In my previous post, I talked about the first 3 books in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series.
In this post, I want to continue from where I left off and present to you Books 4 through 6 in this amazing series. And here they are!
You Won’t Know How… Or When
I love the clerical sleuth genre. There’s something about a man or woman of faith matching wits with a murderer. That combination elevates the moral nature of the detective story.
James Callan’s Father Frank has never been to the Texas Hill Country and hasn’t had a vacation in 4 years. When he decides to visit his friend, Father Lee, in Magnolia Bluff, that’s when the fun begins.
Here’s what one reader thought:
…an exciting, well plotted mystery. Father Frank takes a vacation to Magnolia Bluff and finds himself hearing confessions for his friend.
Bound not to reveal anything he has learned in the confessional, Father Frank has to find a way to stop the potential killer and save his friend’s life - some vacation!
I was fascinated, as well as intrigued and engaged, watching Father Frank stay true to his vows while being determined to save both his friend and the potential killer.
The Flower Enigma
A techno-thriller in Magnolia Bluff? Well, why not? Our favorite town is connected to the internet. And is not immune to other upsets to rural tranquility. Breakfield and Burkey take those two facts and spin us a suspense-filled yarn.
A review from Amazon that captures what this installment in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles is all about:
JJ and Jo are finally taking a much-needed vacation and choose a small Texas town to decompress and enjoy stepping back from their fast-paced lives.
Jo is a celebrated fashion model, and JJ spends his days bringing down cybercriminals. No chance of having to deal with publicity or technology hacks at the quaint bed and breakfast in Magnolia Bluff.
And yet, when they arrive, JJ is immediately sucked into helping a group of ladies who are under a cyber attack meant to prevent their daily podcasts from being streamed.
From that starting point, the plot thickens and gets more and more complex. The young lovers willingly sacrifice their vacation not only to save the ladies' podcasts but also to help break up a human trafficking ring.
The mystery surrounding the newest resident of Magnolia Bluff, who erected an eight-foot wall around his ranch, deepens with each page of the book.
The characters in this story are believable. Lily, the owner of the B&B, became one of my favorites. She caters to her customers but stands her ground when threatened.
I love the small-town setting where everyone knows everyone. Having lived in a small town for many years, I related to the setting. I enjoyed how the authors added a unique Texas flair to the story through the cuisine and descriptive settings.
The Shine From A Girl In The Lake
Richard Schwindt is one of my favorite authors. In fact, I think he is one of the finest storytellers spinning yarns today.
His books are highly imaginative. Poignant. Often hilariously funny. His prose is imbued with a sense of place. He makes you feel you are there.
And all those elements come together to make The Shine from a Girl in the Lake one heck of a mystery-thriller.
Dr. Michael Kurelek teaches psychology at Burnet College in Magnolia Bluff. He also has his own private practice. He’s a man with a past looking for a new start in the small Texas town. Then one of his patients is found dead. In Burnet Reservoir.
When another patient ends up in the lake, Kurelek is driven to find the real killer before the police decide they are convinced he did it. The game is afoot. And it is a suspense-filled game of hunter and hunted. The ending had me biting my nails. Seriously.
The Shine from a Girl in the Lake is the perfect blending of classic whodunit and serial killer thriller. A fabulous book from the pen of one of the most imaginative writers working today.
There you have it: three more fabulous books set in beautiful Magnolia Bluff. You can get them and the rest of the series on Amazon.
Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!
CW Hawes is a playwright, award-winning poet, and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.
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