September 2019 - Gary David Gillen

Black Book by James Patterson and David Ellis

Introduction

In the Black Book by James Patterson and David Ellis, Billy Harney has a problem. Someone shot him in the head and doesn’t remember what happened in the two weeks before the incident. He is a detective for the Chicago PD. His father, Daniel, is the chief of detectives and his sister, Patti, is also a detective for the Chicago PD. Billy doesn’t know who to trust. His detective partner is Katherine (Kate) Fenton. They are investigating a case involving a high dollar madam, her influential clients, and a missing black book. Billy gets romantically involved with his partner and the assistant state’s attorney, Amy Lentini, prosecuting the brothel case. Who’s telling the truth. Who has Billy back? He needs to know; He needs to remember, or he’s going down for murder. What will happen to Billy?

Summary

The novel starts with Patti coming to a call where Billy, Amy, and Kate are found shot and presumed dead. Billy was shot in the head, has surgery, and goes into rehab. When he gets out he doesn’t remember the two weeks before the shooting. He talks to police department psychologist, Dr. Jill Jagoda, to access his memories. The plot goes back and forth between the present and the past as Billy remembers. The POV’s bounce between Patti, Billy, and Kate. In the past, Billy investigates a suspected murderer who frequents a brothel. When Billy and Kate bust the brothel it causes many complications that lead to Billy getting shot in the head. There are many suspects in this novel, but Billy must figure out who pulled the trigger. Read the novel to find out.

Recommendation

The Black Book by James Patterson and David Ellis is a great novel with a mix of mystery, thriller, and police procedural. I was worried that the amnesia plotline would go a predictable way, but I was pleased with its handling and conclusion. Billy is not a likable character, but he has enough redeeming qualities to make him a great conflicted protagonist. He’s a jokester, he loves his sister, and has a rewarding relationship with a cancer patient. There were many twists in this tale. The final twist hit perfectly. If you were expecting a happy ending, you weren’t paying attention. David Ellis is a Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court. He brings a knowledge of the setting to this novel. This is his fifth collaboration with James Patterson, I plan to read more of their novels. I highly recommend this novel.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Black Book by James Patterson and David Ellis

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34220449-the-black-book

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Invisible by James Patterson and David Ellis

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34231676-invisible

This is the link to my review of The Black Echo by Michael Connelly, a similar book; combining mystery, thriller, and police procedure.

The Black Echo by Michael Connelly

Unclaimed Victim by D.M. Pulley

Unclaimed Victim by DM Pulley

Introduction

Unclaimed Victim by DM Pulley is a story about two women, separated by time, but connected by the Torso Killer of Cleveland, Ohio. In April 1999, the police call Kris Wiley back to her hometown to identify the butchered remains of her father, Alfred. The clues she finds at her father’s house leads her back to Cleveland following the legacy of the Torso Killer. In March 1938, Ethel Harding finds herself in the middle of the Torso Killer’s rampage against the destitute brought down by the depression. She is a prostitute who loses her home and is desperate to find shelter. Kris and Ethel must solve the mystery of the Torso Killer or face their deaths.

Summary

In March 1938, Ethel Harding, a prostitute, finds herself homeless. It scares her. The Torso Killer has been killing destitute people from the hobo village at Kingsbury Run in Cleveland since 1935. Some victims are people she knows; Edward Andrassy, Flo Polillo, and Rose Wallace. Ethel is worried that she could be the killer’s next target. She finds sanctuary with the Harmony Mission. They run the Harmony Mission Press, a printing press that makes Bibles, but they are not what they seem. The Tremont Place Lofts inspired the Harmony Mission Press Building on West 7^th Street. Sister Mary Alice Eberly and a mysterious girl help Ethel. Ethel suspects Brother Milton. She also becomes the target of the Silver Shirt Legion, a Nazi-sympathizing group organized to overthrow the government. Ethel pretends to be someone else to uncover the truth.

In April 1999, Kris Wiley goes to the Auglaize County Sherriff’s Office in Wapakoneta, Ohio to identify the remains of her father. They found a headless body along the river with her father’s identification. She doesn’t want to believe the body is her father’s. Her father was a medically discharged police officer. Ben was his partner with the police and best friend. Ben tries to console Kris and takes her to her hometown of Cridersville. Kris searches the house and finds her father had information about the Torso Killer and had been in contact with someone in Cleveland. She lives in Cleveland and goes back to investigate what her father knew. The clues lead to the abandoned Harmony Mission taken over by the homeless. Jimmy, who is living at the mission, helps Kris. As they get closer to the truth, their lives get in more danger.

Recommendation

Unclaimed Victim by Pulley connects two stories in this historical mystery. Ethel and Kris overcome their fears and face human demons. There are many theories about the identity of the Torso Killer and the author presents an interesting one here. I liked the author’s use of real newspaper articles from the 1930s to show the feelings of the people of that time. Of the six books referenced in the Author Notes, I have copies of three. I plan to find copies of the other three books.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Unclaimed Victim by DM Pulley

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35169492-the-unclaimed-victim

This is the link to my review of The Dead Key by DM Pulley.

The Dead Key by D. M. Pulley

Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham

Introduction

Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham is the first book in the Long Price Quartet. Saraykehy is the capital of the cities of Khaiem. The cities were part of a great Empire possessing great magic. Their Empire and their magic have receded, so the Empire of Galt plots to overthrow them. The cotton trade is their greatest asset. Their hopes rely on the poet (their name for magician) Heshai maintaining control of a magical creature called an andat and nicknamed Seedless. Liat and Itani are important in helping Heshai succeed. If Heshai’s magic fails, then the Empire of Galt will destroy all the cities of Khaiem.

Summary

In the Prolog, Otah is an apprentice called a black robe, at the teaching compound of the monks at the stone towers of Machi. The monks search for poets who are rare. They also keep the knowledge of the people. Otah is conflicted with the brutal conditions at the monastery and makes a decision for his future. Chapter One starts in the city of Saraykeht. Amat Kyaanis is the senior overseer of the Galtic House Wilson. She is a native of Saraykeht but works for the foreign house. House Wilson is involved with the cotton trade. Her superior is Marchat Wilson. He tells her about a pregnant woman from the islands who is arriving soon. He calls why they brought her to their house, the sad trade. Maati is assigned by the monks of Machi to become the apprentice of Heshai. Heshai is the last remaining poet of Khaiem. Heshai controls Seedless who helps them with the cotton trade. If Hashai does not control Seedless, then inexperienced Maati would get the duty of trying to control Seedless. Amat Kyaan teaches Liat Chokavi the duties of an overseer. She is young, and she is in love with the lower class laborer, Itani Noyga. Amat wants Itani to be Marchat’s bodyguard for an important meeting. This meeting sets the plot into motion. Marchat wants his house to succeed, Seedless wants to be free, Liat wants to do a good job, and Itani wants to stay anonymous. None of them gets exactly what they want.

Recommendation

Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham is a great first book in a series of a different kind of fantasy. The plot is slow, there’s not much action, and characters maneuver through political and business maneuvering. There is an Asian/formal feel through the characters use of poses and their choice of honorifics. There were many characters, and it took time for the reader to distinguish them apart. Paying close attention to reading the book was rewarding to the reader. The secrets revealed at the end make the second book intriguing. I got this book through the Tor eBook of the month club on July 14, 2018. Tor.com releases a free book to club members almost every month at this website.

https://ebookclub.tor.com/

Each month’s book is only available for that month to the members through an e-mail. I enjoyed The Expanse series and wanted to see what Daniel Abraham would do with a fantasy novel and I was not disappointed. I plan to read the other three books of the series within the next year and then read his The Dagger and the Coin series.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6586403-a-shadow-in-summer

This is the link to my review of Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey. (Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck write together as James S. A. Corey in this Science Fiction series called The Expanse.)

Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey

Writing Progress Report for September 2019

This is my Writing Progress Report for September 2019.

I attended the Ohio State football game on 08-31-19 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The final score was Ohio State 45 and Florida Atlantic 21.

Writing Progress from August 2019

I wrote five blog posts for garydavidgillen.com including my writing progress report for August 2019 linked below.

Writing Progress Report for August 2019

I bought and used the editing program Pro Writing Aid to edit the novel, Assassin in New Marl City. I edited and typed Assassin Chapters 30, 32, and 33 in August 2018, reviewed Chapters 34, 35, and 36 on September 2018, and I completed the review in February 2019. Reduced total chapters to 30. Reviewed Chapters 1 to 17 using Pro Writing Aid and submitted to my novel-writing class.

I completed the first draft of Assassin in New Marl City totaling 99,981 words in July 2018. Completed pre-draft two (30 chapters long) in December 2018 at 89,072 words. I completed draft two edits for Chapters 26 and 27 in August and plan to review chapters 21, 25, 28, 29, and 30 in September. I will start the third draft edits after draft two is complete.

In August, I submitted a story named Wormhole Generator to the Introductory Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio library.

The stories: I submitted The Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, Grognard, Get to the Point, LARP Film noir, and Sleeping Sickness to magazines.

Statistics of magazine submissions for 2019 are; 1 different story submitted 1 time with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 1 rejection.

Events from August 2019

The next conference I plan to attend is the Indy Writer’s Conference in Parma, Ohio on October 12, 2019, sponsored by the Cuyahoga County Library.

Link to Cuyahoga County Library website

https://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/

Writing Goals for September 2019

I plan to write five blog posts for garydavidgillen.com including my Writing Progress Report for September 2019.

I plan to work on second draft edits for Chapters 21, 25, 28, 29, and 30 of Assassin in New Marl City using Pro Writing Aid.

After the second draft is complete, I plan to work on third draft edits for Chapters 1 to 17 of Assassin in New Marl City using comments from the Advanced Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio. I started the third draft edit for Chapter One used at the first pages workshop at Confluence 2019 in July.

Polish and submit the stories Caliburnus, Space-Dog Confession, White Bracer, Mage Squad, I Shall Not Return, Prisoner of Tarnal, and Kay-Eye for submission to short fiction magazines.

Submit The Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, Grognard, LARP Film noir, Sleeping Sickness to other short fiction magazines.

Edit Searcher of Riven.

Hire an editor for Searcher of Riven from Fiveer.

Edit Ruins of Yarnud.

Hire an editor for Ruins of Yarnud from Fiveer.

Put the novel, Assassin in New Marl City, into the writing program, Scrivener.

Buy e-book covers for Searcher of Riven and Ruins of Yarnud from Fiveer.

Buy an e-book cover for Assassin in New Marl City from Fiveer.

Planned Events for September 2019

The next conference I plan to attend is the Indy Writer’s Conference in Parma, Ohio on October 12, 2019, sponsored by the Cuyahoga County Library.

Link to Cuyahoga County Library website

https://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/