Midnight is the Darkest Hour – The BOLO Books Review

It is rare when a novel that is virtually impossible to classify succeeds on all levels, but that is exactly what Ashley Winstead accomplishes with Midnight is the Darkest Hour. This book works as a mystery, as a thriller, as a romance, as a serial killer exposé, as a...

Penance – The BOLO Books Review

Eliza Clark burst onto the literary landscape with her debut novel, Boy Parts. When your first book is so full of vitality and freshness, the pressure on the follow-up must feel overwhelming; but not for Eliza Clark, she seems to take it in stride and ups her game...

The Death of Us – The BOLO Books Review

When cracking the spine of a Lori Rader-Day book, readers know they are about to embark on an emotional excursion where the precarious path is lit by a compelling central mystery that leads to a destination that is as satisfying as the journey getting there. Her...

We Are What We Read – Episode Six available

Episode Six of my new YouTube vlog WE ARE WHAT WE READ is now available for you to enjoy. On this episode, my co-host Shawn Reilly Simmons and I are joined by guests Tess Gerritsen, Gwyn Jordan, Jeffrey Marks, Liz Milliron, Richie Narvaez, Jean J. M. Redmann, Barbara...

The Interpreter – The BOLO Books Review

Brooke Robinson is a playwright who used the downtime during the pandemic to write her first novel, The Interpreter. While it is quite a dense book, Robinson executes it with skill and style—entertaining while also educating. As readers will no doubt guess from the...

Viper’s Dream – The BOLO Books Review

When a highly respected blogger raves about a novel, readers (and other reviewers) take notice. Such is the case with Ayo Onatade when it comes to Jake Lamar’s Viper’s Dream. Viper’s Dream was released earlier this year in the United Kingdom, where Onatade resides....

The Taken Ones – The BOLO Books Review

Over her varied career, Jess Lourey has amassed a loyal fanbase who not only devour her books the moment they appear, but who will also tell everyone they know to read her work. After a stellar run of standalones in which her profile in the crime fiction community...

A Collection of Reviews 2023

Murder at the Residence by Stella Blómkvist The mystery behind this series is just as intriguing as the books themselves. Stella Blomkvist is not just the character in the novels but is also the nom-de-plume used by the mysterious author no one has been able to...

Truth Be Told – The BOLO Books Review

With each book, Kia Abdullah continues to highlight her willingness to tell the difficult stories, the ones that most writers would conjure in their mind before kindly telling themselves “there’s no way in hell I’m going there.” Because of her bravery, each novel...