Fiction Review

Irreparable Damages
by Karlene Heinkel
ISBN-10: 0595443222
Review by Heather Froeschl



Reunions with the past don’t always bring fond memories. What we do with our reminiscences can sometimes be a matter of life and death, happiness and sorrow. In Karlene Heinkel’s novel, “Irreparable Damages,” the past and the present commingle with the ease of memory replayed.

Michael Stanford is on top of the world one minute…wealthy, a partner is his own business, a loving member of a large family, and recently engaged, yet moments later his world comes crashing down as his fiancé reveals that she’s pregnant. Why should this be so shocking? The next day finds him murdered in cold blood on his office floor. With so much going for him how could this happen? The family, and the town, is devastated. Charlie Whitman is a little too close to the case. As sheriff, he has only been back in his home town for a number of years after escaping it in the military and FBI. Michael wasn’t exactly his best friend back in high school but they were in the same circles and Charlie knew things that only one of the guys would know. Investigating this murder would bring back all of those memories, and the feelings that ran rampant with them.

What would Michael’s business partner, in the small town of Hillcrest, have to do with a Vegas-connected casino owner? Why would Michael’s fiancée remain living in his home after his death…with her ex-husband for company? What does Shelley Bowden, a girl both Michael and Charlie had feelings for back in the day, have to do with the whole tragedy? These things all bubble to the surface as the truth is revealed. Will Charlie lay the past to rest? Will justice be delivered?

The book is full of characters you will recognize in life. There are many different personalities to contend with that it all seems very real. The plot is rich with a past that is spelled out right in front of you, and a future that is not revealed until the very end. This guessing game is what many mystery readers love. I enjoyed the book and trying to work out the case along with Charlie. “Irreparable Damages” is a reminder that there is always so much more than meets the eye in everybody’s story.

Mystery Review

Witness on the Quay
by Gini Anding
ISBN-10: 0595339670
Review by Heather Froeschl

I've never been to Paris but I feel as though I have after reading Gini Anding's "Witness on the Quay." This is no ordinary whodunit. The book is full of intrigue, romance, history, and raw human emotion; an entertaining read!

Amy Page is a middle-aged widow, authoring a cookbook and staying in Paris for a good length of time. She has rented a flat and is enchanted with Ile St-Louis. The mystery begins as she returns to her apartment and finds that a taxi driver has been murdered right outside her door. Jean-Michel Jolivet, an inspector with the French Police, asks her questions over a period of hours. This is the beginning of an interesting relationship and the unraveling of a mystery much bigger than the murder of one man.

As the case evolves it seems that Amy is much more involved than a simple witness, and even more than she ever realized. And as time goes on she and Jean-Michel become more involved than either of them intended. The plot thickens as the pages turn and readers will find they stay up late to find out what happens next.

Gini Anding has written an intriguing story with an ever-expanding plot. It is a delightful read, but even more than that it is a glimpse into Paris that many people will have dreamed of. I hope to see more from this author in the future but in the meantime I recommend "Witness on the Quay" to anyone who loves a good mystery.

Mystery Review

Six to Five Against
by Jeff Sherratt
ISBN-10: 0975272101
Review by Heather Froeschl

Jimmie O'Brien, an ex-cop and a floundering new lawyer with a just-hung shingle, is about broke. He calls in the favor of an ex-cop buddy, a judge who has a few favors of his own he needs attended to. In fact, the judge has a big "favor" that is just right for Jimmie. The new lawyer becomes the appointed defense attorney for a murder suspect. It just so happens that the murder victim was the assistant to the state's Senator. Something smells fishy, and Jimmie jumps right into the ride of his life.

Hiring an Investigator friend for a buck, who eventually calls in a favor or two with the local Mafia, Jimmie is getting involved in his community in a big way. He's being followed, his office gets ransacked and he gets set up as a crooked, evidence-fabricating lawyer. However, Jimmie believes his client is innocent and he will do whatever it takes to prove it, thus saving an innocent man's life. On the side, he attends to fantasies he has in regards to the Assistant DA, encourages his dedicated secretary, and drinks a lot of coffee.

"Six to Five...Against" is a classic styled murder, scandal, investigative mystery suspense story. The plot is exquisitely cooked up and fed to the reader on a diner spoon. Jimmie is a down to earth hero who will keep your attention and make you feel good about reading his story. The dialogue is natural and flawless, and the settings are easily envisioned. Setting the story in the seventies is a nice addition, lending a basic police work feel to the book, leaving out the modern CSI-like forensics garble. Besides, I like living in the past a bit and the author gives authenticity to the decade portrayed with various mentions of then current affairs. My only minor problem was that there was a little too much atmospheric detail at the beginning of new locals, and I wanted to get to the nitty gritty faster. But that is just my reviewer need for speed, and I trust the average reader will enjoy the details.

I highly recommend Jeff Sherratt's work, and look forward to his next book.