think the story is over, don’t you? But wait! Fate takes a hand. Wait…for the Unexpected!”  then the story continues with an ending that is unexpected.  Great title and great gimmick to be different in the golden age of radio.  For today’s listener this is a treat of nostalgia and original storytelling at it’s best.

Some examples of  the stories include; a man convinced that an old prospecter has struck silver in a ghost town, a woman who embezzles money from her company to buy a fur coat, a boxer who throws a fight to make some quick cash, a woman whose horoscope warns her she will kill a man and many more, but they never end as you’d expect.

At this point I feel I need to point out or re-emphasize that these are restored directly from the original transcriptions.  The shows were originally meant to be sent out to radio stations and the radio stations would insert commercials in the allowed sections.  This is a good and bad feature.   Good in that you don’t get the commercials, unless you are a fan of the old time commercials.   The bad is that you get a minute or two of dramatic organ music in the place where the commercials would have gone.  At first I loved the old dramatic organ that helped push the story, but after a while I found myself fast forwarding through the  commercial insert areas, glad to have had that luxury.

This collection is perfect for any fan of mystery, thrillers, suspense and old time radio.  If you are just plain curious, check them out they are a lot of fun, especially because the end of each story is Unexpected.

Just to help out here are the titles and the lead actors of each episode  in Volume 1:

#100 Mercy Killing
starring Barry Sullivan

#101 Birthday Present
starring Marsha Hunt

#102 Solid Citizen
starring Tom Neal

#103 Finale
starring Lurene Tuttle

#104 Cargo Unknown
starring Lyle Talbot

#105 Find the Man
starring Binnie Barnes

#106 Revenge
starring Barry Sullivan

#107 The Cripple
starring Marjorie Riordan

#108 Fool’s Silver
starring Barry Sullivan

#109 Horoscope
starring Marjorie Riordan

#110 Eavesdropper
starring Barry Sullivan

#111 Legacy
starring Lurene Tuttle

#112 Museum
starring Jackie Cooper

#113 Understudy
starring Lurene Tuttle

#114 King Champion
starring Jack Holt

#115 The Mink Coat
starring Lurene Tuttle

#116 Easy Money
starring Steve Cochran

#117 Free Passage
starring Lurene Tuttle

#118 Re-Match
starring Jackie Cooper

#119 Sweet Sixteen
starring Lurene Tuttle

“Dearly Devoted Dexter” by Jeff Lindsay

“Dearly Devoted Dexter”
by Jeff Lindsay
Read by Nick Landrum
Published by Recorded Books (2008)
Approx 9.5 hours

My book choice process has no pattern to it.  This last time around was actually a recommendation from my nephew.  He handed me a paperback copy of “Dearly Devoted Dexter,” while asking if I had ever seen the TV series.  I had never seen the series but heard it was interesting.  After all a serial killer that works for the police and only chops up bad guys kind of grabs your attention.  Well, my nephew told me the books were really good and handed me this one.  I wanted to read the book but I had two other books given to me by publishers that had priority and I kept putting this off.  Finally I decide I couldn’t wait no more and found an audio book version and loaded it onto my iPod.  But then I had copies of audio books from publishers I had to get to and I found myself listening to this part time while listening to the other books.  Finally I got so interested in the story I had to put the others aside for a bit and dedicate myself to this one.

Yeah, the story is that intriguing.  After I got about halfway through this book I started looking up information on the author in preparation for this review and found out this was the second in the series of five (so far) books.   I was surprised because It didn’t seem any backstory was needed.  The author took the time to explain anything that had existed before and this story was a stand-alone story.  While I didn’t miss anything by not reading the previous book, I am definitely going back and reading or listening to the first book.  Jeff Lindsay wrote with a constant mystery and knew how to weave in every detail that in the end all the clues fell into place while at the same time I was on the edge of my seat with some great thrills, mystery and even a few chills.

Dexter Morgan is a forensic blood spatter pattern analyst for the Miami Police Department.  That’s his day job.  By night and especially around the full moon his “dark passenger” takes over.  The “dark passenger” is a serial killer that lives inside Dexter.  Dexter has honed his talent through his life with the help of his foster-father who was a police officer.  He taught Dexter that his “talent” for killing can be used for good.  When a known killer escapes justice on a technicality Dexter can make sure the criminal can never do harm again.  Once Dexter has delivered his justice, he keeps a souvenir of a blood drop on a slide, which he keeps a collection of in his home.

Dexter’s sister, Deborah, knows of Dexter’s darker side yet seems to ignore it for the most part.  Deborah has recently been taken off vice, where she had to always pose as a prostitute for sting operations, and moved to homicide where she now uses her talent along with help from her brother’s darker side to solve crimes.

Dexter has an enemy in the form of Sgt. Doakes.  Doakes does not trust Dexter and does everything he can to make life hell for Dexter.

Those are the main characters of the series that you need to know of so far.  Let’s talk about this book now.   The book opens with Dexter tracking down a child-killer/pedophile in order to serve his dark justice.  He investigates the killer by sneaking on to his boat to find absolute proof, the code of Harry (Dex’s father) says to always make sure.  When Dexter finds photos of the dead children and the man in the photos the same as the one he’s tracking Dexter has his proof and proceeds to chop the man in pieces, and keeping a drop of blood as a souvenir.  In the process Dexter realizes some other person was there taking the photos.  When the victim won’t tell him who it is Dexter searches for more clues.  Just as he finds who the 2nd party is a wrench is thrown into the works.

Sgt. Doakes decides that he is going to catch Dexter.  To do so Doakes follows Dexter everywhere he goes and even parks outside Dexter’s home as if on a stake out.  This seriously inhibits Dexter’s plans to get the second man in his dark justice system.  This not only frustrates Dexter but also, and maybe worse, frustrates Dexter’s Dark Passenger.

Soon though, a case comes up in that involves Doakes, Deborah, Dexter and a mysterious government agency.  A body is found with all the limbs removed and all facial features as well.  Leaving what Dexter refers to as a “squealing pillow.”  Some evil person has sugically removed all the limbs while the victim is alive and medicated (to stay conscious) and in front of a mirror so the victim can contemplate their hideous mutilation.

Dexter, having been forced to suppress his own psychopathic urges by the suspicious Doakes, welcomes the distraction and begins to focus on hunting down the second possible child killer. However, Dexter finds himself drawn into the case of the mysterious “Dr. Danco” when his sister Deborah’s new boyfriend, detective Kyle Chutsky, turns out to be on the torturer’s hit list, as well as Sgt. Doakes.

Amidst all the chaos, Dexter finds himself accidentally engaged to his girlfriend Rita, and begins to suspect Rita’s children Astor and Cody of having sociopathic tendencies of their own.

The book is written in first person and the delivery of the reader, Nick Landrum is so perfect that you feel as if Dexter is talking to you directly.    I think I’m gonna go with audiobook versions of the rest of this series because Nick Landrum is so good at his job.

“Brass Keys to Murder” by L. Ron Hubbard

“Brass Keys to Murder”
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multi-cast performance
produced 2009 by Galaxy Audio
approx 2 hours.

This time around we dive into the mystery genre from the old pulp fiction writings of L. Ron Hubbard.  Once again I just have to say that these audio books are just pure joy to hear.   The acting, sound effects and music make for a perfect performance which will help the listener escape reality and enjoy some good story telling.   Hubbard was a master of descriptive realistic stories and now that Galaxy Press and Galaxy Audio are re-releasing his short stories from his pulp-fiction era, you can enjoy these gems.

The story this time is “Brass Keys to Murder,” which was originally published in the April, 1935 issue of “Five Novels Monthly” and tells of a navy lieutenant, accused of murder, who risks his life to find the real killer and discovers the motive: the brass keys.

Lt. Stephen Craig is standing watch aboard a Naval vessel when a woman comes to tell him of his father’s death.  She also warns him that the police are coming to arrest him for the murder of his father.  Lt. Craig knows he didn’t do it but the police want to close the case and Craig and his father have a history of not quite getting along.    When the police arrive, Craig basically informs them that he’s been on the ship all day and that the local police have no jurisdiction onboard an Navy ship.   This stalls but once he steps off the ship the police will be waiting.

Craig sneaks out to find some answers which leads to some shady characters and a set of 3 brass keys, which unlock not only 3 chests of treasure but possibly the answer as to who killed Lt. Craig’s father.

This is a thrilling tale of mystery with dealings in darkened alleyways and, foggy nights on a dock and twists and turns that will spin your head but will give you that big “A-Ha” moment at the end when the murderer is found and the treasure is opened.

My advice, listen to these books from Galaxy Audio, although you can read the Galaxy Press paperback versions (made to fully reproduce the pulp fiction mags of yester year), these audio productions are just some fun stuff with great character acting and narration that makes you feel as if you are listening to a radio drama from the same time period.

“Missing in Death” (short story in The Lost Anthology book) “In Death”series book 29.5 by J.D. Robb

‘”Missing in Death” (short story in The Lost Anthology book)
“In Death”series book 29.5
by J.D. Robb
produced 2009 by brilliance audio
read by Susan Ericksen
approx 3.5 hours

I just can’t help myself, I keep coming back to this sci-fi detective series by J.D. Robb, I know what it is, it is the characters.  J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts from book one has created some solid characters to fill these books.  They are solid, three dimensional, and intriguing.  Robb has created characters the reader can care about and want to hear/read more about their adventures.  Lt. Eve Dallas is a tough homicide detective in New York City in the mid 21st Century.  She led a rough childhood thanks to the some dark workings of Homeland Security.  Eve’s Husband, Roarke, also had a rough childhood, living off the streets in Dublin, Ireland, but is now a multi-billionaire (or multi-gazillionaire, depending on who you ask) who loves to dabble in computers and technology.   And a cast of many more that make the family of these books.

Another aspect of these books is that they are set in the distant future, not too far to keep the stories on Earth, but far enough, that with the cool gadgets and some space travel to bring in the sci-fi fan.  In fact if a television series were ever made of this book series, I would place my bets on the Sci-Fi (SyFy) channel getting the rights.

This story is a nice short story set in Lt. Eve Dallas’s world that provides a very interesting mystery with one of those sci-fi gadgets turning out to be the focus of the investigation.

Lt. Dallas and her assistant Detective Delia Peabody are called in to one of the Staten Island Ferries (named “Hilary Rodham Clinton,” how’s that for futuristic?) because a woman is missing but what really brings the Homicide detectives to the ferry is that where the woman was last seen is a large amount of blood splatter, enough so that if it is from one source that person did not live.   The mystery is how did the killer remove the body from the ferry packed full of 3,000 plus tourists?

When the missing tourist shows up, not only does the question of who does all that blood belong to, come up, but also a new threat.  That new threat is some sort of mind control/hypnosis device.  Dallas and her team set out to solve the mystery and catch a criminal that could be a threat to National Security.

The reader, Susan Ericksen, is the reader for the entire series and does a excellent job voicing these books.  She is able to apply different voices to each character that not only separates who is talking but even adds deeper to the characters created by J.D. Robb, in fact at times you may think you are listening to a multi-cast performance.

This series is definitely worth checking out, and this short story would be a great intro into the series, even though it occurs late in the series.

Fantasy in Death (In Death Series) by J. D. Robb

Fantasy in Death (In Death Series)
by J. D. Robb
Read by Susan Ericksen
Produced 2010 by Brilliance Audio
approx 12 Hours

I love a good mystery and I love sci-fi, when I first started reading these “…in Death” books by J.D. Robb (a.k.a. Nora Roberts) I knew I was gonna be hooked.  Here it is the 30th book in the series and I haven’t given up yet.  I will admit in the earlier books I was almost ready to stop reading this series because of the nearly softcore porn sections.  But Robb/Roberts has toned it down some and the skip feature on my iPod is ready for use, for this book I only had to skip ahead for about 10 minutes, in the earlier books I would have had to skip at least 30 minutes worth of the book to get back to the story.  Yeah, I know Roberts is a romance writer first, but the sex scenes just don’t fit in with these stories.  She writes great mysteries, and throws in enough sci-fi (the books are set around the years 2050 – 2060) to keep them fun.  Skipping over the sex scenes does not lose anything to do with the story.  If only she would cut them out completely, they are completely uncalled for and do not add to the story in any way.

Okay, that being said let’s talk about this book.  This book should offer up a bit of fun for the cyber-geek, mystery fan and general sci-fi fan alike.  Like I said with the stories in this series set in the near future, Robb/Roberts adds just enough tech stuff to enhance the stories.  Here’s a small example, flying cars, offworld prisons, offworld resorts & casinos, wrist unit communications (video & audio), serious computer hacking, laser type stunners and blasters,  holodecks for gaming & fun and more.   This story dives head first into future gaming via VR  and holodecks.  Bart Minnock is one of the founders of U-Play, a gaming corporation, he and his 3 partners have created a fairly successful gaming company and they are on the verge of releasing the latest in greatest in gaming.  This new game will be the ultimate in gaming, allowing the user to create and control virtually every aspect of the game.  Bart gets home from work and goes into the holoroom to test out the latest version of the game in preparation for the game, “Fantastical,” release.  The next day he is found decapitated in his holo room and that’s where NYPSD homicide detective Lt. Eve Dallas comes in.  She fights for the dead.

When Lt. Dallas and her team of detectives begin looking into the case they can find no reason why Minnock would be murdered, let alone decapitated.  He was a genius, likable and friendly.  His company was run by him and 3 other friends who all met in college and put together the gaming braintrust that is U-Play.  The partners all have equal parts in the biz.  The only thing Eve can figure out is that it is jealousy, but at first go round everyone has nothing but respect for Minnock.  As she digs deeper she realizes that one of the partners is the murderer, but how?  The security records and videos all show Bart was alone until his body was discovered by his girlfriend and servant droid the next day.

So how does a murderer get into a secure building with extra security on the locked holoroom?  Dallas searches for the possible murder weapon, a sword that can send electrical jolts.  When this hits a dead end she then locks on to an idea that at first, seems to break the laws of physics.  When she begins looking harder at the remaining three partners in the company another is murdered.  This time Dallas has her suspect but the problem is to prove how the crime was committed.  Non-stop action, mystery and suspense.

Robb/Roberts has had 30 books and numerous short stories to develop the characters in this series and from book one every single one of the characters are full of depth.  Each one has a history and life goals and Robb/Roberts brings these to each character creating full four dimensional characters that the reader/listener can fully relate to and actually want to know. From Lt. Dallas all the way down to McNabb the Electronics division detective they are all fully formed and a critical part of every story, including this one.

The reader, Susan Ericksen, brings these characters to life by highlighting each characters depth with each one having their own voice.  Ericksen vocally manipulates each character’s voice to where these books sound as though they are a multi-cast performance.  Ericksen is supremely talented in voice work and she brings it all to the table when voicing this series.

“The Iron Duke” by L. Ron Hubbard

“The Iron Duke”
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multicast Performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio
Approx. 2 hours

Once again it’s time to head out on a far flung adventure thanks to the old pulp fiction stories of L. Ron Hubbard.  Galaxy Audio and Galaxy Press have been re-releasing all the stories from the Golden Age of Stories when the pulps were a great source of fiction.  Many great authors wrote stories that were published in the mid-20th century in magazines that featured short stories pertaining to different genres of fiction.  L. Ron Hubbard wrote in many of the genres provided by the pulps, such as Westerns, Air & Sea Adventures, Science-fiction and Fantasy.  This time around it’s a far flung adventure to the fictional Balkan kingdom of Aldoria.

Originally published  July, 1940, this story is set around the time of World War II, is about a renegade who is wanted by nearly every government in Europe.  Blackie Lee is not only a wanted man but he’s a doppleganger for the leader of Aldoria.  Blackie learns of this “kinship” and devises a plan to escape the officials who want him jailed and attempts to take over the country pretending to be the Duke of Aldoria.  In the process, he is captured by some rebels who promise not to kill him and give him 12 million francs if he allows for free elections in Aldoria.  Blackie now sees a double out.  He can pose as the Duke, promise free elections, lose and become ousted and live happily on the money in France.

In the process of trying to convince the officials the real Duke is the fake, Blackie is found out only because of a scar the Duke has and Blackie does not.  He is then jailed.  Thinking the twin feature of Blackie a bonus the officials of Aldoria decide to use him as a body double so the real Duke cannot be assassinated.  The Duke of Aldoria is a drunken womanizer who has no love for his citizenry, the people know this and a revolt is just waiting to happen.

While Blackie is in jail someone mysteriously sends him books, fine wine and food and doctors to ensure his good health.  He later finds out it is a Countess of Aldoria and works her into another scheme to help him escape.  Blackie’s first showing is for the dedication of a bridge.  The parade to the bridge is rife with revolution, someone throws a cheap wine bottle at the carriage, making fun of the drunken Duke, in which Blackie orders the guards not to kill the man, but instead shares the wine with the man.  An assassination attempt is made in which a grenade is thrown at Blackie, heroically he catches the grenade and throws it back.  At the dedication hecklers in the audience, placed by the rebels who made the bargain for the elections, begin asking about elections.  Blackie then announces that free elections will be held in a month.

Blackie must now campaign for the Duke, at this point he makes a wager with the Countess that if he wins she must marry him.  Can he persuade a country that is already teetering on revolt to elect him as their leader?  Hubbard has written an adventure which provides a fun look at mistaken identity, entertains with a tale of intrigue and throws in some humor and romance that will leave you guessing what will happen next until the very end.

As with all the Galaxy Audio productions this audiobook delivers the story that will remind you of the golden age of radio when dramas were told with excellent voice actors, great sound effects and a musical score that will transport you back in time on an adventure not to be forgotten.

“Vermilion Drift” by William Kent Krueger

“Vermilion Drift”
by William Kent Krueger
Published by Atria books, 2010
305 pages

When it comes to sitting down with a good book, you have to get one that not only piques your interest but also is told in such a way that you not only get lost in the story but the setting as well.  William Kent Krueger does this superbly.  This is the second of his novels I’ve read and both novels have the intriguing storyline that gets tangled and twisted the more involved you become in the story.   Krueger also has a skill when it comes to wordcraft.  He describes the scenery of the settings in such a masterful way that the his world comes to life.  I found myself not only easily visualizing the settings but I could do this in full panoramic color.  Krueger is the Michelangelo of words.

This story is another Cork O’Conner mystery.  Cork is a part Native American former Sheriff now performing services as a private detective in Tamarack County, Minnesota.  He recently lost his wife and his children are pretty much out seeking their own lives.  Cork begins this book working two cases; one, a missing person and the second mysterious threats to mine workers.

The Department of Energy is looking at an abandoned iron mine to bury nuclear waste.  The locals, especially those that live on the Reservation above the mine are protesting.  Several members involved have received notes written in a dripping blood font warning not to go through with the nuclear waste disposal plans.  When the same warning appears in a section of the mine that is supposed to be inaccessible unless through security stations Cork sees a mystery that needs to be solved.

On top of that Cork is hired to find a prominent woman that has gone missing.  The two cases come together when a hidden section of the mine is discovered along with numerous dead bodies.  Some of the bodies go back to when Cork was only 13 years old, nearly 50 years, when his dad was sheriff and the area was plagued by the disappearance of several local women.

The case then  forces Cork to revisit his past and uncover secrets that may have been best left buried.

With twists and turns in the story and plotline, this book will keep you guessing through to the end.