A big thanks to ECW Press and NetGalley who provided this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

This is a dark, crime-fiction novel set in Hamilton, Ontario that tells the story of three morally ambiguous cops and the murder that binds them together.  Woody is the most likeable of the trio who turns his anger at the injustice of the world in on himself.  Damaged, likely from his time in the military, Oswald turns his anger outward and uses vigilante justice to punish criminals at every opportunity.  Dennis, brought up by a single parent father who was over-bearing, misogynistic and critical of his more sensitive son, is constantly out to prove himself to his fellow cops and deludes himself into believing that the only reason he isn’t liked is because he is so good at his job.

Overall, a pretty unlikeable team.  What makes this book interesting however is the subtle connection that each of them has to the murder victim, a fellow officer who was 8 months pregnant at the time of her death.

As a Canadian, I also love stories that are set in Canada so I wish that the story spent a little more time providing more details about the surrounding city as the mystery played out.  Hamilton is an interesting city, the ninth largest in Canada and the producer of sixty percent of Canada’s steel.  Canada’s version of “steel town" has been the focus of much redevelopment in the recent past with new building in the downtown core generating an interesting and vibrant mix of artistic and blue collar.

The story was fast-paced, the writing good and as I note above, the mystery kept me engaged.  The ending felt a bit rushed to me and while the characters were difficult to like, I cared enough about them to want to know “what happens next” with each of them.

I received a copy of this paperback from Pen & Sword History and I freely chose to review the book.

This is another great book by Pen & Sword that are quickly becoming one of my favourite publishing companies for non-fiction books.

This small volume is packed with information. After a brief introduction that sets the Regency period, particularly how life was for women at the time, the book discusses the lives of twelve women who played an important role in the UK during that period. As the author comments, they were not the only women of note at the time, but they did make a significant difference to Britain, and a difference that survives to this day. They come from all walks of life, their professions or interests are diverse, some were married and had children but half of them never married, and I must confess that although I knew some of them, I had never heard of the others. And I learned a great deal by reading this book even about the ones I was somewhat familiar with.

By now, you must be wondering who these twelve women are.

Chapter 1 is dedicated to Eleanor Coade, whom the author calls ‘the king’s stone maker’, a business woman who took charge of the artificial stone manufactory that bore her name and was very good at creating a high quality product and also at marketing. I had never realised that many of the statues, garden sculptures, and facades of buildings I have visited were made using her stone.

Chapter 2 introduces us to Caroline Herschel, who always keen to assist her brother, became an astronomer of note in her own right (and she discovered many comets).

Sarah Siddons, the actress that lifted the reputation of actresses and well known for her tragic roles, is discussed in chapter 3.

Marie Tussaud, of Madame Tussaud’s fame, is the subject of chapter 4. And although I was familiar with the wax museum, I discovered I didn’t know much about this fascinating woman.

Chapter 5 is dedicated to Mary Parminter, mountaineer, traveller, and benefactress to other women.

Writer and mother of historical fiction Maria Edgeworth is discussed in chapter 6.

In chapter 7 we learn about Jane Marcet, a woman so eager to learn and to help others learn, that she wrote the chemistry for dummies of the period, so that women and people who had not had access to much formal education could understand the subject. She used the format of a dialogue between female students and teacher and also provided examples of experiments that could easily be done at home. Faraday gave her credit for his early steps in science and she was very well regarded and a best-seller of the time.

Chapter 8 is taken up by Sarah Guppy, who was an amateur engineer and although did not always get credit for her inventions she truly deserves to be in this book.

Jane Austen is the subject of chapter 9. Although she died during the period, the author chose to include her. She is probably the most famous woman in the book, and the one I knew more about, but I learned some new things and her chapter is a good introduction to readers who are not familiar with her life, works, and period.

Harriot Mellon had an awful childhood but she went on to become and actress and eventually a banker, and her private bank exists to this day. And her legacy, that found its way into many charitable causes, has also endured.

Elizabeth Fry is perhaps best known for having been on the back of the £5 note for a while. I read about her when I studied Criminology, as she was a big prison reformer, but I did not know about her role in creating a training school for nurses well before Florence Nightingale, and her life is fascinating. She was a truly passionate and generous woman, always devoted to improving the lives of others.

The last woman the author chooses to include is Mary Anning. She was from humble origins but became a great fossilist and her fossils are still on display in many museums today.

Knowles has chosen a fantastic group of women to write about. Her writing style is fluid, easy to follow, and includes both information about the personal lives of these women and about their contributions to the period. These brief biographical chapters are a good introduction to anybody who wants to get some idea about what women’s lives were like at the time, whilst at the same time providing a glimpse into what made these twelve women extraordinary. Their intelligence, their determination, and their passion shine through in those few pages. I must confess I would be happy to read a whole book on any and all of these women.

I recommend this book to anybody interested in women’s history or looking for an introduction into the Regency Period that looks more closely at the role women played. It is a gripping read and I hope it will go some way to help these women get the attention they deserve.

This great story, Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles, is a lively tale about an emu named Edward. Edward lives in a zoo and overhears many spectators say that the seals, lions, and the snakes are the best, most loved, animals in the zoo. Edward becomes heart broken and travels to each of these cages in hope to become the most appreciated and loved animal. While in the snakes cage, he hears that the emu is the best of all and decides to return to his pin. Upon arriving back, something startles him but to find out you'll have to read the rest! Edward is a great character and portrays the "grass is greener on the other side" idea very well. This entire story is rhyming and has a great natural rhythm while reading. I could see myself using this text to compare and contrast different animals using a vinn diagram. Students could compare and contrast Edward and one of their favorite animals at the zoo or even an animal in the text. This story has an AR level of 3.6. 

See my full review and more at Mystereity Reviews

PI Cliff Knowles, a former FBI special agent, is hired by Xlectrix to investigate several incidents with their latest cancer radiation machine, the Lilac 4. After several patients receive an overdose of radiation, including two who later died, the company is concerned that someone has done the impossible and figured out how to hack the machines - which were engineered to be tamper-proof. When his investigation leads to threats on his life, Cliff finds himself in a race against time to track down a vindictive and sadistic man bent on revenge.

Fatal Dose is a great read, with a chilling plot that touches on a primal fear everyone can relate to; being very sick, very scared, and the vulnerability of being at the mercy of a machine - or, even more frightening, having your child at the mercy of a machine. Eek!

The exciting plot had several cases seemingly unconnected to each other that were woven seamlessly in the story; the shooting of a police officer, a bank robbery, a Jewish center bombing, and the x-ray machine sabotage. I love watching the cases unfold; although there's a lot going on, it's very easy to follow and the quick pace keeps the story moving right up to the exciting and grimly satisfying ending.

Having already read Behead Me, a later book in this series, I liked seeing how Cliff and future wife Ellen first met, and their geocaching adventure with Ellen's niece, Ashley added a fun and heartwarming moment lightened the book considerably. Very cute!

Overall, Fatal Dose is a chilling and terrifyingly realistic thriller that will stay with you for a very long time. This is a must read series for fans of thrillers and procedurals, and especially geocachers.

See this and all of my reviews at Mystereity Reviews

Retired FBI agent Cliff Knowles is hired by a company to investigate possible theft of proprietary industrial plans, an investigation that leads him to shady business dealings, danger, and even murder.

Before you ask, Behead Me refers to a word puzzle. No blood and guts here, Behead Me is an engaging and absorbing mystery that will quickly draw you in and keep you turning pages. Cliff is an unflappable investigator, and I enjoyed how his methodology was neatly laid out. This wasn't one of those super-cop-hunches kind of solves, it was a realistic procedural, and I really enjoyed how Cliff ferreted out the smallest details and connected them to another case, and the presidential pardon sub-plot was heartwarming and added some human dimension to the story. Cliff's geo-caching adventure in the desert and the high speed chase at the end added a lot of action kept me on the edge of my seat.

I haven't read the other books in the series, so I can safely say that this book can be read as a standalone, or as an entry into the series. The few references to prior books were minor and didn't cause any confusion.

Overall, Behead Me is an intriguing and fascinating read and I definitely recommend it for fans of mysteries and procedurals.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review