Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Liz McCall returned to her hometown of East Aurora, New York, after her father, Hank, was nearly killed in the line of duty as the village's chief of police. Liz now helps her father run a vintage toy store while also trying to remind him he's retired and shouldn't be getting mixed up in police business, even as the new chief of police, Ken Young, reluctantly tolerates her father's help. However, when a stranger is murdered in the store, Hank becomes the primary suspect. Review: I'm not part of the Baby Boomer generation. However, when I decided to check out Death of a Toy Soldier at my local library, it was for a very boomer-like reason, the larger print. I knew nothing about the author or her work prior to reading the book. After doing so, I have to say I was surprisingly pleased. As a stand-alone mystery, it was intriguing. There were quite a few questions relating to the stranger who was found dead in the store, including his real name and why he wa...

Synopsis: Actor and comedian rose to fame in the 1970s and 80s as part of the Monty Python comedy troupe. In this "sortabiography," he discusses that rise to fame and the impact it had both on his career and his personal life. Review: I know I'm not as big of a Monty Python fan as other people are. However, I have watched my share and did, at minimum, enjoy the movies Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Life of Brian . Plus, I'm familiar with Eric Idle from some of his other work, such as his hilarious cameo appearance in National Lampoon's European Vacation . So, when I had an opportunity to read Always Look on the Bright Side of Life , I did. Overall, I thought it was a good decision. Idle brings a good mix of comedy and seriousness to this book. The former both makes reading the book easier and also softens some of the sadder/darker stories, especially when he discusses the tragic way some of his fellow Monty Python actors saw their lives end. At the same t...

Synopsis: After approaching a man who has been following her and threatening to slap him the next time she saw him, widow Selma Anson consults with attorney Perry Mason to find out the potential legal consequences of following through with her threat. A curious Mason has Paul Drake investigate and learns his client is close to marrying one of her deceased husband's best friends, the wealthy Delane Arlington. This doesn't sit well with George Findlay, a man who is planning on marrying one of Delane's nieces and doesn't want to risk losing out on the potential inheritance. Findlay is so determined to prevent the marriage, in fact, he is helping prosecutors prove Selma murdered her first husband. The evidence seems to support that accusation, and Selma doesn't help her case by attempting to flee under an assumed name. Review: I requested a book through my local library and, since they needed to have it sent from another library first, I checked out The Case of the Car...

Synopsis: Daniel Pecan Cambridge is an ordinary American, except for the fact he is afraid of 8-inch-high curbs, can't hold a job because of a counting obsession, secretly drugs is upstairs neighbor, is romantically obsessed with a local realtor he has never spoken to, needs to have a grand sum of 1125 watts of light in his apartment and was once a suspect in a murder. Review: I ended up checking out this book from our local library a couple days ago mostly because I am a big Steve Martin fan and, until recently, had completely forgotten he had written books. I didn't really know what to expect from this particular novel, but, after finishing it, I have to say I enjoyed every page. I think the thing that really drew me in when reading this book was I didn't quite know what it was going to be about. It's a first-person account from Daniel's perspective and, as a result of that, a lot of the pages are nothing more than him rambling a bit and not seeming to have much...

Synopsis: This true crime memoir tells about the author's childhood and, later, life in an Amish community and the abuse and sexual assault she was subjected to at the hands of people who were protected from criminal prosecution because of their religious beliefs. Review: This is probably the type of book I wouldn't even glance at under normal circumstances. And, quite frankly, the only reason I wound up checking it out from our local library was I couldn't find the book I wanted to get, was in a bit of a time crunch and it happened to be within easy reach as I walked toward the checkout counter. But, once I started reading this, I had a hard time putting it down. This book was a real eye opener for me because hearing about the abuse from the victim's perspective almost made me feel as though I was on the receiving end of it myself. The torture her and her sister went through at the hands of her mom and step father was pretty unnerving and, after reading she edi...

Synopsis: In 1944, Allied forces believed the war in Europe was almost over and even placed bets about it ending by Christmas. They did not realize Adolf Hitler was planning one last, desperate holiday offensive. Review: I usually go to the local library rather than buy books because I read them too quickly. However, my wife came across this book a few weeks ago and purchased it for me as a Christmas present. I was intrigued and, once I was caught up with my library books, I sat down to read this one. Overall, I was impressed. I have heard and read about the Battle of the Bulge before and, because of that, there was some familiarity with some of the facts and people involved. However, I liked how this book brought things down to a more personal level and showed the battle from specific individual perspectives. One thing, in particular, I liked about this book is the way it focused a lot on the ton of misinformation that was going around during the early hours of the Nazi o...