Dane Curse by Matt Abraham

Reading and reviewing the stories in Eight in the Chamber anthology.  Reviewing book #4

Title: Dane Curse
Author:  Matt Abraham
Series:  Black Cape Case Files #1
Publish Date:  February 10, 2015
Genre: Pulp Fiction
Source:  purchased by reviewer in Anthology, Eight in the Chamber

Publisher’s Description: For a guy like me, who can shrug off bullets and lift seven tons, there’s no better profession than powered crime, and no greater burg to practice it in than Gold Coast City. But after ten years of tossing Buicks at heroes I wised up, took the black cape off my back, and hung out a shingle. Only instead of Dark Deeds Done Daily, this one reads Dane Curse, PI. Now I work cases for the dark denizens I was once counted among. The problems they got aren’t the kind that cops care about, so I do what I can, because sometimes even the unjust deserve a little justice.

At least that’s how it was before the world’s greatest superhero was mysteriously murdered, an act so terrible it threatens to start a war that’ll tear my home apart block-by-block, unless I find the killer in five days’ time. But getting to the truth won’t be so easy. I’ll have to contend with black capes whose powers and pulse cannons can shred my hide. An army of technologically advanced armored lawmen led by a power-mad government schemer. And white caped heroes whose abilities and intentions are both less than pure.

No simple task for a small time PI, so I’ll need every bit of my strength, guts, and powers if I’m going to find the killer, save my city, and maybe even get some justice for the greatest hero the world has ever known.

In Dane Curse, Matt Abraham, winner of Pulp Detective’s 2015 Newcomer of the Year Award, takes us on our first trip through the powered underbelly of Gold Coast City in a fast paced adventure you’ll never forget. If you like white knuckled action, devious dames, and heroic villains then get your copy today, and saddle up with the most exciting detective since Harry Dresden!

 

Nervous Nellie’s nervousness necessitates knowledge of the novel. In other words …SPOILERS. *BEWARE*

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Nervous Nellie says…

This is a review of the fourth story in the anthology.  I wasn’t thinking this was going to be my kind of book.  The cover looked like a graphic novel and the preview seemed a little Dick Tracey-ish.  I was pleasantly surprised.

Yes, this is a superhero kind of book.  The good guys on one side, the bad guys on the other.  And then there are the police – non super heroes.  Kind of bitter lot they are.  Anyway, the cops always work the murder cases of the supers and the regular folk, but if a villain super bites the big one, then no one cares.  It doesn’t mean that he or she isn’t grieved for or missed, it just means there is no justice for the villain.

So, does a supervillain deserve justice?  Dane Curse thinks so.  He’s the only black cape P.I. out there and when a villain is killed, he will search til he finds who did the deed and he never gives up.

This is a fun book but there is only 2 in the series and it doesn’t look like any more are forthcoming, so pace yourself.

 

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Croft and Wesson by Brad Magnarella

Reading and reviewing the stories in Eight in the Chamber anthology.  This is book #3, a short novella that has Prof Croft winging it to help out Wesson.  Will he make it out alive?

Title: Croft & Wesson
Author:  Brad Magnarella
Series:  Prof Croft
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source:  purchased by reviewer in Anthology, Eight in the Chamber

 

Nervous Nellie’s nervousness necessitates knowledge of the novel. In other words …SPOILERS. *BEWARE*

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Nervous Nellie says…

This is a review of the third story in the anthology.  James Wesson really does not take his job seriously.  He has to use the assistance of Everson Croft in order to figure out why blond women are disappearing.  It could be a serial killer, right?  It’s nothing to do with the gold bracelets and any kind of magic, could it?

Well, you know it does.  Croft & Wesson battle a bunch of were wolves that James owes a huge debt to, they have to stay on the straight and narrow of the local Sheriff how is wiley and cantankerous and try and stop whatever or whoever is sending bracelets to the ladies in town.  The story is a good one.  It doesn’t add a whole lot to the over arching series story, so it’s a good standalone to test out the waters.

There is some grisly parts, a puzzle and one big scary dude.  Check it out.  It’s worth it!

 

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Blood Money by Chris Underwood

Reading and reviewing the stories in Eight in the Chamber anthology.  Reviewing book #2

Title: Blood Money
Author:  Chris Underwood
Series:  Lost Falls #1.5
Publish Date:  July 8, 2018
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source:  purchased by reviewer in Anthology, Eight in the Chamber

Publisher’s Description:

As Lost Falls’ resident folk wizard, I can track down anyone.

It should’ve been a simple job. Find the girl, bring her home.

Except she’s not just any girl. She’s the bloodslave of one of the most powerful vampires in town.

And I’m not sure she wants to be found.

Nervous Nellie’s nervousness necessitates knowledge of the novel. In other words …SPOILERS. *BEWARE*

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Nervous Nellie says…

This is a review of the second story in the anthology.  I started reading Cunning Devil, so I sorta knew the premise but not the characters.  If you happen to pick up this anthology, don’t worry, there are no spoilers that will ruin anything.  It’s a good intro to the characters, what they do and what kind of trouble they find.

I liked this story plenty.  The writing is good and the protagonist is pretty good at what he does.  The world that the author has built has trolls, vampires and maybe more creatures that I haven’t met yet.  It appears that Lost Falls is a town that is home to quite a few supernatural creatures.  I don’t know the why of it yet.  I’ll probably learn a lot more when I finish book #1.

The author writes well.  I especially liked the risk Ozzy took to save the troll.  And I like the name Ozzy. All in all, the story was really good. I like what I read so I’ll proceed with book #1.  Oh, like I said, don’t worry about reading this story before the others.  It felt very stand alone-ish.  I figured out the character to a degree that I was not lost.

 

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