Book Review: Mind Over Murder (A Jake Roberts Novel Book 2) by Cary Allen Stone

Mind Over Murder 

(A Jake Roberts Novel Book 2)

by Cary Allen Stone

Series: A Jake Roberts Novel
Paperback: 346 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (January 31, 2014)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 503 KB
Print Length: 348 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: B00I6M51AI
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Cary Allen Stone. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

I have been trying to write this review for weeks now but I just can't seem to find the right words to describe exactly how I felt reading this book. Plot-wise, just like the first book, Mind Over Murder was a good mystery-thriller too. Jared Hamilton's story had me biting my nails. I liked how the author weave his story, there's a right amount of action and suspense. Oh well, while I found the book enthralling, I want to be honest here. I was soooo disappointed with the characters death. Sorry, a little spoiler there but it bothered me so much that I stopped reading for a week. It might not bother other readers (5-star reviews here) but it surely bothered me that I'm taking out one star for this second installment. 


About the book:

Detective Jake Roberts and FBI profiler Mika Scott return in the murder mystery Mind Over Murder––the long awaited sequel to After the Evil. Both await the arrival of the flight that brings the infamous serial killer Lori Powers back to the U.S. to face charges escorted by Interpol agents. 

Jared Hamilton is a genius, has earned multiple PhDs, and is twenty-five years old. His father Richard Hamilton is of one of the wealthiest men in the world. His mother Contessa was once an international supermodel. Jared has turned down offers by captains of industry, presidents of Ivy League universities, and Wall Street bankers. What Jared wants most is to be a criminal. He is already a world-class hacker and has committed a variety of felonies. Now he wants to experience the feel of blood on his hands. Jared wants to be a serial killer like Lori Powers and he wants Lori to be his consort. He devises a heinous plot to get Jake to bring Lori to him. When Jake discovers that he is Jarod’s next victim he puts together a plan, albeit illegal, to stop him. 

This is not your run-of-the-mill serial killer story. “Mind Over Murder” is the perfect serial killer read!

About the author:

Cary Allen Stone is a brilliant writer of psychological thrillers and murder mysteries. He writes with a keen eye for detail-the graphic violence is chillingly realistic. He delivers a taut, darkly introspective, cunning and well-executed plot by leaning towards the fallible side of his characters. He understands the criminal mind avoiding the stereotypes that dominate crime thrillers. There is a good balance of chemistry and conflict, good and evil that fans will find enthralling. His characters become embedded in our psyches and the pace of his unraveling of his thriller is a ride not easily forgotten. Cary Allen Stone is an important name to watch. This is one superb crime writer!--Grady Harp Top 100 ReviewerVine Voice 2014

In addition, he had a non-speaking character role in an AAA Club advertisement and has done voice-over radio commercials. He is currently working on his next Jake Roberts novel. He is a member of the Phoenix Writer's Club, the Arizona Authors Association and The Desert Sleuths, Author Social Media Support Group, International Thriller Writers.

Book Review: Petchy Maligula by Stan Cater

Title: Petchy Maligula
Author: Stan Catter
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 421 KB
Publisher: Gypsy Shadow Publishing (August 15, 2010)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services

Ratings:

★ ★ ★


My thoughts:

The main character of the story is of course, Petchy Maligula, a  private detective who was hired to bring back the handsome TV host of "I Dig the Past", named Faladan Fala. Actually, even without someone asking/hiring her to find the TV host, Petchy would still find him because she's "truly, madly, deeply" in love with him!

The book contains a lot of funny really funny scenes and I was reading this in a public place - like in the hospital while waiting for my husband's doctor. I couldn't stop laughing and people were staring at me. Well, what can I say, I liked Petchy, she's really funny and an interesting character! At first I thought the book had a lot of typo errors -Betroit, Mechigan, PayBuddy, Grrrl, etc and then I realized the author deliberately changed the spelling and that made the story interesting and entertaining.

I liked the plot and the characters especially the two ghost friends of Petchy, Lady Cresta Victaria Meden who was killed in 1895 by Jack the Slasher and Lidy McDade who was also killed when she was run over by a trolley in 1917. Liddy was a very funny little girl. These ghosts sometimes help Petchy in her investigation but with the case of the handsome Faladan, they're not getting any leads.

The story was great until the author  introduced the two religious orders: Sisterhood of the Reflected Perfected and the Sisterhood of Inner Beauty. I couldn't relate to the rest of the characters, also didn't like the twisted Greek Mythology stories and well, I started skimming and skimming. I realized that while it was entertaining to read those deliberate change of spelling , I was also getting annoyed by it. Overall, if you want to be entertained but you don't mind a lot of weird names and places/scenarios, pick up this book.


About the book:

When handsome TV archaeologist Faladan Pala disappears while taping an episode of “I Dig the Past,” it’s up to Petchy Maligula, grrl detective, to bring him back alive. Petchy is big and tough, and more than a match for any man, but she does have one weakness: She’s madly in love with Faladan Pala. When she hears an evil cult called the Sisters of Inner Beauty may have abducted Faladan so they can sacrifice him to the ancient serpent goddess Quatakexel, Petchy vows to save him at all costs. As she contends with ghost gangs, demon wannabes, eccentric professors, reclusive millionaires and snotty babes, she must draw on all her power―both muscular and magical―to learn the truth. But as she delves into the case, she uncovers a secret that knocks her for a loop and threatens her love for the man of her dreams. - Amazon

About the author:

Stan Carter lives in Bellevue, Nebraska. He has been in the newspaper business for nearly 30 years, serving as a reporter, copy editor, columnist and typesetter at various publications. He currently is a paginator with the Omaha World-Herald.

Note: I received a review copy of this e-book free from the author, Stan Carter.