Customer Reviews (4)

ENJOYABLE and FUN
Legend is a wonderfully enjoyable story that will give you tears from every possible mood you can be in.Why it is listed in Amazon with Loren D. Estleman's name first is beyond me, he did not put this book together. I think it was Robert J. Randisi.At any rate, in my opinion all of the authors put in their best work.A book to be read again.

"Western anthologys are on the rise..." ReadWest.com
Another great anthology from some of the best western writers ever, and this is just a beginning. We can look forward to more great fiction from the new Western Writers of America anthology to be released next year.Great news for the genre! Meanwhile, read LEGEND!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND LEGEND!!!
I just recently finished Legend and throughly enjoyed it. I admit that I read "most" of the part about Speaks first love. Overall this was a very enjoyable western that kept me turning pages to see what wouldhappen next. I have already passed it on to my neighbors father who enjoyswesterns.

LEGEND - a great book!
I just recently finished Legend and throughly enjoyed it. I admit that I read "most" of the part about Speaks first love. Overall this was a very enjoyable western that kept me turning pages to see what wouldhappen next. I have already passed it on to my neighbors father who enjoyswesterns. Can we look for other colaborative westerns like this? Any way,for what it"s worth, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND LEGEND!!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

excellent thriller
There are some books you cannot put down, and this is one of them. I picked it up and read the first couple of chapters, and I was hooked. The story continues to pull you in when the antagonist is brought into the story, and it all continues to keep you on the edge of your seat, with a thrilling ending to the story that will keep you asking for more.

Compelling Story, Bland Characters
Better story (do NOT prematurely read the final paragraph!) than Randisi's "Alone With the Dead", but the characters are not as compelling, with the exception of the bad guy.I was pulled into his head.Perhaps Randisi needs to do more research on the local setting, which in this case would bind his readers to the NYC streets.This mystery could have taken place anywhere.

Move Over James Patterson!
This book was a great thrill ride.I loved the book and its great twists and turns.James Patterson better move over because there is a new great suspense writer on the block. Enjoy this book!

A Real Heart-Pounder!
Once I began reading The Sixth Phase, I had trouble putting it down.The book centers around the investigation of a serial killer, and flashes often from the killer's viewpoint to the investigators' methodical search.WhileI knew from the beginning the killer's identity, there were surprisesgalore throughout the novel.The last 50 pages inspired some seriousheart-pounding as a suspenseful ending played out.While I had mysuspicions as to the finale about halfway through the book, I nonethelesswas surprised to find I was right.This book is definitely not for theweak-hearted, but if you enjoy a good quickening of your pulse, be sure topick it up!

Outstanding!
this book was OUTSTANDING!While some of it was kinda gruesome the book has a great story to it.Finally we have some characters that actully seem human.For instance Detective McQueen says "yes sir" to hiscommanders and tries to show respect for them when most detectives in otherbooks show disrespect.Do you really think cops go around disrespectingtheir commanders--hardly.Anyway this book is worth the money! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Where is this going?
Im really starting toget fed up with Leisure Books altogether. Most are mediocre writers with no skills to develope dimensional characters, interesting plot (if any at all), and believable diolouge.
This book is a prime example. The premise sounds interesting enough, Bram Stoker meets Jack the Ripper, with a couple of other Victorian writers thrown in, but it goes no where. Most of the book is sappy, pointless diolouge.
I give it 2 stars because I liked the idea, nothing more.

Not too bad, not too bad at all
Yes the book was not entirely accurate but it was still beautifully written. It kept my interest from the very beginning and I could not stop until the last page. It has a great story behind it, and is extremely descriptive (do not not read while eating or if you have a weak stomach). I loved the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good horror story.

Endless mistakes
Bram Stoker vs. Jack the Ripper? Unbelievable mistakes abound.For one thing, it was Richard Mansfield, not Henry Irving, who was playing in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" during the Ripper killings and was only briefly a suspect.For another, Doyle published "A Study in Scarlet" in "Beaton's Christmas Annual", not "Pearson's".If an author is going to drop names all over the place he should at least check his facts.There's also a line about James Barrie writing about fairies, but "Peter Pan" wasn't created until 1902 (the play came in 1904).All these errors came before page 80, I stopped counting after that!

That's EDWARD Hyde, by the way...
I love period pieces and when it's a horror story or thriller so much the better. Randisi starts with an interesting concept but unfortunately can take it no further than that. The result is a sometimes enjoyable read that ultimately let me down. Part of the fun of reading Jack The Ripper novels is finding out who the author will finger as the likely perpetrator. No such thing here which is not necessarily a bad thing but in the end the book adds up to nothing but a gimmicky tease peppered with real historical characters.
There are two flaws to this book that deserve special mention. One is the complete lack of physical description. No attempt is made to actually put the reader into 1880's London. One of the reasons anyone picks up a period piece is to experience the sights, sounds and even smells of another place and time. Randisi made no attempt whatsoever on this count. The result is a period piece without a period!
The other flaw is to some perhaps a minor one as far as the telling of the story goes but in this genre it is in my book darn near unforgivable. Again and again the character of Mr. Hyde in Stevenson's book is referred to as "Henry" Hyde. Uh, Robert, don't you mean EDWARD Hyde? That no editor even caught this cringeworthy mistake is positively amazing. Draw your own conclusions.
A better use of your time if you're interested in Ripper lore is Patricia Cornwell's "Portrait Of A Killer." Deeply flawed itself, perhaps, it is infinitely better as far as immersing the reader in late 19th Century London. And there is no "Henry" Hyde, either. I promise.

FUN AND FASCINATING
So many Jack The Ripper novels tell the same story over and over. Robert J. Randisi has given us a novel that is both fresh and fun. Most folks know that in addition to writing novels such as DRACULA, Bram Stoker also ran a theater. As CURTAINS OF BLOOD opens, his theater is in danger of closing. To make the play now on stage, Stoker manages to meet the Ripper and get the beast's take on murder--from a killer's point of view. Stoker hopes to enhance the play's authenticity by incoporating these insights. Quite a premise. And Randisi lives up to it, giving us a Victorian London that is as spooky as the house in THE SHINING, and introducing us to many famous people, include Oscar Wilde. CURTAINS OF BLOOD is both fun and fascinating and a great addition to theRipper library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A 5 STAR MUST READ WITH ACTION AND EXCITEMENT!
Marshall Kyle Maddux of Cromwell, Kansas was dogging the trail of Lucas Freeling and the two hardcases riding with him. Kyle catches up with the trio and in the ensuing shootout he is wounded. Kyle kills Freeling and the other two men ride off. Just then a shot rings out and Maddux is downed by the Backshooter. Three years later and retired from toting a badge, Kyle is getting restless. Running a ranch is not enough for the former lawman. Now Maddux's former deputy Joe Hannibal is Marshall of Cromwell. During this time the Backshooter has twelve victims to his name. Joe brings Glenn Wilkes, who is employed by the Pinkerton Detective Agency, out to Kyle's ranch to meet Maddux. Wilkes claims the Pinkerton's have been hired by the family of one of the Backshooter's victims to bring him to justice and wants Kyles help in tracking this man killer. Wilkes believes Walker Bogart may have done some of the killings attributed to the Backshooter. Bogart also has a price on his head the and Wilkes plans on collecting the bounty. Walker Bogart is hoping to lure Maddux out of retirement, kill him and enhance his reputation. Maddux, along with Hannibal and Kyle's ranch hand, a half-breed Kiowa John Shadoweyes agree to help Wilkes. In the town of Ceremony in New mexico, Bogart has taken control of the town. Walker is also holding Anne Redmond captive. After stops in the towns of the victims of the Backshooter and with information gathered along the trail, Maddux and his comrades head for New Mexico. The man hunters finally catch a break when the Sheriff of Dennison, NM informs Hannibal that Bogart has taken over the town of Ceremony. Maddux, Hannibal, Shadoweyes and Wilkes ride to Ceremony for a final showdown with Bogart. In this little town in New Mexico, guns will blaze and men will die, but who? BACKSHOOTER is filled with plenty of action, excitement and some great lines. BACKSHOOTER is a 5 STAR MUST READ. Randisi is among the best authors writing today. ... Read more

Product Description
Joe Keough, a former New York City police detective, moved to St. Louis to get away from the bloodshed of the Big Apple and start fresh. But five minutes into Keoughs new life, four-year-old Brady Sanders walked into his St. Louis police station, leaving behind a trail of bloody footprints. "Each of Randisis novels is better than its entertaining predecessor."-BOOKLIST

That was only the beginning of a twisted trail of darkness and fear, from Brady's missing parents and their blood soaked house, to the kidnapping of beautiful mothers and their small children. Were these hideous acts a series of unrelated coincidences, or was there a serial killer on the loose, stalking and killing the citizens of St. Louis? It wasnt long before Keough was forced to realize that death in the Midwest is no different from death in New York. Terror is terror, no matter where you live. "Randisi successfully combines dry humor and suspense to come up with one heckuva read. This man knows how people talk and think and it shows." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Its a so-so book.
The book reads OK.There is little character development and not really much interesting about the main character.Keough is pretty lonely and boring.He doesnt do any great detective work that would make the book stand out.The serial killer is an idiot who makes a lot of mistakes and really isnt very difficult to catch.The book reads like watching a OK episode of Law and Order.Also, like another reviewer wrote, the descriptions and actions of the St Louis police force seem a little unbelievable.They seem bumbling in comparison to his "normal" activity. This also takes away from the novel.

Related or Illiterate
Skip this one.Anyone who finds any part of this book even remotely believable is either related to the author or cannot read.His bumbling St. Louis police force is ridiculous.

In the shadow of Joe's amazing hunches.
The main character, Joe Keough, does very little (if any) actual detective work in this rather tepid novel.

Amazingly, both the multiple murder investigation and the events surrounding little Brady Sanders manage to solve themselves with minimal input from Detective Keough.Joe is simply there to act on his outlandish hunches and pick up all the credit.This comes even at the cost of a fellow officer.But hey, it was the one detective on the force that all the men and women didn't really care for anyway, so what's the big deal, right?

In reality, all Joe Keough has in this story are his hunches.He even goes so far as to tell this to his superiors and the FBI.

The supporting cast of officers are ineffectual, as is the story's villain.It is for these reasons that I cannot in good conscience recommend this novel.

Enjoyable read
I grabbed this book from a limited selection at an airport newsstand, notbeing terribly familiar with the author, but needing something to helpdistract me from a four-hour flight.The author manages to integrateseveral story lines and does a nice job of mixing mystery, a littleromance, as well as some humor.It was one of those "have to finishit" books as opposed to the many half-read titles on my book shelf. It was easy to picture the people and places in my mind - almost likereading the script of a screenplay.

Was it the best book I've ever read? Nope.But it was entertaining and will probably be enjoyed by others aswell.

Major disappointment after Alone With the Dead
In this sequel to Alone With the Dead, Detective Keogh relocates to St. Louis.Now, I don't live in St. Louis but even as an east-coaster and a former New Yorker I found Randisi's characterization of St. Louis prettyinsulting.If I lived there I would be truly offended.His portrayal ofthe police force paints them as being as competent as Barney in MayberryRFD.For example, when Keough walks out of a crime scene he explains he istrying to reconstruct the crime.A fellow officer asks him how he doesthat. Puh-lease....No one but Keough not only knows *any* policeprocedure (if you're a regular mystery reader you know more than these St.Louis cops do) but no one else possesses any common sense either.And ofcourse Keough comes up with all of the patterns and motives of the criminalout of thin air and anticipates his moves with the accuracy of a psychic.

This was a truly ridiculous book. ... Read more

Product Description
From the Private Eye Writers of America comes this collection of all-new stories by an all-star lineup of Shamus Award-winners-and their literary PIs.

Includes stories by:

• Jeremiah Healy
• Loren D. Estleman
• Max Allan Collins
• Jerry Kennealy
• John Lutz
• Parnell Hall
• Edward D. Hoch
• Gary Phillips
• Rick Riordan
• Les Roberts
• Christine Matthews
• S. J. Rozan
• Terence Faherty
• Bill Pronzoni ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Mixed Bag Anthology
I've come to the realization after reading several volumes of Robert J. Randisi's private eye collections that as the founder of the Private Eye Writer's of America, he is compelled to invite every author working in the genre to participate in his books, regardless of whether the quality of the stories merit it or not. "The Shamus Game" is another collection of private eye stories in which the best inclusions (Loren Estlemen's Amos Walker, Bill Pronzini's "Nameless" Dectective) make the lesser lights look worse by comparison.

Every story a winner
You don't often find an anthology where every story is great, but SHAMUS GAME is one. If you enjoy private eye fiction, this book is a must read.

Excellent short story anthology
This engaging anthology includes some of the more popular sleuths of the last decade. The fourteen stories star famous fictional private detectives including Nathan Heller, Amos Walker, Nameless, Tres Navarre, and Milan Jacovich, etc. The contributor list is a who's who of Shamus Award winners such as Collins, Estleman, Pronzini, Riordan, and Roberts, etc.

Every one of the stories are well written ranging in time from the 1920's and 30's, into 60's and to the present. Each one of the tales feels complete as readers follow popular detectives on a case or two. There are no weak stories in what is bound to be considered one of the best short stories collections of the year.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description
Eight all-new stories of high-rolling intrigue from today's best authors make up this unique collection that looks at the chances we take, the laws that we break, and the fortunes we hope to make... ... Read more

Product Description
A compilation of new short stories from the best in the U.S. ... Read more

Product Description
'He died with his boots on' sums up the untimely demise of many a man in the wild towns of the Old West-and no town was wilder than the ultimate City of Sin: Dodge City. In this remarkable anthology, successful Western authors have written original stories of Dodge City's cemetery, 'Boot Hill.' Fea-turing Elmer Kelton, James Reasoner, Richard S. Wheeler, Tom Piccirilli, Ed Gorman, and many others, Boot Hill is a unique collection that captures the wild characters that populated the American West. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Tombstones
I liked this anthology but I only gave it 3 stars because I thought it could have been better.There are 15 stories, an introduction and an epilogue. My favorite story was The Piano Man/by Robert Vaughan. The stories just didn't have enough tension to them, but they were OK, just not great.

WESTERN ANTHOLOGY AT IT'S VERY BEST-A MUST READ!!!!!!!!
BOOT HILL is Robert J Randisi's BEST WESTERN ANTHOLOGY to date. A collection of stories from some of the best well known authors today including, John Jakes, Elmer Kelton, James Reasoner Robert Vaughn and Richard S Wheeler. Throw in stories by lesser known but equally impressive authors such as Tom Piccrilli and Marcus Galloway and you have a very impressive western anthology. Come along as the Gravedigger tells us the tales behind the head stones of Dodge City's BOOT HILL. This is a tour you won't want to miss. ... Read more

Product Description
An anthology of mystery works by The Private Eye Writers of America and Sisters in Crime includes stories by Sue Grafton, Loren Estleman, Susan Dunlap, Sara Paretsky, Ben Schutz, Max Allan Collins, Jeremiah Healy, and others. Simultaneous. ... Read more

Product Description
A collaborative anthology of crime fiction features short works by such writers as Sue Grafton, Loren D. Estleman, Sarah Paretsky, Jeremiah Healy, Susan Dunlap, Max Allen Collins, Carolyn G. Hart, and John Lutz. Reprint. PW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great anthology with plenty of favorite authors!
Ok- so this is a fun collection with many favorite mystery authors contributing. This one is much better than the follow up Deadly ALlies II- so pick up this one!

Listing of contents:
Contents:

* Easy Go by Lia Matera
* Summary Judgment by Jeremiah Healy
* A Little Missionary Work by Sue Grafton
* A Good Judge of Character by Susan Dunlap
* Sex and Violence by Nancy Pickard
* Mary, Mary, Shut the Door by Benjamin M. Schutz
* Role Model by Michael Collins
* Invitation by Sarah Andrews
* Nothing Ventured by Carolyn G. Hart
* Whatever Has to Be Done by Jan Grape
* Louise by Max Allan Collins
* Strung Out by Sara Paretsky
* Like Father, Like Daughter by Sandra Scoppettone
* Turnabout by Robert J. Randisi
* Before You Leap by John Lutz
* Hangnail by Margaret B. Maron
* Silk Strands by Julie Smith
* Safe House by Loren D. Estleman
* Unfinished Business by Rob Kantner
* Reunion by Marilyn Wallace ... Read more

Product Description
Commemorating the 20th anniversary of The Private Eye Writers of America, this one-of-a-kind collection features original stories set on some of the world's most notorious streets-and written by some of the world's best-known mystery writers...

Includes stories by:
Jack Bludis * Max Allan Collins * Loren D. Estleman * Carolina Garcia-Aguilera * Jerry Kennealy * Patricia McFall * Maan Meyers * Deborah Morgan * Warren Murphy * Percy Spurlark Parker * Marcus Pelegrimas * S.J. Rozan * Dan A. Sproul * Tom Sweeney ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Enjoyable Read
Mystery Street contains 14 stories from members of the Private Eye Writers of America, with both male and female Private Eyes working cases all across the U.S. Personal favorites include Jack Bludis' "New Guy on the Block" and Percy Spurlark Parker's "Murder Boulevard." The single best story in the collection, a dark and emotional tale about a father's search for his missing son, is Tom Sweeney's"Last Kiss."

Good stories by experience writers and new comers
Good stories here. From the first to the last, and all of those in between.

It's good that we can still find private-eye and noir fiction someplace. ... Read more