Get Gribnitz by Howard Gimple Blog Tour Book Review

 

GET GRIBNITZ

by Howard Gimple

June 29 - July 24, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Howard Gimple, master of the comedy thriller, takes on the world of advertising in his funniest, snarkiest, most entertainingly irreverent book yet.

Stew Gribnitz is a brilliant advertising copywriter with impulse control issues, an utter disdain for authority, and an unresolved demi-Oedipal complex (he’d like to murder his father but has no sexual designs on his mother). When the first act of his new creative director is to dump our hero’s best work into a garbage bin, Stew’s immediate impulse (which, of course, he can’t control) is to do unspeakable things to his new boss’s necktie while he’s still wearing it.

The next day, when the necktie guy is found brutally murdered, Stew is brought in for questioning by the NYPD. He’s released thanks to an air-tight alibi, but not before his face is emblazoned on the cover of the New York tabloids, declaring him to be a cross between Son of Sam and Jack the Ripper. Stew becomes a Madison Avenue untouchable and a New York City pariah, except to his father who declares that seeing his son on the front page of his favorite paper is the first time that Stew has ever done anything to make him proud.

Stew gets a gig as a part-time advertising consultant to a billionaire publisher running for Governor of Connecticut who’s twenty points behind in the polls. When the publisher’s private plane does a nosedive into Long Island Sound, Stew is the only one who knows that his deceased client had been receiving death threats from his opponent, a former FBI agent whose brother is a mob enforcer.

Stew is convinced he’ll be the next victim and the authorities are convinced he’s a multiple murderer. The only way to clear his name is to find the real killer or killers, a task, well beyond his skill set, made even more difficult because the FBI, the NYPD, several suburban police jurisdictions and a homicidal hitwoman are all out to GET GRIBNITZ.

Praise for Get Gribnitz:

"...the perfect mystery novel"
~ Readers' Favorite

"…a deliciously entertaining, fun, and exciting read from cover to cover."
~ The Mystery Review Crew

My Review:

This is one gritty novel. Gribnitz is a very untypical hero. He is good at his job but his character is something else. His temper is over the top and there is a great deal of yelling and screaming going on. Gribnitz does become the amateur sleuth in this novel and he completes somewhat of a bumbling investigation. He always seems to be in the wrong spot at the right time and is suspected of murder frequently. Thankfully, he has a couple friends who stick by his side, often helping him out of hopeless situations. He survives them all, right down to the surprising and nearly unbelievable twist near the end. There is lots of humor in this novel, much of it going right over my head while what I did recognize was frequently crude. I did learn some about pool and the many ways to play the game as well as about the advertising world.

This is a novel for readers who like a gritty one, don't mind crude humor, and are up for cheering on a well intentioned but bumbling amateur sleuth.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

Book Details:

Genre: Mystromedy
Published by: Mystromedy Books
Publication Date: July 1, 2024
Number of Pages: 348
ISBN: 9798990761575
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub

Read an excerpt:

On my way to the house I’m hoping Moish isn’t home. But as soon as I walk in there he is, standing in the living room, holding the Post in one hand and the News in the other.

I gird myself for what’s coming. “So I guess you read about me in the paper.”

His smile gets broader. “You bet I did.”

“It was all a huge misunderstanding. Believe it or not, you’re my alibi. I was here with you last night when it happened.”

He sticks his thumb in the air. “Of course you were. I’ll back you up a hundred percent. Just tell me what time I was supposed to be here and I’ll swear on a pile of Bibles.” He winks at me. “Old Testament, of course.”

“No, really.”

He shakes his head. “This is better. We were here together all night, playing pinochle. Wait a minute, you never learned to play pinochle. How about gin rummy? You know how to play gin rummy. Of course you do. Any moron can play gin rummy.”

“Pop, listen to me. We don’t have to make up a story. If it ever comes up, just tell the truth.”

“Okay, son,” he says, still grinning. “Whatever you say. But I still think the gin rummy routine is the way to go.”

Son? He never calls me son. Putz, schmendrick or shmuck with earlaps, which for my father is the absolute worst thing you can be, are his usual terms of endearment for me, but son? Never.

Since my mother died, giving me a hard time has become my father’s favorite pastime. Even more than playing cards or going to the track. After forty-five years of arguing with her, he needed someone else to yell at. Not that he didn’t yell at me when she was alive, it’s just that she was his number-one target. She told me that he never means anything by it. She used to say, “When he gets quiet, that’s when you have to worry. As long as he’s yelling, everything’s fine.”

That’s why I’m so confused. Here’s the perfect chance for him to tell me what a shmuck I am for getting myself into this mess, instead he’s kvelling like I just won the Nobel Prize.

“You did see the paper, didn’t you?”

“Of course. I bought extra copies. I’m gonna hand them out to everyone at the track.”

“And you’re not upset?”

“Upset?” He puffs out his chest. “I’ve never been prouder.”

“But everyone thinks I’m a cold-blooded murderer.”

“I know.” There’s that grin again. “It’s terrific.”

“I don’t get it.”

“What’s to get? You finally made a name for yourself. Made it to the front page. The page that’s usually reserved for presidents, governors and generals. And now my boy is right up there with them.”

“They made me look like a homicidal maniac. It’s not the same.”

“You’re right. It’s better.”

At this point I don’t know what to say, so I just stand there with my mouth open.

“You know where I grew up, right?”

I nod. “Yeah. Brownsville. Chester Street, right?”

“You know my mother had a chicken market around the corner on Dumont Avenue?”

“Of course. You told me that story a hundred times. They called her the Chicken Lady. She made you get up at five in the morning to pluck chickens before you went to school. Made you come back before you went to bed to sweep up.”

“She was a hard woman, my mother. She had to be. After that goddamn flu killed my father, she had three babies to feed. But that doesn’t matter now.” His eyes start to twinkle. And Moish wasn’t usually a twinkler. “Do you know what was down the street from my mother’s store?”

I shrug.

“Rosie Gold’s candy store.”

“Okaaaaay?”

“You know who hung around Rosie’s?”

“Not a clue.”

He puffs out his chest. I’m thinking it’s gonna be some old-time Jewish sports hero like Kingfish Levinsky or Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom.

“Murder, Incorporated. That’s who. The toughest SOBs in the country. And they were all Jews. Louis Lepke, Abe Reles, Buggsy Goldstein. Killers, every one of them. Everybody feared them. The Italians, the Irish, the coloreds. They had class too. Money, women, fancy cars, you name it. When I was a kid, twelve or thirteen, I’d sneak out of my mother’s shop and hang around outside Rosie’s. Those guys loved me. They treated me like I was their little mascot. Their good-luck charm. I’d run errands for them. Bring them cigarettes, drinks, the paper. Whatever they wanted. And they’d throw me a twenty-dollar tip like it was a nickel. You know what that’s worth today? Five hundred dollars. I was a snot-nosed pisher with more money in my pocket than most of the grown men in the neighborhood. In a couple of years I coulda been one of them.”

I don’t know whether to be impressed or aghast. “So what happened?”

He shrugs. “This and that. Reles turned rat. Then he fell out of a hotel window. Pretty soon they were all dead or in jail. The Depression hit. The war happened. I spent five years in the Philippines shooting Japs. And when I came home I married your mother.”

I’m a little taken aback that he puts marrying my mother in the same category as the Second World War and the Great Depression.

“Besides, when your grandmother found out what I was doing, she beat the living crap outta me. Told me if she ever caught me hanging around with those bums again she’d pluck me like one of her chickens.”

“Let me get this straight, your childhood dream was to be a gangster?”

“It was different then, not like the scum-bums you see now. Back then, if you were in the rackets you were somebody, a big shot, a mensch.”

“So seeing my commercials on TV and the awards I won, that all means nothing to you, but having everybody in New York think I’m the Jewish Dillinger, that you’re proud of?”

“It’s not like you’re a senator or governor, but it’s something.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you but I really didn’t do it.”

“Whatever you say.” He pauses for a second. “Listen, do you know Shifty, the bookie from back in our old neighborhood?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“He’s been giving me a hard time. He says I owe him some money but he’s fulla shit.”

“How much money?”

“I dunno, two . . . three hundred.”

“Dollars?”

“No, kishkes. Of course dollars.”

“And you’re sure you don’t owe him the money?”

“Of course I’m sure. You think I wouldn’t remember something like that?”

I don’t say anything.

“He says he’s gonna come over here with some leg breakers and take it if I don’t give it to him. How about you pay him a little visit and convince him to lay off?” He holds up the paper and grins. “He’ll listen to you.”

“Listen, Pop. I’m not a thug. I don’t even play one on TV. There’s no way I’m gonna threaten your bookie or anybody else.”

He shoots me a scornful smirk. “I shoulda known you didn’t have the guts.” He walks to the bathroom. Before he shuts the door he looks at me with disgust and shouts, “Putz!”

***

Excerpt from GET GRIBNITZ by Howard Gimple. Copyright 2026 by Howard Gimple. Reproduced with permission from Howard Gimple. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

I’ve been writing for my supper for most of my adult life. First as a copywriter and creative director for several ad agencies. After I aged out of the advertising business (you’re a dinosaur at 35), I wrote English dialogue for the American releases of Japanese anime cartoons, reviewed movies for a pay-per-view television network, and was the editor of a newsletter for the New York Giants football team. I wrote the lyrics for a song used in the soundtrack of the horror film THE REJUVENATOR as well as the fight song for Stony Brook University, where I was a writer and sports editor for their alumni magazine and taught two classes, Rock and Relevance, about the influence of classic rock on politics and Filthy Shakespeare about the sexy bits of the Bard’s plays and poems that they don’t usually teach. Several of my stories have been featured in Akashic Books’ Mondays are Murder online noir series. I recently finished work on The Garbageman, a documentary about a trash hauler who saved the lives of 50,000 children in underprivileged countries with congenital heart disease. And if you’ve gotten this far on the website, you know about my novels.

After living in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Long Island, I headed west to Glendora, California, with my wife and Goldendoodle.

Catch Up With Howard Gimple:

HowardGimple.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @howardgimple
Facebook - @authorhowardgimple

 

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Get In, Enter, Then GET GRIBNITZ

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I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The Pillagers' Guide to Arctic Pianos by Kendra Langford Shaw

About the Book:

In the far reaches of the Territory of the Arctic, the Spahr family lives on a fjord accessible only by kayak and float plane, in a landscape rapidly changing as glaciers melt and sea levels rise. Their home is Jubilation House, aptly named: they are a family of free spirit and full-hearted love, descendants of the homesteaders who came to this place in a reckless scheme to civilize the Glacial Front. They live off the grid in a converted fisherman's shack, selling pickled octopus and sea crops, barely scraping by. With every day, their livelihood seems ever more precarious.

Then one of their few neighbors dredges up a centuries-old piano, a vestige from the original homesteading expedition, when every family was required to haul a six-hundred-pound instrument as a sign of mannerly society—almost none made it to their final destination. Now, this intricately carved beauty has emerged, perfectly preserved from the frigid Arctic waters, and the antique treasure becomes a priceless collectors’ item. A new economic boom seizes the territory—piano hunting—and the Spahrs throw themselves into the quest with full-throated aplomb. But the costs of their possible salvation soon begin to mount.

My Review:

The unique harsh location of the extreme north sets the stage for this novel. What people would do to survive and thrive is amazing. The importance of family is a strong thread throughout. This is a good novel for readers who like an unusual setting and a focus on the meaning in the generations of life rather than exciting action. The pace is consistent and methodical and many of the characters are quirky. A good book for readers who like a novel a little out of the normal box.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Kendra Langford Shaw holds an MFA from the University of Michigan, and has had fellowships at the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the Vermont Studio Center. Her stories have appeared in the Antioch Review, StoryQuarterly, and The Mid-American Review. Born in Alaska, she is now a City Councilwoman in Billings, Montana, where she lives with her husband and two young children.

Pantheon, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The Vanishers by R G Belsky Blog Tour Book Review

THE VANISHERS

by R. G. Belsky

June 15 - July 10, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Megan Foley knows she saw the little boy. So why does everyone at the perfect seaside house insist he never existed? The house was perfect. That was its first lie.

When Megan and her husband Patrick accept an invitation to spend the summer at a luxurious house share in Stone Beach, Connecticut, everything seems too good to be true. The rent is absurdly low. The host, Mrs. Monahan, is attentive to the point of unease. The other guests are pleasant — until they aren't.

One day, Megan sees a boy, Tommy, playing… and the next, Tommy is simply gone. Not moved. Not spoken of. Erased, as though he never existed. All the other guests at the house look at Megan blankly when she asks.

One by one, the guests succumb to long hours in front of the television in a glassy trance. Patrick grows cold and distant. Something stirs in the attic.

Megan alone seems immune — but for how long? As she begins to doubt herself and the house tightens its hold, she must confront the terrifying truth about Mrs. Monahan, the attic room, and the price of a perfect summer.

A chilling gothic thriller for fans of atmospheric domestic horror — available in Kindle Unlimited.

My Review:

Belsky is a talented author. I have read his mysteries featuring a journalist as an amateur sleuth and liked them so looked forward to trying this different novel from him. I am glad because really like this one too.

I have been interested in unexplained phenomenon and Belsky builds an entertaining novel on that subject. He weaves together a mystery, a tad bit of unbelievable romance and some science fiction. There is a short interlude where documented vanishings are noted, such as the events in the Bermuda Triangle and other less well known disappearances. That gave some weight to the fiction. While it is described as a Gothic thriller, I did not find anything really scary in it.

I recommend this different kind of mystery. The pace is good. The character development is good for Megan but is light on the others, with reason. It is an entertaining novel as Belsky speculates on vanishing humans, all the way to the chilling twist at the end. 

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Book Details:

Genre: Paranormal Gothic Thriller
Published by: dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS
Publication Date: May 7, 2026
Number of Pages: 298
ISBN: 978-1918343335
Book Links: Amazon | KindleUnlimited | Goodreads | dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS

Read an excerpt from The Vanishers:

PROLOGUE

Hudson Lake, Michigan

I know everyone in this diner is looking at me like I’m strange.

Well, I’m sure used to that by now. It wasn’t always that way, of course. I mean I’m blonde-haired, just turned 30 and once – a million years or so ago before the terrible times happened – people said I was pretty. But now I realize that I look old beyond my years. I’ve lost a lot of weight, my face is pale and gaunt and I’m trembling noticeably right now even though it is the first real warm day of spring.

I make my way unsteadily over to a stool at the diner’s counter and sit there quietly, without talking, even when a guy comes over and asks for my order.

“What’ll it be, ma’am?” he smiles.

I stare at him with a confused look on my face. Nothing people say these days - even simple questions like that - seem to make sense to me anymore.

“Ma’am,” he repeats.

“Pardon?”

“My name is Danny. Danny Heller. I own this place. What do you want?”

I think about if for a second, then say: “Do you think I could have some tea?”

“Tea, sure.”

He walks over to the kitchen area, pours a cup and brings it back to me.

“How about something to eat?” he asks. “A sandwich. Some soup. Maybe a nice piece of pie. We got some nice pies today. Apple. Cherry. Lemon meringue.”

“Lemon meringue?”

“Sure. Want a piece?”

I nod. “Yes, that would be nice.”

Danny Heller cuts an extra large slice of the pie, places it onto a plate and carries it back to where I am sitting. I begin eating. Silently and without any emotion. Just like I do everything else now.

“Are you from around here?” he asks.

“No, not from around here.”

What’s your name?

“Uh, I’m Megan…

“Well, I’m glad to meet you, Megan. Are you just visiting around these parts?”

“I’m…,” I hesitate, because it’s painful to say the words., “I’m…looking for a vacation house.”

“Hey we’ve got some good ones. The lake this time of year is one of the prettiest spots in all of Michigan. Or anywhere else, for that matter. Have you looked at many houses?”

“Not here. Other places.”

“You’ve been traveling then?”

“Yes, I’ve been traveling quite a bit.”

The truth is I have been traveling for nearly a year. I started back east, moving from resort town to resort town along the New England coast. When fall came, I started moving down along the coast toward the winter resorts. Miami Beach. The Gold Coast. The Gulf Shore. Then, with the advent of spring, I had come north and inland to look at lake areas. Ohio. Minnesota. And now Michigan.

In all the places, I’ve done the same thing. Gone through ads for house rentals. Checked with real estate brokers. Driven aimlessly around shore areas looking.

Always looking.

Looking for the house.

The house I can never forget.

The house of my nightmares.

“We have some local house listings on that bulletin board over there,” Danny Heller says, pointing to a wall at the end of the counter. “People with a place to rent put stuff up there. Maybe you’ll find something you want.”

I get up from my stool and walk over to the bulletin board.

Looking through the ads posted on the bulletin board without really expecting to find anything.

But then I see it.

And I scream!

I scream so loudly that everyone in the diner stops eating and looks at me.

It’s a scream that keeps gathering momentum as it goes on like a runaway train, terrifying everyone there.

“What’s wrong?” Danny says, rushing over to where I’m standing by the bulletin board.

I point to a picture of a house in one of the ads.

“It’s here,” I whisper.

“What?”

“The house.”

And it is.

The house I’ve been looking for.

The house from Pleasant Street.

“I don’t understand,” Danny is saying.

“It’s the house,” I sob. “Oh, my God, it really is the same house…”

***

Excerpt from The Vanishers by R. G. Belsky. Copyright 2026 by R. G. Belsky. Reproduced with permission from R. G. Belsky. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

R.G. Belsky is an award-winning author of crime fiction and a journalist in New York City. His newest mystery, THE VANISHERS, was published by dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS. Belsky has published 26 novels. He also writes thrillers under the name Dana Perry. And he is a contributing writer for The Big Thrill magazine and BookTrib.

Catch Up With R. G. Belsky:

www.RGBelsky.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @dickb79983
Instagram - @dickbelsky
Threads - @dickbelsky
X - @DickBel
Facebook - @RGBelsky

 

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The Only Thing Vanishing Here Is Your TBR Time

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THE VANISHERS by R. G. Belsky | Gift Card

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I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The Writer's Miracle Method by Debra Landwehr Engle Book Review

About the Book:

Struggling with writer's block or paralyzing self-doubt? The Writer’s Miracle Method offers a powerful spiritual approach to conquering the fears that hold writers back. Rooted in the teachings of A Course in Miracles, this 30-day program helps writers shift from self-criticism to creative flow, building habits that empower you to write with confidence, clarity, and joy.

Designed for writers at any stage, Debra Engle's method combines practical exercises, guided meditations, and mindset shifts to help you break through mental barriers and unleash your creative potential. With more than four decades of experience in publishing and spiritual mentorship, Engle has crafted a proven path to help you overcome fear, embrace your true voice, and thrive as a writer.

 

My Review:

You may be a writer who gets sidetracked even as you are seeking that central place where the noise quiets and you feel safe enough to write. You might strongly feel you have something to say but the voices in your head convince you it is not possible or it will not be good at all. This is a book for people who already know the techniques but need a way to overcome the internal barricades.

Engle provides 31 days of meditative suggestions to overcome the fear, the internal criticism and the procrastination. He work is based on A Course in Miracles. It centers on writing from Love, listening to the thoughts that come from one's Higher Self rather than from one's critical and restrictive ego. I have never read A Course in Miracles but I appreciate the persistent encouragement from Engle to pay attention to Spirit or God, to align with the Higher Self. The goal is to bring your message to the world.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

This book releases in October 2026.

About the Author:

Debra Engle's life has always been about writing and spirituality. She pursued them separately for years but recently combined the two. As a bestselling author, writing mentor, teacher of A Course in Miracles, retreat facilitator, and executive director of Story Summit, she brings a truly unique perspective on writing and life to her readers and mentees. She has had a long publishing career, from newspaper copywriter to book editor to free lance writer. She now serves as executive director of Story Summit. You can find out more at https://www.debraengle.com/home

St. Martin's Essentials, 272 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.u

Making Sense of Life by Simon Cai

About the Book:

In Making Sense of Life, physics PhD and entrepreneur Dr. Simin Cai presents a rational, structured approach to life’s biggest questions. Drawing from science, philosophy, and personal experience, he helps readers develop their own “theory of life”—a consistent, personal framework for happiness, clarity, and fulfillment.

Instead of offering one-size-fits-all answers, Cai encourages readers to ask better questions: What do I value? What assumptions shape my thinking? How can I define a life worth living for me?

With examples across youth, adulthood, and elderhood, Making Sense of Life is an honest, intelligent alternative to superficial self-help. It’s for readers who want depth over hype, logic over slogans, and a framework that evolves with them. It’s a must-read for anyone who values reason, clarity, and practical insight over feel-good slogans.

My Review:

We want to make sense of life but how do we do that? Cai is a physicist and comes at the concept with a physicist's scientific mind. (I have a BS in physics so I understand his thinking.)

He explains how to develop a theory and test it, then form new theories based on changing experiences and circumstances. He suggests imagining many situations to do those tasks. It is an ongoing process and he follows through as one ages. He includes questions at the end of each chapter for personal reflection. He includes examples of people who have developed their own philosophy of life.

While I like his idea of using the scientific method to reason out a philosophy of life, I do wish the book had been written or edited so that a non-scientific person would feel more comfortable going through the processes he suggests.

This book is good for readers who want to develop their own philosophy of life, doing so within the context of the scientific method.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Simin Cai serves as President and CEO for Go!Foton – an optics/photonics technology company. Simin holds a BS degree in Applied Physics from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China, a Master of Engineering degree in Engineering Optics, and a Ph.D. degree in Physics, both from Stevens Institute of Technology. 

Forbes Books, 200 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The Bible Companion Book 8 Isaiah-Daniel by Karen Westbrook Moderow Blog Tour Book Review

About the Book

Book: The Bible Companion Book 8 Isaiah-Daniel

Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow

Genre: Non-Fiction, Bible Study

Release Date: December, 2025

Are you or someone you love on the wrong path?

The Bible Companion Book 8 Isaiah–Daniel helps us see both warning and hope in the messages of the prophets. A simple one-chapter-a-day format lets you engage with Scripture without the pressure of schedules, homework, or heavy reading loads. Short daily readings and thought-provoking questions connect your story to God’s Word. For personal, group, or homeschool Bible study.

The Major Prophets give us perspectives of judgment that challenge our lifestyles and understanding of God. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel help us see the Lord at work in dark times. Whether you are suffering the consequences of your own sin or caught in the fallout of the choices of others, The Bible Companion Book 8 points you toward a sovereign God whose power redeems tragedies and transforms them into new beginnings.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This volume of Moderow's very helpful series covers some of the most puzzling books in the Bible. She includes charts, timelines and maps that really help clarify what the major prophets have written. She explains what has happened to cause the prophet to speak. There are great insights into how and why God acts as he does. Each chapter includes a thoughtful question that helps us apply the information to our own Christian lives.

I highly recommend this very useful companion to Bible reading. Moderow explains some passages that have puzzled me for decades. The layout of the material makes it a good choice for supplementing daily Bible reading. It could also be used as a resources for teaching and she has included some direction for use in small groups. This is a good book for Christians who would like clarification and good teaching on the major prophets and their writings.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

KAREN WESTBROOK MODEROW is a Bible teacher and author who brings a storyteller’s perspective to Scripture. She holds master’s degrees in theology and creative writing and loves introducing others to Jesus through the stories told in God’s Word.

More from Karen

In 1997 the car my 18-year-old son Michael and four other teenagers were riding in flipped on a country road. Mike suffered a permanent traumatic brain injury. Before that night, we already knew he was in trouble. He’d been in rehab. Through his program, I’d received an education in drugs and alcohol that opened my naive eyes (and nose) to substances I’d had no experience with. Pot was the least of Mike’s problems but the pungent odor from the water pipe he used to smoke it—a bong—would permeate his clothes and tip me off that he had broken house rules once again. In a sad attempt at humor in those dark days, I became so sensitive to the smell of marijuana that I could probably tell you what country it came from. I hated the stench but more than that, I hated what it told me—that Mike didn’t respect us or the boundaries we’d set to protect him, that he was headed for tragedy, and we were powerless to stop him.

This is probably how the prophets felt as they watched their beloved nations of Israel and Judah rebel against the Lord. The people in these kingdoms blatantly disregarded the laws God gave for their protection. They embraced lifestyles that brought shame to His name and His house. God warned that the path they were on would lead to famine, war, disease, and deportation but they ignored Him even though He described judgment in detail. He named names, times, places. To no avail.

Would Mike have changed his ways if I had been able to see into the future and describe the car accident, the excruciating physical rehab, the permanent mental and physical impairments, and the loneliness he would suffer? Probably not. At least that is what he tells me. (He has given me permission to share his story.) So why wouldn’t he listen? The prophets tell us that sin blinds people to the consequences of their actions.

So, if sinners cannot take the truth to heart, why did God give us the books of prophecy? Second Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” There’s always a chance someone will listen. Pain gets the attention of saint and sinner alike. The prophetic books do warn those on the wrong path, but they also encourage godly people who are caught up in the judgment of the wicked. Anyone who lost a loved one to addiction or drained family resources to give someone a chance at a new life knows what I mean.

Mike required 24-hour care after he was discharged from the hospital. My husband Joe and I built an apartment in our walk-out basement for him. Mike had a caregiver during the day. My younger son David (a high-school junior), my husband Joe and I shared duties at night. We had no elevator. We could walk down the stairs to Mike but for him to join us on the upper level required pushing him up a steep ramp outside. Having dinner together took monumental effort. In winter, it meant dressing Mike warmly then one of us had to don a heavy coat, hat, and gloves, and roll him up the ramp. After dinner, we’d reverse the process. One night I decided to fix my signature spaghetti dinner and serve it downstairs, thinking it might be a better solution.

It was a disaster from beginning to end.

Joe and David were not home yet, and Mike’s caregiver was gone for the day. I was on my own. As I wore myself out with multiple trips up and down the stairs—setting the table, bringing down salad, bread, and drinks—the spaghetti sauce burned. I felt sick looking at the charred flecks bubbling up through the gravy that I had nursed for over three hours. Still, I refused to give up. I ladled sauce over hot pasta and hoped for the best. At last, the family gathered around the small table downstairs, held hands, and gave thanks.

David took the first bite then sat straight up. “Mom,” he said, “what’s up with the spaghetti? It tastes like bong water!” Michael laughed hysterically. I burst into tears. I don’t know what all I said. I sobbed through a litany of frustrations about the dinner and my failures as a wife, mother, caregiver, and person. To put it politely, I was inconsolable. David put his arms around me and said, “Dad, I’m going to put Mom to bed.” Joe—wide eyed because I’d never lost it like this before—nodded and quietly gathered up the plates.

David led me upstairs and tucked me in bed like I was a two-year old. It was oddly comforting. He closed the door softly behind him and then I cried it out.

Bong water? To have my cooking compared to the symbol of the rebellion that had led us to this point was too much. I wasn’t just upset over a ruined meal—I was overcome by exhaustion from a journey that I had not asked for. A journey I had done everything to divert Mike from. A journey that was far from over.

It is precisely when we realize we’re in a difficult place for the long haul that we most need the message God gives through the prophets. He says, “Don’t give up, pain doesn’t last forever. Cry, I hear you. Rest, I’ll restore you. Trust me, I will take care of you. I am using this tragedy to prove myself to you and everyone watching you.”

It took a while before I could believe it, but God keeps His word. I found that out the hard way.

Ever so-often when I fix spaghetti (still a family favorite) one of us will bring up the bong water incident. Today, we can laugh about it because in the intervening years, Mike has come to the Lord, and God has sustained our family with miracle after miracle. Thinking about burned spaghetti sauce no longer brings tears because what God has done has stripped that moment of its power. The despair I felt then has been redeemed. That dinner is now a memory that binds our family together. It reminds us how far we’ve come and how faithful God is.

That’s what the books of the prophets will do for us. If God can redeem that stubborn, sinful people, He can redeem us. If He can give them a future, He can do the same for us. The Lord transforms tragedy into triumph. Every time. For believers, bong water is never the end of the story.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 2

Simple Harvest Reads, July 3 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, July 4 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, July 5 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 6

Fiction Book Lover, July 7 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Ledger, July 8 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 8

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, July 9 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, July 10

Books, Books, & More Books, July 11 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 12 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, July 13

Books Less Travelled, July 14 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, July 14

Lots of Helpers, July 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

 https://gleam.io/asz8O/the-bible-companion-book-8-isaiah-daniel-celebration-tour-giveaway

   

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Those Who Shall Die by Michael Bradley Blog Tour Book Review

 

THOSE WHO SHALL DIE

by Michael Bradley

June 22 - July 17, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A collective of mystery writers, known as the Society of Fibbers, has captivated thousands with their addictive podcast—catapulting each member into the limelight. But when one of their own is found dead under chilling circumstances, the remaining Fibbers realize their newfound fame may have painted a target on their backs.

Rebecca Stanchion, one of the group’s co-founders, is convinced her friend’s murder is a tragic case of domestic violence—until a sinister attempt on her own life shatters that theory and threatens her family. Meanwhile, Zach Hargrove, a fellow writer, becomes obsessed with the cryptic black cards left at both crime scenes. Each card seems to whisper a warning: the killer is watching.

Is this the work of a fan driven to madness, or has betrayal seeped into the heart of the Society itself? As an annual writers’ conference approaches, Zach and Rebecca race against time to unmask the killer before the Society of Fibbers’ headline appearance turns into a deadly final act.

Praise for Those Who Shall Die:

"Michael Bradley has done it again! Those Who Shall Die is a thrilling novel of mystery and suspense, a tense and twisty page-turner that will leave you desperate to learn who is killing mystery authors and why."
~ Lisa Malice, bestselling author of Lest She Forget, winner of the 2023 IBPA Best New Voice in Fiction award.

"A well-written, clever whodunit with crafty twists that will keep readers guessing."
~ Jennifer Sadera, award-winning author of I Know She Was There.

"... keeps the reader's head spinning as secrets emerge, friendships fail, alliances dissolve, and animosities rise to surface until the final betrayal is revealed. A page turner that plumbs the depths of ambition, betrayal, and murder."
~ Jane Kelly, Author of the Meg Daniels mysteries.

Those Who Shall Die Book Trailer:

My Review:

The plot of this novel has the interesting concept of writers of murder mysteries finding themselves having to solve a real mystery in the murder of one of their own. Zach and Rebecca find it is much easier to write a mystery than to solve one. Solve it they must as it becomes evident the murderer has more deaths planned. The possible suspects are many.

The members of the Society of Fibbers are all quite different and I liked the characterizations. One fellow was such an egotist I wanted to slap him. His character was so well drawn I was amazed to ultimately find out he wasn't all bad. There was the public relations guy who was sure his over written tome would be a best seller yet he couldn't even get an agent to read past the first few poorly written pages.

While giving readers good insight into the world of mystery writers, it is also a good mystery in itself. I was not surprised at the villain as Bradley gave us a couple of great early hints. The plot is well paced as the suspense builds and his writing style kept me turning pages. This is a good novel for readers who would like to know what mystery writers might be like, especially when confronted with their own murder mystery.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Book Details:

Genre: Amateur Sleuths, Suspense Thrillers
Published by: Initium Books
Publication Date: July 7, 2026
Number of Pages: 388
ISBN: 9780986200243 (ISBN10: 0986200247)
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub

Read an excerpt:

Chapter One

Zach Hargrove held the serrated hunting knife in a white-knuckled grip as he silently crept forward. No room for mistakes this time. This had to be silent, swift and deadly. Just one fierce thrust into the carotid artery. It would be messy, but she had to die.

Nellie sat—unmoving—in a black leather office chair, facing the third-floor windows that looked out over Old Mill Creek. If she was aware that he was behind her, she gave no sign. Her dark straggly hair hung over the back of the chair in tangled clumps. Zach couldn’t remember the last time he’d run a brush through it. She needed a wash too, but he’d given up on that long ago. Nellie had been exactly what he needed at first, but after so many years, she’d become more of a burden than a help. He hated having to move her heavy, awkward body from chair to chair, room to room. Caring for her had become arduous. No one would miss Nellie if he got rid of her . . .

Her head tilted to the right, blocking her neck from his view, and he hesitated. He wouldn’t be able to strike cleanly from this direction with her head tilted. He swapped the knife from his right hand to his left. The rubber handle felt awkward in his grasp. A few practice swings with his non-dominant hand felt odd and clumsy, so he tried some overhead plunges. Maybe he could stab Nellie in the back of the neck instead. A quick blow to sever her spinal cord, and she’d die in seconds. What if he yanked her head back and ran the knife across her neck, slitting it open from side to side? He shook his head. Too clichéd. Everyone slashed throats these days. He toyed, for a moment, with driving the knife through the back of the chair and into Nellie’s back. I’d never get the knife deep enough to kill her, he thought. She’d survive with a flesh wound—if that happened, he’d never hear the end of it.

With a frown, he shifted the knife back to his right hand and decided to continue with his original plan: one fast jab to the right side of the neck. Zach glanced at his prey. Nellie remained still, oblivious of what he was about to do. He inched forward, his gray Skechers silent on the plush beige carpet. His fingers tightened on the knife handle, and he drew his arm back. The muscles on his shoulder were taut, but his arm had a slight tremble. He had to get this right on the first try.

After two more cautious steps, he stood behind Nellie, staring down at a scalp of unkempt hair. Oh, how he hated that hair. With one barbaric swing, he brought his arm down, but the blow didn’t go quite as planned. The knife tip deflected off her head, tangled in a clump of hair, and plunged into Nellie’s shoulder.

“Damn it,” Zach shouted.

He stood for a moment, studying his handiwork. Nellie slumped forward, the knife standing tall in her shoulder.

He tried to withdraw the knife slowly, but the serrated blade caught on several threads and tore the seam in Nellie’s shoulder. Clumps of polyester stuffing—like giant cotton balls—tumbled out of the hole and fell to the floor. Zach let out a long sigh as he placed the knife on the nearby desk. Now he’d have to sew her up. He spun the office chair around and stared at Nellie. Her featureless face and black button eyes stared blankly back at him. Patches—both big and small—covered her arms, abdomen, head, and legs—scars of the many instances of his mistreatment.

“I’m glad you don’t hold a grudge,” he said.

Zach wrapped his arms around the life-size dummy and lifted her out of the chair, her canvas skin rough on his bare arms. A trail of white filling marked his steps as he manhandled her across the room and propped her up on the sofa.

Dropping into his desk chair, he reviewed the previous few paragraphs he’d written just before he attempted to kill Nellie. The murder scene “seemed” to flow, but he wasn’t satisfied with the way it turned out. His antagonist—the mysterious Mr. Price—had entered the home of Dallas Kincaid with the intention of killing Kincaid’s new girlfriend. But Zach had found the scene difficult to write. There was something about the logistics that bothered him, hence his attempt to “kill” Nellie, his long-time partner for acting out crime scenes. For her part, Nellie had endured a dozen or more stabbings, being thrown from windows, run over by cars, and even shot twice. And yet she never once complained.

Zach stood again, snatched a Bic pen from the desk, and paced around the room, pausing on occasion to glance out the windows that covered all four walls. The third floor of his house, his “Author’s Loft,” as he liked to call it, had a 360-degree view of the surrounding yard as well as the creek that flowed past the back of his property. The small Delaware town of Lewes hadn’t been his first choice of places to call home. But when he’d first toured the house three years ago, the bright openness of the room couldn’t have been more perfect for him. It satisfied his need for a place to write, and the room’s openness was preferred over the more confined spaces he’d seen in every other house he’d toured. He’d put an offer on the place immediately and moved in a month later.

As he paced, Zach furiously clicked the button on the pen with his thumb. He passed the lone bookshelf, stuck in the corner between the adjoining walls’ windows, and paused to study the colorful hardback spines of his previous eight Dallas Kincaid Mystery novels. Five of them had become New York Times bestsellers, but not the last two. His protagonist, Dallas Kincaid, had become increasingly more difficult to write over the past couple years. The character had become too clichéd, too much like every other amateur detective in the market, and Zach was struggling to keep each new book fresh and original. He was ready for something new, something different.

“This will be the last Kincaid novel,” he’d told his agent, Mariah Maddison.

“Don’t be too hasty,” she’d said. “You might regret those words once the book is released.”

With a sigh, Zach slipped the Bic pen into his pants pocket, returned to his desk, and hovered his fingers over the keyboard of his laptop. He stared at the text on the screen, the words fading together into a jumble of pixels that made no more sense than when he’d read them a few minutes ago.

Pushing back from the desk, he growled, “Hell,” and stood, rounding the half wall that hid the stairs from view and descended into the house below.

In the kitchen, Zach grabbed a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale from the fridge, twisted the top off and took a long sip. A calendar—tacked to a nearby corkboard—was open to the month of June. A quick glance over the dates made his stomach churn. He had until mid-July to finish the first draft of the next Dallas Kincaid novel. That gave him six weeks. The manuscript was only thirty percent done. He sighed as he eyeballed the next few weeks. There was an upcoming recording session for the Society of Fibbers podcast. A book signing with Jasper Stone and Martina Vargas in Virginia. He flipped up the calendar page and looked over July. The week after Independence Day was blocked out for ThrillNYC in New York City. Damn, that only gives me five weeks to finish the book. His stomach twisted in knots as his anxiety rose.

Zach moved through the open dining room to the sliding glass door, stepped onto his back deck, and gazed out across the creek. The tide was out, and the muddy banks were exposed to the Tuesday afternoon sun. An eagle was perched in the tree that hung over the water. The lush cordgrass stood tall along the edges of the creek, outlining the maze of the twisting waterway. A gentle breeze rustled the tips of the grass. The faint aroma of marsh water punctuated each deep breath. So peaceful. So relaxing. He closed his eyes and listened to the tranquility around him. But it did little to subdue the angst within him. When was his next therapy appointment? Maybe it was time to try some of the meds his therapist had so often suggested.

From within the house, the shrill of his mobile phone interrupted the serenity of the moment. Moving back into the kitchen, he scooped up the phone from the counter where he’d left it.

The voice that greeted him was grave and somber. “Zach? It’s Rebecca. Something terrible has happened. Martina Vargas is dead.”

***

Excerpt from Those Who Shall Die by Michael Bradley. Copyright 2026 by Michael Bradley. Reproduced with permission from Michael Bradley. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Michael Bradley is an award-winning author from Delaware who started life as a radio disc jockey, working at stations in New Jersey and West Virginia. His time in radio provided him with a wealth of fond, enduring, and sometimes scandalous memories that he hopes to one day commit to paper.

After spending eight years “on-the-air,” he realized that he needed to get a real job. He has spent the next twenty or so years working in Information Technology. And yes, he has said “try turning it off and on again” more times than he wants to admit.

Never one to waste an experience, he used his familiarity with life on the radio for many of his suspense novels. His third novel, DEAD AIR (2020), won a Foreword INDIES Award and a IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award.

Learn more about Michael Bradley and his books:

mbradleyonline.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads - @mjbradley88
BookBub - @mjbradley88
Instagram - @mjbradley88
Threads - @mjbradley88
Facebook - @mjbradley88

 

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I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Liar's Creek by Matt Goldman

About the Book:

Riverwood, Minnesota is a scenic town threaded with trout streams carving their way through limestone bluffs. But beneath its picturesque facade, danger runs rampant.

Clay Hawkins isn’t a stranger to the secrets of his hometown. After twenty years away, Clay has recently returned home from abroad with his twelve-year-old son, and his relationship with his father, the recently replaced sheriff, is as strained as ever.

But when Clay’s beloved uncle disappears, the three generations of Hawkinses must overturn every stone in Riverwood and confront deep familial wounds to find the one person who brings them together. As danger looms, Clay worries that it might be too late to save his uncle―and that the rest of the family might be next.

My Review:

This novel was different than I have come to expect from Goldman. This is more an exploration of relationships than mystery. It is for readers who like a slower pace with more emphasis on small town characters. There are secrets that come to light but the pace is slower than what I am used to from him. It is a good choice for readers who like a character driven mystery.

My rating; 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Matt Goldman is New York Times Best Selling author and Emmy Award winning TV writer. He has been nominated for a Shamus Award and is a Nero Award Finalist. His TV credits include Seinfeld, Ellen, and The New Adventures of Old Christine.

Minotaur Books, 336 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)