Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: No longer obsessed with James Lacey and determined to end another obsession, Agatha Raisin goes on vacation to avoid Christmas. The vacation is a disaster and when she returns early, she learns Health and Safety Board member John Saturday has done the job for her by banning Christmas decorations, among other things, for safety concerns.  When Saturday is murdered outside a church meeting in nearby Odley Cruesis, there are many suspects. However, the police make the wealthy widow Miriam Courtney their primary person of interest and she, in turn, hires Agatha's detective agency to clear her name. Things become even more complicated when Agatha's employer is also murdered and one of her closest friends is attacked and hospitalized. Review: I was unimpressed with the last Agatha Raisin mystery I read but have reached a point where I'm too far into the series to just give up on it because I didn't enjoy one book. So, I ended up checking out Busy Body from my lib...

Synopsis: After spending time in prison, Stephen Pike is thrilled to be getting a second chance as a servant at the remote Tithe Hall, even after learning the Viscount, believing Halley's Comet will cause an apocalypse, seals his family and servants in their rooms for their safety.  The residents survive the night, except for the Viscount, who is found murdered inside his sealed room the next morning. With suspicion quickly turning on Stephen, his only hope to avoid being arrested for a crime he didn't commit is the elderly but still sharp Decima Stockingham helping him figure out both who killed the Viscount and how they did it. Review: I saw The Murder at World's End in my library's new book section when I went there to pick up a book I had on hold. It looked intriguing, so I decided to check it out as well. After finishing it last night, I can honestly say it was one of the best mysteries I've read in a while. Having the book set around the 1910 Halley's C...

Synopsis: Even though she has convinced herself she no longer has feelings for her ex-husband, James Lacey, Agatha Raisin is not looking forward to attending his wedding, especially after learning he is having second thoughts about marrying the beautiful and much younger Felicity Bross-Tilkington. The wedding, however, doesn't happen because the bride-to-be is killed while getting ready. After initially being considered a suspect until a hat purchase helped clear her name, Agatha is hired by Felicity's mom to find the killer. She agrees and gets help from her protege/rival Toni but, as the case progresses self-doubt and multiple attempts on her life have Agatha considering retirement. Review: While I have never been a big fan of the Agatha Raisin/James Lacey saga, the past few books from this series had me optimistic about There Goes the Bride when I checked it out from the library. As it turns out, it was a book I would consider a let-down. On the surface, the book has an in...

Synopsis: Moira Van Dean doesn't trust Fritz Mundt, the man who broke her husband, Pepper's leg and effectively ended his professional wrestling career, sending the couple into a financial spiral that had resulted in them living in poverty while working for a traveling carnival. However, after the carnival leaves them behind following a barroom altercation that leaves Pepper seriously injured, they have no choice other than to accept Mundt's offer to pay Pepper as a trainer for heavyweight wrestler, Garfield Taft for a potential match against heavyweight champion Strangler Lesko. Despite Taft's brashness, Pepper is up to the task but, as Moira feared, there are obstacles. The training camp in Montana is a front for a bootlegging ring and the only way Lesko's team will give Taft, who is Black, a title shot is if he agrees to throw the match. Plus, it is clear Taft is suffering the effects of some serious illness he won't disclose. Review: I'm not sure why, ...

Synopsis: In the late 19th century, a teenaged Jack Curry went to work promoting boxing matches which, at the time, were illegal in most states. Ambitious and always looking for a way to make money, he began promoting professional wrestling matches on the side, not knowing he would be one of the main reasons it would eventually grow into a mainstream sport.  This non-fiction book tells Curry's story and how he, other promoters and the wrestling stars they groomed grew what once had been a carnival attraction into a sport that packed arenas with thousands of fans and the various obstacles, including themselves, that nearly caused professional wrestling to fail. Review:  As I've said before, other than on occasions when I can find absolutely nothing else on TV, I stopped watching professional wrestling around the time it started being referred to as "sports entertainment." In fact, I couldn't even name ten active professional wrestlers without looking them up. I ha...

Synopsis: When Mrs. Bloxby is approached by a pushy vicar, Arthur Chance, to recruit Agatha Raisin to help promote his church's fête, Agatha agrees to meet him, but only to reject the request in person. However, when she meets one of the organizers, handsome widower George Selby, her habit of chasing men results in her agreeing to help instead.  She is able to make the event a financial success by recruiting a disgraced but still popular pop singer to make an appearance. Unfortunately, things take a dark turn when someone laces jam tasting samples with LSD, resulting in two deaths. Even though some of the villagers blame Agatha for attracting a bad element to their festival, she believes one of the locals committed the crime and investigates. Review: When I picked up a copy of A Spoonful of Poison from my library Saturday morning, I wasn't expecting to finish the book by Monday morning. However, while my history with reading Agatha Raisin novels has been a mixed bag, this wa...

Synopsis: This non-fiction book talks about the darker stories from American history, ranging from plagues to serial killers, told from just before the American Revolution through the Jazz Age Review: My wife picked up Terrible but True: Awful Events in American History from one of our local thrift stores, for both of us. I ended up being the first to read it, while waiting for a library hold to come in, and finished it earlier today. It turned out to be pretty good. Since the book was published by Scholastic, most likely for students, I had some doubts about what kinds of things and how many details the book would share. To my surprise, while it was clearly written with younger readers in mind, it included quite a bit that was both factual and borderline creepy. This includes things like the gruesome details of the meat packing industry before reforms and why people feared being buried alive. As a history nut, I did recognize quite a few of the stories the book told. However, there ...

Synopsis: Judd Nix just got the break of a lifetime. After serving as an intern, he has been hired to be part of a team managing country music's latest superstar, Ripley Graham. In addition to a steady paycheck and meeting celebrities, he is getting the opportunity to learn about the industry from his boss, Simon Stills and the attractive Megan Olsen. Things take a sour turn, however, when both Judd and Simon are struck by bullets presumed to have been meant for Ripley, leaving Simon in critical condition and clinging to life. Was the attempt the result of stalled negotiations, a revenge plot from a recently fired recording studio head or was there another motive? As the investigation takes place it becomes clear multiple lives are at risk. Review: As I previously mentioned, my last trip to the library was made without any clear idea what books I wanted to check out. As a result of that, I wound up choosing them at random and that included Murder on Music Row , which I picked pri...

Synopsis: A forgotten-about cistern located in the roof of Bascom Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison causes a flood and reveals the skeleton of a long-hidden body and a visiting art professor, Nora Barnes, finds herself helping with the investigation, even after her own life is threatened. Her husband, Toby Sandler, also takes an interest in the case but is more interested in finding lost architectural plans drafted by Frank Lloyd Wright. Review: I didn't plan ahead when I went to the library last week and, with nothing on hold and no books on top of my list, I wandered the stacks looking for anything that caught my eye. The Bones of Bascom Hall wound up being one of the books I checked out, primarily because it takes place in a city I frequently visit and I liked the idea of a murder mystery in a familiar setting. I finished the book this morning and would describe it as OK. I liked the mystery surrounding the discovered body because it added some challenges that were u...

Synopsis: After being left a vast inheritance by her father, Jane Withersteen has become a bit of an outcast in her Mormon community by refusing to marry Tull, a Morman elder seeking to make her his second wife and claim her property as his own, and by befriending and even becoming romantically involved with the Gentiles the rest of her community despises. When Elder Tull and other Mormons try to force her submission by stealing her cattle and forcing her riders to abandon her, Jane hires Lassiter, a notorious gunman who has arrived to get revenge for the now deceased Milly Erne. Review: My local library has a large selection of westerns, mostly in their large print section, and while I usually don't bother checking any of them out, I decided to finally give the genre a try with Zane Grey's Riders of the Purple Sage.  Ultimately, I concluded the genre probably isn't for me. However, the book did prove to be a decent read. I've said this in the past, but I do like book...

Synopsis: Homeschooled for "hippie reasons" in the deep south, Felicia Day was a gifted student who was admitted to college at the age of 16 and graduated as valedictorian with a math degree but struggled in social situations unless they were over the internet. After moving to Hollywood to be an actress and struggling to find roles that spoke to her, she with help from friends she met online, decided to create her own web series The Guild, about gaming culture and became an internet star as a result. This memoir tells her story. Review: While not overly familiar with The Guild , other than watching a few episodes, I am a Felicity Day fan from her time on Supernatural and do follow her on social media. I recently read her graphic novel, The Lost Daughter of Sparta and enjoyed it enough to give her memoir You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) a try. I finished reading it this morning and was glad I did. Day's life story is an interesting one. She was a brilli...

Synopsis: Once again feeling the gloom that comes from investigating divorce cases, the only thing keeping Agatha Raisin going is her plans to once again attempt to have a perfect Christmas dinner party even though the holiday is still months away. When a wealthy widow, Phyllis Tamworthy, wants to hire Agatha because she believes her family will murder her, the detective, believing her would-be client might be insane, is reluctant to accept. However, when Phyllis is murdered while Agatha is in her manor, she decides to investigate and gets help from her newest employee, Toni. She soon learns just about everyone who knew Phyllis had motive to kill her. Review: I wasn't sure if I wanted to check out Kissing Christmas Goodbye from the library because it is only June and I'm just not ready to even start thinking about the Christmas holiday yet. However, I was concerned later books in the series would reference this one, leading to confusion or spoilers, so decided to read it aft...

Synopsis: "Cursed" with a deformity on her face, Princess Philonoe is sent away to be raised by goatherders but is eventually called back when her parents want to marry her off to Prince Vasilios to strengthen an alliance. When she learns she and her sisters are victims of another curse, one that will likely cause her to betray her husband, Philonoe, desperate not to disappoint her parents, goes on three quests given to her by Aphrodite with help from another goddess, Artemis. Along the way, she learns more about the second curse and about herself. Review: I've never been a graphic novel person. I have no issues with that form of media or the people who enjoy them (which includes my daughters), it was just never my thing. However, after coming across  The Lost Daughter of Sparta and seeing it was written by Felicia Day, who played one of my favorite characters on Supernatural , I decided to check out a copy from the library and give it a try. I can honestly say I enjoy...

Synopsis: Coming to Los Angeles in the 1940s after serving in World War II, Fred Otash first joined the Los Angeles Police Department but after clashes with his new boss, quit to become a private detective. Using his connections with the police and relationships he built with many of Hollywood's elite, Otash first worked for a gossip magazine before becoming a sought-after fixer, someone who could keep celebrity indiscretions out of the press and protect both their careers and the studios investing money in them. This biography tells his story along with stories about Hollywood's dark side.   Review: I had a bit of a Hollywood history theme the last time I checked out books from the library and, as part of that, ended up selecting The Fixer simply because it sounded interesting. While I didn't know who Fred Otash was before reading the book, I was familiar with the concept of Hollywood "fixers" and what they did for the studios and figured it would be entertainin...

Synopsis: After being raised by parents who stole from her and becoming a widow at 24, Hollywood star Mary Astor was involved in relationships with multiple men, including playwright George S. Kaufman, while she was married to Dr. Franklyn Thorpe and wrote about her affairs in her diary. In 1936, after agreeing to give Thorpe both a divorce and custody of their daughter, Marylyn because he possessed her diary and threatened to use it to derail her career, Astor took her ex-husband to court to contest the custody arrangement, putting Hollywood on high alert as the case threatened to expose the details of her private journal, including the famous stars she slept with. This non-fiction book gives a play-by-play detail of the trial, the events leading up to it and the aftermath. Review: As a classic movie fan, I am familiar with Mary Astor's work and knew enough about her history to be familiar with her infamous "Purple Diaries," named after the color ink she used to write...

Synopsis: Tommel Castle is set to host an elaborate Valentine's Day wedding between Alannah Hamilton and Darius Palmerston, with Alannah's wealthy and influential father, Charles, saving no expense and Police Sergeant Hamish MacBeth's ex-fiancée Elspeth Grant traveling with the wedding party to provide exclusive coverage of the event for her television station. However, as seemingly forewarned by Elspeth's gift for premonition, the happy event is met with tragedy and Hamish, along with his constable, Davey Forbes, are soon investigating a murder after Palmerston is found slashed to death by a sword hours after the wedding and another wedding guest is later found killed.  Review: While I had my early doubts (and dislikes) about the direction Hamish Macbeth's story was taking following M. C. Beaton's death and the decision to continue the series with R. W. Green's assist, I have admittedly begun to enjoy some of the later books more than expected. In fact, wh...

Synopsis: Falling in love with acting when she first saw Jimmy Stewart in a movie, Carol Burnett go on to pursue her dream, starting on Broadway and eventually becoming one of the most recognizable people on television. This memoir talks about her decades-long career, the people she met and the memories she made along the way. Review: Even though I am pretty sure they were all re-runs by that point, I remember watching quite a few episodes of The Carol Burnett Show when I was a child. While I don't know if I could necessarily say it was my favorite show growing up (it might have been a little too adult) I do remember enough of the skits to understand why it was a popular series and, now that I'm older, how it was just one of the reasons she is an icon today. As a result, when I came across her memoir This Time Togethe r, at the library, I decided to check it out and read it. After finishing the book last night, I can say I both enjoyed it and have gained even more of an appre...

Synopsis: Getting his first big break in show business as a writer for comedian Sid Caesar , Mel Brooks has been entertaining people as a writer, director and actor for decades, winning Academy Awards and changing the comedy landscape with films like Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein . In this autobiography, Brooks tells his story and talks about the people who impacted his life along the way. Review: If I were to ever compile a list of my all-time favorite directors, I am confident the majority of them would be horror film directors. However, even if that did turn out to be the case, I think I can say with absolute (well maybe 99 percent) certainty Mel Brooks would probably wind up on the top. The man is a comedy legend, and I find myself quoting his movies practically daily. As a result of this, when I was able to get a copy of his autobiography All About Me! through the local library, I did. And, since it was a holiday weekend, I was able to get through it over the course o...

Synopsis: Agatha Raisin has tried to convince herself she is over her ex-husband James Lacey, even after he returned unexpectedly into her life and moved back into the cottage next door to hers. However, when he offers to take her on a surprise holiday, her old romantic feelings cloud her judgement and, despite warnings from the vicar's wife, Mrs. Bloxby, she accepts. Only, the romantic vacation to a warm beach Agatha imagined instead turns out to be a trip to Snoth-on-Sea, an English resort town that has fallen on hard times, is nothing like James remembered and turns their vacation (complete with separate hotel rooms) into an instant failure. And that is before Agatha gets dragged in for police questioning after her missing scarf is used to strangle Geraldine Jankers, a dreadful woman she had a public spat with just hours before, resulting in an extended stay as she tries to find the real killer, has her life put at risk as a result and sees any hope of reconciliation with James...

Synopsis: Agatha Raisin is in a bit of a rut. Business has slowed down at her detective agency, forcing her to downsize her staff and the few cases she does get are barely enough to pay the bills. Even though she hates divorce cases, she reluctantly agrees to let Robert Smedley hire her to spy on his wife, Mabel, only to find Mabel is both smart enough to know she is being followed and might be the most perfect wife ever. Things take an unexpected turn soon when Agatha and her new photographer, Phil, discover the body of missing teenager Jessica Bradley. For publicity, Agatha vows to find Jessica's killer free of charge but when Robert Smedley is also murdered, just hours after un-hiring Agatha and claiming he made up with his wife, Agatha soon finds evidence suggesting the murders might be related. Review:   I misjudged how long it would take me to read the stack of books I checked out from our library prior to its temporary closure for renovation and finished the last one, The P...