Reviewed By Liz

Today’s featured author is Ed Lynskey, a crime fiction writer and poet living near Washington, D.C. His first two books are mysteries featuring his PI Frank Johnson: THE DIRT-BROWN DERBY (Mundania Press, 2006) and THE BLUE CHEER (Point Blank/Wildside Press, 2007). Two sequels include PELHAM FELL HERE (Mundania Press, 2007) will be available later this year.

THE BLUE CHEER: P.I. Frank Johnson has moved to Scarab, West Virginia, drawn by the promise of lazy days and the lure of its tranquil mountains. What he finds instead is a Stinger rocket exploding over his back yard. His ensuing investigation uncovers a cult called the Blue Cheer, a racist group with ugly terrorist plans. As events heat up, blood starts to spill, and for Frank it all gets real personal real quick. With the help of his bounty hunter pal, he sets out to bring the Blue Cheer to justice — any way he can!

THE DIRT-BROWN DERBY: PI Frank Johnson is hired by Mary Taliaferro, a wealthy aristocrat owning a horse estate near Middleburg, Virginia. Mary’s teen-age daughter Emily has died in a riding tragedy. The local law enforcement says it’s an accident. Mary thinks it’s murder.

Frank is broke and the money Mary offers is too good to pass up, but his case quickly becomes more complicated when the stable manager is murdered one day after he starts his investigation. Frank soon discovers that there is much more going on here, and he is determined to get to the truth, even if it kills him!

You can find Ed on the internet at his publisher’s author web page which includes cover art, cover blurbs, synopsis, author bio, and ordering information. www.oivas.com/pointblank/bluecheer.html.

If you haven’t signed up for the Summer Mystery Reading Challenge yet, click here for directions. You are welcome to read along on your own, of course, but only registered participants are eligible for the prizes. No matter what your mystery preference - cozy, noir, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, thriller, suspense - we have it on revewiedbyliz this Summer.

If you would like to comment on a book by a featured author or ask them a question, please leave the comment on their daily page so they can find it easily. Comments about what you are reading, books you have finished, requests for readalikes or recommendations, or mystery related links can be made on the SMRC post for that day so we can all see them. Thanks!

Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007

For those of you who are just joining us, the Big Numbers World Tour is a special series written by author Jack Getze. We read, enjoyed, and reviewed Jack’s first book, BIG NUMBERS, and were fascinated by his story. It took Jack 37 years and 10 rejected manuscripts to get his first book published - and you just have to admire that kind of persistence. So we asked this triumphant author to send us updates from the road as he is promoting his book, and speaking at conferences. Jack is currently “resting and relaxing” at the Jersey Shore and will be back “on the bus” in September.

Also, rumor has it, that Austin Carr that unsinkable stockbroker of BIG NUMBERS fame has started his own blog: THE CRIMES OF AUSTIN CARR Don’t miss it!

THE JERSEY SHORE (JULY 31) — The sun shines, waves crash, crowds of kids squeal with pleasure, and my wife wants to know where I’m taking her for dinner tonight.

“We haven’t been to Mister C’s in a while,” she says.

I nod and check my cell phone. I thought for sure my agent would have called back by now.

“Or how about Doris and Ed’s?” my wife says. “You love those big lobsters.”

“Whatever you like, Toots,” I say. “Anywhere is okay as long as I don’t lose my telephone signal.”

My wife kicks sand on my leg. Like most of me, my limbs are a dark golden tan.

“I thought you were taking a break from all promotional activities?” she says. “You’re just as obsessed with this as you were in June.”

Maybe I should call my agent again. She might have tried and failed to reach me. It’s not like her to duck me like this.

“Obsessed?” I say. “I’m trying to start a business, build a career. It takes a lot of time and effort.”

My wife shakes her head and picks up her book. I don’t know what she’s reading, but it’s not Big Numbers.

“Summer’s going fast,” she says. She flips a page. “You should be relaxing and enjoying yourself.”

I check the cell phone again. What the heck is my agent doing?

“I’m enjoying myself,” I say. “Have I missed one sunny day at the beach this whole month?”

Without looking up, my wife says, “Two hours on the beach with your cell phone, your laptop, and a messenger service waiting in the parking lot…that is not relaxing.”

As I shrug off my wife’s comment, the cell rings. It’s my agent. Thank goodness.

“Hey, Grace,” I say. “Did you talk to Oprah?”

Silence. I begin to wonder if the connection’s broken. Finally, my agent says, “Forget Oprah, will you? I couldn’t get James Patterson on the Oprah Show. She doesn’t do mysteries or any other genre stuff.”

“Oh, yeah? How about that James Frey guy? That was a horror novel, wasn’t it?”

“Jack…”

“How about if I checked myself into rehab with all those celebrities?”

Grace laughs. “Not a bad idea. Especially if you can find a place that treats obsessive, first-time authors.”

I take a deep breath. “You were the one who told me I had promote my book, Grace. You said if I don’t do it, no one will, that no one can sell a book as well as its author.”

“That’s true, honey, but I think you’re going overboard. This obsession with Oprah…this latest marketing plan of yours.”

“You got my message then?”

“Oh, I got it. That’s why I’m calling. I think you need more rest. I mean, you CAN’T be serious about going door to door.”

“Why not? I’m only talking about the state of New Jersey.”

Read all the entries in the 2007 Big Numbers World Tour and our review.

Get your copy of Big Numbers from Amazon!

Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007