Review: Splintered by A. G. Howard

Author: A. G. Howard
Publisher: Amulet Books
Date of publication: January 2013

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.


Splintered is a wonderfully written novel that gives the reader a fresh take on the Alice in Wonderland story.  Alyssa is a descendant of the original Alice.  When she reached puberty, the bugs and flowers started talking to her.  She has spent most of her teen years trying to tune out the voices, to keep from being locked up by her mother.  Alyssa soon learns that the voices are real, her family is cursed and only she can break the spell.  With the help of her best friend, Jeb, she enters the "rabbit hole" and begins the adventure she was destined for. Alyssa finds out that she must reverse Alice's mistakes in order to release the curse.  I don't want to give away too much of the plot as I feel it would really spoil things. There are some twists that I just can't give away. This is a journey the reader must experience for his/herself. 

I loved the characters in the book.  They aren't the Disney version of  Wonderland characters.  In fact, we come to learn that Alice, in her young mind, got most of  the creature names wrong. For instance, the white rabbit is really Rabid White. Wonderland itself is a magical and dark place.  Not everything is as Lewis Carrol wrote it and there are a lot more surprises. 

Alyssa is a great character.  She is edgy, artistic, into skate boarding and has a wonderful, yet unique sense of style.  I was happy see the romance wasn't the typical insta-love. Jeb and Alyssa have known each other for quite a while. Jeb makes for a great hero and he matches Alyssa quite well. While here is a bit of a love triangle, it's not really filled with anguish.  There are some subtle adult themes running through the book, so I would probably keep this book to over 14. 

I don't think I have read a book this good in a long time.  I really enjoyed Splintered and I know it will be on my top 10 for 2013.  It's one of those books that I would love to see made into a movie.  Done right, it would be fantastic. While I would have been fine with the story ending as it did in this book, I see that there is a sequel planned for next January.  I look forward to more adventures with Alyssa!

Book Spotlight: Jesus, Mo, and Cheese Puffs by Lisa Boucher

Welcome, Lisa Boucher! She is here promoting her book Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs.

Publisher: Self
Date of publication:  July 2013

Flo’s deformed eye doesn’t bother her a bit. Nope. Never mind the eye patch or her aversion to mirrors. But when she wins $40,000 in the lottery, she decides to get one of those “TV doctors” to fix her bad eye. It’s a long way from Indiana to California, so she and Mo, pack along some extra bags of cheese puffs for the trip.

Funny thing about life, it doesn’t always follow a plan. Flo and Mo, primed for an adventure, get sidetracked at every turn. For one, there’s the young family with the broken-down car they stop to help only two hours into the trip. Turns out there’s more to the young family than either of them could ever imagine. On to Hooker, Oklahoma, where they stumble into a wake for the town hero—High Henry, a Clydesdale horse, who shows the town it’s not the package but the heart inside that matters.

At a farmer’s market in Pasadena, Jostlin’ Jack and Angel—a happy if homeless couple, suggest Flo “wear the world like a loose garment.” Angel’s words come back to Flo when the plastic surgeon wants to rework her whole face and make her into something she’s not. Realizing at last the only limitations in life are the ones she puts on herself, Flo opens her heart to the possibilities.

Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs is the kind of story that asks you to look and find the magic in every single encounter.


About the author:

Lisa Boucher has Sicilian roots and thinks about cooking and food about as often as she thinks about writingmore books! In her spare time she travels, holds a BA in English, works part-time as a nurse, and makes pesto and homemade granola, naming her local cottage product line (Simple Grace). Lisa is married, and has twin sons that play college football.

Next book in the pipeline: “Black Butterflies White Fences,” an interracial love story. Coming late spring or early this summer.

Throwback Thursday: A Kiss Remembered by Sandra Brown

 

Author: Sandra Brown (writing as Erin St. Claire)
First published in 1983 by Silhouette

After leaving her disastrous marriage behind, Shelley Browning goes back to college to get her degree and comes face-to-face with an unforgettable man from her past. Grant Chapman had briefly taught her in high school ten years earlier. There teacher and student had shared a single, scorching, unplanned kiss that still haunts Shelley's dreams. Now, as irresistible as ever, Grant has just returned to teaching after a stint as a congressional aide in Washington...and sees no impropriety in asking Shelley out. Isn't this what she secretly longs for? Never has Shelley felt more confused about what she really wants or what is best for them both. But a stunning accusation is about to change all that and force Shelley Browning to either take some dangerous risks -- or spend the rest of her life regretting what could have been.

I have such mixed feelings about this book. I wasn't sure I was going to like the idea that  Shelley and Grant had shared a kiss when she was just 16.  He was her teacher at the time. Once I got over that, it wasn't a bad story.  In reality, the kiss was once and spontaneous.  Grant left the school immediately after because he knew he had overstepped.  I had to give him credit for that.  Once he sees a much older Shelley, he realizes her has feelings for her and decides to win her over.  

I actually liked Grant. He wasn't afraid to stand up for what he believed in.  I didn't like Shelley all that much.  She was too wishy-washy for me.  I also thought she jumped to the wrong conclusions about Grant too quickly in the end.  This book definitely shows its age.  Shelley wants o get a degree in banking that would allow her to head a department just for women to get financial advice.  Do they even have something like that nowadays?  

Anyway, for an early Sandra Brown novel, it's not bad.  It is definitely one of the racier novels that I have read from this time period.  The love scenes are much more detailed than usual.  If you missed it, the audiobook is only 4 discs.  Perfect for a the work commute.

Book spotlight: Continuance by Marta Tandori

Welcome author Marta Tandori!  She is promoting her book Continuance.

Publisher: CreateSpace
Date of publication: April 2013

When seven-year-old Ethan du Maurier, only son and heir of New York City real estate tycoon, Alexander du Maurier, disappears during school recess, the FBI quickly determines that his disappearance was an abduction. Within hours of a special news bulletin airing nationwide, the FBI’s hotline is inundated with anonymous tips relating to sightings of a little boy matching Ethan’s description outside a historic Savannah building, now a newly-renovated eatery. The FBI quickly assembles a task force and searches the premises but instead of finding little Ethan, they stumble upon the century-old remains of what appears to be a murdered man hidden in a pirate’s tunnel under the historic building.

With her restaurant on temporary lockdown pending the FBI’s forensic investigation, owner Annie Eastwood researches the history of the building she inherited, hoping it will shed some light on the identity of the murdered man, but what she uncovers are bits and pieces of a horrible scandal that nearly destroyed the du Maurier family over a century ago. With hopes for Ethan’s safe return dwindling by the hour, Annie finds an unlikely lead in an old classified ad from a Boston newspaper which connects the events of the past to the present-day abduction of Ethan du Maurier—and to the identity of his abductor. Determined to rescue little Ethan before time runs out, Annie quickly realizes that the boy’s abductor will stop at nothing—even murder—in order to exact his revenge.

About the author:

By the time Marta Tandori reached fifth grade, she was an avid reader and writer with a stack of short stories collecting dust in a box under her bed but it wasn’t until she began studying acting in her early twenties
at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York that Marta realized acting wasn’t really her passion – writing fiction was. What followed was years of writing workshops as well as correspondence courses in writing for children through the Institute of Children’s Literature in Connecticut. She credits the award winning author, Troon Harrison, as the instructor who helped her find her literary voice. Marta’s first work of middle-grade fiction, BEING SAM, NO MATTER WHAT was published in 2005, followed by EVERY WHICH WAY BUT KUKU! in 2006. With her more recent endeavors, Marta has shifted her writing focus to “women’s suspense”, a genre she fondly describes as having “strong female protagonists with closets full of nasty skeletons and the odd murder or two to complicate their already complicated lives”. To learn more about Marta, visit her blog, The Marta/Kindle Project at http://www.martatandori.com.
Visit her website at http://www.martatandori.com

Interview:The Age of Desire: A Novel of Edith Wharton by Jennie Fields

Author: Jennie Fields
Publisher: Penguin Publishing
Date of publication: May 2013

For fans of The Paris Wife, a sparkling glimpse into the life of Edith Wharton and the scandalous love affair that threatened her closest friendship.

They say that behind every great man is a great woman. Behind Edith Wharton, there was Anna Bahlmann—her governess turned literary secretary and confidante. At the age of forty-five, despite her growing fame, Edith remains unfulfilled in a lonely, sexless marriage. Against all the rules of Gilded Age society, she falls in love with Morton Fullerton, a dashing young journalist. But their scandalous affair threatens everything in Edith’s life—especially her abiding ties to Anna.

At a moment of regained popularity for Wharton, Jennie Fields brilliantly interweaves Wharton’s real letters and diary entries with her fascinating, untold love story. Told through the points of view of both Edith and Anna, The Age of Desire transports readers to the golden days of Wharton’s turn-of-the century world and—like the recent bestseller The Chaperone—effortlessly re-creates the life of an unforgettable woman.

Link to Tour Schedule: http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/theageofdesiretour/

Kari & Autumn: What inspired you to become a writer?

Jennie: Ever since I learned to read, I’ve always wanted to be a writer.  I had a pretty hard childhood, and found I could escape into books.  Then I thought: why not write my own books?  I wrote my first “novel” in first grade. I wrote a 365 page book in fifth grade.  I guess I’ve never stopped.

Kari & Autumn: Where do you come up with the ideas for your books?

Jennie: Usually, I would answer, “the muse.”  But in the case of “The Age of Desire,” the muse was a living breathing person: my agent.  Five years ago, I was in Paris on business (I was an advertising creative director for years) and having a free day, I walked all over the city.  That afternoon, I walked down Edith Wharton’s street for the first time.  I was thrilled, as Edith’s always been my favorite author.  When I returned to my hotel room, there was a message to call my agent, Lisa.  Two weeks earlier, I’d said to her, “I am absolutely stumped about my next novel.  I’ve tried a few things, and nothing’s working. So if you have any thoughts at all, let me know.”  When I reached her, she said.  “I have an idea.  Why don’t you write about your favorite author, Edith Wharton.” Having, by serendipity, walked down Edith Wharton’s street that very day, well, I got chills.  Lisa had no idea I was even in Paris.  It was a beautiful and life-altering coincidence. 

Kari & Autumn: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?

Jennie: I am writing a novel about a woman who was world-famous in the 1890’s, but is little known today.  She was one of the richest women in the world, influential, a feminist and an art collector.  In fact, she was one of the first art collectors to bring Impressionism to the United States.  But that’s all I’m going say!

Kari & Autumn: Who is your favorite literary character and why?

Jennie: Well, I guess I have to say Lily Bart from the house of Mirth.  She was raised to be merely beautiful and marry for money.  But in the end, her inherent decency prevents her from doing so.  And for that, I have to admire her. She is tragic and wonderful and so vivid to me. 

Kari & Autumn: Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

Jennie: I’d like to be my insanely cute little dog, Violet Jane - because there could not possibly an animal in the world more beloved or pampered.

Praise for The Age of Desire

“Somewhere between the repressiveness of Edith Wharton’s early-20th-century Age of Innocence and our own libertine Shades of Grey era lies the absorbingly sensuous world of Jennie Fields’s The Age of Desire . . . along with the overheated romance and the middle-age passion it so accurately describes, The Age of Desire also offers something simpler and quieter: a tribute to the enduring power of female friendship.” —Boston Globe

“One doesn’t have to be an Edith Wharton fan to luxuriate in the Wharton-esque plotting and prose Fields so elegantly conjures.” —Kirkus

“Delicate and imaginative . . . Fields’s love and respect for all her characters and her care in telling their stories shines through." —Publishers Weekly

Beautiful ... an imaginative tour-de-force with the best-written naughty bits I have ever read." —UK Daily Mail

Inspired by Wharton’s letters, The Age of Desire is by turns sensuous . . . and sweetly melancholy.  It’s also a moving examination of a friendship between two women. —Bookpage

“A fascinating insight into the life of my favorite novelist. Fields brings a secret side of Wharton to life, and shows us a woman whose elegant façade concealed a turbulent sensuality.” —Daisy Goodwin, author of The American Heiress

“With astonishing tenderness and immediacy, The Age of Desire portrays the interwoven lives of Edith Wharton and Anna Bahlmann, her governess, secretary, and close friend.  By focusing on these two women from vastly different backgrounds, Jennie Fields miraculously illuminates an entire era. . . . I gained insight into both Wharton’s monumental work and her personal struggles—and I was filled with regret that I’d finished reading so soon.” —Lauren Belfer, author of City of Light and A Fierce Radiance

“In the vein of Loving Frank or The Paris Wife, Jennie Fields has created a page-turning period piece. Fields portrays a woman whose life was hardly innocence and mirth, but passionate, complex, and more mysterious than one might ever imagine.” —Mary Morris, author of Nothing to Declare and Revenge

About the Author

Born in the heart of the heart of the country – Chicago -- Jennie Fields decided to become a

writer at the age of six and produced her first (365 page!) novel when she was eleven.  She received her MFA at the Iowa Writers Workshop and published her first short stories while spending a postgraduate year at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown.  But needing to feed her family  in the era just post-Mad Men, she became an early female copywriter at an advertising agency, soon rising to creative director and moving to New York.  In her 32-year advertising career, she wrote and produced many well-known and award-winning commercials.  People even now can embarrass her by telling her they grew up dancing to one of her McDonalds’ jingles. 

Still, fiction was her great love.  Writing during her lunch hour and after her daughter’s bedtime she penned her first novel, Lily Beach, which was published by Atheneum in 1993 to much acclaim.  Since then, she’s written three more novels including Crossing Brooklyn Ferry and The Middle Ages. Her latest, The Age of Desire, is a biographical novel based on the life of the author dearest to her heart, Edith Wharton.  An Editor’s Choice of the New York Times Book Review, it describes Wharton’s mid-life love affair with a younger, manipulative man.  Why the affinity to Wharton?  Because she wrote about people attempting to break society’s expectations for them – which is something Fields has been yearning to do all her life.

For more information, please visit Jennie's website.

  You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Guest post: The What If? Book of Questions by Miggs Burroughs

Enjoy this guest post from author Miggs Burroughs.  He is promoting his book What if?Book of Questions.

Publisher:Easton Studio Press
Date of publication: September 2012

A thoughtful Q & A book that asks life questions about who you are and how you might navigate the challenging choices we all have to make. With charming illustrations throughout, it points a way toward wisdom like a Zen Koan, with each question wrapped in its own. The book can be flipped through at random resulting in many a smile and nod of recognition or awareness. Or read only a paired question and illustration at a time to better absorb the message that we should live each moment of our lives, one moment at a time.

Guest post:

How to avoid the rejection blues? 

Well, step one is to avoid putting your heart and soul into anything you do. Stifle your passion. Whether it is through a book, or a painting or a dance, try not to share anything meaningful about yourself and your time here on earth. Dispense with your honesty, reality or imagination Don’t dig around into any raw emotions or memories. Delete any hint of committment to your medium of choice. And then, magically, with this shabby and shallow product in hand, there is very little anyone could say or do to hurt your feelings, because you will be deaf to all the naysayers. That’s not to say they won't hate what you’ve done, but how could you care? There is nothing of value to care about.

On the other hand, if for you, trying to suppress the creative process is like attempting to hold a large beach ball under water, then the rejection blues will, most likely creep into your psyche. Embrace them, because they are further confirmation of your investment in your art, and in your passion to share it with your fellow humans. Rip open your heart and smear it on the page. Hang it proudly on your front door. Wear it as a hat. And, when and if your novel, song or dance is rejected, don’t sing the blues. Sing the song of pride in having dared to be authentic. Maybe the technique or structure will need some polishing, but as long as you fight to have your voice heard, your passion will always shine.

About the author:

A lifelong resident of Westport, CT, Miggs Burroughs has been creating art and graphic design since he was 20 and his very first painting was accepted into Silvermine’s prestigious Art of the Northeast show. At age
26, he was chosen to design a Commemorative U. S. Postage Stamp. Shortly thereafter he illustrated several covers for TIME Magazine, one of which resides in the Smithsonian Institution. Miggs has designed hundreds of award-winning logos, websites and print material for global companies as well as non-profit organizations. He has recently won acclaim for his work with lenticular imagery, which has been exhibited in several one-man shows and is held in several private collections. Miggs graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from Carnegie-Mellon University and has taught graphic design at Fairfield University and UCONN.

As part of the healing process after his divorce in 1995, Miggs compiled a list of “What if” questions, which are now creating a sensation in book form.

Visit his blog at http://www.whatifthisbookcouldchangeyourlife.com/

The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo

by:  Jo Nesbo
published by:  Knopf
publish date:  May 21, 2013

Christmas shoppers stop to hear a Salvation Army concert on a crowded Oslo street. A gunshot cuts through the music and the bitter cold: one of the singers falls dead, shot in the head at point-blank range. Harry Hole—the Oslo Police Department’s best investigator and worst civil servant—has little to work with: no suspect, no weapon, and no motive. But Harry’s troubles will multiply. As the search closes in, the killer becomes increasingly desperate, and Harry’s chase takes him to the most forbidden corners of the former Yugoslavia. 

Long time readers of this blog probably know that I'm a huge fan of Jo Nesbo.  I've listened to the audiobooks for all of his books that are available in the US.  All of the Harry Hole series had been read by Robin Sachs, who did an excellent job.  Mr. Sachs died unexpectedly in February.  I had hoped that this book had been recorded before his death, but sadly it had not.  So, this book was read by John Lee.  Initially, when I tried to listen to it, it wasn't working for me.  I took a break and gave it another shot.

On one hand, I liked this book because Harry wasn't dealing with his demons as much.  He seemed to have his drinking and addictions under control.  Also, Rakel didn't have the same amount of sway over him as she did before.  So those were the things that made me happy about this book.  The things that kinda made me sad about this book, were the not so interesting mystery and the beginning of that formulaic feel.  There comes a time to say goodbye to old friends and make new ones.  I'm starting to wonder if that time has come for the Harry Hole series.  I would definitely welcome some stand alone books by Jo Nesbo.

Review: The Lady Most Willing by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, & Connie Brockway

Authors: Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, Connie Brockway
Publisher: Avon Books
Date of publication: December 2012

During their annual Christmas pilgrimage to Scotland to visit their aged uncle in his decrepit castle, the Comte de Rocheforte and his cousin, Earl of Oakley, are presented with unique gifts: their uncle has raided an English lord's Christmas party and kidnapped four lovely would-be brides for his heirs to choose from ...as well as one very angry duke, Lord Bretton. As snow isolates the castle, and as hours grow into days, the most honourable intentions give away to temptations as surprising as they are irresistible.

The Lady Most Willing is the second collaborative novel from these three great romantic writers.  Each writer dealt with a different couple, but within the same story.  The transitions between writers were seamless, yet each author brought her unique style to their section.  

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  Who doesn't love a story that features, not one, but three love at first sight stories? Over the days that the couples are stranded in the castle together, they find love where they least expect it.  They also learn that appearances and first impressions aren't always accurate.

Out of all the couples, I love Catriona and Brett the most.  Probably because they are the most unlikely couple.  They just meshed well together and were very amusing.  The caber scene was a real laugh out loud moment.  Robin and Cecily were the most heart-wrenching couple.  I didn't like Fiona and Byron much.  If there was ever a case of no communication, it would be this couple.  The one thing that I did wish for was to see how the bonus couple (I'll keep that one a secret) end up together.  I would have loved to see that scene!

I hope these three ladies wrote another novel together.  I know it will prove to be an amusing and romantic read!

Interview & Review: Mountain Charm by Sydney Logan

Enjoy our interview with author Sydney Logan.  She is promoting her book Mountain Charm.

Publishher: TWCS Publishing House
Date of publication: July 2013

At the age of thirteen, Angelina Clark followed in the footsteps of her ancestors by casting an Appalachian love spell, which promised she would blossom into a beautiful and gifted woman who would find her true love. A young Angelina had been thrilled to participate in the sacred ritual, but through the years, her father’s untimely death and her mother’s failing health have shaken Angelina’s magical faith to its core. As her twenty-first birthday approaches, she refuses to practice her supernatural gifts and no longer believes in the love charm.

That is, until Dylan Thomas arrives on her front porch.

My thoughts:

I really enjoyed Mountain Charm.  It's a very sweet romance between two people who deserve happiness.  When Dylan meets Angelina for the first time, it is pretty much love at first sight for him.  It takes Angelina a bit longer to be convinced that his feelings are true and not a result of the love charm she cast when she was 13.  Even though they feel a pull from the start, they do take a while to get to know each other.  As she gets to know him, Angelina begins to realize that she can let love into her heart and not everyone goes away.  She also learns to finally embrace her gift of healing.  I loved their HEA.  I also loved the epilogue.  This is a pretty quick read and definitely one you should check out!

Kari& Autumn: What inspired you to become a writer?

Sydney: Probably my love of music.  Growing up, I was always writing songs, poems, and short stories.  I started writing online about four years ago, and one of my readers happened to work for a publisher.  She asked if I’d ever considered writing original fiction.  The rest is history!

Kari& Autumn: Where do you come up with the ideas for your books?
Sydney: I’m inspired by so many things, but usually its music or people.  I like to write about relationships, whether it’s a romantic relationship or the bond between a parent and a child.

Kari& Autumn: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?
Sydney: I’m putting the finishing touches on a short story that I hope to release this summer and working on my third novel.

Kari& Autumn: Who is your favorite literary character and why?
Sydney: I love Hermione Granger. She was smart, tough, and loyal, and I really want one of her Time Turners. I need way more hours in the day!

Kari& Autumn: Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?
Sydney: I would love to be a giraffe. Oh, to be tall.

About the author:

Sydney Logan is an Amazon bestselling author and holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. With the 2012 release of her first novel, Lessons Learned, she made the transition from bookworm to Romantic Interludes compilation. When she isn't reading or writing, she enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her front porch at her home in East Tennessee with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.
author. Sydney has a very unhealthy obsession with music, and her iPod is filled with everything from Johnny Cash to Eminem. She is also the author of two short stories: “Mistletoe Magic,” available exclusively on Amazon Kindle, and “Stupid Cupid,” which is featured in the
Her second novel, Mountain Charm, is slated for a summer 2013 release.

Visit Sydney’s website at www.sydneylogan.com.

Buying link: http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/91

Black Caesar: The Rise and Disappearance of Frank Matthews, Kingpin by Ron Chepesiuk

Black Caesar: The Rise and Disappearance of Frank Matthews, Kingpin

by Ron Chepesiuk

Giveaway details: Want to win an ecopy of the book?  jsut leave a comment below with a valid e-mail to engter.  The giveaway will close 8/8. Good luck!

Book Details:

Genre:  True Crime Published by: Strategic Media Books Publication Date: June 1, 2013 Number of Pages: 210 ISBN: 098524401 // 978-0985244019 Purchase Links:

Synopsis:

In 1973, 29-year old Frank Matthews jumped bail and disappeared with 15-20 million and beautiful mistress and has never been seen again. The book chronicles the meteoric rise and fall of Frank Matthews, history's biggest African American drug dealer and one of history's biggest manhunts to apprehend him.

My thoughts:

When I was presented with this book for review, I was immediately intrigued. I wasn't disappointed.  The book was very interesting.  Even though not a lot of details are clear about Frank Matthews life and disappearance, the author did a great job of presenting a pretty good picture of how Frank became one of the largest drug runners in the US.  I thought the investigation and take down was pretty cool.  Even on a shoe string budget, the investigators involved were able to put together a pretty solid case.  They were also able to close down his operation. 

Frank Matthews was reported to be a generous man with money.  The thing that struck me about this whole situation was that not one person who was interview expressed regret that the money they took from Frank came from the sale of cocaine.  Even the children's tutor expressed regret that he was losing his job after Frank was arrested.  That had me shaking my head. 

 What happened to Frank Matthews?  I don't think we will ever know. The authorities have been searching for 40 years with no clues.  The author gives a pretty good argument that he is probably dead.  I'm inclined to agree.  Read the book and decide for yourself.

Read an excerpt:

Prologue

Jumping Bail

“Mr. Deary, am I going to get that life count they've been talking about?”

Frank Matthews

JULY 2, 1973—a typical hot, muggy day in New York City. Frank Matthews, alleged drug kingpin, is scheduled to appear in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York. He is already facing six charges of drug trafficking and conspiracy, but the new indictment will add charges and supersede the first one. On December 20, 1972, federal prosecutors swore out a warrant for Matthews’ arrest, accusing him of possessing 15 kilos of cocaine worth an estimated $3.6 million at street prices. About two weeks later, the authorities finally arrested Matthews in Las Vegas, one of his favorite haunts, as he prepared to leave the city and fly to Los Angeles for the Super Bowl VII game between the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins. After being extradited from Las Vegas to New York City, Matthews had managed to secure bail despite the claim of the federal government that he is the U.S.’s biggest drug trafficker. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials who investigated the Matthews organization considered the bail of $325,000 a bad joke, and they worried that Matthews would skip town. After all, investigators had evidence that Matthews may be been quietly stashing $1 million a month for the past several months. So why, they wondered, would the drug kingpin be doing that unless he was preparing for his imminent flight? All Matthews had to do to meet the bond requirements was to report regularly to the U.S. Attorney’s office and stay within the jurisdiction of the Eastern District of New York. Being short of manpower, law enforcement had no way of keeping tabs on Matthews. The suspect’s attitude and demeanor reinforced the authorities concern. The charismatic and handsome Matthews swaggered into the federal courthouse and greeting everyone he met with a broad smile and a friendly nod, while flirting with the ladies. Law enforcement officials could only look on and marvel. “Frank looked and acted like the King of New York City,“ said Ray Deary, the Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District who had served in the Appeals Division since 1971. “He walked around our turf like he owned it.” Deary was right. Frank Matthews is no ordinary criminal. On the mean streets of the urban jungles of America Matthews’ exploits have earned him the moniker of “Black Caesar.” He is charismatic as well as dangerous and even his adversaries, the authorities, have a grudging respect for him. Matthews seemingly unconcern about the serious charges that could put him in jail for several decades baffled the authorities. They could not tail him, but they had received reports that Matthews has been conducting business with his associates even before securing bail. Sources within the West Street Detention Center, where Matthews had been detained after his arrest, observed that top lieutenants of his organization, as well as his lawyer, Gino Gallina, were visiting him frequently, and it seemed to the sources that Matthews was giving instructions and orders. After his release on bond, Black Caesar was seen in the company of several leading drug dealers and gamblers. Moreover, Matthews was in the constant company of Cheryl Denise Brown, a beautiful light skinned black woman who turned heads wherever she went. It should have been an embarrassment to the alleged drug kingpin since he had a common law wife, Barbara Hinton, and three kids waiting for him at home. But Hinton, herself an attractive woman, did not seem to be bothered or embarrassed by Matthews’ apparent public infidelity, even after the family was forced to leave their luxurious surroundings for a more modest apartment at 2785 Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. In better days, Matthews had used the Ocean Parkway apartment as a getaway and a place to stash his many paramours. In their effort to nail Matthews, prosecutors hauled Hinton before a grand jury, offering her immunity if she would cooperate with their case against her husband. Hinton refused, even though she faced a possible conspiracy charge herself. Then a few days before his scheduled court appearance, Matthews arrived in the Brooklyn federal court building with his lawyer, Gino Gallina when he bumped into Federal Prosecutor Raymond Deary as Deary was leaving a room. Matthews said to Deary, “Mr. Deary, am I gonna get that life count they been talking about?” Matthews was referring to part of section 848 of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970: “Any person who engages in a continuing criminal enterprise shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment which may not be less than 20 years and which may be up to life imprisonment.” The thought of Section 848 terrified many traffickers because they feared that, if convicted under the statue, they would spend the rest of their lives in prison. Deary looked at Matthews and said, “It’s very possible Frank….very possible.” Later, Deary said he was joking, but for Matthews, spending his life in jail was no joking matter. “Frank knew what the 848 could do to him,” recalled Liddy Jones, a former drug kingpin and an associate of Matthews. “No way was he going to spend the rest of his life in jail.” Inside the steamy courthouse on this sweltering July day in 1973, the electric fans whirred as the judge, federal prosecutors and the defense team waited patiently for Frank Matthews to appear. But he never did. Instead, he became a fugitive from justice. In the coming weeks, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the lead agency in the investigation of Frank Matthews, is confident they will apprehend the fugitive. After all, don’t law enforcement officials always get their man? The weeks turned into months and the months into years, and law enforcement did not catch him. The U.S. Marshal Service took over the hunt for Matthews from the DEA. There were alleged sightings of Matthews in more than 50 countries. Cheryl Brown, Matthews’ mistress disappeared the same time he did, and her whereabouts were just as mysterious. No informant stepped forward. No bodies were ever found. No fingerprints were discovered. No solid leads appeared. Nothing. With time, law enforcement moved on to other priorities. New generations of law enforcement officials replace the old guard and they knew little about Matthews. Periodically, Matthews’ story appeared briefly in the press and rekindled speculation. Is he alive or is he dead? The public wondered. But then the reports faded from public consciousness and people focused on other crime stories. What follows is the remarkable story of the legendary Frank Matthews, one of organized crime’s most original gangsters. It is the story of the biggest gangster mystery of all time. It is a story with an improbable beginning and a story with no conclusive ending.

Author Bio:

Ron Chepesiuk is an award-winning author and a publisher, screenwriter and documentary producer and director. He’s a two-time Fulbright Scholar to Bangladesh and Indonesia and a consultant to the History Channel’s Gangland TV series. His books include Sergeant Smack, Gangsters of Harlem, Gangsters of Miami, among others. He is also Executive Producer and co-host of the popular radio show Crime Beat (www.artistfirst.com/crimebeat.htm). For other books by Ron Chepesiuk go to www.strategicmediabooks.com.

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Throwback Thursday: Mercy Street by Mariah Stewart

 

Author: Mariah Stewart
First published in  2008 by Random House

On a balmy spring evening, four high school seniors - three boys and a girl - enter a park in the small Pennsylvania city of Conroy. The next morning, two of the boys are found shot to death, and the girl and the third boy are gone. After three weeks with no leads and no sign of either of the two missing teenagers, the chief of police begins to wonder if they too were victims. But with no other suspects, the authorities conclude that one of these kids was the shooter. The missing boy's grandmother, a secretary at the local parish church, maintains his innocence. On her behalf, the parish priest, Father Kevin Burch, hires former detective Mallory Russo as a private investigator to figure out what happened in the park that night. 

I have to say, I really enjoyed Mercy Street.  It's a good solid mystery with great characters. I listened to the audio book and I found myself not wanting to turn it off.  Mallory Russo is a great character.  She was a good solid cop, who tried to do the right thing and got side-lined in the process.  I felt badly for her as the cops she used to work with made her feel like a pariah.  She is smart and tough.  She and Charlie, her replacement on the police squad, made a great team.  There is also the bonus of a very strong attraction between them.

The mystery of the missing teenagers was very well planned out.  I thought is had a good balance between suspense and action.  There is also the back mystery of what happened to Robert Magellan's family.  It looks like it will be a story arch over the next books in the series.  I have the next one, Cry Mercy in my TBR pile ready to go!