Book reviews

Review of Don't Be A Stranger

https://rhiwsider.wordpress.com/2015/12/27/65/

AJ WINTERS (2014) - A VALERIE INKERMAN MYSTERY.

What you will notice straight away

What you will notice straight away (assuming you get the same version as me) is there is no Table of Contents. Funny old thing but that list is at the end of the story???? However here is more pressing news to deliver.

Review

"The party was just getting started." Just enough of a hook to look beyond the start. Don't Be A Stranger is a great little story with a female sleuth at it's centre.

Characters

The detectives: Valerie Inkerman PI; Detective Sara Rodriguez, NYPD; Sammy (policeman); Detective Eloise Hartley, Lieutenants Browner and Geller.

The victim: Esme Lindl, lawyer.

The suspects: Carly Bilson (party host); Laurence Lindl (Esme's father); Jerry Spilatro (Esme friend and defence); Kyle Spilatro (Jerry's father); Michelle Lindl, Leo Moskovitz (ex-colleague), Kevin (Esme's ex-); Gloria (friend of Michelle); Koko (friend of Michelle); Darren xxx (step-brother of Esme/Jerry/Michelle); Alan Peterman (Esme's boss); Lisa (fried of Valerie); Mellissa Bosley (friend of Valerie, engaged to Edgar); Remy (club promoter); Danny Ford (Esme's colleague); Veronica Bates (Esme's caseload); Winona xxx (Esme's colleague); Veronica Bates (Esme's caseload); Kimberley xxx (friend of Esme); Stephanie (friend of Esme); Edgar (Eddie) Martinez (Esme's boyfriend); Anita Lowe (Jerry's alibi);

... and a legion of others.

Story

Valerie Inkerman is a newbie PI without a major success to her bow. She bowed out of her last HR job but things are so slow she is picking up some extra cash waiting at a party for Carly Bilson. Jerry Spilatro (auditioning and out of work actor, also Val's roommate and cook) is at the party as is Esme Lindl and some ex-colleagues (Lisa and Mellie) from the ex-HR job. In between circulating, looking out for Jerry and talking to her friends, Esme Lindl was shot in an upper room.

Most of the guests leave before the police arrive

At the time of the shooting Jerry was upstairs getting friendly with a married woman in a closet. Unfortunately, the closet was in the same bedroom and where Esme is shot. Jerry becomes the main suspect when he refuses to tell the police whom he was with.

Jerry is taken in by the police but released on bail thanks to his family's lawyer. Kyle Spilatro, Jerry's father, turns up and retains Val to solve the murder and keep his son out of jail.

What follows is death by interview as Valerie looks into Esme's life, family, work and her love life. The drop-dead step-brother and her ever so secret boyfriend. The super inquisitive ex-colleagues keep getting in her way too. Jerry and Val join forces and get things done.

In a story where greed and lust are at the fore it's a surprise to find out who is the murderer. The ending has a nice conclusion too, setting the reader up for more of the same to come.

Observations

Do policemen use the words 'fatal ballistic trauma?' Died from her wounds or the simplistic she been shot would surely do.

When the first detective arrives she has two lieutenants to toss the apartment's rooms. Seems a bit heavy to use lieutenants for such an everyday task?

Odd things stood out in the text like commas before the word 'but' as in ', but.' I've always thought of 'but' as an alternative to a comma. It's odd to see them together.

Lieutenant Geller is also referred to Detective Geller at one point.

There is a chapter where Jerry and Val check out Darren's alibi. A whole chapter of its was a whole chapter too much as it didn't reveal anything new and didn't therefore add to the story.

Conclusion

It's a natty little mystery that will keep you entertained and I for one would read it again at a later date. The PIs get their man, the case is solved hurrah!

So is it a good read?

Yes, it is. I took a couple of days to read it and when I went back to do the review I enjoyed reading it again. 5 out of 5 stars.